Shop Talk With Demello Offroad: Navigating the Rough Trails of Small Off-Road Business

Jason Demello of Demello Offroad in Riverside, California is pretty much a household name in the Toyota off-road community. Today, the Demello brand offers bulletproof armor for Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, select Lexus GX models AND the brand new Ford Bronco. Bumpers and sliders are Jason’s game when it comes to fabrication, and as far as suspension and installation goes, his team can handle it all at their SoCal location. From overlanding to rock crawling and everything else in between just happens to fall right inside of Demello Offroad’s all-encompassing wheelhouse.

Has it always been THIS good for Jason Demello though? Nope. Not even close. As what seems to be the story for most successful small businesses, trials and tribulations are prerequisite in order to make it on over to the sunny side of the street. Sure, there are always day-to-day operational obstacles to wrangle with but surviving just to face the problems of an established, profit-turning business is a struggle and right of passage on its own.

We had the opportunity and pleasure to chat it up with Jason, as he filled us in on his personal experience through the long days and longer nights associated with starting a passion-fueled business and keeping Demello Offroad afloat for so many years. You may have known bits and pieces of his story, but we were able to get down to the very bottom of where Demello Offroad all started and where its headed.

State Of Speed: Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us, Jason. First off, tell us about your experience during the first phase of starting Demello Offroad. 

Jason Demello: I started in my apartment garage in South Orange County but within two weeks, management served me a notice that there were multiple complaints about the noise I was making. Hindsight looking back, it was silly to think that would last. Those garages were meant for storage in a fairly new and rather high-end complex, and I was plugging in my 110 welder into the same outlet as the garage door opener. I learned where the breaker reset was real quick.

During that time I was working a full time job doing shipping and receiving for a small genetics start up company, and after hours I had to resort to bouncing around from the garages of friends and family who would let me work on my project. I cut all the material and bent the tube with my Harbor Freight bender, and frankly, those first three sets of sliders I made by hand were pretty bad—SO bad that someone on the TTORA (Toyota Tacoma Off Road Association) forum called me out for having piss poor welds and called me ‘amateur hours’, which I guess I was.

SoS: That’s harsh. How did you take that criticism? 

JD: It stung but that guy was right. I made the choice to then make the best, be the best and take criticism as a way to grow instead of allowing it to push me back. I also made weld quality my top goal, so I practiced day and night to get better. Often after work on a Friday night, I’d sit in 2+ hours of traffic going to San Bernardino where one of my first business partners (Frank) lived. He had a small garage at his house where we could work. I’d camp out there all weekend working non-stop from morning into the night building sliders and bed bars. Good friends like David Hale and Dan Lilo also helped make things possible by agreeing to work for lunch, dinner or whatever else I could offer for their time.

SoS: Teamwork does make the dream work, huh? What platform truck did you start out building for and what year was this all happening? 

JD: It was mostly Tacoma based back then in 1998-2000 even though these trucks were still relatively new in the off-road world. Most of the guys and companies focused on older Toyota trucks and considered the Tacoma a Camry with big tires.

SoS: So nothing for Chevy, Ford or Dodge trucks back then? 

JD: In those early years we experimented with S-10s, Nissans, Fords, and basically anything we were requested to make but I’ve always been a Toyota guy. I’ve always been familiar with them and if I don’t know something about a Toyota off the top of my head, I can usually find the answer real quick.

SoS: How long did you spend working in other people’s garages?  

JD: We got out first shop in 2002-2003-ish. I ‘clocked in’ there after work every day since it was now just down the street from my full time job. I even had one or two employees at the time cutting material all day or spray-painting sliders for me until I went full time in October of ’03 just after my son was born in June of that year. It was an exciting and tough time that’s for sure.

SoS: That is a big commitment going full time. What were some notable hurdles you ran into and what advice could you give to someone looking to turn away from 9-5 life to start their own shop: 

JD: Wow, there are so many hurdles! I don’t think small business is for everyone and I really wouldn’t recommend it for most people. You really need an advantage to get ahead and stay on top. You need family money, a house to pull money out of, a dad with knowledge, a dedicated shop space, tools—ANYTHING that gives you an advantage. I didn’t have any of those things. All I had going for me was being too dumb to know when to give up.

I once heard Will Smith say in an interview something about running on a treadmill. He’s so competitive, that if you were to challenge him to see who could run farther and longer, he may die trying to beat you. That’s how I felt about building stuff. I don’t know how to stop. I I know I’m not the best, and I make mistakes but was so lucky to be blessed with the ability to blindly go forward when working on something. 

It’s also worth noting that I had no shortage of good friends over the years that helped promote and build the business with me—I couldn’t have done it without them.

SoS: Sorry to focus on the bad times, but can you recall one specific issue that really knocked you back on your ass? You know, “the things that didn’t kill us, made us stronger” type of scenario?

JD: 2008 in general may have been the toughest notable problem. We were just hitting our production stride. The FJC had come out and we bought a new one in the hopes that we could make enough money off it to make the monthly payment. That vehicle blew up and we got slammed with orders. We moved into a bigger shop, hired more employees, took on more expenses and suddenly it was all cut off like the world had stopped turning overnight!

We had to make some tough choices, lay off important people at the shop and really had to evaluate what our shop space was going to be used for. I realized that I wasted a lot of time on my dream rock crawler and race truck projects I was never going to finish. I also didn’t need the lathe that still had no power running to it. I allowed myself one project at a time and sold everything else off. 

I also subbed out stuff instead of trying to bring it all in-house, which is a common mistake I see a lot of shops do. It’s tempting in the short term. It makes sense—even in the long term but the problem is doing it at the right time. I’ve seen really large companies in this industry go from 300 in-house employees to reducing to just a fraction of that in one day. We’ve hit many roadblocks, but this was the biggest eye opener for me.

SoS: So you’d say that 2008 was harder to deal with than the impact of COVID? 

JD: Yes and no. It was a great to have a surge in business during these last two years but it threw everything else out of whack. It permanently raised the prices of so much stuff in our industry. Customers think that we are making a killing because our prices keep going up but honestly looking around the room and seeing what everyone’s charging for similar products, we are all most likely losing money or at lease making less than we were before it all started.

SoS: So taking this into consideration, what would you consider is now Demello Offroad’s bread and butter items/services? 

JD: Bumpers for sure. We are trying to focus on installations because over our 20 years in business, we’ve seen a shift. In the beginning, we often offered free install because honestly people would do it themselves but now people want cheap and fast but they don’t want to get their hands dirty. Unfortunately we are seeing people buy cheaper products made overseas or offered by big box stores. I’ve seen this coming for a while, and I hope I am wrong but because of this we have been currently pushing installations a lot more and just carrying more products.

SoS: Well, folks are going to need a shop to install that eBay lift kit that didn’t come with proper instructions, right? What trends in the current marketplace do you particularly like/dislike and what would you like to see more/less of in the future?

DM: The trend of pushing Toyota towards being a follower and not a leader worries me. If you cut me, I will bleed Toyota but when I saw the new Bronco coming out, I ordered one over two years ago. I swear they took every complaint from a Toyota FJC and Toyota 4Runner owner over the last 20 years and built them exactly what they wanted—minus the reliability and symbol on the hood. We got our Bronco and honestly it’s a home run. I’m just jealous that Ford did this and not Toyota because I don’t see Toyota coming out with a real frame SUV with a removable top, front and rear lockers sitting on 35s, and with tons of power to spare. I mean the new 4Runner is nice but it still falls short of the Bronco in my opinion BUT reliability has its place too. I wonder how long that will play a factor though with warranties extending way out and people trending towards more features and caring less about reliability. I’m just curious where this will lead.

SoS: Ford did not play around with the Bronco release, that’s for sure. Well, are there any new products we can expect to see from Demello Offroad in the near future? 

JD: Oh yeah, rear 4Runner bumpers for ’03-current, rear GX bumpers, and finally a Tacoma rear bumper. Oh, and of course Bronco parts, which I am personally working on at home and on the weekends so I don’t cut into the production of new Toyota parts.

SoS: We’ll keep out eyes open for all of that freshness! Well, thanks for chatting with us for a minute Jason. Is there anything that we didn’t cover or something you’d like to add? 

JD: I’d just like you for the opportunity to tell my story. I’m not a large business owner with a huge bank account or big ego that needs stroking. I’m just another guy who likes to go off-roading. While you may go into an office everyday or we may have completely different types of jobs, we are still the same. So please, if you see me on the trails come say hi. I started doing this because I love everything off-road. I love the outdoors. I love meeting new people who enjoy the same as me. 

SoS: Thanks for keeping it real, Jason.

To stay up to date on product releases and news updates from Demello Offroad check in online at demello-offroad.com or give them a follow on Instagram @demellooffroad. If you prefer a live phone conversation, give them a ring at 866.333.6525 or if all else fails drop by at 12785 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, CA 92503. Either way, they’ll be glad to hear from you. 

Dirt, Mud, Sand & Beyond: Demello OffRoad’s Solid Axle Swap 2005 Toyota Tacoma

In the world of custom trucks, there’s basically no limit on what can be done. This goes for throwing parts, hours of labor and/or cold hard cash into a project. As a grand example of just what we mean, we reached out to Jason Demello of Demello Offroad in Riverside, CA to get a closer look at his very special 2005 Toyota Tacoma 4×4 double cab that he affectionately calls “Big Red”. 

Yes, this truck is quite big—and red BUT this truck is so much more than that. We had an opportunity to spend some time in the dirt with Jason to see what his Tacoma was all about because at first sight, it’s apparent that it’s not like the rest. “Long story short, we wanted to be the first to do a solid axle swap (SAS) on a new Tacoma back in 2005, so a ‘friend at the time’ bought a new truck and dropped it off at the shop”, Jason says. “We started cutting off the front suspension while it still had paper plates on. It was brought back to us in 2011 to add a rear 3-link, and we ended up acquiring the truck outright in 2020 with plans to give it a complete facelift, which it so badly needed.” 

Now, for those who are familiar with Demello Offroad as a company, you’ll know they specialize in the Toyota Tacoma platform, as well as 4-Runner, Tundra and FJ Cruiser and Lexus GX models. Jason started the business in his garage and continues to deliver bulletproof armor options as well as full off-road builds for enthusiasts and trucks of all levels from extremely capable overland machines to mall crawlers—and he does so without judgment, even in the latter direction. He just loves working on these types of vehicles, which is why he’s been at it for so long. 

…He just loves working on these types of vehicles, which is why he’s been at it for so long...

“The most frequent question I get asked from trucks owners is how much a truck like our SAS Tacoma would cost”, Jason admits. “There really isn’t a correct answer for that. What I do is counter their question by asking how much money they are willing to spend, and how capable they are of doing some of the work on their own. This Toyota is pretty extreme and it’s definitely not for everyone.”

Now, Jason will be the first guy to talk you out of wasting your hard earned money at his shop. “You don’t need a truck this crazy to go off-road”, he admits. “Hell, most 4×4 Toyota trucks and SUVs are more than capable of taking you places you never thought possible!” Now with that information in mind, do remember that even though ditching a Tacoma’s comfortable IFS suspension for a front solid axle swap isn’t exactly everybody’s cup of tea, Jason and other likeminded folks who are addicted to scaling wicked rocky terrain, gaining crazy front wheel articulation is of utmost importance. “The best advice I can give anyone is to build what you can and enjoy it!” 

What Jason truly enjoys is climbing rocks. That is clear to see with the Tacoma’s custom front and rear 3-link systems with ARB lockers, solid axle front and rear Currie RockJock 60 setups and a fully customized frame front to back, as well as the Marlin Crawler box, which just happens to be Jason’s favorite part of the build. “It really is cheating. The Marlin Crawler makes rock crawling so much easier and is a definite must-have.”

This Tacoma obviously screams that it can go anywhere it damn well pleases with ease, and to assist in that are the Patagonia M/T tires from Milestar. These rugged hunks of rubber are designed to conquer rocks, mud and dirt without missing a step. The more treacherous the terrain, the harder these tires work, which is a huge component in the Tacoma’s ability to provide pure off-road bliss. 

…This Tacoma obviously screams that it can go anywhere it damn well pleases with ease, and to assist in that are the Patagonia M/T tires from Milestar...

Now, when Jason took ownership of this truck, he planned on making it look like a completely different truck than before. The Tacoma was originally silver in color, but the fresh Toyota Radiant Red paint looks so much better on it. So do all the 2022 Tacoma panels from McNeil Racing. Of course, Jason made sure to showcase Demello Offroad’s own products with the new front bumper, sliders and roll cage that was finally finished up years after it was started years ago in the shop. “Our lead fabricator worked his magic on that cage I began back in the day, and together, I think what we accomplished with truck since we’ve owned it has created a whole new attitude that it was begging for”, Jason says of the job well done. 

As extreme and over-the-top as this Tacoma may be, it’s the exact truck Jason needed it to be to both as a visual representation that potential customers can see what’s possible through Demello Offroad, as well as an adventure rig that he can whip around on his free time and at expo events. Speaking of events, Jason has a great story to tell about the first time this Tacoma debuted back in 2005. 

“We had to roll the truck into the Off Road Expo that year due to a missing 3^rd link bolt, which was replaced at the last minute with a grade-5 bolt from Home Depot. That detail was forgotten about until the first time it was taken off-road at the Gate Keeper at Duran Falls in Calico, CA. The front axle broke loose when that bolt failed in front of a crowd of 100 people. Needless to say, we were embarrassed BUT it was a humble reminder to never overlook the ‘small’ things in any scale of truck build.” 

Milestar XPDN4 Cascadia: An Overland Trek Through Oregon’s Many Exciting Landscapes

Lifting Your Rig 101: What to Consider

When the manufacturer sets out to design and produce the latest model four-wheel drive (4wd) vehicle, they are required to balance many factors from vehicle weight to carbon footprint. These constraints force them to choose components that meet the desired platform goals but typically leave little room before modifications exceed the strength of the factory components. With an estimated +300 billion dollars being spent in the light truck and SUV aftermarket in 2022, its safe to say there are plenty customers looking to upgrade their 4wd vehicles and one of the first modifications most owners make to a 4wd after purchase is to add some type of suspension lift and larger tires.

For many, this is done merely for looks. For those who intend to use their newly purchased 4wd to take them on remote off-highway adventures or to tackle technical trails, a lift kit and larger tires is only the first step. What is soon discovered is that the additional tire size and weight create more stress on the suspension and drive axles. While most lift kit manufacturers take these additional factors into consideration during the development of the replacement suspension components, upgrading the drive axles for strength and performance is left up to the consumer to determine what and when.

For most the first step is to replace the factory ring and pinion (gear set) with one that provides a lower drive ratio. How low of a drive ratio you choose to install is determined by how you intend to use your 4wd. At minimum you want to install a gear set that lowers your gearing enough to match the final drive ratio your vehicle came equipped with from the factory. Matching the factory final drive ratio will return the performance lost by installing larger tires, yet in most cases it isn’t enough to noticeably improve the vehicles off-road capability. To do that we need to increase the torque being delivered to the tires as well as increase (lower) the vehicles crawl ratio. The simplest way to do that is to install an even lower ratio gear set. How low of a gear ratio you choose can often be limited to the type and model axles your vehicle is equipped with, but for most applications gears in the 4.56:1 or 4.88:1 (higher the number the lower the gear ratio) are the most common for vehicles with tires up to 37” diameter.

…additional tire size and weight create more stress on the suspension and drive axles...

Before you spend your money on replacing the axle gears, there is another upgrade to take into consideration that can be installed at the same time as your new axle gears. With few exceptions, the drive axles in your 4wd vehicle are equipped with an open differential. The differential is a component that consists of a carrier housing, that is driven by the ring gear, containing a set of gears known as spider gears which in turn drive the axle shafts. When traveling in a straight line the tires are turning at the same speed and equal power is transferred to both drive axles. However, when you turn, the outside tire has to travel a further distance than the inside. To accomplish this the spider gears inside the carrier, allow the outside tire to turn faster than the inside tire. While this design is great for most driving situations, it doesn’t lend itself to low traction situations because it allows the power to be transferred to the tire with the least amount of resistance. To increase a vehicle’s off-road prowess, replacing the factory differential with a mechanical traction control device, more commonly known as a locker can be extremely beneficial.

There are multiple options to choose from when it comes to lockers. The cheapest and most basic is the drop in or “lunch box” locker. The lunch box locker simply replaces the factory spider gears with specially machined interlocking components that engage (lock) when power is applied and disengage (unlock) when coasting. The design allows equal torque to be applied to the axles anytime the vehicle is under power. They are however only as strong as the factory cast iron carrier and are known to create erratic handling characteristics on pavement. Due to these characteristics, most people choose to only run them in the front axle which is typically disengaged when driving on the pavement. The next level up is the full case mechanical locker. More commonly referred to as the Detroit locker. These lockers replace the factory carrier and spider gears with a complete unit made from much stronger materials. The overall design functions similar to a lunch box locker and can lead to handling issues if used on the street. Most people choose to limit the installation of Detroit’s to vehicles that see very little road use. The most expensive option is the selectable locker. Available in electric, air, or cable actuation, selectable lockers give the owner the best of both on and off-road traction and handling. Similar to a Detroit, a selectable locker completely replaces the factory carrier. Once installed, they operate very similar to a factory open differential until the owner “engages” the locker. Once engaged, a geared collar slides into place and locks the differential creating equal traction to both wheels. Once the added traction is no longer needed, the driver can simply turn off or disengage the locker. Selectable lockers are most often installed in the rear, and are actually becoming more and more common as factory installed options on many current 4wd vehicles, but they work equally as well in the front axle.

Hodson’s Dodge DW300 Is an Art Masterpiece!

Over the last several years, the father and son team of Derrick and Riley Hodson of Las Vegas’ Hodson Motors have become synonymous with creating functional works of art from formerly ignored and often abused classic workhorse truck foundations. Combining body parts from light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks and blending them in such a way that is easily overlooked as stock by the casual observer, the team have developed a formula that has proven hard to beat. Their latest is a 1968 Dodge W300 Crew Cab that has taken their build style and pushed it to a whole new level.

Instead of starting from scratch on this project, the Hodson’s started with a partially finished project that the former owner had already invested a considerable amount of time and effort into, creating a solid drivetrain as the foundation to build off of. Starting with a rare 1968 Dodge W200 ¾ ton Crew Cab truck, the former owner installed an early Superduty Dana 60/ Sterling 10.5 axle combo slung on the same era Superduty leaf spring suspension, utilizing custom mounts front and rear. Under the hood he installed a tried and true 5.9L 12 valve Cummins mated to an NV4500 and a divorced NP205 transfer case. It was at this point that Riley purchased the project.

Evil 1956 Jeep Willys:
The Ultimate Off-Road Adventurer

There comes a time in one’s life when “fitting in” takes a back seat to being unique and truly different than the rest of the pack. Pat Soffe (@offpvmt) of St. George, Utah found himself in this exact category while figuring out what vehicle to build. His major prerequisite was one that could keep up with his off-roading, rock crawling habits—but that all changed before he even began.

…Just make sure to measure the height of the door before you get started though…

As the sun started to set on Pat’s time with his 2001 Jeep XJ, he began weighing the pros and cons of building a newer Jeep—a JL. Unfortunately, the cons quickly posed a very real sign to go into a different direction. “The first deterrent of building a new JL was the price of a new JL”, Pat admits. “Purchasing a brand new stock condition vehicle that would need so much additional money invested to match the capabilities of our old Jeep was just too cost prohibitive.”

With the towering monetary barrier causing Pat to find another way forward, he began scouring the used JL market, but was soon hit by another block in the path. “We took our old XJ to three JP Magazine Dirt & Drive events among other meets throughout the years, and something that kept telling us to stray away from going with a Jeep JL was that literally EVERYBODY else had a JL. I wanted something that would get noticed and stand out.”

While Pat still didn’t know exactly what kind of rig to build next, he did start watching past Four Wheeler magazine’s Ultimate Adventure videos in hopes to find nudge in a certain direction. “I was going through hours of coverage to get some bit of inspiration, and then there it was”, Pat says excitedly. The vehicle he spotted was a 1949 Willys truck, and it belonged to JP Magazine’s own Verne Simons. “I was instantly hooked. I soon found myself literally taking screen shots of as many photos as possible of Verne’s truck. As luck would have it, I had a chance meeting with Verne at the Lucas Oils Off Road Expo in Pomona, California. It was that exact moment that solidified my decision to build a 1956 Jeep Willys truck.”

With the big picture crystal clear in his mind, Pat soon embarked on his own Willy’s build—starting with a 1997 Jeep TJ frame. “We literally started with a blank slate”, he says. “The humble beginning allowed for the build process to move ahead rather simply.” First, that TJ chassis was stretched at the top of the rear axle rise and extended 42 inches to provide a proper place to mount the bed, as well as obtain a 118-inch wheelbase. The front Dodge Dana 60 Kingpin and the rear GM 14-bolt axles were then built up before the custom front 3-link Skyjacker suspension setup, as well as a rear 4-link system that both feature TJ 2.5-inch dual rate springs and ADX reservoir shocks were assembled.

To handle the terrain shredding, rock climbing duties Pat was after, he selected a set of TR Beadlock HD17 wheels and 40×17-inch Milestar Patagonia tires that are well known for their established prowess out in the wild. So far, Pat’s Willys project was showing some real promise while on the ground floor. Next, he would begin the process of finding an adequate power source to fuel the level of adventure he had in mind for his soon-to-be assembled pickup.

Pat could’ve run with many different engine options but he ultimately chose a 2002 GM 5.3L LS power plant, as well as a Monster TH400 transmission to propel his truck through the elements. The LS provided modern reliability, as well as more than enough horsepower and torque to get him out into the great wide open and back home again. To keep the engine cool even during the hottest day in the desert, a Champion 3-row aluminum radiator with a Spal fan was selected, which is actually a Jeep CJ V-8 conversion that fit the bill perfectly.

…The first deterrent of building a new JL was the price of a new JL…

Now as far as the ’56 Jeep Willys truck cab, front end and bed, Pat didn’t do a whole lot to prep it for installation onto the frame. The natural 66-year-old patina, which is impossible to duplicate otherwise, was left in place as a nod to the experience this truck has seen in action. Pat did include many new conveniences to the Willy façade in the way of a front and rear bumpers, a Warn winch and a whole arsenal of Rigid LED lighting, which is required equipment for the environment Pat tends to frequent.

Next, the interior space within the cab was completely Raptor lined before it was outfitted with a set of Corbeau Baja XP seats, light gauge sheetmetal door panels and aircraft style toggle switches. The Willys’ cabin is comfortable enough to allow Pat to navigate his truck through some pretty rugged terrain without feeling like he was roughed up too badly at the end of the day.

Now that we see a physical manifestation of Pat’s latest rig build, the many questions regarding the ‘how’s’ and ‘where’s’ behind the project begin to surface. While he does have some fabricating experience, he didn’t put the truck together at a professional shop. “This truck was built in its entirety in a two-car garage”, he says proudly. “While I did have some know-how to go on, not so much with our old XJ, which was put together with mostly off-the-shelf parts, I never put together anything of this magnitude before.”

Once the dust settled, Pat begin to look right where he started to prove that his creation was ready to take on the Ultimate Adventure—the very event that gave him the inspiration to put the truck together in the first place. While he was told that the unique and not-often-seen trucks are usually selected to participate in the event, his truck was not chosen the first time he applied. He did, however, get in on it the next year. “It truly was an adventure of a lifetime”, he states. “During the entire 6 days of the event, we only encountered two problems—a rock hole in the trans pan and a shorted wire in the ignition switch. It was great to see how it performed in the event that ultimately pushed me to build it.”

Pat did share with us that his first real trip in the truck (even before the whole Ultimate Adventure experience) was a rip through the famed Rubicon trail, which he completed in one day—14 hours. The truck was mostly untested at that point, but he just had to get out there and match his build up against the realest of proving grounds.

“I couldn’t have made it to this point without seeing what Verne Simons did with his Willys truck first”, Pat says with great pride. “Once I got started with my truck, I gathered a lot of support from some very awesome manufacturers. A huge THANKS goes out to Milestar Tires, Skyjacker Suspension, TR Beadlock Wheels, Motive Gear, Rigid Industries, PowerTank and Warn Industries. Here is proof that you too can build a legit rock crawler in a two-car garage. Just make sure to measure the height of the door before you get started though.”

The Birth of An Industry: ’46 Jeep Willys

Hodson Motor’s 1965 Jeep J60 Dually:
One of a Kind, One at a Time

You’ve seen their trucks before (and are most likely obsessed with one or all of them if you’re anything like us). Their personal collection of insanely cool, larger-than-life custom pickup creations are definitely labors of love, and each one is an example of equal parts creative vision, healthy obsession and attention to detail and purpose.

Of course, we’re talking about the legendary father/son combo Derrick and Riley Hodson. The Hodsons call the outlying dessert landscape of Las Vegas home, which is just far away from the bright lights of the big city to give them all the peace and quiet they need in order to dream up these large-scale truck build before getting down and dirty bringing them to life.

Classic, rare medium-duty trucks are the Hodsons’ forte, and over the years, they have truly developed a design perspective that is uniquely their own—you’ll know a Hodson truck when you see it. The truck itself will be an industrial-grade pickup of some sort that wasn’t meant for the everyday consumer to hold the keys to, but that’s half of the appeal. Once the guys zero in on a truck they want, they located it, dig it out of its long-time place of rest, and apply their own special sauce to the equation. So far, this process has yet to let them down.

…you’ll know a Hodson truck when you see it…

Even though Derrick and Riley specialize in legitimate medium-duty trucks, they also like to drive the trucks they built—otherwise, what’s the point, right? To allow them to have a get more seat time behind one of their own creations, they sat down and developed what they now affectionately call the Jeep J60—essentially a 4-door J10 pickup. If you’ve never heard of this particular model before, don’t fret—it has never existed. Well, until now.

This particular project was designed to be more of a real-world daily driver. Now, don’t get us wrong—each and every one of their builds is painstakingly designed to function well on the road. Broken down, the Hodson’s Jeep J60 consists of a Jeep Wagoneer 4-door that has been sliced at the back of the cab and sealed up with the back wall of a J10 pickup cab grafted in. The rear doors received a great deal of metalwork to further give this creation the appearance of a true 4-door pickup.

…each and every one of their builds is painstakingly designed to function well on the road…

The front of the cab features a 60’s-era Gladiator grille that resides front and center, as well as wide front fenders from Autofab. The rear features a custom bed, a big side step tailgate, and step side fenders that have been widened a whopping 10 inches! The paint color of choice that makes all those cool customizations gel in complete harmony is Ford Raptor Lead Foot grey—and man, does it look good.

Paint isn’t the only Ford component to be incorporated into the creation of the J60, however, as the full-custom body was laid atop a 2004 Ford F450 dually chassis complete with a 6.0 Powerstroke engine and 5-speed automatic transmission. This truck sounds just as good as it looks with that big diesel rumbling underneath the hood, and to give the truck the oversize appearance that is synonymous with all Hodson trucks, 22-inch American Force wheels covered in 37X13.50R22 Milestar Patagonia X/T tires were bolted into position. The roll bar the guys went with is as burly as it looks—even more so, actually. While a lot of roll bar setups are fabricated out of hollow tube pipe, the stuff used here is solid through and through.

Hopping up into the cab is made easier with AMP Research Powerstep running boards, and with just one glance inside the cab, you’d be blown away by how clean the interior space is. Black and grey upholstered seats and other paneling from TMI Products helped make all the difference in updating and upgrading the entire confines of the J60. Creature comforts are never spared in any of the Hodson one-off pickups. While this truck already boasts an impressive lineup of high-end amenities, the guys wouldn’t dare one of their projects be considered finished without Dakota Digital gauges, a full audio system, power windows and door locks, and of course, ice cold A/C.

While the J60 is hardly alone as the single shining star in the deep Hodson stable, it does stand as one of their favorites. This truck does get a little more road time than some of the others, but that was the point of building it. Unless the guys are just planning to go for a cruise without making many (if any) stops, any selection from their lineup would do just fine, but the J60 has been dialed in to give them everything they love to put into their projects, in a slightly more compact package—even through there’s really nothing small about it.

Five years have been invested into this build, and a talented supporting cast in Nefarious Customs, 6651 Customs, Airth Defined, Cheyenne Ruether, Jeeprecyclers.com, and more were sourced to bring it all together. Trucks like these don’t just appear out of nowhere—they require a lot of imagination, skill, patience, and a sh*tload of parts.

2022 King of the Hammers

Taking on the Toughest Off-Road Race on the Planet

What started as a “beer bet” between friends on a dry lakebed in Johnson Valley nearly 15 years ago has grown to one of the biggest weeks of off-road racing in the world: the Ultra 4 King of the Hammers (KOH). The people are just as spectacular to watch as the vehicles. KOH is a week-long party—imagine Burning Man with the excitement of off-road racing. 

The initial premise was simple, blend rock crawling with high-speed desert racing. KOH requires race vehicles that can handle both terrains. The racecourse seems impossible to those unfamiliar with the race, pitting man and machine against a course filled with rocks the size of a city buses and drop-offs over 10 feet tall.

Weeks before, HammerKing Productions employees and volunteers descend on Means Dry Lakebed to build Hammertown, a 56-acre, high-tech camp. It’s the center of King of the Hammers, and so involved even the Navy and Marine Corps lend a hand. It houses thousands of spectators, participants, racers, crew, and those there for the 10-day party. 

Image the sensory overload of an event like SEMA, but where vehicles are actually put to the test in the desert. It’s hard to take it all in, but luckily, you have ten days to do it. Hammertown features pit crew challenges, qualifying races, pre-runs, vendors, driver meet and greets, and various other events. Plus, there’s food throughout the town and music every night. 

Hammertown is like going to a car show and enjoying the cars in the parking lot; participants and their vehicles are just as fun to watch as the races. You need an off-road capable vehicle to see various sections of the racecourses, and KOH brings out the best and most interesting off-road rigs around. From jacked-up Mercedes to Econoline vans straight out of a 1980s summer camp and every genre of Jeep. 

The KOH community makes it a world-known event. With crazy rigs and dedicated enthusiasts partying for a week straight. The off-road community is a tight-knit group looking for fun with dirt-filled grins, hats made of beer cans, and bound fires that last all night. 

…KOH brings out the best and most interesting off-road rigs around…

The lakebed is in the center of Johnson Valley, which is known for having some of the most challenging terrain on the west coast, with large boulders, steep drop-offs, and narrow trail sections. King of the Hammer’s name comes from the notorious “hammer” trails. Many of the nearly 500 registered racers don’t make it back to the finish line. Johnson Valley trails have also claimed many lives over the years. It puts drivers and crew through various off-road racing disciplines from steep rocky mountains, rolling hills, open sections, and a large dry lake bed, with elevations ranging from 4,600 to 2,300 feet. Modern-day Ultra4 cars require indestructible components and produce over 900 horsepower.

The start/finish line is in Hammertown, allowing spectators to get up close to the action, starting with a closed-circuit style dirt course section. This section of track allows for door-to-door action in qualifying and a unique start/finish to off-road racing.

Across the Means Dry Lakebed, is the high-speed section with divots, obstacles, and hard-to-see terrain. Far from a smooth lakebed like Bonneville, this terrain requires faith in your equipment and nerves of steel to keep full throttle. 

After the Dry Lakebed, the land immediately transitions into technical rock trails with boulders of sizes ranging from a few feet tall to those bigger than the vehicles themselves. Racers go from triple-digit speeds immediately into narrow paths up mountain terrain. From loose sand into jagged rocks, these areas require patience, tough tires, and an impenetrable undercarriage. Don’t be surprised to see multiple rollovers throughout the event. 

What started as a single-day race in the Southern California desert in 2007 has grown to a 10-day event in 2022 with multiple classes, including Trophy Truck, UTVs, and Ultra4 cars. They compete on different days leading up to the Race of Kings’ main event.

This year’s Hammer’s week featured four primary races. First, the Toyo Tires Desert Challenge, a classic style lapped desert race. Second, is the Can-Am UTV Hammer Championship, where UTVs race the same course as the big 4400 cars. Third, is the 4-Wheel Parts Every Man Challenge, which features four separate classes 4600 – Stock, 4500 – Modified Class, 4800 – Legends class, and the EV Class. For the 2022 event, every class was packed with competitors, all attempting to tame the racecourse and bring home the coveted King of the Hammers trophy.

…What started as a single-day race in the Southern California desert in 2007 has grown to a 10-day event in 2022 with multiple classes…

The Desert Challenge featured two days of non-stop action, with the limited class racing on day one. Chase Warren in his Class 10 car held off Mitch Guthire Jr. in his Polaris RZR Pro R for the win. Brady Wisdom took the third spot on the podium in his Class 10 car. Day two featured the Unlimited Race with the Trophy Trucks (T1), and the 6100 trucks (T2) laid down the power in the desert. Qualifying for this race featured a prologue included in the overall time to determine a winner. Last year’s winner Bryce Menzies, one of the favorites to win, had drivetrain troubles that pulled him out of the race after one lap. Kyle Jergensen held off the charge from Luke McMillin, who had a throttle cable issue that cost him precious minutes and left him in third place behind Christopher Polvoorde.

 With the desert racing out of the way, it was time to go to the rocks. First up was the UTVs maneuvering through the rocks, flying through the desert, and running door-to-door on obstacles. Kyle Chaney held off Hunter Miller for the win, and Paul Wolff battled his way through for a third-place finish.

One of the most fantastic races to watch is the Every Man Challenge, where you can race everything from a vintage 4400 car to a stock Suzuki Samurai taking on the course. This years’ race had an extra level of excitement as the Ford Performance team was on hand with new Bronco race vehicles. They swept the stock 4600 class with Vaughn Gittin Jr., Brad Lovell, and Bailey Cole, finishing 1-2-3 for Ford.

Dan Fresh was your overall winner and 4800 Legends class winner with a speedy time beating Toby Stacy by over 30 minutes, with Chayse Caprara taking the third spot just minutes behind Stacy. In the Modified 4500 Class, John Mathews held off a strong charge from Joe Gatlin to win, with Kenneth Goodall earning the third podium spot.

Only one race was left to crown the 2022 King, The Race of Kings. With over 100 entrants this year, the field was stacked with plenty of cars and drivers gunning for the top spot. However, the race came down to two guys, three-time king Jason Scherer and longtime competitor and top challenger Raul Gomez. These two battled all day with Jason out front most of the day before a costly flop had him winching early on the third lap.

With Gomez out to a solid lead, a high-center had him winching while Scherer could make up time. Another late-game flat tire made it impossible to catch up to Gomez, who earned first win in Johnson Valley and the first solo competitor to take the title. Finishing in the third spot was Josh Blyler, who battled his way through the field after qualifying 20th for an impressive finish.

 The King has been crowned for this year, and that means guys like Scherer, Levi Shirley, Erick Miller, Shannon Campbell will be looking to take back the crown next year as the target is now squarely on Gomez’s back.

The Basics 

• King of Hammers began as a private event, created by rock-crawler champion Dave Cole and desert racer Jeff Knoll. 

• King of Hammers is typically held on the first week of February. While technically the King of Hammers race is a one-day race, there’s a week of events leading up to that final day. 

• King of the Hammers is held on the Means Dry Lakebed, as a part of the Johnson Valley OHV. California has state-run areas known as OHV areas (Off-Highway Vehicles), where off-road vehicles can be used. 

• Johnson Valley is known as the Home of the Hammers, having several intense trails such as the Jackhammer and Sledgehammer trails. 

• The center of King of Hammers is Hammertown, where teams, sponsors, and participants turn the desert into a temporary city of racing. Admission includes access to Hammertown and gets fans close to the start/finish line.  

• Different areas of the racecourse are easily accessible with a stock off-road vehicle. 

• Past winners and those who participated in the first event are invited to return at every race thereafter.
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Top 10 Tools Every Off-Roader Should Carry

Tools are something that make everyday life possible. They come in a full range from “must haves” to “would be nice.” Some people would argue that all you need is a credit card, and a satellite phone. Most of us would rather help ourselves than call for help. The better your tools, the easier difficult tasks can become; especially when working on vehicles. Even simple tasks can become impossible if you don’t have the right tools. So what do you need as an off-roader? Let’s take a look at the basics. 

Most of us would rather help ourselves than call for help…

1. Socket Wrench

Flat tires happen. One of the most often required, and useful tools you can carry is a wrench that can remove or replace lug nuts. There are many options available from a straight breaker bar, to the latest battery powered impact guns that are on the market. If you can’t remove a wheel, a simple predicament can leave you stranded. It’s also wise to carry several different sizes of sockets so you can have what you need when the time comes.

2. A Jack

This one goes with the lug wrench; a good jack. There are countless uses for a lifting device when you go in the dirt. They are needed to change flat tires, get unstuck, or fixing bent tie rods or suspension links. High-lift jacks are popular because they can do several tasks. Just make sure you know how to use it, and have good jacking points on your vehicle. If you don’t have solid jacking points that mounts to the frame, and also allow clearance around the body panels, you won’t even be able to use one. Good jacking points are heavy duty bumpers, sliders, and the wheel lifting straps available. Other options are manual scissor jacks, and hydraulic floor jacks. If you use a hydraulic floor jack, you will need something to place it on so it doesn’t sink into the dirt. A piece of plywood works, or you can get bolt on bases for this, or even specially made jacks.

3. Shovel

When you go off-road, you will get stuck; it’s inevitable. When you are stuck, it’s because you are impeded by something. That something is either dirt, mud, sand, rocks or snow. You don’t want to be removing any of that by hand. I learned my lesson when I went for a quick little drive in my CJ-7, and slid into a snow bank. I had to remove my license plate to use as a shovel. With a real shovel, I would have been done in 20 minutes. Instead it took hours. A shovel can be used for many other things as well; putting out camp fires, trail repairs, burying a tire for an anchor point, etc. 

4. Jumper Cables

Like flat tires, dead batteries happen a lot. A jump start from or to another vehicle only takes a second if you have cables. If you don’t have them, your options are never good. You should not scrimp when it comes to your jumper cables. There are plenty of cheap cables out there that are not up to the task. Get some good heavy duty cables with copper wire, not aluminum. A good set will last you for years, and be reliable when you need them. Just don’t loan the out. 

5. Bailing Wire and/or Zip Ties

We are hard on our vehicles when we go off road. Things break, they come loose, and they get damaged. You need something that will hold things together until you can make permanent repairs. Zip ties are great, but they fall short when you need to hold up anything that gets hot like exhaust or brakes. Bailing wire is pliable enough to wrap around things, and it fits through bolt holes easily. When you double it up, it’s very strong. 

6. Vise Grips

Vise grips are a valuable tool because they perform many tasks. If you have a damaged bolt or are missing the correct size wrench or socket, vise grips will work. They clamp tight enough to hold things together securely. They can also be used for crimping electrical connectors, or capping brake lines. You can even get special vise grips with smooth jaws for crimping off fuel or brake lines without damaging them.

7. Tow Ropes and Ratchet Straps

Many of us carry a box filled with different tow ropes, and ratchet straps. Tow ropes are for pulling another vehicle. Ratchet straps are for securing things. Chains should be avoided. Chains are heavy for one thing, and they don’t give. Tow ropes are designed to stretch, and don’t release as much energy when they break so they are much safer. Don’t forget to also throw a tree saver strap in your box. Ratchet straps are useful for securing every type of loads. They can be used to hold down a spare tire, or secure a camper in the bed of your truck in an emergency. They are a very useful tool.

8. Fire Extinguisher

I have personally never needed a fire extinguisher, but have saved many people who did. This is one tool that you hope you will never need, but is a must have to carry. You also need to know how to care for your extinguisher. The types that have dry powder in them can settle over time. When you need them, the powder can be clumped in the bottom, and not discharge properly. Make it a habit to inspect your extinguisher before you go out to make sure it’s still charged, and give it a little shake to keep the contents dispersed.

9. A Tarp

A tarp is another item that is handy to have because it has multiple uses. We can’t always control where our vehicle breaks down, or where we will be working on it. Part of being safe in the outdoors is keeping your body free from injury. You only need to experience laying in cholla cactus spikes, sharp rocks, or hot pavement once to realize the necessity of having a good tarp to lie on. It can also be used to keep you dry in the rain, or cool in the sun. You can drape it over your winch line to absorb the energy if it breaks. You can carry water with it. You can use it to wrap up dirty items that have to go inside your vehicle. How many of you have slept inside your truck bed with a shredded tire next to you? A tarp is handy for many things.

10. A Buddy

Two minds are better than one, but so are two trucks, two sets of tools, two jacks, you name it. Traveling alone is something we all do out of necessity, but when it comes to being prepared off-road, you can’t beat having someone else along. When something breaks down, or you experience some other setback, it’s always good to have someone else to throw ideas around, help out with repairs, or just give you a sense of calm that everything will work out. They are also great for re-telling the stories of your great trail fixes and ingenuity used to get back home.   

Are 35 Inch Tires Right for Your Rig?

The number one question people ask about is what size tire will fit my vehicle. Nothing gives your off road vehicle a more aggressive look than larger tires, and custom wheels. Fortunately, larger tires will give you just as much of a performance gain as they do a visual enhancement. One of the most popular tire sizes is a 35 inch tall tire. Depending on your vehicle, 35 inch tires could be a simple bolt on process, or entail several modifications in order to make them fit. If you have an AWD, car based overlander, or small SUV, you might want to try something smaller. On the other hand, a full size truck can allow enough clearance to bolt on 35’s with no issues. 

Automotive designers tend to make the wheel openings tall, but narrow. It probably has to do with aerodynamics. The wind turbulence created by wheel openings affects the coefficient of drag considerably which also reduces fuel mileage. Despite their good intentions, the lack of clearance is a real issue. Modern trucks have plastic fender flares, and side body cladding that can also hamper your efforts to fit larger than standard tires. In the past you could simply get out a saw, and cut the sheet metal away. Most people with new vehicles frown upon this as it is irreversible. Many don’t want to cut into such a large investment; that’s why lift kits are used. Not only do lift kits give additional ground clearance, but they also provide more room for larger tires.  

So why go to all that trouble you may ask? The answer is because your tires are the only thing between you and the dirt. Would you rather hike a trail in a pair of ice skates, or hiking boots? Some of us wouldn’t want to be on ice with ice skates let alone on a trail, but that’s another topic. Once you have increased the width of your tires, the only other way to increase the size of the contact patch is with a larger diameter. The contact patch is the surface area of the tire that directly makes contact with the ground. As the tire gets wider, the contact patch increases in width. As the tire diameter increases, the contact patch also grows in length. Increasing the length of your contact patch can give you much more contact patch on the ground. The size of the contact patch is critical because it provides the grip needed to stop, go, and turn. Increasing the contact patch is the easiest way to get better control. 

So why stop at 35 inches, why not go even bigger? That’s a great question, and the reason is simple. Once your tires reach a certain size, they start to affect other parts of your vehicle. They will put a strain on driveline components, and your gear ratio might not be suitable to allow the engine to operate in the correct RPM range that it needs. The bigger tires may be too much for your steering components as the contact patch creates so much grip. You also need to consider your brakes. You can see that once you start making changes to your vehicle, it creates a huge snowball rolling downhill. You will end up spending thousands of dollars, and entirely re-engineering your vehicle. That’s why tires in the range of 32 to 35 inches are popular upgrades. They can be made to work without too much disturbance of your factory systems. Some people have trail only vehicles, but most of us also want to drive on the street, or commute to work.

A 35 inch tall tire is still a big tire. It will affect your final drive ratio, and your braking, but many people will gladly accept that for the increase in traction. There is a camp that typically drives in muddy conditions who like tall narrow tires. They contend that the skinny tire cuts through the mud, and gets down to firm earth where there is traction. This only works if there is a bottom to the mud. If the mud is deeper than the distance between the surface of the mud, and your truck’s frame or the body, then you are likely to get stuck. A wider tire will provide flotation. Instead of cutting into the mud, it will resist sinking in; allowing the vehicle to remain on top. As many people know, and all will find out, mud doesn’t care either way. You can get stuck using a skinny, or a wide tire. The skinny tire concept is somewhat specialized. It doesn’t work on wet roads, or sand. That’s why most people prefer a wider tire. 

Personally, I like the way my vehicles handle with a large, wide tire. It feels much more stable to me, and it helps to build confidence when in certain off camber, or loose conditions. A larger tire also comes in handy when you are traversing ruts. Most of the time, it’s much better to roll over the ruts, than to fall into them. If you are driving the same direction as the ruts, you may only have an inch of tire still riding on the top edge, and that’s all it takes to stay on top. The same goes for washouts, or obstacles. When you come up to an obstacle that needs to be scaled, a taller tire will roll over it much easier than a shorter tire. The shorter tire will need to climb up the obstacle while the taller tire will have more of a tendency to roll over it. 

So you see, there is a reason why 35 inch tall tires are so popular. For most vehicles, they give you as much performance as possible without negatively impacting your vehicle. Like all modifications, you need to weigh the positives with the negatives. Most people will agree after weighing the options that installing 35 inch tall tires on your rig will give it the performance you want in the dirt, and set you apart from all the stock trucks out there.            

Relic Run 2021: Rally at the Reservoir

The Challenge

Every good trip starts out with a list. You know, that check list that you got all the camping gear, food, recovery gear and maybe even some spare parts to ward off the broken ones. (It’s common knowledge that if you bring spare parts you won’t need them, right?). How much you bring depends on where you are going and what you are driving. For this trip the list of things will be mostly comprised of vintage parts, vintage camping gear and even a couple of vintage guys who grew up before cell phones and GPS.

Where would one take all this vintage stuff? Relic Run 2021 hosted by Expedition Utah. Relic Run is a get together of vintage 4×4’s from all makes and models. The run itself is designed to celebrate the mechanized great outdoors. This means break out those gas Coleman lanterns, look up those camping recipes for the Dutch oven, and grab those aluminum lawn chairs from grandma’s attic.  The official outfit of Relic Run depends on the year of your vehicle. Cut off shorts, 70’s rock band t-shirts and Chuck Taylors fit in well in pretty much any decade. Each year the event switches from a base camping trip to a multi-day journey styled as a car camping Safari of yesteryear. 

People migrate from all over the US to take part in Relic Run, but not just anyone can attend. You need to qualify first. How do you qualify? You need a period correct 4×4 vehicle and matching camping gear that predates 1989. The Vehicles really are the stars of the show. The more period correct, the bigger the challenge. Anyone can get in a New Jeep JL and drive across country, but it takes skill and tenacity to get in a vintage 4×4 and experience the great outdoors the way your grand parents did. By reliving these adventures, we pay homage to a generation that was so tough, they just thought it was normal life.

Getting There

This year’s relic Run was hosted on the banks of Wyoming’s flaming gorge. This is where the true adventure begins. Our vintage 4×4 started life in 1972. The K5 Blazer was Chevrolets answer to the Ford Bronco. Based on the ½ ton chevy pickup, the K5 Blazer shared all the same running gear and cargo capacity as the same year Chevy truck. This made a great platform to haul camping gear, fishing gear, and even tow a trailer. Since this year was a base station Relic Run, we chose to Glamp in a 1975 trillium 4500. This trailer is built like a boat. The fiberglass outer shell and fiberglass interior is incredibly light and strong creating a great overlanding trailer before the term was ever coined.

Getting to the gorge in a 1972 K5 blazer towing a vintage fiberglass travel trailer nearly 1000 miles before the event even starts was the true challenge. With weeks of prep checked off the list, The K5 was finally ready for its first task. Pick up its co-driver “Red” Phil Griffis from San Diego airport. Red is no stranger to Relic Run and old cars. He helped acquire the K5 years ago and has ticked off many miles behind the wheel. No sooner than we loaded his gear Red was handed a paper map as relic navigation and we set off to follow the old routes the best we could towards Salt Lake City.

This would include Route 66 and passing though forgotten ghost towns the freeways bypassed long ago. The old routes cleverly avoid steep hills with names like Cajon pass and Baker grade saving wear and tear on a nearly 50yo rig. Normally we would drive at night to avoid the deserts blistering heat, but our confidence was high in our K5, so we passed through the high desert during the hottest time of the day. The AC was blowing cold, but the interior was still 90 degrees. Turns outs, that was pretty generous since the outside air temp was 110 degrees with 70% humidity.

Verne Simons & the CJ5

Still west of the Colorado river, we got a cryptic text at 11am saying (it’s ready). Our friend Verne Simons had decided to disassemble two CJ5s to create one really period correct original Jeep. He was able to tear the body off the frame and rewire the whole vehicle between 2 Saturdays.

Verne is not only our resident Jeep expert; he’s also been writing 4×4 content articles in multiple magazines for two decades. No sooner did Verne notify us the CJ5 was ready, he quickly loaded up his gear and headed out. Verne’s home base is near Phoenix. High noon in a Jeep CJ would be the ultimate test of determination, hydration, and salt retention as he set out to meet us along our journey.

As the sun started setting the heat remained constant. Cryptic communication continued as we figured our paths would collide on the back side of Vegas about 9pm. Driving the CJ-5 loaded with 10 days of camping and two dogs, he’d actually done it. From a literal pile of parts on the previous Saturday, Verne created a functioning vehicle and put 250 miles across the hottest desert for its first test. Verne arrived a bit dingy from the heat and worried about the additional 700 miles to go. As a team, Red, Verne and Myself went over the Jeep to make sure all systems were functioning correctly and reassured Verne the vehicles and crew were up to the challenge. Once the dogs were fed and watered, the vehicles got one last examination, and we were in search of tonight’s camp. Just north of Lake Mead we pulled off in some mud hills at about 11pm. It was still hot, and the humidity reminded us of Atlanta with not so much as a breeze. This made sleep in short supply. 

Breakdown Day

Some of us slept better than others, but it was time to get up, take some morning pictures, check over the vehicles again and hit the road. We still had 500 miles to go. It was hot and a true oasis sounded like a smart stop on our road day. It’s important to mention that we left days early to the event in anticipation of Murphy’s Law. “What can go wrong, Will go wrong” We live by a code, “you can’t be mad about the situation you put yourself in”. So, when things go wrong it’s just part of the adventure. We were in search of a place called Toquerville Falls. All navigation showed it as 3.5 miles off the highway. Turns out it was a decent 4×4 trail with steep grades, sharp ledges, and dusty desert roads. So, we dropped the trillium at the trailhead, aired down the Milestar Patagonia M/T’s and switched to low range. 

The k5 Trans was not liking the additional heat and stress of low range and without that high-speed air through the radiator, the engine was cooking under the hood. The Carb on the CJ5 was flooding over and wanted more speed also to keep from stalling out. We arrived at the falls greeted by other off-road enthusiasts smiling and splashing in the pools below. The falls were a welcome relief to the relentless heat. We visited the falls just long enough to get recharged. With soaking wet clothes, this made the trail ride to the blacktop palatable.

A quick stop to air up the tires started a chain of events you just couldn’t make up. While the K5 was running at a high idle to keep the ARB compressor putting out 6cfm, the alternator started to smell funny. Little did we know that the electronics in the K5 were about to get a shock to the system. Mind you no electronics like heat, the alternator poured smoke out from under the hood and the ignition cut out. We disabled the alternator and tried to move on, but the ignition started shooting ducks (backfiring and sputtering). Our next move was to install the spare ignition parts and move on. So, we changed out the cap, rotor, and ignition module. The K5 was running again.

On the freeway we went or so we thought as it started shooting ducks again. The next exit was coming up fast, so we pulled off and found a safe place to work. No sooner did we pull off, Verne called on the radio, (he’d picked up a drivetrain vibration). Verne crawled under his rig and we crawled back into the engine compartment for a second ignition module and a coil this time. Verne’s repair turned out to be simple. Remove the offending rear driveshaft and turn his Jeep CJ5 into a front wheel drive.

The CJ5’s rear drive shaft had a bad U joint. This was compounded by a marginal yoke and we suspected the rear shaft was too long. Back on the road again, the K5 was still running without an alternator and Verne needed U joints so our next stop was Napa auto parts. The Auto parts parking lot soon became a repair station as Vern built a driveshaft and the K5 got a new alternator. This was all par for the course. Smiling and joking about the repairs is all part of the adventure. Hungry and tired, we found some great food in cedar city and jumped on the highway again. One mile from our next exit the CJ5 started to sputter. The chatter on the radio diagnosed that we may have forgotten to get fuel.  Dodging through traffic cones Verne coasted right up besides the K5 and we dumped the K5’s spare fuel in the CJ5. The old 304 v8 fired right back up and we were running smoothly again. Camp was right around the corner in a high elevation forest, and this would be the best night’s sleep so far. 

Flaming Gorge

The next day both vehicles ran perfectly covering a mix of dirt and asphalt about 400 miles to arrive at the eastern shore of the flaming gorge reservoir. This would be the base station for Relic Run 2021. Our arrival timing was perfect as the sun set over the water.

We pulled into camp just as the last light slipped away so we could get our sleeping situations arranged. The 1973 CJ5 and the 1972 K5 made the 950-mile trek across deserts, up into forests, and ate up asphalt in true vintage style.  As the morning light brightened with daybreak, we realized how cool our Relic Run campsite really was.

Several miles of abandon shoreline connected to crystal clear water, we were finally able to scrub off the sweat and dust from our travels. The water was refreshing and reminded us of why we love adventures. 

Relic Run 2021

Thursday afternoon was the official start of relic run. Vintage 4×4’s from the tri state area started rolling in filled with vintage camping gear like gasoline stoves, flannel sleeping bags, canvas tents and cast-iron pans for making recipes long since forgotten. The first night was a meet and greet where everyone shared hors d’oeuvres. (Clever snacks your grandparents probably made for parties and mixers). Story swapping went on for hours until Mother Nature sent us all to bed with a stiff breeze and light rain. The next morning campers were up early chatting about tents that blew down or water on their vintage cot and cotton sleeping bags. 10am came around and it was time for a trail ride. 8 of the most eclectic vehicles showed up from a right-hand drive Toyota BJ71 to a Dodge power wagon.

These people loved all things 4WD, but that didn’t stop the brand loyalty rivalry. Toyotas outnumbered Jeeps making them feel superior, and Fords stayed at camp proving Chevrolet was the true workhorse that weekend. The destination of the trail ride was 3 corners monument. This is where Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado meet. A 60-mile round trip consisting of smooth graded dirt roads, broken asphalt, and forest 2 tire tracks didn’t disappoint as the scenery ever evolved. 

 Along the way we saw cattle, pronghorn, grouse and even a moose. Back to camp just in time for one last swim, The Relic Runners needed to get to work building vintage meals for the evening’s potluck dinner. Casseroles, meatballs, pasta salads, along with upside down cakes and baked goods left everyone full and satisfied. 

A Day Off

Saturday was a day with little to do but soak up water and sun. We fished the bay in our vintage boats as others sat in aluminum lawn chairs in the water. This was also a great day to look over the aging 4×4’s and do any last-minute maintenance for Sunday’s trip home. Verne added an additional power port to charge his phone, the CJ and the K5 both took a quart of oil and seemed to be on the same schedule of drinking habits. The highlight Saturday had to be the taco assembly line sponsored by Expedition Utah. Bob Dubois “The Mayor of Relic Run” had picked up 50 lbs. of marinated meat and we aligned camp stoves, BBQ’s and scottles to feed the entire group several times over. The food was excellent, but the company was even better.

It was fun to watch the Relic Runners get competitive as others steered clear of the classic Red Ryder (in fear of shooting their eye out we suppose).

It was time for the annual BB gun contest. Pop cans were hung in the trees with fishing line creating a ‘’tin can alley’’. Each can was awarded points and the points tallied for your team. The most points to a single shooter got vintage prizes collected at yard sales and storage auctions. The team that won got bragging rights for a full year. It was fun to watch the Relic Runners get competitive as others steered clear of the classic Red Ryder (in fear of shooting their eye out we suppose). The sun was setting as the winners of the BB gun shoot were awarded their prizes. The snack tables still had brownies and pineapple upside down cake on it, so people split their time around the dessert table and enjoying the water. Relic Runners continued to swap stories and favorite destinations well into the morning. 

Goodbye

Sunday morning had people stirring early taking down tents and folding up gear. As people gathered around the last coffee pot, heartfelt goodbyes were said, and info was exchanged for new friends. Rigs slowly made their way to the highway until camp was silent again leaving behind only tire tracks and footprints. 

The CJ5 and the K5 would leave camp together but split up about 250 miles into Utah. This was the moment vacation felt like it was finally ending. Each Relic Runner takes home a different experience. For some it’s the love of old 4×4’s, others its to embrace a time forgotten before data plans and streaming networks. For me, it’s the challenge resurrecting a vehicle to its original glory and showing the world its capabilities are still valid in this modern society. So, if you think you have what takes to build a vintage 4×4, love vintage camping gear, then it sounds like you might just be a Relic Runner.

About Ryan Kennelly:
Ryan Kennelly leads a team designers creating aftermarket off road products during the day. After work he builds vintage 4×4’s specifically for off road adventures. To follow along in real time, checkout @dirtstar2002 on Instagram. 

Hodson Motors’ Forest Service Ford F-250 Restomod

In our last feature installment starring the father and son duo at Hodson Motors, Derrick and Riley Hodson, we explored their amazing beast of a truck—the ’83 Jeep J10 they affectionately refer to as the JRT10. Outfitted with a V-10 Viper engine, SRT10 interior, a full 4-inch lift and all the fixins, along with a unique visual appeal that has become the Hodson’s calling card, the JRT10 is staying put in the permanent Hodson collection. However, the truck is always in high demand when fans are able to take a closer inspection. 

“Dad comes up with these crazy concepts for truck builds, briefs me on his vision, and sends me off to make it happen.”Riley Hodson

With so many impressive completed and in-progress projects to look at, we’ve decided to reserve some space on the Internet to take a well-deserved peek at a truck that means a lot to Derrick. “This 1964 Ford F250 is something particularly cool that my dad wanted to build”, Riley says. Now, for those who aren’t up to speed on how the Hodsons operate their shop, their method is pretty straightforward and very effective. “Dad comes up with these crazy concepts for truck builds, briefs me on his vision, and sends me off to make it happen”, adds Riley. This is the truck that really kick started Derrick’s truck collecting and established Riley’s work flow to make said trucks come to life. 

In the case of this F250, the plan was to dig up something quite rare, which is now par for the Hodson course, and add some special parts to really make it come together, which is also a common ingredient in the family recipe. “This truck here is actually a factory F250 4×4 short bed”, Riley admits. “But what really makes it unique is that it was a custom ordered short bed, as it was a brush fire truck with a water tank in the bed. These kinds of trucks were used at National Parks by the Forest Service.” 

The first step in the project was to first locate one of these trucks out in the wild, which is a process Riley now has down to a science. “The hard part is not really finding these trucks, it’s the actual digging them out of the far off, remote locations they are usually in, and dragging them back home to our shop in Las Vegas that poses the real challenge.” While we aren’t at liberty to discuss where this particular F250 was found, we can share the details about what was done to the truck to make it come out they way it did. 

Even though the truck is a rare bird as-is, the first thing Riley and his crew at Hodson Motors did was cut it up. The rear fenders were stretched three inches wider and 6 inches longer, and F600 medium duty fenders were grafted into place up front, as was a front clip from the same truck. To give the roof another six inches of additional headroom, an F800 tall cap was worked into the equation. 

To further make the truck their own, Riley and his crew built a completely custom bed for the F250, and also installed a unibody big back window to help brighten up the inside of the cab. Now, you may be wondering where the heck these guys are able to source so many killer parts from obscure trucks. Well, let’s just say the guys have been doing some healthy hoarding over the years, and know exactly where to get more.  

When all the metal work was done to the truck, it was sprayed with a green primer and left that way for quite some time. The guys started getting used to that green color, and ended up mixing a custom gunmetal gloss green hue to finish it off while keeping the looks of it somewhat familiar.  

To increase the big look of the truck shell itself and give it that Hodson Motors classic touch, the suspension was lifted a full four inches all around. The original frame and axles were utilized in the overhaul, and the roll cage you see—it’s made from 4-inch pipe, not hollow tube, so it’s super heavy and damn near bulletproof. To capitalize on the taller ride height, a set of 20-inch Method NV wheels were selected, as was a set of 38-inch Milestar Patagonia M/T tires to ensure the truck was as capable to handle rough terrain and not just look the part. 

Powering the F250 is a Lincoln 460 big block with a few add-ons in the way of a Sniper EFI self-tuning fuel injection system, and a C6 transmission. The engine compartment is clean and tidy, and is designed so to keep function a top priority. Also designed with function in mind, is the F250’s interior space, although a ton of form has also been thrown in for good measure. Freshly distressed leather was used on the bench seat, center console, and door panels for an plush vet vintage looking appearance. As with all the builds that Hodson creates, a lineup of usual creature comforts in the way of Dakota Digital gauges, full air conditioning, and power windows were included to modernize the feel of the interior. 

Imagine what the forest rangers back in the 60’s would say about what has become of one of their old work trucks. The Hodsons work their magic time and again in order to dream up and build the type of trucks that are now directly associated with their name. If this Ford gives you any tingles (as it should), check out some of the other Hodson Motors’ creations, and be sure to stay tuned to their social accounts for future projects that will be sure to push the envelope even further. 

Hodson Motors’ Viper-Powered Jeep JRT10

Lifted trucks, classic trucks, rare trucks—if you consider yourself a fan of either or all of these categories, then you’ve surely heard of Hodson Motors out of Las Vegas, NV. Derrick and his son Riley Hodson operate their modest shop in the middle of the desert that houses parts and pieces from some pretty not-often-seen medium duty pickups from the past. Crew cabs that you never even knew existed are there, as well the other key ingredients required to create their insanely cool one-off machines. 

So the way Derrick and Riley operate is pretty simple—Derrick comes up with the grand ideas, and then brainstorms with Riley and lets him loose on figuring out how to make those ideas come to life. The guys have come to rely on a network of tightly knit shops to assist in their builds over the years, and in that time the Hodsons have amassed quite the personal truck collection, including this 1983 Jeep J10 that they affectionately call the JRT10. Derrick started on it seven years ago alongside local Las Vegas off-road fabricator, Cameron Chin, who owns and operates Nefarious Kustoms. Wanting to finally button up the build, they kept running with their vision of a rarely seen Jeep pickup model beefed up and customized to meet their specialized criteria. Also on the docket were a couple of imported tricks to make the J10 truly different from the rest. 

In the end, the time-consuming engine swap was well worth the effort just for the sake of saying that the Jeep now has an SRT-10 mill under the hood…

With an engine swap already in the stars for the Jeep, the guys narrowed the running down to a Viper SRT-10 engine. Yeah, that’s quite the jump, and a little more in-depth than Riley had initially anticipated. “The install was complicated”, he admits. “The firewall had to be chopped, and the radiator actually had to be relocated back to the bed if you can believe that. It just didn’t fit in the engine bay, so we had to run stainless tubing for the water underneath the truck.” In the end, the time-consuming engine swap was well worth the effort just for the sake of saying that the Jeep now has an SRT-10 mill under the hood—and, it lent a hand in creating a pretty catchy nickname for the truck. 

Since the Hodsons have been building cool trucks on a more frequent basis over the past six years or so, they’ve whipped up their own winning recipe that is applied to all of their projects, which always includes a killer suspension setup. The Jeep now sits on a full front and rear 4-link suspension system complete with a caged rear frame and Radflo long travel remote reservoir coilovers, so you just know this thing rides comfortably—even on the rough stuff. 

With the all-around lifted ride height, a healthy set of rubber could be thrown into the mix without any clearance issues. 37-inch Milestar Patagonia M/T tires were selected for their tried and true all-terrain exploration capabilities. While tires of this stature are commonplace in the lifted truck scene, so is the use of stock fenders, unfortunately. Hodson Motors has come to appreciate the importance of keeping proportion in mind when incorporating large tires, and to do that they like to go with larger fenders to keep up. To give the JRT10 correct proportional balance, AutoFab wide body fenders were utilized up front while the bedsides were widened six inches with fresh three-inch wider rear fenders to boot. Now, give the truck another look. All that extra bodywork makes much more sense when understanding the method to their madness. 

With the truck getting closer to paint, the guys started debating what color to have it sprayed. A specific Lamborghini color caught their eye, but it turns out they don’t typically release the actual codes to their paint—go figure. Instead, Matthew Miller of Nefarious Kustoms had to trust his eyeballs to match up an opal blue metallic pearl color that came pretty damn close to the Lambo shade. He then sealed it up with an eggshell matte clear coat, and blacked out all the exterior trim for good measure. The original front end was swapped out with a Gladiator Rhino grille conversion, and new LED lighting was wired up for updated looks and increased nighttime visibility. 

Other items that were scavenged from the SRT-10 donor were the black suede power bucket seats and dash cluster, which look right at home inside the Jeep. “All of our builds also feature what I usually refer to as creature comforts”, Riley adds. “These are just the common modern amenities such as power locks and windows, and air conditioning—all those little things that we enjoy in our daily drivers should be included in custom classic builds as well.” With the added Bluetooth stereo system, push button start, leather-wrapped steering wheel and dash, and a whole lot more, the cab space feels much more plush than one might expect from the Jeep at first glance. 

While the JRT-10 is a permanent part of the Hodson Motors collection, it does serve as a representation of what type of truck Derrick and Riley enjoy building and driving. If their custom trucks are good enough to make them happy, it’s a safe bet the ones they create for their customers will be finished off even better. If you’re looking to check out some crazy off-road rigs that perform just as good as they look, Hodson will surely scratch the itch of the uncommon utility truck fanatic.

The Cleanest ’75 Ford Bronco On Dirt

Jeff Godbold admits that his time owning this ’75 Ford Bronco surely hasn’t been the most exciting era the truck has ever seen. Actually, since its lengthy, in-depth rebuild, the Bronco really hasn’t been worked all too hard, but that’s mainly due in part because of how clean it has come to be. Jeff purchased the Bronco from the guy who invested the time to completely blow it apart and piece back together again with parts and products that would ultimately allow it to perform and look better than it has in its 47 years in existence. And who’d want to go and get those kind of results muddy? 

“I purchased the Ford Bronco completely done in 2012”, Jeff says. “The guy I bought it from was an older retired police officer, who spent several years doing most of the work himself. With the exception of waiting a couple years for the bodywork and paint to be completed, he did his part in pretty good time.” 

Time, in fact, was something that the previous owner put a large emphasis on. When he sold the Bronco to Jeff, he also included a rather extensive parts and cost list, as well as a well-organized log of billable hours that accounted for everything from the 13-hour engine and transmission rebuild job on 1/20/2009 right down to the 2-hour wash and vacuum back on 10/10/2005. Every other imaginable modification in between is also accounted for, as you could imagine, which is awesome to see actually. This very detailed record keeping has given Jeff a level of insight most folks don’t get when buying someone else’s project vehicle. 

High on the list of completed chores was the rebuild of the 347ci stroker engine that has all the bells and whistles any gearhead would flip over, and to capitalize on all the extra performance gains, Jeff added an overdrive transmission after he took ownership of the Ford Bronco to make it more freeway-friendly. Also on the logbook is a 2-inch body lift with all new mounts and bolts, as well as new American Racing wheels, center caps, lug nuts and locks and finished off properly with 33-inch Milestar Patagonia M/T tires. 

This ’75 is basically a brand new rig, and has been built to easily conquer rugged terrain, although it has only been assigned light duty work since its completion. Don’t go pointing fingers at Jeff for this, as the previous owner also kept the Bronco in the garage most of the time since he thought it turned out too nice to have to power wash every weekend. 

It’s just one of those rare gems that is a direct product of someone’s grand vision, and in this case fueled by a period of his absolute mania.

“We’ve towed the Bronco with our motorhome and driven it around some during our outings, but nothing too crazy”, Jeff admits. “I’ve also taken it to a car show, even though that’s not really my thing, but the response to it was nothing short of amazing”, he adds. Even though the Bronco has been equipped to handle the trails, the quality of its reworking has placed it in the show vehicle category, which wasn’t the original intent. Either way, there’s something to be said about owning a classic off-road truck of this caliber. It’s just one of those rare gems that is a direct product of someone’s grand vision, and in this case fueled by a period of his absolute mania. 

At the end of the all-encompassing parts and labor list is a grand totaling of just about $63k, which sounds about right. There may have been some other costs that slipped by the last owner, but he didn’t seem like the type to leave anything out. Jeff didn’t pay that much to bring the Bronco home, naturally, but in today’s current market for vintage Ford Broncos, this number sits somewhere on the low end considering the extent of its rebuild. With the release of the new 2021 Ford Bronco, there seems to be an undeniable uptick in sales of classic models that could be peaking right now due to timely nostalgia. That’s what we’ve come up with anyway, but that sure would explain the spike in resale value. 

You’d be hard pressed to find another Bronco that has been restored to this ‘75’s pedigree. There’s always new evidence to be found of it with every inspection, and of course when pouring through the list of modifications that has been compiled during its transition. Jeff has had quite a number of custom vehicles in the 25 years that he’s been into cars, and even though he might not drive the Bronco as much as any of the others, he has appreciated the time spent with it. 

The moment has come for Jeff to release the ’75 Ford Bronco into the care of another owner, and he can only hope it might get more use in the dirt as it is certainly equipped to handle it. On the other hand, he wouldn’t blame them for deciding to continue the tradition of keeping the Bronco as clean as can be. What would your driving habits be with this machine if you happened to find yourself its next lucky owner?

Click Here to view the 1975 Ford Bronco on Bring A Trailer.

A Definitive Guide To 37, 38, And 40 Inch Tires

The number one question from 4×4 owners is what size tire fits on my rig. Designers used to leave some room in the wheel wells of most trucks; if you have an older model you can probably go up in size with just a little sheet metal trimming. On a 1990’s Ford F series for instance, 37’s will fit with no trimming needed. On newer vehicles they closed things up in order to provide better aerodynamics (less turbulence), around the wheel wells. This limits how large a tire you can run without a lift, or sheet metal trimming, and cut-out fender flares. Since it now takes much more effort to run bigger tires, why do so many truck owners run them, and what’s the difference between 37’s, or 38’s, and even 40 inch tires? For many people, they say the bigger the better.

Looks aside, your tires are the only thing between you and the ground — if you’re doing it right.

Most of us who modify our vehicles are concerned with function, but we also care about aesthetics. You wouldn’t purchase an expensive truck if you didn’t care about how it looks. There are also many who fall into the category of “form follows function,” who don’t necessarily prefer shiny paint, and chrome. These people still want their truck to look like it performs. Nobody wants to drive a silly looking truck, or one that looks like a pile. I’m not talking about patina. It shows that the vehicle is weathered, and probably has a few stories to tell. Patina is cool, but rusted out garbage is not. Despite which camp you fall into, when you see big tires on a 4×4, it makes the truck look amazing, and capable at the same time. You picture it climbing over rocks, and ruts, or anything else for that matter. 

Looks aside, your tires are the only thing between you and the ground — if you’re doing it right. Your tires might provide the appearance you’re after, but they are also vitally important to how your vehicle performs. Traction gets you through all types of terrain; mud, sand, snow, etc., but it’s also very important for stopping and steering. I’m sure some have been in the situation where you are hard on the throttle with the wheels turned, but the truck just goes straight. This can be anything from an annoyance, to a life threatening occurrence. All of a sudden, stopping becomes the number one priority. The bottom line is that your tires are important, and there are several reasons why bigger tires are better. 

It doesn’t matter how high the body is if your differential cover is excavating a trench.

First let’s talk about minimum ground clearance. The word minimum is important here. You can jack your truck up with 12 inches of lift if you want. That will get the body and frame high enough off the ground to clear a lot of obstacles. The problem is that the minimum ground clearance is between the differentials, and the ground. It doesn’t matter how high the body is if your differential cover is excavating a trench.

Eventually you will get hung up on something or high centered on the diff. If you are running independent suspension with four wheel drive you may have more ground clearance at the pumpkin, but your a-arms, traction beams, or uprights are still going to be in harm’s way. There are only 2 solutions for increasing the minimum ground clearance on your vehicle; running exotic planetary, or portal gears on each wheel, or taller tires.

Taller tires are the easier solution. Planetary gears attach to the housing ends on a straight axle, or are built into the suspension upright or spindle on an a-arm type suspension. You can gain several inches of minimum ground clearance this way but it causes other problems like a redesign of your steering linkage. They can also cause severe axle wrap on leaf spring suspensions. I’m not trying to dissuade you from going this route because portals are very cool, and functional, but you better have deep pockets, or your own machine shop and cad design program in order for it to be feasible. Just buy the taller tires.

There is also one other benefit of larger diameter tires, and that’s contact patch. The contact patch is the amount of tire rubber making contact with the ground. As the tire gets bigger in diameter, the contact patch grows. This has nothing to do with tire width; it’s more a product of circumference. The wider the tire, the greater the contact patch is in a let’s say east, west direction. The bigger diameter tire you have, the bigger the contact patch is in a north, south direction; or front to back if you’re looking at your rig. If your truck came with 31 inch tires from the factory, and you made the necessary changes to run 37’s, your contact patch would grow proportionately. Even more with a 40 inch tire. When you also increase the width, your performance can increase substantially. That means steering, and braking are also enhanced. 

Now you might suspect that there is a down side to running bigger rubber, and you would be right. You only need to know Newton’s Third Law of Motion to figure out that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Pushing those bigger tires down the road will negatively affect your fuel mileage. It will also require more torque to turn them. This creates a chain reaction that may have you modifying your entire drive line.

Axles, CV joints, drive shafts, gear sets, even your automatic transmission or clutch, if you have a manual gearbox, might have to be upgraded. But wait, there’s more. Once the outside diameter of your tires has increased, your brakes might not be up to the task. The greater circumference has to be taken into account. All the gains in braking control from an increase in contact patch might be negated if your brakes can’t stop you. Last but not least, you turning radius will also increase. That gets you closer to the edge of the trail when you’re doing a 3 point turn with no brakes. 

Before you freak out and give up on running 37 or 40 inch tires, just know that there are solutions to all the down sides. Your axles may hold up fine to bigger rubber. You may be able to do a gear swap in your differentials to bring your final drive ratio back to what it was. Bigger brakes are almost always a great enhancement to any rig. The bottom line is that 37, 38, or 40 inch tires are worth an investment in your rig to run them. They will take you places that people with smaller tires may never get to. Your rig will be much more capable when the terrain gets challenging.

Toyota Land Cruiser: Born From War

The history of the American Jeep is well known. Used by soldiers in World War II, it earned a reputation for toughness that endures today. Many will be surprised to learn that the Toyota Land Cruiser has a similar pedigree. During the war, an American Bantam Mk II was captured in the Philippines, and sent to Japan. The military ordered Toyota to reverse engineer it and they came up with the AK model. It was purposely designed to look differently than the Bantam. The Japanese Imperial Army named it the Yon-Shiki Kogata Kamotsu-Sha (type 4 compact cargo-truck). The AK was made in few numbers, and rare photos exist of them in action. In 1942, the AK10 came along. It also used reverse engineering from the Bantam and this time was much closer in looks to the Bantam.

In 1950, Japan was still occupied by US forces after it surrendered in 1945; ending World War II. The goal of US occupation was to create political stability and spur economic growth. When a new conflict began on the Korean Peninsula, US forces looked for military vehicles that could be produced in Japan. The AK design was further refined into the model BJ. It was the BJ that later became the Land Cruiser. The BJ was called the Toyota Jeep. It looked similar to the Willys design with its vertical grille bars, flat fenders, and boxy shape. The Jeep name was a registered trademark of Willys-Overland, so Toyota apologized for the use, and dropped the name. It became simply the model BJ with many conjecturing that the J was for Jeep; although that has never been substantiated.

The Jeep name was a registered trademark of Willys-Overland, so Toyota apologized for the use, and dropped the name.

Toyota was building trucks long before World War II. They had parts and tooling available that could be adapted to the new military vehicle. The chassis of the BJ came from Toyota’s model SB one-ton truck. The same truck donated its rear axle to the BJ. The SB rear axle was modified as a steering axle, and adapted for use in the front. The model SB had only a 995cc (60.7 cubic inch) 4 cylinder engine which would not suffice, so they dropped in the type B 3389cc (206.8 cubic inch) six-cylinder engine that produced 85 horsepower and 156 lb-ft. of torque. The BJ was offered in five configurations; touring liaison, two pickup truck variations, a mobile communication truck, and outfitted for firefighting.   

The Toyota BJ was built and subjected to several tough trials that included climbing to the 6th station of Mount Fuji, a feat that had never been done before. Despite the impressive demonstrations, the initial design was rejected. The contract was awarded instead to a Mitsubishi-built Willys-Overland. Undaunted by the first rejection, Toyota went after utility companies, and other fleet operators. After continued development, the BJ was adopted by the Japanese National Police Agency in 1953.

In 1954, the name Land Cruiser was adopted. Then in November of 1955, Toyota created the Model BJ25. It was a complete redesign of the Model BJ Land Cruiser. They also introduced the FJ25 that used the F engine. The original BJ was intended to be a military vehicle. The new BJ, and FJ Land Cruisers were targeted towards the general public. Toyota shortened the wheelbase for better maneuverability. Also intended to be more user friendly, the truck’s transmissions were equipped with syncromesh. The interior dimensions were increased, and the suspension was revised to provide a smoother ride. Gone were the crude one-ton truck parts that were originally used on the BJ model.

The truck became a world-wide success. In 1955, Toyota was exporting to 14 countries. Of those exports, 98 were Land Cruisers. The following year those numbers expanded to 518 Land Cruisers sent to 35 countries, and in 1957 2,502 Land Cruisers were sent to 47 countries around the world. The list of countries included the United States. One single Land Cruiser was sold in the states in 1957, but the humble beginnings would later develop into a huge market. US sales in 1960 had grown to 162 trucks. By 1987 the US numbers were an impressive 8,858 units sold. Toyota production worldwide had reached over 1.1 million trucks.

Several styles of truck all shared the Land Cruiser name. Foremost was the FJ40 which was so good, it remained basically unchanged from 1960 to 1984. The long wheelbase FJ40 evolved into a new design; the FJ55. Built with typical Toyota quality, the FJ55 was a wagon, but still had a fully boxed frame, and excellent suspension for offroad use. It could comfortably cruise at 80 miles per hour on the highway. Over the years, the Land Cruiser wagon morphed into several models, but sadly FJ40 production ceased in 1984. It was replaced by the FJ70 that was never imported into the United States.

In 2003, a retro looking mid-sized SUV was unveiled by Toyota as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show. The FJ Cruiser took design ques from the FJ40, but departed heavily from the original design. Gone was the straight axle front end (and the unique feature of having both front, and rear pumpkins on the same side which allowed you to dodge rocks). The basic utilitarian vehicle had grown into a bloated monster that was difficult to see out of. It was popular with a new group of owners, but did not resound with the traditional FJ40 enthusiast. Original FJ40’s and their FJ55 cousins demand high prices on the used market. Several companies exist that restore originals, or will build a new one from scratch. Either option will cost you 6 figures.     

Rock Racing vs. Rock Crawling

These are two motorsports that are popular across the globe but started in the United States. On the surface, they seem similar, but what is the difference between rock crawling and rock racing?

Looking a rock crawler and racer, you’d think both rigs are the same. They climb over big boulders and go through stuff that would normally break a normal car. They feature a jungle gym of tubes and giant tires. They both feature selectable four-wheel-drive systems, big axles, and immense power. However, when you get down to it, these two vehicles aren’t even close to being the same in practice.

A rock crawler is designed to drive on a defined course, but not in the fastest time possible. They go through gates and take penalties for hitting specific cones, backing up, using their winch, and much more. It’s about pure finesse and driver pathing skill over finding the fastest line.

Rock racing, to contrast, is all about racing to the finish line faster than the person ahead or in front of you. While these rigs can race side by side, they aren’t a wheel-to-wheel race like you’d see in an oval race or at a road course. It’s the same as desert racing, but with the added difficulty of climbing rocks and boulders the size of those Milestar Patagonia MT Black Label tires you have on your own rig. You don’t get penalized for hitting a cone, backing up, using your winch, or anything other than short-cutting the course.

You’ll also see a difference in how they are built. A rock crawler will use a single air shock per wheel, feature four-wheel steering, and be built to be as light as possible. A rock racer, on the other hand, will feature two shocks per tire (in the unlimited class) with a coilover and a bypass, have only the front wheels turn, and built to be as strong as possible. Rock racing rigs are designed with jumps, compressions, and speed in mind – a rock crawler, not so much.

While the two disciplines started out with similar rigs, rock racing has evolved to become something that pushes the limits of what a rig can do. Not only does it have to be fast, but it must survive some of the harshest racing environments known and sometimes created by man. However, many of the rock racing parts have helped improve the parts you see on rock crawlers, too. Higher strength axles, gearboxes, and stronger, yet lighter components have all come from racing to the benefit of crawler and street rig alike.