Tech

Optima batteries are an excellent addition to any off road vehicle. They don't contain liquid acid so there's no worry of leaking or spilling. Optima uses the gel cell design concept with their own technology called spiralcell. This allows Optima batteries to smaller yet have greater power, recharge faster, maintain higher voltage during discharge and offer increased vibration resistance.

Another great advantage of Optima batteries is that they can be mounted anywhere and in any direction even upside down! This is especially handy if you're trying to fit a secondary ...

Most people think their 4WD truck really is four wheel drive but...it is NOT! You really have a 2WD vehicle! Yes, one front wheel and one rear wheel of alternating sides gets power. And no...manual locking hubs are not lockers! This is probably the most common misconception I've heard.

So why is your truck called 4WD? Technically, any of the four tires can get power. Unfortunately, your differential sends power to the tire with the LEAST amount of traction. So, needless to say it's rather easy to get a stock 4x4 truck stuck. ...

One of the common issues with older vehicles is worn out seats. This is especially common for Toyota trucks which often see heavy use and have thin cushion to start with. The seats in my 1986 Toyota 4runner had seen better days. The driver seat had no lumbar support remaining, unless you count the steel support bar which was protruding through the padding. The back seat was a full bench seat with no head rests. Overall, the fabric was in excellent condition consider the age but the seat cushion was worn out.

There are many types of seats that people have swapped into their Toyotas; common seat choices include Honda Civic, Acura Integra, Subaru Impreza and other unusual ones like Mercedes. I chose Toyota. Oringally, I was looking to install some 3rd gen 4runner seats (1996-2002) but I found that extensive modification would be required. ...

Four wheeling with your tires at highway air pressure results in extremely poor traction off road. This was one of the first lessons I learned 10 years ago on my first off road adventures. A fellow 4WD driver took the time to explain the advantages of reducing air pressure for increased traction.

The basic concept is that as tire pressure is decreased it allows the tire to flex more; as the tire sidewall flexes it increases the tread contact surface area. The tread on the tire will wrap around rocks and terrain to grab a hold and give the vehicle traction. ...

Leaf spring suspension is one of the oldest forms of vehicle suspension. You'll find leaf springs on the first production of Jeeps, Land Cruisers and Scouts. Today, most trucks and many SUVs still use leaf spring technology.

It's good to understand the basics of leaf springs when it comes time to modifying or lifting your truck for off road use. Replacement leaf spring shackles are an inexpensive method for increasing ground clearance.

One of the most commonly asked questions is: How much lift will longer shackles yield? Every 1" increased shackle length will result in 1/2" of lift. For example: if your truck has 3.5" factory shackles and you installed 5.5" long shackles, ...

Are your headlights looking old, faded and discolored? Don't replace them restore them!

Most modern vehicles including my 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport have plastic headlights. They look much more stylish than the older glass sealed beam headlights but they age poorly. My headlights were discolored, scratched, hazy and looked horrible. Originally I planned on replacing the headlights until I discovered they cost over $200/ea on Ebay. I was determined to find another alternative. After searching Google I discovered several headlight polishing restoration kits.
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Bigger tires are an excellent upgrade for off road driving but they decrease gas mileage on the road. It’s not uncommon to experience a 2-4 mpg reduction in gas mileage with your off road tires.

Why is this?
1. They are HEAVY. Many weigh 20+ lbs more than stock tires.
2. Increased Rolling Resistance from aggressive tread.
3. Incorrect odometer & speedometer. Larger tires travel further per rotation.

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