I get a lot of questions (but can always use more, so keep sending!), but one of the questions I get asked most often is, “where should I take my car to get serviced?” So I figured I would start telling you. For the next few weeks, I am going to travel from shop to shop, find out what the rates are, who is the best, and who is downright bad…so I will be able to tell you here where to get an alignment adjustment, oil change, engine repair, and car dyno. And even recommend some good parts stores for getting the job done yourself right (the first time)! Stay tuned…

Okay, here is something that I see on a daily basis: people buying cheap brakes. Their reason? “They’re all the same.”

WRONG. Brakes are not all the same. When you are offered a $10.00 set of brake pads at the auto parts store, dont think, “WOW, what a great deal…” Instead think, why are these pads so cheap? Which lasts longer, a $10 pair of shoes or a $40 pair? Do the off-brand batteries from the dollar store last longer or does the Copper Top do its job? A good set of OEM pads are more expensive than the ‘hook’ set (which are advertised to get you into the store, where sales reps then upsell you…LET THEM). But there is a reason they’re more expensive: the pads are designed to meet or exceed specifications set by the manufacturer as to what is SAFE for your vehicle. Pads are not changed every year, they will last for a very long time on your car if you have the right set. You are taking your safety in your hands! Not only your safety, but the safety of everyone around you - pad quality affects your stopping distance (as do your shocks, so test them too). Think about it: if your wife and children were in front of ‘that guy’, wouldn’t you like to know his car is capable of stopping as it should? I guess I’m just on a rant here, but for my safety and yours please do a little more digging on what’s best for your car. I’m also not saying the more money, the better the pad…I’m just saying sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Just go with what is recommended for your vehicle. The pads are designed to work with your entire system. Let them do their job. :)

All I can really say about every product I have used from PIAA is WOW! The overall quality of the product is fantastic. The 520 series lights we received for the XJ were fantastic. The housings themselves have now taken a slight beating on the trail, but have held up flawlessly. The 520 series lights come with the wiring harness and relay. For our install we actually modified the harness that goes inside, and replaced the switch that come with the kit with a piece from K4, and a green LED light. We mounted them flush next to the shifter in the center console. This gave us a clean installation, with a factory look. With h-4 conversion housings we were also able to use PIAA’s Superwhite H4 bulbs. And what a difference it makes over sealed beams. To anyone who lives out in the sticks, where street lighting is non-existent, I highly recommend these bulbs. They have a terrific output on low beam, so much so that I often don’t click over to my high beams. So to help keep yourself safe, and improve your lighting, I can’t recommend PIAA’s halogen replacement bulbs enough.

The VIAIR system we were lucky enough to get and install is now completely wired and mounted. Now, time for some testing. We also have a set of automatic tire deflators. So we were able to test the time it takes to deflate the tires from 35psi to 8psi, then 8psi to 35psi. The results are as follows: the deflators can deflate all 4 tires from 35psi to 8psi in 5min 15sec. The automatic tire cap deflators sure beat kneeling at your tire with a screw driver deflating your tires! The VIAIR system was able to beat the numbers they post on their web site. The tires went from the 8psi reading to the 35psi rating in just a little over a minute (1min 3sec) per tire.

Reviewing my blogs I realized I really haven’t said anything about the suspension. To help control the ride; and give us the lift we wanted, I looked to the products available from Skyjacker. Skyjacker suspension offers a wide variety of lifts for many different vehicles. What we were looking for were front lift coils and control arms. The Skyjacker components are built very well and the coils offered us the lift we wanted (3″) without sacrificing the ride quality. For the LCA’s (lower control arms), we used their single flex units–a single piece painted black, with urethane bushings. And the install kit came with all the hardware we needed to get the job done right.

For the shocks we again chose to go with Skyjacker parts. We used their Hydro 7000 series. I have used these shocks before with flawless operation on my Bronco, and decided again to go this route. And so far they are working very well! For the rear we used the Skyjacker Add-a-Leaf. The advantage of the Skyjacker unit compared to other manufacturers is that it is a full length Add-a-Leaf. This gives us the lift we want and great support to the spring pack. The install kit also came with new U-bolts and centering pins for the rear suspension.

More to come as the build progresses…we’re nearing the finish!

When I go off-road, it’s always on designated trails. The group I go with takes garbage bags to help keep the trails clean, pick up trash when we see it, and take our own. BUT not everyone is as respectful. A couple years ago, a few friends and I went on a Halloween run to Brown’s Camp in TSF. The event was fantastic, there were a lot of people and fantastic rigs to look over. The trails were fun, and the events well-planned. Towards the end of the event during the raffle, a ranger rolled up informing us that he had just ticketed a handful of people who weren’t staying on designated trails, and threatening plant and animal habitat. This single act by a few threatened the event for the whole. The host club responded, big time. They said they would come and fix the damage. A ton of people on the spot were already scheduling times to come. Taking their personal time to come fix what others broke, without being paid and without being compensated. Ensuring the event for the future, and helping to keep TSF open to all. And recently, reading my issue of Four Wheeler Magazine (Jan ‘08), I read how Raven Off-Road Club was rewarded by BRGoodrich Tires for their work in keeping Crusher Trail in TSF open. And instead of putting the $$ in their club, they are putting it back into the trail! Raven Off-Road donates tons of man hours and their own money to keep the trail open for all of us. This prompted me to want to communicate with everyone that if we all do our part, we can keep our sport going for generations to come! So please, Tread lightly! www.treadlightly.org

As a project gets built, changes happen. It’s a fact. And as our XJ build progressed, I realized the Rubicon wheels and tires I had were just too small. Not only was the size an issue (it matters, I guess), but with the Bushwacker Fender Flairs, the wheel offset was off as well. So I went to see the professionals at Baxter Auto Parts.

I had an idea in mind as to what I wanted: a purpose-built off-road tire that would work well on the street. We ended up with the Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ Radial. They have full 6 ply tread with a 3 ply sidewall, which is more than strong enough for what the XJ will throw at them. They also have an aggressive side lug that makes them even better on rocks and when airing down. The tread design has a aggressive lug, with decent voids which should be great for self cleaning, and traction. They are a Radial tire, which should give us good mileage wear with the light XJ!

The XJ is coming along great, and I should have more content and pictures soon! I have had a bit of a time with uploading the pictures here on the Voice blog, BUT the fix is in, so come back this week to see the build and read the task! But until then, if that’s not fast enough, you can also follow the build on SORE4×4.com.

I know, I have neglected this blog. I do apologize. Okay…now for the nitty gritty. The front end! The front end can really make or break your rig. Putting 32″ tires on it and taking it wheelin’ with just the lift on and nothing else done might be okay…but the key word here is might. So beefing up the steering and components on the XJ in addition to the new tires wasn’t really an option–it was necessary. So as far as the steering goes, you have already seen the ZJ Tie-Rod set up. But to help keep the axle centered I opted for a Rusty’s adjustable track bar, WITH the heavy duty mount. The lift kit came with a track bar relocation kit, but this is like a band-aid over a gaping wound. It would be okay if it were only going to be a pavement pounder, but remember, we are building this to handle off-road too!

More to come…

Well, as you can see in the latest issue of The Voice (Oct ‘07), a lot has been done on the XJ in a short amount of time. The steering needed serious attention if it was to be both strong and reliable, so upgrades were in order. What I found was a good cost-effective upgrade using OEM (original equipment manufacturer) replacement parts from a late model Jeep Grand Cherokee. The tie rod system on the ZJ is much stronger than the XJ and is a direct swap. This way is cheaper than the aftermarket replacements (although they are very nice as well), and helps keep a ceiling on the overall cost of the project. I used MOOG replacement parts from a local shop in Vancouver (RH long tie rod part #ds1312, LH short side part #es3096l, and the adjusting sleve part # es2079s). Easy install and is working well! More to come…