4x4Wire

One morning I slid behind the wheel of my Jeep, slid the key into the ignition, and tried to start the engine.  I was met with the ominous clicking indicating a low battery.  And, the dash was ablaze with a series of warning lights.

First step, get the engine started.  I carry an emergency battery pack that provides the necessary power to start a vehicle engine.  Within minutes, the engine was started and running very rough.  The dash warning lights were reduced to two, the Electronic Throttle Control warning and the Check Engine Light.

The ETC warning was a simple fix with a few key clicks and timed pressing the throttle pedal.  While that warning light was quickly cleared, the Check Engine Light remained on and idle remained very rough.

Every JK owner will notice that strange little hood movement known as “hood flutter”.  That is when you pass a semi on an windy day and you see your hood start to lift.  The 2007 and newer JK Wrangler stock hood latches are prone to stretching which allows movement of the hood.  As an easy fix, Daystar Products has introduced the Hood Wrangler, polyurethane replacements for the stock rubber hood latch.  Installation is easy, less than an hour from start to finish, provided you have a the right stuff on hand.

The Daystar Products replacement kit includes necessary parts and instructions.  What the instructions don’t tell you is the size of nut holding the hood latch.  And, more important, the location of the nut provides a challenge to fit a wrench and loosen the nut.

First, it is easy to find where the nut is located.  Yes, there is plenty of room around it, but, access is tight.  To make it real easy to replace the hood latch, remove the radiator or the fenders; slightly more than a one hour job.

Video Host Ryan Huck Modifies A JK Wrangler With A Mix Of Warm Weather Parts

MALVERN, Pa. (May 10, 2017) – On this month’s episode of Throttle Out, ExtremeTerrain Video Host Ryan Huck builds up a 2017 4-door JK with the goal of making it a fair-weather cruiser that can rip off-road. Ryan wasted no time getting into the build, removing all of the stock bits to make room for the laundry list of modifications.

With a slight break in a busy schedule, I decided to work on a couple of pending mods to my JK.  I have been looking for some side armor as in rock rails.  Over the past few months, I have been reviewing the various offerings and comparing specifications.  That was no easy task as there are many offerings with varying degrees of appeal for aesthetics and functionality.  And, my goal is to provide protective armor without adding excess weight.

I narrowed the final selection to rock rails by Barricade Off-Road Armor from ExtremeTerrain.  The price was right and shipping was quick.  That is when the fun started.

I use my JK and frequently wished for additional security due items I carry in order to be fully compliant with California laws regarding transportation of firearms.  I have tried another brand and it is functional but lacks room for more than one firearm. Tuffy Security Products provides two options.  One is a cable connect that can be released allowing the locked case to be transported.  Still, space limited.  The Tuffy JK Conceal Carry Security Drawer answers the need for security and space.