Wheeling

Ryan went to Moab.

Terrible, Unexceptional Views and Boring, Easy 4×4 Trails?

Ryan is on a ten day Land Cruiser run in Moab right now. He has yet to send me a picture of his FZJ80 dwarfing the hoodoo’s but… looks like there is some other cool stuff there. This guy seems pretty ballsy is his mild 40.

Departure

I am not a truck guy, but I’ve been to the trails a couple times and observed a couple of serious rigs. This is not a serious rig. It is stock with 33″ tires and some armour… BUT… with 6000lbs of downwards thrust, and 3 locking differentials it rolls over a lot of stuff without even a blink or spin […]

Stock

Have I kept you up to date? Ryan isn’t wheeling a YJ anymore… he bought this sweet VZN170. Maybe not as capable as his YJ, but a lot nicer, and family accommodating. Currently fitted with some custom bumpers and other armor, WARN 8270, rear locker, a small lift and a few other tidbits.

Not a Car

I honestly don't understand how Canadian's can find love for Kei trucks... but none for Kei cars. Compromises in power and space are accetable when your out hunting or running trails, but ti's not on your daily commute? Can't say I quite identify... but Kei trucks are cool. We came across this thing on our recent run. If you know your Kei trucks you'll identify it as a Subaru Sambar. And the tracks? Well... I originally told Ryan that they were a factory available part. I thought I'd seen it somewhere... but in looking to confirm that, I found no support of that claim. Lots of companies are making kits to convert your Kei truck however. Though I'm not sure how any thing like that is actually practical to own...

Subaru Sambar — I honestly don't understand how Canadian's can find love for Kei trucks... but none for Kei cars. Compromises in power and space are accetable when your out hunting or running trails, but ti's not on your daily commute? Can't say I quite identify... but Kei trucks are cool. We came across this thing on our recent run. If you know your Kei trucks you'll identify it as a Subaru Sambar. And the tracks? Well... I originally told Ryan that they were a factory available part. I thought I'd seen it somewhere... but in looking to confirm that, I found no support of that claim. Lots of companies are making kits to convert your Kei truck however. Though I'm not sure how any thing like that is actually practical to own...

Kei Truck Love

I'm missing our new camera hard. Ran "Top of the World" on Sunday with a small group that included Ryan and his monsterous YJ. Monsterous? Well... maybe not but it's certainly a capable rig. And even though it's running what most publications would call a smaller tire size (35"), it has a lot of advantages over stockish rigs on 31's. Out on trails and actually facing adversity... the ZJ has some major disadvantages over other more popular rig choices. Facing 2' drops and gigantic walls of dirt and mud, polyurethane bumpers seem like the dumbest idea ever. Especially when they are as long and as fat as those on the ZJ... even after my trimming. And clearance... whether a stock XJ or Toyota or Nissan would hit bottom as often as I did I don't know, but I hit it way to much for comforts sake. I was definitely glad for the armour I do have, and will certainly invest in some more. And the 318 that is so nice on the streets and highway... is pretty irrelevant on the trail.

Coming down on Top of the World — I'm missing our new camera hard. Ran "Top of the World" on Sunday with a small group that included Ryan and his monsterous YJ. Monsterous? Well... maybe not but it's certainly a capable rig. And even though it's running what most publications would call a smaller tire size (35"), it has a lot of advantages over stockish rigs on 31's. Out on trails and actually facing adversity... the ZJ has some major disadvantages over other more popular rig choices. Facing 2' drops and gigantic walls of dirt and mud, polyurethane bumpers seem like the dumbest idea ever. Especially when they are as long and as fat as those on the ZJ... even after my trimming. And clearance... whether a stock XJ or Toyota or Nissan would hit bottom as often as I did I don't know, but I hit it way to much for comforts sake. I was definitely glad for the armour I do have, and will certainly invest in some more. And the 318 that is so nice on the streets and highway... is pretty irrelevant on the trail.

Top Of The World