Mountain Off Road is now manufacturing our JK Hard Top Freedom Top Storage Rack for the 2007 and newer Jeep JK Wrangler 4door. Keep your Freedom tops looking new and scratch free even while off roading with this foam lined storage box that secures your tops behind the rear seat. Store the tops upright and have the floor of your jeep to keep other items or lay the Freedom Top Rack down and strap your cooler or what ever else down using the series of holes to bungee your items secure. Fits 4 door JK’s only and is powder coated black for a durable finish.

For more information contact Mountain Off Road Enterprises.
Call toll free (877)-Jeep-A2Z or 877-533-7229
www.mountainoffroad.com

There is a place that every Jeeper feels a calling to.  It is a place of amazing beauty and formidable challenges - a place we must all travel to at least once in our life and this place is called, Moab!  Once every spring, thousands of Jeepers from all over the world make their way to this promised land to be a part of an annual event that has been going on for decades and is known as, The Easter Jeep Safari. 

In this first of several episodes to come, you will get to experience what it was like to caravan up to Moab, Utah with a group of Jeepers from Southern California back in the spring of 2009.  You will also get to see the first half of a two part segment highlighting a wheeling trip we did on the Steel Bender Trail.  If you would like to watch this video now, simply click on the screen or link below:

Project-JK: The Moab Experience - Episode 1 (YouTube) 

If you are in a country where this video is blocked, click on the link below to watch it on Vimeo:

Project-JK: The Moab Experience - Episode 1 (Vimeo)

If you would like to see photos from our trek to Moab, click on the link below:

Project-JK Moab Easter Jeep Safari Photo Gallery 2009

More episodes of the Project-JK Moab Experience will be posted up as soon so be sure to check back soon!

After installing new and larger tires on your Jeep JK Wrangler, one of the first things you will notice is a loss in power. And, depending on how big your tires are over stock, that loss in power can be significant. Of course, the best way to address this power loss is through the installation of new differential gears with a higher ratio. However, even with new gears, most people that I know of find the JK’s 3.8L V6 to be on the gutless side and would love to have a bit more power. Fortunately, there is a great solution to this problem and it’s made by Superchips. The Flashpaq, made by Superchips, is an awesome performance programmer that is affordable, easy to use, surprisingly fast and, based on the tests that I have done on both a 6-speed and an automatic, I can tell you that it delivers a noticeable increase in power especially on hill climbs. Obviously, the gains aren’t leaps and bounds over stock but running the 91 performance setting on my white 6-speed Unlimited with 5.38 gears and 40" tires, it did make enough of a difference that I could actually do long steady hill climbs on the highway again in the higher gears as opposed to creeping along in the truck lane in 3rd or 4th gear. Running the 91 performance setting on my orange Unlimited with an automatic transmission, I have found the power increase to be significant enough that running 35" tires and stock 3.73 gears is tolerable again. The best part about the Superchips Flashpaq is that it’s more than just a awesome performance programmer but rather, it’ll also allow you to set your gear ratio and tire size if you’ve made upgrades from stock. If that weren’t enough, you can also set your TPMS to a lower PSI, tune your engine for fuel economy or if rock crawling is all you do with your Jeep, you can even set it for that. The Superchips Flashpaq is a great investment and one that I would definitely recommend. Using it really is so self-explanitory that a write-up really isn’t necessary but I have provided one anyway just to give you an idea of just how easy it is to use.

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Bestop, adds JK Replacement Mirrors to its line up of HighRock 4×4 Replacement Mirrors. Made of shatter-proof and UV-resistant heavy duty plastic or cast aluminum (for Part number 51262-00 or 01) and sold in pairs, the mirrors replace worn or missing mirrors with OEM styling and features. The JK part numbers now join CJ, YJ and TJ models for further customization of your Jeep at a better price.

Bestop engineers have done their homework to fit the mirrors onto the other soft and hard door combinations of existing manufacturer’s door lineups. Brackets also sold separately to adapt these factory replicas to mount on Bestop Half, Two-Piece and Element Doors. JK kits are available in textured black. TJ and YJ available in polished aluminum or textured black, CJ mirrors available in chrome or satin black finish. Mirror kits are sold in pairs and come complete with hardware.

Bestop’s HighRock 4×4™ lineup is designed for serious off road adventures while still maintaining the “Fit.Function.Style” known for Bestop products.Go to www.Bestop.com for more information or call our Customer Service at 1-800-845-3567, 8-5pm coast to coast. Bestop - your one stop source for all things Jeep has well as Truck and UTV accessories– how will YOU Bestop?

If you’ve been a manual transmission driver most of your life and now that you have an automatic, don’t know what to do with your left foot, or, if you’re just looking for a more comfortable way to rest your foot and help brace yourself on technical descents, Mountain Off Road Enterprises has got the answer for you - a Dead Pedal. The M.O.R.E. Dead Pedal is a nice little mod for any Jeep JK Wrangler with an automatic transmission. It installs in minutes and requires little more than a couple basic hand tools.

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ARB USA now offers a Safari Snorkel System for the popular Jeep Wrangler JK. This new accessory serves two primary functions that JK owners will appreciate when taking their vehicle off-road. First, and most obvious, the Safari Snorkel relocates the factory air intake position approximately 28″ higher to prevent water ingestion when negotiating stream crossings. Even in relatively shallow water, the nose of the vehicle can easily become submerged as the front wheels drop into a stream or water hole and the rear wheels still on high ground.

Second, and easily overlooked, the Safari Snorkel System is extremely advantageous for vehicles that are regularly driven in dusty conditions, especially when following other vehicles or driving in a convoy. As vehicles before you stir up dust and debris from the road surface, a heavy cloud of airborne particles tends to hover just a few feet above the ground. As your vehicle passes through the dust cloud, the factory air intake tries to draw the contaminated air into the engine. While a quality air filter will block the majority of dust from entering the engine, the air filter can quickly lose its effectiveness if it becomes clogged with debris.

Aside from the risk of becoming stranded in a remote location, the Safari Snorkel System can prevent costly engine damage to vehicles that are regularly exposed to off-road conditions. Additionally, by drawing air from a higher position, your engine will be treated to cooler, cleaner air with higher density. Not only will this prevent damage to your engine, it may actually cause a noticeable improvement to performance and fuel economy.

All Safari Snorkels are manufactured of UV stable, crosslinked polyethylene for the ultimate in strength and durability. Stainless steel and plated mounting hardware is used exclusively for corrosion resistance. Safari’s unique evacuation system effectively disperses rain and unwanted moisture and high flow design ensures air supply in excess of engine requirements.

FEATURES
-  UV stable crosslinked polyethylene body for the ultimate in strength
-  High flow air ducting & body ensures air supply in excess of engine requirements
-  Each component is designed for maximum dust & water sealing
-  Stainless steel & plated hardware for corrosion resistance
-  Fully compatible with optional 7″ or 10″ precleaners - most models
-  Unique evacuation system effectively disperses rain and unwanted moisture
- Completely Australian designed & manufactured

Part No.  Description/Retail Price
SS1060HF - RH Drive Wrangler JK Snorkel - 3.8L V6 & 2.8L Diesel     $521.98
SS1066HF - LH Drive Wrangler JK Snorkel - 3.8L V6 & 2.8L Diesel     $477.72

For more information about the ARB Jeep JK Wrangler Snorkel or other products they make, please visit their website at: www.arbusa.com

Although we don’t always plan our wheeling trips to go late into the night, there are plenty of times when they do and if there’s one thing I think we all wish we had, it’s a bit more light to help guide us down the long dusty trail. Needless to say, that’s why I picked up a pair of IPF 900XS lights. Designed to compliment each other, the IPF 900XS off road lights actually come with one driving light and one high powered spot light. Now, I know this may sound kind of strange but together, they do an amazing job of illuminating the road immediately in front of you, the peripheries and way way down the road all at the same time. And, after giving these a test for myself out in the pitch black Death Valley desert night, I can tell you that I am so glad that I have them. This short write-up will show you just how easy the IPF 900XS off road lights are to install on your Jeep JK Wrangler.

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For a limited time and a limited amount of customers, Santa  Mel Wade of Off Road Evolution would like to help you out with your holiday stocking stuffers.  Purchase a Dynomax Performance Exhaust System for the 2 or 4-door Jeep JK and receive a custom Dynomax engraved Apple iPod Nano. 

Offer ends upon the 20th customers purchase or on December 31st, 2009.  Hurry, don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to put one of the best flowing cat-back systems on your JK.  Increase your horsepower, torque, improve your gas milage, and get a little rumble out of that V-6. 

Dynomax Performance Exhaust JK System Specs:
-  Horsepower Increase = 7hp
-  Torque Increase = 8 ft. lbs
-  High Clearance off-road “Rockcrawler” design
-  Mandrel bent stainless steel construction
-  Stainless steel Ultra Flo Muffler
-  Stainless steel Accuseal Clamps
-  304 polished stainless steel tip
-  Limited Lifetime Warranty

4 - Door part #39459
2 - Door part #39464

All for $320.00 + taxes and shipping
 
Or pick it up from our Install facility:
Call Off Road Evolution at 714-870-5515

While a winch is by no means cheap, they are by far one of the most useful investments you’ll ever get for your Jeep JK Wrangler. I hear people all the time say that they would never need one for the kind of wheeling that they do and yet, just about every single time I’ve had to use mine, it was to help someone out of a jam that didn’t have the means to do it themselves. When it came time for me to start looking for a winch for our 2009 Jeep JK Wrangler, I must say that I was drawn to the new Mile Marker V10 with MiFi Technology. Having seen it first at the SEMA Show back in 2008, I was intrigued by the fact that it was the first winch to improve on the control system by making it solid state. And, by virtue of this, they were able to make significant improvements such as making the controls waterproof and providing variable line speed. The Mile Marker V10 electric winch is just as easy to install as it is easy to use and the write-up below will give you a good idea of what you can expect.

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Back in September of 2009, Cindy and I were invited to head up to the Rubicon with Mel Wade of Off Road Evolution and Ali Mansour of Petersen’s 4 Wheel Drive & Off-Road and be witness to what would be the first ever run through the Little Sluice Box in a Jeep JK Wrangler.  Two attempts were required to complete this extremely challenging section of trail but, Mel was able to conquer it and, you can see how he did it in this short video.

Project-JK Off Road Evolution Conquers
the Rubicon Little Sluice Box YouTube VIDEO

If you would like to read all about our trip out to the Rubicon and see tons of photos from it, click on the link below:

Project-JK Off Road Evolution Conquers
the Rubicon Trail Little Sluice Box Trip Report

Big thanks goes to Off Road Evolution for inviting us to be a part of this history in the making event.

As much as I absolutely love my Jeep JK Wrangler, I have to say that there’s one thing that has always bugged me and for whatever it’s worth, it’s something that bugs pretty much everyone else I know who owns a JK too. In a word, the factory headlights are simply TERRIBLE. While they appear to be very shiney, the actual beam they put out is very yellow and narrow and more times than not, I feel as though they aren’t even on. In fact, most people I know insist that they have to run their fog lights at night in order for them to see where they’re going. Fortunately for us, IPF has finally come out with a brand new, plug-n-play 920H4 replacement set of headlights and after testing them out, I can tell you that the difference is huge! First and foremost, the quality of light is significantly whiter than stock and thanks to the new lens design, they illuminate a much greater and even spread across the road. Being that the IPF 920H4 headlights are plug-n-play, installation is super easy, can be done in minutes, requires no additional wiring harnesses or ballasts and because of all this, are very affordable. To see what all is involved to get these awesome headlights on your Jeep, check out the write-up below.

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Sidewinder is a short, fun but difficult rated trail that is situated within the Corral Canyon OHV area which is located just south of I-8 near to the town of Alpine. Sidewinder is known for is it’s large granite slabs you get to traverse and steep unforgiving ledges you get to climb and descend. One of these ledges is known by some as “The Slide” as it shaped like a tall and steep granite playground slide. In this short video highlight, you’ll get to see a series of Jeep JK Wranglers both 2-door and 4-door descend this intimidating obstacle.

Project-JK Highlights 8: Sidewinder Jeep Trail - The Slide

If you would like to see tons of photos from this trip, simply click on the link below:

Project-JK San Diego Corral Canyon Sidewinder Trail Photo Gallery

Be sure to check back again soon as we will be posting up more Project-JK YouTube Video Highlights on a regular basis.

Let’s face it, when it comes to hard core front bumpers, there really isn’t a whole lot that you really need other than tow points and a winch plate.  For good measure, something that’ll protect your winch and allow you to mount a couple of auxillary lights would be nice as well but aside from that, anything more is pretty much unnecessary.  Fortunately for those of you who like to play hard and find simplicity to be sexy, the guys over at PUREJEEP have just released their all new Bare Bonez Crawler Front Bumper Combo which comes complete with winch plate, light hoop, D-Ring mounts and nothing else.  And, the best part of this great looking and highly functional setup is retail priced at just $329.95!!

The PUREJEEP Bare Bonez Crawler Front Bumper Combo is now available for sale at Northridge4×4.com

Here’s a question that I hear all the time , “where can I install my Auxiliary Lights and Hi Lift Jack?”  Well, Olympic 4×4 Products has the answer for you with their all new Jacklite Brackets.  These brackets easily bolt onto any custom Wrangler JK Front Bumpers, which utilize the eight existing mounting holes in the front of the vehicles frame works. You have a choice of laying your Jack on either of its two sides and fastening it to a variety of predrilled holes in the Jacklite Brackets. You can install one pair of lights with the Jack, or two pair of lights without the jack. Sold in pairs, made from ¼” thick x 2” wide solid steel plate. Power coated in your choice of High Gloss Black or
Rubicon (textured) Black, also available in raw steel for welding applications.

To install, all you need to do is remove the hardware that hold almost all aftermarket front bumpers to the frame of the JK, place the Jacklite Brackets in place in front of the bumper and refasten the original hardware.

Part # Finish
187‐171 High Gloss Black
187‐174 Rubicon (textured) Black
187‐17X Raw Steel

For more information about this or any other Olympic 4×4 Product, please visit their website at: http://www.olympic4×4products.com/

The Slickrock Jeep Trail is located about two hours south of South Lake Tahoe, just off HWY 4 and near to the town of Bear Valley.  Starting at Lake Alpine, Slickrock makes its way across the Stanislaus National Forest and ends over at the beautiful Utica Reservoir.  The scenery is gorgeous in this area and there are lots of fun obstacles to play on along the way.  In this short Project-JK Video Highlight, you will see four Jeep JK Wranglers climb up and out of the last major obstacle which is often referred to as “the Ladder”.

Project-JK Highlight YouTube Video 7: Slickrock Jeep Trail - The Ladder

If you would like to see tons of photos from this trip, simply click on the link below:

Project-JK Slickrock & Deer Valley Trail Run Photo Gallery

Be sure to check back again soon as we will be posting up more Project-JK YouTube Video Highlights on a regular basis.

SEMA is a show that I look most forward to going to every year as it is by far the biggest and the best and filled with all kinds of beautiful vehicles and new aftermarket products to drool over.  Of course, as we all know, the economy has been anything but stellar and so, I had purposefully lowered my expectations this year and hoped for the best.  Unfortunately for me, I hadn’t lowered them enough and was stunned to see how empty the show was.  Sure, the folks who put on SEMA did a good job of spacing things out and moving things around to help compensate for the lack of attendees but, even the best comb-over can’t hide the fact that a guy is going bald.

So, was it a total bust?  Was there really nothing to see?  Yes and no.  While there were still a lot of JK’s and products on display for them, most were things that had been out for a while.  Of the SEMA specific builds on display, only one really stood out like a SEMA vehicle should and that was the Bushwacker JK that was made by COP4X4.  Predominantly in white with a few black accents such as the COP4X4 Nack Rack and Nack Doors, this JK looked like a diamond in the rough - built for hardcore wheeling but too pretty to scratch.  But, being this was SEMA, that’s what I would expect to see.  Having said all that, even this wasn’t really anything new as photos of it and ALL the other JK’s on display had been posted up months before over on JK-Forum.com.  Maybe I’m just being a bit nostalgic but, I kind of liked it back when the things were more like opening up presents on Christmas day.  Oh well, I guess with today’s information on-demand, all the time and anywhere you go, that would be a lot to ask.

As far as new products go, there are definitely a few that are worth mentioning including the new AEV direct replacement front drive shaft.  Of course, one of the biggest problems that people have after lifting their JK’s 3″ or more and have an automatic transmission, is that the boot on the front drive shaft catches on the lip of the transmission pan at a full droop and this causes it to tear off.  And, while the solution to this is as simple as installing a new aftermarket U-joint style drive shaft, most of the ones already available today require you to replace the pinion and output shaft yokes.  Of course, what makes the new AEV direct replacement drive shaft so nice is that it bolts right up to the existing factory pinion and output shaft flange making this job super easy to do.

While TeraFlex was showing off their new CRD60 front axle, I was told that it wouldn’t be available for sale until the beginning of next year.  However, they did have a few other new products that I thought were worth mentioning and they were the all new JK Big Brake kits and reservoir shocks made by Elka Suspension.  With JK’s being built bigger and heavier than ever before and pushing much bigger tires, bigger brakes are a real welcome sight and while Elka has never done anything for the automotive industry, they have a long history and very good and reputation in the off-road industry and I can only imagine that they have applied all that they know into these new shocks.  I will tell you that I did also see a newly redesigned dual rate sway bar system but, something very similar was released a few years back and never made it to market so, until these start shipping and see people start wheeling with them, I think I’ll hold back on the fan fair.

Although it was modest in it’s build, I was excited to see that Off Road Evolution had a beautiful red 4-Door JK flexed out over at the Nitto Tires display and in a way that did a great job showed off their all new short arm suspension kit, re-designed rocker guards and rugged new roof rack.  Also featured on this build were custom valved shocks made by King specifically for Off Road Evolution and a an awesome front Dynatrac ProRock 44.  Truly, this JK was a sight to see especially when juxtaposed to the beautiful and very classy gals dressed in evening gowns presenting it in great detail.

Now, if there were just one or maybe two products that really stood out for me, it would have to be the all new DashCommand by Palmer Performance Engineering Inc and the Kiwi Wifi+iMFD by PLX Devices Inc.  Retailing for only $29.95, the DashCommand is a basic OBDII Scan Tool application for your iPhone that is designed to provide trouble codes, clear check engine lights and serve as a virtual dashboard providing information for things like fuel economy, HP, torque and much more.  The Kiwi Wifi+iMFD is a bit more expensive at $249.99 but it comes complete with OBDII connector that allows you to wirelessly connect your vehicle’s OBDII port and aftermarket sensors to your iPhone or iPod Touch.  It is compatible with PLX iMFD sensor modules such as Wideband AFR, boost and more.  Needless to say, these iPhone apps are affordable, easy to use and is something that anyone and everyone could use and if there were to be a product or products that I had to call “Best in Show”, these would be them.

To see all the JK’s that we covered at the 2009 SEMA Show as well as some Challengers, Camaros, Mustangs, and more simply click on the link below:

Project-JK 2009 SEMA Show Photo Gallery

If there were ever any doubt that times are tough, taking a quick look around here at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, would be all the proof you needed to cast that doubt away.  Granted, the show doesn’t officially start until tomorrow but, compared to years past, there is definitely a significant and visible decrease in the amount of manufacturers setting up and vehicles being put out for display.  In fact, this is the very first time that I know of where featured vehicles intended to be shown outside are actually being brought inside the main performance hall (an area typically filled to the max with manufacturers) to help fill in gapping holes in the floor plan.  And, while it’s always been one of the smaller sections at SEMA, the Off Road Hall is smaller than ever before and only extends to about half its normal length this year.  Having said all that, there is still an optimisim in the air that the thinning process is almost over and that things are about to start changing for all those who have survived it and for our purposes, we’ll do what we can to show you who they are and what they brought out to show.

Speaking of which, we are once again showing our big white Jeep JK Wrangler for the 3rd time in a row here at the 2009 SEMA Show and this time as a featured vehicle for Superchips.  And, thanks to the fact that we were able to get setup early, we’ve been able to spend some time taking pre-show pics of a few of the JK’s on display and they can now be seen by clicking on the banner above or on the link below:

Project-JK 2009 SEMA Show Photo Gallery

Be sure to check back again and on daily basis this week as we will be posting up a ton more pics!

Northridge4×4 will be closed Tuesday, November 3rd-8th to attend the 2009 SEMA show in Las Vegas.  During this time, you can save 7% on all orders over $250.   Please note that products made by the following manufacturers will be excluded from this sale: LOD, AEV, Superchips, Rubicon Express, JKS and any package deals or pre-negotiated package deals.  When placing your order, be sure to enter in the coupon code: SEMA

All order will be processed on November 9th and shipped out asap.

www.northridge4×4.com

Staun USA is pleased to announce the return off our popular “Buy 3 get one free” promotion on all internal beadlocks, from November 1st to December 31st 2009. (Available at participating Staun dealers).

ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS:
1- Order four Staun internal Beadlocks
2- You pay for three
3- And get the fourth one FREE!

It’s as easy as 1, 2…BUY 3, GET ONE FREE!

For more information about Staun Products, please visit their website at: www.staunproducts.com