Moses Ludel

Pete...Check for air leaks, engine idling cold, at the base of the carburetor and throttle shaft ends. Take a light penetrant like WD-40 and spray gently around the base and shaft. Also do the same at the intake manifold to head joint*, there may be a loose manifold bolt(s) or gasket gap. Sounds like a lean condition until things expand—like the gaskets and manifold joint...If rpm picks up with the spray, you have a leak. Also do a fuel pump volume check...I'd do this on the carburetor side of the fuel filter and expect 16 oz. of fuel in 30 seconds at a curb idle. If there is less fuel than this with the engine cold, but you get this kind of volume warm, I would suspect the tank ventilation and EVAP system. Anything from a loose gas cap to hoses and canister out of whack can cause a low fuel supply. You know already that the EVAP has been tampered with, consider improper ventilation a possible source for low fuel supply. If you do get a low reading, try running a unique fuel supply source*, separate from the tank system, and see if volume improves. *IN THE TESTS ABOVE, YOU'RE WORKING WITH GASOLINE, HOT MANIFOLDS AND RISK OF IGNITION! BE VERY CAUTIOUS NOT TO START A FIRE OR WORSE! A FIRE EXTINGUISHER NEARBY WOULD BE ADVISABLE. Also, it might be useful to not use the OEM/ECU ignition retard on the system. You want a straight distributor to ignition module setup, without computer functions. This distributor does have a distinct centrifugal advance that will be apparent when the engine speed increases—if not countered by the computer/ECU. In my Jeep Owner's Bible, I provide details on the use of a Chrysler 5-pin module with this distributor, running the ignition 'key on' feed to the module and bypassing the ECU altogether. Also, I run the distributor vacuum advance hose (ported vacuum source) through the CTO only, without impeding vacuum beyond this temperature control device...Efficient, failsafe and reliable, you get actual vacuum and centrifugal advance from the Motorcraft distributor: centrifugal at all times and the vacuum advance after coolant warm-up. As for the low oil pressure at idle, check the true pressure with a mechanical gauge. Your AMC/Jeep engine era is notorious for the oil pressure sender getting clogged—very small orifice. Cleaning or replacing the sender often "raises" the oil pressure reading. If your normal cranking compression is any indication, this engine does not sound like a candidate for low oil pressure unless you actually hear bearing noise from the lower end of the engine, typically during start-up or a hot idle tip-in of the throttle. I have distributor spark advance timing specs for the Motorcraft distributor and also the bench adjustments for the 225 Dodge truck version of the BBD carburetor. Let me know if you need either...Moses

Wow, BG, a gold-plated snap ring? Others have commented about OEM pricing of AX transmission parts, also OEM pricing for NV3550 pieces. There has been major upheaval at Chrysler, three owners in less than a decade, a near financial end with parts inventories shrinking and scattered, dealers folding, and suppliers like New Venture falling away. This is very unfortunate and should be changing shortly. Chrysler Group, LLC, is doing very well, returning impressive quarterly profits and selling record numbers of vehicles—especially Jeep JK Wranglers. On a go-forward, let's trust that parts pricing will reflect the increasing stability and profitability of the organization. It would be interesting to try my suggestion and price that same selective fit snap ring through a Toyota dealership. A savvy counterperson knows the AX15 (under A150 and other trade names), and they can likely turn up the part. If you should take it that far, let us know. If you move on in the interest of getting your Jeep back on the road, I fully understand...Thanks for sharing your parts source, that's valuable to others. Best with the build, BG, I can tell you're being very thorough and doing a detailed, "blueprint" job!—Moses

Toyota has used the AX15 for years. In addition to authoring the Jeep Owner's Bible, I wrote the Toyota Truck & Land Cruiser Owner's Bible. Jeep and Toyota generously supplied period OEM books for my Bentley Publishers' ventures... I just pulled the '93 Toyota T100 shop manual off the shelf, and guess what? Toyota recommends API GL-4 or GL-5 and a 75W-90 rating for the transmission lubricant. Given that Toyota has produced far more trucks with Aisin transmissions than Jeep, let's consider this insight useful. As for which GL-4 or GL-5 75W-90 oil to use, I believe this comes down to lubricity. Many years ago, when I wrote the "Holy Moses!" tech Q&A column for OFF-ROAD Magazine, I became enchanted with all oils synthetic. This held true for engine oils and gear lubes, and my Jeep Owner's Bible, from first to third editions, promotes Mobil 1 engine oil...At the same time that I became infatuated with Mobil 1 engine oil, I recommended Mobil gear lube to the readership of the magazine. Lo and behold, I received a nice letter, tactful and diplomatic, from a Toyota truck owner. (This was around 1988-89.) He shared that when trying Mobil synthetic gear lube in his transmission, the unit developed clash on shifting. I deduced that this was from insufficient braking action of the brass blocking rings, and I immediately sided with him, noting that the recommended Toyota lube, non-synthetic in those days, worked better in his gearbox. The Mobil gear lube had too much lubricity, which simply would not allow the rings to brake properly against the gear hubs during synchronization. (The rings slipped on the hub rather than grabbing it.) He changed back to the OEM lube and did not have a problem thereafter...I stopped proselytizing synthetic gear lube as a "universal good thing"—unless recommended for a specific gearbox or axle application. So, that said, I recommend either the original Mopar AX5/AX15 Lubricant (if it can be found in NOS form) or Toyota's recommended API GL-4 or GL-5 in 75W-90—as a non-synthetic choice. (In 1993, Toyota did not use synthetic gear lube as a factory or dealership service fill.) Redline may have a specific lube that works well with the AX5 or AX15, so I defer to Redline's experience here. Ask Redline to be sure. There is so much buzz about AX transmission lubes that Redline should have this down by now. Also, Amsoil has a tech line, you might compare viewpoints. When a Redline or Amsoil official recommendation comes forward and gets tested by someone in this forum community, please report back. Maybe we can put the "AX oil" thing to bed...Moses

Pete, check the accelerator pump setting on the BBD. If you need adjustment specs for the AMC 258 versus the 225 Dodge applications, let me know. If the accelerator pump is not the culprit, I would check the vacuum advance on the distributor. Set the spark base timing with the vacuum advance hose disconnected and taped to prevent a vacuum leak during adjustments. I'd set base timing to 6-8 degrees BTDC. After setting base timing, reinstall the vacuum hose. Check the spark advance with a timing light. If the vacuum advance canister is connected to a ported (not manifold) vacuum source as required, you should not see a bump in spark timing until you open the throttle slightly. That's the maximum vacuum advance stage for ported vacuum advance. As the throttle opens, the rpm increase will kick in the centrifugal advance. Centrifugal advance should climb steadily to the maximum spark advance timing point. The vacuum advance will drop off as you open the throttle wider...Do not lean over the cooling fan when checking the timing with the engine running. It is very dangerous to rev the engine without air movement through the radiator. Fans pull forward under these conditions, even breaking loose if parts are defective or hardware loose. Check the spark timing. Also look down the carburetor of the engine when cold and shut off. Blipping the throttle should have fuel spurting into the carburetor throats—the correct accelerator pump action... Update with what you find!—Moses

Hi, BG, welcome to the forums!... Another OEM prospect is Toyota, as they use the AX15 as the A150 and other designations. Toyota is very efficient about this kind of selective fit parts choice. Toyota has a long service/parts relationship with the AX15. Try a local Toyota dealership. Beyond that, 4WD Hardware does have rebuild parts, perhaps you've been to its catalog. Selective fit snap rings can be an issue and were once part of a "small parts kit" for any transmission rebuild. If you cannot find the ring readily, try the Big Blue catalog for MSC Direct online. Also, a fastener supplier like Fastenal may be helpful. Additionally, a visit to a busy transmission shop that rebuilds Aisin transmissions likely will find a box full of new and quality used rings. (Bring your vernier caliper or a micrometer.) Shops are usually generous in sharing this hardware, as they know how difficult it can be to source. Trust this helps, BG. Enjoy the forums, there's a great community growing here!—Moses

Doesn't make sense to me! A motor oil is not an EP oil. I have heard of motor oil variations for manual transmissions, but this is really a stretch. I would take your thoughts and the experience of Pete H. and try the Redline. Follow my caveats about the Redline or any other oils regarding lubricity and synchro ring action. 10W-30 seems way astray from 75W-90 GL-3, -4 or -5. I'm puzzled about the Mopar recommendation and personally would not go there...Moses

Here is a link to the article and part number for Mopar's very own AX5/AX15 oil: http://www.4wdmechanix.com/Jeep-4WD-Lube-Oil-and-Filter-Service.html. Go to my illustration #29 for details...Ask the dealer for the exact supercede to this part number...Trust this helps clarify...Moses

Mopar offered a specific AX5/AX15 gear lubricant with its own part number. Ask your dealer to check for that number in the Mopar Parts Catalog and see if there is a superceded number. That should point to the right replacement lube if the AX5/AX15 oil is no longer available. At the magazine, in the lengthy lubrication article, I show a bottle of the Mopar AX5/AX15 lube. I took that photo in 2004, and the oil was still available at that time...If you hit the wall, ask here again, and I will furnish part numbers for the original Mopar lube... The Aisin transmission synchros are very touchy, and the issue with the Aisin transmissions is exactly what you suggest. Too much lubricity in the lube, the synchro rings will not brake against the gear hubs—and there will be clash on shifts. Too little lubricity is also an issue, the unit will run hot, damage bearings and fail. I learned years ago to match the OEM ratings for that reason...Sounds like Redline is close. If you do use that lube, make sure there is no clash and that synchros shift okay when cold—or hot. Again, my preference would be the OEM Mopar AX5/AX15 or exact equivalent lube if available. Mopar's 75W-90 synthetic gear and axle lube sounds more than adequate, but only if the synchros like it. My concern would be the braking action of the synchro rings when cold or hot.—Moses

10W-40 will simply provide the same protection as a 40 weight oil at high engine operating temperatures. It does not thicken, as many assume. So in my view, your higher mileage engine would be grateful for 10W-40 weight oil...I have run it summertime in our 4.0L XJ Cherokee since 94,000 miles, when we purchased the 1999 vehicle. If we were in a warmer climate with low winter temperatures above 32-degrees F, I'd go with 10W-40 year round at the current mileage... As a footnote, contrary to myths, you will not increase the engine's bearing clearances by using 10W-40 nor will you "spin a bearing" during cold start in temperatures above 32-degrees F. Bearing clearances are certainly sufficient for 10W-40 above 32-degrees F. Cold start flow and viscosity is the issue, so the concern is really the 10W cold pour rating of the oil, not the 40-weight protection when hot. For start-up temps below freezing, follow the Jeep guidelines for viscosity...Moses

Jason and Marianne...Welcome to the forums, it's great to have local folks involved in the message board communities...We'll likely cross trails at some point, and your CJ-5 sounds well equipped for all of our Sierra region 4x4 routes! Lots of opportunities to do destination group outings, too...Thanks for joining, may this forum grow with you folks—and your friends—on board!—Moses

Pete, the routing of the fuel supply lines and the return line sounds correct if the hoses are attached properly. The factory (AMC or Mopar, depending upon the YJ Wrangler model year) service manuals will be a valuable tool for working on this Jeep. Factory manuals contain the vacuum circuit diagrams, EVAP information and fuel line routings—plus anything else you might need. My 1989 YJ Wrangler era books include Jeep Chassis/Engine/Body (including powertrain and axles, steering, etc.) and the Jeep Electrical book. Verify that the CD version has the contents for both...If you plan on doing your own work from here out, AMC or Mopar service manuals for your year and model should be your first "tool" investment! A CD is handy, this is PDF and allows for printing individual pages when you perform work. Looking forward to your posts and trusting that others will jump in with helpful comments, too!...Moses

Jason, I use 5W-30 in the winter on our 4.0L Cherokee. It will drip, not much, livable and not warranting the rear main seal change. In summer, the use of 10W-40 has eliminated seepage to this point. Rear main leaks have been an AMC/Jeep inline six challenge six the first 232 and 258 sixes. The 4.0L is no exception, despite seal design changes to combat this issue. The Jeep six rear main seals will not tolerate 5W- very well. Use of a block heater (our Kat freeze plug heater, inexpensive, has worked well for years) is a regular ritual in temps below 40-degrees F. I could run 10W-40 year round with block heating, although we travel and park away from an electrical source at times, where the engine has to start without benefit of the block heater. As for oil brands, Chevron’s Iso-Syn formulated oil works as well as many synthetics. This is inexpensive, labeled as “Chevron Supreme” and sold at box stores and Walmart. Unless you have always run synthetic motor oil, the Chevron oil works fine when changed at proper intervals. I, too, use Mopar filters. See my Vlog on oil and filters for more details. It's a four-part HD video series on filtration and oil types. Scroll down the 4WD Vlog and 'Live Tech' Q&A Channel playlist, you'll find it! Regarding the end of rear main seal leaks, do check the PCV/crankcase ventilation system. Oil pressure has no effect, and all Jeep/AMC design engines run high oil pressure. Install the main seal "by the book", using the right sealant at the correct points only, and you should get it this time.—Moses

Pete, the EVAP system and EGR each have useful functions, and these need to be addressed. The vacuum diagram I furnished will help here, especially for EVAP. I can provide EVAP fuel and vapor hose routings if you need them, too. There should be a junction point on your YJ Wrangler in the left side rear body well that ties with the fuel filler functions. Check hoses at the top of the fuel tank, too. As for the EGR, this is a passive device that many condemn needlessly. In fact, the EGR does little to inhibit performance, and it's good side is a reduction in upper cylinder temperatures. Without EGR, an engine can ping (detonate) and even overheat piston material and valves. The intent of the EGR is to reduce upper cylinder temps to below 2500-degrees F for reduction of NOx. EGR removed or disconnected on a non-EGR engine can create up to 4,600 degrees F upper cylinder temps—an oxy-acetylene torch cuts around 6000-degrees F. Spark advance can usually be increased with the use of an EGR valve. When restoring the EGR function, follow the vacuum diagram I provided. The EGR valve works from ported vacuum through the CTO switch. This means it only operates when the engine coolant has warmed. The valve opens from ported, not manifold, vacuum. Ported vacuum starts with the throttle just opening and drops off at wider throttle openings. If for no other reason than to reduce risk of ping and engine damage, to permit running lower octane fuel, and to increase spark advance, restore the EGR function. You're doing the atmosphere a service, too!—Moses

Good to hear, Pete...Most who drive a vehicle with a sway/stabilizer bar notice an immediate difference when the bar is disconnected. This is why we always caution to connect the sway bar disconnects before hitting the pavement after being off-road! Along with holding the vehicle more level, a sway bar actually causes a slight "squat" on cornering, as the outside cornering force compresses the outer wheel, which brings the inside wheel upward by way of the sway bar. This makes the vehicle drop slightly, which lowers the center-of-gravity slightly. The combination of less frame/body roll plus squatting improves handling and safety even more!—Moses

As you might guess by now, I also ride dirt motorcycles—a lot! Our Honda XRs have been terrific desert and single track bikes, my style is desert enduro and slower-speed rock maneuvering. Nevada has enacted an OHV "permit" program for ATVs and dirt motorcycles. By July, its an annual permit on the off-pavement motorcycles or converting either my Honda XR350R or XR500R to a street legal dual sport with a license plate and insurance. With the dual-sport approach, I've considered upgrading to either a converted XR650R or a current factory dual-sport. I am steering away from the weighty adventure-touring motorcycles, I'm after a legitimate, lighter weight dirt motorcycle platform. Poking around, I like the KTM 350EXC and 500EXC, though each comes with severe MSRP sticker shock. The Christini 450 DS also caught my eye. The Christini chassis hosts a powertrain and chassis with a strong resemblance to Honda's CRF450—add to that the patented and competition-proven Christini AWD system. Yes, that's two-wheel drive for a motorcycle! Rave reviews and competitive laurels include the successes of Geoff Aaron in brutal off-road races like the Iron Giant and Wally Palmer taking on the XGames at EnduroX and MotoX Step-Up! Less known is the Christini DS, a 49-State legal motorcycle for dual-purpose, street and off-pavement riding. At 288 pounds, with this kind of power, AWD and a competition-proven chassis design, the Christini may well be my choice. (See the Christini cycles at www.christini.com.) Stay tuned, all-terrain is my thing whether a built-up 4x4 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, our XJ Cherokee with 6-inch long arm lift suspension, a vintage FJ40 Land Cruiser with a 383 stroker V-8, a rock buggy, or on a dirt motorcycle—two driving wheels on a moto? Wow, you'll want to know more about this one! Expect ongoing updates here. The magazine has committed to more dual-sport and OHV coverage, and my personal angle is dual-sport desert and overland motorcycling. Whatever cycle I choose, expect 1080P HD video coverage. Yes, the goal is way more off-pavement destination four-wheeling and motorcycling. Stay tuned at the 4WD Mechanix HD Video Network! As this unfolds, expect updates and helmet cam views from the single-tracks...Join this forum, and let's share our experiences with dirt and dual-sport motorcycles!—Moses My XR350R has been a workhorse! I used this bike to cover the 2012 King of the Hammers Race at Johnson Valley, California. This cycle has been my primary desert bike since the mid-1990s. I also have an XR500R. Both the 350 and 500 are 1984 vintage with Honda's Pro-Link suspension, still a functional design to this day! An XR650R would be a nice alternative for a dual-sport conversion.

Hi, Pete...I understand your dilemma. First off, heat for the air intake is two-fold: Later CJs and the YJs with a 4.2L have an intake manifold "heater", electrically operated, directly below the carburetor area. This heats the intake manifold quickly to provide complete combustion. Make sure the manifold heater beneath the intake manifold receives voltage and heats up. Secondly, as you note, there is the air intake flap that closes when cold and opens as the engine warms (thermal air cleaner). You can operate the air cleaner flap with a thermal vacuum switch (like the CTO on the Jeep engine) as a vacuum source. This vacuum switch simply keeps the door shut when the coolant temp is below the TVS setting (120-140 degrees F, approximately) and opens the flap when the engine coolant raises the temperature above this point. Whatever TVS you use, make sure it operates air cleaner vacuum when you need it, not the opposite mode! There is also the larger thermal air hose that goes from the exhaust manifold area to the air cleaner intake. This hose needs to be connected for the system to operate properly, as this is the warm intake air source. With the simpler BBD carburetor, it sounds like your Wrangler's engine has been stripped of some vacuum operated equipment. I've scanned details from a 4.2L 1989 factory vacuum schematic for your benefit. The later 4.2L inline sixes use an elaborate vacuum circuit that includes the spark timing, evaporative emissions system, air cleaner and more. For safety sake, make sure your evaporative emissions system works properly!...See the PDF attachment...Trust this helps...Moses 4.2L Vacuum Details.pdf

Welcome to this community forum, Pete! Your hint about wanting the Jeep to handle has me jumping in here. The stabilizer bar helps level the frame/body on corners. For the highway, this helps improve handling on the YJ Wrangler. Jeep recognized that cornering is important—especially on a vehicle with a higher center-of-gravity than a passenger car! If you want the added cornering stability on-highway, consider sway bar disconnects for off-pavement use. Match up the height increase from your springs and make sure the disconnects compensate for any chassis/spring lift. This will provide the best of both worlds: You can use the sway bar on-highway and disconnect when going off-pavement to provide improved axle articulation for rough trails! When off-pavement, make sure you tie up the disconnects to keep them out of the way. Swinging loose, these parts can snag a brake hose or interfere with the steering linkage! In terms of stiffness, the stiffer stacks of leaf springs will, to a degree, offset the need for a sway bar. You might experiment here, very carefully of course, and see whether you find the handling acceptable without the sway bar. (The YJ Wrangler does have a wider track and spring width than earlier Jeep CJs, with the same wheelbase length as a CJ-7.) You may find, however, that the amount of spring thickness necessary to eliminate the sway bar completely could also cause too harsh a ride on-highway... Trust this helps, Pete...Others might add their experiences!

Welcome, Mark! Thanks for joining, you have a rugged CJ-8 Scrambler with the stroker 4.6L build covered at the magazine...Mark is a real enthusiast and savvy on many levels, great to have him in this community! Enjoy Mark's input...

I'll jump into this one, having rebuilt B-W transmissions for many years. The reverse idler gear has an internal bushing, not a needle bearing approach. (The gear sees very little use, comparatively, so the use of a bushing is not an issue.) This bushing has the ability to hold oil, and as you note, there is a provision for oil flow to that area. If you were able to tap the reverse idler shaft into the gear without effort, there is likely a minor burr or very slight out-of-round on the bushing. Had you attempted to spin the gear on the shaft prior to installation, perhaps this would have been evident. At this point, you can either remove the reverse idler shaft and gear to check fit or take the other approach and leave the gear to run-in once installed. Depending on the amount of effort it took to install the idler shaft through this bushing, you may find that simply turning the input gear on the bench, with reverse engaged, will rotate the gear and get it to turn freely. Should you discover that the bushing has a burr and binds, remove the gear. A drill motor and three-stone brake hone, worked lightly with a light oil, can be used to true the bushing. In any case, once in service, the bushing will "burnish" and operate easily! Trust this helps...Moses

Metallurgy and heat treating are a vital part of metal fusing. It is not simply a good bead or welding technique that assures a safe, quality weld. Filler material must match the base metal. Heat treatment is often involved after the machining and finish of alloy metals. Chemistry is a critical part of metal selection and the choice of welding filler materials used with specific alloys. Metallurgy and heat treatment are not abstract processes for manufacturing only. I have repaired obsolete gears with chipped teeth, where the 8620 base metal has been case hardened to 0.035" or so depth at 56 or higher Rockwell C hardness. To repair such a gear requires "normalizing" first to nullify the heat treatment. I have the heat treating shop "normalize" the piece, then the weld repair is made with a specific filler that will fuse with 8620 completely and also heat treat with the same characteristics as 8620 going through heat treatment. After welding, still in a normalized state, the gear is machinable without destroying the tooling. Once machined correctly, the gear can be returned to the heat treater for re-heat treatment. This will be a carburizing process in this case, again with case depth to 0.030" to 0.040" depth, preferably 0.035", with a finished Rockwell C hardness around 60. Does this sound intriguing? It's simply a part of the process when you repair a heat treated, damaged part. TIG, MIG, stick and oxy-acetylene filler materials from a source like Weld Mold Company assure the chemistry that will not only fuse and match the base metal, but also allow the finished product to be heat treated successfully, with uniform results. For insights and sharing of metallurgy strategies and filler rod choices, join this forum and other welders striving for professional results!—Moses Ludel

Welding can be a gratifying vocation or a hobby. Some weld for a living, day in and day out, and I taught adult education level students to value this trade for automotive body, chassis, structural, casting, maintenance and repair work careers. In this forum, the community of professionals and hobbyists can come together and discuss the various aspects of welding and brazing: stick (SMAW), oxy-acetylene (gas), MIG (wire feed or GMAW, solid wire and fluxcore), TIG (tungsten electrode or GTAW) and silver brazing (hard, higher temperature soldering with oxy-acetylene). Fusing metal properly is highly gratifying, the matching of a metal's base and filler materials, heating to the correct molten point, and building a strong, penetrating, properly shaped weld. In this forum, expect skilled welders to share insights with newcomers about welding processes, brazing rods and techniques plus other aspects of safe welding and welding equipment. 4WD Mechanix Magazine covers welding and metallurgy in articles and HD video how-to. I look forward to checking in at this forum!—Moses Ludel This is an oxy-acetylene exercise, welding a cube together with a variety of welding positions. Oxy-acetylene is the foundation for all other welding processes and very similar to TIG in principle. Each of these photos are from my welding tutorial classes and the welding related how-to available in my articles and HD videos at 4WD Mechanix Magazine and HD Video Network.

One thing is clear about tent trailers: You either love them or, well, you don't want one. The reasons for each view are many. Tent trailers are light enough to pull behind cars, a compact 4x4 and even some three-wheeled "trike" motorcycles! They often set up readily and offer features surprisingly similar to a smaller, sheetmetal travel trailer. So what's the downside? In the late '80s, I tested the "Duck Truck", a specially equipped Starcraft Suburban with a camo finish and a Ducks Unlimited jon boat on top. Sylvester Stallone had the vehicle for a while, and my test was for OFF-ROAD Magazine. We decided to take a tent trailer, in this case a nicely appointed Starcraft with remarkable features for a tent trailer. In the furnished VHS video, my wife Donna and I watched an attractive, 110 pound model in high heels assemble the tent in minutes. So, we thought, this a very useful way to sleep ourselves and youngest son, Jacob, at the time six years old. When we decided to take along our granddaughter Sarah, at the time four, the idea still seemed practical. Our first setup was at Iillipah Reservoir along Highway 50 in Central Nevada. It happens that the wind was blowing, neither uncommon nor lightly, something like 25-30 mph. We were confident that the tent would go up in minutes, fast enough that the wind would not ruffle a single canvas panel. As it turned out, it took thirty minutes to get set up, all the time fighting the wind while placating two very tired and hungry small kids who wanted the dinner we had promised. On another note, tent camping in bear country is not always a success. But in fairness, larger bears find it equally easy to can-open a sheetmetal travel trailer to access food or your day's salmon catch. All said, it's a matter of personal taste, what you want to do and, in the case of bears, how lucky you feel. Security is another issue with canvas, much like the canvas-versus-hardtop Jeep debate. When Starcraft generously offered us one-year access (a long-term test) to a new 21' fully self-contained travel trailer, we were ecstatic. The satisfying trips we took with that trailer, its features and the towing ease, sold us on metal travel trailers and Starcraft products. Travel trailers seem right for our lifestyle and the 3/4-ton or larger capacity trucks and SUVs that we tend to own. This is the forum to discuss the merits and virtues of tent trailers—with possible critiques like the one I just launched. I'm simply trying to be objective; however, loyal and happy tent trailer campers may take my comments to task. Please do so, right here at the tent trailer and trailering forum!—Moses Ludel

There's never an excess of stowage space for off-pavement travel. Often, owners turn to specialty trailers for carrying necessities into the back country. For this purpose, the sometimes inexpensive surplus military trailers have become iconic, including the U.S. military M416 1/4-ton trailer for short wheelbase Jeep 4x4s and other short wheelbase tow vehicles, and the M415 1/2-ton trailers for the four-wheel drive club's support pickup truck to lug around. There is also an aftermarket with custom built trailers, specialty designs that mimic or exceed the virtues of the sturdy military trailers. These trailers often incorporate a tent as well, making family recreation more comfortable and practical. This forum is for off-road trailer enthusiasts and users to share information, equipment and hitch tips and upgrades with others. There is a distinct need here, and owners of these off-road trailers can be of great service to newcomers!—Moses Ludel Reno 4x4 and Hills Angels clean up Moss Lake above Reno, Nevada. Mark's Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler with widened track pulls a larger military-type off-road trailer at left. On the right, Craig's Jeep CJ-5 totes a compact multipurpose trailer. The U.S. Military M415 and M416 surplus trailers are popular for off-road use as are many custom designs. With an appropriate hitch system, Mark has been over the Rubicon and other tough Sierra trails many times—with the trailer in tow.

Dirt motorcycling, ATVs/UTVs, quads and Side-by-Side recreation often involves trailers. For that reason, it has become increasingly more popular, especially for family recreation, to have a toy hauler. Others, whose primary aim is on-highway or light graded road travel with a pickup or longer wheelbase SUV, find travel trailers useful. Travel trailers range from smaller Scamp type conventional pull to 40' fifth wheels. Choices depend upon your tow vehicle, family size and budget! I have pulled travel trailers with everything from an FJ40 Land Cruiser to Suburbans and our Dodge Ram 3500 4WD pickup truck. For the 2012 King of the Hammers coverage, I pulled a 28' Vortex toy hauler to Johnson Valley. I found the trailer very satisfactory for living space and features, the trade-off being less insulation factor than a well-built travel trailer. I didn't mind sleeping with my XR350R Honda motorcycle nearby. On the other hand, my wife does. Some simply do not want a gasoline vehicle in their living space. In fairness to the Honda dirt bike, the machine never emitted a scent nor spill, so sleeping in the same room was not an issue for me. There are many concerns to discuss at this forum, including trailer design, weight, insulation factors for cold weather, air conditioning, appliance quality, towing ease, tow equipment needed to safely tow, trailer hitches, load capacity, onboard generators—you name it! Whether you're living in the trailer for lengths of time or a "weekend warrior" with the family at the desert with motorcycles, share your questions and insights here.—Moses Ludel

The safest and surest way to take on the backcountry in a 4x4 Jeep, 4WD truck or SUV is with the right equipment. If trails are mild or you have a niche vehicle like a TJ or JK Wrangler Rubicon Edition, you may be just fine with OEM equipment. As trails get rougher and vehicle damage becomes likely, you will find a host of equipment upgrades and accessories available to increase your odds of getting there and back. In this forum, topics range from winch and bumper options to chassis lift kits, tires and wheels and steel body armor. Dual batteries with management, onboard welders and other niche items can raise the safety level and resourcefulness of your equipment. Share with others where you plan to drive your 4x4, and expect a brisk and enthusiastic response from those of us who have been doing this kind of travel for years!—Moses Ludel