What's new in the world of Off-Roading
This page is just something new that we thought you might like. It will come out once monthly and will include little tidbits about off-roading, as well as a few historical bits about off-roading in Georgia and other areas of the southeast.
Did you know that by living in the southeast, you have the ability to be anywhere to do some wheelin' in five hours or less. Nowadays there are National Forest roads, Wildlife Management roads, and dedicated Offroad parks to hit the trails on.
Four wheel vehicles come in all makes and models. Everyone has an opinion on which ones are the best. All you have to do is ask. The sport has been around for many years, but really started to grow in the 90s. There were many groups that were around during this time period. Southern Four Wheel Drive, Georgia Bounty Runners, and The Off-Road Sportsman Assoc. were three of the bigger ones at the time. These groups put together trail rides, events, charity work,
and offroad competitions. They all worked to maintain the trails, by "Leave No Trace", yearly trail maintenance through the National Forestry Agency, and by reporting trail abuse. Southern and Bounty Runners are still on the trails with clubs.
The sport has changed much in the last 30 years, which is evident by the closing of many of the pristine off-roading areas in the south. There are some off-roaders that ventured off the trails, destroyed public property, and abused the trails by tearing them up. It is disturbing to think that we older off-roaders cannot share some of these areas with our younger club members. Some of them were even
test areas for a lot of the Jeep history and technology that exist today.
Wheelin' is better and more fun when you can share it with friends and others, so if you do not belong to a club or group, check one out!
Ray Ellis
Did you know that by living in the southeast, you have the ability to be anywhere to do some wheelin' in five hours or less. Nowadays there are National Forest roads, Wildlife Management roads, and dedicated Offroad parks to hit the trails on.
Four wheel vehicles come in all makes and models. Everyone has an opinion on which ones are the best. All you have to do is ask. The sport has been around for many years, but really started to grow in the 90s. There were many groups that were around during this time period. Southern Four Wheel Drive, Georgia Bounty Runners, and The Off-Road Sportsman Assoc. were three of the bigger ones at the time. These groups put together trail rides, events, charity work,
and offroad competitions. They all worked to maintain the trails, by "Leave No Trace", yearly trail maintenance through the National Forestry Agency, and by reporting trail abuse. Southern and Bounty Runners are still on the trails with clubs.
The sport has changed much in the last 30 years, which is evident by the closing of many of the pristine off-roading areas in the south. There are some off-roaders that ventured off the trails, destroyed public property, and abused the trails by tearing them up. It is disturbing to think that we older off-roaders cannot share some of these areas with our younger club members. Some of them were even
test areas for a lot of the Jeep history and technology that exist today.
Wheelin' is better and more fun when you can share it with friends and others, so if you do not belong to a club or group, check one out!
Ray Ellis
May 2023
FROM THE TRAILS
Hey Guys and Gals!!!
Well, May is now upon us and spring is about ready to bloom out. There are
many events in the works for this year to participate in. Spring also means that it is time to
get your Jeep or other four wheel drive vehicle out and inspect it thoroughly. Some of you drive your
vehicle year round, so you might have already done this work.
This stuff is pretty basic to do.
*Check all of the fluids in your rig. Top them off or change them as required.
*Check your tires for wear or damage and check the lugnuts.
*Do a visual walk around looking for any unknown damage, loose, or missing parts.
**Things such a bolts, nuts, or screws
*Give you rig a good bath and if possible, use a pressure washer to knock mud and grime
from the underside.
*Get under the vehicle if you can and look from front to back for missing or damaged
parts or leaks.
A lot of us are not very mechanical, so there are a lot of folks in our group who
would be willing to help or you may already have a "go to" person that does this for you.
We are very fortunate that we have a dealership that works with us and is a good source for
regular maintenance and service.
Many of you may be going to Daytona for Jeep Beach, while others are finishing up
getting ready for Jeep Jam in Panama City Beach in mid May. There are a lot of local rides and
gatherings planned, such as TopLess Day on May 20th. If you have never been to one of
these, check them out. Check the Wicked Jeeps page for upcoming rides and events.
Get out on the trails and see many things that most folks never see. Remember
to always practice safety, awareness of your surroundings, and "Leave No Trace".
See Ya Out On The Trails!!!
Ray
FROM THE TRAILS
Hey Guys and Gals!!!
Well, May is now upon us and spring is about ready to bloom out. There are
many events in the works for this year to participate in. Spring also means that it is time to
get your Jeep or other four wheel drive vehicle out and inspect it thoroughly. Some of you drive your
vehicle year round, so you might have already done this work.
This stuff is pretty basic to do.
*Check all of the fluids in your rig. Top them off or change them as required.
*Check your tires for wear or damage and check the lugnuts.
*Do a visual walk around looking for any unknown damage, loose, or missing parts.
**Things such a bolts, nuts, or screws
*Give you rig a good bath and if possible, use a pressure washer to knock mud and grime
from the underside.
*Get under the vehicle if you can and look from front to back for missing or damaged
parts or leaks.
A lot of us are not very mechanical, so there are a lot of folks in our group who
would be willing to help or you may already have a "go to" person that does this for you.
We are very fortunate that we have a dealership that works with us and is a good source for
regular maintenance and service.
Many of you may be going to Daytona for Jeep Beach, while others are finishing up
getting ready for Jeep Jam in Panama City Beach in mid May. There are a lot of local rides and
gatherings planned, such as TopLess Day on May 20th. If you have never been to one of
these, check them out. Check the Wicked Jeeps page for upcoming rides and events.
Get out on the trails and see many things that most folks never see. Remember
to always practice safety, awareness of your surroundings, and "Leave No Trace".
See Ya Out On The Trails!!!
Ray
April 2023
FourWheeler HOW-TO
Hi-Lift Jack Do’s and Don’ts
A Hi-Lift jack is useful in many ways, but it shouldn’t be used for everything.
Nena Barlow Writer
There are two common Hi-Lift jack misconceptions circulated among new Jeepers. The first one is that if they have 35-inch-or-taller tires, they have to carry a Hi-Lift jack with them. The second one is that they shouldn't use a Hi-Lift jack because they are not safe. The truth is, a Hi-Lift is a very useful and versatile tool to have, no matter what size tires you own, and they can be unsafe if not used or maintained properly. Though I cannot go into all the possible ways to use a Hi-Lift jack in this short space, I will share with you the most common ways I use my Hi-Lift jack and a few key safety points.
Don't! Change Tires Or Work On Your Vehicle First, what I don't do with the Hi-Lift jack is change tires or work on my Jeep. I find an appropriately sized bottle jack or the factory scissor jack with a broad and sturdy base to be a far simpler option for tire changing. I also never use the jack for holding up a car to crawl under it—use jackstands.
Do! Lift A Wheel Or Get Unstuck . The most common way I use the Hi-Lift is to lift a wheel off of the ground to get myself unstuck or lift off of something stuck under the belly of the Jeep. To lift the wheel for that purpose, secure a strap through or around the wheel, being careful of brake components, or use a handy accessory with plastic-coated hooks called Lift-Mate to grab the wheel. Once the wheel is lifted high enough that the stuck undercarriage parts are clear of it, stack rocks (or dirt, Maxtrax, etc.) to create a new high spot under the tire for it to bite on and drive clear. An alternate method would be to actually remove the obstacle itself from under the Jeep once the wheel is lifted up, in the case of a loose rock or log jammed under it. I do not recommend crawling under the vehicle at any point while it's on a Hi-Lift.
Both of these next techniques are not endorsed by Hi-Lift because the body of the vehicle is moving, using the jack as a fulcrum point. However, a Hi-Lift may also lift the body of the Jeep by the rock rails or bumpers so that it can either be cast off or driven clear of an obstacle. Casting is lifting the bumper and then carefully pushing the body to the side to move it away from the obstacle. I have used the drive off method as well, especially effective with vehicles with axle-lock capability. In both cases, extra caution and planning must be taken into consideration. Anticipate where the Jeep will land. When the weight shifts off of the jack, the jack is going to fall. Think of the possible directions it could fall, and plan accordingly. Stay out of its way. Will it hit the body of the Jeep or will you drive over it? A few carefully placed shop towels or bungee cords can assist with the outcome.
Do! Manual Winch. One of my favorite ways to use the Hi-Lift is as a manual winch. Yes, most of my rigs have a power winch on the front, but sometimes you need a second winch or to pull in a different direction than the front-mounted winch is able to do. One of the most common recoveries we perform is pulling up a vehicle that has slid sideways off of the edge of a shelf road. If you pull on the front or the back with the winch, the opposite end wants to slide off. So we use the Hi-Lift to apply tension on the opposite end while winching, and often the whole vehicle pops back on the road like magic.
Read The Instructions! Read the instructions (they are very thorough) for the Hi-Lift jack and remember these key points. Make sure the foot is placed securely, and keep your foot on it while jacking. Wear gloves and keep a firm hand on the end of the handle, especially when lowering the jack when the jack handle is more likely to fly upward. Keep all body parts out of the scissoring area of the jack, between the handle and the upper part of the shaft. I hold on to the top shaft of the jack, but keep my thumb out of the line of fire of the handle. Keep your jack clean and lubed. A dirty, unlubed jack is a dangerous jack.
Keeping your jack clean and lubed, using it safely and properly, placing your hands and feet correctly, and taking your time to adequately assess the situation can make the Hi-Lift one of your most useful pieces of equipment.
What A Hi-Lift Jack Is Good For
- Lifting a wheel off the ground
- Lifting the body of the Jeep off an obstacle
- Manually winching the Jeep in any direction
- Changing a tire
- Jacking up the Jeep so you can work on it
