TREADの March/April 2024 の目次

“LIVING IN ARIZONA WITH LIMITED SEASIDE VIEWS, SHE DECIDED ON AN EYE-CATCHING AQUA WRAP TO REMIND HER OF THE SOCAL COASTLINE.” Jolk Heyer, known as “aquajeepgirl” in the cyber universe (that’s still something people say, right?), has been exploring the great outdoors in her trusty 2018 Jeep Wrangler, affectionately named “Roxxie,” for a few years now. Her passion for Jeeps and off-roading began during her college days in Southern California, where she cherished every moment in her roommate’s Wrangler. Learning to drive stick, getting stuck in sand, and having endless fun solidified her love for Jeeps. Her Jeep journey started in 2019 when she acquired Roxxie, a leftover 2018 model Wrangler JLU Sport S. While she had hoped to find one in a vibrant color, she found a black 6-speed…

Everyone has that one vehicle that causes them to pause—that quintessential custom you can only dream of emulating in some shape or form in a future build. For off-road desert speed fans, that truck is Rob Lindsay’s Ford Ranger, turned insanely custom pre-runner! And for good reason. Rob’s Ranger started off life like any other standard Ford Ranger—mildly capable, big enough to haul some stuff around, but not overly impressive when it came to, let’s face it, any specifications. But, match that Ranger up with one heck of a fabricator, an unbelievable prowess for building off-road capable vehicles, four years of work on nights and weekends, and some of the best upgrades and modifications money can buy, and you’ve got yourself one legendary off- road truck! A talented fabricator, Rob…

Although Curt Reesor owned other 4x4s, he always appreciated Toyotas. His first new truck was a 1988 Toyota single cab 4x4 boasting a 22RE four-cylinder engine and manual transmission. His Toyota was bombproof, giving Reesor years of reliable service, including thousands of miles off the beaten path. To him, that truck was built to last. Reesor and his wife Erika frequently visited the Colorado and Mojave deserts and places along the Eastern Sierras. They even took his beloved Toyota on their honeymoon via dirt roads spanning the entire state of Oregon, from the California border to the Columbia River. He kept his storied ’88 for several years until they had a child, suddenly they didn’t have enough room. Sadly, they had to let it go. “MY VEHICLE IS A BACKCOUNTRY…

01. FULL RIVER BATTERY / FT825-34 Full Throttle Series High-Performance AGM batteries are made with high-compression cells and a heavy-duty case. They use pure-lead cells and thin-plate technology to deliver reliable power. Suitable for a wide range of vehicles and applications, Full Throttle Series batteries are designed for exceptional cranking power, performance, and reliability. MSRP $352.99 www.fullriverbattery.com 02. EDGE PRODUCTS / PULSAR XT Pulsar XT is a total game changer for 2.3L and 2.7L Ford Bronco owners. Unlike any other device on the market, this innovative plug-and-play module offers feature control and a Bluetooth wireless switch for power adjustability on-the-fly. Engineered to keep your factory PCM untouched, Pulsar XT is easily removed for dealer services. Users can add up to 55 hp/69 ft-lbs torque while improving drivability, mileage, and throttle…

“SINCE ERIC DOESN’T SPEND AS MUCH TIME ON A BOARD THESE DAYS, HE HAS SINCE CHANGED HIS FOCUS TO ALL THINGS THAT REVOLVE AROUND BUILDING CUSTOM VEHICLES AND OFF-ROAD RACING.” Folk who have a passion for extreme sports have a tendency of carrying that same excitement into whatever other activities they choose to partake in. There must be something imbedded into one’s DNA that craves that action, speed, and all things that cause high spikes of adrenaline. Whatever the scientific cause of this is, Eric Conner, who was a professional street-style skateboarder back in his youth during the ’90s, has experienced long-term effects that go along with wanting to land the next big trick in life. From Decks to Dunes Since Eric doesn’t spend much time on a board these…

Jeeps and dinosaurs go together like peas and very aggressive carrots. In fact, Jeep recently released a limited edition Jurassic Park appearance package through its Jeep Graphic Studio program for those who want to feel like they may get physically assaulted by a giant lizard at any moment. Or maybe they just want their Jeep to look like the ones in the movies. And really, the connection makes sense outside of the world of movies, too. Jeeps are tough, adaptive to their environments, and the battle-scarred remains of both can be found scattered throughout the hills of Utah. Enter one 2020 Gladiator named “Indominus.” If you guessed that that’s the name of a dinosaur, you’d be right. Furthermore, it’s one of the main antagonists in “Jurassic World,” although there’s one…

“FOR JERRY, IT WAS ALL ABOUT RACING THE NORRA 500 AND HE NEEDED THE PERFECT RIG TO DO SO.” Crawl over rocks, speed through the desert sand, and take a beating over long stretches of often off-camber, rolling divots in the form of “whoops” all while trying to follow a specified route between Point A and Point B and do so as quickly as possible—that's what racing in Mexico on the Baja Peninsula is like. If this sounds like a good time, you're in good company, including that of off-road aficionado Jerry Souza of Gilroy, California. There are a handful of very well-known races that take place on the Baja Peninsula every year, every one of them having their challenges, as well as amazing aspects. For Jerry, it was all…

“WITH OVER 1,000 OFF-ROAD BUILDS ON HAND AND 5,000 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE, THIS WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST TOY DRIVES TO COME TOGETHER IN THE OFF-ROAD COMMUNITY.” The King Shocks Toy Drive took place on Dec 16, 2023, at the King Shocks facility in Garden Grove, California. This was the first installment of this annual event, and it exceeded all expectations. The event was noticeably packed with overland builds, off-road builds, and prerunners, too. From a decked-out Sprinter to a six-figure trophy truck, you could find it here. Toyota was in attendance and showcased three of its brand new Tacoma models. With over 1,000 off-road builds on hand and 5,000 people in attendance, this was one of the largest toy drives to come together in the off-road community. The four-hour…

“TO ADD MORE TRAVEL CLEARANCE AND RIDE QUALITY, THE PATTONS INSTALLED FRONT AND REAR SETS OF ROCK KRAWLER 3-INCH LIFT SPRINGS ALONG WITH FOX 2.5 RESERVOIR SHOCKS.” While there are plenty of options to choose from within the midsize pickup truck segment, only a handful of them are truly off-road-ready straight off the lot. Even in that narrowed field of worthy rigs, it all comes down to one in the end. Many factors are responsible for convincing someone to fork over a healthy down payment and to willingly participate in years’ worth of monthly payments to come, but there are few factors as powerful as staying loyal to vehicle type and brand badging. Keeping It Real My husband Josh was in the middle of building his third Jeep Wrangler when…

Pickups are great, especially crew cabs! I appreciate a vehicle that can carry you, your family, and all your gear to destinations beyond paved roads, plus tow a trailer and haul household appliances when necessary. There is always a set of compromises to consider when deciding between a ½, ¾, or 1-ton model pickup to meet your personal needs. After years of owning ¾ ton Ram 2500s, I switched to a ½ ton Ram 1500 Ecodiesel to optimize fuel economy and ride comfort. Let’s face it: Even though backroad adventures are fun and I’d rather spend my time on dirt, gravel, and sand, 85% of my driving is around town or up and down the highway. I have found, however, that ½ ton pickups can struggle when approaching the upper…