I Hate Replacing Gear Oil. Here are Tips to Make it Less Terrible.
One of my least favorite maintenance practices is having to replace the gear oil in a vehicle’s axles. It’s often smelly, messy, and an overall pain in the butt. So…
Top Truck Challenge 2019, 1:10 RC Edition
RC cars are a rabbit hole of wallet-emptying enjoyment. The hobby mimics 1:1 vehicle culture on a smaller scale, even down to the events. The Washington Remote Control Rock Crawlers,…
FACT: Older Vehicles Need More Repairs.
Vehicles from the 1980s and 1990s are starting to become popular projects, especially those older JDM or Euro cars and trucks that are now available for import to the U.S.…
Crankshaft Culture Gear Garage: Cotopaxi Tarak Del Dia 20l Backpack
Over the years Andy and I have reviewed several products, whether it be via our sister site Subcompact Culture or here, we put each item through its paces. Since we’re…
1991 Pajero Updates and Upgrades
Back in November, 2018 we flew to Texas for the second time in 12 months to pick up yet another second-generation Mitsubishi Pajero. We drove it back from Austin without…
Headlight Heaven: Adding J.W. Speaker 8700 Evo 2 LED Lights
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…
Vanlife Northwest’s Time Traveler’s 4×4 Van Run
Last Sunday was a time warp back to the early 1990s. OK, it also may have been the early 1990s in Japan, but it was a time warp nonetheless. Several…
Our Eight Great Holiday Adventure Gifts
Looking for holiday gift ideas for the adventurer in your life? Here are eight great gifts suggestions for all of budgets.
Winter Wonderland Wanderlust: Holiday Travel in a JDM Mitsubishi
Like millions of other people, we’re headed home for the holidays in a couple of weeks. However, unlike millions of other people, we’re going to drive a 26 year-old diesel-powered…
We Just Bought Another Mitsubishi Pajero
In the immortal words of Britney Spears: “Oops, I did it again.” Yes, we bought a second short-wheelbase gen II Mitsubishi Pajero. We’re repeat offenders.
Guest Posts
VIN Secrets: What a Transmission Lookup Can Tell You About Your Vehicle
A used car can smile with fresh paint while hiding an expensive transmission story. One quiet VIN check can change the whole deal. The VIN is more than a label. It is a 17-character code that links a car to factory build data, records, recalls, specification notes, and ownership clues.…
The Most Overlooked Way to Lower the Cost of Car Ownership: Auto Loan Refinancing
Most drivers focus on fuel costs, maintenance, and insurance when thinking about what a car actually costs to own. The monthly loan payment often gets treated as a fixed number, something set at the dealership and left untouched for years. That assumption, however, is where a significant amount of money…
Why Precision Matters In Every Automotive Fabrication Project
Automotive fabrication is where creativity meets engineering. Whether building a custom hot rod, restoring a classic muscle car, or modifying an off-road vehicle, fabrication work demands attention to detail at every stage. The difference between a project that performs flawlessly and one that develops ongoing issues often comes down to…