Please visit our sponsors:

ExtremeTerrain, This Weeks Jeep Talk show is brought to you by ExtremeTerrain, Wrangler off-road parts and accessories outfitter. Stay tuned to hear about Merideth Evasew’s Jeep Bumpers Buyers Guide video on how to choose the right type of front Bumper for your rig!”

This episode of the Jeep Talk Show is sponsored in part by: Black Magic Brake Products, they build Big Brake Kits for your Jeep!  BlackMagicBrakes.com sells Direct Bolt-In Vanco Big Brake Kits with Black Magic Brake Pads and NEW Steering Knuckles. Find out more by visiting Black Magic Brakes dot com, that’s Black Magic Brakes dot com.

This Week In Jeep:

Spy Pics Of Grand Wagoneer Released

You know we pretty much have our proverbial fingers on the pulse of the JEep world.  So when there;s buzz of spy photos being leaked of what could be the new upcoming Wagonner or Grand Wagoneer, that you are going to be some of the first to hear about it. We’ve actually known for a while that Jeep is bringing back the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer nameplates, and we now have our best look yet at what the proportions are of this new full-size, three-row Jeep SUV. Based on the few photos that were released this week by the camera ninjas at Car & Driver, we can speculate that it’ll be built upon the Ram 1500’s platform going off the sheer size of this thing. It’s unclear what the difference between the Wagoneer and the Grand Wagoneer models will be, but if the rumors are true, then the relationship between the two might be akin to the Tahoe and Suburban, with the Grand Wagoneer serving as a long-wheelbase version of the standard Wagoneer. OR…It may just be a matter of trim level, with the Grand Wagoneer backing up what many are thinking will be a six figure price tag. Either way, the vehicle we see here under heavy camouflage appears to share some styling with the current Jeep Grand Cherokee, as we can see the headlights and taillights beneath the camouflage are similarly shaped to those found on the grand. 

The Grand Cherokee, too, is getting a redesign soon, and it might arrive before the Wagoneer, so what we see now, may just be bolted in place to keep it road legal. Not the first time we’ve seen franken-Jeeps tooling around the test track or in Toledo under heavy blankets. As far as what is going to be powering this new behemoth of a Jeep, well that too can be derived from the platform it’s being built on. Since it shares its frame with the Ram 1500, it is likely the same engine options will follow. That would make the standard engine a 3.6-liter V-6 with the e-Torque hybrid, and those wanting more grunt,  the 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi will be the more powerful option. Both engines will probably be paired with a ZF eight-speed transmission and either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive options. A rumored all wheel drive option has been thrown around in some circles too. Regardless, one of the big unknowns at this point is whether or not retro wood paneling on the outside of these will be an option too. All we can do is hope. Jeep has said that the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will begin production in 2021, so we can expect to hear lots more about these new models in the coming months.

Kendrick Castillo Update 

A story we covered in May has some further developments. It’s not often we get stories that choke us up or have us diverting from the funny all that often. But this was one of those stories that not only was hard for me to write, but difficult to read at the time too. You may remember the story of a young enthusiastic Jeeper by the name of Kendrick Castillo. He was the 18yr old boy who in an act of sheer heroism, tackled a would be gunman as he entered Kendricks classroom intent on murder.  Kendricks act of bravery allowed other students to get to safety, and for the gunman to be tackled and detained. Unfortunately, it also cost brave young Kendrick his life. The life of his parents, Maria and John Castillo obviously hasn’t been the same since that fateful day in May. As a way to cope with the loss of their only child, the couple has been finding ways to hold on to Kendrick’s memory, and make a statement at the same time. The two drive Kendrick’s Jeep as long as it’s running well. They say it gives them comfort to be in it. Kendrick’s mother, Maria says It feels like her son is next to her when she’s in it, and she can still smell him in the Jeep when she gets in. 

Kendrick’s father, John, said: “When we get out of his Jeep and we walk away, he’s with us. When we come out, he’s there waiting for us, that’s what this Jeep represents,”  The two also write messages on the Jeep’s windows. They change the messages out regularly to share their feelings to the community, and they range from notes of hope, to frustration, to remembrance. They also put up different cardboard posters in the windshield when they park the Jeep displaying different messages about gun safety, and the call justice, and for measures to keep kids safe in their own schools.  On Saturday, November 30th, there will be a “Jeeps and Taps” event benefiting the Notre Dame Catholic School Scholarship Fund in Kendrick’s honor at Max Taps brewery in Highlands Ranch, Colorado from 1 to 8 p.m.  If your able, we encourage you to show up, Kendrick’s Jeep will be there, and folks are encouraged to bring their Jeeps, too.  With his vehicle, they hope their son’s memory will live on.

Sat. November 30th “Jeeps and Taps” event benefiting the Notre Dame Catholic School Scholarship Fund
Max Taps brewery in Highlands Ranch, Colorado from 1 to 8 p.m.
https://www.maxtaps.com/

Radio Comm Tech:

This is Jon and today we are going to talk about your communication options.  The most common option is CB, however other options include GMRS, FRS, MURS, PLMRS, and ham radio. Some do not require a license, some do. There are a couple of questions you will need to answer in order to help guide you towards the radio service that may best serve your needs.
1. Who do you want to talk to and what are they using?
2. Do you ride with a group, various groups, with a few friends or alone.
3. Are you wanting trail/convoy communication or to be able to reach out for an emergency as an example?
Trail/Convoy comms: CB is probably still the most common form of communication between off road groups and is still required for many organized events. MURS (no license) is another option, though it is not widely used. GMRS (license required) is slowly gaining in popularity and it also communicates with FRS (no license) handhelds so they can also be used for those without GMRS or for spotters. Ham radio is also suitable for trail comms in addition to emergency comms and it is versatile, but for those groups that don’t want to take the ham test and get licensed (as easy as it is) then GMRS is a suitable alternative for trail/convoy communication.  PLMRS also operates on frequencies close to ham radio VHF and UHF frequencies and best serves a dedicated group.  Contact outside your group/Emergencies: If we are discussing 2 way radios only, then ham radio without a doubt. There are many hams, repeaters, and linked repeater networks across the country. Many times someone is monitoring, even if you don’t hear any traffic. Ham radio is also capable of APRS which can be use for tracking your vehicle, sending SMS test messages/emails, getting weather reports, etc though much of this does require infrastructure and is not always 100% it is a useful tool to have in addition to voice communication. A PLB or Personal Locator Beacon is also a valuable emergency tool.  If you ride with groups you will probably want to use what they are using, however after this segment you may want to convince them to upgrade.  We’ll discuss the specs and the pros and cons of each radio service on upcoming radio comm tech segments.

Jeep Life:

Recap of the T.A.T Adventure Part one of Jeep Momma & Neil’s Adams Xtreme Off Road Adventure. I quickly learned what it means to the adventure lead you. We started out with throwing all plans out the window and winging it. The first part of the trip was on the East Coast driving along the Trans American Trail. You can follow the day by day journal on my blog at www.Jeepmomma.com

Interview with:

Jared Oldham, Jeeper, Overland Enthusiast, Outdoor Adventurer

Jared has been a Jeep fan his entire life. His first Jeep was a 2004 Jeep Wrangler. Now he owns a 2012 Jeep Wrangler. Over the past few years he has been exploring trails and backroads all over Utah documenting it on his YouTube Channel. Backroad Exploration.

Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:

Driving a Jeep or really ANY vehicle with one headlight pointed toward the ditch (or the sky, or the other lane) is worse than annoying – it’s actually dangerous. Blinding the vehicles coming at you is never a good thing, as they can drift over into your lane, and clip you head on. No fun. Oh sure it looks neat when in dense fog you have a lightsaber coming off the front of your Jeep pointing out into outer space. But not properly illuminating the road surface in front of you can lead to an accident in the right circumstances. All it takes is a minor fender bender, some light trail damage, or even a change in ride height or stance to alter the aim of your Jeeps headlights. Fortunately, headlights feature adjusting screws that make it easy to fine-tune the aim of the lights… if you know how to use them. And if the setting on my mirror is any indication, there are MANY of you out there that have no idea what I’m talking about. Adjusting headlights on virtually any vehicle is so easy anyone can do it. And all it takes is some masking tape and a screwdriver. It’s so easy in fact it calls into question the intellect of those douche nozzles driving bro-dozers with 18” of lift and 52’s with 4 shocks in each corner and not one red cent towards a screwdriver to adjust those headlights. Ok, enough ranting, let’s get on to some adjusting. Some vehicle manufacturers want to make it easy on you by including a leveling bubble in the headlight assembly. This is not unlike a carpenter’s level and can often can aid in the adjustments. Be advised though, this is for use on vehicles that are at factory ride height, and haven’t had any modifications made to the suspension. Many adjusters are accessible under the hood, while some can be accessed through the headlight bezel itself. The difference that properly-aimed headlights makes can be amazing if you’ve gotten used to driving with headlights pointed in different directions. All it takes is four simple steps to get your Jeeps eyes pointed in the right direction. 

Step 1 – With the Jeep on level ground, pull up to a large flat wall. The side of a warehouse, or a large brick and mortar building work well. 

You’re garage door might work if your driveway is flat and long enough, but the building method usually works best. You’re going to want the Jeep’s front end as close to the wall as you can get it, Like with the bumper almost touching. All while being perfectly perpendicular, or square to it.

Step 2 – With masking tape, (that blue painter’s tape works great or gorilla glue duct tape works real good too,) put 2 crosses on the wall that correspond with the vertical and horizontal center lines of both headlights with the low beams on.

It is also a good idea to mark the centerline of the Jeep too. This will help with side to side alignment later if its needed.

Step 3 – Move the Jeep back 25 ft., keeping the Jeep centered with the tape crosses on the wall. It’s important that you remain perfectly square to the wall, and that you move as straight back from your starting point as possible. 

And yes, the 25 feet needs to be pretty accurate too, so make sure you have a tape measure handy.

Step 4 – Examine the light pattern and make the adjustments. The Low Beams should be hitting the lower right sections of the crosses. If they’re not, use the horizontal/vertical adjusting screws to aim the headlight beams two inches below and to the right of the taped center lines. This would be a good time to adjust left to right to correct for any damage to the front end of your Jeep potentially forcing the light out of alignment.

Now, you can adjust the high-beam hotspots. Turn on the High Beams and they should split the cross hairs you have on the wall. Here’s a tip if you’re running high wattage lights. You may find it easier to block one headlight with a towel or a sweatshirt draped over it,  and make these adjustments one light at a time.  And there you go! You should have a good grasp now on how to align your Jeep’s headlights properly. Next week, we’ll go over head light basics, what the difference is between the different types of bulbs out there, what’s good and what to stay away from, and what all that fancy terminology really means. 

Must Have Stuff for your Jeep:

Rancho RS62125 Rear Shock and Control Arm Skid Plates for 18-20 Jeep Wrangler JL –  $151.99 – Free Shipping

Adding a pair of Rancho Rear Shock and Control Arm Skid Plates provides the protection needed to keep your shock and control arm mounts from taking damage.  Installs easily using existing bolt holes from the control arms and shocks. A red powder coated finish over the ¼” thick low alloy steel resists corrosion and scrapes while gliding over obstacles easily. Installation can be done in the driveway or garage with simple hand tools.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/rancho/rear-shock-and-control-arm-skid-plates-jeep-wrangler-jl

Jeep Weather:

Hey Jeeper, Mitch here, today is the twenty-ninth of November 2019, and it’s time for your weekend Going Topless-Jeep Weather Report. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I intentionally got snowed in up in Northern California for it, started snowing Tuesday at lunch, nothing like going topless and hot tubs in the snow. On to the weather! Let’s find someplace warm to go Topless in, how about Miami, Florida? Bust out that canvas bikini top, sunscreen, and your cruising shades. Sunny with maybe some clouds, Friday 80, Saturday 79, and Sunday 82. Just because it might be cloudy, doesn’t mean you won’t burn your nuts off. Hey look at this! Outside Fort Benning, Home of the Infantry, is Columbus, Georgia. I went to basic training here way back when and they are having decent weather this weekend. Show your support to some new soldiers and go Topless here! Friday will be 69, Saturday 72, and Sunday rain with 66 degrees. Lastly, we went topless up here in South Lake Tahoe, California. Lots of snow is planned with 25 Friday, 30 Saturday and 36 for Sunday! Not to brag but I survived that drive and the heaters work well! If you have any suggestions or want to know YOUR local weather in an upcoming episode. Go to JeepTalkShow.com slash contact in order to find all the ways to get a message to me. I’m Mitch and its always great weekend to Go Topless if you’re brave enough! Just Go Topless responsibly.

Wheeling Where:

Brush Beaters Jeep Club – Wheeling 4 Toys
December 14th
Kansas Rocks Recreation Park, Mapleton, Kansas
More Info: This great event is held the second weekend in December every year. The sole purpose of this event is to gather hundreds of toys and distribute them to needy kids throughout the area for Christmas. Fun is also on the agenda as they provide expert guided trail rides, a hot lunch and a fabulous drawing for great prizes. Another great event with the benefits going to a wonderful cause promises to give these kids a warm heart and a big smile on Christmas day. It will definitely warm your heart as well.
http://www.ksrockspark.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KansasRocksPark

Southington Off Road – Open Trail Ride
December 14th
Garrettsville, Ohio
More Info: http://www.southingtonoffroad.com/
(This park is doing a big Black Friday run this weekend too)

Links Mentioned in Episode 413:
ExtremeTerrain.com – Bumper Selection Video
https://www.extremeterrain.com/wrangler-jeep-front-bumpers.html

Please visit our sponsors:

ExtremeTerrain,ExtremeTerrain, “…brought to you by ExtremeTerrain, Wrangler off-road parts and accessories outfitter. Stay tuned to for their Throttle Out SEMA Coverage featuring Joe Dick’s top 3 Jeep picks.”

This episode of the Jeep Talk Show is sponsored in part by: Black Magic Brake Products, they build Big Brake Kits for your Jeep!  BlackMagicBrakes.com sells Direct Bolt-In Vanco Big Brake Kits with Black Magic Brake Pads and NEW Steering Knuckles. Find out more by visiting Black Magic Brakes dot com, that’s Black Magic Brakes dot com.

Call us: 530-675-4102

Email us: info@JeepTalkShow.com

This Week In Jeep:

Major Recall on Grand Cherokees

Announced just this week, FCA is recalling nearly 700,000 Dodge Durangos, and Jeep Grand Cherokees. The recall is due to faulty electrical connection that could prevent the engine from starting or completely stall out on you at the most inopportune time. 

This affects all 2011 through 2013 Dodge Durangos, and Jeep Grand Cherokees, most of which are in North America, but there’s over 100,000 that are outside the US as well, so heads up to all our Canadian and Mexican listeners too. The current issue, pun intended, is apparently with the fuel pump relays. Silicon deposits can collect on the contact points disrupting the electrical current which of course would starve the engine of fuel causing it to die.  As serious as this problem is, FCA is still trying to figure out ALL the steps required to fix the issue for good. The reason I say “for good” is that SOME of the vehicles being recalled were ALREADY part of a previous recall for a very similar issue where the fuel pump relays would lose signal and the engine would shut off. Right now, the plan is to notify owners to schedule appointments with their local dealers, and the dealers will then be instructed as to what to do, and when they can begin doing it. FCA said it is not aware of any crashes or injuries related to this issue.  If you own a 2011 to 2013 Grand Cherokee or Dodge Durango, or know someone who does, hang tight, and FCA will be contacting you soon about when you can schedule your fix with the dealer.  Want a discount on a new Gladiator? We’ll tell you how. Also, FCA initials a massive recall of Grand Cherokees.

Willing To Give Up That Colorado or Frontier?

There’s no denying that the Jeep Gladiator is a booming sales success, and Jeep is all about selling them off as fast as the Toledo Ohio Factory can build them. Since officially going on sale earlier this year, over 16,000 Gladiators have been sold. And with an average price of over $50,000, there’s also no denying the profits Jeep and FCA are raking in. Jeep along with virtually every other automaker, wants to end the year with a bang. And one sure fire way of making that happen is to sell more units. But, of course, buyers need to be enticed. It was discovered this week, that a bulletin was sent to Jeep dealerships authorizing an old but useful sales tactic, the conquest bonus.

Let it be known that this is not the type of conquests you’d have at a college frat party. As fun as those are, this is simply a discount designed specifically to get buyers to switch brands. Unlike those keg stands at a frat party that had you switching teams. Jeep is apparently sending a promotional offer, via either direct mail or email, to certain groups of truck owners in the US. This offer is worth $2,000 towards a new Gladiator.

Remember that coupon we spoke of a few episodes back? This trumps that for sure. It turns out this is the single largest discount on the 2020 Gladiator that FCA has EVER authorised. In fact, this offer is double that of last month’s loyalty discount coupon that targeted Jeep owners. Unfortunately, yes…. there IS a catch.  The offer cannot be applied towards the top-of-the-line Gladiator Rubicon trim. Actually it may come as a surprise to some of you, but Jeep recently increased the Rubicon trim’s price by $330 without explanation. Maybe it’s just supply and demand, who knows, either way, you’re not getting a discount on a Rubicon Gladiator. Fortunately, there are three other great Gladiator trim levels available: Sport, Sport S, and Overland. The Sport’s MSRP is currently $33,545 without any added options. Combined with this latest discount, assuming you’re coming from a rival brand, that price drops to $31,545.

And that’s before you start haggling on the price. Imagine getting a decently trimmed Gladiator for 30 grand or less. This still gets you a new Gladiator with that very powerful V6, a six-speed manual transmission, 17-inch wheels, and a 5-inch Uconnect touchscreen display. Might have some of you thinking about switching teams afterall!

Contributor Segment:

Chris with Sevenslats.com The seven slats myth.

Wrangler Talk:

Steering break down starting with the building blocks of our steering systems.

Hello JTS listener and let’s get right into the steering system of your jeep. There is a lot to talk about when it comes to our steering system of our rigs and jeep has used two different styles of linkages on our wranglers over the past few years, so this is going to be another multi-week wrangler segment. So, let first cover the main building blocks of your steering system and this might sound weird bit your whole steering system starts with your ball joints. Yes, I know that some people might say that they are not the building blocks of our jeep but through my experience they are usually the main culprit for a lot of problems when it comes to the steering system of our Jeep. So, lets dig into what a ball joint is, and an automotive ball joint is considered a spherical bearing that connects our axle shaft inner C to the steering knuckle. A ball joint most similarly represents the human hip joint meaning it is a ball and socket assembly that is free to move in any direction with limitations. All ball joints are made of very durable materials and they serve as the pivot point between your axle and wheels. Ball joints can also be found in the linkage systems that link your steering knuckles to your steering box. Although they are made of very durable material, they are naturally designed to wear out. This is part of their design, so they can take a lot of the abuse that we put them through when we are on road or off-road with our jeeps. There a couple different types of ball joint out on the mark although they all have the same general design. There are two different types of ball joints out on the market. The first type of ball joint is a standard ball joint that has three main components the ball, the socket, and a plastic polymer insert that provides low friction movement of the ball inside the socket. This type of ball joint is great for low-load applications, and usually they are called sealed ball joint. The sealed ball joint is considered lubricated for life meaning they do not need any type of service during their lifetime. These ball joints come stock on your jeep from the factor and they are great for the stock application that we use them for until we start making those fun modifications. Also, these types of lubed for life ball joints are found on the steering linkage of the stock wranglers. So when do you replace these lubed for life joints well a good rule of thumb is for sealed ball joints is to replace them every 80,000 miles. This is the common recommendation from all ball joint manufacturers. The next style of ball joint is a HD serviceable ball joint where engineers eliminated the polymer insert. These style of ball joints have three main components as well, they have a ball and socket which is the same as the sealed joints however there is now a hole located on the socket where a zerk fitting is placed. A zerk fitting is a metal fitting that is used in mechanical systems to feed lubricants into the ball joint under some pressure. HD serviceable ball joints are usually made of a case-hardened socket and ball that has been precisely machined to fit together. These ball joints are a metal to metal friction and that is why very important to regularly service the ball joints. For serviceable ball joints they should be greased every oil change, which is a good rule of thumb unless you are heading out on a wheeling trip then I recommend greasing them before you go, your ball joints will thank you in the long run. So how do we tell if we need to replace out ball joints? The most common way to tell if you need ball joints is you may hear a clicking or snapping sound when you turn the wheel one way or the other, and a squeaking sound when you hit the brakes. This is cause by the ball moving around inside the socket. Another common symptom of wearing ball joints is losing control when hitting bumps in the road because the ball joints are too loose inside their sockets. This can also be observed if you jack up the front end of your jeep off the ground and push on your tire in the lateral direction and watch the movement in the ball joint. There should not be any play in the lateral direction, meaning from the outside of the tire towards the axle shaft. If there is any play side to side I would recommend getting your ball joints replaced immediately. Another symptom of your ball joints going bad is that your rig might being to drift when driving down the road. So, if you have never checked or greased your ball joints it might be a good idea to do that this weekend. Driving on worn ball joints is dangerous too. Also, with worn ball joints you are putting a lot more stress on the other components of your steering system, and can lead to premature failure of other components in the steering system. This concludes this week’s wrangler talk. I hope you have learned something about Ball joints even though this talk was supposed to be about steering systems. Well Ball joints are the main building block of our steering system, so we need to start with the basics. Thank you for listening to this week’s Wrangler talk and remember did I get something wrong or forgot something important well head over to our contact page on our website at jeeptalkshow.com/contact and send us an email or leave us a voice message and we will continue talking about steering systems next week.

Interview with:

Jason Larson – Western Region Sales Manager w/ Tuffy Products

Jeep Momma Product Review:

Nexen Tires Roadian MTX

I put 10,000 miles on my Roadian MTX tires over the span of 1 month. We wheeled every terrain out there from mud, sand, snow, rocks, dirt roads, highways and even sharp lava rocks in the Mojave that would of shredded the sidewalls of other tires. These tires held up amazing! We tried out 14 PSI on a trail and 35 on the same trail and they both rocked it. You don’t need to go lower than 14 PSI on the trails and they have the same foot print as another tire would at 8 to 10.

The forward bit was amazing, Neil told me the forward bit is on par with competition stickies. The lateral stability is solid. Their unique sidewall construction is amazing too second to none. I beat the crap out of those sidewalls and they held up with the beating. I would say they are just as noisy as my Duratracs. Neil felt that’s the one downfall is the noise. They are sensitive to air pressure but you can expect that because they are born from a performance tire. Nexen Tire is new into the off road world as their tires are performance tires racing and drifting. You will need to find the right tire pressure for your vehicle while your on the highway. 14 definitely for off road. 27 worked good for dirt roads and 32 for the highway for my Jeep. another note you need to remember these tires have an F-load sidewall rating.

Camp Fire Side Chat:

DJI Mavic Mini

Jeep Weather:

Mitch takes you on a Thanksgiving wet t-shirt contest trip. Hey Jeeper, Mitch here, today is the Twenty-Second of November 2019, and it’s time for your weekend Going Topless-Jeep Weather Report. As we are going into Thanksgiving in the U.S. I figure we can do a little historical tour to go topless this weekend in preparation. Hopefully the nippily temps burn calories for you, so you’ll have more room for food. Starting off, let us Go Topless in Jamestown, Virginia. Here the first recorded prominent celebration was held in 1610. This weekend it will be great for a wet t-shirt contest too! Rainy with 59 on Friday, 50 Saturday, and 55 on Sunday. However, the most famous U.S. Thanksgiving was in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 when the settlers of the Plymouth Plantation celebrated their first successful harvest after a harsh winter killed half their population. Depressing to be sure now but change that around by going Topless here and making people smile. Plymouth will be also rainy with 55 on Friday, 46 for Saturday, and 51 on Sunday. The Continental Congress with The First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving in 1777 was made in York, Pennsylvania. So that is where I suggest Going Topless next! As with the whole east coast of the U.S. it is raining here too. 52 Friday, 47 Saturday and Sunday. My favorite president of the U.S. Teddy Roosevelt declared in 1901, Thanksgiving to be a national holiday. This was his first proclamation as President. Taking over for President William McKinley when he died from a gunshot to the stomach. In his decree he said: Be thankful for work, prove your thankfulness through actions not words, and stop everything to be thankful. From us at the Jeep Talk Show, Happy Thanksgiving. If you have any suggestions or want to know YOUR local weather in an upcoming episode. Go to JeepTalkShow.com slash contact in order to find all the ways to get a message to me.

I’m Mitch and its always great weekend to Go Topless if you’re brave enough! Just Go Topless responsibly.

Wheeling Where: 

GenRight – Christmas To New Years Week Of Wheeling
Dec 26th – Jan 1st
Johnson Valley, California (King of Hammers)
More Info: https://genright.com

Guided Reindeer Run
December 8th
Rausch Creek Off Road Park, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania (http://rc4x4.org/)
More Info: https://offroad-consulting.com/

Links Mentioned in Episode 412:

https://www.tuffyproducts.com/
http://www.blackmagicbrakes.com/
https://www.extremeterrain.com/
https://www.nexentireusa.com/tires/roadian_mtx
https://amzn.to/2pGg7d3 – Mavic Mini Drone

Please visit our sponsors:

ExtremeTerrain,ExtremeTerrain, Wrangler off-road parts and accessories outfitter. Stay tuned to learn more about ExtremeTerrain’s Jeep Wrangler Fluid Capacities Tech guide.

This episode of the Jeep Talk Show is sponsored in part by: Black Magic Brake Products, they build Big Brake Kits for your Jeep!  BlackMagicBrakes.com sells Direct Bolt-In Vanco Big Brake Kits with Black Magic Brake Pads and NEW Steering Knuckles. Find out more by visiting Black Magic Brakes dot com, that’s Black Magic Brakes dot com.

This Week In Jeep:

Veteran’s Jeep Vandalized on Veteran’s Day

According to an incident report, the crime happened late at night on Veterans Day, into the early morning hours on Tuesday.

Lindsay Koehler, the wife of the Jeep’s owner said does not know why someone would damage their property, but feels like this was some sort of personal attack.

Investigators said there is no indication of that, but the owners of the Jeep find it a little strange that the Jeep was the only vehicle that was hit, while there were other cars in their driveway that night and Tuesday morning.

Her mother-in-law was leaving about 7:30 Tuesday morning, and came back into the house to tell Lindsay and her Husband that someone had let the air out of the tires on their Jeep. Going out to see the Jeep for themselves, the Koehler’s saw that the vandals had not just let the air out of the tires, but they had been slashed.  The vandals sliced and slashed the windows of the soft top too. Then they saw things got worse. The seats we all completely torn up, cut and slashed, and ripped. They then saw that the paint had also been vandalized and that they had written “a word.” That word, or just letters rather, say K-O-M-Y. Koehler and investigators are not sure what it means.

Koehler says her Army veteran husband is still taking the damage in. “He feels very betrayed, very unsafe,” Koehler said. Bob Kealing with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said this is more than just broken property. “This happens on Veterans Day, and people need to understand that this is more than vandalism. It’s a crime. You have significant damage done to this vehicle, also someone burglarized it so, it’s not just a crime, it’s multiple crimes,” Kealing said.

Despite the damage, Koehler said she still forgives whoever is responsible. “Absolutely, they obviously need help. It’s just an object; I can fix the object. 

The person’s the one that needs the help,” Koehler said.

Lindsay and her husband said they would like to thank the community for helping and supporting them through this difficult time.

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office asks that you think back to any conversations you may have heard about the vandalism, or if someone posted about the crime on social media and to contact them if you know anything about the damaged Jeep.

2020 Jeep Wrangler Diesel Price Announced

The first-ever U.S. market Diesel version of the Jeep Wrangler will be chugging into showrooms soon. Pricing for the much anticipated SUV has been released and the dealer order books are open as Jeep awaits final fuel economy certification prior to the commencement of sales in a few weeks. The new 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 diesel is largely shared with the Ram 1500 and puts out a respectable 260 hp but boasts a whopping 442 lb-ft of torque in the Wrangler. It’s offered across all trim levels, but only on 4×4 four-door models equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission. So if you had aspirations of owning a new Diesel Wrangler with a manual, i’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it aint going to happen off the showroom floor. 

The lowest-priced Sport diesel starts at $37,795, which is $4,500 more than one powered by its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine and a $3,250 step from the 3.6-liter V6 gasoline option. Those differences also apply to the Sport S and hardcore off-road Rubicon trim levels as well. For 2020, the dressy Sahara is the only Wrangler available with the pricier mild hybrid “eTorque” versions of the gas engines, which add an electric motor boost which helps to eliminate low-end lag for improved launch performance while enhancing fuel economy. Jeep promises that the diesel’s fuel economy will be the best ever seen for a Wrangler, which is currently rated at 21 mpg combined with the 2.0-liter turbo 4. After launching in the Wrangler, the engine will be added to the Gladiator pickup for the 2021 model year. So maybe buying a Gladiator as a tow rig makes a little more sense now with the diesel option.

Wrangler Talk:

MAking a change, going to talk about tire beads this week not steering. 

Hello JTS Listener and welcome to this week’s Wrangler talk. So, I know I said we were going to be talking about steering systems, but I am going to push that off and talk about another topic. Let’s talk about tire balancing and specifically balancing beads. Well I know you just spent all that money on cool wheels for your rig and now you don’t want to have to put those ugly wheel weights on the bead of your wheel. Well the next option is balancing beads. Balancing beads are tiny plastic beads that you put inside your tires, and I am not talking about airsoft plastic pellets. Yes, I know people use air soft pellets as balancing beads, but I am specifically talking about the balancing bead kits. I do not recommend using airsoft pellets, they have a larger diameter then the plastic beads that are sold in balancing bead kit. The smaller beads allow for a more accurate distribution of the beads inside the tire. So first why would you want to use a balancing bead kit. Well when we start increasing the size of the tires they tend to need more and more weight to balance the tire, and balancing beads allow for more weight to be added to the tire and better balancing of the tire. Secondly when it comes to balancing weights they do have a tendency to fall off when we are off-road, and with balancing beads do not ever fall off or come off the tire when we are wheeling.  Another great benefit of the balancing beads is that they automatically re-balance the tire every time you stop and start again. Finally, they are great with tires that have a more aggressive tread on them like our mud terrain tires. So how do they work. Ok let’s picture the inside of the tire at rest. All the balancing beads are resting at the bottom of the tire. Then we start to travel forward and with the rotation of the tire these beads are forced outwards and start sticking to the wall of the tire. When the tire rotates forward small vibration begin to start in the tire. These vibrations are caused by the heavy spots in the tire. Also, as the tire rotates the beads begin to spread out evenly over the wall of the tire, the beads are forced against the wall of the tire by centrifugal force. It is the same force that is used in that fun amusement park ride where you lay against the wall. As the beads start to evenly distribute around the tire they start to fall into the light spots in the tire. That mean like every lite spot that is in the tire. When the balancing beads begin to fall into the lite spots in the tires the tire begins to balance itself. Also, some might ask well how long does this take to happen, well the process really takes effect when the tire starts to spin at about 30 mph. Before 30 mph the tire’s vibrations are not that strong to be felt inside the vehicle unless the tire is really out of balance. As the tire reaches 30 mph the forces acting on the tire begin to hold the balancing beads against the wall of the tire and they begin to work their magic. I personally use these balancing beads in my tires and I absolutely love them. Another question I get asked it how much should I put into my tire, and my answer is check with the tire balancing bead manufacture. Each manufacture has different specifications and amounts you should put into the tire. So, if you follow the manufacturer’s recommendation you should be okay. Finally, the last question that I get is do they come out when I air down my tire, and the answer is “no”. Usually the manufacture will supply another specific valve stem for your tire to use with the beads but also the beads are laying at the bottom of the tire not anywhere near the valve stem to be able to be sucked out the hole. So, I would recommend going on line and buying an actual balancing bead kit and use them yourself. I do not recommend using airsoft pellets to get the same effect. Yes, they may work for some people, but I would hate to see it not work for you. Thank you for listening to this week’s wrangler talk and remember if you have any questions about anything you heard on this episode or if you want to know about something specific send us an email or leave us a voice message on our website at JeepTalkShow.com/contact and remember to join us next week where we will actually be talking about steering.

Interview with:

Paul Fernandez

General Manager at AutomotiveTouchup Paint. AutomotiveTouchup is known for producing automotive touchup paint for any vehicle, and its paint options extend from the newest models on dealer lots to classic marques and models. The company also provides perfect match OEM paint color matches for vehicles which are now discontinued and whose paint is difficult to find as a result. The company is a division of Microfinish, which produces coatings for vehicles and industrial equipment repair and refinishing in its state-of-the-art facility. Paul is in charge of production, human resources, recruitment, and most of the day to day activities. He was born in New Orleans, attended the university there, and joined AutomotiveTouchup soon after the company was started.

Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:

Going From Soft To Hard…. Tops.

We tried to put it off for as long as possible. We closed the blinds to avoid seeing the leaves turn, and are still sporting flip flops and shorts despite fall definitely being here and winter is most definitely knocking at the door. It’s that time of year when we cant go topless as much as we’d like, and for some of us, it means switching from a soft top, to a hard top. So I’m going to go over the proper way to go from soft top to hardtop, and all the things that needs to be taken into consideration when doing so. We’ll get into the hows and why’s and even get into specific details of how to winterize your soft top, and other storage considerations. Ok first off, we’re going to make some assumptions here. First that you actually have both a soft top installed and a hard top in storage ready to go on, and that you have at least one extra set of hands, and some basic hand tools. Outside of that, this isn’t really rocket science, but if you’re new to the jeep world, or new to soft tops, then we may have some tips that you’ll want to utilize as you make the transition from soft top to hardtop. I suppose I should stop right here and apologize for not mentioning something sooner. Who puts away their bedding or clothes without washing them first? Not me! The best time to clean your top is right before it comes off to be stored for the winter. That way when it comes time to put it back on in the spring, it’s clean and ready to go. One nice thing about a Wrangler hard top is you can drive right through an automatic car wash without an issue and come out clean on the other side. With a Wrangler soft top, automatic car washes must be avoided. The large spinning brushes in drive through car washes can easily scratch soft top windows because of either stiff bristles or from dirt left on the brushes from a vehicle that went through before you. A touchless automatic car wash is unlikely to damage your top, although it is very likely to get some leakage due to the high pressure nozzles pointing at your top from various directions. Another downside to automatics is it would be extremely loud from the sounds of the high pressure water, not to mention, you’re likely not going to get it all that clean. Cleaning a Jeep soft top is best done by hand. If you use the manual wash station at a carwash be sure to wash your top first. Start with the roof and then wash off the foam brush or wash rag thoroughly before moving on to the soft windows. Make sure the brush/rag is clean as any dirt left behind can severely scratch your windows. After you finish cleaning the top rinse off all of the soap to prevent soap from drying on it and leaving behind ugly stains. Additionally, if you would like to prevent water spots on your windows wipe them dry with a soft, dry cloth. An important thing to remember about your soft windows is under no circumstance should you wipe dirt off them with your hand or a towel. This must be done with a soft wet cloth so the dirt is picked up and not dragged across the windows, scratching them. A common misconception with vinyl based soft tops is that they require extreme care and caution when cleaning. You can use general car wash soap to clean your top, but there are vinyl specific cleaners that do a much better job. Trust me, it’s worth the time and money to get this stuff. There are also specific fabric cleaners for twill style tops, but again, you can use a basic car soap on these too. For the best results, a soft horse hair brush and a dedicated vinyl or fabric cleaner is the way to go. Remember, a soft cloth is the only answer to vinyl windows to avoid scratches. Like anything else, your soft top needs to be properly cared for in order for it to last. The most important part of maintenance is keeping the top clean. This helps prevent stains, holes, abrasion, and will reduce the likelihood of scratches on your windows. All of the zippers on the top should be regularly treated with zipper lubricant to prevent them from seizing, breaking, and ripping. If your window zippers are seized, do not pull them hard. This will only destroy the zipper or rip the fabric it is sewn to. Zipper Ease 227 Lubricant, Quadratec’s Zip Slick, and Bestop’s Zipper Cleaner and lubricant are all good products that will work year round to keep your zippers from seizing or breaking. Next week, we’re going to pick up right where we left off, and get into the exact procedure for removal of the soft top, how to winterize it, and how to store it for the winter. Stay warm, stay dry, and next week, we’ll wrap things up and get you under that cozy hard top.

Must Have Stuff for your Jeep:

Omix-ADA Wrangler Soft Top Front Cross Bow Set 

$57.59 – (97-06 Jeep Wrangler TJ)

https://www.extremeterrain.com/omix-ada-jeep-wrangler-soft-top-front-cross-bow-set-1351085.html

Nobody likes sagging or flapping Soft Tops. So why not do something about it before the snow and rain fall this year ends up falling in through your top. Whether you want to face it or not, your Jeep’s soft top is prone to sagging when it accumulates water from heavy rains or excessive snowfall. Especially if it’s been around for a while. Letting this go on for too long will result in leaks, fading, or worse, a complete failure of the top itself, allowing whatever is on the top, or falling from the sky to fall right into your Jeep. That is, if you don’t have this installed: The Omix-ADA Soft Top Front Cross Bow Set. Apart from preventing sagging of the top’s material and making sure that water simply rolls off, instead of pooling up on your top, this cross bow kit also prevents the soft top from flapping while driving down the road, or in heavy winds. This is especially valuable during high-speed driving, resulting in a substantially quieter driving experience whether you’re in the city or out in the trails. Omix-ADA crafted this front cross bow set from high-quality materials to ensure its superior durability and strength. You can count on it to hold up your Jeep’s soft top for years without bending or cracking. This front cross bow set comes with all the hardware you need for an easy and straightforward installation. It requires simple hand tools for installation, which can be completed in less than 1 hour. Comes With a 5-Year Limited Warranty.

Jeep Weather:

Cloudy with a high chance of being Topless.

Hey Jeeper, Mitch here, today is the Fifteenth of November 2019, and it’s time for your weekend Going Topless-Jeep Weather Report.

This week, I was thinking about where to take your Jeep out Topless now that winter has touched most of North America. I’ve figured out a solution, it’s going to take some balls and… its completely cool to blast your heater and still be Topless.  Alright so let’s cut some diamonds in Fairbanks, Alaska! One may say that it is nippily there. Friday and Saturday will be cloudy at 8 and 6 degrees respectively, and Sunday you may get some concealment while Topless in some snow flurries at 1 degree. This may also be a good time for a disclaimer, I am using Fahrenheit for all my temperatures.

Maybe you chase the last of summer south so being Topless isn’t as difficult. That can work, so our next stop is Calgary, Alberta. It’s not that cold as you would think. That’s a start but it’ll still be cloudy there. Friday will be 45, Saturday 44, and Sunday 53 degrees.  Now you make it further south with better weather to keep your top off. In Helena, Montana it will be 52 on Friday, 49 on Saturday, and 51 on Sunday. Hey Listener, at least all these places will be cloudy making for some good pictures to prove you went Topless! Go to JeepTalkShow.com slash contact and use any of those ways to send in your proof.

You made it south, so you’re Topless in Ottumwa, Iowa. Radar says that it will still be cloudy here though. Hey, it’ll be 46 on Friday, 44 on Saturday, and 43 on Sunday. Maybe next week I’ll find you some warmer weather, but you’re a Jeeper, Jeepers are crazy enough to go Topless and wheel anywhere. That’s why we have Jeeps.  If you have any suggestions or want to know YOUR local weather in an upcoming episode. Go to JeepTalkShow.com slash contact in order to find all the ways to get a message to me.  I’m Mitch and It’s always great weekend to Go Topless if you’re brave enough! Just Go Topless responsibly.

Wheeling Where:

Big Dogs Offroad – Toys for Tots Dirt Fest
November 30-December 1
The Cove – Gore, Virginia
More Info: https://bigdogsoffroad.com/html/toys_for_tots.html
Charity event, all toys will go to the Quantico Marine base toys for tots program.

Adventure Off Road Park Annual Toy Run
December 7
Adventure Off Road Park – South Pittsburg, Tennessee
More Info: http://adventureoffroadpark.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventureoffroadpark/