Looking To Start A 4WD Club
Reader: I am looking into starting a four wheel club. I don't have any real information on starting an official club. Just wondering if you guys could help me out. Thanks.
Corey M. Johnson
Bridgeton, NJ
Editor: What you'll need to do to form a 4WD club will vary from state to state, but as a rule, you want to (a) file articles of incorporation with your state government; (b) elect a board of officers, (c) write up a set of bylaws, (d) create a regular meeting schedule, and (e) apply for nonprofit status with the IRS. There may also be local regulations you'll need to follow. A good place to start would likely be United Four-Wheel Drive Associations (www.ufwda.org); there are dozens of clubs around the country who are UFWDA affiliates, and perhaps one of them can help answer some of your questions with greater specifics than we can here.
Newer Dakota Owner Wants Lift
Reader: My brother has an '05 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 4x4, and he has been looking for a 4-inch lift, but he's having trouble finding one. I told him if anyone would know, it would be you guys.
Roy Miller
Shelbyville, IN
Editor: Right You Are. OK, First, Crank Up The Torsion Bars As Tight As You Can. Then...
OK, seriously, the problem with Dakotas, particularly of recent vintage, is that they haven't been very strong sellers. Hence, the aftermarket has been slow to respond with lots of bolt-on suspension goodies for it. (Economies of scale and all that.) We've come across some spacer kits and/or body lifts that'll give your Dakota a combined 3 inches or so of lift (which by our reckoning should allow you to fit 32-inch tires without serious clearance issues), but if you want to go any taller, or want a dedicated suspension kit per se, it looks like you're on your own. Readers?
Looking For Jersey Wheeling Spots
Reader: I'm an avid reader and a very avid wheeler, and I am wondering if you guys would be able to help me out. The local spot to go wheeling around here is a sand wash near Menantico Ponds Wildlife Preserve in southern New Jersey. I have been wheeling out there for years. It's a wonderful place, with hillclimbs, mud holes, and clay pits, not to mention the beautiful blue holes. I just received a ticket today for trespassing. The cops said that it's owned by the electric company. I'm looking for help to somehow preserve this spot for the wheelers down here. There aren't any other places nearby. I'm just looking for help on how to go about saving this spot.
Corey Johnson
Bridgeton, NJ
Editor: We can't give any expert advice on the parcel of land you mention-except that the words "four-wheeling" and "wildlife preserve" are usually mutually exclusive. However, we know that there are still some decent wheeling opportunities in New Jersey, particularly in the southern half of the state around the Pine Barrens area. You might try hitting up the South Jersey Four Wheelers (www.the-jersey-devil.com) for information. They conduct trail rides and cleanups in the Barrens on a regular basis, and they might be able to help you with your particular wheeling spot as well.
Wants His Custom Crawler In Four Wheeler
Reader: I was curious about how I would go about trying to get a feature done on my rockcrawler. It is a pretty wild rockcrawler and it gets a ton of attention wherever it goes. I think that it would be a great addition to your magazine.
Kyle Ahrensburg
Poway, CA
Editor: Well, for starters you could send us some photos of your ride, along with a list of specs and all the modifications you've made. If we like it enough, we could possibly make arrangements to meet up with you at one of the various trail events we cover throughout the year. Even if we don't manage to hook up, we are always looking for cool entries to publish in "Readers' Rigs" each month. For starters, though, your best bet is to load up some photos and specs onto a CD and send it to us at 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048.
More Online Scout Resources
Reader: I caught Willie Worthy's reply to a "Project Tonto" question in the August "Techline." It's time to update your web recommendations for Binder stuff!
The Binder Bunch tech has basically been subsumed in the Off-road.com morass. You can search for "Jim Weed" and get a few of the articles-otherwise they're not linked from the rest of the site that I can find.
I respectfully submit that the Binder Bulletin (www.binderbulletin.org) is the only source an aspiring IH builder needs these days. We have hundreds of active users, many with thousands of posts to their credit. There is a wide range of expertise present, from hard-core Scout buildups to the older rigs. I have yet to see an IH question we can't handle. (I will admit to a little bias as I'm the moderator of the Triple Diamond Talk forum.) There are many active club forums on the Binder Bulletin that keep folks up to date on current and planned activities.
Jim Grammer
Hillsboro, OR
Looking For Transglobal Wheeling
Reader: Do you only write of four-wheeling in the U.S., or do you also do four-wheeling in international destinations?
Cindy Lou Dale
Via fourwheeler.com
Editor: Well, we've got a story about four-wheeling in Mongolia on page 40 of this month's issue. How's that for an answer?
Looking For Trail Ride Coverage
Reader: Two clubs are getting together for a trail ride in Wellsville, Ohio, the weekend directly after Thanksgiving. Can you tell me who to talk to about possibly having Four Wheeler do some pics and a write-up?
Jay Murph
Sharpsville, PA
Editor: The weekend after Thanksgiving? Are you kidding? Dude, we're eating turkeyburgers at home all weekend!
Actually, due to the number of requests we receive for coverage, and given our resources, there's no way we can get to every great event that goes on across the country. However, we are always on the lookout for good freelance stories, so if you (or one of your buddies) has a digital camera and a knack for turning a phrase on paper, feel free to send us a submission. If we like it enough, we'll publish it in the magazine and pay you for it. Is this a great magazine, or what?
Wants Top Truck Videos
Reader: Where can I buy/order Top Truck Challenge DVDs? I can't find anything on your site.
Trina
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Editor: We sell Top Truck DVDs via mail order, courtesy of our good friends at 4Wheel Parts Wholesalers. Log onto www.4wheelparts.com and you should find what you're looking for.