4x4Wire

My F-150 4x4 has been a very sturdy and dependable vehicle.  After 108,000 miles, the suspension and shocks have lost their soft ride.  As I am not a big fan of the “nose-down” look, I am looking into options to increase ground clearance and level the truck.

Increasing ground clearance is a two step process, suspension and tires.  Increasing the ride height is a great way to add functionality and can be relatively simple to do with the right mods. In addition, the ride height increase will allow use of larger tires.

Last month we reviewed the 10 qualities of a great trail leader. That article took us from the planning and preparations stages to the conclusion of a 4WD trip. This month’s article discusses what you as a Trail Leader need to do once everyone has reached the departure point. Even though the ride is over, several additional steps are needed to bring that enjoyable event to a successful conclusion. This is riveting information if you are a trail guide!

My decision to begin a search for the rare and unique Pajero Evolution was fraught with peril. Being a limited production homologation model, with only 2500 ever produced, were there actually any parts that crossed over to the mass-market Pajero, beyond the obvious things like sheetmetal and glass? Beyond this pressing question, could I still find one in decent shape, 18 years on, that was ready for export? Finally, would I have to pay a king's ransom to actually ensnare the beast?

I began my Mitsubishi 4x4 obsession in 1995 with a 4 cylinder, 1988 Dodge Raider (a badge-engineered Mitsubishi Montero SWB). This was after years of admiring its unique, boxy form, in a country (Canada) where they were a virtual unknown. Over the next 20 years I would own many variants of this theme: an 89 V6 Raider, followed by a long wheelbase Montero of the same year, and then two JDM import diesels. The first was a second generation SWB Pajero 2.5 diesel, and then a 93 2.8 LWB diesel. My sixth one took me upmarket to a North American 3rd generation Montero, which my wife promptly claimed as "her truck". Additionally, my satisfaction with Mitsubishi reliability lead me to branch out into cars as well, having six cars in this time.

The below release from SEMA should give every auto sport enthusiast cause to worry about the future of the gas powered engine.  The rule making out of the EPA is yet another example of executive overreach that has come to mark the current administration in their drive to regulate every aspect of daily life.  While the title and general content refers to "racecars", pay close attention the stated purpose: "...proposed a regulation to prohibit conversion of vehicles originally designed for on-road use into racecars..."

If you enjoyed the recent King of the Hammers off-road event, be worried.  If you enjoy building and using a 4x4 as off-road recreation, be worried.

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SEMA To Oppose Action As Threat to Modified Racecars and Parts Suppliers 

Washington, DC (February 8, 2016) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a regulation to prohibit conversion of vehicles originally designed for on-road use into racecars.  The regulation would also make the sale of certain products for use on such vehicles illegal.  The proposed regulation was contained within a non-related proposed regulation entitled "Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles—Phase 2."