Off Road - 2009 12

$5.99US $6.
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DECEMBER 2009
VOLUME 43, N0.12
I have found my meaning in life is to provide interesting stories and X-rays
SCOTT NEWELL
You might remember Scott, our sales guy, from his picture in the April 2009 editorial.
He was the one who ipped off his skateboard on a mini-ramp and broke his femur.
He really outdid himself this time with a broken shoulder that occurred during an off-
road incident. Thanks for being a team player, Scott.
P H OT OG R A P H Y: S C OT T N E WE L L S WI F E
82
EASY BREATHING BIG
BLOCK
Holley Tops a Big Block Ford 460
84
BEST ENGINE SWAPS
Gustos Favorite Engine Picks
FEATURES
26
PLAYING THE ACE
Dual-Duty K5 Blazer
32
RESAMPLED
Cool Ole First-Gen Bronco
EVENTS/ADVENTURE/MISC.
36
DUNEFEST ARRIVES IN
SOUTHERN OREGON
Biggest Sand Dunes on the West Coast!
43
BEST SHOTS OF 2009
Editors Choices of Their Favorite
Pictures of the Year
TECHNICAL
52
DROPPING TEMPERATURES
IN YOUR DRIVETRAIN
Adding Tranny Pans And Diff Covers
54
CHEVY SUSPENSION
UPGRADE
ORD Chevy options for 73 to 87s
58
FREESPINNING A DODGE

Swapping Unit Bearings For Rebuild-
able Hubs
62
ADDING A SUSPENSION TO
AN OLD DODGE
Making An Old Dodge More Off-Road
Worthy
66
CAGED UP BRONCO
CAGEs Radius Arm kit
THEME:
BUILDING ENGINE POWER
70
FACTOR 10
Stroking a 351 Windsor
78
ONE ZEX-Y WET SHOT OF
NITROUS
Adding a Wet Shot of Nitrous to a
Jeep I-6
DEPARTMENTS
OFF-ROAD RANT
10
OFF-ROAD UNLOADED
12
DESERT DIRT
14
OFF-ROAD RIDES
16
OFF-ROAD HARDWARE
20
LONG-TERM UPDATES
24
RACE RESULTS
90
ON THE
COVER:
This month,
we caught
up with
two sweet
SUVs
ones that
were around before someone coined the
term SUVs. In fact, we bet the designers of
these two vehicles would roll over in their graves
if they heard us call them SUVs!
before someone coined th the
66
D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 9 | V O L U M E 4 3 , N U M B E R 1 2
70
6 O F F - R O A D | D E C E MB E R 2 0 0 9
2009 Hankook Tire America Corp. 1450 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470 1-800-HANKOOK
EDI TORI AL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jerrod Jones
SENIOR EDITOR Jordan May
MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Vuong
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jon Acuff,
Kevin Blumer,
Alex Gauthier,
Jay Kopycinski,
Colin McLemore,
Dale Saters
EDITORIAL INTERN Agustin Jimenez
WEB PRODUCER Jason Gonderman
ART DI RECTI ON & DESI GN
ART DIRECTOR Brad Crowder
THE TRUCK GROUP ON THE WEB
www.off-roadweb.com
www.4wdandsportutility.com
www.4wheeloffroad.com
www.dieselpowermag.com
www.fourwheeler.com
www.jpmagazine.com
www.minitruckinweb.com
www.sporttruck.com
www.truckinweb.com
SUBSCRI BER SERVI CES
(800) 926-5783
International Phone: (386) 447-6385
OffRoad@emailcustomerservice.com
P.O. Box 420235
Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235
Please include name, address, and phone number
on any inquiries.
BACK ISSUES
To order back issues, visit www.primediabackissues.com or write us
at: OFF-ROAD Back Issues, 2900 Amber Ln., Corona, CA 92882.
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EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Welcomed, but editors recommend that contributors query rst.
Contribution must be accompanied by return postage, and we
assume no responsibility for loss or damage thereto. Manuscripts
must be typewritten on white paper, and all photographs must
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persons in photos. OFF-ROAD reserves the right to use material at
its discretion, and we reserve the right to edit material to meet our
requirements. Upon publication, payment will be made at our cur-
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rights of the contribution. Contributors act of mailing contribution
shall constitute an express warranty that the material is original
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Please call OFF-ROAD Advertising Department, (323) 782-2649.
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE USA.
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ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jason Bukolt

GROUP ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Warren Kosikov
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ADVERTISING OPERATIONS Virginia Wright
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ANAHEIM
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Anaheim, CA 92806, (714) 939-2400
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NEW YORK
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Tampa, FL 33619, (813) 675-3500
TRUCK GROUP
SVP/GROUP PUBLISHER Doug Evans
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VP, SALES & MARKETING Ira Gabriel
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Douglas McColloch
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GROUP OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Amy Diamond
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BY J E R R OD J ONE S
THI S MONTH:
We not only explored some great ways to make some real
power in your engine, we also hit up 1970s and 80s truck
suspensions! There are a lot of us still rocking the 4x4 tech-
nology familiar to us in the 1980s, and there are some abso-
lutely awesome things you can do to these trucks to make
them perform like the champs they are. This is actually the
rst of a mini suspension series. Were skipping Januarys is-
sue because its racing season, but Februarys issue will have
some great 90s-era suspensions in it, and Marchs issue will
be showing off some great HD suspensions for your Chevy,
Dodge, or Ford work, chase, and tow trucks. OR
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH, I had put together what
I now see as a really negative editorial. December 2009 is the last
issue of whats been an absolutely crappy year for almost everyone
in the USA (and elsewhere), and I was
really gonna blow it out with a little Rant
about whats been ticking me off lately.
I didnt realize it at the time, but I had become completely burned
out due to workloads, stress, etc.
Fortunately, I just nished a trip that seemed to be such
a high point in life for me that I came home and threw away
both my old Rant and subsequently my negative outlook that
needed to be gotten rid of. No one needs useless negativ-
ity, and a positive story, even one without any point, seems
so much more benecial. Therefore, let me tell you how my
attitude turned around this year
(better late than never!).
After years of not remember-
ing what a non-truck-related
vacation even looked like, I left
on a four-day motorcycle trip
with two friends heading up the
coast of California on the Pacic
Coast Highway. We ventured off
with the sole intention of pound-
ing street for four days with no
particular place to go. We had
no reservations, no plans except to not run out of fuel, and my
Blackberry had broken the day before the trip. Perfect!
The very rst day, we made it way too far way too fast, so we
took a sideline and ended up in Oakland at a friends house. The
pseudo plan was to wake up early and head out the next morn-
ing. After a good night of fun, we ended up crossing city limits at
about 1 p.m. and didnt make more than 100 miles (in a straight
line) before we were railroaded by wine-and-cheese hour and two
irty lobby girls at the Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa. Yeah, sure,
make fun of us for the wine and cheese, but the place had an
awesome hot tub and they gave us the biggest room in the hotel.
We were happy to park for the night.
About 15 hours and 10 pounds of food and uids later,
we were ready to ride north the next morning. It was early
Saturday afternoon when we passed Fort Bragg in Mendocino
County and decided that waking up in Oregon on Sunday
morning (and being at work on Monday) was a bad plan. It
was hard to turn around; it was getting more and more beauti-
ful with each passing mile.
Of course we never broke the 55-mph speed limit, but
we managed to make it back to San Francisco that night to
stay at another friends house, giving us a much better chance
of reaching home the next day. Sunday morning we left for
a long ride back on the Pacic Coast Highway during tourist
season, but we managed to make it all the way back without
anyone breaking down or crashing the entire trip.
As long as I live, Ill never forget hitting the road with
my buddies, hairpin corners with gravel in them, my friends
terrible pre-coffee morning disposition, trying to push each
other into the ocean in full moto gear, licking moss off a tree,
jacuzzing with hotel employees, the redwoods, the beautiful
beaches, and all the nice people we met along the way. It was
an absolute great reminder of just how lucky I am to be alive.
And thats how I snapped out of my funk. Its important to
take a few minutes for yourself and to spend time with family
and friends once in a while. If theres one thing Im asking of
you this month, its to take some time to relax and enjoy your-
self. Youll feel better for it in the morning.
WHERE YOU WANT TO BE ON NOVEMBER 14:
You want to be at Clean-Dezerts annual Barstow cleanup!
Were hoping youll be able to make it out there to help
us, Adam, and the rest of the crew at Clean-Dezert pick up
as much trash as we can out of the desert. We completely
understand if its too far away for you to join us, so let me sug-
gest that youll all be there with us in spirit if you pick up the
next piece of trash that you see on the ground. If you are close
enough to join us, then well see you out there! You can check
out more information at www.clean-dezert.org
This month our letter writers are all receiving a copy of Trucks Gone Wild 7! Mega Truck
Entertainment has brought you this seventh edition with crazy off-road action from
Florida, Vermont, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Dennis Andersons Muddy Motor-
sports Park. You can check out your own copy at www.trucksgonewild.com.
CHEVY SOLID AXLE
SWAP ABS
Great article on the ABS upgrade to older
axles in the May 2009 issue, Page 84. The
truck you all did it on seems to have a kit for
the axle swap, true or false? Or is that just
somebodys really clean fab work? If it is a
kit, can you identify it for those of us who
want to tread where that truck has gone?
Thanks!
AUSTIN
UNIVERSITY OF IRAQ
SCHOOL OF WARFARE
CLASS OF 04
Austin, that truck does in fact have a
solid axle swap kit that you can buy. Its a
partial solid axle swap kit made by CAGE
Offroad (www.cageoffroad.com). It comes
with the upper shock hoops and coil buckets,
the radius arms, and shocks, but youll have
to provide a steering system, brake lines,
and the axle (and the Dynatrac ABS kit if you
want it). Its basically a 79 Bronco kit (like the
one we checked out this monthPage 66)
with some minor changes made to retrot
onto a shaved IFS Chevy 4x4.
REBUILD OR BUY NEW?
I saw the white 1994 Ford Bronco in
the August 2009 issue of OFF-ROAD, and
my heart sank. I own a 95 Bronco that
is completely gutted out to the bone. No
engine, to tranny, no fuel tank, no interior,
no windowsnothing. Im not a mechanic,
and Im physically disabled, but I need
something reliable with off-road qualities. I
have about $40,000 to my name, and instead
of buying a new truck off the dealer lot Id
prefer to have my Bronco made brand new.
I see shows like Overhaulin on TV, and I was
wondering if there was a place like that I
can take my Bronco to restore everything
EDITORS NOTE: If you want to say or ask something, email Unloaded at jerrod.jones@off-roadweb.com
or write: Unloaded, OFF-ROAD Magazine, 2400 E. Katella Ave., Ste. 1100, Anaheim, CA 92806.
Remember, were giving away swag every month to the author of our favorite letter. Be sure to include your
address, so we know where to send your goods. And because we lost our copyeditor, please know that we are
not going to be copyediting your letter if you are going to be hating on us, so you better check it over well before
sending it our way! Thanks!
at a reasonable price. If you have any ideas,
please let me know.
CHRISTIAN HAYES,
DRAPER, UT
Christian, unless you have some huge
emotional attachment to your Bronco (which
I can completely understand if you do), then
Id suggest letting your 95 Bronco go to
some guy looking to build a prerunner and
instead looking for a 1995 or 1996 Bronco
that someone has kept in pristine condition.
There are some Broncos out there that were
garaged and preserved, and you can nd
them online or you could even use a vehicle
locator service to track down exactly what
youre looking for. When they pop up, Ive
seen low-mileage, pristine Broncos go for
around $20,000. Once you nd an almost-
new Bronco, a good local shop for you to
head to would be Mount Logan Off-Road
(www.mt.loganoffroad.com). They can help
you take a Bronco thats in great condition,
x anything that is wrong with it, and give
it all the off-road modications youd want.
This way, you might actually still have a few
bucks left over. With your Bronco completely
gutted as it is, it will cost you over $40,000 to
piece it together with brand new parts.
TOYOTA PRERUNNERS
Dear OFF-ROAD, I have two favorite
magazinesOFF-ROAD and Toyota 4WD
Owner.
I have owned many Toyota trucks and I
always end up turning them into prerunners
(you guys obviously cover this the best).
Now, I have an 06 Tacoma 4x4 TRD with a
6-inch Pro Comp suspension, 17x9 American
Racing wheels, 35-inch tires, and a Pro Comp
light bar and lights. Ive just bought a 93
4Runner V-6 and already started on the mods.
I plan on a 4-inch double-shock kit, a ber-
glass front end, and 33-inch tires.
Do you have any back issues on modding
second-gen 4Runners this way?
All my friends always say I have really
neat trucksI think because the prerunner
style is very different here in Pennsylvania!
Keep up the great magazine and put in
more prerunner-style trucks and SUVs (espe-
cially Toyotas!).
STEVE ENDERS,
THOMASVILLE, PA
P.S. Do you guys sell T-shirts?
Steve, that 93 4Runner will denitely be
a cool truck to build with some berglass on
it! To my knowledge, I dont believe there
are any back issues on building second-gen
4Runner prerunners, but the 4Runner is basi-
cally the same chassis as our 93 Toyota proj-
ect truck, so I think following that buildup
might be useful to you. For suspension, Id
suggest checking out a Downey Off-road
suspension (www.downeyoff-road.com) or
a Total Chaos suspension (www.chaosfab.
com). Weve tried the Downey suspen-
sion and are about to try out a Total Chaos
suspension on this truck, but I think youd be
really happy with either kit. By the way
theres a good chance youre going to have
to do some rewall clearancing to t 33-inch
tires unless you do a body lift.
Oh, and if you want to buy a shirt, you
can email jerrod.jones@off-roadweb.com to
purchase one for $15. OR
AFE RELEASES NEW CUMMINS EXHAUST
MANIFOLD FOR 5.9L
Advanced Flow Engineering has released its new
BladeRunner exhaust manifold for the popular
2003-to-'07 Dodge Ram Cummins with L6-5.9L.
AFes new BladeRunner exhaust manifold is made
out of 0.25-inch-thick wall, cast 304 stainless steel for
maximum durability under high heat conditions as compared
to cast iron units and is also a one-piece unit that was built with
reinforced ribs between each exhaust port to increase the strength
and eliminate the cracking found in most stock and aftermarket units. The
manifold also features two EGT probe ports to provide you with the ability to
measure EGTs on both of the banks of the exhaust manifold. The EGT ports are
positioned inline with the air stream for an unrestricted exhaust ow.
For more information, visit: aFe, www.aFepower.com
OHV TOUR FOR A CURE
Off-road enthusiast CJ Rena Johnson is on a nation-
wide crusade to raise cancer awareness. Johnson, along
with her pink Polaris Ranger RZR, is visiting private,
public, local, state and federal ATV and OHV parks to
spread the word and raise money for various charities
including American Cancer Society, American Breast
Cancer Society, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and
St. Jude Children Research Hospital.
The program works by having sponsors, groups,
businesses, participants and spectators as well as other
riders pledge donations to the charity of their choice. Johnson said that she wanted to show that off-road
enthusiasts are an active community involved in helping to improve our lives and the lives of those around us,
locally, statewide and nationally. We are going to take the nation by storm conquering every ATV and OHV
park in our path to raise money, and have fun while doing it. Johnson said.
Johnsons website has an updated list of places OHV Tour For a Cure will stop so people can get involved
and catch a glimpse of Johnson and her pink Polaris Ranger RZR, wheeling its way through local trails for a
good cause.
For more information, visit: CJ Rena Johnson, www.cjrenajohnson.com, or Polaris Industries, www.polaris
industries.com
REDUCING
STOPPING
DISTANCE
FOR BIG RIGS
The National Highway
Trafc Safety Administration
recently issued new stricter
braking standards that
they believe will save lives
by improving large truck
stopping distances by 30
percent. According to the
NHTSA, the new braking
regulations will save 227
lives annually, and will also
prevent 300 serious injuries.
The law would only apply
to truck tractors, and not
single-unit trucks, trailers
and buses.
The NHTSA says that
the new regulation will
reduce property damage
costs by over $169 million
a year. The new standard,
which will be phased in
over four years, begin-
ning with 2012 models,
will require that a tractor-
trailer traveling at 60 mph
come to a complete stop
within 250 feet. The new
standard requires big rigs
to stop completely in a
distance that is at least 105
feet shorter then the old
standard which required a
complete stop within 355
feet. The new regulation is
expected to speed up the
introduction of the latest
brake technology into
Americas freight hauling
eets as well as help truck
drivers avoid collisions with
other vehicles.
For more information,
visit: National Highway
Trafc Safety Administra-
tion, www.nhtsa.gov OR
YAMAHA CONTRIBUTES TOWARD OHV ACCESS
Yamaha has granted more than $300,000 towards safe, responsible OHV riding and access in the rst half
of 2009. The Yamaha OHV Access Initiative granted more than $110,000 in cash and equipment to ATV rid-
ing clubs, national forests, local land managers, recreational conservancy advocates and other members of the
greater OHV community in the second quarter of this year bringing the program total thus far to $958,000
since the programs inception. Yamaha supports the Access Initiatives mission to promote safe, responsible
riding and open, sustainable riding areas for the future generations of wheelers to enjoy. Yamaha eld staff
and dealer partners have been directly involved in various projects such as trail cleanups and planting more
than 1,200 seedlings in the San Bernardino National Forest as part of OHV trail and reforestation projects.
Twelve Yamaha GRANTs (Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nations Trails) were awarded to fund
projects that directly impact the access, safety and sustainability of OHV riding areas across the country.
For more information, visit: Yamaha Motor Corp, www.yamaha-motor.com
C OMP I L E D BY: AGU S T I N J I ME NE Z
EDITOR'S NOTE: Submit your dirt to
jordan.may@off-roadweb.com.
for a dealer near you call 888-317-8630 or visit www.dickcepek.com
BY AGU S T I N J I ME NE Z
Long Distance Desert
Xterra
VEHICLE: 2000 Nissan Xterra SE
OWNER: Irwin R. Jimenez, Fontana, California
CHASSIS: Stock
ENGINE: VG33E V-6 rebuilt at 200,000 miles,
extensive cylinder head porting and polishing,
port-matched manifolds and throttle body,
Koyo Super radiator, cold air intake, HKS
Super air lter, Denso spark plugs and wires,
Hyper ground wires
DRIVETRAIN: Stock ve-speed tranny, stock
T-case, VSD limited slip rear differential
SUSPENSION: Automotive Customizers
1.5-inch lift with Calmini rear shackles,
Rancho RS5000 shocks, Energy Suspension
polyurethane bushing kit
STEERING: Rancho steering stabilizer
BRAKES: Stock
TIRES/WHEELS: 31x10.5R15 Goodyear Wran-
gler MT/Rs / OEM 15-inch charcoal gray rims
INTERIOR: Kenwood CD player, Pioneer
speakers, 200-watt amp, 12-inch Visokik
subwoofer
OTHER PARTS: Custom light rail on roof rack
with four Hella 500 off-road lights, ion
fog lights, Catz ion driving lights, custom-
built rock sliders, custom-built Gobi ladder,
Smittybilt trail jack, Tiger Hitch, Tsunami
MF-1050 trail compressor, euro headlights
with Phillips Crystal Vision lights, and more.
FAVORITE OFF-ROAD AREA: Mojave Road
Submissions
Want to see your rig in OFF-ROAD Rides?
Take a snap shot and email it to jordan.
may@off-roadweb.com, or snail mail it to:
OFF-ROAD Rides
2400 E. Katella Ave, Ste. 1100
Anaheim, CA 92806
Please include the following information
with your truck submission:
VEHICLE: _______________________________
_______________________________________
OWNER: _______________________________
_______________________________________
LOCATION: ______________________________
_______________________________________
CHASSIS: _______________________________
_______________________________________
ENGINE: _______________________________
_______________________________________
DRIVETRAIN: ___________________________
_______________________________________
SUSPENSION: ___________________________
_______________________________________
STEERING: _____________________________
_______________________________________
BRAKES: _______________________________
_______________________________________
TIRES/WHEELS: __________________________
_______________________________________
INTERIOR: ______________________________
_______________________________________
OTHER PARTS: ___________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
FAVORITE OFF-ROAD AREA: ________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Deep Fried Mudder
VEHICLE: 1999 Ford F-250 Super Duty
OWNER: Jason Post, West Virginia
CHASSIS: Stock
ENGINE: 7.3L V-8 Powerstroke with 398,000
miles, dual MBRP 4-inch exhaust, Diablo
tuner, K&N air intake,
DRIVETRAIN: ZF S6-650 six-speed manual
tranny, stock T-case, Dana 50 front, Sterling
10.25-inch rear, 3.73 gears
SUSPENSION: Fabtech 3-inch spring hangers
and 4-inch springs with Bilstein shocks
STEERING: Dual steering stabilizers
BRAKES: Upgraded heavy-duty towing brakes
TIRES/WHEELS: 37-inch Cooper STTs / 16x10-
inch Eagle Alloys
INTERIOR: Autometer Boost and EGT gauges,
satellite radio
OTHER PARTS: Fabtech Prerunner bar, burning
used vegetable oil since August 2008
FAVORITE OFF-ROAD AREA: Hateld McCoy trails
in West Virginia and Moody Hill back roads
in Colorado.
The Mistress
VEHICLE: 1989 Dodge Ram Charger
OWNER: Gus Williams
CHASSIS: Stock
ENGINE: 5.9L 360ci stroker motor
DRIVETRAIN: TH400 transmission,
NP203 T-case, Simon driveshafts,
Dana 44 axles.
SUSPENSION: 6-inch Skyjacker springs,
Skyjacker Hydro 7000 shocks
STEERING: Stock
BRAKES: Stock
TIRES/WHEELS: 33-inch BF Goodrich Mud
Terrains / aluminum wheels
INTERIOR: Stock maroon
OTHER PARTS: K&N air lter
WORST MOD: Purple paint that exploded in
the cab
FAVORITE OFF-ROAD AREA: Jeep Trails in Sedona,
Arizona OR
Vegas Wheeling Yota
VEHICLE: Toyota Truggy
OWNER: Mike Ebert, Las Vegas, Nevada
CHASSIS: 1982 front half/Desert Runner Fab
rear
ENGINE: 22R on Propane
DRIVETRAIN: L50 ve-speed transmission,
Marlin MC07 Crawler, 82 Toyota T-case,
8-inch front and rear axles, Detroit locker in
front, Spool in rear, 5.29 gears, Longeld
30-spline CM front shafts, ARP studs
SUSPENSION: All-Pro 4-inch leaf springs in
front, Downey shackles, Desert Runner
Fab four-link rear, Sway-A-Way 16-inch air
shocks, Jonny joints
STEERING: All-Pro Hy-Steer links, 93 4Runner
gear box, Trail-Gear pump and ram assist
BRAKES: 82 front, 86 10-inch drums in rear,
FJ master cylinder
TIRES/WHEELS: 36-inch Super Swamper SXs /
15x10 Allied Beadlocks
INTERIOR: PRP seats, Autometer gauges,
Crow harnesses
OTHER PARTS: Mile Marker 9K winch, All-Pro T-
case brake, Rockers T-case mount/skid, tube
front end by Desert Runner Fab
FAVORITE OFF-ROAD AREA: Jacks Trail in Las
Vegas, Nevada
VEHICLE: 1986 Toyota
4runner/truck
OWNER: Roy Mussatti
CHASSIS: Stock fully
boxed frame
ENGINE: 22RE four
cylinder, shorty
header, 2.5-inch
exhaust, Flowmaster
two-chamber muf-
er, 4-inch exhaust
tip, open element air cleaner, LC Engineer-
ing cam
DRIVETRAIN: Automatic, stock T-case, Sky-
jacker front driveshaft, Trail Gear 10-inch
long slip yoke and axle breather tubes, solid
axle conversion with an 83 8-inch front axle
with Lincoln locker, 8-inch rear with Lincoln
locker, 5.29 gears
SUSPENSION: 5-inch front springs with 3-inch
Rubicon shackles, 14-inch travel Skyjacker
8000 shocks, 3-inch shackles in rear, 2-inch
lift rear leaf springs
STEERING: Cross-over steering heim joints
BRAKES: Sky Manufacturing rear disc brakes
TIRES/WHEELS: 39.5x18.5x15 Super Swamper
Boggers / 15x14 Mickey Thompson wheels
INTERIOR: Hand controls, modied roof with
Extra Cab rear section
OTHER PARTS: Electric fan, Warn 8274 winch
on receiver, Pro Comp off road lights
FAVORITE OFF-ROAD AREA: Michigan western
Upper Peninsula trails and pipelines
Mud Boggin 4runner Extra Cab
Orange Yuppie Jeep
VEHICLE: 1994 Jeep Wrangler
OWNER: Andy Martenson IV
CHASSIS: Stock
ENGINE: 2.5L inline four-cylinder
DRIVETRAIN: Five-speed manual tranny
SUSPENSION: 2-inch shackle lift, 1.5-inch
suspension lift, and 1-inch body lift
STEERING: Stock power steering
BRAKES: Discs in front, drums in rear
TIRES/WHEELS: 33x13.5R15 Super Swampers
/ 15-inch Eagle alloy wheels
INTERIOR: six-point custom roll cage, water
proof seats
OTHER PARTS: Matching front and rear bum-
pers, rocker guards
FAVORITE OFF-ROAD AREA: "My backyard. I live
near power lines."
WWW. O F F - R O A D WE B . C O M 17
No-Guess Fiber
In many cases,
interior trim pan-
els, dash boards,
and other
applications can
be rendered in
berglass. One
drawback is
that berglass
can be tricky to
work with. Mix-
ing resins and
catalysts to the proper ratios is required, and then you must work quickly to get your
desired shape before the mixtures sets and hardens. Percys High Performance now has
HyperFiber, a composite construction system thats exceptionally user-friendly.
HyperFiber has the ber and resin combined in an uncured state. The resin cures
when exposed to UV light.
Construct and shape your HyperFiber project out of the sun. Unlike convention ber-
glass, your working time with HyperFiber is nearly unlimited.
When the nal shape and conguration are reached, bring your HyperFiber project
out into the sunlight to begin the curing and setting process. You can also use a
Percys UV light indoors to set and cure.
HyperFiber is available with or without memory wires that hold your project in shape
during construction.
HyperFiber is non-ammable and contains no hazardous materials. HyperFiber cleans
up with soap and water; great for use in automotive, marine, car audio, or any other
application that requires a composite be used.
For more information, contact:
Percys High Performance
(573) 346-4409, www.percyshp.com
C OMP I L E D B Y K E V I N B L U ME R
Stay-Put Header Bolts
Heat and vibration have an uncanny way of
backing out header bolts. Once the header bolts
have disappeared, leaks are inevitable.
Percys High Performance Split-Lock header
bolts lock internally, expanding the bolt
threads against the thread wall.
To install, simply tighten the bolt, and then
tighten the set-pin.
Available in black oxide or stainless steel.
Made and packaged in the USA from
premium-quality materials.
Sizes available for most engine applications.
For me information, contact:
Percys High Performance
(573) 346-4409, www.percyshp.com
aFe (Advanced Flow Engineering) Stage 2
Cold Air Intake Kits for 2009 Dodge Ram
1500 V-8 5.7 HEMI
Designed to maximize air velocity, improve horsepower, torque, throttle
response, and fuel efciency.
Two lter choices: Pro-5R lter uses ve layers of progressive cotton media for
excellent ltration. Pro Dry S lter uses progressive synthetic ltration media
and requires no oil to recharge.
Heat shield blocks engine heat and mounts to the factory airbox housing.
Specially-designed aluminum intake tube is powder coated for a durable,
attractive nish.
aFe (Advanced Flow Engineering)
(951) 493-7155, www.afepower.com
PIAA 520 ATP Off-Road
Light
This new PIAA light was designed by
racers, but is well-suited to all types of
off-roading. It is called the 520 ATP.
PIAAs All-Terrain Pattern delivers
an ideal combination of beam
height, width, and distance.
Uses PIAAs Xtreme White 85-
watt halogen bulb, which produces
brightness equivalent to a standard
135-watt bulb.
Rugged stamped steel housing.
Tough glass lens is protected by black
mesh covers.
Compact size at 6
1
4 inches in diameter and 2
11
16 inches
deep.
Swivel mounting bolt offers 90 degrees of adjustment range.
Available as a single light or dual light kit, which includes light, wiring harness, switch,
relay, and mesh cover.
PIAA
(503) 489-6666, www.piaa.com
Dirt-Worthy Wheel
Chocks
Wheel chocks are an essential companion to
oor jacks, Hi-Lift jacks, and winches. Wheel
chocks keep the vehicle from rolling away at
the wrong moment, ensuring safety when
lifting the vehicle or when using the vehicle
as a winch anchor point. Until now, rocks
and logs were the most common back-
country wheel chocks, but this was always a
makeshift solution. Off-Road Trail Tools has
introduced the RMS Off-Road Wheel Chock.
Rated at 7,000 pounds per axle set.
Built-in grippers claw at the ground and at
the tire for no-slip condence.
Fold at for convenient storage.
Non-rusting, and non-sparking.
Stainless steel hardware.
Can also be laid out at and used as a
traction device.
Designed for todays off-road tire sizes.
Made in the USA
Off-Road Trail Tools
(520) 579-2079, www.offroadtrailtools.com
Daves Customs Unlimited Protects Your Diff
A smashed ring gear is incon-
venient and expensive. Daves
Customs Unlimited offers
bolt-on differential guards to
prevent trail damage.
Available for Dana 44,
Dana 60, Dana 70, and
GM 14-bolt axles.
Machined from -inch
steel with a -inch thick
skid plate.
Countersunk bolt holes.
Stainless Allen-head bolts are in-
cluded.
Black textured powder coated nish.
Available with or without top mount-
ing ear. Mounting ear can be used for
axle trusses and suspension links.
Daves Customs Unlimited
(970) 216-8179,
www.davescustomsunlimited.com
OFF-ROAD
HARDWARE
New Holley Carbs:
Ultra Street Avenger
and Ultra Double
Pumper
Aluminum construction is up to ve
pounds lighter than older zinc models.
Metering blocks and base plates made
from 6061-T6 billet.
Metering blocks and base plates are avail-
able in anodized red, blue, or black.
Built-in clear fuel level sight window make
oat height adjustments easy.
Ultra Double Pumper available in 650 and
750 CFM congurations.
Ultra Double Pumper comes with me-
chanical secondaries and electric choke.
Holley Performance Products
(800) HOLLEY-1, www.holley.com OR
Rough Countrys
New Anti-Axle
Wrap Block
Axle wrap can kill leaf springs and
U-joints. Rough Country has come
up with a way to minimize this
menace.
Uses the factory leaf springs.
Maintains factory ride quality.
Creates a larger mounting interface
between the block and the leaf
springs.
Proven to reduce axle wrap under
loads and heavy acceleration.
Rough Country
(800) 222-7023, www.roughcountry.com
Performance Accessories Dodge Kit
An affordable way to t 35-inch tires on your 09
4WD Dodge Ram 1500.
Performance Accessories Premium Lift Kit
combines a body lift kit, suspension
leveling kit, and gap guards to pro-
duce the needed ve-inch lift height.
Premium quality without the premium
price tag.
Performance Accessories
(928) 636-7080, www.p-a-g.net
A Flexible Battery
System
The XS Power Battery S3400 features
the I-BAR system: Integrated Battery
Amperage Rail.
One battery can handle marine studs,
SAE posts, GM posts, and GM-style
side posts.
The S3400 offers 2000 max amps,
and 75 amp hours.
Fits Group 34 battery trays.
Billet holddown also available.
Custom-molded extreme pressure and
vibration-resistant ABS case.
XS Power Batteries
(865) 688-5953, www.xspowerbatteries.com
Custom Radiator,
Off-the-Shelf Price
Classic looks, but with the superior cooling
benets of aluminum.
Mark 7 Radiators can build you a custom
radiator for less than most off-the-shelf
generic radiator prices.
Several nishes available including black
anodized nish shown in photo.
Mark 7 Radiators
(877)777-7505, www.mark7radiators.com
Yamaha Rhino
700FI Sport Edition
Our Rhino has been treating
us well and working great no
matter what rumors have been
spreading around the Internet.
As a utility vehicle, its hands
down one of the best. For a
fast moving desert racer, we
still prefer our Polaris RZR-S.
The versatility of the Rhino to
go from one terrain to another
is great. Tight twisty mountain
trails is where the Rhino shines. It
has tons of torque providing fast
quick-in and quick-out of corners, and the downhill braking is well controlled. Maybe one day
Yamaha will improve the wheel travel straight from the factory for us fast-moving folk.
KC HiLites KC-Pod
Its tough to talk ill about this
light. Its big, bold, and bright as
hell and is off the charts in cool-
ness factor because of its lus-
cious carbon skin. Over the past
six months the only problem
weve had with these lights is
the wiring job we fashioned up
in our garage. That is, of course,
our fault. Getting used to adjust-
ing the light direction took a few
tries as the KC system is different
than most off-road lights. Light output is consistently bright, and for only three lights, weve
yet to be outshined by any other threesome weve come across.
SPOT Satellite Personal
Tracker
Okay, so we have to admit after the
initial testing of this unit we didnt think we
would end up using it much. However, we
have found the SPOT to be great both on
vehicles and on mountain bikes. Sure, this
is a vehicle-based magazine but this device
can be used for any outdoor activity. The
ability to see where we went online later
is great. We would like to see some sort
of screen on the unit to check your track,
though. I guess well leave that function to
our GPS navigation units. We recently heard
that they are releasing a smaller unit soon,
which was going to be our other sugges-
tion; it can be bulky to carry around.
Accel Shorty Spark Plugs
If you have certain header congurations on your engine, there might not
be any way to keep spark plug boots (straight, 45-degree, or 90-degree) from
getting burned on re-hot header tubing. When we ran into this problem,
we found some Accel Shorty spark plugs for guys like us who have clearance
issues. We were able to buy them at a local parts store for our Dodge 440 V-8
engine, and the Shortys seemed to work just as well as any other spark plug
weve tried on the truck. The extra few millimeters of plug wire clearance that
we gained were enough to keep the boots from melting, even years later. OR
Sure It Works Great For The First
Week, But What About After?
C OMP I L E D BY J OR DAN MAY
P H OT OG R A P H Y: OF F - R OA D S TA F F
The only way Im gonna
work on your house is
if you build my Blazer.
RICK CURCIO
Playing
ACE
The
H
ave you ever ordered sushi at the International House
of Pancakes? What about asking for crme brulee at
Mickey Ds? Youre likely to receive a blank stare or
a furrowed brow in reply. Rick Curcio, on the other
hand, would probably get his order lled. Why is this? Rick per-
suaded Total Chaos Fabrication, famous for long-travel A-arm sus-
pension systems, to build his solid-axle leaf-sprung Chevy Blazer.
BY K E VI N B L U ME R
P HOTOGR AP HY: DONAL D
ARNAO, NI COL E P I T E L L , AND
ROBI N S TOVE R
Ricks request wasnt a random one.
Ive had two trucks with Total Chaos kits,
he told us. I had a 98 4Runner with a T.C.
long-travel kit. I drove it hard for a long time
and I broke almost everything on that truck
except for the Total Chaos kit. Ive got a Nis-
san Titan, too, and Ive got Total Chaos upper
control arms and rear shackles on that. Im
really happy with how the truck works.
Despite the 4Runner and the Titan, Rick
was a long-standing fan of the Chevy Blazer.
After years of scheming and dreaming he
happened across a clean 83 K-5 and decided
his time had come. He had the K-5 Blazer
and he had a plan. He just needed someone
to perform the build. Total Chaos immedi-
ately came to mind.
Right about this time, T.C.s Nicole Pitell
and Matt Vaughan wanted some work done
on their house. Rick, a contractor, immedi-
ately came to mind. The three met up. Rick
knew he held an ace, and it was time to lay
it down. The only way Im gonna work
on your house is if you build my Blazer, he
stated. Matt, sensing Rick wasnt blufng,
countered I won't build you a typical Blazer
If I build this, it's gonna be a Chaos version!
Ricks contract work was on par with T.C.s
fab work, and Matt and Nicole knew it. An
agreement was reached, and the Blazers
transformation commenced.
I took the Blazer as a challenge, Matt
commented. It was completely different
from our normal stuff, but Rick was an ideal
customer. He trusted us to do a good job and
didnt pressure us. I wouldnt say wed never
do a build like this again, but it took a pretty
unique situation for us to go ahead with it.
The Blazer was built as an all-around
machine: something that could go throttle-
down through the sand washes as well as
creep through rock-strewn canyons. Four-
wheel drive was retained, as were the solid
front and rear axles. A full roll cage was built
to keep the occupants safe and the Blazer
intact through the rough. Suspension parts
from Deaver, Light Racing, and Fox made
sure that the ride was as smooth as it was
controlled.
With time on Total Chaoss side, Matt
was able to keep up with production and
development on T.C. suspension systems
and build the Blazer too. A year and a
half later, the K-5 was a faster, smoother,
tougher, and safer version of its former self.
Everyone I worked with on this project
has been great, Rick reported. I probably
drove Jeff at Deaver Spring nuts, but he
worked with me until I was happy with the
springs. The Turnkey engine and Atlas transfer
case have been great, too. Ricks overall as-
sessment? I never thought this Blazer would
work the way it does. Perfection! Matts skill
and attention to detail are just awesome.
It wasnt on the menu, but Rick still got his
order lled. Sounds like an ace well played. OR
W W W. O F F - R O A D W E B . C O M 27
Easy-to-read gauges and clearly marked, easily
reachable switches are hallmarks of a job well
done, and qualities worth emulating. Just below the
Lowrance GPS and the Icom race radio you can see
the Winters tranny shifter and the twin sticks that
actuate the Atlas II transfer case.
Old-school Chevy small-block V-8s are perhaps
the most popular engine ever made, but a Turnkey-
prepped LS2 with LS6 heads still outdoes the old
iron. The entire OEM drive train was removed and
replaced with better hardware.
Its not easy to nd room for a 37-inch spare,
but this angled mount did the trick. The cooler is
plumbed to drain through the oor, and the tool
bags are securely tied down. Extra stuff can be tied
down on the overhead Defender rack.
The cage was built using 1.75-inch 0.120-wall
4130 chromoly tubing and a lot of thought. A suc-
cessful roll cage protects the occupants, reinforces
the existing chassis, provides mounting points for
suspension components, and provides mounting
points for spares, tools, and other accessories. It
takes planning to pull this off successfully. Textbook-
quality MIG welds are evident throughout.
The stock dash was stripped away and set aside.
Joe and Moes Speed Center of Riverside, California,
built a custom aluminum dash, center console, and
door panels to replace the stock stuff. Dzus fasten-
ers allow quick panel removal when needed.
Theres no need to cut off the roof for welding
access when youve got a removable top.
Four Beard seats and matching Crow harnesses
cradle the occupants. Roll bar padding is a plus, but
building the cage with plenty of overhead and side
clearance is more important. This Blazer has both
the clearance and the padding. Racer-X headsets and
a matching intercom make for easy conversation.
Long-travel, desert-bred suspensions usually have generous articulation as a side benet. Theres plenty of
ex on tap here.
PLAYING THE ACE
Get the exciting KC HiLiTES OFFROAD JOURNEY DVD
now at a special, limited time, online discount price.
WIDE OPEN EXCURSIONS has joined the growing list of
racers, race teams and motorsports organizations that
have seen the light and made the switch to KC
HiLiTES. We extend a hearty WELCOME ABOARD to
the KC Motorsports Family.
The reasons why so many are switching to KC?...
Superior lighting products, tremendous selection
and enthusiastic support.
Check us out on the web and well see you out
on the course.
PLAYING THE ACE
The rear bumper isnt overly elaborate, but its
well-executed and solidly built. Rick had the Blazer
torn down for prep when we inquired about a
feature story. We lucked out: Donald Arnao, Nicole
Pitell, and Four Wheeler staffer Robin Stover had
some photos of Ricks Blazer to lend. Thanks!
Matt tucked a Ramsey 12,000-pound winch
behind the front bumper. The bumper maximizes
protection, approach angle, and bears no resem-
blance to a farm implement. Nice job.
Position-
sensitive
suspension
control
comes via
Fox 3.0 by-
pass shocks.
In addition to
the custom-
tuned Deaver
leaf packs,
Light Rac-
ings Jounce
Shocks were
a key factor
in controlling
body roll.
The original half-ton front axle is long gone,
replaced by a Dynatrac Dana 60. The Dynatrac is for-
tied with 4.56 gears and a Detroit Locker. Deaver
springs suspend all four corners of the Blazer, and
a few iterations were tried before the right mix of
cush and body roll control was found.
Youll nd a Culhane-built Turbo 400 in front
of the Atlas II transfer case. The Atlas IIs compact
front-to-rear dimension means the rear drive shaft
can be longer, which is important with a relatively
short wheelbase like the Blazers.
Specs
VEHICLE: 1983 Chevy K-5 Blazer
OWNER/HOMETOWN: Rick Curcio, Wildomar,
California
ENGINE: Chevy LS2 with LS6 heads, built by Turnkey
Engine Supply
EXHAUST: Custom headers by Tom Face, Flowmas-
ter mufers
TRANSMISSION: Turbo 400 by Culhane Transmis-
sions
TRANSFER CASE: Advance Adapters Atlas II
FRONT END: Dynatrac Dana 60 with GM 1-ton
brakes
REAR END: Dynatrac Dana 60 with Wilwood disc
brakes
RING AND PINION: 4.56:1
FRONT DIFFERENTIAL: Detroit Locker
REAR DIFFERENTIAL: Detroit Locker
SUSPENSION: Deaver front and rear leaf packs, Fox
3.0 bypass shocks, Light Racing Jounce Shocks,
Total Chaos shackles
TIRES: 37-inch BFG Mud-Terrain T/A
WHEELS: 17x8 Robby Gordon Beadlocks
Roll cage: Full roll cage by Total Chaos Fabrication,
1.75-inch .120-wall chromoly MIG welded.
INTERIOR: Beard seats, Crow harnesses, custom
dash, center console, and door panels by Joe and
Moes Speed Center
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A Designer's
Dream
BY J OR DAN MAY
PHOTOGRAPHY: J ORDAN MAY
D
oes the term "Oakley sun-
glasses" ring a bell? All of
those incredibly designed
shades, worn at competi-
tions all over the world, have all
been designed in this man's ofce.
A week prior to this photo shoot,
we spotted Hans Moritzs 1968 Ford
Bronco in a parking lot and left a
business card on the dash. We had no
idea who the owner was but the trick
design and solid list of parts kept us
wanting to see more. When Hans gave
us his work address to meet for the
shoot, we were grinning ear-to-ear as
we pulled into the Oakley parking lot.
So, where does a design guru go to have a custom vehicle built?
While Hans was searching for a builder to help with another
Bronco he already owned, he ran into Ryan Millett, a machinist and
tool-and-die maker out of Costa Mesa, California. Ryan had built a
68 Bronco that was almost complete that had already proven itself
prerunning the Primm 300 racecourse. Hans made him an offer he
couldnt refuse and today we bring you their collaboration. OR
Whether parked or ying high through the air, the Early Bronco exudes a coolness few
other off-road vehicles achieve. Ryan knew that this Bronco was going to push big power, big
tires and big travel. In order to do this he had to reconstruct the Ford from the ground up. Por-
tions of the stock frame have been retained while the majority has been cut, notched and gus-
seted for strength. The body is made of part berglass and part steel where more support was
needed. The rollcage (front to back) is made of 4130 chromoly tube and plate. When all of the
bodywork was nalized, a fresh coat of British Racing Green paint was laid down. KC Daylighter
lights are the chosen weapons for night driving. A Ramsey winch was installed for safety.

Under the hood is a 75 Ford 351 Windsor small-
block engine pushing 400 lb-ft of torque and 450
horsepower. In order to push all that power the
engine has been modied with a Crane cam, World
Aluminum heads, JE pistons, B.C Broncos ceramic-
coated headers, a Holley carb, and an MSD ignition
system. Hans turned to the guys at C&J Engineering
to use their old school expertise with Broncos to
make the truck purr like a kitten. He tells us without
their help the truck would never run so smooth.
The rear suspension pushes 20 inches of wheel
travel using custom Deaver leaf springs built to
Ryans specications. Custom chromoly shock hoops
were designed for the King 2.5-inch piggyback
shocks.
The one thing this truck was missing
when Hans took it over was a solid rear end.
Wanting nothing but the best for his ride,
Hans called Currie Enterprises and picked
up a Currie 9-inch rear end. It was purchased
complete with 4.56 gears, 35-spline axles, and
a Detroit locker.
As you can see, this truck was purpose built to run
the desert. The rear bed space is loaded with two
full-size spare tires (one unloaded), dual gas cans,
22-gallon Fuel Safe cell, shovel, Hi-Lift jack, dual Red
Top Optima batteries, Nitrogen bottle and ammuni-
tion canisters doubling as storage compartments.
A slue of Auto Meter gauges cover the aluminum
dash giving Hans all necessary info on the trail. A
Garmin GPS system provides off-road guidance
and a Kenwood race radio is used for communica-
tion. An Art Carr shifter is controlling the trucks
C6 transmission below. Just in front is a set of twin
shift levers controlling the Dana 20 transfer case. All
transmission work was done by OC Transmissions
out of Costa Mesa, California.
This is easily one of the cleanest Broncos
we have featured. The interior oor was
protected with a full coat of Line-X. Beard
Ultra seats have been mounted to the chas-
sis with Crow ve-point padded belts.
SPECS
VEHICLE: 68 Ford Bronco
OWNER: Hans Moritz
CHASSIS: Stock with Custom Fab
ENGINE: 75 Ford 351w small-block
DRIVETRAIN: C6 transmission, Currie 9-inch
rear end, Dana 20 T-case
SUSPENSION: King shocks, Fox hydraulic
bumpstops, Deaver springs, Millett Fab
STEERING: Tom Lee
BRAKES: OEM
TIRES/WHEELS: Eagle 15x10 wheels,
37x12.5R15 Goodyear MTR tires
INTERIOR: Line-X, Auto Meter, Beard, Crow,
Garmin
OTHER PARTS: Fuel Safe cell, KC lights,
Kenwood race radio
FAVORITE OFF-ROAD AREA: Moab, Utah,
SoCal Deserts
What did your company do to commemorate
hitting a huge sales number? Oakley went out and
bought a Czech Republic BVP-1 Military Tank. This
300hp beast has a top speed of 40 mph, weighs
29,762 pounds, carries a 73mm smooth bore Sag-
ger MCLOS wire-guided anti-tank guided missile for
defense and will crawl over just about anything in its
path. We had some fun with the tank roaming around
the grounds out front of Oakley and even tested out
the Broncos crawling ability up and over the top.
Moving to the front of the truck we nd a custom
set of chromoly shock hoops, engine cage, radius
arms and Ryans own Millett dampeners. Shocks
include King 2.5-inch dual-rate coilovers and Fox
2.0-inch hydraulic air bumps. Front travel measures
14 inches and total lift height for the vehicle is
adjustable from 4 to 6 inches.
Quad barrel racing was a huge hit
at Dunefest 2009 with some of
the more intense action. Dunefest
organizers created classes for kids,
women and men.
IN
S
O
U
T
H
E
R
N
O
R
E
G
O
N
W
e blew into Winchester Bay on a lazy Thursday afternoon at the
invitation of Joe Mirvis of the Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of
Commerce. Backed by a small army of volunteers and assistants, Joe
organized Dunefest 2009 and in a few days turned the very small,
Oregon towns of Reedsport and Winchester Bay into very much larger towns,
with thousands arriving for the event.
Driving down Salmon Harbor Boulevard, which grants access from the North to
the Oregon Dunes Recreation Area, we passed through a series of checkpoints and
trafc control points into the event site. Workers stopped trafc to allow quads and
other sand toys safe passage over the road that snakes its way through the dunes.
The Oregon Dunes are sandwiched between the Pacic Ocean and small
coastal mountains. The tree-covered shoulders of these mountains descend towards the
Pacic, giving way to deep sand, forming dunes which afford clear views of the beaches from
the seat of your sandrail or dirt bike. The region boasts around forty miles of dunes to explore
either via ORV or on foot. This is the largest area of coastal sand dunes in North America.
The week-long event, which seemed a bit long upon hearing of its duration, was actually
a welcomed surprise. Five days denitely lends a leisurely more vacation-like pace to the event.
Though there is plenty happening each day, there is opportunity to wind down on the beach
or just cruise the dunes.
An aspect of Dunefest that sets it apart is mlange of other things to do on the Oregon
coast. Its very easy to base yourself at one of the many campgrounds near the event and ex-
plore the mountains, rivers and beaches of Western Oregon. From whale watching or shing
to ripping it up in the sand, there is more than enough to entertain a family or crew of friends
for a week.
We would have liked to have seen more street legal off-road toys out there (like some
fullsize trucks!) but this specic event caters more to vehicles with a green sticker. That doesnt
mean you cant go invade and have a great time in your 4x4! Maybe next years event will
have a bunch of OFF-ROAD readers taking over Dunefest in trucks! And if not during Dunef-
est, the Oregon sand dunes are open all year long for you to visit OR
BY AL EX GAUT HI ER
PHOTOGR APHY:
AL E X GAUT HI ER
Forty Miles
of Sand
Dunefest organizers placed most vendors of
the event on a large paved parking area. There
was no shortage of great food along side
plenty of go fast bits to buy for your sand toys.
A visit to the sand drag area was
worth while each day just to see what
new class of people or toys might be
waging war in side by side races.
Aside from contests of horsepower and skill on
two or four wheels, there were also other more
inclusive contests as well. The tire toss was
another way to walk off with some nice swag.
Women lined up after the kids'
class and proved beyond a doubt
they weren't afraid to eat a little
throttle-driven sand themselves.
With the eld open to just about anyone who
could meet the technical and safety require-
ments the starting line of the sand drags
became somewhat of a centerpiece to Dunefest
2009. Here, two drivers wait for a green light.
The sheer area dedicated to Dunefest 2009 was
impressive. This aerial shot only shows you about
half or less of the entire space with a vendor area
and more camping still out of the frame!
To call upon the spirit of the horse drawn
version of this event, event sponsor Coke
Zero created impromptu "cowboy hats"
for competitors to x upon their helmets.
The rapid gain in popularity over the
last several years of UTVs has spawned
a massive aftermarket with all kinds of
parts to purchase. Even better, we see
them included in all kinds of races as well.
UTVs participated in sand drags alongside
more traditional off-road toys.
Spectators thickly lined both sides of the drag
strip. With so many quads in close proximity,
it was only a matter of time until someone
strayed through the banner and took out the
timing equipment! Luckily, no harm was done
and drags picked up after a brief pause.
IN SOUTHERN OREGON
The WGAS crew was at Dunefest for a few
days enjoying the sand and wowing the
crowd. FMX riders gave shows each day
to event participants drawing big crowds.
Between, the many events taking place around and on the main
stage of the event, this was certainly the place to hang out for most
of the week. Here, crowds keep a safe distance from freestyle riders,
hucking themselves through the air at center stage.
The small town of Winchester Bay plays host to this event each
year with the population and traf c swelling for the week.
Possibly the favorite
spot to play was
immediately near the
Dunefest event site.
Banshee Hill provided
many photo ops and
contests.
WGAS riders from all over the US teamed
up to give Dunefest visitors a great show
both at night and during the days. This
always drew a lot of attention.
The men's class of barrel racing
was surprisingly sparse com-
pared to the number of entrants
for kids and women. This guy
was rocking a cowboy hat and a
horse head on his quad though!
I
ts the end of the year (editorially) for
us already, and weve just been look-
ing through some of the past issues
that OFF-ROAD put out in 2009. Ya
know what? Were pretty happy with the
mags progress, and we hope you are too!
We thought wed share a few pics that stuck
out in our minds as we ipped through the past
pages. For one reason or another, these seven
images are the Editors Top Choices for 09.
Goodbye, 2009, and dont come back! OR
During our Heavy Metal Weekend in Pismo
Dunes, Jerrod Jones caught up with two
Eyeball Fabrication sand cars trying to outdo
each other. We think this orange one might
have won.
BEST SHOTS
2009
of
COMPILED BY OFF-ROAD STAFF
Jay Kopycinski was in the right place at the right time
as Rod Halls H2 came too hot into a corner and ended
up busting off a knuckle during 2008s Vegas-to-Reno
race. Were just glad Jay wasnt standing any closer.
Dont you just love father-son rivalry? Its cooler
when its in a million dollars worth of trucks too.
Jordan May caught these two starting to go at it
during a photoshoot.
John Cappa snapped this shot of an old
magazine project Cherokee (the 5KXJ)
during a last-minute snow day above
Frasier Park, California. Snow wheeling
is so much fun.
Kevin Blumer was close by when
the crazy NRT guys came ying
over the course. The Nissley Rac-
ing Team runs this Cherokee like
its a Trophy Truck.
Jay Kopycinski caught a great shot of
this race Rangers front end lifting as
Kevin McMurray cranked for the turn.
Harry Wagner was able to capture a
great sequence of Tatum Motor-
sports Black Widow Spyder sand car.
For a Dealer Near You Call 866-943-6742
Extreme off-roaders will appreciate the great ride and handling that this
mud tire has on the highway. The MTZ has Mickey Thompsons PowerPly
TM

sidewalls with a special angled third ply to give you high performance
handling, better puncture resistance, and improved towing capability.
>> Advanced Radial Construction for High Mileage & Smooth Ride
>> Self Cleaning High-Void Tread Lugs for Traction in Mud & Snow
>> Deep Shoulder Lugs Provide Aggressive Traction and Bold Looks
>> Enhanced Sidebiters for Added Traction & Protection
>> Siped Tread Lugs for Better Grip on Smooth Surfaces & Ice
>> Outlined White Letters on Traditional Sizes
Baja ATZ Plus Baja ATZ Baja MTZ Baja Claw
The PowerPly
TM
is an angled third ply running across the two radial
plies, linking them together and strengthening the tire. In cornering,
the plies twist far less giving the tire greater traction and faster
steering response. In addition, Mickey Thompsons PowerPly
TM
3-ply
sidewall construction provides greater towing capability, increased
sidewall protection, better resistance to punctures and impacts, and
better off road performance.
Ofcial Tire of
All Mag-Hytec pans
and covers are cast
A356-T6 aluminum
and have O-rings that
seal the pan/cover to
the housing instead
of using a gasket. The
differential covers
feature a dipstick that does not get in the way of
any differentials or gear ratios weve ever tried. The
dipstick hole also makes lling the axle with gear oil
very easy. The pans/covers also feature a magnetic
drain plug that grabs metallic particles in the uid,
and a threaded hole (with an included plug) in case
you want to run a temperature sender.
We did
not run a
sensor on
our rear
axle, but we
did install
a sender
on our
transmis-
sion pan.
The new
Mag-Hytec
tranny pan
is denitely
deeper
than the
factory pans
(which was
a concern,
of course,
since were
off-roaders),
but the Mag-Hytec pan was still higher up than our
crossmember or torsion bars, so we felt safe with
it. The pan is also much stronger than the factory
pans; even if we did hit it, theres a good chance it
wouldnt make a difference.
The
transmission
pan gasket
almost fell
off it was
so easy,
but Richie
Estrada had
to scrape
the rear axle
covers gas-
ket off. Once you get the surface good and clean, the
new mag-Hytec cover should seal to the axlehousing
and never leak.
With the cover secured in place (with the included
stainless allen bolts), Estrada poured some Royal
Purple SAE 75W-90 gear oil into the axle. We ended
up pouring about two more quarts into the axle than
it normally takes.
The dip-
stick in the
Mag-Hytec
diff is a nice
feature when
lling your
axle, but you
might think
youll never
use it again
after that. If
thats the case, then youve obviously never had bad
axle seals and run your differential dry.
Sources
JEEPS R US
(949) 497-9183
www.jeepsrus.com
MAG-HYTEC
(877) 786-6816
www.mag-hytec.com
ROYAL PURPLE
(888) 382-6300
www.royalpurple.com
R
epeating Heat is the number one killer of all
drivetrain parts, never seems to get old. Perhaps
its because its one of those things that, no matter
how well you know it, youll ignore someday and itll
bite you in the ass. Weve fried multiple transmissions, axles,
transfer cases, engines you name it, weve fried it. Thats
why adding coolers and extra-capacity pans to engines,
transmissions and axles is never a bad idea.
Mag-Hytec is known for having some of the highest quality items
available for transmissions and axles of all kinds. The aluminum pans
not only house more uid than a factory pan, they are also stronger,
and have magnetic drain pans, dipsticks, and threaded holes for
temperature senders.
Since Jeeps R Us in Laguna Beach, California, services more than
DROPPING TEMPERATURES
IN YOUR DRIVETRAIN
Better Cooling,
Longer Life, and
Ultimately More
Power!
P H OT OG R A P H Y: J E R R OD J ON E S
just Jeeps, we went down to have them pop
on a Mag-Hytec transmission pan and differ-
ential cover and ll them back up with some
delicious Royal Purple uids (do not drink).
We used an infrared heat gun to check
temperatures, and found an almost 30-degree
difference between the stock transmission
pan and the Mag-Hytec pan after only driving
home from work. The differential showed a
25-degree difference. We can only imagine
how much the new tranny pan and differen-
tial cover will help when we put a real strain
on the vehicle, towing or off-roading. OR
CHEVY SUSPENSION
UPGRADE
Offroad Design Lifts Our Blazer
BY J AY KOP YC I NS KI | P H OT OG R A P H Y: J AY KOP YC I N S K I
packs worked decently, but our stock sway
bar setup was binding under articulation. Out
back, our lift consisted of stock springs with
an added leaf and 4-inch blocks. While it got
the Blazer up higher, the performance was
not the greatest due to the overly stiff packs
and the axle wrap due to the lift blocks.
Follow along as we describe how ORD
helped get us the lift we wanted combined
with better overall suspension performance.
Once we were done, we found the Blazer
ride quality was much improved both on
and off the highway, and we lost a lot of
the stiff, choppy ride we had previously
experienced. OR
T
he 73 to 87 Chevy trucks and
their straight front axle Blazer
cousins (up to 1991) have long
been fullsize favorites and a
great base onto which one can build
a fun off-road machine. These 4WDs
have come equipped in numerous
forms with a wide variety of engines,
transmissions, transfer cases, and axles.
There is signicant parts interchange-
ability and replacement parts are
readily available thanks to the great
numbers of these vehicles that were
manufactured and the number that still
remain on the road today.
Over the years, a variety of companies
have delivered aftermarket suspension kits
for the Chevys, but it seems much of the
innovation for this application stopped some
years ago, and has not kept
up with todays trail demands
and the updated performance
demands of wheelers. Stephen Watson, and
Offroad Design (ORD), are exceptions to that.
They continue to rene available upgrades
for the fullsize GM products they own and
wheel, so we looked to them when it came
time to improve the suspension performance
of a 1991 Blazer.
ORD recently released a new, complete
3-inch-and-up lift kit which includes sway-bar
disconnects, shackle ip-kit, new springs,
and the various other hardware to pull it all
together. They can outt a stock truck or
work with you to supplement and improve
on suspension parts you may already own.
In our case, we had a Blazer that already
had a basic 6-inch lift on it. The front spring
1
Our Blazer
had re-
cently suffered
a cracked frame
near the steer-
ing box. This is a
common failure
point on these
vehicles when
running larger
than stock tires.
We opted for
ORDs weld-in
frame repair kit.
It consists of
two formed steel plates. One ts between the steering box and the outside of the
framerail. It has dimpled hole areas that conform to the stock bumps in the frame.
A second plate ts under the frame to provide additional support to the area.
2
Once we got the
steering box pulled
off the frame we could see
how badly the frame was
cracked. Hopefully you can
catch yours and reinforce
it before it gets this se-
vere. This one was cracked
in the vertical face, the
lower horizontal edge, and
across the bottom. Typi-
cally, most frame shops
wont want to deal with a
repair of this nature.
3
We removed the front spring pack to take some of the tension off the frame.
We werent quite sure how much effort it would take to pull the cracked
framerail back into place, and were surprised how easy the task was with a small
come-a-long.
We slid a steel bar in the front spring hanger and in the rear shackle and used
them as pull points. With the framerail back in position, we used a grinder to
clear the paint in the areas where we were going to weld. Before the ORD plates
were installed, we ground a V-groove into each crack and lled them with a weld
bead. When working here you need to be careful of nearby brake lines and any
other hoses.
4
Next, the ORD side
plate was clamped
to the framerail and then
welded in place. This
plate doubles the metal
thickness in this vulnerable
area and the double stack
greatly stiffens it. We ran
one-inch welds around
the plate in about a dozen
locations. The second plate
was welded to the frame to
add further strength on the
bottom of the framerail.
5
While we were deal-
ing with the cracked
frame and the steering
box was off, we decided
to also add ORDs bolt-in
steering box brace
kit, which consists of
two brackets and the
necessary hardware for
installation.
8
We kept the front lift springs we had but dropped them out of the frame
and shackles to install the longer-lasting polyurethane bushings and greas-
able bolts in all locations. ORD offers kits starting at three inches and going up,
based on your needs.
7
We needed to
pull the old front
spring shackles out of
the frame. The location
was a tight t next to
the exhaust so we had
to cut one of the bolts
to get it out past the
y-pipe. We installed new
ORD-supplied heavy duty
front shackles. The bolts
and plate thickness are
upgraded to make for a
beeer assembly. Shackle length is also increased by a half inch (same length
as some 1988-and-newer factory shackles) to help keep the shackle out of the
frame rail under extreme compression of front lift springs.
6
After painting the
framerail, we rein-
stalled the steering box
using the new hardware.
Heres the installed steer-
ing box brace were using
for added protection
against steering stresses
breaking the frame
again. This powdercoat-
ed brace mates to two
of the threaded steering
box holes using longer
bolts and then ties to the front crossmember on the other end. You do have to
drill one hole in the crossmember for the bolt as shown above.
9
At each spring eye
and shackle we
used the ORD-supplied
polyurethane bushings,
sleeves, and greasable
pins. With these we can
simply hit the bolts with
a grease gun periodically
to transfer grease to the
sleeve and inside the
bushings.
18
With the lift install
complete, we
remounted the tires, re-
checked all the hardware,
and got ready to take the
Blazer out for a spin. Well
recheck the U-bolts after
we get a few more miles
on the new suspension.
This Blazer was currently
running 33-inch tires, but
will soon accommodate
a size or two larger with
this lift.
17
The springs were
all bolted in place
and the new U-bolts
installed. Since we previ-
ously had six inches of
lift, we had some longer
shocks already. We were
able to reuse them, but
a taller lift would have
necessitated budgeting
dollars for new shocks.
Lift kits over three inches
also require longer brake
lines at both axles which
is something we already
had as well. Next, came the installation of the heavy-duty -inch steel shack-
les. These also swing on reusable poly bushings to keep the suspension rm
but moving smoothly. With all the bushings installed and hardware tightened
we shot the zerk tting on each bolt with a little grease for the sleeves and
bushings.
16
The ip kit with new shackles will get us just under three inches of lift
over stock. To that, we added a 3-inch lift spring from ORD. They supply
Tuff Country leaf packs that incorporate Teon sliders at the end of each leaf
to keep the rider smoother, and we later conrmed the ride quality was greatly
improved over our old setup.
15
Here you can see
one of the powder-
coated rear spring shackle
ip brackets being bolted
in place. Each mount
uses six Grade 8 bolts to
secure it to the frame. The
rivet holes all need to be
enlarged slightly to accom-
modate the new bolts. The
tricky part here is getting
the bolts installed from
the backside of the framerail. Depending on vehicle model, you may need to lower
the gas tank some for clearance and/or remove the rear bumper. We fabricated a
socket extension to allow us to hold the bolts inside the framerail.
14
We began disas-
sembly of the rear
suspension by placing the
chassis and axle on jack-
stands, then unbolting the
lower shock ends and the
ends of the leaf springs.
The rear shackle hangers
had to be removed from
the framerails. Each is
held in place with six steel
rivets installed at the fac-
tory. These can be torched,
drilled or ground out. We used a grinder to sever the heads on the four side ones
and drilled out the two lower ones. A large punch was used to pop the remains out
of each framerail.
13
This is a typical
6-inch rear lift
youll nd on the street
these days. It consists of
a 4-inch lift block under
the stock leaf packs,
combined with a 2-inch
add-a-leaf. This setup of-
ten yields a harsh, choppy
ride and the block may
cause axle wrap and loss
of traction when trying to
climb hills or steep faces.
12
When installing a
lift that exceeds
about three inches youll
need to modify the factory
steering in some manner
as the draglink angle
will grow too steep and
the effects of increased
bumpsteer come into play.
Two options are a dropped
pitman arm or a raised
knuckle steering arm at
the axle (as used here).
11
The swaybar gets
pinned to the
new links using a couple
of hitch pins. This setup
allows use of the factory
swaybar combined with
a lift without putting it
in a severe bind. We had
the swaybar in place with
our lift, but it was under
tension at ride height
and limited the ex of
the front springs. After
the ORD install, we found we could unpin the bar and benet from increased
articulation in the dirt.
10
We wanted the
best of both
worlds: a stable highway
ride and articulation on
the trail. Were getting
both with the ORD sway-
bar correction/disconnect
kit. We used an impact
gun to spin the swaybar
bolts out of the top spring
pack plates. The swaybar
was removed and new
polyurethane bushings were installed with a little grease in the swaybar ends
and at the mounts where the bar bolts to the frame. The installed link shown here
raises the connection point on the axle by few inches.
Source
OFFROAD DESIGN
(970) 945-7777
www.offroaddesign.com
Chevy Suspension Upgrade
A
s great as todays Dodge trucks are, they still have a
few areas in need of improvement. One of these is the
feared fuel-economy-robbing unit bearing assemblies
found on the front axle. Since 1994, 4WD Dodge trucks
have been equipped with unit bearings. This switch was made
simply to save money producing the vehicles. Unit bearings
actually have a longer service life than a standard hub, but
they are not rebuildable. The problem with the absence of a
locking hub is that there is no means of preventing the axle
components from spinning while in 2WD. As a result, prema-
ture wear, reduced mileage and a heavy feel to the steering
can exist. The guys at Dynatrac have a great solution for the
OEM shortcomings. We ordered up their Free-spin HDHC
(heavy-duty hub conversion) kit with the optional DynaLoc
hubs and went to work bringing the Dodge up to snuff! Oh,
and for you Ford fans, Dynatrac offers a kit for you, too! OR
FREE SPINNING
A DODGE
More MPG and Less Wear
BY C OL I N MC L E MOR E | P H OT OG R A P H Y: C OL I N MC L E MOR E
2
As a safe
precaution
we had new
U-joints pressed
in place joining
the factory axle
to the beefy
35-spline Dyna-
trac stub shafts.
1
After getting the truck up in the air and the
front wheels removed, we unbolted the brake
calipers and tied them safely out of the way. With
that being done, the factory unit bearings were next
to be removed.
A point worth mentioning here is that the unit
bearing woul still not come loose, even with the four
bolts removed. The unit bearing is a factory pressed
t into the knuckle and denitely takes a bit of
muscle to break it free. After a little head scratching,
we came up with a solution. By threading each of
the four bolts back into the unit bearing slightly, we
used a socket and a spacer block and relied upon the
power steering pump as a hydraulic jack of sorts to
drive out the unit bearing. As it turns out, Snap-On
offers a driver for this task but we found that our
method worked great. Of course, it is necessary
to alternate from bolt to bolt to drive the unit out
evenly. Remember to keep yourself out of harm's
way and have clear communication with the person
sitting in the drivers seat doing the steering!
3
The wheel studs were then placed in the Dynatrac outer hubs. The t was then conrmed in the rotor
just to be safe.
4
At this point we opted to drain
the differential, lube, and in-
spected the gear set. Although this
is not a required step, we felt it was
prudentand besides, we wanted
to button things back up with a
fresh gasket and a supply of Red
Line 75-90W synthetic gear lube.
7
With everything in place, properly torqued
and checked, we hit the road for a test drive.
Even before leaving the parking lot, a much lighter
feel in the steering was detected as if we had
replaced the 37-inch Toyos with 33s!
The maiden voyage was a 350-mile cross-state
freeway drive and our mileage jumped a full 1.2
mpg. This fuel savings combined with the added
strength and serviceability makes the Dynatrac
Free-Spin kit a winner.
6
Next came the outer
hub, complete with
an ABS tone ring to allow
the OEM ABS system to
function just as it did
from the factory. With all
of this accomplished we
moved to the DynaLoc
hub kit. This system fea-
tures a unique tooth de-
sign on the Teon coated,
heat-treated chromoly
gears that prevents them
from disengaging under
a high-torque load. Add
this with a low prole
knob assembly that only
requires 1/5 of a turn to
engage and disengage
and you have a winning
combination.
5
With everything cleaned up it was time for the assembly. A liberal coating of Never-Seez was applied to
the face of the knuckle to make a future disassembly a breeze. The new axle seals were put into place,
the wheel bearings thoroughly packed with grease, and axles installed.
Source
DYNATRAC
(714) 596-4461
www.dynatrac.com
Free Spinning a Dodge
S
ince theres not too much attention paid to
74-to-93 Dodge truck suspensions, we cut and
pasted together what we think is a pretty good
kit for a Dodge W200 -ton truck. Using a Rancho
Dodge suspension, a Chevy triple shock hoop, and some
Offroad Design shackles, we turned out a pretty nice Dodge
that was good for wheeling but rough as heck on our backs!
Next time well get replacement leaves for the rear instead
of building off the non-exing plates of metal Dodge
passed off for leaf springs in the 1970s. OR
ADDING SUSPENSION
TO AN OLD DODGE
Building a Rough Rider Straight Out of the '80s
BY: J E R R OD J ONE S | P H OT OG R A P H Y: R OB I N S T OV E R , J E R R OD J ON E S
3
The rear of
our Dodge
already had a
factory block,
and we did not
order new rear
leaf springs
(dumb idea),
so we opted
for a simple
add-a-leaf to
get an extra
couple inches
out of the
rear to level it
out with the
front 4-inch
lift. Weve had
good luck in the past with putting add-a-leafs in newer truck spring packs so we
didnt think itd be a big deal. Big mistake! These rough rider rear leaves that
came on the back of old Dodges are already terrible, and adding the extra leaf
made it even worse! Either replace the rear leaf spring of your Dodge, or ditch
the factory block for a longer block.
4
We used Rancho 9000X shocks in the front and rear so we could someday
add the Rancho in-cab shock controller. They helped with the ride in the
front and the adjustability is nice, but that rear leaf setup was so awful that it
wouldnt have mattered what shocks we had on the back.
1
We started the suspension install (one end at a time), removing the front
tires and setting the frame on jackstands, unloading the suspension and
hanging the axle. The U-bolts were loosened, and the bolts in the front spring
hangers were removed.
Lifting a solid axle leaf-sprung old Dodge is the same as it is for an old Chevy.
Rancho sent us a pair of 4-inch replacement front leaves and new U-bolts to
secure the front axle to the suspension. U-bolts are supposed to be a one-time-
use product, so try to replace the U-bolts every time you remove the axle or
swap springs.
2
Once we had the new Rancho leaves in, we noticed that the severely short
front factory shackles were limiting the travel.
A pair of Offroad Design shackles were a little longer and much more heavy
duty, ensuring wed have more travel and never bend another shackle.
Remember that when using longer shackles, youll lift your truck about half
the length difference of the old shackle compared to the new shackle (in other
words, a 2-inch longer shackle will give you a 1-inch lift).
Sources
NITTO TIRE
www.nittotire.com
OFFROAD DESIGN
(970) 945-7777
www.offroaddesign.com
RANCHO SUSPENSION
www.gorancho.com
Adding Suspension To An Old Dodge
How Did It Go?
Well, its as stiff as a brick! We learned quickly to have
our seatbelts on over even the smallest of bumps, or
else wed almost snap our necks on the ceiling of the
cab. It actually wasnt too bad off-road, but the factory
leaves combined with the add-a-leafs barely let the rear
suspension move at all. In fact, we think the 35-inch
Nitto Mud Grapplers exed more than the rear end did.
Even still, this truck turned out awesome, and well
probably end up replacing the rear leaf springs at a
later time.
7
Rancho also had some stainless braided brake
lines available, and its always a good idea to
replace your old rubber brake lines whether your
truck is old or new.
6
While ordering up the Rancho suspension, we
opted to make our Dodge a little easier to drive
on the highway with a Rancho universal steering sta-
bilizer kit. It comes with the shock and the brackets
needed to clamp around the axle and the tie rod.
8
To deal with the added height, we
corrected the steering using a simple
steering arm block. These sell at your local
4x4 shop for around $50 and come with
longer studs to screw into the axle knuckle,
but we wouldnt do it this way again on our
own truck. Instead wed buy a replacement
steering arm meant for a 4-inch lift. A re-
placement steering arm is only a few bucks
more, and its denitely a better way to go.
5
Now that the truck was back on its supporting
suspension, we started on the shocks. From
being friendly with old Dodge guys, we learned that
the Rancho Chevy triple shock hoop can be used
fairly easily on the old Dodges. Once you trim the
bracket a little and remove the rearmost shock tabs,
it makes a great dual shock bracket for the Dodges.
Rancho doesnt really have a shock application for a
Chevy triple shock hoop on a Dodge, so youll have
to do some measuring and order yourself the correct
length shocks. We got some 9-inch travel RS9000Xs
in with our 4-inch lift.
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N
othing says 80s quite like
quad shockseven in 1978.
Ford engineers may have had
their hearts in the right place
(and were even ahead of their time)
when they built the rst fullsize Bron-
cos in 1978, but the aftermarket has
had almost three decades to improve
on what Ford rst put out. We decided
that our Bronco was destined for a
better suspension that could actually
perform off-road in various scenarios.
Our Bronco was already tted with
an antiquated 6-inch suspension lift
that was probably sagging to about
four inches taller than stock. We had
enough room to clear 38-inch tires but
hated the fact that even our 35-inch
tires would rub against our stock
radius arms at full turn. Needless to
say we could never perform a U-turn
unless we were off-road.
CAGED UP BRONCO
Installing CAGE Off-Roads 6.5-inch Long-Arm Kit
P H OT OG R A P H Y: AGU S T I N J I ME N E Z , I S A B E L J I ME N E Z , & J OR DA N MAY
CAGE Off-Road designed this suspension as a
true 6.5-inch kit that features progressive rate
coils, new tubular radius arms and dual front
shock mounts as well as a drop pitman arm.
We decided that CAGE Off-Road
Products was the only way to go for a
tough reliable off-road suspension that
would still give us a decent on road feel.
CAGE Off-Road really put in the man
hours designing this suspension so that
you wont have to do any mods after-
wards to make it perform that way you want. This is a fairly in-depth suspension to install in a
driveway but it is denitely doable. The hardest part was installing the C-bushings around our
axle and at the end of the radius arms. If you can do that, you too can knock out a suspension
like this in a weekend with the help of a few buddies. So what does the suspension ride like?
It is, to date, our favorite radius arm suspension out on the market!. The progressive rate coils
allow a super smooth highway ride, yet it no longer requires a sway bar for high-speed jaunts
or highways. It is super fun to drive now thanks to CAGEs suspension, and it doesnt hurt
that the new nitrogen-charged shocks deliver a foot of travel! OR
8
Here is our new radius
arm clamp mounted
on our axle. It took a
while but we nally got
these on. We used the old
radius arm clamp bolts to
pull both ends together
and then loosened the
bolts and replaced them
with the new ones that
CAGE includes. The bolt
holes do need to be
elongated a bit but its
nothing a long round le
and drill cant take care
of. The axle bushings have a specic position but they are marked on the inside
with the corresponding positions which read either front bottom or rear bot-
tom. A word to the wiseit makes it easier if you mount the CAGE head radius
arm-to-head unit bushings while the head unit is outside. Otherwise youll need
to fumble around with it until you get them in place like we did.
7
Here is our new track
bar drop bracket
being installed. Obviously
the old shock towers are
not used with this kit and
must be removed in order
to install the new track
bar drop bracket and new
dual shock mount. Make
sure you reinstall the old
bolts from the rear of the
shock towers since these
retain the brackets for the
motor mounts.
6
We clamped up our
new dual shock mount
by using a two vise grips
and a C-clamp to hold
the shock mount in place
while we marked off and
drilled the holes on our
frame. Thats the great
thing about this kit: it's
designed with the average
off-roader in mind. Not
everyone knows how to
weld but if you know how
to use a tape measure and
clamps and you can drill
holes, you can install this suspension kit. You will need a -inch drill bit for all of
the holes you will drill into your coil buckets and frame. We found it best to start off
with a small drill bit and work our way up to bigger drill bits.
5
Our Bronco was already equipped with a 6-inch suspension lift that used radius
arm drop brackets. The drop brackets tie into the transmission cross member
and help strengthen the frame. Although you dont need to keep your old radius
arm mount, CAGE suggests that you trim your old radius arm mount (in this case
our drop bracket) to help reinforce the frame in case the truck sees abusive off-road
use. We listened to CAGE and went ahead and cut it; there is really no reason not
to, and a die grinder or plasma cutter will make quick work of it.
4
If you wheel an older Ford with radius arms, you know what these are.
Yeah, we hate changing these bushings too! The radius arm clamps are
super easy to remove but incredibly difcult to install. Make sure you dont
throw away the front half of the radius arm clamp as you will need to reuse this
with the new CAGE head units.
3
Once we had our coil
springs out, we re-
moved the shocks. Make
sure you have your axle
on jackstands so that
it doesnt move around
when you remove your
old suspension parts. The
truck needs to be lifted
independently of the axle
so you can get the coils
out. Before you begin to
loosen anything, note the
wheelbase on each side
of the truck so you know
what to set the wheel-
base to when you install
your new radius arms.
2
We began to dis-
mantle our suspen-
sion by lifting the truck
so that the coils could
be removed. The lower
coil mount bolts need to
be removed as well as
the upper coil retaining
bracket in order to free
the coil spring from the
coil bucket.
1
Here is our old suspension complete with decades of dirt. While this quad
shock set up served its purpose, it simply didnt have anywhere near the
amount of ex that the CAGE Off-Road 6.5 kit has.
Caged Up Bronco
12
We had to lift each
side of the Bronco in
order to install the 6.5-inch
progressive rate coils. The
top section of the coil is
so tightly wound that you
cant get the coil retaining
bracket in unless you use a
magnet to pull it through to
where you can put the bolt
through it.
11
The lower coil buckets should bolt up on
most applications but in our case it didnt.
We had 1.25 inches of spacing for the lower coil
buckets so we needed to slightly modify our coil
buckets in order to mount them. If you do have to
modify yours to t, make sure you elongate the
rear bolt hole so that you coil lines up perfectly.
10
You will need to
drill out eight holes
(six on the side and two on
the bottom) in your frame
in order to mount the new
brackets. Make sure you do
not drill through any brake
or fuel lines.
9
The new CAGE radius arm mount bolts up near
the transfer case on the frame. You will need
to measure back 22 inches from the rear edge of
the cab body mount (rewall) and mark the posi-
tion. You will need to line the bracket up with that
mark using the larger 1-inch hole as your reference
point. Make sure you get this right; otherwise your
frame will look like Swiss cheese.
13
Heres the comparison of our new radius arm
set up next to the old radius arm on the far
side. Yes, the new one is way better and has more
ground clearance than we know what to do with.
15
Here is our new CAGE Off-Road long-arm
6.5-inch front suspension nally installed.
It took a while for us to nish it but it can be
completed even in a drive way. The truck performs
so much better than it did, both on the highway and
off-road. Though the ride is much cushier on the
progressive rate coils, it still was very stable and we
were even able to ditch the sway bar.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'd like to thank my father for his
tremendous help during the build. Thanks, Dad!
14
We also threw on a set of CAGE Off-Roads
long-travel nitrogen-charged shocks in the
rear. We decided to keep our old kicker shocks for
their anti wrap characteristics.
Sources
BOCHO AUTO REPAIR
(323) 721-9227
CAGE OFF-ROAD PRODUCTS
(866) 587-2243
www.cageoffroad.com
W
hat is the key to nishing
any off-road race? Were
sure youre all offering a
number of ideas here, but
the team over at Dean Schlingmann
Motorsports (DSM) in Covina, Califor-
nia, would claim durability at the top
of any list. If it cant run for hours on
end, be exposed to the gnarliest of
environmental conditions, and still
bring you to the nish line, its just not
good enough.
When their old 351 Windsor V-8 engine
started showing its age, the team at DSM
decided to step up and give the rest of the
competitors in Class 8 desert racing some-
thing to be concerned with. Never ones
to back down, DSM decided it was time
to build a new engine for its F-150, which
would prove durable for the seasons of
desert racing ahead of them. It would have
to provide enough power to propel their
5,200-pound lead sled (named Layla) across
the deserts of Baja. But it had to do all this
without breaking or breaking the bank.
After some intense research sessions and
debates, team engine builder Steve Schling-
mann decided on a 408 Windsor combina-
tion. The goal: 500-plus horsepower and
500-plus lb-ft of torque on pump gas. With
these numbers, the team could be condent
they would be the ones leaving other teams
in the dust (providing no driver errors) and
would be crossing the nish line consistently.
True to their grass roots, the DSM team
went to work hand-massaging the seasoned
351W block sourced from Mirage Parts.
They rst made sure to check for imperfec-
tions using both magnetic and chemical
crack-checking methods. Next DSM hand
sanded and polished the upper lifter valley
to allow used oil in the upper end of the
engine to nd its way back to the pan
quickly. Always looking for opportunities to
extend engine life, team machinist Joel Oliva
machined the area behind the water pump
mounting face to house a 0.040-inch carb
jet that was plumbed into the oil pressure
DURABILITY:
FACTOR 10
Stroking a 351 Windsor
BY DAL E S AT E R S
P H OT OG R A P H Y: DA L E S AT E R S
signal line. This allowed the jet to spray the
distributor gear with oil instead of relying
solely on splash-oiling.
After a few more rounds of cleaning and
clearancing, DSM sent the block to Manny
Moreno for machining. Using Rottler equip-
ment, Manny brought the deck to zero deck
height (from crankshaft centerline), bored
the cylinders 0.030 inches over and line-
honed the cam and main bearing journals.
Care was taken to mount and torque the
main bearing girdle prior to any machining.
Likewise, a torque plate was fastened to the
block using ARP studs to eliminate any dis-
tortion during the machining process. Every
cylinder and bearing journal was double
checked for machining tolerance before the
cleanup and initial assembly started.
After speaking with the guys at SCAT
Enterprises, Steve decided on their 408
stroker assembly. At 0.030 inches overbore
and a 4-inch stroke, the 408 stroker would
provide sufcient power for getting the DSM
race truck up to speed quickly. To match the
torque goals while excelling in horsepower
numbers, Steve called Air Flow Research to
nd out how they could help. Having re-
cently introduced its Outlaw 185cc Aluminum
Head, AFR was condent that the runner
volume would allow for adequate torque
numbers while keeping the air velocity high
enough to sustain the horsepower goals DSM
needs while charging across the desert.
Never one to take components for
granted, Steve went about checking each
and every intake and exhaust valve spring for
correct seat load at measured (and speci-
ed) height using a Rimac valve spring tester.
Where seat pressure values varied, Steve
used spring shims to preload the springs.
While this technique may seem like overkill,
comparing seat load pressure during future
rebuilds will help to determine when springs
are aging out of specication. To nish off
the head work, Steve indexed the spark
plugs using plug shims and port matched the
1
After receiving, every critical area of the block is
chemically and magnetically checked for cracks.
2
The engine boring was performed using a Rot-
tler machine for the highest quality standards
3
DSM Machinist Joel Oliva machines the area
behind the water pump mounting surface for
the timing gear oiling jet.
4
The oiling jet orice is checked for accuracy by
spraying brake cleaner through the jet onto the
timing gear.
5
Hand-massaging off the upper lifter valley al-
lows for quick oil return to the pan.
6
Clearancing is required where the oil pump
comes in close proximity to the main stud girdle.
7
The cross hatch pattern in the cylinders indi-
cates appropriate honing in preparation for the
piston installation.
8
Liberal amounts of Torco assembly lube are used
on every bearing and friction surface.
9
The SRP/H-beam rod assemblies are inserted
into each cylinder using a piston ring compress-
ing tool.
10
Clearance is the name of the game. Here,
hand clearancing was required on the lowest
portion of the cylinder sleeve in order to clearance
the rotating assembly.
Edelbrock Vic Jr intake manifold to minimize
any air restrictions from the intake manifold
to intake runners (Felpro gasket # 1263).
To ensure this 408 was beneting from
these improved head ow and cylinder vol-
ume numbers, DSM employed the experts
at Comp Cams who helped to prescribe an
aggressive cam using a solid roller lifter to
follow (Comp Cams # 35-772-8). Addition-
ally, Comp helped to spec its 1.6:1 Magnum
roller rocker arms, 5/16-inch (0.110 wall
thickness) push rods and double roller timing
set to nish off the upper end.
The DSM crew meticulously cleaned every
component as it was installed, making notes
of critical dimensions and adjustments for
historical comparison. As the crank was laid
into the block, all crank bearing journals were
measured before the Clevite Tri-Armor bear-
ings were installed. Note: Clevite Tri-Armor
bearings were a special request with this stro-
ker kit at the preference of DSM. Plastigage
was used to conrm bearing to crank clear-
ance before liberally applying Torco assembly
lube. True to the durability mindset, the rear
main seal was pinned and safety-wired into
place along with all freeze plugs. Main caps
were fastened down with ARP studs speci-
cally chosen to hold the 5/8-inch thick main
girdle and windage tray in place.
Next, the SRP piston/H-beam forged rod
assemblies were lowered into each cylinder
and mated to the crankshaft. ARP fasteners
were used to fasten the rod to the crank.
To conrm proper fastener tightening,
the bolt stretch method was employed
using an ARP bolt stretch gauge. This
stretch method would also allow for future
fastener inspection and failure avoidance.
Once installed, the piston deck height was
conrmed. Using a Felpro 1011 0.040-inch
head gasket, modeling clay was used on the
top of the piston to help measure piston to
valve clearance.
With clearances conrmed, DSM con-
sulted with the experts at Eds Auto Parts in
Covina, California, to help prescribe all the
correct gaskets, cam bearings, freeze plugs
and brackets which would eventually be
responsible for bringing this engine together.
With the cam bearings installed, a liberal
amount of Comp Cams assembly lube was
applied to the cam before nding its home.
To hold the cam in place, Steve chose to use
the Comp Cams needle bearing thrust plate.
This is a trick unit and highly recommended
for similar applications. With cam end play
of sanding and clearancing allowed for an
easy install.
Trying to nd a set of race ready headers
for an F-150 proved challenging. To rid this
stroker of spent exhaust gases, DSM utilized
components supplied by Hedman Hedders
to build a one-off custom set of 1-inch
primary, long-tube headers. Measuring
almost 36 inches in primary length, these
headers helped to maintain torque while
being easy to install. With a 3/8-inch thick
head ange, warpage will not be a concern.
Carb Build
With the engine ready to run, Holley
Carburetors stepped in to make sure this
stroker was breathing well. The weapon of
choice would be the Holley Performer HP
750 carb. On its own, its an outstanding
carburetor, but after being massaged by
the experts at The Carb Shop in Ontario,
California, this carb would prove to meter
fuel as efciently as any high-dollar carb,
all while barreling across the deserts of the
southwest.
Carb Shop technician OJ ran through this
HP 750 from top to bottom leaving no pow-
er valves sacred. The modications came so
quickly, some went unnoticed to the novice
and would require a lengthy novel to fully
document. To start, OJ completely disas-
sembled the carb down to its most basic
parts. After examining the base plate and
main body for clearance with the PCV and
other ttings, OJ mounted the base plate in
a specially designed jig and milled approxi-
conrmed, the cam was degreed using a
set of rockers, a cam lobe lift gauge and a
Comp degree wheel. The cam install was
nished off by assembling the double roller
timing gears and chain straight up.
To nish up the assembly, Steve closed
up the bottom end of the engine with an
extra capacity oil pan. After torquing the
heads, the valve lash was set for startup
before applying the custom DSM valve
covers. Between the valve covers, machinist
Joel Oliva mounted -10AN breather ttings
(sprint car style) which would eventually be
plumbed to an oil catch can with blow-off
lter to vent any positive crank pressure.
Installing the MSD Pro Billet distributor
required some modication to the distributor
body and intake manifold. Twenty minutes
11
The bolt stretch method was employed
using an ARP bolt stretch gauge.
12
Each freeze plug was drilled, tapped, pinned
and safety-wired in order to prevent plugs
from escaping at the wrong time.
13
The rear main seal and rear cam plug were
also pinned and safety-wired into place to
avoid any blow outs.
14
Modeling clay was used to measure the
valve-to-piston clearance.
15
After applying the intake manifold gasket,
the port opening was hand scribed into the
Dyechem-painted surface to signify a border for
hand porting.
19
In order to install the MSD Pro Billet distribu-
tor, a little clearancing was required on the
Vic Jr intake.
18
Using a spark plug indexing tool, Steve is
able to insure the best potential for ignition
by pointing the plug directly at the intake port.
17
Here, Steve Schlingmann torques each of the
AFR aluminum heads according to the ARP
torque specs.
16
From this
view, its
easy to see
how porting
can help
eliminate
the ow
restrictions
where the
intake and
head meet.
Durability: Factor 10
mately 0.075 inches off the top of the base
plate. While this isnt a requirement, OJ felt
it would lend itself to easy assembly and
eliminate any potential discrepancies which
arise in the manufacturing process. While
he was at it, OJ took the same liberties in
cleaning up the main body mating surface
of the metering block.
With the carburetor base plate, main
body and metering blocks all modied and
cleaned, assembly started. Idle feed restric-
tors, idle valve restrictors, and high speed
valves were all replaced and redrilled for
precision metering. Venturies were also re-
moved and replaced with specially modied
units by the Carb Shop (do not perform this
modication at home).
Next, Holley side-hung oat bowls were
prepared for the installation. Because the HP
750 carb does not have a side-hung option
for the secondary bowl, a primary bowl was
used on both ends of the carb. This primary
bowl modication would require that the
crossover tube holes be plugged and sealed
and that each bowl would later be inde-
pendently supplied with fuel. Primary oat
springs were used in both oat bowls and
oats were adjusted to 0.250 inches above
the bottom of the bowl. Both bowls were
modied to include a spring-loaded needle
and seat assembly which would help meter
fuel through the rough desert terrain. As
the bowls were attached to the main body,
a Carb Shop overow screen and Holley fuel
bafe were mounted for additional overow
control. Once assembled, a small tube was
installed to connect the two overow vent
tubes with very small holes drilled directly
over the center of the carb main body.
The last few steps were quick but
important. OJ installed a set of specially
machined Carb Shop accelerator pumps
before adjusting the bend in the primary-to-
secondary link to conrm that the second-
ary butteries are fully opened under WOT
(wide-open-throttle) conditions. OJ suggests
mounting this HP 750 using the Holley
5/16-inch composite gasket for temperature
isolation and hand tightening with a short
wrench in a cross pattern. To set initial idle,
OJ adjusted all four idle valves 1.5 turns out
from fully closed, to start. The remainder of
the adjustments were made while testing on
the Carb Shop test engine.
INK
26
Using their specially designed carb jig, The
Carb Shop can machine carb bodies with
ease.
25
OJ eliminates the interference points on the
carb base plate using a mill.
24
OJ illustrates the interference between the
carb main body orices and the base plate.
23
Carb Shop technician OJ drills out the screws
on the carb butteries. He would later
replace them with button head screws for smoother
air ow
22
Completely welded and braised, these long
tube headers should provide ample torque
for spinning the 35-inch tires
20
In addition to clearancing the intake
manifold, the MSD distributor needed some
massaging. Here, the tight t is easily illustrated.
27
The side-hung oat is adjusted approxi-
mately 0.250 inches from the bottom of the
bowl. Notice the plugged and epoxied fuel feed hole
in the upper left.
21
Dean Schlingmann prepares to weld the
Hedman Hedder components for the number
8 cylinder
31
In all her glory, this 408W runs hard on the
dyno and impresses all with 556hp/521lb ft
of torque.
30
Steve Brule at Westech Performance
performs a nal visual check of the engine
before preparing for ignition.
29
Here, OJ
checks
the carb
butteries
at WOT set-
tings before
nishing
reassembly.
28
On the right, the Carb Shop specially modi-
ed venturi. This modication is believed to
help atomize fuel particles while enhancing air ow
through the engine.
32
To top it off, an S&B Filters cotton/gauze
intake lter will help keep any contaminants
from reaching vital engine components.
Running Results
We nally made it to the desert recently
to test the new engine for a couple (just a
couple) shake down miles. At around 100
mph the hood started to bend back despite
the hood pin placement.
Knowing the hood ex issue, we "speed
taped" the front of the hood for the latest
SNORE race. What a difference horsepower
makes! We took rst place in class by 10
minutes. This was a night race, so we didn't
get a chance to open it up, but we denately
showed how strong this monster can pull. In
fact, we set our top speed going uphill!
Sources
AIR FLOW RESEARCH
www.airowreserach.com
THE CARB SHOP
www.customcarbs.com
COMP CAMS
www.compcams.com
DEAN SCHLINGMANN MOTORSPORTS
www.the8truck.com
EDELBROCK
www.edelbrock.com
EDS AUTO PARTS OF COVINA
www.edsautoparts.net
HOLLEY PERFORMANCE BRANDS
www.holley.com
HEDMAN HEDDERS
www.hedman.com
MSD IGNITION
www.msdignition.com
S&B FILTERS
www.sblters.com
SCAT ENTERPRISES
www.scatenterprises.com
WESTECH PERFORMANCE GROUP
www.westechperformance.com
Dyno Day
The guys at Dean Schlingmann Motorsports know that
the true litmus test comes on dyno day so they sought the
help of the team at Westech Performance Group. At West-
ech, Steve Brule assisted in mating the freshly tuned HP 750
to this 408 Windsor. The combination was topped off with
an S&B Filters 14-inch round lter assembly to insure nothing
but clean air entered this engine.
Initial dyno pulls by Brule helped break in the fresh pis-
ton rings and rotating assemblies. Addition-
ally, oil pressure, coolant temps and air/fuel
ratio were conrmed so that lean conditions
could be avoided. Initial dyno pulls also
discovered that the oil level calibration was
incorrect, resulting in a loss of 10 hp due to
one quart too much oil.
The carb primary and secondary jets
were adjusted to 71 and 79, respectively.
Additionally, the Power valve was adjusted
to a 7.5. Conrming the A/F ratio at 12.5:1,
Brule went for the nish line with a nal
dyno pull resulting in 556 hp and 521 lb-ft
of torque.
The DSM crew was happy with the
results of their labors. Now the Durability test
remains. After a quick vehicle prep, its off to
the desert. Class 8 should be concerned. OR
The proofit
cant be denied!
N
itrous oxide (NO
2
) can be a nicky power adder
for your engine. It is composed of two oxygen
molecules for every one nitrogen molecule. This
mixture is not a fuel and doesnt produce power by
itself, but it gives you the ability to burn more fuel to create
more powerthink of it as a catalyst. If used improperly, it
has the potential to blow engine parts through your trucks
hood. However, when used correctly with the sufcient
components, nitrous oxide will without a doubt provide the
most amount of power for the least amount of money. It can
be used on nearly any engine without severely degrading
ONE ZEX-Y,
WET SHOT
OF NITROUS
Who Says Six Cylinders
Arent Enough?
BY J OR DAN J ONE S
P H OT OG R A P H Y: J E R R OD J ON E S
the life of the engine. Generally, nitrous is considered a mod
that only gets plumbed into little tuner cars or large V-8s that
displace lots of cubic inches and have a quarter mile to go.
But with so many guys trading in their V-8s for four and-six-
cylinder ORVs, it was time to see what a bottle of NO
2
could
do to a mild Jeep I-6. We didnt want a kit that would break
our bank, nor did we want one without any safety param-
eters that would stop the nitrous ow if the fuel ow stops.
It sounded like a stretch, but after talking to Zex we were
condent it could be accomplished with its 4 &-6-Cylinder
Nitrous System for EFI engines.
4
After some test tting
in a tight Cherokee
engine compartment, we
decided that the best spot
for the NMU would be stuck
to the side of the air intake
box. We found a spot in
the corner of the rewall
next to the fender, but we
decided that would be a
bad point of impact during
a crash and not somewhere
youd want to mount a con-
trol box with fuel lines and
nitrous running through it.
Mounting to the side of the
air intake box was not ideal,
but it would be a safe place
to have the NMU mounted
in the event of an accident.
We used adhesive tape and
bolts with nuts to secure it.
1
The simplicity of this kit allowed us to hook it up one
night after work. Since this kit only requires simple
modications to be made, we would have been able to stop
the installation in the middle and still drive to work the next
morning. Remember that it is NOT legal to have the nitrous
bottle attached on the highway! We wanted the kit hidden
from sight (thus the Blackout option), but after some test
tting we had to move it to a less conned space.
2
This is the NMU control box that man-
ages the fuel and nitrous ow. The
Out ports (on the other side of the unit)
are clearly labeled for fuel and nitrous.
The In ports use larger ttings to ensure
there is always enough supply to meet the
regulated demand, and so you dont hook
up the kit backwards. This all-inclusive
control box greatly simplies the instal-
lation of the kit and has built-in safety
features to keep your engine alive.
to monitor the bottle pressure and regulate
the amount of fuel added to the mixture.
This ensures that the engine is never run
too rich or too lean. The Zex kit also utilizes
a simple and intelligent activation method:
the Nitrous Management Unit (NMU) learns
the voltage curve of the vehicles throttle
position sensor (TPS) and when powered,
will activate injection at wide open throttle
(WOT). The fuel and NO
2
is the fed to the
Zex nitrous nozzle where it is mixed and
then nely atomized during injection by the
nozzles patent pending Fuel Shear technol-
ogy. This kit is adjustable between a 55 hp
and 75 hp shot of nitrous with the use brass
nozzles of varying diameter to limit the
amount of nitrous available. OR
There are various delivery methods to get
the nitrous in the engine, but they are mainly
distinguished as either a dry or wet kit.
In an EFI-equipped engine, a dry system in-
jects only nitrous into the intake. It then relies
upon tricking the factory ECU into dumping
more fuel into the engine to mix with added
nitrous oxide. Dry systems can only add small
amounts of horsepower (around 60 hp)
because they utilize stock injectors to dump
more fuel. A wet system actually plumbs into
your existing fuel lines and not only dumps
nitrous oxide into the engine, but also extra
fuel (usually combining the two at a single
nozzle) just upstream of the throttle body.
Much more power can be safely added to an
engine with a wet system, but a good rule of
3
Sometimes a wet kit requires you to
splice or T into the fuel lines. One
of the nicest features of this kit was that
the fuel supply line tied right into the
nipple on the fuel rail. The main issue
with wet kits is making sure that the fuel
pump can supply enough fuel to both
the injectors and the NMU. However, if
the unit isnt getting enough fuel, it will
restrict the supplied amount of nitrous to
ensure that the engine never runs lean.
thumb is to never add a nitrous shot that pro-
duces more than 33 percent of the engines
[pre-nitrous] power. With 100,000 miles on
our stock inline 6s fuel injectors and engine
sensors, we decided to go with a Zex wet
system that would provide a 55 to 75 hp shot
of nitrous. We also obtained the Blackout edi-
tion of the kit that uses black fuel and nitrous
lines, a black control box, and a black nitrous
bottle. We gured it made sense to keep the
nitrous kit as hidden as possible.
The ZEX wet system uses a Nitrous
Management Unit which controls the entire
nitrous system, has built-in safety systems,
and makes for a simple two-hour installa-
tion. This pre-assembled unit uses features
such as Zexs patented Active Fuel Control
6
There are three
wires that come
off the NMU control
box, making installa-
tion quick and pain-
less. The black wire
runs to a negative
ground, while the red
wire runs to the on/
off switch that you
need to mount inside
your vehicle some-
where. We found a
spot for our switch in
a blank hole on the
dash near a couple
factory switches. The toggle switch should have power routed through it from a
switched ignition lead that will only be on when the vehicle is running.
5
Two stainless braided and insulated high pressure lines feed nitrous and
fuel from the NMU control box to a single Zex injector. That injector is
threaded into a bung that mounts on the air intake tube. When the control
box receives a signal from the TPS sensor that indicates WOT, the NMU allows
both nitrous and excess fuel to ow to the single Zex nozzle and atomize in the
air intake stream just before the throttle body. The cold, condensed oxygen
combined with the extra fuel will generate around 70 more horsepower in this
engineroughly 30 percent of the engines available output before the nitrous
(within standard safe range).
7
The position that you mount the tank at is very important. The pickup of
most systems (unless ordering a special bottle to be run upside down) is
in the very bottom of the tank, and is a xed tube. Therefore, its important to
mount the tank with this tube at the lowest point so it can pick up the heavier
nitrous oxide gas in the bottom of the tank. Its also important to mount the tank
with the valve pointing towards the front of the vehicle so the nitrous is driven
towards the bottom of the bottle when accelerating. One thing to note is that,
even though these were high-quality bottle brackets, we would have been much
more pleased with them had they set the bottle at more of an angle (like most
nitrous bottle brackets weve seen). Having the bottle lay almost at like this
makes it imperative to properly mount it with the valve handle pointing forward.
Sources
ZEX NITROUS SYSTEMS
(888) 817-1008
www.zex.com
One Zex-y, Wet Shot of Nitrous
H0W700RDR
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Fall 2009 Catalog Section
The 2009 RockJock Professional Off Road
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O
ur Big Block 1979 Bronco had been running ne with
the factory cast iron intake manifold, but with bigger
tires in this trucks foreseeable future, the heavy and
restrictive manifold was simply holding back the pow-
er the 460 could pump out. With less than 1,000 miles since its
stock rebuild, we went to work removing the old carburetor
and intake manifold to make room for its new Weiand Stealth
intake manifold along with a Holley 770 CFM aluminum Truck
Avenger carburetor and a Holley 14-inch Power Shot air
cleaner. The teardown was straightforward and easy, you can
easily perform this mod with a few simple hand tools, a drain
pan, gasket sealant and adhesive.
After installing the Weiand Stealth high-rise dual-plane intake
manifold and the Holley 770 CFM Truck Avenger carburetor as well
as the Power Shot air cleaner, we felt a dramatic increase in throttle
EASY BREATHING
BIG BLOCK
Waking up a 460ci Ford V-8
P H OT OG R A P H Y: AGUS T I N J I ME N E Z
response. In fact, its too fast off the line good thing it is, because
well need that power to spin bigger tires in the sloppy stuff. Needless
to say, it was a fun shakedown run. We couldnt even take off at
WOT because a light tap of the throttle would push the old fullsize
truck down the road like a hopped-up muscle car. The Weiand
Stealth intake builds power from 1,000 rpm to 6,800 rpm and when
paired with the awesome off-road features that the Holley Truck
Avenger offers, it will turn a mild-mannered truck into a screaming
beast all while still being able to climb a hill at 40 degrees without
stalling something we couldnt do before! OR
Source
HOLLEY PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS
(800) 246-5539
www.holley.com
9
This is what the nished product looks like, a
big improvement over the hideous old units. The
Holley 14-inch Power Shot air cleaner assembly looks
great and emanates a distinct hiss while the engine
is running. The Weiand high-rise dual-plane manifold
looks awesome with the easy to clean Everbright
nish. It has all the look of polished aluminum
without any of the work or maintenance commonly
associated with it. Not only does the manifold look
good, it also builds power right off idle all the way
up to 6,800 rpm. And just in case you arent already
drooling over it, it only weighs 22 pounds!
8
Before you re up your engine, make sure you
reconnect your electric choke. Otherwise, youll
end up with an inoperable choke that stays open all
the time.
7
We had to use a different fuel line since our old
carburetor had a passenger-side fuel inlet. We
used a 3/8-inch fuel hose to deliver the goods to our
new off-road friendly Holley Truck Avenger
6
The Holley Aluminum 770 CFM Truck Avenger
is the perfect addition to any serious off-road
rig. The Truck Avengers unique fuel metering block
eliminates fuel spillover through the boosters at
extreme angles and allows up to 40-degree hill
climbs as well as 30-degree side hill maneuvers and
nose down descents. Thats right; no more ooding,
hesitations or stalling off-road a big improvement
over our old set up plus it only weighs 7.25 pounds.
5
We used a 1-inch spacer to mount our Holley
770 CFM Truck Avenger carburetor. If you mount
your carburetor straight onto your intake manifold,
the throttle valves may encounter interference
with the intake manifold. Hood clearance should be
checked when using a spacer, in our case it was not
an issue.
4
Once the intake was bolted down, we rein-
stalled the distributor. Remember what we said
about marking the position of the distributor as well
as the rotor this is where it pays off. It may take
you a few tries to get it in the right position but its
denitely easier than nding top dead center!
3
We dropped the much lighter Weiand Stealth
intake manifold into position and proceeded to
torque the manifold down to Weiands recommend-
ed torque specs. The Weiand Stealth intake uses
regular off the shelf Fel-Pro gaskets for 74-and-
older 460ci engines and is not compatible with the
newer style valley pan intake gaskets. Although
Weiand recommends using a quarter-inch bead
of silicone on the front and rear of the block, we
decided to use the rubber seals as we have had good
experience with them in the past.
2
Before you go pulling out the distributor like a
crazed tool jokey, make sure you mark the posi-
tion of the distributor as well as the position of the
rotor inside trust us, it will save you the pain and
headache of trying to nd the TDC position of the
rst cylinder later. You can see the gasket mating
surfaces of the intake manifold. Make sure you clean
this area thoroughly with a gasket scrapper but be
careful not to drop any foreign objects or dirt into
the lifter valley its a good idea to lay some rags
across the lifter valley to catch all the scraped off
gasket material.
1
We began our teardown by removing the fac-
tory air cleaner along with its many vacuum
lines so we could remove the old thirsty carburetor
that would stall out on steep hills. We then drained
the coolant from the radiator and removed the
heater hoses.
Ford 408ci ATK Stroker V-8 Crate Engine
Drag racers have long known the benets of running a 351W based 408ci stroker.
These engines command respect, and rightfully so since it has more stump pulling
power than a stock big block. If you drive a Bronco and
are tired of getting spanked by small block Blazers,
this is exactly what you need. Though
this engine is limited to only 5800
rpms, they are very reliable in off-
road trucks because you dont need
to hammer the throttle to get some
monstrous power to the wheels.
DISPLACEMENT: 408ci
Windsor based V-8
HORSEPOWER: 430 hp
TORQUE: 480 lb-ft
BLOCK MATERIAL:
Cast iron
BORE X STROKE:
4.030 x 4.000 in.
WEIGHT: 550 pounds
FEATURES: 60cc aluminum cylinder heads with 2.02 inch intake and 1.60 inch
exhaust valves and 180cc intake runners, 1.7:1 roller rockers, big hydraulic roller
cam with 0.512-inch intake and exhaust lift, nodular iron crank, I beam rods, and
10.0:1 forged pistons
WARRANTY: 24-month / unlimited mile warranty
AVERAGE PRICE: $5,999
WHAT TO USE IT IN: Any Bronco or F-150 that has a tired engine. An engine like
this would denitely give it a serious attitude adjustment while letting you retain
all of your old EFI equipment. If you just want something other than a mouse
motor in your Ranger, Toyota mini truck, Jeep CJ or Wrangler this engine will give
GM Performance Parts LS3 376/480
Why go with an LS3? Why not! The lightweight small block produces enough
power to muscle its way through any difcult terrain while still giving you excellent
street manners. This LS3 has all the
good qualities of the smooth
idling LS engines yet pro-
duces enough power
to make you think its
a big block, thanks
to the LS Hot Cam
(p/n 12617570) that
features 0.525-inch
intake and exhaust
valve lifts that allows
for a dramatic increase
in power across the
power band.
DISPLACEMENT: 376ci 6.2L V-8
HORSEPOWER: 480 hp
TORQUE: 475 lb-ft
BLOCK MATERIAL: Cast aluminum
BORE X STROKE: 4.06 x 3.62 in.
WEIGHT: 415 pounds
FEATURES: High owing rectangular port cylinder heads, 1.7:1 roller rockers,
6-Bolt aluminum block, nodular crank, high performance rods, and 10.7:1 hypere-
utectic aluminum slugs.
WARRANTY: 24-month GMPP limited warranty
AVERAGE PRICE: $7,356.55
WHAT TO USE IT IN: Any LS powered Chevy and GMC truck as well as mini truck
and buggies that need more power in mud slinging action or high speed desert
applications
BEST ENGINE SWAPS
What to Shoehorn Into Your Off-Road Rig
P H OT OG R A P H Y: C OU R T E S Y OF T H E MA N U F AC T U R E R S A N D AGU S T I N J I ME N E Z
Crate engines are a viable source when
searching for more powerful motivation.
Most companies that sell crate engines these
days offer great warranties for their products
as well as technical support in case you need
some assistance with your build. Some of
them even offer the option to custom build it
W
eve all been there at one point or anotherYou know what were
talking about. What engine should I drop into my truck? This sort
of dilemma is usually a result of prolonged bench racing sessions.
Most of us ask a couple of friends and fellow wheelers what they
think about certain engines and if they think it would be a wise choice for our per-
sonal off-road rig. The options are fairly wide when it comes to choosing engines
for your off-road toy.
to your specications and needs.
In case you dont have a few grand burn-
ing a hole in your pocket, salvage yards may
be the solution to your power problems. The
key thing to remember when scrounging
around a salvage yard is that you never know
what youre going to nd in the next jalopy.
Crumpled fenders or bedsides may be a good
indication that the engine you are looking at
may still be good. Junkyard shopping is an art
form that takes years of experience to master.
Keep in mind that looking around the entire
lot may lead to a heck of a nd, but make
sure you dont forget where you found your
treasure. Putting a loose tire on the roof of
a potential candidate is a good way to mark
where your discovery is incase you walk away
to poach elsewhere.
We felt the need to fuel the re a bit and
decided to give you our opinions on what we
think are some of the best engines out there
to use in your off-road toy. OR
AMC Third Gen V-8
This is one of those oddball engines that are not as mainstream as the other big
threes engines but
nonetheless it is a great
engine that offers mon-
strous torque. They can
be had for practically
nothing and if you treat
them right, they can live
a long life and turn your
slow Jeep into a dirt
rocket.
DISPLACEMENT: 304ci,
360ci and 401ci
WHAT THEY CAME IN:
They were produced from 70 to '91 and were available in the Jeep CJ7, Wagoneer,
Cherokee, Grand Wagoneer, J-10 and J-20 trucks
HORSEPOWER: 125 to 255 hp
TORQUE: 220 to 435 lb-ft
FEATURES: Dog leg exhaust ports which build more power than the previous
designs, larger piston bores paired with shorter strokes for gobs of torque
BENEFITS: Inexpensive to purchase at a wrecking yard or online, not a small block
Chevy, keeps your Jeep AMC powered, awesome lumpy exhaust note, produces
enough power and torque to lift a 39-inch tire off the left front of a CJ-7 under
hard launches
DRAWBACKS: Obsolete parts that can be expensive to repair or replace, stock
axles and drivetrain can break under the torque of the AMC V8.
MAKE IT BETTER: Install a big lumpy cam along with a set of Edelbrock AMC
Performer RPM aluminum cylinder heads.
WHAT TO USE IT IN: Any Jeep CJ7, Wrangler YJ or TJ that needs to turn massive
tires and calls for a V8 that isnt a Chevy or Dodge power plant, would make a
great engine choice for a class 3 desert racing Jeep
Nissan 5.6L Endurance V-8
Nissan did it right when they built the 5.6L V-8 Titan engine. Their all aluminum
engine delivers a huge amount of stump-pulling power which naturally makes it a
great engine choice for underpowered Nissans. The tough bottom end torque of
the 5.6L V-8 as well as its
highly efcient 32-valve
DOHC design help this
engine perform like the
big block that it isnt.
DISPLACEMENT: 5.6L
HORSEPOWER: 317 hp
TORQUE: 385 lb-ft
BLOCK MATERIAL:
Aluminum
BORE X STROKE: 98 x
92 mm
FEATURES: 9.8:1 compression, 32-valve DOHC, 6,000 rpm redline, aluminum block
and cylinder heads
BENEFITS: Very good power to weight ratio, decent torque band, gnarly sounding
exhaust note
DRAWBACKS: Is not exactly known for good fuel economy. If you put it in a
lightweight truck, its bound to be fuel efcient.
MAKE IT BETTER: Slap on a Stillen supercharger for more power than youll know
what to do with
WHAT TO USE IT IN: Any Nissan Patrol, Xterra or Frontier that will see high-speed
desert action would be a real joy to drive with this monster under the hood
AVERAGE PRICE: Vary; check your local auto recyclers and online ads for wrecked
Titans
GM Performance Parts HT502
No matter how you spin it, theres simply nothing quite like a big block engine.
With 512 lb-ft of torque, this engine can conquer
anything you dish out against it. Heavy
trucks such as crew cab
Chevys are awesome
double-duty rigs, but
when the tire size
increases, the stock
engine is simply not
going to cut itgood
thing you can revital-
ize it with the HT502
crate engine. This would
be the perfect engine to
use in classic 67-to-72
Suburbans.
DISPLACEMENT: 502ci
HORSEPOWER: 377 hp
TORQUE: 512 lb-ft
BLOCK MATERIAL: Cast-iron with 4-bolt main caps
BORE X STROKE: 4.47 x 4.00 in.
FEATURES: Four bolt main caps, Iron oval port cylinder heads, 1.7:1 stamped steel
rockers, forged steel crank, forged steel, shot-peened connecting rods, 8.75:1
forged aluminum pistons, and a hydraulic roller cam that features 0.480 intake and
0.483 exhaust valve lift
WARRANTY: 24-month / 50,000-mile GMPP limited warranty
AVERAGE PRICE: $6,818.40
WHAT TO USE IT IN: Any tow rig or mud bogger that needs more power than the
stock engine can deliver.
Mopar 4.7L Stroker Jeep Crate Engine
Theres no torque like that of the venerable Jeep inline six! Its a shame to let these
engines go to waste just because they arent as powerful as a V-8. And besides,
thats not necessarily the case because Mopar has you covered with their 4.7L
stroker crate engine. V-8
power in a solid straight-six,
theres no reason not to
keep your Jeep straight
six powered!
DISPLACEMENT:
4.7L V-8
HORSEPOWER:
270 hp
TORQUE:
240 lb-ft
BLOCK MATERIAL:
Cast-iron
BORE X STROKE:
3.875 x 3.906 in
WEIGHT: 515 pounds
FEATURES: New nodular iron
lightweight crank, roller rockers
BENEFITS: V-8 power with inline six torque, you dont have to modify anything to
get it to t
DRAWBACKS: Not as powerful as most would like it to be
MAKE IT BETTER: 505 Performance makes a turbo kit for the 4.0L Jeep inline six
WARRANTY: 90-day limited warranty
AVERAGE PRICE: $5,500 MSRP
WHAT TO USE IT IN: Any Jeep, of course! Perfect for any Jeep that is used as a trail
rig and requires just enough power to climb over obstacles.
Mopar 6.1L Hemi Crate Engine
Ever since the 6.1L Hemi debuted, it has commanded respect with its incredible
low end grunt as well as its top end power. This engine is no slouch and can
perform in everything from slow trail rides and rock crawling to warp speed desert
blasting runs. Drop this in between the frame rails of old Ram Chargers, Rams as
well as Jeep Cherokees of all types. This engine will turn your heavy truck into a
quicknimble off-road rig.
DISPLACEMENT: 6.1L V-8
HORSEPOWER: 425
horsepower
TORQUE: 420 lb-ft
BLOCK MATERIAL:
Cast-iron
BORE X STROKE: 4.055 x
3.58 in
WEIGHT: 578 lbs.
FEATURES: Stock SRT V-8
engine
BENEFITS: Its a Hemi! It idles smooth. Big power and torque in a reliable package
that will give you years of off-road fun.
WARRANTY: 90 day limited warranty
AVERAGE PRICE: $6,250 MSRP
WHAT TO USE IT IN: Any Mopar rig that needs some modern muscle to propel it
through anything in its path. Older Dodge Rams as well as Ram Chargers would be
the perfect candidate for these high powered Mopar monsters.
Toyota 4.0L V-6
If youve driven an FJ Cruiser or Tacoma with the 4.0L V-6, than you know they are
no slouch when it comes to off the line acceleration. Toyota did their homework
improving the design of the already stout 3.4L V-6 to create a ferocious little
engine. This engine is capable of making mid sized trucks drive as if they were
powered by a V-8. This would be the perfect engine to use in rst gen 4runners as
well as Toyota mini trucks and desert carving rst-gen Tacomas.
DISPLACEMENT: 4.0L
HORSEPOWER: 236 HP
TORQUE: 266 lb-ft
BLOCK MATERIAL:
Aluminum
3.74 in.
WEIGHT: 366 lbs.
(automatic trans.) 395 lbs.
(manual trans.)
FEATURES: 10.0:1
compression, 24-valve DOHC with variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i),
aluminum block and cylinder heads, dual stage intake manifold
BENEFITS: Light weight aluminum V-6, outstanding reliability in any environment,
delivers a powerful punch as well as very good fuel millage
DRAWBACKS: Not a V-8, might require extensive research, knowledge and modi-
cations to swap into older Tacomas and 4runners
WHAT TO USE IT IN: Any Toyota mini truck or 4runner as well as Tacomas that
need more speed than the 3.4L can offer.
MAKE IT BETTER: TRD supercharger!
Ford 460ci Big Block
The 385 series is one of the toughest engine platforms ever built and will leave a big
smile on your face with its enormous power. You can nd these engines powering
dragsters, mud boggers, and desert racing trucks everywhere. If you want your
heavy Bronco or F-150 to move like a sports car, drop one of these in between the
frame rails and get ready
to empty your wallet at the
pump. Youll be lucky if you
can average 10-12 mpg
with one of these under
the hoodeither way,
these engines will always
get the job done making
any obstacle seam about
as hard as climbing a curb.
DISPLACEMENT: 460ci
7.5L V-8
WHAT THEY CAME IN: These engines were produced from 68-to-97 and were
available in early full size luxury cars (boats) as well as full size Ford trucks until 97.
The last 460ci was sold in the 97 F-250/F350 pick-up truck.
HORSEPOWER: 245 to 375 hp
TORQUE: 415 to 490 lb-ft
BLOCK MATERIAL: Cast-iron
BORE X STROKE: 4.36 x 3.85 in
WEIGHT: 720 pounds
FEATURES: Big bore and short stroke for tons of low end torque.
BENEFITS: Can be had for almost nothing and are solid reliable engines in many
applicationslots of low end stump pulling torque!
DRAWBACKS: Will pass everything except a gas station
MAKE IT BETTER: Swap in a good set of aluminum cylinder heads, aggressive
cam, aluminum high rise intake, headers, and at least a 750 CFM carburetoryou
can bet youll feel a big difference!
WHAT TO USE IT IN: Use this in any Ford truck that you plan to run hard or where
gobs of power are needed. This is the perfect engine for a giant mud truck.
Toyota 5.7L V-8
The Tundras 5.7L V-8 has given the big three a run for their money as far as big
power goes. With just over 400 lb-ft of torque, its no wonder the Tundra can
hauleven on 35-inch rubberand thats without re-gearing it! Simply put, there
is no reason to not want a menacing engine such as this that can power through
the ruts and y down the highways like nobodys business.
DISPLACEMENT: 5.7L
HORSEPOWER: 381 hp
TORQUE: 401 lb-ft
BLOCK MATERIAL:
Aluminum
4.02 in.
WEIGHT: 483.5 pounds
FEATURES: 10.2:1 com-
pression, 32-valve DOHC
with dual independent
variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i), aluminum block and cylinder heads,
dual stage intake manifold
BENEFITS: Very good power to weight ratio, earth moving torque, big block
tendencies, Toyota reliability.
DRAWBACKS: Requires extensive research, knowledge and modications to swap
into your project truck, you need to dig deep in your pockets to use one of these
as a daily driver because they are denitely thirsty thumpersespecially since they
may cause lead foot syndrome.
WHAT TO USE IT IN: Any rock crawling, desert conquering, and mud slinging
Toyota truck. This would be a sweet engine to use in FJ55s, FJ60s, as well as FJ80s
for an all Toyota capable rig.
MAKE IT BETTER: Slap on a TRD supercharger for 504 horsepower and 550 lb-ft. of
monster rubber-roasting torque.
Sources
ATK HIGH PERFORMANCE
ENGINES
www.atk-engines.com
CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
www.chrysler.com
GM PERFORMANCE PARTS
www.gmperformanceparts.com
NISSAN MOTORS CORP
www.nissan.com
PHANTOM OFF-ROAD
(323) 724-0347
TOYOTA MOTORS CORP
www.toyota.com
BEST ENGINE SWAPS
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Conversion Kits
for 84-88 Ranger,
84-88 Toyota and
89-95Toyota
Fiberglass Fenders
Hoods and Bedsides for Chevy S-10,
Chevy full size, Ford full size, Toyota and Nissan
1132 W Kirkwall Rd Azusa, CA 91702
HANNEMANN FIBERGLASS
WWW.HANNEMANNFIBERGLASS.COM 626.969.7317
HANNEMANN FIBERGLASS
200 F 5 -350
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OFF-ROAD (ISSN 0363-1745) Volume 43, No. 12 is published monthly by Source Interlink Media, LLC, 261 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10016. Copyright 2009 and all rights reserved by Source Interlink Maga-
zines, LLC. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offces. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40612608 Canada returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London,
ON N6C 6B2, Canada. Single copy price is $5.99. SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. and U.S. possessions $19.94 for 12 issues. Canadian orders add $12.00 per year (postage includes GST) and all other countries add $24.00 per year
(for surface mail postage). Payment in U.S. funds only. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: OFF-ROAD, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. CBN 129791596RT.
BY J AS ON GONDE R MAN
PHOTOGRAPHY: JASON GONDERMAN
STREET CLASS
1. #5 Matt Cortes
2. #3 Eric Sarrett
3. #19 Matthew McNeil
4. #13 Aaron VanVelsir
5. #4 Tyler Buguet
OPEN CLASS
1. #28 Dan Pentico
2. #5 Dan Vance
3. #24 Brandon McNeil
4. #20 Perry McNeil Sr.
5. #27 Gordon Stiger
San Diego County Fair Tuff Trucks
DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA JUNE 30, 2009
CLASS 1
1. #123 Sean Dunn
2. #195 Travis Chase
3. #168 Shelby Reid
4. #154 Vince Calewick
5. #124 Craig Diller
CLASS 3000 TROPHYLITE
1. #3021 Kevin Ellis
2. #3018 Karl Scanlan
3. #3017 Dan Nunley
4. #6088 Eric Fiorino
CLASS 5
1. #507 Larry Antuna
2. #5004 Ralph Potts
3. #505 Nicole Saravito
CLASS 9
1. #985 Todd Craig
2. #911 Dve Bolles
3. #907 Bud Ward
4. #973 Cody Rash
5. #923 Brian Caudill
CLASS 1600
1. #1603 Rob MacCachren
2. #1606 Matt Gumz
3. #1635 Craig Forrest
4. #1673 Mike Ward
5. #1612 Mike Meehan
CLASS 1450
1. # 1451 Tim Scott
2. #1469 Shawn Walters
3. #1486 Andrew Prince
4. #1496 Rhonda Parkhouse
CLASS 3
1. #302 Kurt Larmee
CLASS 1700 JEEPSPEED
1. # 1714 Ray Grifth
2. #1717 Eric Heiden
3. #1760 Michael Vernak
4. #1730 Chris Wacker
5. #1708 Eric Helgeson
MORE Freedom 250
BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA JULY 18, 2009
Help keep our deserts open for all of us to enjoy! Clean-Dezert is
working to unite the off-road community with one goal in mind,
Keep it Clean Keep it Open. Please help us in keeping the desert we
all love clean!
For more information and clean up dates please visit
www.clean-dezert.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:
www.expn.com www.moreracing.net
www.wgasmotorsports.com
To see more complete race results, exclusive photos, videos, and
schedules from all the big sanctioning bodies in off-road racing, surf
on over to www.off-roadweb.com!
RALLY RACING
1. Kenny Brack
2. Travis Pastrana
MOTO X FREESTYLE
1. Blake Williams
2. Jeremy Stenberg
3. Nate Adams
4. Mat Rebeaud
MOTO X SUPER X WOMENS
1. Ashley Fiolek
2. Jessica Patterson
3. Elizabeth Bash
4. Sherri Cruse
5. Jacqueline Strong
MOTO X SUPER MOTO
1. Ivan Lazzarini
2. Mark Burkhart
3. Adrien Chareyre
4. Sylvain Bidart
5. Cassidy Anderson
MOTO X STEP UP
1. Ricky Carmichael
2. Ronnie Renner
MOTO X BEST WHIP
1. Todd Potter
2. James Stewart
X-Games 15
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA JULY 30 - AUGUST 2, 2009

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