Table of contents for March/April 2022 in TREAD

Let’s start off the beginning of a new year right but updating the look of our rigs. One surefire way of giving our trucks, old or new, a personalized look is by swapping out its wheels. Not only does a wheel upgrade increase the trail appeal of your vehicle, but it can often times increase its performance potential, as well. With so many aftermarket wheels available, it can be a challenge to choose just one set. To make your choice a bit easier, we gathered the latest releases for you to check out on these pages. Which set will you choose? BLACK RHINO WHEELS / GUIDE The Black Rhino Guide features a split six-spoke design nestled deep within a classic step lip profile. A bolt-on cap is utilized to allow…

A number of years ago, I spent time in Livingstone, Zambia, as part of a two-month trek through Southern Africa. My job for the week was to document adrenaline sports in the area. This included rafting the Zambezi River, flying an ultralight over a swamp full of hippos, and stepping off a bridge with a 300-foot rubber band around my ankles. Going into the assignment, I pondered how to visually share the experience with the publication’s readers. How would I capture images that would get their adrenal glands pumping and put goosebumps on their arms? When one thinks of action photography in the automotive genre, they might envision Robby Gordon flying through the air or a helicopter chasing Dakar champion Nasser Al-Attiyah through a canyon. While I’ve made a career…

A gentle breeze drifted through the open screen of my rooftop tent, washing me with a much-needed reprieve from the desert heat. Climbing down the ladder, I fired up the stove and waited for my morning fix of caffeine. I settled into my camp chair with a cuppa joe to witness the eastern horizon transition from inky black to shades of blue and purple. My traveling mates would not be up for another hour, which suited me fine. Tucked into a deep depression, walls of sand towered around me toward each of the cardinal points. Beyond their heights a sand sea stretched north beyond the U.S. border and east to the Sierra Pinacate. This was the Pimería Alta, now known as Gran Desierto de Altar, and we were mid-span on…

Is it possible to infuse a 48-year-old Land Cruiser with the comfort of a modern SUV? Well, um—no. But read on to see how close it might come. With my 1973 FJ40 brought up to (more or less) modern safety standards thanks to a roll cage, three-point belts, head restraints, four-wheel-disc brakes, and modern lighting, and with its backroad capability enhanced with OME suspension and an ARB locker (see Tread, November/December 2021), it was time to see if I could augment its practicality and comfort—the latter term being obviously relative in a naked steel box with the aerodynamics of an apartment building. The FJ40’s most critical shortcoming was gearing. With stock tires and 4.10 differentials, the engine was turning a frantic (for an archaic 3.9-liter straight six) 3,100 rpm at…

Deep in Sand Hollow’s Maze trail near Hurricane, Utah, I’m covered in red sand, soaking wet, and staring at the sky through fogged up goggles. I push the skinny pedal to the floor as the rock face in front of me gets even steeper, the tires struggling to keep traction on the smooth wet rocks. I’m behind the wheel of a 195hp 2021 Can-Am Maverick X3 X RC Turbo RR—a mouthful of a vehicle name. What it means is that I’m driving one of the most powerful factory-built Can-Am off-road fun machines on offer. This one is specifically set up for rock crawling, with things like a winch, upgraded roll cage, aluminum roof, 4-point harness, beadlock wheels, lots of underbody armor, and a Smart-Lok front differential. The reason I’m tackling…

O1. ARMORDILLO / AR-M ROOF CARGO BASKET Armordillo’s AR-M Roof Cargo Basket is a modular style roof rack that was designed to suit all your needs, from extra cargo space to brightening up the darkest roads; this rack will surely cover you on any road trip. It is finished in Texture Black for years of durable use. This rack is designed in the USA with enthusiasts in mind. The AR-M Roof Cargo Basket is made last you a lifetime of use. MSRP: $1,000 armordillousa.com O2. SMITTYBILT / XRC GEN3 12K COMP SERIES WINCH WITH SYNTHETIC CABLE The all-new XRC Gen3 Winch by Smittybilt has been designed from the ground up with innovative, user-friendly features and improved power efficiency. The 7.0 horsepower motor boasts an average line speed increase…

Martin Reginato, known as Dakar-Tundra on Instagram, continually builds up cool Toyota vehicles. His latest batch have included some standout imports that are rarely seen on North American roads. One of his recent builds is this 1988 Toyota Bandeirante, which just debuted at the SEMA Show 2021. Bandeirante “REGINATO’S TRUCK HAS THE CLASSIC AND ICONIC MERCEDES-BENZ OM-314 DIESEL ENGINE THAT STARTED LIFE AS A SINGLE CAB LONG BED PICKUP BEFORE BEING CONVERTED TO A DOUBLE-CAB SHORT BED.” First you might be asking, what in the world is a Bandeirante? Good question! It is a Toyota 40 Series truck built in Brazil by Toyota of Brazil from 1968 to 2001, with only a few stylistic differences from the Japanese built trucks. They were built in country to avoid some steep taxes…

We’re on the cusp of change, morphing minds from internal combustion engines to electrified entities. Although all-electric, or EV, vehicles are gaining notoriety with the tarmac-traversing crowd, it’s a largely unknown challenge when off-roading one. My experience piloting an all-electric 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 AWD Pro SUV was mind-bending and extraordinary. To date, I’m one of a select few who have driven a fully electrified vehicle in a major competition. My navigator, Emily Winslow, and I partnered with Volkswagen of America for a challenge like none other: pilot a newly released all-wheel-drive ID.4 EV over 1,400 miles of desert terrain to complete this year’s Rebelle Rally. “OUR COLORFUL CROSSOVER SURPASSED OUR EXPECTATIONS—ESPECIALLY IN CHALLENGING CONDITIONS.” What terrain could the electrified five-door SUV tackle? Would we have mechanical issues or battery mishaps…

They say, “Seeing is believing,” but I’ve always found that experience is more convincing. That’s the case when I had a chance to use the Guardian 3.5 from Bradford USA. A while back, I reviewed the smaller Bradford Guardian 3 for our sister publication, EDC – Everyday Carry Essentials. Upon seeing that knife, a fixed blade with horizontal sheath intended for everyday carry, I instantly proclaimed it to be among my new-found favorites. That knife is sized right to conceal easily yet has enough blade to give it the capability to handle most tasks. While I still see that knife as a very good choice, longer experience with it convinced me that, at times, a better one-knife option for me would be something with a bit longer handle. That’s where…

If you would have told Kyle Delfel that he would own a shop (Del Fab), build a badass SEMA award-winning Bronco, take home the top Ford Design award, and be shot for the cover of Tread all in a single year—he would have just laughed at you. You see, Kyle is about as humble as it comes, surprising from someone oozing with such talent. He had never set out to do any of this—at least not right out of the gate. Let’s rewind back to 2005; Kyle had just turned 16 and was cruising a 1975 Bronco. Like most of us gearheads, from that point forward he went through vehicles kind of like underwear. When he was just 18 years old, Kyle built his first solid-axle swap in the way…

The apparel you decide to bring with you on any journey is as important as the outdoor gear you pack. Clothing is the first line of defense from the elements, whether you’re going on a weekend jaunt or a long-term excursion; the clothing that accompanies you is step one in being prepared. The best travel clothing takes a thoughtful approach for travel-friendly design with useful features such as odor, stain, and water resistance, as well as temperature regulation, ease of movement, and versatility. Some brands take it a step further using lightweight, innovative materials, packable design, and of course, making each product to be durable, yet comfortable. Obtaining good quality apparel should be the goal, along with selecting key pieces that last a lifetime. The old adage, “Buy once, cry…

When you’re living off of what you can fit within the confines of your 4x4 when off roading, you need to be mindful of what you bring along. There’s only so much that can fit in your rig after all. Can you do without your favorite king-size pillow? Do you really need those twinkle lights for your tent? This rule of thumb goes double or even triple when you are living out of your backpack when venturing on foot. Considering the scarcity of storage space, you’ll soon realize that a major drain on space and weight capacity is dedicated to your food and water. There’s little we can do about the space and weight that water takes up other than filtering your own from found sources, which is a good…

01. RYOBI/ 18V ONE+ SOLUTIONS Bring cordless power to the Campsite with the Ryobi 18V ONE+ System of over 225 tools. The same 18V ONE+ battery powers lights, radios, inflators, inverters, fans, like the one here, and so much more. With over 25 years of cordless innovation and a foundation in power tools, Ryobi 18V ONE+ solutions are a top choice for homeowners, pros and outdoor enthusiasts. Own your campsite with the power to do more in the great outdoors. MSRP: varies ryobitools.com 02. UCO GEAR/RECHARGEABLE ARC LIGHTER & LED FLASHLIGHT Need a light? This combo flashlight has you covered regardless of the type of “light” you need. It produces brilliant light through an LED, as well as fire starting capabilities via its internal Arc lighter. Flip open…

WHEEL BASE 112.5 in. HEIGHT 69.5 in. WIDTH 76 in. GROUND CLEARANCE 18 in. APPROACH/ DEPART ANGLE 90° RANGE 200 miles (estimated) O1 PERFORMANCE BATTERY & CHARGING Brawley’s batteries allow for an available 40 kWh and 60 kWh of energy storage. Advanced battery conditioning system extends cold weather range and increases battery lifecycle. DC fast charging can charge up to 80% capacity in under an hour. O2 POWERTRAIN INDIVIDUAL MOTORS Four inboard electric motors producing more than 400 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. Individually controlled motors and four-wheel steering combine to offer unparalleled maneuverability options. BRAKES Equipped with regenerative braking, and inboard wet carbon fiber brakes with electronic ABS. O3 SUSPENSION FRONT & REAR Internal bypass shocks and suspension architecture combine to provide 22 inches of…

Bradford Knives offers the Guardian 3.5 in configurations other than the one I tested. In addition to the drop-point blade, you can have a Guardian 3.5 with either a tanto blade or the company’s new sheepsfoot blade. If you prefer a blade finish other than stonewashed, some models have blades with a Nimbus or black DLC finish that come with black leather sheaths. Kydex sheaths are available too. You can choose among several handle options as well. Some have naturally textured Micarta or Richlite scales and some handles feature a very aggressive texturing of raised checkering. My Guardian 3 in Tiger Stripe has this texturing and it’s very good for use in wet or sloppy conditions. Some carbon fiber and G10 scales are offered too.…

The Hellwig Ford F-150 Double Duty build is equally at home on the job site or out adventuring on the weekend. This build was dreamed up by Mike Hallmark from Hellwig Products and put together by him and the team at Old Steel Fabrication in Leona Valley, California. It debuted in the Ford Booth at the SEMA Show 2021. The concept was to build a work hard and play harder truck that you could also easily live with as an everyday driver. Creating a one-vehicle quiver that can do it all is no small task. Hallmark managed to pull off the seemingly impossible. “THE CONCEPT WAS TO BUILD A WORK HARD AND PLAY HARDER TRUCK THAT YOU COULD ALSO EASILY LIVE WITH AS AN EVERYDAY DRIVER.” The Foundation The first…

Despite delays and complications that affected everyone in the auto industry in 2021, Ford Motor Company went ahead and released a totally redesigned, off-road oriented sixth generation Bronco. The new release targets brand loyalists and thrill seekers who want to venture out of the city and beyond. “THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS BELLTECH-LIFTED BRONCO AND A STOCK VEHICLE IS LIKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SLEEPING IN A SLEEPING BAG ON THE GROUND AND SLEEPING ON A 10-INCH TEMPURPEDIC MATTRESS.” The new Bronco is a versatile, mid-sized 2- and 4-door SUV equipped with a powerful V6 turbo engine, manual shifter or a 10-speed automatic transmission, fully boxed frame, selectable 4WD, heavy duty differentials and transfer case, a solid rear axle, and independent front suspension. It has a clean design with attractive retro styling,…