Yesterday was the first day of spring. Frankly, after a nasty winter in Portland, we’re looking forward to some much-needed sunshine and better weather. We’ve already done lots of work on The PDXJ in preparation for spring, summer, and a host of upcoming events.
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Until recently, the where was something missing in our Cherokee’s JCR Offroad Vanguard bumper: a winch. After all, what good is a winch bumper without a winch? This week, I installed a WARN VR10-S into the bumper on The PDXJ, aka, Project Cherokee, aka “Cranky.” This is Warn’s latest winch in its standard-duty VR lineup. I’ll actually…
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When I get a new or new-to-me vehicle, it needs to earn my trust. I can’t hop in any car or truck and just assume it’s going to let me go the distance. Vehicle reliability can’t just be assumed. Any automobile has to earn my trust.
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Australian-based ARB knows a thing or two about living in the Outback. From heavy-duty bumpers and off-road fridges to high-powered auxiliary lights and even awnings, the company has a long-standing reputation for quality, design, and longevity. We review the ARB Touring Awning Kit with Light to see if it stands up to its other products.
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Having accessible air is a necessity when off-roading. Deflating tires is a must in order to allow for a comfortable off-tarmac ride and additional traction, and quick inflation offers up the opportunity to get your rig ready for your ride home. Since Andy and I have multiple 4x4s (a Mitsubishi Delica and two short wheelbase…
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Back when we had the PDXJ, our 2001 Jeep Cherokee, one of the upgrades we made was replacing the OE headlights with J.W. Speaker LED headlamps. The headlights were a huge improvement over the Jeep’s stock headlights which worked about as well as whale oil lanterns.
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We all have different objectives when it comes to vehicle builds. Some want the most off-road capable vehicle they can build. Others are looking to go as fast as possible. Jon Wilder built his 1999 Jeep Cherokee, Rusty the TexJ, for another more personal reason: his family.
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Andy and I have been long-time ARB fans. From their rear air locker and on-board compressor in our 2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ, to their awnings or 47-qt. fridge, ARB produces quality products has made us fans for the last several years.
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Words by Andy Lilienthal. Photos by Andy and Mercedes Lilienthal Admittedly, when I get the opportunity to get new tires on any of our vehicles, I get excited to see how they’ll perform. This holds especially true with tires that I’ll take off road because there are so many performance variables. It’s not just wet/dry…
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Andy and I are always on the look-out for quality American-made products. We’re continually hunting for space-saving storage solutions. We’re constantly searching for ideas to make our adventure rigs save space, distribute gear weight evenly, and look just plain cool. This goes for both our 2001 Jeep Cherokee, aka The PDXJ, or our 1989 Mitsubishi…
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