Company’s New ProROCK44 Axle Combines Premium Design,
Convenience for Superior Performance on Jeep TJ and JK Models

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 4, 2008 – Designed to offer the best performance, most compact design and lightest weight, the new Dynatrac ProROCK44™ axle delivers solid strength, increased ground clearance and unmatched component quality for stock or lifted 1997 to  present Jeep® Wrangler JK and TJ models.

Dynatrac will launch the new axle at the 2008 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show. The company will have the product on display in its SEMA Show booth in the South Hall (Booth no. 37110).

“We built this axle to satisfy the desire of Jeep owners looking for extreme capability and industry-best Dynatrac craftsmanship. We wanted to deliver the same performance benefits of our iconic ProROCK60 axle in a smaller, more compact design and with the convenience of running the enthusiast’s choice of stock or aftermarket drivetrain setups,” said Dynatrac President Jim McGean. “The new ProROCK44 was designed to provide the level of performance you have come to expect from the Dynatrac brand.”

The new Dynatrac ProROCK44 axle for Jeeps includes a patent-pending,  Dynatrac-exclusive high ground clearance design, constructed from massive 2.75-in. or 3-in. wall tubing; high-pinion Dana 44 replacement housing utilizing stronger, new-generation Dana 44 ring and pinion gear and axle shafts with larger U-joints; and every housing includes new, stronger Dynatrac Pro44 end-forging ideal for running big tires and maintaining camber under severe use. The ProROCK44 axle also features extreme-use, precision-fabricated steel suspension brackets that are 50-percent thicker and stronger than OE.

Providing the ultimate in convenience to the Jeep enthusiast, the new axle from Dynatrac is completely bolt-on and customizable for stock or lifted Jeeps. Jeep owners can re-use stock gearing, axle shafts and brakes during installation and is fully compatible with aftermarket drivetrain components.

Each ProROCK44 axle is backed by a 12-month, unlimited mileage warranty. 

After lifting your Jeep JK Wrangler and installing much bigger tires, you may experience a noticeable increase in the amount of kick-back you have when playing out on the trail. This is of course completely normal as the size of your tires will exaggerate kick-back and a good way to help dampen it is to install a heavy duty steering stabilizer. Or, if you really want maximum dampening, I would recommend picking up a heavy duty dual Steering Stabilizer setup like the kind that Rough Country makes.   The Rough Country heavy duty dual steering stabilizer is an affordable upgrade that’ll provide great bump steer dampening and being that the shock cans mounted above the tie-rod, it’ll also keep them up and out of the way of nasty rocks. Best of all, this is a very easy mod to install and it can be done in about 15 minutes using basic tool. All you need to do is follow the instructions below.

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Murray, Utah- November 12, 2008.  Tera Manufacturing, Inc., manufacturer of TeraFlex suspensions, body protection equipment, low range gearing and HD axles, introduces the newest axle product for the JK Wrangler.

The TeraFlex CRD60R is the original & industry leading aftermarket high pinion Dana 60 axle. TeraFlex expands their axle line with a JK specific rear axle to answer the needs of a heavy duty rear axle application. The JK rear CRD60R will retain the use of the factory ABS and ESP sensors to maintain factory computer communication, and drivability. The axle comes complete with 35 spline semi-float axle shafts, R&P ratios up to 5.38, locker of choice, JK specific CNC bracketry and TeraFlex heavy duty cast cover. The factory brake system is retained for simplicity. The TeraFlex CRD60R rear JK axle will accommodate tires up to 38”, and features an exclusive No Excuses 1 year warranty. Suggested retail pricing for the JK Wrangler rear CRD60R starts at $1799, with complete axles available from $2995.

JK CRD60R Features
•  100% engineered, designed, and built in the USA
•  CAD designed housing & bracketry for precision
•  Proven tri-chamber oil system for maximum oil flow to critical bearings
•  Maximum ground clearance (more than a Dana 44)
•  JK ESP, ABS & speedometer sensor compatibility
•  Proper pinion angle for lifted JK applications to maximize power transfer
•  HD oversized outer pinon bearing for superior strength & heat reduction
•  Off-the-shelf bearings and parts for easy maintenance & repair
•  Housing features cast ribs & gussets for strength to resist deflection
•  Premium UV protected powder coating for superior quality finish
•  JK specific CNC laser cut bracketry from 1/4” steel provides the highest strength
•  Smooth radius bottom to glide over rocks and obstacles
•  HD 3/8” cast cover for extreme rock protection defense
•  100% new components used throughout for a true “0-mile” axle
•  No Excuses warranty - 1 year, unlimited mileage

JK HD Axle Shaft Features
•  Rolled splines for a stronger shaft vs. cut splines
•  4140 Chromoly shafts with dual wheel bolt pattern (5 on 5” or 5 on 5.5”)
•  Axle shaft profiling for improved shaft strength and fatigue resistance
•  35 spline shafts provide maximum strength and interchangeability with lockers

TeraFlex products are available direct, or through authorized TeraFlex Dealers. For a complete list of Dealers in your area, or to purchase direct, contact TeraFlex at 801-288-2585 or visit them on the web, www.teraflex.biz.

Day 3 of SEMA 2008 took us over to Bestop where we got to check out some of the cool new products they have available now such as their all new Trektop soft top, Highrock Bumpers, Rocker Guards and all new Door Arm Rest Pads.  We also got a first hand look at some of the things that are in the works now such as their BestRail and Roof Rack system concept that might be able to see available by the middle of next year.  From there, we mad a stop over at Dynatrac where we got a chance to see their all new and incredibly sweet ProRock 44 front axle which is an extremely beefy replacement to the wimpy factory Dana 44.  To watch the video, simply click on the screen or link below:

Project-JK SEMA 2008 Day 3 YouTube Video Show Coverage

Special thanks goes to Captured Live Productions and Northridge4×4 for making our daily coverage of SEMA 2008 possible. 

While we have been able to locate and cover over 30 Jeep JK Wranglers here at SEMA 2008, we knew there had to be a heck of a lot more we missed and so we decided to spend our 3rd day here thoroughly combing the Off Road Exhibition Hall in the hopes of finding whatever else we could.  And, as you can guess, there were in fact plenty more JK’s everywhere and of the ones we found, four of them really got me to stop and stare - the MOPAR Alley Rubicon Oasis Concept, the OR-FAB/Trailmaster/Performance Accessories custom wrapped Unlimited, Rampage’s custom painted Unlimited and Real Wheels all white Unlimted with black highlights.

Before coming to SEMA 2008, we were told that among other things, there wasn’t going to be a MOPAR Alley this year.  Fortunately for us, this was far from true and it was where we were able to see the Jeep JK Wrangler Rubicon Oasis Concept.  While I personally am not a big fan of color matched fenders and hard tops or bling of any kind in general, I have to say that on this JK, it actually looked pretty nice.  However, more than it’s looks, I was really impressed to see that this concept JK would come complete with a 4.5″ long arm kit, 37″ tires, 5.13 gears and a cold air intake and all from the factory.  Obviously, this is just a “concept” but hey, I never thought I would see the day when a Jeep would come with 32″ tires, front and rear lockers, a 4:1 transfer case or an electronic push button sway bar disconnect and all from the factory.

Although OR-FAB/Trailmaster/Performance Accessories had their JK on display last year, it wasn’t in the main hall and several new additions were made to it since then.  The biggest addition I could see, with no pun intended, was the addition of their all new Trailmaster 5″ suspension lift.  Complete with new upper and lower control arms, this lift kit is designed to clear 37″ tires with ease.  The other additions that caught my eye was their new full width rear bumper and new Jerry Can-less tire carrier.  With this setup, you can now have all the benefits of the existing OR-FAB tire carrier such as the ability to carry a much larger spare, mount a Hi-Lift Jack and relocate your 3rd brake light but without having your spare tire stick out any further away from the body than is needed.  And, for those of you who will never have the need to carry Jerry Cans out on the trail, this is the perfect setup for you.

Clearly, the COP4X4 TeraFlex Orange Crush JK is by far one of the sweetest looking JK’s that I have ever seen and one that simply screams SEMA.  However, if I had to pick a very close 2nd place, it would have to be the beautifully custom painted Rampage JK.  But, in addition to it’s great looks, this JK also came loaded up with all kinds of great Rampage products including their very cool full Brief Top which can be zipped off in the middle to make it a Half-Brief Top or mix and matched up with their screen top.  Another cool product that Rampage had on display was their very cool Hi-Lift Jack mount which bolts up to your factory tail gate hinges.

For those of you who don’t remember or who weren’t around to see the coverage we provided last year, Real Wheels came to SEMA 2007 with a JK that was blinged out to the extreme.  Needless to say, it didn’t do a whole lot for most of you here but to their credit, they did do a great job of listening to what you would want and took what you had to say seriously. And, for SEMA 2008, Real Wheels came with a beautiful all white JK and with just about every accessories on it in black billet aluminum.  These accessories include door handles, door hinges, hood hinges, indicator light protectors, gas cap covers, tow hook covers and a massive front brush/grille guard.

If you would like to see all the photos that we’ve been taking here at SEMA 2008, simply click on the banner above or on the link below:

SEMA 2008 Day-3 Photo Gallery

Be sure to check back later today for more updates and YouTube Videos from the show.  Also, if you would like to discuss what you’re seeing with others, head on over to JK-Forum.com where we have a forum dedicated entirely to the SEMA 2008 Show:

JK-Forum.com SEMA 2008 Discussion Forum

Eddie

For our 2nd day here at SEMA, we headed over to the TeraFlex display to find out what they brought to the show as well as to check out COP4X4’s outstanding Orange Crush Jeep JK Wrangler.  Afterwards, we made our way over to Mile Marker to see their all new V10 Winch with solid state control box and to get a demonstration on how well it works.  To watch the video, simply click on the screen or link below:

Project-JK SEMA 2008 Day 2 YouTube Video Show Coverage

Special thanks goes to Captured Live Productions and Northridge4×4 for making our daily coverage of SEMA 2008 possible.

For our second day at SEMA 2008, we decided to try and spend as much time as we could up in the Off Road Hall and take pics of every Jeep JK Wrangler that we could.  Unfortunately, even though we spent the better part of a day there, I think we were only able to hit up about half of all the JK’s present.  As you can imagine, there really is just so much to see and more often than not, we ended up spending way too much time at each display - go figure.  Anyway, of all all the things we saw today, I’d have to say that Bestop, Wild Boar and Dynatrac had the goods that really caught my eye.

What I really like about Bestop is that they’re really good about developing useful products that every JK owner can use and at a reasonable price.  And, to that end, they came to SEMA with several new products that I think will be a real hit including their re-designed Trektop that now has a contoured shape to it and several support straps that help prevent the pooling of water in a down pour, a very nice new set of door handle pads that will keep your elbows from getting beat up and a new concept that they are working on called the BestRail which will allow you to install a no drill roof rack system.

Among all the other new products that Wild Boar came to the show with, I’d have to say that their all new 2-door fastback hard top really is winner. Truly a great looking alternative to the factory hardtop, the Wild Boar fastback top has a finish that looks absolutely factory. And, for those of you who want the benefits of a quick open air experience but don’t want to deal with the hassles of what to do with your freedom top panels once their off, the Wild Boar fastback top comes complete with an easy to use sunroof. If I had a 2-door and was looking for a hard top, I’d have to say that this is the route I would go for sure.

While a Dana 44 front axle is something that we all want to give us the strength we need to run larger tires, the factory installed Dana 44 is a far cry from a true 44 and over the past two years, many of us have found that out the hard way. Well, thanks to Dynatrac, you can now upgrade your front axle to a super beefy and beautifully designed Pro Rock 44. With it’s trademark Dynatrac high clearance differential design, reinforced axle C’s and massive axle tubes, this axle is everything that a Dana 44 should look like and more.

If you would like to see all the photos that we’ve been taking here at SEMA 2008, simply click on the banner above or on the link below:

SEMA 2008 Day-2 Photo Gallery

Be sure to check back later today for more updates and YouTube Videos from the show.  Also, if you would like to discuss what you’re seeing with others, head on over to JK-Forum.com where we have a forum dedicated entirely to the SEMA 2008 Show:

JK-Forum.com SEMA 2008 Discussion Forum

Eddie

Thanks to a tip we got early on in the week, we decided to kick off our YouTube video coverage of the 2008 SEMA Show by making our very first stop over at SOLID Axle Industries.  And, as you will see in this video, they came to SEMA with some very nice new toys.  After leaving SOLID, we headed outside to catch up with Off Road Evolution to find out what all they came to the show to show off.  To watch the video, simply click on the screen or link below:

Project-JK SEMA 2008 - Day 1 YouTube Video Show Coverage

Special thanks goes to Captured Live Productions and Northridge4×4 for making our daily coverage of SEMA 2008 possible.

Who am I kidding, the economy definitely has taken its toll on the off-road industry and the effects of it are definitely showing here at SEMA 2008.  Certainly, a lot of the big manufacturers I was hoping to see are absent this year and from what I’ve been told, the off-road hall as a whole is down about 40% down in vendor attendance.  But, inspite of all that, I can tell you that there’s still tons to see and still quite a few JK’s on display showing off their goods.

To kick off day one of SEMA 2008, we made our way down to the main Mopar display in hopes of seeing something new and exciting from the Underground guys.  Of course, being that the JK has been out already for a couple of years now and that the all new Dodge Challenger is making its debut, there really wasn’t a whole lot new to see.  In fact, with the exception of three JK’s that made it into the mix, the main focus of the Mopar display was all on the new Challenger and in all fairness, as it should be.  Of the three JK’s present, one was the Mopar Underground J8 Sarge which made a debut back at the 2008 Moab Easter Jeep Safari, one was a Sunburst Orange Unlimited and the other was a Sunburst 2-door.  Nothing too fancy, just down and dirty but good looking daily drivers.  And, while there was a display for the J8 Dana 60 Rear Axle, I didn’t see anything for the JK inspite of the fact that it’s been widely reported in the past that one is coming.

Speaking of 60’s, I can tell you that there are at least two new manufacturers who have come to SEMA 2008 with a set made specifically for JK’s.  The first of which is TeraFlex who came to show off their well designed and very afforadable CRDJK60R rear end other is SOLID who came with both a beefy rear 60 and a massively over engineered front 60 complete with optional kingpins and sealed sensor.  Clearly, the manufacturers are paying close attention to what we’re doing with our JK’s and with so many of us now sitting on 37’s or even 40’s, it’s good to see them working hard to provide us with the tools we need to push our JK’s even harder than ever before.

On a final note before I head back out to the show, I’d like to give kudos to COP4X4.  For those of you who have been following their Orange Crush build over on JK-Forum.com, you know that this thing is one hell of a cool looking Jeep.  However, having seen it up close and in person, I can tell you that it really is one of the best looking JK’s I have ever seen - bar none.  Truly, the attention to detail is outstanding, it’s paint job is mind blowing and it’s overall showy appearance exemplifies what a SEMA rig should look like.  Great job COP4X4!!

Now, if you would like to see all the photos that we’ve been taking here at SEMA, simply click on the banner above or on the link below:

SEMA 2008 Day-1 Photo Gallery

Be sure to check back later today for more updates and YouTube Videos from the show.  Also, if you would like to discuss what you’re seeing with others, head on over to JK-Forum.com where we have a forum dedicated entirely to the SEMA 2008 Show:

JK-Forum.com SEMA 2008 Discussion Forum

Eddie

The first week of November is finally here and as most of you know, that can only mean one thing - IT’S SEMA TIME!!  And, as luck would have it, we were fortunate enough to be asked to have our Jeep JK Wrangler on display once again and this time, we came as a featured vehicle for TeraFlex Suspension.  Now, while the the actual show doesn’t start until Tuesday, we had to show up a bit early to get our JK checked in and as you can guess, we are here in Las Vegas now and I thought you might appreciate getting a sneek peak of things to come.

Only because it’s ours and one of the biggest reasons why we are here so early, the first set of photos I have to share with you are of our Jeep JK Wrangler.  Modified to work with a set of Off Road Evolution front coilovers and rear EVO Lever cantilever system, our TeraFlex short arm kit is currently sitting on Toyo 37×13.50 Open Country M/T’s mounted on Walker Evans Beadlock Wheels.  For the purposes of this show, we also came buttoned up with a Bestop Trektop fastback soft top, a Rock Hard Sport Cage installed just underneath it and armored up with the all new LoD Signature Series Shorty Front Bumper with Stinger, Frame Mounted Rocker Guards and Rear Bumper with redesigned tire carrier system which features an adjustable tire mount and trail rack and offers a bracket that allow you to reuse your factory 3rd brake light.  I you want to see some detailed pics of all this, click on the thumbnail pic to the left!

After we finished setting up, we noticed that a lot more JK’s had come in around us and one of which was the Rough Country JK sitting on their 6″ suspension lift, 37×13.50 Dick Cepek Mud Country’s and Wearing an olive drab body wrap that has rivets along the seams which gives it a cool military vehicle look.  Down the way a bit, Off Road Evolution had pulled in their monsterous JK which was standing tall on a Full Traction Long Arm Kit and a set of 40×15.50 Toyo Open Country M/T’s.  Installed just for SEMA, they also came wearing a set of their new body armor, tube fenders and rear stinger/tire-carrier.  Beyond that, we found a nice Earth Roamer JK (essentially a JK converted into an off-road RV) and maybe half a dozen other JK’s, some of which were bling queens and others built up with the craziest looking suspension setups I’ve seen, period.

Obviously, this is just a little taste of things to come and I promise to do a much better job of covering all JK’s I can especially if they are featuring new parts and accessories.  However, if you would like to see some of the Pre-Show pics that we took here at SEMA 2008, simply click on the link below:

SEMA 2008 Pre-Show Photo Gallery 

Be sure to check back again soon for more updates and tons more pics!!

Eddie

Due to it’s location and proximity to the ground, smashing a factory steering stabilizer on the trail isn’t something that’s uncommon to JK’s. In fact, most of the people I know have trashed theirs at least once including me. Fortunately for us, a steering stabilizer is easy to replace and not too costly. And, rather than just replacing your factory steering stabilizer with another, I decided to upgrade mine to a heavy duty one made by TeraFlex. Of all the aftermarket heavy duty steering stabilizers available today, the one made by TeraFlex is by far the most affordable. And, being that this steering stabilizer is a direct replacement to the factory unit, it is one of the easiest ones to install as well. Quite literally, you can install it in minutes and the only tool you will need is an 18mm wrench. Simply follow the instructions below and you will be done before you know it.

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On October 10, 2008, Eastcoast JK members finally got a chance to show the westcoast what wheeling really is at the Raush Creek Offroad Park in Joliett, PA.  Sponsored by 4WD Hardware, the Project-JK’s Eastcoast JKFest was the first of it’s kind outside of California and without a doubt, it was clearly the biggest ever or anywhere!

Even though he got an early start on Friday morning, Bryan Hart (aka Bustabizz) of 4WD hardware was still surprised to see a dozen JK’s already waiting for things to get going.  Luckily, the registration greet crew got right to work at 8:00 AM and were able to finish things up quickly.  In all, we had about 30 JK’s signed up for Day-1’s ride and split up into 3 groups - stockers, modified and extreme.  As many of you know, I wrecked my JK at the beginning of the week so unfortunately, I was without a ride.  But, as luck would have it, Tyler (aka Usagone) offered to give me a ride in his built up 2007 Rubicon on 35’s MTs and join the extreme group without hesitation.  And, after riding with him, I must say he’s one hell of a driver and an even better spotter.

As you can imagine, being in the extreme group, we got a chance to play on several tough rocky obstacles along the way.  Luckily, Raush Creek is set up with bypasses for the harder sections of the trails but overall, they were rarely used if at all.  In fact, one driver in our group was crazy enough to show up in a stock 4-Door JK sitting on 31’s but even at that, he was still able to make it though just about everything.  Granted, it was a struggle for him but he was able to hang with all built up JK’s surprisingly well and without much damage at all.  On the flip side, guys like Bob (aka bobhuff) and Joe (aka RDY4RKS) came with rigs running Full Traction 6″ Long Arms on 37’s made it seem as though they ran the entire trail with their JK’s set on cruise control.  As we returned to the big tent around 5:00 PM, I watched a handful of JK’s roll into the lot with flags flying proudly on there rigs and was glad to see they were none other than the Canadian crew.  After getting their passports checked, they were all ready to do some wheeling but only after we got a chance to feed them and show them what American Cornholing is all about!

Day-2 started off at a fast pace and never really let up.  I think in all, we ended up registering about 74 JK’s and all before 10:00 AM.  As we did the day before, we decided to split up into multiple groups - a couple stocker groups, a couple modified/extreme and an extreme group.  To make things interesting, I decided to switch things up a bit and ride with Art (aka whtIwrk4 - a Canadian) for the day.  Unfortunately, Art ended up blowing out a front tire soon after we got going but thanks to all the great help we got from everyone around, we were able to get it changed in a hurry and were back on the trail in no time at all.  The trailride went pretty smooth after that and while most of our day was spent doing some easy rockcrawling, we did get a chance to hit a couple of bigger rocks as well.  If there’s one thing I can say, these guys from up north sure know how to wheel.

At the end of the second day of wheeling, 4WD Hardware and Raush Creek Off-Road Park treated the JK members to pizza and pop and we even got a chance to sing happy birthday to Todd (aka flipdik).  After dinner, the prize giveaways began and I must say that our vendors really stepped up big time for this event!  As a matter of fact, we had a total of 35 lucky winners that got to go home with a prize. Of course, the main vendors of the event were 4WD Hardware, Solid Axle, Full Traction, Purejeep, Tuffy, Riveraiders, jeepswag.com, Teraflex, Low Range Magazine and Bestop but we even had a rep from Clayton Offroad show up on Saturday morning with a prize in hand to giveaway as well.

The biggest prize of the night was a Solid Axle Spyntec Kit worth $2,000 but other prizes included: a Fulltraction 2″ Lift, Purejeep Cold Air intake, Purejeep D-Ring shackles, Tuffy Glove Box, Riveraider rocker guards, Woods steering stabilizer relocation brackets, Evap reloc and Hood lift, Bestop Bikini and header, Solid Axle diff covers - 6 of them, Riveraider Highlift Jack and Jackmount, Low Range Magazine subscriptions.  4WD Hardware donated dozens of prizes as well, some of which included a Viair complete onboard air system, Warn winch, Synthetic winch line and several $100 gift cards.  Really, I could go on and on listing out all the great prizes 4WD Hardware gave away as it was a ton and not a single person was sent home empty handed as 4WD Hardware made sure to give an event T-shirt to everyone.  Honestly, I can’t say enough how much we really appreciated their help in organizing this event.  At the end of the night, it was back to the hotel for us and a Cornhole Championships to compete in. Sadly, the Canadian Crew just couldn’t compete with the likes of Brian Hart (Bustabizz) and Jamey Paine (Painezj) - the self-proclaimed and reigning Eastcoast Cornhole Champs.  Now, I’m not sure that’s a title I would want, but hey - that’s just me.

Finally, Day-3 of the Project-JK’s Eastcoast JKFest left us with a lot less JK-ers.  In all, we only had about 20 or so JK’s out for the day and so we only needed to run two groups, one for modified and one for extreme.  Once again, I decided to ride along with Art and must say that the Canadian Crew really stepped up the second day as we went from wheeling on small rocks to wheeling on rocks the size of Jeeps.  I should note most of the guys from Canada were close to stock - if not stock and they all had at least a 7 hour drive home.  Needless to say, I was very impressed.  Unfortunately, we did have one casualty and that was Rod (aka Zebco) as he ended up breaking a rear driveshaft.  Fortunately for him, both Bryan and Jamey from 4WD Hardware got right on the phone and started to make some calls.  And, when it seemed like Rod was going to get stuck applying for his citizenship here, Brian decided to call up a competitor located right up the road, Quadratec.  Luckily, Brian was able to find a replacement driveshaft from one of their employees and got everything taken care of.  I must say, this is what Jeeping is all about.  After a good day of wheeling, we went to dinner with the Canadian Crew and said our farewells.

If you would like to see all the pics we took from the Project-JK’s Eastcoast JKFest, simply click on the banner above or on the link below:

The Project-JK’s Eastcoast JKFest 2008 Photo Gallery

Chris Bader (aka piginajeep)
Project-JK.com Contributing Writer

Special Thanks:  I’d like to thank all of our vendors for helping to make the Project-JK’s Eastcoast JKFest such a great success.  If it wasn’t for 4WD Hardware and Bryan Hart, this event would not have taken place.

As a part of good routine maintenance, it is highly recommended that you service your NSG 370 manual transmission once every 30,000 miles. Changing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s transmission fluid will give you an opportunity to inspect the magnetic drain bolt for any signs of abnormal wear going on inside (i.e. large chunks of metal attached to it) and new fluid will help keep things operating smoothly. NOTE: It is important to only use MOPAR MS-9224 Manual Transmission Fluid (sometimes listed as NV-3500 Fluid) or equivalent like Syncromesh. Standard gear oils have sulphur in them and damage your synchros.

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As a good part of routine maintenance on your Jeep JK Wrangler, it is highly recommended that you service your NV241 or NV241OR transfer case once every 30,000 miles. Changing out the ATF+4 transfer case fluid will give you an opportunity to inspect it for any signs of abnormal wear going on inside (i.e. bits of metal coming out) and new fluid will help keep things operating smoothly. This is a very simple task and can be done in minutes with the right tools. Also, any ATF+4 fluid can be used.

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Are you totally addicted to JK-Forum.com?  Do you find yourself going through withdrawals whenever you’re away from it?  Well, I’ve got news for you!  If you have an iPhone, Blackberry, Treo, Voyager, RAZR or any other mobile phone that will allow you to surf the internet, you can now have your cake and take it with you.  As of today, JK-Forum.com is now available in the mobile format JK-Forum.mobi!!

Stripped down of all unnecessary graphics and memory hogging code, the all new JK-Forum.mobi is designed to be super easy to use and blazing fast on just about any mobile web friendly phone including ones that don’t have WiFi or G3 capabilities. With JK-Forum.mobi, you can still browse through and post on all your favorite sub-forums including Modified Tech, the Staging Area you belong to and even the ever crazy Anything & Everything.  Likewise, you can still use the forum’s Search function to help you find what you’re looking for faster and you can even check and respond to Private Messages just like you can on JK-Forum.com now.  Needless to say, you never have to be without your JK-Forum.com and so long as you have mobile phone reception, you can now take it anywhere you want to be including, sitting on the pot.

If you’ve got a mobile web friendly phone, please check out JK-Forum.com today by visiting:

www.JK-Forum.mobi

I look forward to seeing you online!!
Eddie

Reducing the amount of pressure you have in your tires or, as Jeepers like to call it, “airing down”, is one of the easiest things you can do to improve the quality of your ride and significantly improve the amount of traction you’ll have on the trail.  With your tires sitting at about 8-12 PSI, your tires will do a wonderfull job of smoothing out your ride as you make your way over small rocks and ruts and on bigger obstacles, the tread of your tires will be able to wrap itself around jagged rock faces and boulders.  Of course, the more surface area the tread of your tires can make contact with, the more traction you will have.  Needless to say, airing down your tires is so effective that it, along with disconnecting your front sway bar links, has become standard practice before hitting the trails.

Now, with all the benefits that airing down your tires has to offer, there is a Achilles’ heel to it as well.  On or off the pavement, when you run your tires more or less flat, you run the risk of rolling or busting their bead.  And, being that modern tires are tubeless and held in place by air pressure alone, busting a bead will leave you high and dry.  To help prevent this from occuring, most Jeepers try to run wheels that are on the narrow side of things, tyically about 8″ in width as this will help to keep things in place better.  However, if you want to make absolutely sure that your tires will keep their bead and stay in place, the only way you can do that is with a set of beadlocked wheels.

So, what exactly is a beadlocked wheel?  Well, the short answer is that they’re just basic wheels that have been modified in a way that’ll allow your tires to be clamped in place.  For the most part, this would involve removing the outer lip of your wheels and having a new inner ring welded on just inside the edge.  This new inner ring will serve a backing plate and once your tires are installed, an outer lock ring will bolt up to it and hold everything in place.  And, while this conversion process does work well enough, Walker Evans has taken beadlocked wheels to the next level and has done so by offering theirs in a single cast design.

Aside from their striking and down right sexy looks, Walker Evans beadlocked wheels are highly coveted by all off-road enthusiasts because of their strength and reliability. Being a single cast design allow these wheels to be rated at an incredibly high 3,800 lbs per wheel and the chance of leaks is greatly reduced.  And, unlike some single cast design beadlocked wheels, Walker Evans uses long steel inserts securely mounted in the wheels as opposed to just threading the holes in the aluminum. Last but not least, one additional benefit of the Walker Evans beadlocked wheels is that it’s designed with the valve stem positioned further back into the wheel.  By doing this, the valve stem is protected from obstacles on the trail that would otherwise damage it.

After having run them for about a year now, I’d have to say that I absolutely love my Walker Evans beadlocked wheels.  On the trail, they have proven to be extremely tough and have done their job exceptionally well.  Certainly, they have never let me down and even though they are a bit on the pricey side of things, I feel they are worth every penny.  Needless to say, if you’re asking my opinion of them, I would definitely recommend them to you.  Of course, I got mine in an unfinished machined finish but they are also available in a polished finish and with lock rings in a variety of colors.

Eddie

If you’ve been looking to build up your Jeep JK Wrangler, now is the time to do it!!  For a limited time only, Northridge4×4 and Discount Tire Direct is offering an outstanding deal that you just can’t pass up.  Buy a lift kit from Northridge4×4 and receive $150 OFF any set of (5) Alloy Wheels and Tires in stock at Discount Tire Direct.  Of course, to add icing on the cake, you can take advantage of all this and get it all shipped for FREE!! 

www.northridge4×4.com
www.discounttiredirect.com

With the 2nd Annual Anza Borrego Coyote Canyon Newbie Run coming up just around the corner, I thought it would only be fitting to show everyone a short video of all the fun we had last year.  To watch the video, simply click on the screen or link below:

If you would like to read about our adventures last year, click on the link below to see the trip report that I wrote:

1st Annual Project-JK Anza Borrego Coyote Canyon Newbie Run 2007

If you live in SoCal and have a JK, I’ll be look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks!

Eddie

Tuffy Security has a long history of developing products that do an excellent job of organizing the gear you carry in your Jeep and do it in a way that provides serious protection of them as well.  And, keeping with that tradition, Tuffy is pleased to announce the release of their all new JK Expedition Partition which is designed to work with their Tuffy Security Drawers as well as their new JK Security Door Lockers which will help protect your hard doors from being easily lifted off and carried away.  Below are the official press releases for both products:

TUFFY SECURITY PRODUCTS
PART #162 JK EXPEDITION PARTITION

This heavy duty partition makes organizing all your gear for that expedition a breeze and can be used as a barrier to keep your four legged trail companion off your lap every time the vehicle hits a bump. The innovative and versatile mounting system allows the partition to be installed and removed in seconds from the 1/8” thick steel brackets mounted to the top of the Tuffy drawer enclosure.

Constructed using heavy duty welded steel tubing and finished with an attractive powder coat finish. No drilling is required and all mounting hardware is included. Mounts in both 2 and 4 door models to the top of Tuffy part #140 (sold separately). Visibility is maintained while not sacrificing practical functionality. This product is designed for organization or pet barrier uses only and is not intended to prevent loose cargo from causing injury or damage in the event of an accident, shifting loads or a change in speed. Cargo must always be secured to the vehicle.

FEATURES:
• Versatile mounting system allows the partition to be easily inserted and removed in seconds from brackets mounted to drawer top
• Additional 1/8” thick welded center support bracket for extra stability
• Sturdy 1” dia steel tube frame with 1/2” dia steel cross braces
• Visibility is maintained compared to grid type (police cruiser) partitions
• Heavy duty welded steel construction
• Factory OEM rear seats can be up, or down with partition installed on 4 door models
• Durable texture powder coat finish
• Innovative design functions with a hard top, soft top up or down, or no top
• All mounting hardware included, no drilling required
• Works in conjunction with Tuffy multi point tie down rails mounted on top of the drawer enclosure
• Specifically designed to mount on Tuffy JK drawer part# 140 (Sold separately) without drilling. Works with all drawer height settings
• 1/8” Thick steel mounting brackets

MOUNTING:
Mounts on Tuffy JK drawer part# 140 (Sold separately) without drilling. All mounting hardware is included.

FITS:
• Jeep Wrangler JK 07 - Current, 2-Door & 4-Door (Requires Tuffy part #140, sold separately)

Part# 162
Available in (01)Black

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TUFFY SECURITY PRODUCTS
PART #164 & 165 JK SECURITY DOOR LOCKERS   

These external door lockers provide theft protection for otherwise vulnerable Jeep JK hard doors. The door lockers function to prevent the expensive doors from being lifted off and resold for big bucks. The high security 10 tumbler locks allow the owner to unlock and remove the door locker assembly and then remove the hard doors.

Constructed using heavy duty machined and welded steel and finished with an attractive powder coat finish. All mounting hardware is included. These are easy to install and use. Separate models available for two and four door models.

FEATURES:
• Can be mounted on top or bottom hinges
• Replaces vulnerable OEM fastener
• Two and four door models available
• Innovative design only allows door to be removed when door locker is unfastened
• All mounting hardware included and installs in minutes, no drilling required
• Constructed using heavy duty welded steel
• Durable texture powder coat finish
• High security 10 tumbler double bitted security lock
• Mounts on OEM full and half door models

MOUNTING:
No drilling required. Remove the OEM door hardware and fasten the Tuffy inside assembly to
the door hinge then insert exterior assembly and lock to prevent access.

FITS:
• Jeep Wrangler JK 07 - Current, 2 and 4 door models with OEM full or half doors
(Separate part# for 2 and 4 door applications)

For more information about Tuffy Security Products, please visit their website at: http://www.tuffyproducts.com/ or call them by phone at: 800-348-8339.

Eddie