Episode 938 – Prepare for Winter!
Stellantis moves Maserati exec to key Jeep leadership post
Stellantis has shuffled the leadership of its key North American operations for the Jeep brand.
The automaker is moving William Peffer Jr., the current CEO of the company’s Maserati luxury brand in the Americas, to the top leadership spot for Jeep in North America. He’ll replace Jim Morrison, who will take over responsibility for “the newly formed Jeep Performance Parts business where he will lead the effort to capitalize on significant growth opportunities,” according to a company announcement.
Kelly MacDonald, Maserati’s chief marketing officer for the Americas, will replace Peffer at the top of the Maserati brand’s North American regional leadership. She joined Maserati this year and has previously held posts at General Motors, Nissan, and Lucid, according to a news release. MacDonald has degrees from Oakland and Michigan State universities.
Kelly MacDonald has been named CEO of Maserati for North America, effective Dec. 1.
The leadership changes are effective on Friday.
The leadership shuffle for the region follows changes at the global Jeep brand level announced in September, effective earlier this month.
Should it be the end of the trail for the Jeep Cherokee Name?
Gary D. Rhodes, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and professor of media at Oklahoma Baptist University writes…
It has been nearly a half-century since the Jeep Cherokee, a military-turned-consumer vehicle, was introduced to the market, stealing my people’s name. Indigenous Americans remain branded, commercially and financially, in a way no other people are. It’s time for that to end.
The American Motors Corporation began manufacturing the SJ Cherokee in 1974. Even as the company itself has been repeatedly bought and sold, its owners — currently Stellantis — have held fast to the Cherokee brand, with the word brand having a particularly insidious meaning in this context. Stellantis is a multinational automobile manufacturer based in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is a highly developed country, but Stellantis is not a highly developed company, at least not when it comes to racism.
Some have claimed that the Jeep Cherokee is a tribute to my people. Quick history lesson: In the 19th century, the U.S. military forced my people onto the Trail of Tears — an involuntary displacement of Indigenous tribes from their homes in the Southeast to land in the West. Jeep began as a U.S. manufacturer of military vehicles during World War II before it started to produce consumer vehicles in the mid-1940s. One of the first Jeep Cherokee commercials featured military-style music. In the ad, an Army Jeep drives up beside the Cherokee, a drill sergeant’s voice shouting questions at the consumer vehicle. All that’s missing is the cavalry.
Newbie Nuggets with Wendy
Winterizing your Jeep – YES or NO
For most listeners, winter has been here already for the past few weeks. I know here is Big Bear ( So Cal) it’s been colder than usual but no snow or rain YET! In the south, Texas, & Florida I think it’s still nice fall weather.
So the question is: What do you have to do to your jeep to wheel in the winter months?
Do you change the tires?
Do you put your top/doors back on?
Do you change out fluids (windshield wipers, etc?)
Do you add comfort things, like extra jackets, or blankets?
Do you change out your gloves, or add a second pair?
What do you do for your kids/dogs etc?
What’s your favorite place to wheel in the winter months?
If you’re ready for the great outdoors, make sure your Jeep and truck are too. Ready to haul. Ready to tow. And ready to take along everything you need—for a day on the water, or a daybreak in the woods. Because no matter what kind of game you’re chasing, we say “bring it.” To the honey hole. To the hunt. To whatever you love to do, and whatever the outdoors brings your way. Because you can’t bring home a trophy… Unless you bring a truck or Jeep offroad vehicle…that’s got your back. RealTruck. Bring your truck to life. RealTruck recently sponsored Ultimate Adventure 2023–the weeklong hardcore off-road trip created by former Petersens 4-wheel and Offroad magazine editor Cole Quinell as a 4wd offroad alternative to Hot Rod magazine’s power tour. Read all about this year’s ultimate adventure through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky on RealSource written by Verne Simons https://realtruck.com/blog/ultimate-adventure-2023/
Fabrication Freezy, with Larry, JeepingMo
Speccing out wheels;
Buying new wheels can be confusing, you’re asked to do math and then guess how your wheels are going to fit.
So let’s look at what it takes to spec out your wheels.
First, let’s look at wheel width, now the wheel width is taken from bead to bead. Not the overall of the rim.
Now what is backspacing and how do you measure it? that is measured from the outside of the wheel on the hub mounting flange side, down to the mounting flange.
That will be a measurement in inches. You can lay the wheel down and use a straight edge measure from the rim to the hub mount. Most wheels with tires on them will be harder to measure. You might need to measure down to the wheel and subtract that from your measurement to the hub.
Then you have to offset, that from the center of the wheel flange to flange to the hub mounting flange. If you have equal flanges on both sides, you can do an overall measurement. And that is normally in MM. now I typically don’t millimeter or ask others to.
This is where the matching comes in, Once you measure what the overall of your wheel is, divide that in half.
Then take that backspacing number you found earlier from the outside of the rim, and you will take half of the rim with and after you convert the back spacing to MM. “multiply the inches by 25.4.” subtract the backspacing. From wheel with divided in half.
That number is your offset. If the hub is on center you have 0 offset. It covers the outside of the wheel, the side you would see if it was mounted. That would be a positive offset. If it’s the other side it’s negative.
If you have a positive offset the wheel will be recessed from the fender.
A negative offset will push the rim out from the fender.
Now backspacing and offset have different purposes. You can have multiple wheels with the same offset, but if the rim is different, then the backspacing will be different.
What I typically see is an improper offset causing the tire to rub and the spacers to come out.
And I am not sure why inches and MM both are used. But that person must have not known what direction to go.
Must-Have Stuff for your Jeep!
Midland – MXT105 – 5 Watt GMRS MicroMobile Two Way Radio – Off Roading Outdoor RZR Farm Trails Radio $109.99
Brand Midland
Color black
Number of Channels 15
Special Feature Lightweight, Weather Resistant, Weather Alert, Emergency Alarm, Automatic Squelch
Talking Range Maximum 40 Mile
Age Range (Description) Adult
Tuner Technology VHF
Water Resistance Level Waterproof
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