Four Wheeler 08.2022

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FEATURE

STANDING

WAY OUT
Kirby Gonzales’ backcountry
Benz is strictly for pleasure fourwheeler.com

V isiting the world’s natural wonders can sometimes mean dealing with seething
masses of tourists. To avoid the crowds and still soak in the amazing sights,
Kirby Gonzales decided to approach things from a different angle—from the
dirt. He replaced paved roads, improved campsites, and his mild-mannered
Range Rover Sport with backcountry routes, secluded camping, and a unique explora-
tion vehicle platform.

Having an escape from the bustling city and the rigors of a demanding career moti-
vate Kirby to explore the mountains, deserts, and forests of the West as often as he can.
Flowing through mountain bike trails, wandering dirt roads, and basking in peaceful
sunsets help him unwind and relax as far away from crowds as he can get. As outdoor
recreation areas became increasingly popular, Kirby found himself wanting to get even
farther down the unpaved roads to seek solitude, and he needed a vehicle that suited him
as well as his needs.

By Jered Korfhage

[email protected] Photos: Four Wheeler staff

52 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER

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Feature standing way out

“I don’t want to blend in,” Kirby told us. Having previously driven a Range Rover Sport and a /> WHEN UPGRADING HIS TIRES, KIRBY NEEDED SOME-
Land Rover Discovery, he also knew that V-8 power was a must-have in his next vehicle, along with
having ample aftermarket support. His search for a vehicle that was rugged, mechanically simple, THING RATED fOR SNOw TRAvEl. THE GOODYEAR DURATRAc
and with his powertrain requirements led him to the ’03 Mercedes-Benz G 500. The 19-year-old HAS BEEN HIS GO-TO TREAD SINcE AcqUIRING THE G 500.
SUV had a solid off-road pedigree and it boasted commendable reliability and a generous selection
of aftermarket parts. Kirby was all in.

Upgrading the G-Class involved fitting it with larger all-terrain tires, a means to sleep above the
ground, and stowage for his camp kitchen, bikes, paddle boards, and other implements of adventure.
Kirby told us the G-Wagon doesn’t make sense as a commuter vehicle so the almost 100,000 miles
he’s rolled onto the clock have been purely recreational. We asked if this was his ideal vehicle and
he said he would only replace the G-Wagon with another G-Wagon—just one with a diesel under
the hood. Read on for more on how Kirby gets way out there with his unique and adventure-ready
Mercedes-Benz G 500.

/> KIRBY wANTED V-8 POwER IN HIS ADvENTURE

MAcHINE, AND THE 5.0L M113 50 fiT THE BIll.
HE’S cONfiDENT HE’ll SEE MANY MORE HUNDREDS
Of THOUSANDS Of MIlES OUT Of THE ENGINE AND
AS fAR AS fUEl EcONOMY IS cONcERNED, HE
REPORTS BETwEEN 9 AND 10 MPG If HE’S IN A
HURRY. THOSE NUMBERS APPROAcH 11 If HE’S
MINDfUl Of HIS THROTTlE INPUTS.

\> ADDING TwO INcHES Of lIfT wITH THOR

MOTORwORkS cOIlS AND KING 2.5-INcH SHOckS
GAvE THE TIRES ROOM TO wORk AND kEPT BODY ROll
TO A MINIMUM.

54 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

<- <| ASk KIRBY ABOUT fUTURE MODIficATIONS AND HE’ll

lIkElY MENTION A wINcH. UNTIl THEN, HE’S HAD PlENTY Of
lUck USING HIS MAxTRAx REcOvERY BOARDS TO GET HIMSElf
UN-STUck AND A kINETIc REcOvERY ROPE TO HElP OTHERS.
THAT fEARSOME SPIkED TOOl IS A KRAzY BEAvER SHOvEl
AND IT’S GOOD fOR DIGGING SNOw, TENDING TO fiRES, AND
OTHER cAMP TASkS.

<- AfTER DIScOvERING THE lIMITS Of HIS fAcTORY RUNNING

BOARDS, KIRBY UPGRADED HIS ARMOR wITH ROckSlIDERS
fROM G-RAID.

</ COOkING IS A BIG PART Of HOw KIRBY UNwINDS wHEN

Off THE GRID, AND HE OUTfiTTED THE G-WAGON AccORD-
INGlY. BETwEEN HIS COlEMAN TwO-BURNER STOvE, DRAwERS
fOR STORAGE, TEMBO TUSk SkOTTlE, AND 7-GAllON wATER
TANk, HE HAS EvERYTHING HE NEEDS TO ExPERIMENT wITH
BAckcOUNTRY flAvOR.

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER AUGUST 2022 55

Feature standing way out AT A GLANCE

\> KIRBY SUPPlEMENTED GENERAL
VEHIclE: ’03 Mercedes-Benz G 500
HIS fAcTORY lIGHTS wITH A OwNER: Kirby Gonzales
PAIR Of DRIvING LEDS ON THE STOMPING GROUNDS: Cerritos, California
BUMPER AND A STEAlTHY AND BUIlD TIME: 3 years
fUNcTIONAl lIGHTBAR fROM
STEDI. REcENT GlOBAl EvENTS DRIVETRAIN
INSPIRED THE MASk STIckERS ENGINE: 5.0L M113 50 V-8
ON HIS BUMPER lIGHTS’ TRANSMISSION: 5G-Tronic 5-spd auto
PlASTIc lENS cOvERS. TRANSfER cASE: VG150E
LOw RANGE RATIO: 2.16:1
|> ON THE PASSENGER SIDE YOU’ll SEE A 10-GAllON CRAwl RATIO: 33.9:1
FRONT AxlE/DIffERENTIAl: Mercedes-Benz 8.5-in, 4.38 gears/
wATER TANk AND MIRRORS REPURPOSED fROM AN open
EARlIER G-WAGON. REAR AxlE/DIffERENTIAl: Mercedes-Benz 8.5-in, 4.38 gears/
open
\> KIRBY SElEcTED THE BUSH COMPANY AlPHA
SUSPENSION
TENT BEcAUSE HE cOUlD Affix ROOf RAIlS TO ITS TOP, FRONT: King 2.5-in shocks, Thor Motorworks 2-in-lift springs
THAT wOUlD BE USED TO TRANSPORT wATERcRAfTS AND REAR: King 2.5-in shocks, Thor Motorworks 2-in-lift springs
BIcYclES, IN ADDITION TO HOlDING SPARE fUEl AND
REcOvERY GEAR. TIRES/WHEELS
TIRES: LT275/70R18 Goodyear DuraTrac
WHEElS: 18-in factory

MISCELLANEOUS
LIGHTING: Stedi LED lightbar, Type-X Pro driving/spotlights
ARMOR: G-Raid rocksliders
COOl STUff: Maxtrax recovery boards, Krazy Beaver shovel,
Fiskars axe, Bush Company Alpha tent, Front Runner
Outfitters roof rack and rear ladder, Alu-Cab 270-degree
awning, Tembo Tusk Skottle, ARB air compressor, dual fire
extinguishers, custom kitchen loadout

/> THIS SUBMISSION TO THE CAMP CHEf SHOwcASE, A cOOkING cOMPETITION DURING THE 2021 OvERlAND ADvENTURE,

wAS A BAckUP PlAN wHEN KIRBY’S ORIGINAl IDEA Of cAMP qUESADIllAS fEll THROUGH. WE’ll SAY HIS kITcHEN OUTfiT IS
qUITE wEll APPOINTED AND HE HAS THE SkIllS TO MATcH. fw

\> ElIMINATING All THINGS cHROME fROM THE cOlOR

ScHEME wAS THE PlAN fOR THE G-WAGON.

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Tech

By Ryan Kennelly [email protected] Photos: Ryan Kennelly while trucks with metal dashes finding this truck was to expand our search to
places that would have sold more of the vehicle
survive the test of time event we were looking for. Reno, Nevada, had just
the rig for this build.
o some, modern trucks are boring. after event), aftermarket support (some vehicles
Reno is 600 miles away from our SoCal
They lack style and character. Details have little to no support), and a V-8 engine location. Do we slog through the night pulling
a trailer to pick this thing up? Or maybe have a
washed away in aerodynamic wind (eight-cylinder vehicles usually have robust shipper pick up the truck sight unseen? Or do
we trust our mechanical skills, the photos, and
tunnels and robust features removed running gear like bigger transmissions, transfer vids the seller sent and just drive it back? Yep,
you guessed it. We decided to fly out, inspect
in crash testing. These are some of cases, and axles. the vehicle, make a few adjustments, and drive
it home knowing there may be a few adven-
the reasons why we wanted an older Once we determined our parameters, we had tures along the way.

truck for our next project 4x4. to dig deep to find that perfect build. We didn’t On a Friday at 7 a.m., we headed
to the airport for the 90-minute
Finding the right project vehicle is never want something too perfect that the purists
flight to Reno. We wouldn’t be
easy. You need to know what you want for your will mock our aftermarket accessories, but checking ordinary bags; our
checked items were camping
next build. We knew what we wanted for our not too rusty that it adds weeks of extra labor

California-based project 4x4: Smog exempt, in repairs. Between online searches, friends,

1975 or older (opens up so many options for and sometimes just plain old driving around

engine upgrades), coil spring front suspension knocking on doors, we found what we wanted

(leaf springs are simple and strong but ride in the form of a ’75 Ford F-100 4x4 Custom

terrible in most cases, coil springs have no fric- longbed pickup, commonly known

tion and promote a better ride quality), cab on as a “dentside,” on Facebook

chassis (a solid steel frame is the only way to Marketplace. The trick in

go when you need to carry gear for extended

periods of time, unibody vehicles are light

and fast but can suffer a slow death as they get

overloaded and peel apart at the seams), a metal

dash (this is a funny need that only a veteran off-

roader would want because plastic dash frames

of later trucks can cave in when you get

to thrashing your vehicle at speed,

58 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

THE SAGA gear in one bag and 48 pounds of tools in a
OF FINDING, small ice chest. The ice chest serves as a vessel
BUYING, AND THE to move tools through transit then becomes a
600-MILE DRIVE place to store cold drinks once on the road. Our
HOME IN A PROJECT plan called for traveling down highway 395,
1975 FORD F-100 which we feel has some of the best camping in
California.

We arrived at the owner’s house and saw a
very clean F-100. The truck appeared to have
very little use and the owners loved it well.
In its original paint, the truck only had two
tiny rust holes that can be easily fixed in a few
hours. The running gear was all original, led
by the 360ci FE engine. Behind that was a C6
three-speed automatic transmission coupled
to an NP203 full-time transfer case with low
range. Under the truck was a front high-pinion
Dana 44 axle followed up with a classic Ford
9-inch front loading rearend. The F-100 was
known for its radius arm front coil spring
suspension. The rear suspension was the classic
1⁄2-ton leaf-spring pack and all the springs had
seen better days. Drum brakes resided at all
four corners and the system used vacuum assist.
The F-100 also had the earliest form of power
steering. This was a manual steering box and
a hydraulic ram connected to the centerlink.
The input was fed to it by a servo connected to
the drag link. One of our favorite features was
the toolbox on the bedside. We also liked that
the gas tank was at the rear of the truck and not
behind the seat like in previous years.

The F-100 was everything the seller had
said it was and more. A true time capsule of
vehicles from that era. But in order for us to
make the 600-mile drive home it would need
a few things. A week or so earlier we shipped
out a set of 265/75R16 Milestar Patagonia X/T
tires, a 30-liter gas can, and a set of G2 Axle &
Gear locking hubs. This all arrived at Samco
Fabrication in Reno. Owner Sam Cothrun
allowed us to use his shop to mount the tires
and do last-minute adjustments the F-100
would need before takeoff. 

The truck came from the factory with
full-time four-wheel drive. Normally this
wouldn’t be an issue, but the T-case was stuck
in high range lock. During the test drive,
the truck barked the tires and would hardly
make a U-turn, let alone drive into a parking
spot in one try. This is where the G2 locking
hubs came in. We removed the factory drive
flanges and installed the hubs to free up the

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Tech DENTSIDE

front axle and simulate a 2WD stops were over $5.50 a gallon. Our next stop
truck. It worked perfectly and the would be a favorite of ours. June Lake Loop
driveability instantly changed for would take us through the higher elevations and
the better. Next, we mounted and to some classic resort towns that have remained
balanced the Milestar Patagonia unchanged for decades. We stopped at Silver
X/T tires. These tires would give Lake for breakfast then hit the road.
us the confidence to leave the pave-
ment when we wanted to explore. We soon approached another old favorite
of ours, the town of Lone Pine and the nearby
Once the fluids were checked Alabama Hills. Made famous by classic
and the truck was ready to head western movies and TV shows filmed in the
south, we made our way toward Bridgeport, area, Alabama Hills is a great place to camp
California. This would be a great first test. because the huge rocks provide shade and
Would the truck run cool? Would the trans- shelter from the wind. We pointed the F-100
mission hold strong in each gear? Would the into the Alabama Hills and took a quick tour on
truck burn oil or smoke? We were about to find the twisty trails though the rocks, but decided
out. With a gentle press of the gas pedal, we we wanted to camp closer to home.
listened carefully for any warning noises as we
gathered road miles. The truck seemed to have
fresh running gear in it. The 360ci big-block
ran strong. We never really needed more than
quarter throttle to run 55-60 mph. We made one
more stop at the parts store for a few supplies
before leaving our safety net, then our next stop
was a campsite for the night.

Early the next morning we cleaned up camp
and headed south again. Back home, the team at
our shop had a grid going on what would leave
us stranded. But our confidence was strong, 80
percent that we wouldn’t be left stranded in the
desert, so we took our first detour to the Mono
Lake tufa formations. The tufas are formed by
calcium carbonate crystals. The formations
are spectacular along the shoreline. Our next
stop nearby would be the Panum Crater. The
crater was formed by the remnants of volcanic
activity. The hike to the top was windy and
smoky so we were cut short. The F-100 was
running good so far.

Back on the blacktop we got a full tank of gas
and realized we were getting over our “imag-
ined” 10 mpg. That was good news as some gas

60 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER

As the day grew longer, we determined our next gas stop. This was downhill so the pinging even better to the new timing. Not only did the
campsite needed to be at a higher elevation but had all but gone away. pre-ignition go away, we also gained power,
the smoke from nearby forest fires was pushing response, and fuel mileage.
us farther south. Soon we would be out of the Kramer Junction was the next stop. Here
Sierra Nevada mountain range and camping we would add more super unleaded and take a Since we were about 3.5 hours from home,
would be in the sparse desert, so we pushed on. stab at correcting the timing. In the old days, we felt compelled to push on. It was now dark
It was about this time that we noticed the truck the timing was set by rotating the distributor and the truck was running its best. Maintaining
had picked up a previously unknown symptom, to deliver spark at the right time. It could be 65 mph, we were no longer the slowest rig on
engine pre-ignition. This means the fuel in the set perfectly with a timing light that flashed in the road. We had travelled through hot, dry,
cylinders was exploding before the spark plugs sequence with the engine’s Number 1 cylinder. cold, wind, and smoke. We could now feel the
fire. This can be caused by a few things, but Since we didn’t have a timing light, we would damp beach air for the first time on the trip.
most commonly from excessive engine timing. be making a crude adjustment by reducing the We were close to home, but we had one more
Pulling into the town of Randsburg, the pinging timing using the reduction of engine rpm as a stop to make, at In-N-Out Burger. In-N-Out
noise was so bad that we could hardly move in “meter.” We loosened the distributor clamp, has always been our classic car guy celebration
First gear. We dumped our 30 liters of spare started the truck, and manually rotated the location on an epic road trip.
super unleaded fuel in the tank hoping we had distributor until the idle went down about 500
got bad gas, and this would blend with it and rpm. As guesses go, this was a pretty good one. What’s Next?
cure the pre-ignition. That was not the case. Travelling up the next hill we could barely hear
After a quick walk around the fascinating old the pinging noise, but we knew there was room What’s next for the F-100? Well, we have some
town, we fired up the truck and headed to our for improvement. So, we pulled over and took upgrades in mind and some repairs to make. Mods
out another 250 rpm. The engine responded include a Skyjacker 2.5-inch suspension lift and
larger 35-inch Milestar Patagonia X/T tires. We need
to replace the dash cluster lens and all of the truck’s
bushings and we want to build a custom battery box
for a Group 27 deep-cycle battery. The work has just
begun on our project F-100, so stay tuned. FW

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER AUGUST 2022 61

ETIREMENTFEATURE
PLAN
By Jered Korfhage

[email protected]
Photos: Four Wheeler staff

Chris Perron
traded his
sedan for
off-road self-
sufficiency
and never
looked back

T aking one last look at his Mercedes-Benz sedan, Chris Perron
told the salesperson, “I won’t need this once I retire.” After 33 years
in the military, Chris found himself at a Jeep dealership ready to
trade the rigors of his career (and his sports car) for something
geared for the dirt. To the bewilderment of the sales staff, he
parted ways with the CLS 550, drove away from the dealership in an ’18
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Recon Edition, and never looked back.

Although this was his first off-road vehicle, Chris knew he’d end up
with a Jeep. He just couldn’t beat the vehicle’s ruggedness and the storage
beneath the hardtop. Once the Wrangler was his, he methodically modified
it to suit his specifications. Chris fine-tuned the Jeep’s suspension setup,
matched tires and wheels to his off-roading style, augmented nighttime
visibility, and tailored the cargo area to fit his needs. Once complete, the
Jeep was a carefully honed tool for exploring far away from civilization
and it has allowed Chris to travel from coast to coast with confidence.

SPONSORED BY

FOUR WHEELER AUGUST 2022 63

Feature Retirement Plan

-> AEV Borah beadlocks keep Chris’ 37-inch

BFGoodrich mud-terrains seated no matter how low
he chooses to drop his tire pressure.

\> Rhino-Rack’s Pioneer Platform is a low-profile

solution to storing cargo above the Jeep and it is paired
with the company’s Backbone system that reinforces
the hardtop from the inside. Chris sleeps above the
ground inside his James Baroud Explorer rooftop tent.

<- -> Under the

hood, the 3.6L V-6
shares real estate
with a dual battery
system and an
sPOD six-switch
relay box. sPOD’s
design requires only
one wire to be run
into the cab and the
unit can control up
to six circuits with
rocker switches.

<- \> ARB Intensity driving lights sit low on the front bumper and LED pods from Rigid

Industries are on the cowls packing forward-facing amber light. Chris’ scene lights are
red-lensed Rigid Industries LEDs for easier vision in the dark. There’s a Warn Zeon 10-S
winch nestled behind the Rubicon’s stock steel bumper with a Factor 55 FlatLink.

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/> Reinforcements in the front include an aluminum <| Skidplates from Rock Hard 4x4 protect the evap canister, rear differential, and other

tie rod and drag link, an adjustable track bar from JKS sensitive parts on the undercarriage, and the company’s transmission crossmember adds
Manufacturing, and an uparmored differential cover. additional heft. Chris opted for aluminum skidplates to reduce the sprung weight on his Jeep.

FOUR WHEELER AUGUST 2022 65

Feature Retirement Plan </ Chris chose
Old Man Emu
</ Inside, Chris stays on remote-reservoir
BP-51 internal-
top of his location with bypass shocks
his iPad and iPhone that that afford him
are secured via mounts adjustable control
from 67 Designs. He over compression
keeps a Garmin inReach
Mini on hand for and rebound
emergency communica- damping. His coil
tion and he installed a
Brandmotion infrared springs support
backup camera to aid in the Jeep’s load
reverse operations. while offering four

inches of lift.

AT A GLANCE </ Knowing where things are is crucial for Chris, so he worked with OK4WD in

GENERAL Stewartsville, New Jersey, to fit the Jeep with organization and storage options from
Vehicle: ’18 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Goose Gear. There’s space for his fridge/freezer, a slide-out kitchen arrangement,
Owner: Christopher Perron easy-access drawers, and various options for securing additional cargo. All work at
Stomping grounds: Sedona, Arizona the tailgate can be done under easy-on-the-night-vision red LED light.
Build time: 1 year
\> An additional 10
DRIVETRAIN
Engine: 3.6L Pentastar V-6 gallons of fuel can
Transmission: WA580 5-spd auto be stored in Chris’
Transfer case: NP241OR 2-spd AEV Fuel Caddy, and
Low range ratio: 4.0:1 he carries a quartet
Crawl ratio: 70:1 of recovery boards
Front axle/differential: Dana 44, Yukon Gear & Axle 4.88 gears/stock electric locker and a Northbound
Rear axle/differential: Dana 44, Yukon Gear & Axle 4.88 gears/stock electric locker Expeditions trail bag
on his spare tire. fw
SUSPENSION
Front: Old Man Emu BP-51 remote-reservoir shocks, Old Man Emu 4-in coils, JKS
Manufacturing track bar, JKS JSPEC Advanced Geometry Upgrade Kit for Jeep JK,
Hellwig sway bar
Rear: Old Man Emu BP-51 remote-reservoir shocks, Old Man Emu 4-in coils,
Hellwig sway bar

TIRES/WHEELS
Tires: 37x12.50R17 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3
Wheels: 17-in AEV Borah beadlock

MISCELLANEOUS
Steering: Old Man Emu damper
Lighting: ARB Intensity 9.5-in LED spotlights, ARB Intensity LED flood lights, Rigid
Industries SR-Q Series Diffused LED light, DSS Pro LED lights, D-Series Pro Diff SM
LEDs, AEV CHMSL 3rd Brake Light, Baja Designs LED red and clear dome lights,
Vision X LED strip light, 279J Jeep Tail Light
Armor: Rock Hard 4x4 transmission crossmember and aluminum skidplates,
MetalCloak tube fenders and fender liners
Cool stuff: Warn Zeon 10-S winch, Power Interrupt Kit, and Maximus-3 winch
mount; Factor 55 FlatLink; sPOD JK six-switch panel; Goose Gear JK 2 Door Plate
System, CampKitchen 2.3 system, Double Drawer Module, and Drawer Inserted
Cutting Board; Partner Steel 22-in Propane Stove; 1.5-gal Manchester propane
tank; ARB 50-qt fridge/freezer w/tie-down system, wiring kit, recovery kit, Portable
Air Compressor, Hydraulic Recovery Jack, and Digital Tire Pressure Gauge; Genesis
Offroad G Screen monitoring system and JK Dual Battery Kit; Rubicon Express drive-
shafts; Dynatrac ProGrip Brake System; JKS Manufacturing Exhaust Extension Kit;
AEV ProCal module, Snorkel System, and Fuel Caddy; 67 Designs iPhone/GoPro/iPad
mounts; weBoost cellular booster; Garmin inReach Mini; Maxtrax traction boards and
harness; Northbound Expeditions G.A.R.B. and chainsaw bag; Stihl battery chainsaw;
Fiskar axe; Bubba Rope recovery kit; Hi-Lift jack; 6-ton bottle jack; Rhino-Rack
84x56-in Pioneer Platform, Backbone 3, and RLCP legs; Alu-Cab Shadow awning
and awning mount kit; James Baroud Explorer tent

66 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

GO, FIND, CONQUER.

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important than a capable suspension.

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engineered to deliver the ultimate in hardcore off-road performance, as
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FIRST DRIVE

2022 TOYOTA
TACOMA

For the ’22 model year, the Toyota Tacoma these trucks is the ’22 Tacoma Trail Edition. /> The Trail Edition is based on the SR5-trim Tacoma,
TRD Pro received a few smart upgrades, Based on the mid-grade SR5-trim Tacoma, the
including new forged aluminum upper Trail Edition package is available on four-wheel- so SR5 features carry over to the Trail Edition.
control arms, new tires, more suspen- drive Double Cab models with the short bed,
sion travel, and new bedside “TRD Pro” V-6 engine, and automatic transmission. The includes the towing package as found on all
stampings. The truck’s price also increased by a Trail Edition gets a 1.1-inch front suspension lift V-6–equipped Tacoma models.
modest $1,600, bringing the starting price of an with the rear receiving a 0.5-inch lift. This lift is
automatic transmission-equipped truck to just achieved with taller coil springs in the front and Another interesting feature of the Trail
under $50,000. This isn’t a bad deal considering a small spacer in the rear. The truck also gets an Edition is also its most unique. Fitted in the
all that comes with the Tacoma TRD Pro. electronic locking rear differential, has the front bed of the truck are a pair of lockable storage
air dam removed, is fitted with skidplates from compartments. The driver-side compartment is
But as cool as the TRD Pro is, not everyone the TRD Off-Road model, has bronze-finished
wants to spend $50K on a truck. Fortunately, 16-inch wheels that add a 0.5-inch wider track
Toyota offers several other Tacoma options for width front and rear, and Goodyear all-terrain
those wishing to get off the beaten path while tires. It’s also worth noting that the Trail Edition
retaining some coin in their pockets. One of

70 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

TRAILA budget-friendly
off-roader that starts
at under $40,000
EDITION
By Jason Gonderman [email protected]
Photos: Toyota

even insulated with the intention that it can be /> -> The Trail Edition comes standard with
used as a cooler of sorts. While the storage bins
are great for holding wet and dirty gear that you lockable in-bed storage. The driver-side storage
don’t want in the cab but also don’t want stolen, includes insulation and can be used as a cooler.
these bins are removeable for times when the Also of note in the bed: a 120V power outlet.
entire bed is needed for hauling. Interestingly,
while these storage bins will technically fit all
shortbed Tacomas, they are only available with
the Tacoma Trail Edition package and cannot
be added separately.

The big question is, just how well does this
budget-friendly off-roader do when the pave-
ment gives way to dirt? In short, it’s pretty darn
good. The added lift and removal of the front
air dam gives the truck great approach and

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER AUGUST 2022 71

FIRST DRIVE 2022 Toyota Tacoma Trail Edition

departure angles (34 and 23.6 degrees, respec- <\ There are a couple of notable things about
tively), along with plenty of ground clearance to
get over obstacles. The Goodyear all-terrain tires the front end on the Trail Edition. First is the
give plenty of grip on loose dirt, and when they lack of an air dam. Ditching the air dam helps to
aren’t quite enough the rear locking differential improve the approach angle to a respectable 34
boosts traction to get over the toughest obstacles. degrees. The other prominent item up front is the
“heritage-inspired” grille. This grille, first found on
The Trail Edition doesn’t come with Toyota’s the TRD Pro, has unique bronze-colored lettering
Crawl Control or Multi-Terrain Select features that’s specific to the Trail Edition.
and honestly, we didn’t miss them. The
Tacoma’s 3.5L V-6 engine produces plenty of Tacoma Trail Edition a joy, since lower tier
power to get down the trail and the six-speed models typically lose out on some of our
automatic transmission works well on the trail favorite features, such as Apple CarPlay and
with its manual gear selection function. adaptive cruise. And, if we’re being completely
honest, we prefer the Tacoma’s cloth interior
Inside, the Trail Edition is equipped with an over the higher trim leather seats.
8-inch color touch screen with Apple CarPlay
and Android Auto capability. The truck also has At the end of the trail, we were quite
a 10-way adjustable driver seat and cloth seating impressed with the ’22 Toyota Tacoma Trail
throughout the cabin. All Tacoma models come Edition. This truck felt pure and simple while
standard with TSS-P, which includes such still providing the comfort and luxuries we’ve
safety and security features as adaptive cruise become accustomed to. If you can off-road
control, lane-keep assist, and auto emergency without the electronic aid of Crawl Control, and
braking. All these features made driving the don’t need to have leather seats, look no further
than the Tacoma Trail Edition. You, too, will
be pleasantly surprised.

/> Bronze-finished 16-inch wheels add a front

and rear 0.5-inch wider track width and they’re
paired with Goodyear all-terrain tires.

72 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER <- On the trail, we appreciated the great approach

angle and good ground clearance of the Trail
Edition. The Goodyear all-terrain tires gave plenty
of grip on loose dirt, and when they weren’t quite
enough the rear locking differential helped to boost
traction to get over the toughest obstacles. FW

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LONG-TERM TEST

BY JASON GONDERMAN [email protected] PHOTOS: JASON GONDERMAN

POINT YOUR
PHONE CAMERA

AT THIS CODE
TO READ THE
SECOND LONG-
TERM REPORT ON
THE 2021 GMC
YUKON AT4

2021 GMC YUKON AT4 <\ Backcountry exploration is really what the GMC

Third report: A lot of off-roading, a Yukon AT4 is best suited for. Getting out and finding
touch of towing, and more fun features abandoned mines and old relics from centuries past
is one of our favorite pastimes and the Yukon AT4 is
one of the most comfortable and capable SUVs for
the activity.

I t’s always a good thing when we get to this point in the life cycle of a long-term test vehicle watching for it in the final quarter.
and have nothing of any grave importance to report. Such is the case with our 2021 Four Speaking of the Yukon AT4’s air suspen-
Wheeler SUV of the Year award-winning ’21 GMC Yukon AT4. After nine months on the
road and more than 16,000 miles, the Yukon is still rock solid and we are just as enamored sion, we ran some incredible off-road trails
with the vehicle today as we were on the day it was dropped off. this quarter and had a chance to use all of the
vehicle’s off-road hardware. With the Yukon’s
During the first half of the year we spent setting activated that automatically lowers the transfer case shifted into low-range we were
a fair bit of time with a trailer in tow. With vehicle down to the lowest entry level when able to raise it into the highest suspension
355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque on tap from the placed in Park. This is great, except when setting, which provides an impressive 34.5-
5.3L V-8 engine, and a respectable tow rating attempting to hitch a trailer. We wish there degree approach angle, 22-degree breakover
of 8,200 pounds, the Yukon AT4 has proven was an easy way to lock out the air suspension angle, and 10 inches of ground clearance. We
itself to be a competent tow rig. The one area when towing, as it would be quite helpful to waded through two feet of water, drove through
that we’re not as certain about is the adjustable have full control over the suspension without soft sand, climbed steep hills, traversed rock-
air suspension while towing. The system has the vehicle doing anything automatically. strewn riverbeds, and blasted down graded
a number of positive attributes, with the most Additionally, we got a strange error message roads. About the only thing we didn’t do was
useful being automatic load-leveling and the while towing a side-by-side on our utility hard-core rockcrawling … for obvious reasons.
ability to raise and lower the vehicle’s height trailer. The full load was about 5,000 pounds
while hitching. On the flip side, there are with approximately 500 pounds of tongue We still appreciate the Yukon AT4’s elec-
several small quibbles that we’ve bumped up weight, well within the Yukon’s limits. Upon tronic rear limited-slip differential, which
against that we feel need addressing. arriving at the desert and unhitching the works quite well when traction starts to decline.
trailer, the vehicle flashed “Height adjustment Selecting the Off-Road drive mode (the Yukon
The same automatic load-leveling unavailable, air suspension overloaded.” It AT4 features Normal, Tow/Haul, Off-Road, and
ability that we enjoy on the road has made took several miles of driving and key cycles to Sport drive modes) improves throttle mapping
unhitching difficult on many occasions, get this to clear and allow us to bump into the and transmission shifting when in the rough.
especially when the trailer isn’t level with higher off-road suspension settings. We hadn’t And the Yukon AT4’s standard hill descent
the vehicle, because it will continue to adjust seen this prior, and haven’t since, so we’ll be control is certainly useful for those who choose
even when the vehicle is off. We also have the to use it. Like most air suspension-equipped
off-roaders, we’ve found the Yukon AT4’s ride

74 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

<- Even at full street tire pressure, the Yukon AT4 is a

dream on graded dirt and gravel roads like this one. With
the suspension at “Normal” ride height and the transfer
case in “Auto” we can easily fly down these roads in
comfort. The adaptive ride control dampers easily soak
up all the bumps and humps.

|> /> \> The combination of our Yukon AT4’s Cayenne Red paint, dark chrome trim, front skidplate, and Report: 3 of 4

off-road tires gives the vehicle quite the sinister look. And it has attracted attention everywhere we go. People Previous reports: Feb. ’22, May ’22
simply love the Yukon AT4. With the transfer case in low range, the Yukon AT4’s air suspension can be raised two Base price: $65,100
inches above the normal ride height. This gives the Yukon an impressive 10 inches of ground clearance along Price as tested: $75,610
with 34.5 degrees of approach angle, 22.5 degrees of departure, and 22.0 degrees of breakover. We would still
love it if GMC could find a way to package the fantastic 3.0L Duramax diesel I-6 engine from the Yukon Denali OPTIONS AS TESTED
in the AT4. Allegedly, the AT4’s front skidplate interferes with the diesel engine’s charge air cooler. Still, the AT4 Premium Package ($9,145),
prospect of 460 lb-ft of torque with 26 mpg on the highway is quite enticing. We’ve stuffed adults in all three Cayenne Red Tintcoat paint ($645),
rows of the GMC Yukon AT4 and have not had a single complaint. The middle row captain’s chairs both recline Second Row Heated Bucket Seats
and slide, while the third row now has much improved legroom thanks to the Yukon’s new independent rear ($370), Power Sliding Center
suspension. Impressively, there are even USB-C charging provisions for all except the rear center passenger. Console ($350)

quality degrades significantly the higher it service at 15,000 miles, we don’t foresee another LONG-TERM NUMBERS
is raised (it’s still better than most, however, dealer visit. So, all that is left for us to do is enjoy Miles to date: 16,241
thanks to the active ride control dampers). our remaining months with the large SUV. Sticking Miles since last report: 5,001
While the extra two inches of ground clearance with the plan that’s worked so far, we have more Average mpg (this report): 13.58
is nice when going over large obstacles, we’ve off-roading, towing, and road trips on the books. Test best tank (mpg): 18.78
found that the normal ride height is the most Here’s hoping for another trouble-free quarter as we Test worst tank (mpg): 9.28 (towing
comfortable for most general off-road scenarios. send the Yukon AT4 off in style. 8,000 pounds)
Unfortunately, it looks like we’re going to go
another year with no opportunity for snow or <| This little cubby here, at the front of the center MAINTENANCE
mud wheeling on the West Coast. While we’re This period: Oil Change, Tire
confident in the Yukon’s snow ability, we’d try console, contains the SUV’s wireless phone charging pad. Rotation, Air Filter, Fluid Top Off
our hardest to avoid deep mud holes, but that’s Simply drop your device on the pad and it will automati- (15,000 miles), Backup Camera
more a personal preference anyway. cally begin charging. Trouble is that our standard-sized Recall
iPhone isn’t large enough to stay centered and would Problem areas: None
Moving back inside, the interior continues to frequently drop the charge just by slipping to one side or
prove to be a comfortable fortress of solitude, another. Needless to say, this spot now just collects junk. WHAT’S HOT, WHAT’S NOT
most of the time. If we were going to spec out Hot: Gorgeous styling continues to
the Yukon AT4 again we can say at this point attract attention, 5.3L V-8 engine
we’d find a way to not have the panoramic is plenty powerful, all seven seats
sunroof. Personal preference plays a large role are comfortable for full grown
in this. However, we’ve found that the glass adults
roof and cloth cover let in quite a bit of heat and Not: Panoramic sunroof is good for
noise. Unfortunately, the sunroof is grouped watching the carwash brushes and
together with the AT4 Premium Plus Package not much else, fuel economy is still
so it would take some clever optioning to get the on the lower end, wireless Apple
features we love without the glass roof. Another CarPlay has gotten a tad buggy
polarizing feature that we love is the head-up
display. We leave it on speed most of the time, LOGBOOK QUOTES
but it has the ability to display off-road data, -> “I’m really glad the Yukon has a
stereo information, and navigation. It’s become small gas tank now, as it takes two
such a useful tool that we don’t know how we’ll card swipes if I let it go below a
live without it when the Yukon returns to GMC. quarter tank … yikes.”
-> “We have FINALLY found a good
As we enter the final quarter of evaluation, use for the sliding center console!
we’re displeased by the proposition of returning It perfectly holds the giant tub
the ’21 GMC Yukon AT4 to its rightful owners. of cheese puffs for road trip
Having just completed the second scheduled snacking!”
-> “The compliments keep pouring
fourwheeler.com in for the Yukon AT4, from the
old man at the gas pump to the
parents at Disneyland and every-
where in between.”
-> “Just went through a deep water
crossing in our factory AT4 while
laughing at all the kitted-out Jeeps
that followed.” FW

FOUR WHEELER AUGUST 2022 75

Feature GRANVILLE SALUTE Due to many requests, we’re republishing some of Granville King’s “From

The Backcountry” columns as space permits. These columns ran in Four Wheeler from 1984 until Granville’s passing in
1989 at age 70. Granville was a retired aerospace engineer and television screenwriter who lived off-grid in a trailer in Baja,
Mexico. His off-road experiences were many, and his storytelling was amusing, riveting, timeless, and unparalleled.

76 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER AUGUST 2022 77



Let’s find your
perfect ride.

GO TO :

MOTORTREND.COM/CARS/

CALENDAR WHERE TO SEND SUBMISSIONS

Address your correspondence to: Calendar, Four Wheeler, 831 S. Douglas St.,
El Segundo, CA 90245, or email [email protected].

COMPILED BY JERED KORFHAGE [email protected]

August 1-7 Where: Las Vegas, Nevada Hosted by: Rausch Creek Off-Road Park
Hosted by: Best in the Desert Info: rc4x4.org
What: Sierra Fest Racing Association
Where: Georgetown, California Info: bitd.com August 19-21
Hosted by: North American XJ Association
Info: naxja.org August 11-14 What: Jeep Jam
Where: Wilmington, Ohio
August 2-4 What: Mid-Atlantic Overland Festival Hosted by: Muddy Buddys
Where: Huntingdon, Pennsylvania Jeep Wrangler Club
What: Rimrocker Trail Adventure Hosted by: Main Line Overland Info: jeepjam.org
Where: Montrose, Colorado Info: overlandfestival.com
Hosted by: Off-Road Safety Academy August 20-21
Info: discoveroffroading.com August 11-14
What: Iron Range Off-Road
August 2-4 What: Sierra Trek August Rust Buster
Where: Truckee, California Where: Gilbert, Minnesota
What: UTV Con’Quest on the Rubicon Trail Hosted by: California Four Wheel Drive Hosted by: Iron Range Offroad
Where: Georgetown, California Association Info: ironrangeoffroad.com
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Info: jeepersjamboree.com August 25-27
August 12-13
August 5-7 What: Bighorn Mountains Jeep Jamboree
What: Off-Road and Camping Expo Where: Burgess Junction, Wyoming
What: Carlisle Truck Nationals Where: Mormon Lake, Arizona Hosted by: Jeep Jamboree USA
Where: Carlisle, Pennsylvania Hosted by: Mormon Lake Lodge Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com
Hosted by: Carlisle Events Info: campingexpos.com
Info: carlisleevents.com August 25-27
August 12-14
August 5-7 What: Great Smoky Mountain
What: Toledo Jeep Fest Jeep Club Invasion
What: Great American Crawl Where: Toledo, Ohio Where: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Where: Gales Creek, Oregon Hosted by: City of Toledo Hosted by: LeConte Center
Hosted by: Mickey Thompson Tires & Info: toledojeepfest.com Info: gsmji.com
Rockstar Performance Garage
Info: mickeythompsontires.com August 12-14 August 26-27

August 5-7 What: Topless for Tatas What: Scheid Diesel Extravaganza
Where: Pine Grove, Pennsylvania Where: Lyons, Indiana
What: Jeepers Jamboree Hosted by: Rausch Creek Off-Road Park Hosted by: Scheid Diesel Service Company
Where: Georgetown, California Info: rc4x4.org Info: scheiddiesel.com
Hosted by: Jeepers Jamboree
Info: jeepersjamboree.com August 13 August 26-28

August 5-7 What: Lucas Oil East Coast Series Truck and What: Overland Expo Mountain West
Tractor Pull Where: Loveland, Colorado
What: Trucks Gone Wild Where: Lancaster, Pennsylvania Hosted by: The Ranch
Where: Livermore, Maine Hosted by: Buck Motorsports Park Info: overlandexpo.com
Hosted by: Barnyard All Terrain Info: buckmotorsports.com
Info: trucksgonewild.com August 27
August 13-14
August 6 What: Monster Trucks and Car Soccer
What: Monster Jam Where: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
What: Combine Demolition Derby Where: Pensacola, Florida Hosted by: Buck Motorsports Park
Where: Lancaster, Pennsylvania Hosted by: Pensacola Bay Center Info: buckmotorsports.com
Hosted by: Buck Motorsports Park Info: monsterjam.com
Info: buckmotorsports.com August 27
August 15-21
August 6-7 What: Xrock Extreme Rock Crawling
What: Trucks Gone Wild Where: Harrisville, New Hampshire
What: Truck & Jeep Fest Where: Hale, Michigan Hosted by: Field and Forest Recreation Area
Where: San Mateo, California Hosted by: Iosco County Fairgrounds Info: facebook.com/XRockExtreme/
Hosted by: 4 Wheel Parts Info: trucksgonewild.com
Info: 4wheelparts.com August 27-28
August 17-21
August 6-7 What: SCCA Rally
What: Beartooth Adventure Where: Pine Grove, Pennsylvania
What: W.E. Rock Western Series Where: Cody, Wyoming Hosted by: Rausch Creek Off-Road Park
Where: Goldendale, Washington Hosted by: Jeep Jamboree USA Info: rc4x4.org
Hosted by: Broken Boulder Farm Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com
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August 10-13 length, accuracy, and clarity. The editorial depart-
What: Savage Off-Road Run ment can also be reached through the website at
What: Vegas to Reno Where: Pine Grove, Pennsylvania fourwheeler.com. Due to the volume of mail, elec-
tronic and otherwise, we cannot respond to every
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BY JERED KORFHAGE [email protected] PHOTOS: FOUR WHEELER ARCHIVES

Visiting the Yuma Proving Ground
and the LeTourneau Overland Train

F our Wheeler’s July 1969 issue took us car to turn at the same point allowed the train helicopters. Although most of the overland train
to a special part of the desert where to round challenging corners and avoid obsta- was reduced to scrap metal, you can still see
the Devil vacations when he needs cles. The Mark II was built from aluminum its control car at the Yuma Proving Ground. In
some heat. Just north and east of Yuma, and due to the smaller size of the gas turbine conjunction with the Army, General Motors has
Arizona, sits the expansive facility known at the engines, there was room aboard for a crew more recently built its Desert Proving Ground
time as the Yuma Proving Ground. Its location of six with space for dining and sleeping. The within the government test site, allowing for the
makes it favorable for year-round testing with train was 30 feet tall, could carry 150 tons of discreet development and testing of consumer
higher-than-average temperatures and some of material, and measured 570 feet long with the vehicles in the punishing desert environment,
the lowest precipitation levels around (in 1968, ability to extend its payload with additional fuel far from prying eyes.
1.2 inches of rain fell). The Yuma Proving and cargo cars.
Ground allowed the Army to subject its vehicles If you have a personal account of overland
to extreme temperatures, deep water cross- The train was tested at the Yuma Proving arctic travel or have ever met any of these land
ings, onslaughts of silt to detect dust intrusion Ground and was known as Project OTTER trains face to face, please tell us about it by
and resistance, rocky ledges and punishing (Overland Train Terrain Evaluation Research). sending a note to [email protected].
washouts to verify structural integrity, and even Despite its remarkable capabilities, the train Don’t forget to include high-resolution photo-
drops from supply planes. was abandoned with the advent of cargo graphs, if you have them. FW

Among the wheeled and tracked vehicles Another of the vehicles
designed and evaluated at the Yuma Proving that was tested at the
Ground, one hulking behemoth caught our Yuma Proving Ground.
attention: the LeTourneau TC-497 Overland
Train Mark II. The concept began with logging
in mind as a way to transport felled timber
away from sites through undeveloped terrain.
LeTourneau’s VC-12 Tournatrain was the first
iteration, and it was fronted by an engine car fit
with a 500hp Cummins VT-12 and a generator.
Each car that followed had four wheels and
tires, each powered by its own electric motor. A
later version of the land locomotive, the VC-22
Sno-Freighter, was used in the arctic regions of
Alaska to deliver materials to the Distant Early
Warning (DEW) radar stations. This locomotive
and its six individually powered cars floated over
snowdrifts and crossed rivers with 10-foot-tall
pneumatic tires. In addition to moving loads
over the frozen tundra, another of LeTourneau’s
over-the-snow haulers, the TC-264 Sno-Buggy,
gained notoriety for donating its tires and wheels
to the Bigfoot 5 monster truck.

Following the success of the previous
LeTourneau trackless trains, the United States
Army contracted the TC-497 Mark II. This train
traded Cummins diesel power for a quartet
of gas turbine engines with a better power-to-
weight ratio, and the ability to expand the train
to greater lengths. Four 1,170hp Saturn 10MC
engines were spread throughout the train, one
in the head car, and the three others dispersed
among the trailing cars. In addition to their
own electrically driven wheels, all cars were
designed to steer individually. Signaling each

FOUR WHEELER (ISSN 0015-9123) August 2022; Vol. 59, No. 8. Copyright © 2022 by Motor Trend Group, LLC. All rights reserved. Published monthly by Motor Trend Group, LLC, 831
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82 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com



THE BUCK
STOPS HERE.

BILSTEIN B8 6100 for Bronco

• Big 2.65” O.D.: 30% increase from Sasquatch

• Uses original spring and top-hat

• 60mm digressive piston improves ride comfort and
control over rough terrain

• Bronco specific tuning

B8 6100 Typical Lift Heights with OEM Springs

Circlip With Sasquatch Badlands Trim
Location Package Level

4 Door 2 Door 4 Door 2 Door

#6 2.3” 1.7” 2.6” 2.0”

#5 2.0” 1.4” 2.3” 1.7”

#4 1.7” 1.1” 2.0” 1.4”

#3 1.3” 0.8” 1.6” 1.1”

#2 1.0” 0.5” 1.3” 0.8”

#1 0.7” 0.2” 1.0” 0.5”

WAY AHEAD.