Hit the jump to check out Dave Card’s awesome rollover (don’t worry, he’s fine!)

Dave Card took quite a tumble in his TJ, as you can see from the video! Luckily only the Jeep suffered major injuries, hopefully it will be back on the trail soon!

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Where: Miller Motorsports Park

More details to come!  Mark your Calendars!

Let’s begin with a quick explanation of what lockers do. Simply put, a locker is a device that controls power distribution to your tires and control how power is redistributed to the tires in different situations, such as changing terrain and tire spin. Housed in the differential case, lockers come in two options, Selectable and Automatic. We’ll divide these into two sections for simplicity’s sake:

Selectable Lockers: These types of lockers allow the driver to control when the locker is engaged and when it disengages, hence the name “Selectable”. These lockers are controlled either pneumatically by an air compressor, or electronically by the use of magnetically charged currents.

Animation of ARB Air Locker courtesy of www.arbusa.com

Air-actuated Selectable Lockers: Air actuated lockers are usually controlled by a switch mounted on the dash. The switch controls an air solenoid that in turn sends pressurized air down a pneumatic air line to the axle housing and into the air locker in the differential. The compressed air actuates the piston and clutch gear, moving the gear into the “locked” position. The side gear is locked to the housing providing 100% traction lock-up between the two axle shafts.
The locker is deactivated by a flip of the switch, forcing the solenoid to release the air pressure. In turn the piston springs return to the pistons and the clutch gear returns to its original open position. The best example is an ARB Locker like the one in the animation to the right.

The benefits of Air Actuated Selectable Lockers:

100% traction on demand without driveline wear
Easy to install, operate, and maintain
Simple design with minimal moving parts, making it ultra-durable
No extra tire wear
Option to disengage in places that an automatic locker could not such as hill-sides or rocky areas where an open diff would perform much better than a locked one.

The disadvantages of Air Actuated Selectable Lockers:

High initial cost
Must have an air compressor
Require air hoses and fluid to work

Electronic Selectable Lockers: Electronic Lockers operate very similarly to their air counterparts, with the exception that instead of using compressed air they use electromagnetic pulses to engage and disengage the locker mechanism. These electronic signals are also controlled by a switch that the driver can easily control. An example would be an Eaton ELocker.

The benefits of Electronic Selectable Lockers:

No compressor noise
100% traction on demand without driveline wear
Easy to install, operate, and maintain
No extra tire wear
Can disengage in places that automatic lockers would self-engage, such as hill-sides or rocky areas where an open differential would perform much better than a locked one.

The disadvantages of Electronic Selectable Lockers:

High initial cost
More moving parts
Requires electricity to operate

Oxlocker: Functions the same as an Electronic locker, except using cabling to control the locking mechanism instead of electronics.

The benefits of an Oxlocker:

Does not require electricity or air to operate
Less costly

The Disadvantages of an Oxlocker:

Cheaper material
Cable malfunctioning, or getting caught on something

Automatic Lockers: This type of locking system is not user controlled; rather, it is controlled by certain conditions such as speed, torque, and tire spin. There are several different types of automatic lockers, which vary in cost and usability.

Torque Actuated: A torque actuated locker is automatically controlled by the amount of twisting force exerted on the differential. This type of automatic locker is essentially always engaged, as the driver has no direct control over the components. The locker can sense turns and it will disengage itself when going around corners, as long as you aren’t giving it gas, allowing the wheels to spin at different speeds to properly turn the vehicle. Examples include Eaton’s Detroit series Locking Differentials.

Gleason-Torsen: Similar to a Detroit Trutrac. Was more popular 15-20 years ago but they aren’t seen anymore.

The benefits of Torque Actuated Automatic Lockers:

Never have to worry about when to engage your locker.
No extra components such as switches or air lines are required.
This is the only automatic locker that can work when one tire is completely off the ground.

The disadvantages of Torque Actuated Automatic Lockers:

Almost always engaged
No way to control, completely automated
Increased tire wear

Limited Slip: Limited slip lockers are a good bridge between your standard differential and a full locking diff. These lockers are not capable of 100% full lockup; however they provide a lot better traction when off-roading than an open carrier.

The benefits of a Limited Slip Automatic Locker:

More cost-efficient to manufacture
Never have to worry about engaging it
More forgiving on the street than a Torque Actuated Locker

The disadvantages of a Limited Slip Automatic Locker:

Do not provide 100% lock-up
Requires special oil friction modifier

Spools: Spools are the simplest way to lock your differential. Simply put, a spool is a solid carrier that allows for no wheel speed differentiation. Spools are always engaged. This type of locker is usually seen in competition and drag racing.

The benefits of Spools:

Extremely cheap
Permanently locked
Allows no change in wheel speed differentiation

The disadvantages of Spools:

Tire wear
Low turning radius
Additional stress applied to shafts

Mini-spools: Mini spools replace the spider gears in an open differential into a full non-differentiating diff that locks both shafts together. This would make it just as strong as the stock carrier is.

The benefits of a Mini-Spool:

Most cost-effecient locker available
Can use the same stock carrier

The disadvantages of a Mini-Spool:

Like all other automatic lockers, cannot control when engaged
Prone to break

That’s it for almost all of your options for lockers for your Jeep. Choosing which works for you will depend on what you are planning to use your Jeep for. Will it be a daily driver as well as an off-roading machine? Do you want to control when the locker is engaged or would you rather not have to worry about it? How much are you willing to spend on the proper equipment? Just a few examples of questions you should ask yourself when making a decision. Give us a call if you still have questions and we’d be happy to help figure out what works the best for you and your build up!

It was hard to find a good starting point since there’s so much that’s gone into this JK. First off, let’s look underneath! Dennis has a complete 6″ Elite LCG Suspension system, equipped with an HD drag link flip kit. The Elite LCG System is the premier suspension kit for the JK Wrangler. The long arms and low center of gravity provide for smooth on-road travel while maximizing off-road capabilities on the trail.

Additional add-ons to the suspension kit include Fox Shocks, and an S/T swaybar (which is soon to be upgaded to a Dual Rate JK specific swaybar!) The new TeraFlex Speedbump Bumpstops were the most recent addition to the Jeep, giving it even better performance in rocky situations.

Dennis’ Jeep is equipped with prototype front and rear CRD60 axles specialized for the JK. Lockers are another important part of any off-road vehicle. This Jeep is equipped with ARB front and Eaton rear lockers with 5:13 gears, as well as a standard 4:1 Rubicon Transfer case.

Moving out and mounted on the CRD60’s are 40″x13.5×17 MT/R Kevlar Tires. These beasts have extremely reinforced sidewalls that makes them virtually impenetrable, not to mention provides excellent traction, perfect for the rocky, jagged trails of the Moab desert, as well as the mud-filled, back country trails in the Rocky’s Dennis usually finds himself on.

The Kevlars are mounted on Allied beadlock Monster rims with custom-painted rings to match the paint job…did we mention is was green? All in all this wheel set-up let’s Dennis powerhouse over any obstacle that he finds himself in front of.

Underneath the hood you’ll find a 5.7L Hemi with a 6.1L cam. Ask Dennis and he’ll tell you it’s a little bit more powerful than the standard V6. (With a hint of sarcasm of course…) Still under the hood is a Viair on board air compressor which powers the lockers and provides for an easy fill-up after the trail is over.

Outside sits a color-matched TeraFlex front bumper with a Warn TI winch and synthetic rope. A color-matched rear bumper and tire carrier, as well as rockguard sliders finish up the exterior features of the JK. Inside Dennis’ rig sits an awesome MyGig navigation system and of course, TeraFlex grab handles.

With such a loaded set of features you can see why so many people ask how to get their Jeep to look like that. Head on over to take a look yourself, Dennis is always willing to help you customize your own build-up and make it look just as great as his.

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A few weeks ago I got a call from my good buddy Adrian. He had blown his clutch in the middle of the desert and wanted to give me a heads up as to what happened, so I could warn/ remind others of a potential hazard of low gearing. Adrian is no dummy; he was the crew chief of one of the most technologically advanced racecars in the world. And understands exactly what caused his premature clutch failure, but a fraction of a second laps caused it all.

The scenario

You’re driving down a steep hill.  You “wisely” shift in low gear to allow the engine to do the work.  The hill gets steeper, and the engine RPM’s start to increase to redline speeds.  Quickly you dump the clutch to reduce engine speed and prevent damage.  Still in 1st gear with the clutch in, the engine RPM’s begin to drop and so does the hill.  The Jeep picks up speed…

Do you see a problem here?

1.  Engine RPM:  It’s good, the clutch is pushed in, it’s idling.

2. Steep Hill:  Ya, but it flattens out in a few yards…you’re only going 15 mph anyway, no problem

3. You’re too tired to put the transmission in neutral, and besides, it’s only a little way to flat ground, all you need to do is coast a few more feet, let the clutch out, and go.  What could go wrong?

This is exactly what Adrian thought while driving his 513-geared JK down a steep sand wash.  Here’s the problem-

Without working through all the intense math equations, here’s what happened. The rear wheels are turning one revolution to every   5 revolutions of the driveline, assuming a 513-gear ration.  The driveline now spins the tcase output shaft.  Because you’re rockin a 4:1 low, the shaft speed on the input side of the transfer case is now 20x faster than the wheel speed.  The transfer case drives the transmission, which in this case is still in 1st gear. Using the gear ratio of the transmission, the input is being spun at a staggering or should I say grenadine rate! The clutch disc is riding on the transmission input shaft, and because of the clutches diameter, centrifugal force comes into play and the disc, designed for about a 6,000 rpm max, reaches speeds of 10,000 rpm or more. Not Good.

This all happens in about 2 seconds, there is a sound, much like a formula one car just before it shifts.  The clutch hits warp speed and the term “big bang”, takes on a whole new meaning. The clutch completely disintegrated, and he was walking. It took about .5 seconds for Adrian to realize his injudicious actions,  (the word of the day on my phone app, I was dying to use it) and start berating himself. It’s a lot less painful, and not to mention less costly, to learn from the experience’s of others. Thanks for sharing your pain with us, in an effort to too help others avoid the same fate.

So what do we do to avoid the above from happening to our Jeeps?

Don’t coast in a low gear with the clutch depressed.

If you are dying to know what your clutch rpm would be, >>this is a good web site I visit<<

Wood out

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can check out more information on these by clicking here

Winter riding can be fun, but it can also be a lot more dangerous. Make sure to pack extra fuel, clothing, food, and water if you’re planning on heading up to your favorite winter trail run anytime soon!

Here’s an easy check list with some basic maintenance steps you should take to prepare your Jeep for the winter:

Check your cooling system. If you’re not sure if you have the right mixture of water and antifreeze, drain and replace it. Snow driving is hard on your cooling system.

Check your hoses for cracks, bulges or anything else odd. Replace hoses in doubt.

Get an oil change and lube job. Change your oil to a lower viscosity if in a cold weather climate to allow better lubrication during cold starts.

Check drivebelts to make sure they’re in good condition.

If you use winter tires, switch them out now. If not, check your tires and rotate them if necessary.

Lubricate all of your locks with a lock lubricant.

Check all of your fluid levels and fill if necessary.

Apply dielectric grease to your electrical connections that will be exposed to the weather to help keep them from corroding.

Replace your windshield wiper fluid with winter fluid.

Follow this check list and you should be good to go for all your winter excursions you have planned! Be safe out there and Happy Holidays!

And the surprise?

It’ll be on display in our showroom for the next month or so!  That’s right, we brought it back up here to show off a little bit, can you blame us?

If you aren’t already in your car headed down here, hit the link to check out some specs and some awesome pics!  Then come on over and check it out before it’s gone!

Here’s a little bit of what went into this ride ->

- 426 HEMI

- SMS supercharger

- TeraFlex 2.5” lift

- TeraFlex Elite LCG Long Arm System

- TeraFlex/Elka performance speed-tuned bypass shocks

- TeraFlex SpeedBumps

- TeraFlex front & rear Forged S/T swaybars

- One-piece front end (hood & flares)

- 40” Goodyear MTR Kevlar

- 17” Allied Monster Beadlocks

…and much more, come in anytime and take a look for yourselves!