In Search of the Goldens
Comment: I wanted to compliment you on your article "In Search of the Goldens" in the July '06 issue not only for the well-written story but also for the wonderful photography. Too often, articles in 4x4 magazines focus only on the vehicles and not on the purpose of building them: enjoying the Great Outdoors! Thumbing through the 4x4 magazines at the bookstore, it was this article that persuaded me to buy the magazine.
I really appreciate your article's conclusion, in which you stress your concern over environmental abuse by the "bad apples" and the road closures by the Forest Service. This has been a battle I have fought all my life on Echo Summit near Lake Tahoe. Since the '70s, my father and I have worked with other locals to keep Echo Summit a multi-use area open to motorized recreation, but every two to three years the Forest Service invents a new reason to try to close the area. Please keep mentioning in your articles the fact that disrespect for the environment leads to closures! Way too many four-wheelers are oblivious to this reality. Thanks again, and keep up the great work.
Geoff Beasley
via e-mail
A: Geoff, thanks for the props. I was a bit jealous of McNulty's search for those pesky goldens, and the photos from the journey didn't make me feel any better about missing this adventure. However, we're not paid to travel in packs, so it was only logical that just one of us got to tag along for the trip. We intend to continue to offer adventure articles of this substance for our readers' enjoyment, so keep checking back for more. As far as maintaining respect for the land, we're with you. It is too often that we see seemingly educated wheelers carving their own trail and leaving marks of their presence in areas that they may or may not belong. Leaving behind trash and litter is one of the easiest things not to do, yet so many simply assume that someone will come around after they've left and clean up after them. It is actions such as these that will inevitably lead to the demise of our sport and pastime. Thank you for doing your part, Geoff. We'll keep doing our best to impress upon others to do the same.
Dana 35 vs. Ford 8.8
Q: The time has come to shell out that chunk of change for some traction. I am currently researching doing a Super 35 upgrade with an ARB and 4:56 gears. My original plan was to do an axle swap with a Ford 8.8; however, after wheeling this past weekend, I talked with someone who had done the Super 35 kit running 35s and is pleased with it so far. I am wondering if I may save myself some work by installing the Super 35 kit instead of the 8.8 swap? Any advice or testimonials would be awesome. I love the magazine!
Ben Guy
via e-mail
A: Ben, by Super 35 upgrade I'm assuming you mean the Superior Axle & Gear Evolution Series Super 35 kit (although Yukon Gear also offers a similar kit called the Ultimate 35). As far as ease of installation and cost, the Super 35 upgrade for Dana 35 rear axles is a great means of beefing up this notoriously problematic axle. The system features 30-spline axleshafts and includes an ARB or a Detroit Locker and necessary installation items. Should you elect to swap a Ford 8.8-inch rear axle into your vehicle, the expense will increase as will the complexity of the installation. You didn't mention what vehicle you intend to modify, but if it's a TJ you'll also need the appropriate suspension brackets. A YJ or XJ will be a bit easier since these vehicles offer a leaf-spring rear suspension and will simply require relocation of the spring pads on the axletubes and additional minor modifications. OK4WD offers brand-new Ford 8.8-inch rear axles that include 31-spline axleshafts, a 1310 yoke, 3.73 or 4.10 gears, a Trac-Lok LSD, and disc or drum brakes. The assemblies can also be outfitted with TJ suspension brackets or YJ spring pads at an extra cost. The Ford 8.8 uses a 5-on-4-1/2-inch wheel bolt pattern but is slightly narrower than the Jeep Dana 35C, so wheels with less backspacing than stock will be necessary. For more information on Dana 35 upgrades, check out www.superioraxle.com and www.ringpinion.com. For information about Ford 8.8-inch rear axles, check out www.ok4wd.com. Wheel on.
Colorado OHV Parks
Comment: I enjoyed your article on four-wheeling parks, but you left out two private parks in Colorado. Colorado Off Road Extreme (C.O.R.E), is located about 50 miles east of Denver on Interstate 70 and 5 miles east of Deer Trail. More info can be found at www.coloradooffroadextreme.com. The Avalanche Ranch (www.avalancheranch.com) is located in Ignacio, which is about 25 miles southwest of Durango in the southwest corner of the state. Thanks for a great magazine.
Gene W. King
CoA4WDCI Land Use Chairman
Member, BLM Front Range RAC
A: Gene, thanks for the heads up on the Colorado OHV parks. It's good to know that we'll have yet a couple more parks to hit if access to public lands continues to be denied. We also forgot Area BFE (www.areabfe.com) in Moab and probably a few others, but we only had so much space. As more and more public land is closed to 4x4 use, many are left with private parks as their only means of hitting trails locally. As the parks grow in popularity, the trails become further developed to meet this demand, and sooner or later the parks also become destinations for those living afar. You can look at the success of such parks as the Superlift Off-Road Vehicle Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Anyway, thanks again for pointing out the Colorado OHV parks we missed. With the interest that the OHV parks guide generated, we're sure to adopt some sort of annual listing as more and more parks are opened. Thanks for writing.
Project All-American Re-re-re-re-visited
Q: I was just curious about what happened to Project All-American. Wherever it is, that was a cool flatty.
Craig-Ellis Sasser
via e-mail
A: Craig-Ellis, old Double A is nearly alive and resting well and currently resides under a tarp in my parents' driveway. I keep trying to get it out of there so I can get it fired up and start hitting trails, but it seems that my parents really enjoy looking at it from their kitchen window every morning as they drink their coffee. They also enjoy showing it off to dinner guests when they entertain... well, maybe not so much, but that's where it currently resides.
Basically, I just haven't had the time or energy to tackle the final steps of the buildup of the '42 Willys MB known as Project All-American. I hope to make the time before the end of the year, but it will likely happen sooner because it may just disappear from its parking spot at my folks' place if my mom finds the means. Anyway, Project All-American is still in the works, and I promise to share the final building stages upon completion as well as provide a final photo feature to detail the entire buildup. Thanks for reading.
Rooftop Tents
Q: The July '06 issue has an article with some pictures on page 38 that show a tent on top of the vehicle. Can you please tell me who manufactures that unit? Thank you.
Dean Mevis
via e-mail
A: Dean, two images of vehicles with rooftop-mounted tents appear on page 38 of the July '06 issue, and both are manufactured by Hannibal USA. The company also produces unique roof racks for a variety of vehicles, in addition to the rooftop tents and a roof-rack-mounted awning that features zippered side enclosures. For more information, contact Hannibal USA at: (800) 533-2210, www.hannibalusa.com.