Merideth Evasew Extreme Terrain’s hottest video host right now and she’s been cranking out the tech advice and demos in each of Extreme Terrain’s series of Throttle Out videos. And they’ve just released another great episode as part of Extreme Terrain’s monthly YouTube video series. In this month’s edition of XT’s Throttle Out, Mer grabs the keys to a very lucky XT customer’s JLU for some premium upgrades.Be sure to watch this month’s Throttle Out from Extreme Terrain where form and function come together to create one bad-ass Jeep. https://www.extremeterrain.com/throttleout-march-2020-2.html

This Week In Jeep:

Overlanding In a Jeep Is About To Get a Serious Upgrade

The Nestbox is an all-in-one camper system that can easily be moved in and out of the cargo area of a wide range of SUVs, wagons, and vans.  The system is made by the Czech company Egoe Nest and is about to make its North American debut. The main components of the Nestbox system are the kitchen and the bed.  The kitchen consists of a two-burner propane stove, a sink and water system, some organizer drawers, and a 12-volt fridge. All of these items stow neatly into the cabinet box and fold and slide out for use as needed. On top of the box is the Nestbed. This bed system consists of a three-panel design that folds out over the stowed rear seats of the vehicle.  It not only stores neatly above the Nestbox for transport but can easily be removed for day trips. Egoe offers the Nestbox in four models. The smallest version is the Nestbox Camper is going to have an MSRP of around $3,000. From there we step up to the Nestbox Hiker model,  set to come in around the $3,500 mark, and is just a bit bigger than the previous model. The Nestbox Supertramp is slated to come in right under the $4k price point, and is a big, full-featured model specifically designed for the rigors of off-road travel. The biggest Nestbox of them all is the Roamer also costing about $4k. However this one is most suited for compact van applications and likely won’t fit in the back of any Jeep save for maybe a Gladiator, and even then, we’re not sure how things would line up or mount. Along with the various Nestbox models, Egoe Nest also offers a full line of accessories to complement the camper-in-a-box system. Of course, it offers trendy state of the art products to outfit the Nestbox, like 12-volt fridges, Fisker hatchets, and more. It also offers accessory bags for the rear windows of vehicles, called Nestbags, and even matching pillows to the Nestbed mattress called Nestpillows.  Afterall, being offroad doesn’t mean you can’t be Fung-Shui. The Czech-based Egoe currently makes Nestbox systems for a wide range of vehicles, but most are European models not offered here in North America. So just why the hell am I telling you about this super expensive modular camping and overlanding system then? Because the big news coming out of their camp (no pun intended) is that the ever-popular Jeep Wrangler looks to be the next vehicle to get a Nestbox.  Going off of the pictures they have up on their site, the Wrangler looks to be getting a full-featured Supertramp model. While the exact specifications haven’t been released yet, I’m going to expect the Wrangler Nestbox Supertramp to weigh in at about 175 pounds and cost in the neighborhood of $4,000 based on the specs of similar units. Egoe was scheduled to debut its Nestbox system (and likely with a JKU or new JLU) to the North American market at Overland Expo West in May.  But the expo has been postponed, as the COVID-19 epidemic has quickly shut down most events nationwide for the next few months. So that means we’re going to have to wait just a bit longer to get our eyes on these super cool, super expensive camper-in-a-box systems for ourselves. In the meantime, if you want to see what four thousand dollars worth of a modular overlanding insert for your Jeep looks like, we’ll have the link in the show notes for this episode on our website.  https://www.egoe-nest.eu/en/news/egoe-nest-for-the-first-time-in-north-america/

A Local VFW and Some Jeepers Help Out (feel-good-story)

For those who aren’t familiar with what an Eternal Flame is or what it means, it is pretty much as it sounds. They do occur in mother nature, but in this context, we are talking about a monumental flame.  One man made, and that will not ever go out or be extinguished. Burning forever to remind, commemorate, or otherwise pay tribute to persons, places or events for all eternity. On Saturday, March 14, VFW Post 4829 and the Eternal Flame Coalition sponsored a Jeep Run to raise money for the Eternal Flame Monument at The Lincoln Public Square, often called “Freedom Square” in Shelbyville Illinois. Twenty-five jeeps and 75 volunteers went on the run, and they managed to raise a significant amount of money for this cause.  The Square’s monument was dedicated in 1907 to honor the local Soldiers and Sailors of the Spanish-American, Civil, Mexican, 1812 and Revolutionary Wars and was updated recently to include Desert Storm. The monument was designed by a local artist, Robert Marshall Root. Beneath the monument is a black marble pedestal, which holds the eternal flame. On the pedestal are etchings of U.S. Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima, General MacArthur walking ashore and Shelbyville resident August West. Around the perimeter of the entire square are dozens of US flags waving in the breeze. The eternal flame was dedicated July 3, 2002 and dedicated to the men and women who have served in past wars. The square also has a plaque in honor of Abraham Lincoln, who practiced law in Shelbyville. The money raised through the event’s raffle, entry fees, and collected donations will be used exclusively to maintain the flame and pay the cost of fuel to keep the flame burning 24/7 well into the future. If i wore hats, mine would come off for the Jeepers and volunteers who attended this event. It was a worthy cause, and I love hearing about Jeepers and locals coming together to do some good for the community they live in.

Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:

Suspension Types (Spring) Comparison – Part III

Over the last two episodes we’ve talked about the different types of springs commonly found under Jeeps.  From where it all began back in the days of WWII, when the Jeep was a little courrier and scout vehicle bouncing its way around the battlefield on leaf springs. To the modern day version of the Jeep Wrangler Suspension system which has made it the unbeatable offroad king it is today.  Leaf springs and coil springs each have their own benefits and drawbacks, which make them unique and suitable for a wide variety of off road needs. To that end there is one type of suspension system we have not covered yet, that takes this to the extreme. This system is by far the most versatile and adjustable system out there making it the best overall for off roading a Jeep. So what the heck am I talking about anyways? Coilovers. Yes, it’s true, that coilovers aren’t a spring alone. BUT they are composed of a spring, usually two, and sometimes as many as three giving the Jeeper running these as much as three different spring rates of control over their Jeeps suspension. That’s not all. Coilovers are generally smaller and lighter than a coil sprung Jeep running standard shocks, meaning they take up less room in the wheel well, and can actually make your rig lighter. And like I said, they also offer a lot more adjustability in ride height, spring rate and more all in one unit. Look, I’ve seen leaf springs outperform a coil sprung Jeep, and there is some great coil spring technology available for every level of Jeeper in the aftermarket. But a coilover conversion will beat them all pretty much no matter what.  One of the biggest differences between coil springs and coilovers is that lift coils are usually only offered for a given lift height and application with little to no spring rate information ever provided. This one-size-fits-all mentality works for Jeeps that are close to stock, but as you add larger axles and tires or change the drivetrain of your Jeep, the spring rates offered by off-the-shelf coils might not fit your needs.  By contrast, coils for coilover shocks are offered in a wide variety of spring rates, diameters, and lengths. The choices can (honestly) be overwhelming with manufacturers offering over 100 different springs, with spring rates offered in increments as small as 25 pounds per inch. If you don’t want to spend the time and money experimenting with spring rates, traditional coil springs might be a better option to stick with for your Jeep. With that said, there are a lot of resources out there to get you started calculating the perfect spring rate for your Jeep, but be warned, there’s going to be a fair amount of math involved, and you absolutely MUST know the weight of your Jeep with it loaded. And I mean down to the last half pound. Don’t let me talk you out of going down the path of a coilover conversion though, just know that you are entering the waters of race inspired technology.  And when you’re at that level of performance, it comes with that level of price tag too. Simple mounting kits, the bare minimum needed to mount a coilover system is going to be in the $500 and up range. Bare bones coilover conversion kits are generally in the $2000 dollar range, and the high end stuff can run you as much as $6k-$8k. Note that when I say bare bones, I mean this is still going to seriously outperform your regular coil system and drastically improve your ride quality and performance of your Jeep offroad. This is next level performance, and if you ever get to see a coilover rig in action, it’s very clear why. Aside from specifically dialed in spring rates to perfectly match your rig’s weight and the space saving design, you also get an insane amount of suspension travel. Without a doubt, you will easily get more flex and articulation out of coilovers than any other system out there by many inches, and as much as a foot in some applications.  Also due to their size, you can more easily convert to a high steer system, and push the track bar length out to perfectly match the length of the drag link. Now your entire steering system is matched up, perfectly parallel, and will steer and ride better than stock even. There are just so many advantages to a coilover conversion over leaf and coil spring Jeeps that it’s likely only a matter of time before you have a dedicated savings fund going to make it possible. Be prepared for a big price tag and in some applications some fabrication work might be required, meaning cutting and welding. So if you’re not equipped for that, make sure you sock away some loot for professional installation as well. So what do you think? Are coilovers right for YOUR rig? Are you one of the few that actually regret going to a coilover conversion? Maybe you have a story about the first time you wheeled a rig with coilovers, all good reasons to give us a call and leave us a message. Hope that we hear from you soon.

Newbie Nuggets:

I got to thinking that with the social distancing we are practicing these days, some of you may be going out by yourself OR you may be bringing some newbies with you and I thought it might be good for us to discuss trail etiquette. What I mean is what to do and not do on the trials. We are stewards of the trails throughout our areas and like it or not there are groups/organizations that want to shut down the off-road vehicles to all trails. How we manage, treat and maintain trails is what is keeping a lot of the trails open for us to use now and for the future.  Things to do while on a trail; 1)  Stay on the designated trail. This is probably the #1 reason trails get closed. People go off trail and want to venture on their own (sort of blaze their own trail). I’ve seen fences cut, trees cut down and boulders moved from people trying to get access to “other” areas and not stay on the trail. There are usually sensitive areas outside the trail system that the forest service wants to protect. I know up here in Big Bear on Gold Mountain (a black diamond trail) we have a plant species that only grows on these  pebble plains and nowhere else in the world. However, each year there are idiots that break through the fences and drive over the pebble plains causing damage. The forest service, or BLM, begin to consider closing the trail. Please stay on the designated trails – the more we adhere to this, the more chances we’ll have keeping the trails open. 2)  Keep tire spin to a minimum- I know we all like to get out there and wheel, but if you are going over an obstacle (mud, sand, water crossing, dirt etc.,) and you start to create major wheel spin, you are disturbing the trail and creating ruts. First, wheel spin does you no good and second you are creating erosion to the trial. Wheel spin doesn’t always help you and the more you spin the more you can dig yourself deeper in a hole. Then you have to ask for help, and get pulled out or get your Hi-jack out and lift yourself out. It’s much easier to think before you let wheel spin dictate your course AND you are preserving the trails 3)  Respect other drivers – This is important as we share the trails. You may be going downhill and another group is coming uphill. Stay to the right , especially on blind hills and curves. Some trails may be narrow and you may have to pull to the right and let the other group by. As you go along the trail, always look for turnouts. You may be the group that needs to back up a little to allow the other group by. Also, let the first driver of the other group know how many jeeps are in your group. We do this when we ride our quads and motorcycles. We hold up the number of fingers to indicate the number of vehicles behind us. So if you have 4 jeeps in the group and you are in the #1 position, you hold up 3 fingers, the guy/gal behind you holds up 2 etc., etc. The last position holds up a closed fist to signify there are no other jeeps in your group. It’s really nice to know how many jeeps you are waiting for before continuing on your way. 4)  Pack it In & Pack it out – Try to leave no trace. This is another major issue with trash and broken glass on trails. I have no idea the allure of drinking and then throwing the glass bottles away to see how they break. I personally have picked up more broken glass on trials than I care to count. It is littering and it is hazardous to the animals and besides if there is trash on the trail – other people think it’s OK to throw their trash. So if you bring trash and use your Trash-A-Roo pouch we discussed in episode 426, it’s a good way to keep the trash out of your jeep and off the trail. Always secure your trash in some way. Sometimes bouncing down the trail you may not realize that your trash is bouncing out behind you. 5)  Leave it cleaner than you found it – As you go down the trail if you see trash, pick it up. 6)  Leave what you find – Sometimes jeeping takes you to areas that you can’t get to by foot or regular cars. This could be rock formations, cliffs, water ways, petroglyphs, old buildings/cabins, etc. If you are observing this beautiful part of nature leave it there. Don’t collect rocks or plants or animals. Leave it in its natural state. And BTW anything that is 50 years or older is considered an artifact and by law is supposed to stay put. For instance an old can, or bottle top or whatever if it’s more than 50 years old you are not supposed to collect it. I know some of us may consider it to be trash and want to pick it up but archeologists consider it to be a treasure. 7)  Bathroom breaks – We all know when you gotta go, you gotta go. There is an unwritten rule that when the group stops for a 10-100 (bathroom stop) the women go to the right of the jeeps and the men go to the left. YOU want to know why? Because Women are always RIGHT…..     Now ladies PLEASE take a baggie with you and please take all your feminine stuff back out with you. Do not leave that stuff on the trails. And this goes for your kids diapers too. Just don’t do it! I hate cleaning that stuff when we do trail maintenance on our adopted trials. 8)  Do not feed the wildlife – this seems obvious to me but every year there is a report of some idiot trying to touch the bison in Yellowstone and there’s a video of them getting gored tossed in the air. Don’t feed the wildlife, including birds and squirrels, no matter how cute they may look or what they say. Besides, they typically carry diseases and you really don’t want that. 9)  Control your pets – We love jeeping with our dogs (and some cats) but you are still responsible for cleaning up after them and keeping them from destroying wildlife. Don’t let them chase animals (deer) or dig. This is their natural habitat and we are just visitors.

Interview with:

Brit and Tiff from CrawlHers.com
https://crawlhers.com/
https://www.facebook.com/crawlhergarage/
https://www.instagram.com/crawlher/

Jeep events everywhere postponed due to virus concerns

Links Mentioned in Episode 430: 

Extreme Terrain $15,000 sweepstakes (enter every day to win!) 

 

Merideth Evasew Extreme Terrain’s hottest video host right now and she’s been cranking out the tech advice and demos in each of Extreme Terrain’s series of Throttle Out videos. And they’ve just released another great episode as part of Extreme Terrain’s monthly YouTube video series. In this month’s edition of XT’s Throttle Out, Mer grabs the keys to a very lucky XT customer’s JLU for some premium upgrades.Be sure to watch this month’s Throttle Out from Extreme Terrain where form and function come together to create one bad-ass Jeep. https://www.extremeterrain.com/throttleout-march-2020-2.html

This Week In Jeep:

Easter Jeep Safari 2020 – CANCELLED

Utah has just had the WORST time with things lately. First it was news a couple weeks ago that the Easter Jeep Safari, easily one of the largest Jeep events on the planet, had taken measures to avoid the spread of the Coronavirus by shutting down the vendor show. Easily one of the bigger draws for this event, as manufacturers usually have some of their best rigs on display, and are showcasing the newest gear for the Jeep world. Jeep always brings out a couple concept rigs, and there’s always enough Jeep eye candy around to satisfy even the thirstiest of enthusiasts. Despite this, some vendors were a little more gung-ho, and weren’t about to let this get in the way of getting involved with the masses of Jeepers that flood MOAB Utah for this event every year. And I gotta give them credit too. Companies like Metal Cloak, who I have always had a lot of respect for, were going to set up shop right there on the side of the road leading into town if that’s what they had to do to maintain a presence at the event and give the fans what they’re looking for.  Local businesses, and the companies involved with the event were willing to take extra measures, even willing to donate supplies and whatever else was needed to mitigate the risk and keep the vendor show open. And the Jeepers, well, we’re all die hard anyways, and most weren’t going to let a little virus outbreak ruin their long laid plans. But the ruling passed, and the vendor show was no more. Then Salt Lake City got shaken to the core, literally, with a decent earthquake today measuring 5.7 on the richter scale. Granted Salt Lake is a good three hours from MOAB,but  it’s still a bit of more bad news for the state already dealing with the pandemic. Unfortunately Murphy’s law decided to pile it on a bit more. And on Tuesday March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) … a phrase was mentioned which I have had it up to here with hearing “Out of an abundance of caution” …and you already know anything following those six words isn’t going to be good news. And it’s true. This week it was announced that the 2020 Easter Jeep Safari will officially be cancelled. Completely. Not just the vendor show, but everything, down to the last guided trail tour. And they’re all but shutting down the whole town to enforce it too. The cancellation comes the same day the Southeast Utah Health Department handed down a sweeping order that closed theaters, bars and other venues as well as limiting lodgings — from hotels, to even private and public campgrounds — to hosting only people who live and work in Moab. Their hopes are that by restricting the enjoyment of MOAB to only the residents of MOAB and shooing away any and all outsiders, that they are going to somehow completely mitigate the potential health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Grand county. Uh-huh, good luck with that. I hope all the businesses you just signed a death warrant for will somehow find a way to survive this knife in the back and not vote your retarded ass out of office. For the first time in over 50 years, one of the worlds largest and longest running Jeep events is being canceled over a stupid virus. Red Rock 4-Wheelers said it would refund event fees to participants who had already paid to attend. I personally would like to say SCREW IT! … LETS STORM MOAB LIKE THOSE PEOPLE WERE ABOUT TO DO WITH AREA 51!  They can’t stop, ticket, or sanitize us all damnit!

I think even Jeff Goldblum would be proud of this one.

Larry Kosilla is the founder of AMMO, a company out of NY who travels around the world to restore and detail priceless pieces of automotive history. Their youtube channel has over 1.2 million subscribers, and it’s no surprise why. These guys plain and simply work magic. Restoring vehicles (sometimes priceless classic exotics) to like new condition after being abandoned, drowned, or otherwise left for dead in fields, forests and barns.  If you have ever been looking for the highest level of detailing advice, techniques, and products to use, then the video I’m about to tell you about is the only one you need to watch, and here’s why. Imagine finding a Jeep, a completely abandoned Jeep, left for dead so long, that mold and mildew were literally growing on every surface. The Jeep was in such bad shape that I’m not sure even the most die hard Jeep fan would have given it a second look. Having worked in the automotive industry for over a decade, I can assure you that I’ve seen it all. Any and every level of disgusting you can imagine. I’ve not only seen it, I’ve had to work in it. But there’s something undeniably special about rescuing an abandoned vehicle like this, one that’s going to the scrap heap and rejuvenating it, breathing new life into it to drive or wheel once again. That’s exactly what happens to the Jeep Wrangler in this video by AMMO NYC.  At the beginning, the derelict Jeep is sitting in a junkyard, and by the end, the rig is a beautiful Jurassic Park tribute vehicle that’s going to auction. The custom-painted “Headake” on the rear fender and “C.W” on the doors are a nod of the cap to a former owner who had these painted on the rig previously. However, something happened to cause this vehicle to sit long enough for things to start growing out of the paint. The video largely focuses on cleaning the Jeep to look new again, and trust me, there is a massive amount of Jeep detailing tips that even impressed me. The process they used to bring this jeep back to life is very well detailed in this video. So if you are doing a restoration of your own, this video will be one to add to your must watch list. The video never shows the Jeep running, and after sitting so long, I would imagine it is going to need a fair amount of mechanical makeover too. But who knows, maybe some new fluids and a thorough tune-up might just be enough to bring that venerable 4.0L back to life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=SO3eH-bYtEc&feature=emb_logo

Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:

Suspension Types (Spring) Comparison – Part II

In the last episode, we started our multi-part series in spring comparisons. Focusing more on the differences between the different kinds of springs found under different kinds of Jeeps, and less on what we think is good or performs the best. Each spring type has its own unique characteristics, and it’s those differences that we’ll be focusing on. Last week we took a look back in time to where it all started with the leaf spring. From the history, to where they are today we covered every facet of the leaf spring. In this episode, we’re going to look at what has easily become the most popular form of suspension spring in the modern Jeep world. The coil spring.  There were rumors that clear back in the 40’s Jeep did a design study on the coil spring design but nothing allegedly came of it. Well, not until 1984 anyways when we saw them under the front end of the XJ Cherokee’s. The coil spring actually dates back to 1906 in automotive use, but that doesn’t apply specifically to Jeeps. In 1997 though, the Wrangler got its first set of coils. Jeep’s first fully coil sprung vehicle, and it pretty much set the bar for two main reasons. Coil springs are nothing more than a coiled piece of metal bar stock. They are very inexpensive to the manufacturer. They are also easy to make in a wide variety of ways, whether it’s a variable or constant rate designs. So they work, they’re cheap, they weigh less, and they take up less room.  So yea, suffice it to say, it’s not going to be anytime soon that we see Jeep steer away from a coil spring design off the factory floor. Coil springs are usually pretty easy to replace if you know what you’re doing too, making them more friendly for the backyard mechanic to do maintenance or swap them out entirely. You might need a spring compressor tool in some cases, but on many Jeeps, if you fully unload the suspension and let it droop enough, the coil springs will fall right out on their own. So swapping a coil spring can be very easy compared to getting a leaf spring off. Because a coil spring can be made into almost any length, when it comes to a lift kit, you get more choices on the lift you might want to achieve. Lift kits with coil springs can range from a mere 1-inch to over 6.5 inches of lift and beyond. Again, springs are easily produced, in whatever length a company requires. With a coil spring, you can also use a “spacer” to gain lift. Meaning, you only need to install a simple donut above or below the coil springs, and you can get an extra inch or two of lift. This is just as simple as the lift blocks for leaf springs we talked about in the last episode, but far safer and a lot easier to install in most cases. One thing about coil springs is they are a single item, with no moving parts, so there is no real maintenance to them. Once installed, you can pretty much leave them alone. Coil springs are not invincible though. Just like leaf springs, coil springs can get weak over time and sag too.

If you’ve been around enough Jeeps for long enough, you know all too well about the Jeep rear spring sag. Coil springs can also develop cracks, or even break. But that usually requires a ton of hard abuse on very old springs. In all the years I’ve wheeled and the countless rigs I’ve been with, out on the trails, I’ve never seen a coil spring break. I cannot say the same thing for leaf springs. All coil springs are not created equal either. You could have a half dozen different coil springs from different manufacturers and they would all be unique in some way or another. Whether it’s the diameter of the coil, how it was wound, how many windings or coils there are in the spring, and the overall spring rate. There are several factors to look at when choosing your springs and the same springs may not work for two different people. Here’s what I mean by that. On my last trip to the Rubicon, there were two TJ’s in the group that had metal cloak lifts. Their suspension systems were nearly identical and they were both running Metal Cloaks progressive rate springs. One guy didn’t have a problem the entire trip, and the other said he was fighting to keep his lines the entire time. He said the Jeep felt like it was trying to unload itself anytime he got into a heavy off camber situation. If you ever hear the term spring unloading, it refers to the weight transfer a vehicle goes through as it gets off camber and the suspension cycles. The vehicle’s center of gravity shifts, and there is a feeling like one end or corner of the Jeep wants to catapult itself over or under the Jeep. This isn’t something that happens to every Jeeper, and at the end of the trip he felt like it could have been other factors, but he eventually swapped those progressive rate springs for standard lift springs regardless. Again, not all coil springs are created equal, and some springs are just plain and simply going to provide a softer ride, and others will be harder. Harder springs generally won’t suffer from spring fatigue and sag as fast as softer riding springs will …but you pay for this with a harsh ride quality. Not that our Jeeps are meant to drive like a Cadillac, but still. Softer springs will generally be a little more forgiving offroad too, but won’t hold up against the kinds of high speed deflection found when wheeling out on sand or in desert racing forcing the shocks to work harder than they were designed. The kind of ride you want, and the kind of wheeling that you do are the two main factors in choosing a coil spring.  So sit down and do some research before making your next spring purchase. And note that much of the finer technical specifications for springs like spring rate won’t be found online for every manufacturer, so you may have to make some calls to get the numbers you need to make the necessary comparisons to get the right springs under your Jeep. Now some of you may be thinking, ok this is where this segment comes to an end. But we’re not quite done with springs for Jeeps yet, and we’ll be getting into one the highest performing most expensive options for a Jeep spring yet, but you’ll have to wait till next week for that.

Newbie Nuggets:

In light of this virus that seems to be dictating our every move these days I thought some laughter might be in order. I came up with a list of things you can do in your jeep – and I’m going to try to keep it clean Tony…. The mandate says we need to limit our contact with other humans and stay at least 6 feet away – it’s called Social Distancing – Hey Josh you need to add this new phrase to the glossary of terms on our website.

 Social distancing in a Jeep – at a glance:

1)  Driving by yourself – no chance of spreading the virus

2)  When driving with a group on the trails, place the jeeps at least 6 feet apart from each other.

3)  If your buddy gets stuck you can just wave at him from inside your jeep and laugh – sorry dude, I can’t get within 6 feet of you

4)  Don’t park too close to another jeep – the virus might rub off to your jeep

5)  After your run, use a drive through car wash and ask for the Lysol treatment to clean-up

6)  If your jeep is lifted high enough you can hide a lot of supplies (like TP) – just don’t tell anyone – our jeeps can’t outrun most other vehicles.

7)  Waving at other jeeps is OK, because there is no physical contact

 And here are some other fun things to keep in mind that your jeep can be used for to help you through all this madness right now;

 1)  Drive to the nearest forest/desert, etc., and go jeepin’ (bring TP). There is no one else around –perfect for alone time

2)  Jeepin with your buddy in his/her own jeep IS social distancing. Everyone drives their own jeep!

3)  Go play in the snow, or ice, or water or ?? Is your area snowing like mine is in So. Calif. right now or maybe it’s raining cats & dogs where you are? Have you always wanted to try Jeepin’ in rough weather – well what are you waiting for? You are not at work so go do it!!

4)  Play crossword puzzles (sorry, that’s a puzzle on paper for you younger listeners) in your jeep or a game on your phone.

5)  Drive to a great view location on a trail and watch a movie from your new two din LED screen. Crank up the sound, take the top off and roll down all the windows for that perfect experience

6)  Check out our Glossary of terms on the website and brush up on jeep terminology – Your jeep will thank you later

7)  Create a well ventilated virus–free zone by taking your top off and rolling your windows down

8)  Take a nap in your jeep – are the kids or wife (or husband) driving you nuts, slip out of the house and take a nap. Keep the windows up and the doors locked so they can’t get in.

9)  Proven fact that jeepin’ cures all things like depression, the blues, being bored and headaches. Ok maybe not all things but it does cure some things.

 Josh, Tony or Tammy do you have any other ideas you would add?

And now it’s time for a first  jeep experience… This week I asked my husband, Bill, to share his story…. He has been off-roading most of his life and I couldn’t wait to share his first jeep experience. He was with his mom’s jeep club out here in So. Cal called the Dirt Devils and they were following the group up a wash and it eventually narrowed to the point where they had to exit. He thought they were stuck and would need to turn around when the leader made a sharp right turn and scaled straight up a 10 foot high flat rock wall at about a 45 degree angle and he just sat there, mouth open and said to himself “crap, I HAVE to do that?”  So he turned the wheel, put the tires on the rock and just drove right up. He got to the top and looked at his mom in the passenger seat who was just as astonished and they both started laughing. It was a pivotal moment in his jeeping experience.

Obviously it left quite an impression because 22 years later he can still remember every detail down to the color of the granite face they drove up. After that experience, he has always said to himself, “why not, if someone else can do it, I can do it too”. And I can attest to that as we traverse black diamond trails now….. Now it’s a matter of what it will cost to buy the right equipment to be capable OR how much the repair will cost.

Thanks for a great story Bill and sharing your first experience. I know how special that time was with your mom from all the stories you have shared. Next week we will continue sharing newbie ideas and in the meantime, you can view some great videos on our YouTube channel Jeep 4-1-1 (https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver) with lots of tips, tricks, & techniques. The website info is in the show notes.

Interview with:

Tony recently did an impromptu call in show on Facebook Live.  We had a few calls and here are Laura and FM Jeeper.  They had some interesting things to say about how the COVID-ID virus is affecting them.

Must Have Stuff for your Jeep:

SUPAREE Roll Bar Storage Bag for 1997-2017 Jeep Wranglers 4-Door JK TJ LJ Only (will not fit 2-door models)$63.99 & FREE Shipping    https://amzn.to/2vExHBc

LARGE STORAGE CAPACITY: The main pocket is large enough to fit big bulky items typically found in recovery kits like snatch blocks, tree savers, tow straps and more. The main compartment also has a partition enabling you to separate the main compartment into two different storage areas. Each bag has several pockets, elastic loops, rings, and  mesh pouches that will fit all sorts of items thus greatly expanding your Jeep’s storage. HIGH QUALITY MATERIAL：Made of premium waterproof 600D Oxford cloth, some of the highest quality textile available for this type of storage system, making the bags both sturdy, durable, wearproof, and washable too! EASY TO INSTALL: No tools required, these mount to your roll bar using adjustable straps. Not only can these be installed IN the Jeep, you can use the built in carry handle and take these roll bar storage bags with you into the campground, or on a hike, or into the house each night for security when the top is off. PACKAGE INCLUDES: 2 PCS Roll Cage Multi-Pockets Storage Bags. Individual Bag Size: 23.7*19.1*4.6 inch. 1 year warranty

Campfire Side Chat:

Along with the usual hosts Tony, Josh, and Wendy, Travis, Bill, Sean joined in via a Zoom conference.

Jeep Weather: 

Howdy Jeeper, Mitch here, today is Friday 20^th of March 2020, and it’s time for your weekend Going Topless-Jeep Weather Report.  Most of the North America, and the world for that matter, is going into quarantine protocols and social distancing. Which is very contrary to how us Jeepers operate, since off-roading is always safer and more fun in pairs to groups, we just cannot enjoy the backwoods like we use to. This doesn’t mean to not take that top off and cruise with your family down some country roads in the light of our star, just be smart and safe out there. For those of us with most of life locked down, this week’s weather report will be different. I’m going to suggest a few YouTubers that I follow in which you can live vicariously through their past adventures. The first is TrailRecon, hosted by a guest we’ve had on this show a few times. Brad, his son, and lots of buddies go on adventures throughout the western US. He features trail 101, radios, equipment, and just well edited and beautifully filmed scenery in his adventures. Next go check out Brittany and Kevin over at Lite Brite. Driving all over the country with their Wrangler the “Stepchild” and building a Gladiator the “Foster Child”, they explore, meet, and off road with Jeepers everywhere they go. High energy couple with loads of adventures. Lastly, Check out Ben, aka JK Gear and Gadgets. He’s got lots of Jeeps in which he’s constantly tinkering with. Guy got lucky last year, and road tripped out to SEMA with a bunch of awesome Jeep guys. If you like a real regular guy, like us, just being awesome at the Jeep Life then check out Ben. All these Jeepers are just honest, personable, hardworking Jeep fans, and you truly feel like part of their crews and adventures with their great production quality. I have links to all these guys in my show notes on JeepTalkShow.com, episode 429. Now, don’t forget to use the #JeepTalkShow on social media, also don’t forget to tag @JeepTalkShow and me, for us to see those Jeeping Topless pictures. If you have any suggestions or want to know YOUR local weather in an upcoming episode. Then find me on Instagram @jeep_out_west or 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:

Jeep Beach!
April 20th – 26th
Daytona Beach, Fl.
More Info: https://www.jeepbeach.com/ https://www.facebook.com/events/571081293319608/

Shakedown Run
May 2nd
Iron Range Offroad in Gilbert, Minnesota
More Info: Info: https://ironrangeoffroad.com/

Links Mentioned in Episode 429:

This Week In Jeep: Junk Yard Jeep Rescue Video from AMMO NYC:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=SO3eH-bYtEc&feature=emb_logo

Extreme Terrain’s Throttle Out JLU Build:
https://www.extremeterrain.com/throttleout-march-2020-2.html

Jeep 4-1-1 YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver

Must Have Stuff Pick of The Week For Your Jeep:
https://amzn.to/2vExHBc