It might be a long way from the outback or actual off road driving but Chrysler is becoming very innovative in its marketing efforts to allow potential clients to experience the Jeep’s trail rated difference!

In early October at the South Florida International Auto Show, Chrysler set up what they called “Camp Jeep”.  To those less term enriched, Jeep made a driving exhibit to give test drivers the real-life experience of driving a Jeep off road. This was no minor feat for Jeep. To build their course at the Miami Beach Convention Center, they had to haul in over 220 yards of mulch and spend almost six days developing the obstacle course. The trail featured a water obstacle and an 18-foot “hill” as well as other driving challenges. All to show potential clients just what a Jeep can do out on the trails.

If this wasn’t enough, Chrysler is going it one better at their upcoming "Full Throttle Test Drive Event" at the Wild Rivers Water Park in Irvine, CA (Los Angeles area) this Saturday (Oct. 28) and Sunday (Oct. 29). Chrysler will be featuring its full line of vehicles on three different specialty courses, one of which will be a 4x4 off-road adventure course.  Consumers will get the chance to test the off-road capability of Chrysler’s Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee and Commander on the course.

This event will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and is free. Food and drinks will be available. People interested in attending are being encouraged to pre-register for a general arrival time on Saturday or Sunday by calling 888-809-7088 or visiting http://www.ridedrivewin.com/pr. Pre-registration is not required to attend. You do need to be 18 years or older with a valid driver’s license to participate in the vehicle driving tests.

Is it worth the expense to construct these man-made obstacle courses? Chrysler must think so and some marketing studies would seem to indicate that it is as well. According to market research, 40% of the people that attend these types of auto shows will buy a vehicle within a year of the event.

We applaud Chrysler for their innovative way to demonstrate their vehicles’ performance and to give people a chance to see for themselves what they feel like out on the trails.  We look for more marketing innovations out of Chrysler as they make a push to further strengthen their off-road image.

At XtremeTerrain.com we have everything you need for your Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, and any other Jeep make or model: Interior and exterior accessories, suspension and performance parts, restoration and body parts, travel accessories, and much more.  Quality aftermarket parts can be purchased easily at our online shop at our always low prices. Just go to On Sale Jeep Parts

Aftermarket Upgrades To Enhance Your Jeep’s Performance

Serious off-road enthusiasts do not worry about mud or scratches on their Jeeps because they will have a lot more come the end of the week.  They are modern day explorers and adventurers that want to go where no one has ever gone before.  They are usually off exploring those caves or driving up that mountain to see how far they can go.  When driving unpredictable terrain, the off-road enthusiast does not know the word “can’t”.  You can’t get there by car, you can’t cross that creek bed, or you can’t drive up that mountain.  These are all heard as challenges.  The off-roader now wants, no, must find a way to conquer that obstacle. 

To meet these challenges the typical serious off-road Jeeper wants to enhance their Jeep by adding aftermarket performance parts that help them achieve the optimum rock-crawling, trail-thrashing ability.  Specialized aftermarket trail performance components are made specifically for each model, whether it is a Wrangler, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, or Liberty.  Accessories are readily available to improve engine performance, vehicle handling, ground-clearance and trail convenience.

To increase horsepower there are a multitude of aftermarket upgrades available.   Hi-flow air intake systems increase the flow of air to the engine.  This allows your engine to breathe easier.  The air filter is designed to achieve virtual unrestricted airflow and still filter the air of dust and debris, which not only delivers added power but also helps prolong the life of the engine.  Computer chips and programmer boxes are designed to improve horsepower and/or gas mileage giving you the ability to optimize the power of your Jeep.  These programmers allow you to tune your Jeep to receive more rotary force (torque) or to customize your Jeep’s limit to allow for faster acceleration.  High performance exhaust systems are not installed just to make noise.  They increase the exhaust flow of your Jeep lessening the backpressure, which helps to produce more power, and, yes your Jeep will have a deeper, meaner roar to it as well. 

Suspension lift kits increase the handling and ground clearance of your Jeep.  You install taller suspension components (higher lift springs and longer recoil shocks). These systems deliver lift, better articulation, better offroad handling, and allow for larger tires; all this for better off-road traction and handling.

Polyurethane mounts and bushings provide better performance and extended wear.  Polyurethane transmission mounts replace worn rubber factory mounts, which can lead to hard shifting and sloppiness in the drive train.  Changing these rubber factory mounts to the new polyurethane mounts will also lessen breakage when placing high levels of power demands on the system.   Polyurethane bushings improve the handling and feel of your Jeep, and provide the necessary stiffness to the body and cab, while maintaining a certain resilience to ensure a firmer ride.  

An on-board air system offers trailside convenience for the 4x4 enthusiast.  It is a common practice for trail riders to air down their tires for maximum traction when maneuvering on rough terrain.  Having on-board air makes it much easier for the Jeep driver to air back up the tires so their Jeep will perform properly on paved roads on their way back to the city from the off road excursion.

High-end performance Jeep alternaters are designed to meet the high-level demands on the electric system out on the trails.  They ensure that you will have the power needed for your Jeep’s system. 

These specialized off-road components mentioned above are just some of the high-end parts that are available to Jeep owners for meeting the special demands from the trails.  Contact your Jeep specialist to learn more about these components and others that are designed to maximize the performance of your Jeep.
Get your Jeep accessories here!

Aftermarket Upgrades To Enhance Your Jeep’s Performance

Serious off-road enthusiasts do not worry about mud or scratches on their Jeeps because they will have a lot more come the end of the week.  They are modern day explorers and adventurers that want to go where no one has ever gone before.  They are usually off exploring those caves or driving up that mountain to see how far they can go.  When driving unpredictable terrain, the off-road enthusiast does not know the word “can’t”.  You can’t get there by car, you can’t cross that creek bed, or you can’t drive up that mountain.  These are all heard as challenges.  The off-roader now wants, no, must find a way to conquer that obstacle.

To meet these challenges the typical serious off-road Jeeper wants to enhance their Jeep by adding aftermarket performance parts that help them achieve the optimum rock-crawling, trail-thrashing ability.  Specialized aftermarket trail performance components are made specifically for each model, whether it is a Wrangler, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, or Liberty.  Accessories are readily available to improve engine performance, vehicle handling, ground-clearance and trail convenience.

To increase horsepower there are a multitude of aftermarket upgrades available.   Hi-flow air intake systems increase the flow of air to the engine.  This allows your engine to breathe easier.  The air filter is designed to achieve virtual unrestricted airflow and still filter the air of dust and debris, which not only delivers added power but also helps prolong the life of the engine.  Computer chips and programmer boxes are designed to improve horsepower and/or gas mileage giving you the ability to optimize the power of your Jeep.  These programmers allow you to tune your Jeep to receive more rotary force (torque) or to customize your Jeep’s limit to allow for faster acceleration.  High performance exhaust systems are not installed just to make noise.  They increase the exhaust flow of your Jeep lessening the backpressure, which helps to produce more power, and, yes your Jeep will have a deeper, meaner roar to it as well.

Suspension lift kits increase the handling and ground clearance of your Jeep.  You install taller suspension components (higher lift springs and longer recoil shocks). These systems deliver lift, better articulation, better offroad handling, and allow for larger tires; all this for better off-road traction and handling.

Polyurethane mounts and bushings provide better performance and extended wear.  Polyurethane transmission mounts replace worn rubber factory mounts, which can lead to hard shifting and sloppiness in the drive train.  Changing these rubber factory mounts to the new polyurethane mounts will also lessen breakage when placing high levels of power demands on the system.   Polyurethane bushings improve the handling and feel of your Jeep, and provide the necessary stiffness to the body and cab, while maintaining a certain resilience to ensure a firmer ride.

An on-board air system offers trailside convenience for the 4x4 enthusiast.  It is a common practice for trail riders to air down their tires for maximum traction when maneuvering on rough terrain.  Having on-board air makes it much easier for the Jeep driver to air back up the tires so their Jeep will perform properly on paved roads on their way back to the city from the off road excursion.

High-end performance Jeep alternaters are designed to meet the high-level demands on the electric system out on the trails.  They ensure that you will have the power needed for your Jeep’s system.

These specialized off-road components mentioned above are just some of the high-end parts that are available to Jeep owners for meeting the special demands from the trails.
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How to Fix Your Lifted Jeep Cherokee’s “Death Wobble”

If you drive a Jeep Cherokee or Grand Cherokee and are considering a suspension lift, you may want to think twice. Unfortunately, I was forced to learn this the hard way. I bought a brand new 2001 Jeep Cherokee a couple years ago, and almost immediately stacked on Pro Comp’s 3” lift kit with some 32 x 11.50 r 15 Super Swamper TSL tires. After a couple months of good riding, I started to experience what jeep enthusiasts have come to know as “the death wobble.”

The death wobble is basically when you are driving your lifted jeep down the road and the front end starts to shake violently. It can happen at virtually any speed, though mostly above 40 mph or so, and is a frightening experience, especially for those witnessing it for the first time. Now it doesn’t throw you off the road or anything … the front end just shakes. And the only way to stop it is to slow down and pull over. So it wasn’t that hard to get used to at first. But as it happened more and more, it seemed to get more and more out of control.

After driving with at least one death wobble per day for about three months, I decided to take it into the shop and see what the problem was. Being of course that off-road shops are primarily in the business of ripping people off, they gave me a list of “everything that was wrong with the front end that is causing the ‘TJ shimmy.’” Their proposal included the rotation and balancing of my tires, new front (and rear “cause you might as well”) shocks, new and stronger track bar, new and stronger drop pitman arm, new and stronger lower control arms with some special urethane bushings, and new sway bar links. Basically, with the exception of my original lift springs, the reinstallation of the entire Pro Comp lift kit with “better” components.

The bill was just over $1000.00. But to fix my death wobble, and hence my daily fear for my life, it was worth it. And even better, the new components would be strong enough to support a 6” lift if I ever wanted to go that big. The words of the salesman still ring in my ears: “Dude, you could totally run 35s with this setup.”

For the next couple months, everything ran fine again and I just assumed that my former Pro Comp parts just sucked. I even took the kid’s advice and jumped up to 33 x 12.50 r 15 tires. My new components were working brilliantly. Then one day, riding down I-70 toward the mountains, I hit a pothole and back came the death wobble. For the next couple months, I experienced the death wobble every time I hit a pothole, crack, or even merged onto a simple uneven lane.

Back at the shop, the guys, obviously not recognizing me from six months before, gave me the same proposal as the first time … almost word for word, too. My shocks, track bar, pitman arm and control arms were all shot again and needed replaced with their “better and stronger components.” The guys didn’t even take the time to see if my components were the same ones they had sitting on the shelf. In fact, the parts they wanted to give me this time were likely the same Pro Comp components they had replaced initially. At this point, I realized that I’d have to take matters into my own hands.

I had a buddy sit in the driver’s seat of my jeep and shake the steering wheel back and forth in an attempt to recreate the death wobble so I could view it from the other side. After not even two minutes, it became clear to me what the problem was. All my components were fine. The shaking was coming from the frame rail, which is connected to the axle.

What was happening was simple: My tires, as off road tires tend to do, kept going out of balance. Therefore, when I hit a pothole or uneven pavement, or too high a road speed, the tires would start to wobble and fight back and forth against each other. This is probably how Fred Flintstone felt driving around with those rock tires. The fighting tires would cause the axle to shake back and forth, which in turn caused the frame rail to shake. Hence the death wobble. Now the wobble could have been stabilized by the bar attached to the frame rail; if only it was attached to a real frame.

See, Jeep Cherokees and Grand Cherokees have what is referred to as a unibody design. This means that they don’t have frames like a real vehicle, just a combination between a frame and a body. It’s kind of like a tin can on wheels. And if you put tires under that tin can that are too big and heavy for it to handle, it’s going to shake all over the road.

Now I’m not saying don’t lift your Cherokee, I’m just saying don’t lift your Cherokee too high. It can handle 31s or 32s, but if you get any bigger or heavier tires, it won’t be strong enough to consistently support them. If you want to lift a Jeep vehicle for off road purposes, I’d recommend a Wrangler. It has a frame, meaning it can handle big and heavy tires, not to mention a roll over.

If you’ve already got a Jeep Cherokee and are experiencing death wobble, don’t listen to the guys at the shop. They’re just trying to get your money! Test each of the components of your front end yourself. Most of them are rock solid and rarely need replacement. Instead, just get your tires balanced. It should fix the problem right away, at least until the tires go out of balance again. To end it permanently, unless you can somehow fabricate a stabilizer bar to strengthen the front-end frame rail, the only thing you can really do is switch down to smaller tires. Or buy a normal road car …