diatribe
Review of the Toyota FJ Cruiser
Ask 100 non-FJ owners what they think of the FJ Cruiser and you can bet there will be more “Love it” or “Hate it” than answers of indifference. Why? Probably because the FJ is so […]
Articles by Ralph Hassel
Cheap Tricks and Useful Tips
The Right Way to Dry a Smartphone
When my 10-year-old daughter presented me with her wet smartphone and said it’s acting “glitchy”, I looked down to see a dripping wet smartphone with a screen that was shorting out doing some really weird things […]
Dusty Trails Blog
Protected: 2021 Winch Guide
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Jeep JL Rubicon Projects
Installation: Mopar Tailgate Table for 18-19 Jeep Wrangler JL
One of the cool things about a Jeep is that its a mobile platform for enjoying the great outdoors. On nearly every trail ride I’ve ever been on, there have been stops along the ride […]
Jeep JL Rubicon Projects
Project Gossamer. Building a Jeep Wrangler JL Rubicon
I knew it was time. I had seen and heard enough. That test drive in my good friend Mike’s brand spanking new 2018 JL Rubicon put me over the edge. When I found out what […]
Jeep JL Rubicon Projects
Installing Rusty’s Front Track Bar Mount Brace on a JL Wrangler
Back in October of 2018, FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the parent company of the Jeep brand) announced a massive recall on about 18,000 new Jeep JL Wrangler to inspect and repair bad welds on a […]
Cheap Tricks and Useful Tips
Another Cool Use For Hard Drive Magnets
Here’s another tip from the Hard Drive Magnet Guy on how to make clever use of those Super Strong magnets found in every old hard drive. Inside every hard drive is an extremely strong, nickel […]
Mud Tire Reviews
What is a Mud Terrain Tire?
Mud Tires – MUD TIRES or MT are as you might have gathered from the name, designed to perform most specifically in the mud. But when you look at the tread design of many mud […]
Winch Tech
Winch Troubleshooting
The following page lists many common problems encountered with 12 volt 4×4 and ATV winches that are used in off-road recovery situations. With each condition several possible causes are listed along with possible solutions to get […]
Jeep JK Rubicon Projects
Great Jeeps aren’t bought, they’re built – Project Rubicon X
Photo Caption: This is my 2014 Rubicon X as it rolls right now. Time for Change… There’s an old saying that goes: Great Jeeps aren’t bought, they’re built. Evidence of this can be found at any Jeep […]
Jeep JK Rubicon Projects
Smart Door Stops Review – Jeep JK Installation
If you’re a Jeep JK owner you know the technique. Sometimes when you open your door and you’re not getting out immediately, the foot goes down to hold the door out from coming back at […]
Jeep CJ-7 Projects
Project Jeep CJ-7 Specs & Mods
The budget Rebuild by Ralph HasselThe complete build is documentedhere on www.Offroaders.comThis 1978 Jeep CJ-7 never started life as a complete Jeep; rather it was built completely from parts. The goal was to build a […]
Jeep CJ-7 Projects
Project Jeep CJ-7 – A frame up Restoration and Buildup – Introduction
A Budgeted Jeep CJ-7 Rebuild from Concept to Conception by Ralph Hassel My evolution of thought… It all started with a humbling realization a number of years ago. My current vehicle, a 92 Toyota pickup 4×4, […]
Jeep CJ-7 Projects
Skid Plate Protection For the Oil Pan!
This relatively simply oil pan modification, though it’s being done on Project CJ-7, can be installed on almost ANY 4×4 with an exposed oil pan. Though it may be a rare event to poke a […]
Jeep CJ-7 Projects
Fabricating an Armored Jeep Skid Plate
This Project CJ-7 article is about converting and armoring a Dana 300 skid plate to work with a Dana 20 transfer case. An ounce of prevention is worth a few pounds of steel. After hearing stories […]
Jeep CJ-7 Projects
T18A Clutch Fork Modifications
In swapping the T-18A onto this Jeep project, a good tip was passed onto me from Mike of www.Jeepfan.com. This tip has to do with the stock clutch fork being used in the stock bell […]
Jeep CJ-7 Projects
Project CJ-7 gets Armored Custom U-Bolt Plates
Fabricating Custom U-Bolt Plates with Skid Protection for Project Jeep CJ-7 With the job of a Dana 44 axle swap to the project CJ-7 came the need for new u-bolt plates. Two things made stock u-bolt […]
Jeep CJ-7 Projects
CJ Flipping the Tie Rod & Drag Link
A Simple yet very effective method of protecting your tie rod from impact with rocks and things, is to raise the tie rod up. Raising the Drag link also reduces bump-steer, a side effect of […]
Jeep CJ-7 Projects
Project Jeep CJ-7 Radiator Protection
Using 6 bucks worth of material to protect a 300 dollar 3-core radiator and to cool the V8 Engine. When looking at the grill of my 78 CJ-7, the one thing that just stuck out like […]
Jeep CJ-7 Projects
Project CJ-7 gets a T-18A Borg-Warner Transmission
After doing some research I finally decided to look for a Borg-Warner T-18A manual transmission. Manual because that is what I prefer. The T-18A because of it’s 6.32:1 first gear and it’s heavy duty, cast […]