Let’s see what you look like reading 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility Magazine.

Here's Chris Phillips starting his daughter out right by showing her the proper reading material.  We know that as readers of 4WD&SU, you're more intelligent and better-looking than almost everyone else on the planet, so show us here.

We want to do an event with readers, but need your help.

We've been wanting to put together an annual event that 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility Magazine readers can call their own.  We have a few ideas, but would like your input.

We've talked about everything from a stadium event (something that, IMO, has absolutely NOTHING to do with what we like to do) to a small trail ride.  I'm leaning toward annual two-day trail rides at a different location each year, where we come out and go off-roading with our readers.  There would be a "base camp" with vendor and sponsor booths at each event.  We'd do a dinner and have a raffle, etc.

What do you think?  Give us your input and ideas.  We want to hear from you!

Thanks.

We completed a feature you'll be seeing soon in the magazine about installing new Rubicon Dana 44 JK front and rearends in a YJ Wrangler.  The swap was straightforward, but we didn’t talk about what you need to do to make the frontend strong enough for backcountry use.

Once the Rubicon frontends hit the dirt, some problems became evident.  The inner knuckle Cs need to be gusseted, as they might bend under hard use.  There have been cases of the axle tube bending or actually breaking apart.  DOM tubing pressed into both long and short tubes cures this problem and strengthens the frontend tremendously.  Hardened axles are available from Alloy USA now and are coming (we hear) from other companies.  These would be a smart investment, too.  Gussets, tubing, and hardened axles – not much is required to make the inexpensive JK Rubicon Dana 44 frontend become as strong as it should be when used off-road.

Welcome to the new digital world! I'm the resident web geek in charge of 4wdandsportutility.com. The problem is, I'm also in charge, directly, or indirectly, of 9 other sites as well. I try to get on the forums when I can to post relevant and interesting discussion threads.

But I can't be everywhere at once. So that's why I'm offering this incentive to you rock-hounds and trail-groupies out there. We're looking for informed, experienced 4x4 enthusiasts to be moderators and contributors to our forums. Unfortunately, there's no money involved. But, for your time & effort, you will receive your choice of an 4WD & SU front license plate (where permitted) or a super-cool die-cut 4WD & SU window sticker, in your choice of red, black, yellow or white. The plates are all yellow (as shown). We have a limited supply of each, and when they're gone, they're gone, so this is a first-come, first-served deal.

So what exactly is required to get these goodies? Well, we're on the honors system here, but all we ask is a promise that you'll be on the forums at least a few times a week, and respond and contribute at least 6 meaningful posts or replies per week. Now, if you're one of these hard-core 4x4 nuts that's on 24/7, when your boss isn't looking over your shoulder at work, and at home when your wife/girlfriend isn't bugging you about something, we'll take you guys too. We're looking for passion for the hobby, and someone that can really inject some life into our forums.

If you don't live up to our oh-so-lofty standards, all we can do is revoke your moderator status, but you'll always be welcome to post and contribute.

All you need to do is write an e-mail to edward.sanchez@sourceinterlink.com, entitled "4WD Forum moderator" and plead your case to us (actually, me. I'm just using the editorial "us" so it doesn't sound so capricious and arbitrary). Any pertinent experience in the off-road hobby or industry is a plus, as well as a demonstration of your love for the magazine and 4x4 community. If we deem you worthy, you'll receive a sticker or a plate, and if you grovel and beg enough, we might just send you both, but maybe only after I see you really step it up in the forums, or if I had enough coffee that morning. I guess you'll just have to take your chances. I look forward to hearing from you guys!

Even with our weak economy, fuel prices keep rising, impacting our lives at every level.

It's unbelievable that the oil companies are driving a dagger into the heart of our country by continuing to rake in obscene profits and destroying our economy.  The argument has been made that since the companies are multinational, they don't care, or even harbor malice toward the United States.  I disagree with this argument and believe that even if a multinational doesn't like us, it would be foolish to destroy the largest market on the planet for their petroleum.

I recently watched a congressional hearing where a number of oil company CEOs answered questions about the reason for the rising oil prices.  The price-per-barrel of oil was mentioned.  The question was then asked why the companies were still raking in more profit than at any other time in history.  Finally, these arrogant jackals smirked and, while each one said this in their own way, stated that they were gettin' it while the gettin's good.  The gettin' has certainly been good the last eight years with congress unwilling to do anything about this.  Government intervention is bad, but in this case, IMHO, we need another Teddy Roosevelt to make the oil companies heel.

What do you think?

I stopped by an open house event at Land Rover Mission Viejo a couple weekends ago and saw some pretty cool Rovers-both new and old. Most were tricked out for week-long adventures and trail riding but a couple were all-out desert race rigs that have competed in the Baja 1000 and other long distance races. I saw a few familiar faces I recognized from different trail rides over the years and also made a few new connections, so those of you hoping to see some more Rovers in the magazine can likely look forward to some trail coverage in the coming months.

There were also a number of speakers who took the podium throughout the day to address the crowd about the Land Rover brand and its dedication to customers, the degree of customer loyalty, and also a number of environmental and land closure topics. One of the speakers I had a chance to talk with for a while was Dale Johnson, who is the Off Highway Vehicle Volunteer Program Coordinator for the San Bernardino National Forest Association. Dale is a great guy who is really dedicated to the sport of 4-wheeling and spends almost every weekend doing whatever he can to educate the public about responsible OHV use. Dale and his crew of volunteers focus on peer-on-peer education by approaching fellow enthusiasts on trails and events to help them better understand what they need to do to ensure that their favorite areas aren’t shutdown to OHV use. Dale also leads a number of Adopt-A-Trail and Sponsor-A-Trail events as well as organizes clean up and trail work days. For information about volunteering check out www.sbnfa.org.

General Motor's HUMMER division and the nonprofit organization Tread Lightly! announced today the launch of a new partnership called HUMMER's Recreation Rescue, which will provide grants to outdoor recreation sites.  The grants will be dedicated towards land use education, management and trail maintenance.

"This partnership comes at a critical time, especially for recreation activities involving the use of off-highway vehicles," said Tread Lightly!'s executive director Lori McCullough.  "These grants will help land management agencies implement their new travel management policies in a way that helps both recreationists and the great outdoors."

Project sites already selected for 2008 include off-highway vehicle areas in the Sierra National Forest in Central California and the Ocala National Forest in Florida.  Other sites are currently under consideration and will be announced by the beginning of summer.  Volunteers will be needed to re-seed, install signage and kiosks, build trail enhancements and do other important tasks.

"At a time when public participation in outdoor recreation is at a decline, organizations like Tread Lightly! are extremely important in ensuring that open access to public land remains available for future generations," said Martin Walsh, HUMMER general manager.  

HUMMER's Recreation Rescue was created under the umbrella of Tread Lightly!'s
Restoration for Recreational program.  Restoration for Recreation is designed to keep the great outdoors beautiful, healthy and open to the public by providing much needed resources for trail maintenance, education and communications initiatives to allow for environmentally sustainable outdoor recreation.

The initiative will kick off with a project on the popular Bald Mountain off-highway vehicle (OHV) trail in the Sierra National Forest.  Funding and volunteers will help provide trail maintenance, install signage, print quality maps and develop educational outreach.

More information about HUMMER's Recreation Rescue and volunteer opportunities can be found at www.treadlightly.org.

Interco Tire Corporation has decades of experience building some of the best off-road tires available.  Almost every time Interco introduces a new tire, it becomes the benchmark others aim for when designing tires that work well in harsh conditions.

While Interco has recently successfully ventured into the all-terrain, trailer, and pavement market, we’re understandably interested in the tires that made Interco’s reputation, Super Swampers, Iroks, TrXus and the whole TSL line of excellent off-road tires.  The original Super Swamper introduced to the world Interco’s revolutionary three stage lug (TSL) design that’s been allowing us to traverse the backcountry for decades.  Over the years, improvements in tread pattern, construction, and compounds have made the Super Swampers even better.

A while ago, Interco introduced a variant of the Super Swamper called the LTB that had a more aggressive version of the three stage lug Super Swamper tread.  They were only available in a few sizes, so traveled under the radar until now.  Now, the LTB is available in a number of sizes, up to and including 47” diameter, that makes it attractive to the hard core off-roader.  The LTB looks to us like a marriage between the excellent Super Swamper (outside lugs) and the superb Irok (inner lugs) with the lugs themselves being more aggressive than either tire.  The LTBs also feature very tough sidewalls and nylon construction, so will be able to fend off the sharpest rocks, stumps, sticks, or other impediments to inflated tires.  The LTBs range from 31” to 47” in diameter, with 15”, 16”, 16.5”, and 17” wheel sizes.

Interco has other new tires in the wings.  Many of us have used the almost indestructible TSL SX tires.  The SX is a very heavy tire, with nylon and steel belts and side biters that help forward momentum.  In fact, the SX was the very first tire with side biters on the sidewall.  While strong, the SX doesn’t flex as well as Iroks or Super Swampers, so has started to be a second choice with those who need maximum traction and flex.  Stand by!  Interco is introducing the SX II, which has plenty of strength but will be sans steel belt for lighter weight and better flex.  We can’t wait to see this tire in the flesh (rubber?).

I like Interco tires.  They’ve never let me down in extreme off-road environments and have always gotten me out of sticky situations.  The LTB, SX II, and other new designs show that the people at Interco aren’t sitting on their laurels, but are forging into the 21st Century with new tires and designs that promise performance we could only dream about decades ago.

Mopar Accessories and Mopar Performance announced new factory-installed options for the JK, as well as new dealer-available parts and accessories for JK Wranglers.

From the factory is a new interior group with Katzkin leather seating that’s quite nice and another group, called the Chrome Group, that we don’t care about.  Chrome won’t get you home.  Mopar Accessories introduced a new winch bumper that uses factory fog lights and has improved, better looking end caps.  Also available soon will be complete front and rear half door kits that come complete and ready to paint.  You’ll no longer have to go through the dealer’s part’s screen trying to figure out every little piece needed to put together half doors for your JK.  Upper soft half doors will also be available. 

A Dana 60 rearend will join Rubicon front and rearends at your Mopar parts counter, although from what we can find out, it will come with leaf spring pads so you’ll need to weld on JK coil buckets, track bar, and control arm bracketry.  Mopar Performance JK long arm suspension systems are shipping now.  The 2.8 liter diesel engine swap kit for TJ Wranglers and other Jeeps is still being developed, but indications are that it will be available soon.

Mopar Performance and Accessory divisions continue to bring us interesting and must-have parts for Jeeps.

Many jeepers have been waiting anxiously to swap a diesel into their Jeep.  Their low-end torque and trail driveability, not to mention their fuel economy, has put diesels at the top of many jeepers wish list.

The wait is almost over! Jeep Performance, a division of Mopar Performance, is working on a stand-alone diesel engine swap kit to drop the 2.8 diesel that first appeared in the Jeep Liberty into your TJ, YJ, CJ, or? While we'll have more details (and maybe a photo or two) after Jeep Safari in Moab, this is the real deal and is going to happen.

Everything needed to install the diesel mill into a Jeep will come with the kit - including a stand-alone wiring harness and non-EGR motor! You may have heard that some Liberty diesels had problems that were caused by a malfunctioning Exhaust Gas Recirculation system. The Jeep Performance diesel swap kit's 2.8 diesel doesn't have the troublesome EGR, so expect it to be problem-free. We'll get you more information when we get it.  Stay tuned...

In an effort to raise money to combat urgent off-road recreation issues on public land,
the nonprofit Tread Lightly! is holding a large charity auction on eBay, June 2-11.

More than 150 items have been donated from companies across the country for the
cause.  The lineup includes a new UTV from John Deere, an electric winch from Mile Marker, and lots of four wheel drive, outdoors, and powersports equipment with low starting bids.

"Recreation access has come to a pivotal crossroads this year," said Tread Lightly!'s
executive director Lori McCullough.  "Tread Lightly! needs to grow its resources
immediately to implement several education, communications and restoration
initiatives designed to protect the outdoors and access."

Get more information about the auction and see the rest of the products at
www.treadlightly.org.

Jeep JK Wranglers have the EVAP (vapor) canisters mounted directly in harm’s way.  They can get hit and torn off easily in the rocks or woods.

This is not a good thing.  I’ve chosen to use the Kilby EVAP Canister relocating kit that moves the canister up over the rearend, behind the gas tank.  It also has a nifty skidplate (pictured here) that is nice, but if you hit the skidplate after relocating the canister, I suspect you’ll be having much bigger problems.  

I’ve mentioned a couple of places in upcoming issues of the magazine that tearing off the EVAP canister puts the JK in limp mode, because that was what I was told by a friend at Jeep.  I tried disconnecting the canister to see what would happen.  Besides a trouble code and a light on the dash, the JK still ran.  So, when you read my dire predictions regarding the loss of the canister in the magazine, disregard them.  I wouldn’t permanently remove the thing, mind you, but it looks like if it gets torn off you’ll still be able to get home.

When Warn first announced it's two new PowerPlant winches that incorporate an air compressor and winch together in one unit, I thought that they were an answer to a question no one asked.  Plus, I thought the PowerPlants looked pretty big to be installing on a Jeep or other utility vehicle.

I've been converted.  The PowerPlant HP's powerful 4.6 hp motor with 156:1 gear ratio runs the winch at respectable speeds - almost 30 fpm under no load.  When pulling a Jeep up a ledge, the speed is fast enough to allow us to actually drive the vehicle as the winch pulls, a major plus when you don't want to be hanging over a cliff for very long.  The air compressor is superb.  I have a portable 12 volt compressor that puts out a respectable 3.0 cfm at 0 psi, pretty fast for airing up tires in the backcountry.  The PowerPlant HP's compressor puts out 12 cfm at 0 psi!  It's speedy.  

JK Wrangler owners found out quickly that there is little to no room under the hood for mounting 12 volt air compressors.  You can mount one inside the Jeep, but it takes up needed cargo room.  The PowerPlant HP puts the compressor and winch together, making a clean, easy to install package. The admittedly large size doesn't look so bad now that we've seen them mounted on vehicles, although the PowerPlant's dimensions sometimes makes them impossible to mount on/in some bumpers. My Hansen Offroad JK bumper has a cut out for a winch, but the PowerPlant doesn't fit.  Many JK bumpers allow a PowerPlant to mount completely between the frame rails, minimizing its vertical "footprint".
 
If you think this is blatant advertorial for Warn, think again. Warn doesn't advertise in our magazine (silly Warn). A good test to use when finding out what editors think the best products really are, especially in a field such as this where most of the products are good, are to look at what they put on their personal vehicles. I put a Warn PowerPlant HP on our 4WD&SU magazine JK Unlimited and would use one on my own vehicle if it fit. It doesn't, so I'm keeping my Warn 9.5xp on that Jeep.

Do you like to turn your own wrenches?  I do.  There are admittedly plenty of jobs-
engine rebuilding, tranny overhauls to name two-that I'm happy to let someone else
tackle, but the things that I have the ability and the tools to do, I like to do myself. 

Many of you have garages, and some of you even have shops.  I'm happy for you, and I'm jealous of you.  I have my parents' driveway.  While this sounds lame, I live in pricey SoCal (by choice) and although home ownership is a goal for me, it's not
happening right now.

I need to say that I'm grateful my parents let me use their driveway.  They could just say 'sorry, that won't work.'

Here's how a typical wrenching session goes:

1- Check the weather.  Wind and rain mean no welding in the driveway.  Wind blows the shielding gas away from the weld, which leaves a metallic sponge that has to be ground away and replaced with a sound, non-porous weld.  If there's no metal fabrication on the list for the day, I can work successfully if it's windy or a bit damp.

2 - If the weather's good, I crack open the door and start to haul everything out.  First comes the radial arm saw, perched atop a rickety wooden cart that's clogged with random lumber scraps and topped with wrenches, wire, bottles of motor oil, and other assorted stuff.  Next is a small wooden cabinet topped with a multi-drawer tool box and a pull-drawer box holding assorted fasteners.  The drill press cart follows the other two into the driveway, followed by an upright wooden cabinet about the size of a refrigerator. 

Finally, the Beastly Wood Cart gets pushed, pulled, tugged, and cussed at until it's out of the garage.  The Beastly Wood Cart was built to hold 4'x 8' sheets of plywood and other large-sized lumber, and it probably weighs 800 pounds or more.  Combine the size and heft with a set of substandard casters, and 'beastly' only begins to describe the thing.

3 - With acceptable weather and a now-cleared work space, I haul out my tool boxes, plug in the welder, get my safety glasses, ear plugs, tape measure, Sharpie marker in place and go to work.

I try to get the noisy stuff done first.  This means using the grinder, chop saw, and air
tools before the hours delve into the thick of the night and past the neighbors' and my parents' bed times.  

After the noisy stuff is done, I can turn wrenches and weld without making obnoxious noise.  I'm still in the habit of using hand tools instead of air wrenches, and I use a TIG welder which is much quieter than the popping and snapping of a MIG machine. When welding, I have to set up vinyl welding curtains and polyethylene tarps to both block moving air and to keep the bright light of the welding arc from broadcasting into bedroom windows.

When I run out of energy or get to a good stopping place, it's time to clean up.  I'm usually moving slowly at that point, and would much rather just pull up a cot and a blanket and sleep right then and there.  No good.  Instead, I repeat the mantra "keep moving" and fix several cups of hot chocolate while putting away my own tools and buttoning up whatever truck I'm working on.  When my stuff is put away, the various carts get wheeled back into their respective spots inside the garage. Sometimes I deal with the Beastly Wood Cart first, and sometimes I put it off until last.  If my dad is still awake, he's happy to help push the Beastly Cart back in.  It's time to shut the garage door and go home.     

For decades, we've promoted vehicles that can not only take on the toughest trails, but are street legal, too.  With the advent of rock buggies, the term "toughest trails" took on a new meaning.  Now, the toughest trails are so tough that even some buggies have problems on them and our street legal Jeeps, Broncos, Toyotas, etc. don't have a chance.

That being said, while buggies are fun, I still like being able to drive to a trail on the pavement, explore the backcountry, then drive home in the same vehicle such as my old Rockworx YJ pictured here.  My current Jeep, Project Dualsport (project buildup begins in the June '08 4WD&SU magazine), is a JK Wrangler that will be able to tackle tough trails yet still be street legal.  Tough trails meaning those such as the Hammers, Montrose, Colorado, trails, Pritchett Canyon in Moab, and the like.  I'll probably stay away from buggy-tough trails that would destroy the Jeep.  Long backcountry trips are fun, too, and require a street legal vehicle if National Parks and Forests are traveled or the trail ends miles (or states) away from the starting point.
 
What do you think?  Of course, usage dictates the answer, but do you think the street legal, well-built 4x4 is not only the past but the future of off-roading, or do you think that buggies are the best vehicles for the job?

There's been a lot of talk lately around the web about lockers.  Specifically, if you can only have one locker, should it go in the front or rear end?

I'd like to state categorically that if you can only get one locker, put it in the back!  For those who think the front is better, I'd like to ask if they've ever broken a rear driveshaft and had to drive out in front wheel-drive?  This has happened to me a couple of times over the years and I remember well the hassle of trying to climb hills with only the locked-up front pulling.  

The front would unweight and the tires would spin, supplying no traction.  Of course, with a broken rear driveshaft, the rear locker won't be doing you much good, anyway, but I hope you get my point.  The rear is the place to be locked up on the trail.  While having lockers in the front and rear is better, if you can only afford one, put it in the back.

It's almost magazine deadline day and the Utah office of 4WD&SU magazine (my house) is getting hit by the biggest blizzard of the year right now. It's dropping 4" an hour! The photo was taken looking out my front door. My son was on the way to college a while ago and called to say that his Cherokee wasn't working. 

It turned out the water pump had failed and the serpentine belt whipped around, knocking a hole in the power steering reservoir. Since the beadlock accident I'm having trouble using my hands (except to type with two fingers), so I called AAA. The tow truck got stuck in a snowbank, so I went out into the blizzard and extricated the tow truck with the Power Wagon. That was exciting with no hands. I had to drive with my forearms on the wheel and let the tow truck driver hook up the tow strap.
 
What a day.

You, the faithful 4WD&SU readers, spoke loud & clear, and we listened. I made what turned out to be a pre-mature announcement about the end of the GeoStash contest last week. After a flurry of heated E-mails and phone calls, it has been officially determined that the GeoStash contest will be continuing through July 2008.      

That's right, rock hounds and adventure-seekers, there will be hidden coordinates in the magazine well into the new year. Keep an eye on the forums for the latest updates and details about the contest.

Happy Trails!

I'm back! After freelancing and being the editor of another title, I've finally returned to 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility. The only fly in the ointment is that Kevin McNulty transferred  to 4-Wheel & Off-Road, and I would very much liked to have worked with him here.

Kevin Blumer also joins the staff of 4WD&SU this month as assistant editor. Kevin owns a well-used '82 Toyota pickup that he's going to be getting in shape for the trail. He also owns a Ford Ranger that he will continue to build and feature in Off-Road magazine. He speaks Dutch after having lived in the Netherlands for two years, is an avid mountain biker and a certified welder, and is excited to now be involved in the exploring/adventure side of off-roading.
 
Christian Lee continues as technical editor for 4WD&SU. Besides his excellent work here, he's working on a new book about building JK Wranglers. His TJ book was well received, as I'm sure the new book will be when it's finally finished.

We'll be covering family/club/back­country off-roading, which not only means events and trips into the back­country, but also the vehicles we use to get there and back. Jeeps, of course, will continue to be prominent, as well as Toyota Land Cruisers, FJ Cruisers, and pickups. Not to mention early Broncos, Scouts, Suzuki Samurais and Sidekicks, Nissans, and pretty much anything else if it is used to trail ride and explore. If you own one of these niche vehicles, rest assured you've found a home at 4WD&SU.

A word about the terminology you're going to be seeing here. "Four-wheeling," the word we used to use to describe what we did way back when, has pretty much changed to mean ATV four-wheeling. So, we'll shorten it to "wheeling" like our friends at the other titles do. Although we advocate treading lightly and staying on established roads and trails (and always will), we refuse to bow down to the politically-correct crowd and pussyfoot around talking about what we do. When we go into the dirt, rocks, snow, sand, and mud, we're off the road, pavement, or highway. So, you'll sometimes see us describe what we're doing as "off-roading" or going "off-road." Once again, that means going off-pavement, not "off-trail."

Political correctness has never been my strong suit, so you may read some editorial tirades about land misuse fiascos just as you used to in the old days. It's interesting to read magazines that are almost 20 years old and see that the land-use battles we were fight­ing then are the same as we're fighting now, only there are a lot more people in our sport/hobby/industry who are willing to give up public land in the interest of appeasement, accommoda­tion, or meeting the opposition half-way. Our position here is to never meet those who close our lands "half-way" or try to "appease" them. They'll never give up until all land is closed, and we'll never give up opposing them.

We have allies in this today that we didn't have decades ago. Besides our other Source Interlink Media titles, there are online forums such as Pirate 4x4, magazines like Crawl, and many others getting the word out about closures. One of the biggest battles we're fighting now is to stop the USDA Forest Service and BLM from allowing travel only on "designated" roads and trails. This is much worse than "existing" roads and trails because the agencies close almost everything by default. We'll be putting together a feature on how to fight closures very soon.

I'm excited to be back home at 4WD&SU magazine. I have many friends from the old days and hope to meet and make many new friends like you. I look forward to seeing you in the backcountry!

This day has been a long time coming. Ironically, its advent was precipitated by advertising sponsorship. As you may or may not know, 4WD & SU is part of a larger family of titles, and an advertiser wanted to sponsor the video for all sites. Problem was, at the time, there was no video on 4WD & SU.

Well, after a flurry of urgent E-mails back & forth, some heretofore forgotten Mini DV tapes were uncovered in the office of Editor Kevin McNulty of some trail ride footage from Johnson Valley, California. Well, the neglected tapes were dusted off and express-shipped down to the digital offices here in Irvine, California, where our crack team of video specialists put them together and online for your viewing pleasure.

I hope these five clips will be the first of many to come in the future. What kind of video would you like to see us put up on 4WD & SU? We want to know!

I'd just be beating a dead horse to tell you, "Look at how new and different the 4WD&SU site is!" Sometimes I'd rather not be reminded. Because as much of an improvment as the new site may be in some ways, it has brought with it a host of new logistical and organizational headaches.

Just today, I got another irate E-mail from the print Editor complaining about how hard it was to find the latest GeoStash updates. I won't go into gory detail, but I will say we had a rather heated E-mail exchange about the pace and scope of the "improvements" happening on the site.

Although it's probably tempting for him and you both to think "Can't the web geek just wave his magic Harry Potter wand and fix everything?" Oh how I wish...For better or for worse, there are multiple levels of developers, producers, bloggers, and assistants...each of whom have a role to play in creating, maintaining, and developing the sites. Unfortunately, my role is somewhat limited in this. I am trying my best to create the best user experience possible for all of you, but at times it seems like the impossible dream.

I just want to re-assure you of my commitment to try to make this site the best that it can be, and give you the most timely and accurate information possible. I am working with all parties on the print and digital sides to try to get to the bottom of this conundrum and give you a straightforward, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-navigate solution. Please bear with me, and please don't be afraid to vent a little steam yourself. I feel your frustration.

The blogosphere is abuzz with rumors that Hummer has approved an H4 model slated for production in 2010 or 2011 to go head-to-head with Jeep's iconic Wrangler. Although the H3 has sold reasonably well, the expensive and maligned H2 has continued to suffer with higher fuel prices, and its gluttonous anti-environmental image.

So Hummer is counting on this new model at the entry level of its lineup to shore up its fortunes. Little is known about the vehicle. But if Hummer is to have any "trail cred" with off-road enthusiasts, low-range, and at least an available rear locker should be considered mandatory.

Many believe a concept version may be shown at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.  

Our Wish: We hope GM doesn't try to put lipstick on a proverbial pig and give us a tough-looking, but weak-performing pretender. Jeep stayed true to the heritage of the Wrangler with the JK, and Hummer, regardless of what you think of its in-your-face style, generally has sold vehicles that are solid performers off-road. Affordability and capability will be key to the success or failure of the H4.

I'm sure most of you have noticed by now that 4wdandsportutility.com has undergone an extensive re-design. For the most part, it's a positive development, but there have been a few bugs and headaches associated with the facelift as well. I've heard it from just about everyone.

Let me just assure you we're working on the bugs as we speak, trying to fine-tune the functionality and user experience so it runs as sweet as a restored CJ-7 with a brand-new LS-1 crate motor. At times it may seem like it's still puttering around on a tired AMC 258 six, or stalled out altogether.

As much as it pains me to open myself up to this level of scrutiny and potential for pain, I want you to feel free to report any problems or complaints you have about the site. Any third-party input strengthens our case to the developers to make the needed enhancements. So please, don't hold back on your praises or pans of the new 4wdandsportutility.com site. And thanks again for your patience during this sometimes awkward transition.

Whether it's Moab, Big Bear, the Rubicon, or any other 4-Wheeling destination you can name, you're sure to see them. What I'm talking about is the Suzuki Samurai, the beloved mini-ute that's been a favorite of off-roading enthusiasts since it's U.S. debut in 1988.

Unfortunately, after a suspicious smear campaign by Consumer Reports that claimed it was prone to rollovers, sales suffered, and was eventually pulled from the American market in 1995. Any vehicle, if not driven in its intended manner, could be considered "unsafe." Would the Samurai be my first choice for track day or an autocross? Certainly not. But it's perfectly suited to the narrow off-road trails. Places where Broncos, Grand Cherokees and even Wranglers sometimes fear to tread.

But I think the time is right for an updated Samurai. I'd even use the name again. With modern roll-stability control and other electronic safeguards, short of violently cranking the wheel at freeway speeds, even a compact sport-utility could be made relatively safe. Yes, I know how much some of you abhor the electronic nannies creeping their way onto off-roading rigs, but unfortunately, they're a fact of life. Learn to live with them, (or those of you with a technological inclination, to disable them.)

My wish list for the new Sammy would be as follows:

Well under 3,000 lbs. - Considering the original was barely more than 2,000 lbs., I'd say shoot for about 2,600-2,700 lbs.

2.0-2.4L Engine - 140-160-ish hp/torque. Okay, so it's not a power monster, but if you're only hauling less than 3,000 lbs., it should be more than enough. Maybe even a nice little turbodiesel with 120 hp/200 lb.-ft. Possibly even a V-6 option. My next item might help explain why.

4-door option - Okay, I know this may sound like selling out to the suburban hordes, but it's hard to argue with the success of the new Wrangler Unlimited. As long as it's not a two-ton pig, a tidy 4-door, with a retractable cloth or removable top, would be just the ticket to get showroom traffic streaming in.

Live axles, Front & Rear - Let's keep it basic & tough. Live axles, this time with coils at all four corners. Front & rear locker option. If you really want "cred" with the off-road crowd, make the Dana 35 standard equipment, with a 44 upgrade option.

What would your specs be for a resurrected Sammy? 

In December of last year I had gone "Down Under" on vacation. I have always wondered how life is down there, not just life but also what most might consider to be the little things like driving on the wrong/left side of the road or how long I would have to be there to pick up on that wicked accent, but one of the big things on my mind was, Are there more hardcore 4-wheelers in the southern hemisphere? For most of my life I have been an off-road enthusiast and of course being down under meant investigating off-road from a new angle. I traveled to both New Zealand and Australia and although I would love to have taken week long bush tours by four-wheel drive we had many other things planed, but that doesn't mean I diddn't get my small dose of four-wheeling in.

It was 7:00 on a slitghly misting morning and we were picked up from our hotel by the safari tour company. After the Land Rover Defender pulled up, I got in and noticed the bare metal floor and that it was still wet. After we are all settled in the driver began to explain that we would go see a few of the famous sights including where parts of the Lord of the Rings were filmed. I wasn't expecting anything to extreme since this is a tour not an extreme hardcore adventure but i went with the flow.

We eventually made our way to the dirt roads and saw a few famous mountains and learned about some of the history of the area. After looking around for a few minutes at a great lookout spot, we piled back into the Land Rover and made a U-turn. The driver then tooks us down near a river and on the way started to demonstrate that the Land Rover can handle up to 40 Degree angles without rolling over by climbing a short but steep enbankment. Most of us, excluding me, had never done anything like this and were getting a kick out of this and I was getting a kick out of thier responses and facial expressions.

Next we would plunge straight into the river for a quick crossing, with water up to the windows, flowing over the hood and swooshing in through the A/C vents I knew we were in the water. our feet got a little wet  and all cameras and bags were quickly picked up off the floor.

 We then stopped on the other side for a quick look part of the river that was used in the Lord of the Rings.On we went to not only cross the river but, more or less drive stright up it, against the current, for a few hundred feet and then up a hill and parked for snacks and to have a shot at getting rich quick. After some hot co-coa and finding a few flakes of gold we again plunged right down into the river to see a few other sites and then return to the hotel.

For a tourist attraction I thought it was pretty good and much more than I expected, I diddn't expect to even get my feet wet, literally.  My advice to anyone planning a trip down under, you won't be dissapointed by the bush tours companies offer down there so just do it. But are the wheelers down there more hardcore? I would say it's probably about the same but more common due to the amount of open land and abundance of dirt roads. However, I would question both the sanity and obstacles of our driver while in the company Defender without a load of tourists in the back.