  
Project Manager: Mac
Project: "Real World" TJ So, instead of limited-slip or air lockers, we'll try a Detroit and/or an EZ Locker. In place of stock tires or BFG Baja TA's, we'll try BFG A/T's. You get the picture. While most of us cannot afford the elite products of the Jeep world, it's not worth being stranded in the middle of nowhere to use cheap parts, either. We'll also be trying out a few other items, just to let you know what we think. We will be giving our honest opinion for these and all items, from installation, to use and reliability. If you have questions about any of the products we are using here, please feel free to e-mail us directly. Our Wrangler is a daily driver, with off-road use mostly limited to established dirt roads and trails. We will also test it on some harder trails, including the Rubicon, to see how the Jeep holds up.
High Performance 4-Banger? While most upgrades do not a make a big difference by themselves, a few upgrades together can make a much noticeable and very welcome increase in performance. Overall, our TJ now performs better with 31" Goodyear mud-tires than it did with a stock motor and 205's! Of all the upgrades so far, the Turbo City Kit offered the most noticeable change in performance. Next would be the Flowmaster, then the Jacobs Ignition Kit and Flex-A-Lite fans. Most items are easily installed by the average home mechanic in a weekend or less, and do not require special tools. About Stubby:
As far as being our "daily driver", we use it for our one hour (each way) commute through Tacoma traffic on a daily basis, as well as the family wagon/grocery-getter. As of November 1999, we are sitting on approximately 75,000 miles in under 3 years. Now on to the front locker; so far we have not experienced ANY of the negative characteristics commonly associated regarding an automatic locking differential in the front axle. In fact, in 2WD we can barely tell we have a locker at all! There is no binding whatsoever, only a mild clicking sound that you get used to rather quickly. While in 2WD, the front axle receives no torque from the driveshaft and does not actually "lock" the differential. In fact, Tony from TracTech says that it is impossible for the front differential to lock without receiving input power from the driveshaft. This means that while the transfer case is in 2WD mode, the front differential can NOT lock. Note: Since a locking front differential will spin the front driveshaft while in 2WD mode, front driveshaft vibration CAN occur under the following conditions: Improper front driveshaft angles (associated with suspension lifts) and/or an unbalanced front driveshaft. Modification Alert! During a recent trail trip through Elbe Hills, Washington, we had the misfortune of losing our brakes. It turns out that the driver's front tire rubbed on the exposed front brake-line and caused it to break, which resulted in a loss of fluid and brake pressure. We had to bend the metal part of the brake-line and crimp it off in several places (just enough to hold pressure). While we were able to get the remaining three brakes working (with the generous help of Don and his brother Jack), limping out on three brakes wasn't much fun.
A special word of "Thanks!" to Midas of Lacey, WA, for performing the flawless brake-work. Special Thanks to our Project Sponsors:
Dirt Road Magazine is sponsored by Central 4WD & Turner 4WD Parts Co. |
