ExtremeTerrain, Wrangler off-road parts and accessories outfitter. Wanna win $1500 in Wrangler or Gladiator parts from ExtremeTerrain? With tax season in full bloom, ExtremeTerrain’s ‘Refund Your Build’ Sweepstakes gives Jeep Talk Show listeners the chance to enter daily to win one of three $1,500 ExtremeTerrain gift cards Listen to this episode to hear about how you can win one of three $1,500 XT gift cards.
This Week In Jeep:
Did you know that Kobe Bryant was a Jeeper?
On October 26th 2010, Kobe Bryant made national news about being Jeeper. Choosing to drive his brand spanking new, fully customized 2011 Jeep Wrangler Call Of Duty Black Ops Edition to the season opening game in LA. The Jeep was gifted to him by videogame developer Activision to help promote the upcoming release of the game by the same name. Kobe Bryant made national news one last time on January 26th 2020 when the helicopter he was travelling in crashed killing all aboard. RIP Kobe.
Will Russia Ever Warm Up To Jeep?
We’ve long been reporting about Jeep’s goals for global domination. And they’ve stuck to the plan of offering a diverse class of vehicles that can do well in any market. It’s true, lookaround to any main street usa, and you’re bound to find a Jeep parked there. But the same cant be said for the world round. But Jeep is working on that. It;s true that Jeep has a decent worldwide popularity, but there are countries where this isn’t the case. According to a report by Wards Auto, Jeep sales in Russia are fledgling at best, but are on an upswing coming out of 2019. Jeep sold just 8,221 units in 2014, a number that dropped 75% to just over 2,000 units in 2015, then a further 38.8% to 1,269 units in 2016. With a trend like that, it’d be tough for FCA to justify keeping a foothold in the Russian market let alone pour even more time and money into its minuscule market share. While things started to look up in 2018, with sales climbing 39% and another 17% for the majority of 2019 to 1,653 units, Jeep is nowhere near where it’d like to be in the world’s largest country. Despite the less than stellar sales numbers, FCA sees potential in Russia with updated model lineups helping the recent uptick in performance along with competitors Ford and General Motors ceasing all manufacturing operations in the country all together. This year, Jeep will introduce an updated Wrangler, Compass and Gladiator to try and capitalize on the potential winning situation.
Jeep Returning To Superbowl With Full Length Ad and Big Celebrity… Maybe
You know I don’t like to base too much on assumptions. My old Engineering professor told me that assumptions only make an a….well you know the old saying. So when I get wind of a groundhog movie reunion story starring Bill F-ing Murray in a Jeep commercial, I think no way. That’s gotta be some sort of weird coincidence right, since Superbowl Sunday is ON groundhogs day this year. Well if the CIA taught me anything, it’s that there’s no such thing as coincidences. Especially since Bill and Stephen Tobolowsky (the actor who played the annoying friend from high school) were spotted together in Woodstock Ill. where the 1993 comedy was filmed.Jeep’s parent company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, has not officially confirmed the details of this year’s Super Bowl ad. Falling back on their legal mumbo jumbo their blanket statement has been ((QUOTE)) “The Jeep brand does not comment on the details of on-going video productions (its own, or that of outside partners) that may feature any of its Jeep vehicles.” So I guess we just need to tune and and remember… DON’T DRIVE ANGRY! This year’s Super Bowl, which will see the San Francisco 49ers face off against the Kansas City Chiefs, will air Sunday, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Fox.
Wrangler Talk:
Spyder Gears and what they are all about.
Hello JTS listener and welcome to this week’s wrangler talk where we are going to be getting back into the differential of our jeeps. Specifically, we are going to be talking about Spider Gears. In one of my previous segments I covered lockers and how they work but now what is the gearing system that housed inside your differential or the system that is activated when the locker is disengaged. Also, if you are looking for more information on lockers it is episode 406. So, in your differential there is this cast metal housing called the carrier that houses a specific set if gears called spider gears. These gears allow the distribution of power to both wheels when we are going around a turn. So, when we are going around a turn our outside wheels will begin to turn at a faster speed then our inner wheels. This is due to the amount of distance that the wheel needs to travel to make the turn possible. Although if we did not have spider gears housing in our differential it would make this process very difficult, especially on pavement where our tires have a lot of grip. Without a differential meaning a solid axle shaft or if a locker is engaged we will have a solid shaft traveling through the center of the axle linking both wheel on one solid shaft and when taking a turn will cause the inner wheel slip of hop when taking the turn. Spider gears consist of two outer gears that have the splines located inside them that allow our axle shafts to be inserted into them and then there is a center bar that runs through the carrier and the center of another set of gears that mesh with the spline gears. Both the outer gears and the spider gears are called bevel gears meaning that the gears are oriented at 90 degrees of each other. Finally, there is 4 washers like pieces of metal which act as thrust bearing, allow they allow gear fluid to pass into the inner sleeves of the spider gears. So, what happens when our spider gears start going bad. Well there are a lot of different scenarios that can happen however there are a few common ones that will be true signs that your spider gears are failing you. First, I want to say that all of these scenarios will end in the need of replacing your spider gears, which can be a daunting process, but I will cover that to briefly. So, the first failure is that your spider gears begin to chip and crack. This means that the teeth of the spider gear or the outer gear begin to chip and will lead to sharp edges in the gear mesh and can lead to bigger failure. If this begins to happen, you should start to notice an audible whirling nose or clicking noise when making a turn. This is caused by those sharp edges on the gears. Another possible failure is one of the gear teeth completely cracking out of its location and cause a gap in the meshing process. This will lead to a louder clicking noise when making a sharp turn. Let me tell you it is very noticeable. Yes, I did have this happen to me and you want to address this issue quickly. With both of these failures there is the possibility of these fragment getting suspended in our gear fluid housed inside our differential and making their way on to our ring gear then doing damage to our ring and pinion gear and let me tell you that is a whole lot more expensive than just cleaning out the spider gear fragments and replacing them. Secondly both of these failures can lead to the loss of power distribution to your wheels when driving on or off road which is not good at all. So now onto the replacement of the spider gears. Replacing your spider gears does sound kind of daunting especially when you open up your differential however it really is not. So first you will need to remove your axle shafts from your axle housing This can be a bit of a job, but it is pretty straight forward. First remove your brakes, calipers, caliper mounting brackets and rotors. Then you can access your axle nut. This will need to be removed to get the wheel unit bear out of the knuckle assembly then after the unit bearing is removed your axle shaft should slide right out, and yes, I know it seems like a lot but in reality it is only 8 bolts and one nut so yeah pretty simple. Then you will have to repeat this process for the opposite side of the axle housing. Now on to the differential housing and you will want to have a drip pan or oil pan to catch the draining gear oil from the differential. So, drain out all the gear oil, this will make removing the diff cover a lot less messy. After you have the cover off you can access the Differential bearing caps, these bearing caps are specific to the side that they are located on, so I personally would mark them somehow. Best practice is using a punch and scoring the bearing cap. No this will not harm the bearing cap in anyway. Now all you have to do is remove the bearing caps and then the differential carrier will be free. Now there are bearing shims on each side of the differential theses are even more important to keep straight then the bearing caps so place them in a very safe place labeling them somehow left and right. This time do not use the punch to score them or anything, just place them in a plastic bag or something labeling them left and right. Now that the differential carrier is out we can replace the spider gears. On one side of the center shaft there is a set pin retaining the center shaft in the carrier. You will need to remove this pin and then all the gears will be free from the carrier. Now just replace the spider gears and do all the steps I just walked you through backwards. However, there are certain nuts and bolts that will need to be torqued to specific specifications so just consult google for the correct torque specifications and you are done you just replaced your spider gears. Thank you for listening to this week’s wrangler talk and remember to head over to our website at jeeptalkshow.com/contact and send us an email or leave us a voice message if you have any questions. Talk to you next week on the wrangler talk.
Top 5 Reasons YOU need a Jeep Talk Show Sticker on Your Jeep:
The Top 5 Reasons you need a Jeep Talk Show sticker on your Jeep
Number 5 : It adds 15 horsepower to your engine!
Number 4: Having a mental illness makes you feel a little better when you know you’re not the only one!
Number 3: People will think you are diverse, cultured, eclectic, and enjoy the finer tastes in life.
Number 2: All fuel stations in the US will give you a 15% discount on your fuel purchase!
And the Number 1 reason you need a Jeep Talk Show sticker on your Jeep! People asking “What’s the Jeep Talk Show”? Then asking “What’s a podcast”?
Originally a lawyer, Ferenc has lived in 7 different countries and travelled through ten times more than that. Having recently left the corporate world in the City of London, during the last few years he has been focusing on overlanding, where he can combine two things he is most passionate about: cars and traveling. His experience in overlanding comes from extensive trips on three different continents, with the latest being from Budapest to Singapore with a Land Cruiser 120 and a roof-top tent. He is blogging about his trips intensively. When not on the road, Ferenc lives with his travel companion Evelin, in Budapest, Hungary. Their website is overlandsite.com
Must Have Stuff for your Jeep:
Smittybilt 76900 SRC 7 Piece Cage Kit for Jeep TJ
All new reinforced cage kit. Comes with everything that is needed to strengthen your factory roll bar into a solid foundation if a roll over takes place. It starts off with 1020 .120 wall DOM tubing, which is one of the strongest materials available. Each kit includes the new knuckle system that attaches to the factory roll bar, using a pivot and fastening point. All cages are engineered to be bolt in and require no welding or modifications to the vehicle. Comes with padding kit and protective covers for that OEM look. IMHO: Not as good as fully triangulated weld in kit / but better than stock by far.
Hey Jeeper, Mitch here, today is the 31st of January 2020, and it’s time for your weekend Going Topless-Jeep Weather Report. This week we start up north in the US of A in the state of Wisconsin. What’s there to do when it’ll be cloudy all weekend? Well, take your Jeep and go topless in Spread Eagle, Wisconsin. There it will be 32 Friday, 35 Saturday, and 42 on Sunday. Maybe getting wet while Jeeping topless is your thing, so the next location is for you, since it’ll be raining here all weekend. Named by the local native nation, this towns name means “hard to pole” since the banks of the of the river nearby with the same name was hard for them to anchor their canoes on. Well, I’m talking about Humptulips, Washington. Friday will be 52, Saturday 50, and Sunday that rain may turn to snow at 39 degrees. Back East you can find partially cloudy weather in Buttzville, New Jersey. Better for your pictures. Friday is 44, Saturday 45, and Sunday is 43. Alright, if New Jersey is too far East, I have a more central location for you. Sadly, here it will still be cloudy, but hey it’ll be warmer. French Lick, Indiana is where I’m sending you to go Topless in! Here it will be 41 on Friday with some rain or snow, continues to stay 41 on Saturday and cloudy, then lots of sun (relatively) at 57 on Sunday. Don’t forget to use the #JeepTalkShow on social media for us to see those pictures. Now I’m needing some help from you Listener; If you have any suggestions or want to know YOUR local weather in an upcoming episode. Go to JeepTalkShow.com/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:
Spanaway Moonshiners Jeep Club – 4×4 Offroad & High Performance Swap Meet March 8 Puyallup, Washington More Info: http://moonshinersjeepclub.com/
Muddy Buddys Jeep Wrangler Club – Dayton Off Road Expo February 29-March 1 Wilmington, Ohio More Info:http://daytonoffroadexpo.com/
Presented by Nexen Tire & Icon Vehicle Dynamics: Danny from @syndicate.offroad tells us about the new #overland trailers they are building. Then, @ivdsuspension comes on so that we can announce that Icon Vehicle Dynamics is the newest sponsor of the show. We are extremely excited about this new partnership and we will be kicking it off with a bang at #koh2020
Presented by Nexen Tire & Icon Vehicle Dynamics: Danny from @syndicate.offroad tells us about the new #overland trailers they are building. Then, @ivdsuspension comes on so that we can announce that Icon Vehicle Dynamics is the newest sponsor of the show. We are extremely excited about this new partnership and we will be kicking it off with a bang at #koh2020
ExtremeTerrain, Wrangler off-road parts and accessories outfitter. “Have you ever wondered what your Wrangler, or a Wrangler of similar ilk, would look like with a specific part before making your purchase? Haven’t we all?! Sure, you can root around social media, exploring hashtags until you stumble upon what you thought you were hoping to see but, who wants to waste hours upon hours doing that? Listen to this episode to hear about their inspiring Wrangler photo build hub.
This Week In Jeep:
Mahindra vs FCA /Jeep – It’s Finally Over!
If you’ve listened to the show for a while, you’ve likely heard us report several times over the years about the Mahindra. The little company that has been making Jeep like off road only vehicles since the early days of World War II. The crux of most of the news stories have focused on the issues FCA has presented with how much a Roxor looks like a Jeep, citing the trademarked 7-slot grill as the main point of contention. The 7 slot grill is a tried and true trademarked symbol of the Jeep. And FCA wants there to be zero room for confusion, and have taken a zero tolerance stance on this. This has forced Mahindra to take the defence on their manufacturing rights.
Ultimately it would be extremely hard to confuse a Willy’s sized off-road only, not street legal Mahindra Roxor with a modern day Jeep Wrangler. But any degree of that whatsoever is what FCA has been fighting to avoid. There’s been enough legal back-and-forth between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Mahindra over the past two years about all this to write a book about. However, it appears as if things may have finally come to a close. Mahindra has been working very hard to make amends following the final meeting with a United States International Trade Commission (ITC) judge. After FCA publicly claimed it would actively pursue an aggressive stop-sale order on the Roxor, Mahindra went back to the drawing board and created a completely redesigned version of the Roxor front end for 2020. Afterall, FCA has the financial backing to take a stop-sale order to tits finality, essentially ruining Mahindra. Obviously, wanting to avoid a catastrophic shutdown in manufacturing, Mahindra went back to the drawing board, …kind of … and came up with a solution to appease Jeep and FCA, but may end up pissing off another well known automaker. The Roxor now sports a different front fascia that retains a pair of round headlights just like the previous design, although there are no slats in the grille like those that strongly resemble past Jeeps.
Instead, the headlamps are inside the black grille with body-color surrounds as part of a design that is now (admittedly) almost identical to the classic Toyota Land Cruisers. I’m not sure why they just didn’t come up with something more … gee, I don’t know, ORIGNAL?!?!?… to maybe avoid repeating the mistakes of the past? But no, the formerly almost CJ looking Roxor now almost mirrors the front end of a Land Cruiser or even a modern day FJ cruiser. The back end, the sides, and windshield, are all still very reminiscent of the old CJ’s, but now with a bastardized Toyota front end.
We’ll have a pic of this on our site, if you want to point and laugh at it yourself.
More Jeep Thievery… but “vintage”?
You know I get reports each and every week about a Jeep theft. Sometimes it’s in the news, and sometimes it’s just a Jeeper coming out to find their Jeep gone, and want to throw as wide of a net as possible in the hopes that someone will see it and report it.
If your Jeep was stolen, you’d likely want as many people as possible looking for it too.
So when I saw a New Mexico report about another Jeep theft, I wasn’t all that surprised. We have a lot of listeners in the New Mexico area, so there’s likely a fair amount of Jeeps out there, and the law of averages would lead one to believe that Jeeps are among the most stolen rigs out there. But when I find out that the custom built Jeep Cherokee XJ that was in the story was being referred to as a “vintage” Jeep, I was a bit taken aback. “No… Not MY kind of Jeep. MY kind of jeep, the indomnible Jeep Cherokee XJ is by no means a vintage, I mean sure its 21 years old, but thats hardly what I’d call vintage.” Nonetheless, the KOAT7 Action News team who broke the story was calling this Albuquerque family’s Cherokee a “vintage Jeep.” Dominic Archuleta, the owner of the Jeep, had worked on it with his daughter to build it into the beast it was.
He told reporters he thought it would never happen to him. But auto theft is a big problem in the Albuquerque area, and as Dominic came out from work on January 23rd, he noticed the spot where he had parked his Jeep was empty. Nothing but a pile of shattered glass and a giant screwdriver lay where his Jeep once was. To him it’s not just the loss of a vehicle, it’s an emotional loss, as it would likely be for most of us. But this Jeep had a fair amount of sentimental value, since he had spent the last two and a half years years working on it with his daughter. They’ve spent thousands of dollars together to build this Jeep for her as her first vehicle. They built it just as she wanted, with components that they had researched together, and that she had picked out herself.
And they had even just painted it last week in the way that she wanted. Essentially this is HER Jeep, and the family is heart broken that all their daughter may never get a chance to enjoy her hard earned Jeep. Dominic and his daughter are not going to let this ruin their Jeep dreams however. They’re already looking for a replacement Cherokee to start the build all over again. In the meantime however, the family has asked that you keep an eye out if you’re in the New Mexico area. The Jeep is a 1988 Cherokee XJ with a brand new black rhino liner paint job with a rough finish.
The inside of the doors are still painted the original white. If you see it, call the police.
Wrangler Talk:
Catalytic Converters and O2 sensors.
Hello JTS listener and welcome to this week’s wrangler talk where we are going to be talking about the wrangler’s lovely exhaust system. Well more directly your catalytic converters and the O2 sensors that are associated with the cats in your wrangler. So, first what does the catalytic converter do and how does it function. The most basic description is a really expensive piece of metal tubing that will make your wrangler run like crap if it isn’t working right. However, the true definition of a catalytic converter is an emission control device that reduces toxic gasses and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine. Next you may ask well what does it reduce, well in an internal combustion engine we use the combination of air fuel and spark to make all of those roaring ponies we love to hear but during this combustion not all of the fuel is spent and some of the gases that are created during the combustion process can be very harmful to the environment. So, through a great amount of heat and some precious metals that are housed inside the cat these harmful gases chemical will react with the material inside the catalytic converter come out the exit side of the converter less harmful to the environment. So what happens when your catalytic converter goes bad or in other words stops working. Well there are couple ways your cat can fail and the main way is that there is no more material in the cat that can perform the chemical reaction that takes place in your cat and then it would need to be replaced. Secondly, they can become clogged. When your engine burns oil or the air fuel ratio is not correct the unburn will bond to the material that is housed in the cat and eventually build up to the point where it will start clogging up the holes in the converter where the exhaust gases are meant to pass through. Unfortunately, your cat will need to be replace in this situation as well. Finally another effect of having an engine with an incorrect air fuel ratio it can cause a combustion to happen in the exhaust pipe that will lead to deterioration of the material in the cat and cause the disk that is in the cat to break up leave your catalytic converter ineffective. Once again you will need to replace the converter in this situation as well. Now on to those pesky O2 sensors that can be a total pain the rear. O2 sensors monitor the oxygen that is exiting the combustion process and will give feed back to the ECU to adjust the air fuel ratio based on the voltage readings of the sensor. On the newer jeep wranglers we will have two O2 sensors and they are respectively called upstream and downstream. Both of these O2 sensors serve a difference purpose. The upstream O2 sensor is designed to measure the amount of oxygen that is exiting the combustion process and give this information back to the ECU this is the main function of the upstream sensor. Then the downstream sensor also measures the amount of O2 that is exiting the Catalytic converter and relies on the upstream sensor to make sure the catalytic converter is functioning properly. Secondly the Downstream O2 sensor measures the temperature of the catalytic converter to make sure that the temperature in the converter is at proper operating temp to ensure a proper chemical reaction. So Finally make sure your catalytic converter is working properly and make sure that your O2 sensors are operating properly. There are a few simple tests to make sure are working properly although I am already guessing that your bright yellowish orange light is informing you that it isn’t working properly. Thank you for listening to this week’s wrangler talk and remember do have a question or comment about this week’s talk head over to jeeptalkshow.com/contact and leave us a voice mail send us an email and we would be glad to help you out with any questions you have except the question of what is the meaning of life. And the answer to that question is to own a red jeep and drive it hard. Talk to you next week.
Top 5 reasons you want sliders and not side steps.
Number 5 – Side steps often cost as much as sliders but are easily bent when the weight of the vehicle is put on them
Number 4 – Side steps are for old people and monster trucks
Number 3 – Side steps only serve to hang you up when going over obstacles.
Number 2 – Jeepers that do go off road will know your Jeep is a pavement queen.
Number 1 – The only thing worse than side steps, are the ones that automatically drop down when you open the door.
We’re having some fun here, being all judgy but look at it this way. Unless you really need help getting in your Jeep side steps are a bad idea. Even if you never take your Jeep off road, you may find yourself in an emergency situation some day and that low hanging fruit may mean you’ll be just as stuck as that Honda the wheels at a 45 degree angle!
Jeep Life:
We have a new Jeep
Still hanging out in the high desert Del Norte Colorado. Its been a busy week. The owner of BC Vintage Jeeps reached out to me and Neil and I took a visit to Delta Colorado to see his vintage Jeeps. We ended up coming home with a CJ3. It was a Jeep trade. A 2 door Cherokee Chief for the CJ. He collects jeeps, buys, sells and trades vintage Jeep Parts. He even hauls them to you anywhere in the continental US. I am now getting ready to drive to Denver to fly to Maryland to see my kids for a week. Then it’s back in the garage.
Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:
Snowy Weather Trail Repair Kit
Last week we went over some tips and tricks to make dealing with trail repairs in the rain go a lot easier. This time of year in much of the country, the rain has turned to snow, and many of our favorite wheeling destinations are at higher elevations, and may be covered in a blanket of white. As majestic and awe inspiring as the views and vistas are this time of year, the beauty of mother nature doesn’t care about that U Joint that just broke, that sensor that just failed, or the tire that just lost a bead. So when you’re aired down and sitting on top of are buried axle dep in snow, what do you do to make trail repairs go a lot easier? Dealing with relentless rain is tough, it soaks everything in minutes and makes everything from that point on miserable. So the tips we gave last week were primarily focused on keeping you and the inside of your Jeep dry during and after the repair. Much of the same tips and items will apply to dealing with trail repairs in the snow, however, there are a few other things I would pack in my Snowy Weather Trail Repair Kit. Obviously a rain poncho or rain suit isn’t going to be all that necessary when working on your Jeep in the snow. Cold is going to be your biggest enemy here not necessarily the stuff falling from the sky. It’s going to decrease the dexterity in your extremities and make handling screws, nuts, bolts, and sockets a little more difficult. And god forbid you drop something in the snow, you’re going to be hunting for it for longer than you want. Snow also isn’t like the hard ground …it gives, and moves, and melts, so we need to take all these factors into consideration when building our kit. Again, a lot of this comes down to preparedness and planning juist like with most things in the off road world. You knew before you even left the house that you were going to be up in the snow, it’s rare someone is wheeling in higher elevations this time of year and not expecting snow. So you need to be prepared for the temps you’ll be facing, even if you didn’t plan on spending a lot of time outside of the Jeep. So wearing a set of thermal underwear will help keep your core toasty, aiding in keeping the rest of you warm too. Now we know that you’re going to be handling anything from a pry bar to the valve stem cover, so you want a set of gloves on hand that not only will keep you warm, but aren’t so big and bulky that you can’t feel what you’re holding or can’t reach into small spaces with the bulk of the glove getting in the way. So ditch the ski gloves for a set of the Mechanix style gloves. Mechanix the brand, not the occupation. It doesn’t have to be this brand, so go with what you know. My advice is to head to the parts or hardware stores and try a few different types on, go to the hardware section and handle some nuts and bolts to see how easy it is to start some threads and manipulate small parts. Maybe even go to the tool section, and grab some wrenches and screwdrivers to see how they feel in your hand. There’s two schools of thought when it comes to gloves for winter trail repairs. Splurge because you want high performance and longevity, or skimp because you’re going to be hard on them and you don’t want an expensive replacement cost. And besides, you can always wear a set of latex gloves underneath, so you can afford to go with something cheaper here. If you want the best though, look into the gloves that the military and law enforcement use. These are designed to provide tactical dexterity as well as protection from the elements while being rugged enough to last through months of continuous duty. Keeping your hands and core dry will only go so far when you’re laying down under your jeep in a pile of melting snow. So remember that tarp we had for the wet weather trail repair kit? Well it’s going to serve double duty in this kit too. Having a small tarp means you can keep the snow from melting into your pants, and if you drop something, you won’t have to spend hours digging and sifting through snow to find it. The tire bag or department store clothing bag will also carry over from the wet weather kit. You’re still going to have a wet and dirty tarp to deal with and likely rags or other things too, so you might as well have a place to chuck all that to keep the interior dry. Let’s say you’re a bit buried and you need to make a repair, but the snow is up to the rock rails. You’re going to need to get out of that by winching out of the hole your in, or digging your way into to do the repair where it sits. Having the right shovel for this will make all the difference. Obviously you’re not packing the same shoevle you clear the driveway with, and a full sized shovel for the garden is just overkill. Look into the aluminum style shovels that ice climbers and snowboarders use. They break down to store in small places, are super lightweight, and very effective at removing snow quickly. No matter how easy or difficult a trail repair is, the cold can cut right thru you, so in your kit, keep several of those little disposable hand warmers, that activate as soon as you tear open the package,. They have a great shelf life, are cheap enough to buy in bulk making throwing a five or six of these things in the kit a real no brainer. Stuffing a couple of these in strategic places like sleeves, pockets, socks, or in the back of the beanie, will keep the cold from affecting you no matter how long you’re out fixing the Jeep. If you need to get under the Jeep to make a repair, then likely you’re going to need to scrape away stuck on or packed in snow from the places you need to work. Having a few little parts brushes, or those disposable trim brushes from the painting section of the hardware store work great for this. They’re super cheap and far more effective at removing snow from tight areas than your fingers ever will be, and it keeps those gloves from getting wetter than they need to be. Anything you can do to put a degree of separation between you and the wet stuff will make things go alot easier. So grab another ammo can, stuff a small tarp, a set of gloves, some hand warmers, and few little brushes and combine this with your wet weather trail repair kit to be prepared for any degree of trail repair no matter what the season. Let me know if there;s something you think we should add to this, or share pics of your own cold weather trail repair kit. We’d love to see what your packin’…. Wait…. No that didn’t come out right, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!
Interview with:
Greg is the owner and operator of Underground Graphics, a Houston based automotive graphics shop since 2001. He has been involved in this industry since the mid-90’s and his passion for his work shows. Greg states, “I feel blessed everyday to be able to do what I love, to be around so many awesome vehicles and to continually meet fellow enthusiasts who share similar passions. It really is the best part of the business.” Running a small business is hard, stressful and has it’s down moments, but making the time to have fun and enjoy life and family is important. In that time, Greg has joined the Jeep life with the recent purchase of the Gladiator. He’s now putting some focus on the Jeep market, you can see more of his work by visiting their Facebook or Instagram pages. Gillman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram “The Big Jeep Meet 2020”
Jeep Weather:
Mitch
Hey Jeeper, Mitch here, today is the 24th of January 2020, and it’s time for your weekend Going Topless-Jeep Weather Report. Alright, I’ve been giving y’all lots of places to take that top off your Jeep that has been a bit cooler than maybe manageable. Well now this week we go to places that are doable. First let’s take a Topless dip through Waikiki, Hawaii. Finally, a place to properly take your top off! This weekend Waikiki will be sunny and perfect at 81 degrees the whole time with a low of 70! Use that sunscreen and eliminate those winter tans lines you got going on there. Now the next location isn’t Hawaii but take your top off, camp, and hike in Grand Isle, Louisiana. There it will be partly cloudy Friday and Saturday at 63 and 59 degrees. Sunday you may get rain at 62 degrees. Not near any nice beaches but the next location is closer to trails to go topless on. Now in Carlsbad, New Mexico this weekend it will be 62 on Friday, 70 with maybe some clouds Saturday, and sunny and 66 on Sunday. Last, lets take that top off and risk going south of the border in Ensenada, Baja California. Taking your top off here, I hear, is more of a normal thing. There it will be sunny all weekend with 69 on Friday, 67 for Saturday and Sunday. Now, don’t forget to use the #JeepTalkShow on social media for us to see those pictures. If you have any suggestions or want to know YOUR local weather in an upcoming episode. Go to https://JeepTalkShow.com/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:
River Run ATV Park – Annual Mardis Gras Ride February 20th – 23rd Jacksonville, Texas More Info:https://www.riverrunpark.com/
Salt Lake Off-Road and Outdoor Expo February 28th – 29th CMountain America Expo Center – Salt Lake City, Utah More Info: Ihttps://slorex.com/
This week, Rory from AAC Brands and @triggercontroller joins us to talk about their innovative products and the new hardware they are distributing. We listen to voice mails and I think Matt needs to see a doctor.
This week, Rory from AAC Brands and @triggercontroller joins us to talk about their innovative products and the new hardware they are distributing. We listen to voice mails and I think Matt needs to see a doctor.
We’ve been running this survey for a few months now. Thank you to all that took the time for fill it out. There is nothing sexy about a survey, well maybe in Penthouse, but I digress…
ExtremeTerrain, Wrangler off-road parts and accessories outfitter. This episode you’ll hear about Merideth Evasew’s latest Throttle Out… featuring a wicked Deegan 38 and Teraflex themed JLU Rubicon build that you’ll want to see for yourself.
This Week In Jeep:
And the award goes to……
To many Jeep owners around the world, Toledo Ohio is probably the most recognized city of all the cities in the United States because Toledo is where they make Jeeps. And now one Jeep model is being called the best of its kind. The Toledo-made Jeep Gladiator was just officially named the 2020 North American Truck of the Year, giving the Glass City and the Jeep brand as a whole nother honor to be proud of. To win the award, trucks are judged on a number of criteria including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. The Gladiator beat out the Ford Ranger and Ram Heavy Duty for features like the soft-top removable roof and doors that make it the one-of-a-kind truck we already know it is. Congrats to Jeep for winning an award in a category previously dominated by full size trucks with a first gen pickup right out of the gate.
The Jeep Tank
If money was no object, I’m sure we’d all have a pretty sweet Jeep. And if you‘ve owned your jeep for a bit now and have spent any amount of money on it making it your own, then you’ve undoubtedly had those “what if money was no object” dreams. It seems an Irvine California business has taken this dream and made it a reality in their own vision. And to some, what they’ve done leaves us wondering just how much Jeep is left over? Much like other performance companies (like Hennessey Performance for instance) who brought to us a 0 to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds 1000HP Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, Rezvani Motors takes an average 4 door Jeep Wrangler and turns it into an ungodly machine of raw power and absolute authority. And it can be yours for just over a quarter million dollars. “Designed For Defense, Built For The Road.” Rezvani Motors Presents to you the toughest and most powerful road going Extreme Utility Vehicle on Earth. The Jeep Tank Military Edition. I hope you’re sitting down because here’s what a six figure Jeep gets you. First off, no… it does not have a rotating turret that shoots 105mm rounds at people who go too slow in the fast lane. What it DOES share with something like an M1 Abrams is this: Bullet proof glass and body armor all around including Underside Explosive Protection for when the trucker bomb thrown from that semi in front of you turns out to be a cleverly disguised incendiary device. This includes a Self sealing fuel tank, Radiator protection, and a highly Reinforced suspension system. Let’s say you need to rescue the wife’s labradoodle from the middle of the blown up nail and spike factory, ….at night. Then the equipped military grade Runflat Tires and the Thermal Night Vision System, will get you in and out with no worries. And if for some reason you need to suddenly go all James Bond by crashing through a door and covering your ex-fil behind a “Spy Hunter” like smoke screen, then this Jeep has the bumpers and smoke screen deployment system to get the job done. Speaking of getting the job done, powered by a 1000 HP 6.2L Demon V8, you will traverse any terrain you want with ease. And in order to stop all that raw power and mass, the brakes have been overhauled with massive 16 inch rotors and eight piston calipers all around, ensuring this tank can stop on a dime. Not that you were (at all) day dreaming of completely screeching through that crosswalk wiping out at least three man-bun sporting hipsters. But if you need to let them know they need to watch where you’re going, It also has Siren and Horn Options not available to the rest of the auto market that you can use to scare the starbucks right out of those screen addicts in the crosswalk paying more attention to their phone than to where they’re going. The outraged whorde of millennials can also try as they might to get in or even reach your new Jeep Tank, since it has a full suite of defence systems including disorienting strobe lights, high power wide spectrum blinding lights, and a full intercom system for inside and outside communication to keep them at bay. And if your warnings to stay away from your Jeep were not heeded, then you can rest safe knowing the electrified door handles and magnetic deadbolts will keep what’s inside the Jeep safe and sound from forced intrusion. Even when the Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) from a nuclear detonation has wiped out all the electronics of your neighbors prius, your Jeep is fully protected behind it’s built in (EMP) Protection. And speaking of protection, you also get military grade first aid kits, gas masks, and hypothermia kits should you need to deal with the coming nuclear winter. Of course we’ll all be laughing later around the campfire at everything that was caught on the video feed from the 360 degree onboard Continuous video recording system this thing has. If a starting price of over $250K is “just a bit outside” of your budget, then Rezvani Motors has both the Tank, and Tank X models starting at $155k if you want to see the images of this thing yourself or to order one, we’ll have the link in the description – just insist that we get a commission when you cut that check. https://www.rezvanimotors.com/tank-military-edition
Rugged RH-5R deja vu?
I try to let people know when they can get a good deal on something, or good quality over savings. I think most people are the same. I have some background in radio, so when people start talking about Rugged radios I always think about the really cheap handheld radio they sell. RH-5R I believe is the Rugged model. Recently someone posted how you could get one of these for $68 instead of the normal $85 price. WHAT?!?!?! This is a rebranded Baofeng UV-5R that you can buy from Amazon for $29.95! I did a little digging and thanks to Jon of our Radio Com Tech segment I was able to figure it out that the Rugged handheld radio was pre-programmed with commercial frequencies, that are shared by Rugged and several other services, including hospitals. Did you know that with a $9 cable, free CHIRP software and a computer you could download the names and frequencies from the Rugged RH-5R and program a $29.95 BaoFeng UV-5R with those same names and frequencies? Now there’s nothing wrong with a company adding value and charging for it, but $55? Oh and yes you can get the blue BaoFeng radio from Amazon if you like. They also have it in red or yellow. I’ve only looked into the RH-5R from Rugged but the other radios they sell look very familiar, more rebranded radios? I think so. Did you buy a Rugged radio? Did you know there was a much cheaper alternative for the same radio? Would you still buy the Rugged radio today? Let us know, we’d like to hear from you.
Jeep Life:
Wrenching Therapy
I have been in the garage all week. I am now realizing how wrenching is good therapy. We are working on the Extreme Jeep Mash UP. We have the TJ frame meshed with the LJ frame. We have the LS engine out and ready to put into the LJ. In between all that we helped a Jeep Girl with her XJ. Whoever did the work before us put on some cheesy fix for the crossmember. They didn’t use a proper drop kit. So we fixed that. It looks like she needs some more work like the tie rod and wheel bearings. The wrenching therapy has been helping me deal with my personal issues with the separation and missing my kids.
Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:
Wet Weather Trail Repair Kit
It never fails, you’ve done this trail a dozen times if you’ve done it once, but something is different this time, a rock has moved, that stump is way undercut now, and ahhh crap…before you know it you’re off your line, and BAM! Trail Carnage! If you go offroad enough, something will inevitably happen where it’s either… find someone to tow you to safety, or you fix something, SOME way, here and now and get back on your way under your own power. Sometimes trail repairs are as simple as replacing a fuse or wrapping a hose with enough tape, and everyone can get one their way before anyone has a chance to even water the flowers. And sometimes it’s a full axle shaft swap while the Jeep is in deep rocks and it’s dusk, and raining sideways. It’s no fun, but when it’s just you and another rig and you’re not getting that C-clip Jeep out of these rocks with a broken axle, you gotta do what you gotta do. Now we can spend an entire show on what to carry for any given trail repair scenario, and honestly, we’d likely have a list longer than what your Jeep has room to carry. And besides, everyone knows their own Jeep’s weak points best, has their own tips and tricks for dealing with the typical kinds of breaks out on the trail that they’ll incur, and usually carries parts and tools accordingly. So I’ll save the big lists for another show and focus on a couple key tips that will make dealing with a trail repair in inclement weather a bit easier. A lot of this will come down to preparation, as it does with a lot of things in the Jeep world. Obviously if the forecast is clear for 4 days either side of your trip in the middle of July, then likely you’re not going to need to plan to deal with the weather too much. But if you wheel in the spring, in wetter climates like mine, or where a rain storm can roll in with little to no warning, then you want to have some key items that will make a trail repair easier to deal with in that kind of weather. One of the things that can just utterly take the wind out of your sails during a trail repair is getting wet. High end rain suits would do the job of keeping you plenty dry, but they are generally thick, take up a fair amount of room, arent what I call fun to crawl around in, and if they get torn, are usually kind of expensive to replace. Cheap survival style rain suits are thin, easily replaced or stored in multiples, and can do a decent job of keeping the majority of the rain coming down, (and the water already ON the trail) from getting into your undies. And if you snag a pant leg or sleeve on a tree root or rock then no biggie. These things can oftentimes be had for under five bucks, and if you really want to cheap out and go with the poncho style, then you can get them for a dollar or less. So having a couple on hand isn’t out of the question. Let’s say you need to get under your jeep out on a muddy trail …in the rain. Having something to lay down on that isn’t sopping wet and muddy or that won’t soak up trail water like a piece of cardboard would, then it will make the process not as bad as it could be otherwise. Cheap small sized tarps from your local hardware store or discount tool store like Northern Tool or Harbor Freight work great for this. And when you’re all done and it’s time to fold up that greasy wet and muddy tarp, do you just want to throw it on the back seat? Of course not! Nor do you want all that grime and muck to find it’s way out of the folds in that tarp and into the interior of your Jeep. Those big clothing bags from department stores work great as a trail repair tarp chuck bag. If storing a couple Macy’s bags in a pouch somewhere in your Jeep clashes with your manliness, then head down to your local tire shop and talk them out of a few tire bags. They take up hardly any room and work great as a place to put that wet and muddy tarp after your done with your trail side repair, and doubles as a place to chuck rags, spent gloves and other debris without people questioning your manhood. When you get home you can deal with it then, or if the tarp inside is disposable to you, you can throw the whole thing out and replace it with fresh supplies. After all, you’re not doing a trail repair in the rain every time you go out. You’re likely not going to stay completely dry doing a trail repair in the rain no matter what, so it’s a good idea to keep a shammy style towel or two in the wet weather kit too. These can be had for about a buck a piece so don’t splurge here either. Even the little dinky ones from the tool stores work well for drying off your head, face, neck and arms after a good soaking. Wring it out, and you’re good to go again. They’re infinitely reusable, cheap, and don’t take up more room than a deck of cards. Between a few sets of gloves, a few ponchos or a rain suit, a small tarp and a couple tire bags and a shammy towel or two, …the whole wet weather trail repair kit can fit into a cleverly packed plastic container or ammo can. Oh, and by the way, I’d be surprised if you spent more than $20 putting one of these together. So it’s practical to have a couple on hand at all times. Let me know if you’ve got something like this in your own Jeep. Next week, we’re going to go over the same thing, but for snow! So make sure your subscribed so you don’t miss out.
Must Have Stuff for your Jeep:
If you’ve even so much as ever SAT in a wrangler you already know that they’re not exactly built with a whole lot of storage in mind. So any time we see a new wrangler storage solutions product come around that is at a reasonable price and serves a practical function, we like to bring it to the attention of the Jeep world. This week’s must have item for your Jeep is for those who are lucky enough to own one of the new generation of JL wranglers, or the JT Gladiator pickup truck. This is the The Quadratec Grab Bar Tray. and as it’s name clearly suggests, it’s a small storage tray that just slides into that space between the grab handle slot and your dash. At that point the installation is finished. No tape or any tools required! It works great for holding loose change, snacks or a passenger’s cell phone. Made of rigid ABS plastic, this thing is built to withstand the rigors of off road snacking demands. Just be aware that anything you stick in there will become a projectile in the event of a crash or rollover, so prob not the best place for your letter opener or spare framing nails.
Hey Jeeper, Mitch here, today is the seventeenth of January 2020, and it’s time for your weekend Going Topless-Jeep Weather Report. Winter is still going strong and we still must wheel. Extreme Terrain recommends a few places to go, so I’ll give you the weather there. Known for powdery snow, winter sports, abundant wildlife, and epic scenery. Go Topless in the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming. Conveniently there is a city with the same name just East of the ranges. In Bighorn, Wyoming it will be cloudy on Friday at 28, Saturday and Sunday will be sunny at 28 and 39 degrees. Now if you’re looking for a true test of your off-roading and survival skills, wheel at Mount Washington, White Mountain Range in New Hampshire. This weekend in Sargent’s Purchase, New Hampshire it will be snowing all weekend at 3 for Friday, 18 Saturday, and 27 on Sunday. Make sure you prepack and inspect your Jeep before testing your metal out there. If you want to be “close” to a city but still away from it all, if you love winter sports, and dog sled races then the next location is a must for going Topless. In Wasilla, Alaska it will be sunny all weekend with 7 on Friday, 5 Saturday, and 14 on Sunday. Lots of festivities start out here at Thanksgiving and continue through to the Iditarod in March. Lastly, go topless in St. George, Utah. Known for having huge winter off-roading events in January bringing wheelers from all over the western states with plenty of trails for the novice to the ballsy. Here it will be partly cloudy all weekend: Friday at 51, Saturday 52, and Sunday 57 degrees. If you’re curious on the Extreme Terrain’s recommendation, the link will be available in the show notes. Don’t forget to use the #JeepTalkShow on social media for us to see those pictures. If you have any suggestions or want to know YOUR local weather in an upcoming episode. Go to JeepTalkShow.com/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.
King of the Hammers January 31st – February 9th Johnson Valley, California More Info:https://ultra4racing.com/
Midwest Overlanding and Offroad Expo February 15-16 Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, Missouri More Info: #SMORR2MOORE Adventure Route MOORE EXPO 2.5 hour ride, no pavement, all offroad, from SMORR offroad park to the MOORE Expo. 3 guided caravans!
Buy me a Tea
Did you know that Kobe Bryant was a Jeeper?
Will Russia Ever Warm Up To Jeep?
Jeep Returning To Superbowl With Full Length Ad and Big Celebrity… Maybe
Spyder Gears and what they are all about. 
The Top 5 Reasons you need a Jeep Talk Show sticker on your Jeep
Ferenc – Overlanding Enthusiast – 
Smittybilt 76900 SRC 7 Piece Cage Kit for Jeep TJ
We have a new Jeep
Snowy Weather Trail Repair Kit
I try to let people know when they can get a good deal on something, or good quality over savings. I think most people are the same. I have some background in radio, so when people start talking about Rugged radios I always think about the really cheap handheld radio they sell. RH-5R I believe is the Rugged model. Recently someone posted how you could get one of these for $68 instead of the normal $85 price. WHAT?!?!?! This is a rebranded Baofeng UV-5R that you can buy from Amazon for $29.95! I did a little digging and thanks to Jon of our Radio Com Tech segment I was able to figure it out that the Rugged handheld radio was pre-programmed with commercial frequencies, that are shared by Rugged and several other services, including hospitals. Did you know that with a $9 cable, free CHIRP software and a computer you could download the names and frequencies from the Rugged RH-5R and program a $29.95 BaoFeng UV-5R with those same names and frequencies? Now there’s nothing wrong with a company adding value and charging for it, but $55? Oh and yes you can get the blue BaoFeng radio from Amazon if you like. They also have it in red or yellow. I’ve only looked into the RH-5R from Rugged but the other radios they sell look very familiar, more rebranded radios? I think so. Did you buy a Rugged radio? Did you know there was a much cheaper alternative for the same radio? Would you still buy the Rugged radio today? Let us know, we’d like to hear from you.
If you’ve even so much as ever SAT in a wrangler you already know that they’re not exactly built with a whole lot of storage in mind. So any time we see a new wrangler storage solutions product come around that is at a reasonable price and serves a practical function, we like to bring it to the attention of the Jeep world. This week’s must have item for your Jeep is for those who are lucky enough to own one of the new generation of JL wranglers, or the JT Gladiator pickup truck. This is the The Quadratec Grab Bar Tray. and as it’s name clearly suggests, it’s a small storage tray that just slides into that space between the grab handle slot and your dash. At that point the installation is finished. No tape or any tools required! It works great for holding loose change, snacks or a passenger’s cell phone. Made of rigid ABS plastic, this thing is built to withstand the rigors of off road snacking demands. Just be aware that anything you stick in there will become a projectile in the event of a crash or rollover, so prob not the best place for your letter opener or spare framing nails.