Toyota has announced that they will be entering this 2010 model year 4Runner in this year's SCORE Baja 1000. 

We also hear that this 4Runner they will be racing is one of the vehicles we took over the Rubicon Trail a few months ago.  On a related note, a few people that were with us on that Rubicon run will be co-driving the 4Runner for the Baja 1000. 

Les Unger, Toyota's national motorsports manager, says, "Historically, only half of the racers finish this incredible test of man and machine, but we're confident the Fifth Generation 4Runner will be a major contender in the stock mini class and can handle the grueling course."

The 4Runner will run on General Tires and utilize the famous Baja Pits Organization throughout the single-loop course.  

The folks over at Radflo Suspension Technology have unveiled a new jack that they say promises faster, easier tire changes without breaking your back.  

The Hydra-Jac is a technically advanced, lightweight racing jack designed specifically for those who travel off-highway.  It provides the long-travel range you need without the size and weight of conventional designs.  It has an adjustable jacking platform and generous 18 inches of lift range.  The fold-away handle makes operation easy and efficient.  Radflo says that in most cases, no more than four pumps are required to raise your vehicle a full inch.  A bleed screw is released to lower the vehicle and you can even control the rate of descent.

The Hydra-Jac only weighs 13 pounds and is only 37 inches long, but is constructed with a massive 7/8-inch ram to safely hoist loads up to 2,200 pounds.  Like Radflo's shocks, the Hydra-Jac is completely servicable and rebuildable.

More info: www.radflo.com.

A couple of weeks ago we installed a new #2 cylinder coil pack on our new (to us) Navigator, and the 300hp, three-valve, 5.4L V-8 smoothed out like nobody's business.  But this had a downside. 

The problem was that we could then clearly hear (and feel) a persistent and extremely annoying thump in the rear suspension any time the vehicle was moving.  The Navigator uses an air-spring system in the rear with shocks and upper and lower control arms.  With the high mileage this rig has we knew that it was a toss up as to what parts were worn, though we were hoping it was something easy like shock absorber bushings (the shocks are the original OE units!).

We navigated to Attitude Performance in Arlington Heights, Illinois, where owner Matt Dinelli found that the two lower shock mount bolts had simply worn over the 10-year life of the vehicle, thus the shocks could freely move on the mounting bolts.  Surprisingly, the shock bushings and sleeves were fine.  Dinelli had replacement bolts in his Magic Parts Collection and was able to fix the problem on the spot.  Now the Nav is as quiet as a vault rolling down the road.  If only all problems were that easy to fix.

Last weekend was a tad quiet leading up to the big SEMA show, but this weekend is serving up some awesome four-wheel drive events. 

Hump N Bump, Overton, Nevada.  Friday and Saturday.  More info: www.vv4w.org.

Bronco Daze 2009, Borrego Springs, California.  Friday through Sunday.  More info: www.earlybronco.com.

Stoddard 250, Barstow, California.  Saturday only.  More info: www.mdrracing.com.

The auto industry needs change.

In fact, it's far overdue.

Finally, the change is here.

Say hello to the Rally Fighter  from Local Motors, an automaker with a whole new business model.

Think of it as the by-product of a focus group that started from scratch, with a mission to change the game.

Expect to hear more about this unique concept in the coming week in Four Wheeler's Editor Blogs.

Tomorrow, the Rally Fighter, a car quite unlike any you've ever seen before, debuts at the 2009 SEMA show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Here are a few things to check out first.

Video

The Rally Fighter is an off-road racer,
custom designed and built for the
deserts of the American Southwest.

Stats in breif:
• Unique, welded steel tubular space
frame including lightweight thermoplastic
and carbon fiber body panels

• BMW M57 I6 3.0L sequential
turbo, clean diesel engine
• Desert racing drivetrain setup:
RWD, 6-speed ZF automatic,
estimated 55 F/45 R weight
distribution

• 36mpg on the highway, or
30mpg in an off-road setting
• 425 lb-ft of torque, 265 horsepower,
and approximately 3,200 lbs
• 18” of suspension travel

• Manually adjustable dual ride-height
modes
• Seats for 4 adults, or 2 adults & 3 children

Here's where it gets interesting...

Buying a car from Local Motors includes the total experience that used to be a luxury of the super wealthy automotive emthusiast.

Local Motors offers a unique “Build Experience” with every
vehicle purchase. Customers are
invited to join experts in the regional Micro-Factory
to build their own car. The program is customized
for both the novice and the pro, and crafted
specifically for car lovers.
• 2 weekend (6 Day) build process
• Designated Builder Trainer for Each Customer
Micro-Factories are a center of pride for your community,
as each car built will support local jobs. (Timing and set-up of
build experience subject to change.)
Learn, build, race & hangout at your Local Micro-Factory.
This is the beginning of a whole new
lifestyle and family of friends.

For just $99.00 you can start the process of buying a Rally Fighter for yourself. Click here to learn more.

A special thanks to Dan Spalinger and Race-Dezert for bringing us this news.

The folks over at BDS are rolling out yet another new suspension!  This time it's a 6-inch high clearance system for 2002-05 Dodge 1/2-ton pickups.

The kit features BDS exclusive No-Torsion Bar Drop System integrated with BDS High Clearance crossmember geometry that BDS says offers the most ground clearance of any system on the market today.  The two main high clearance crossmembers are locked together with a substantial differential skidplate and a passenger-side support creating a subframe built for abuse.  The kit has CNC-machined steering knuckles, a bumpstop relocation system, full rear leaf pack options, and gas shock upgrade options. 

As a bonus, the kit, like all BDS Suspension products, is covered by the exclusive No Fine Print Warranty.

More info: www.bds-suspension.com. 

The folks over at BDS Suspension have announced their 2010 Outback Off Road Adventure schedule!

For 2010 there will be four events total.  Three are weekend trail rides with rural camping available at the park and the fourth event is a one-day trailride.  All events are held at the Outback Off Road Adventure Park near Eau Claire, Pennsylvania.  This park has a great variety of terrain including mud ravines, scenic trails, rocky trails, hill climbs, scenic fields and rock gardens.  In other words, something for everyone. 

Here's the schedule:

June 12-13

July 17-18

September 18-19

October 17- Autumn Leaf Spectacular

More info on the park can be found at www.outbackoffroadadventure.com.

Info on BDS Suspension can be found at www.bds-suspension.com. 

Got a 1/2-ton truck?  Do you live in the Snowbelt?  Are you sick and tired of paying someone to plow your driveway or are you fed up with shoveling it yourself?  Well, now you can put your truck to work with the new 1/2-ton-friendly HT Series snowplow from Fisher Engineering.

Here at the Four Wheeler Midwest Bureau in northern Illinois we're infatuated with quick, efficient ways to move snow, so this product really caught our eye. 

Fisher says this plow is built with the same features as larger Fisher snowplows,  but it's designed to accommodate the weight requirements of today's 1/2-ton trucks.  It has all-steel construction, a 75-degree attack angle for improved scraping and dragging, 15 1/2-inch curl radius for improved snow rolling action, and Fisher's original trip-edge, which allows the bottom edge of the blade to trip back if an obstacle is struck, which protects the snowplow and truck from jarring impacts.  It also has an exclusive scrape lock feature that hydraulically locks the blade down for clean scraping and back dragging. 

The folks at Fisher say the plow offers a fast, easy mounting system and control options include the hand-held Fish-Stik or a compact joystick control.

More info: www.fisherplows.com. 

It started out innocent enough.  I caught wind of some friends selling their '99 Lincoln Navigator.       

They bought the 300hp InTech-powered Nav new in '98.  Sticker price: $44,505.  During their 11 years of ownership they always had it serviced at the Lincoln Mercury dealer.  Whenever service work was done all receipts were retained and carefully filed.  Over the years they put a lot of miles on the truck, but it was never wrecked and maintenance records show oil changes every 3,000 miles and by-the-book major service including transmission and transfer case flushings.  

So I went to take a gander at it.  Interior: impeccable.  Body: straight.  Still, I had no use for a Navigator, so I moved on. 

Fast forward a few weeks.  Now it's in my driveway.  What happened?  I don't know.  I'm still trying to figure it out myself.  I ended up getting it for a good price, partly because it was chugging on seven cylinders due to a deceased cylinder #2 coil pack.  That's fixed now and the 5.4L purrs.  As a bonus, all the spark plugs are still screwed into the heads like they're supposed to be (so far).

So why is there a Lincoln Navigator in my driveway?  I dunno, but I have a few ideas of what to do with it now that it's here.  TrailNav?  

After touring each and every booth at Expo this year, I've come to the conclusion that our industry, despite the slow economy touted by mass media, is on a strong upward growth trend right now. I base my opinion on all the new product offerings I found at show, as well as many phone conversations I've had with business owners after the show.

A new fabricated axle for the hardcore crowd:

60Nine

Starting business just two months prior to the Expo show, 60 Nine Axle Company is probably one of the strongest indicators that demand for high-quality off-road parts remains high. These new fabricated 9-inch axle housings are as trick as they come. Company owner, Matt Magliacano showed us how his center sections are the perfect balance of light-weight rigidity and brute strength. Check out www.60nineaxle.com to learn more.

Comp Knuckles from Spydertrax Off-Road

If you missed the new Pro Series 60 Knuckles from Spidertrax, you missed out big!
These are probably the strongest fabricated knuckle made. Designed to survive the rigorous abuse of King of the Hammers racing, these chromoly knuckles offer a 50-percent increase in strength over the previous design. They hug the u-joint tighter than any other design currently on the market. This allows for a more compact setup while achieving an impressive 50-degree steering angle. The use of a spherical ball and race combo eliminates the bulk and weakness of standard ball joint setups and provides a much simpler package than traditional kingpins. These knuckles feature a 7/8-inch spindle bearing and a improved shoulder bolt design that exceeds grade 9 specifications. They are designed to press onto 3 ½-inch OD axle tubes and accept one-ton unit bearings (unit bearing mounting hardware included). Able to handle axial loading of up to 11,000-pounds per side, these knuckles are virtually indestructible. Info: www.spidertrax.com

Killer Rides

As for the coolest vehicle display in my opinion, it was a tie between the Big Oli Trophy Truck and the Buckshot Motorsports pre-runner in the Beard Seat booth. Each of these vehicles were in a leag all their own.

It's a tad quiet on the four-wheel drive front this weekend.  The reason?  Almost all eyes and energies are on Vegas for next week's world renowned industry-only SEMA Show.   

SEMA Show, Las Vegas, Nevada.  Tuesday, November 3rd through Friday, November 6th.  More info: www.semashow.com.

Mud and salt-saturated slush are no good for your rigs carpet.  Fortunately, the folks at Rugged Ridge offer a solution to this problem.   

They now offer All Terrain Floor Liners for a variety of trucks and SUVs.  Their patent pending design combines the best features of a deep ribbed floor mat and "old style" floor liners.  They have a deeply molded chevron tread pattern that channels dirt, mud, and snow away from the driver, and keeps trapped water from sloshing.  The contoured perimeter wall offers maximum interior protection and containment.  The liners are injection-molded out of heavy-duty OE-quality Thermoplastic Polymer for strength and durability.

More info: www.omix-ada.com.

Zone Off Road Products is on the gas.  Last week we told you about their new leveling kit for '07-'09 Chevy 1500 trucks and now we highlight their new 6-inch suspension system for 2001-09 Chevy 2500HD pickups. 

Zone says this kit is built for everyday driving but is designed to withstand off-road abuse.  The kit has one-piece main crossmembers in combination with CNC-machined ductile steering knuckles that match the OE geometry for excellent ride and handling.  It has a differential skidplate and compression struts that offer off-road protection for serious trails.  It comes complete with torsion bar brackets, differential drop brackets, CV spacers, sway bar links, rear blocks, U-bolts, and four twin-tube hydraulic shocks.  It allows you to fit 35-inch tires under your truck.

Zone says the kit has an MSRP of $1,295.95.  More info: www.zoneoffroad.com.

Bigger, badder, beefier . . . and beautiful, too.

It probably goes without saying that this is not exactly the optimal time for any automaker to be unveiling a new fullsize pickup truck to consumers. Cash-for-Clunker programs aside, the number of new car buyers prowling the aisles at dealerships--let alone buyers looking for large vehicles that deliver less-than-stellar mileage---have been as rare as Elvis sightings in recent months. On the other hand, more than 1.6 million pickups were sold in the US last year, even in a terrible economic climate, so consumer demand for these vehicles will always be present, if not overwhelming. And when you represent a brand that’s as closely identified with pickup trucks as is Dodge, you can’t afford to stand pat in an ever-evolving market, especially when your competitors have launched recent updates of their heavy-duty truck lines. To that end, the folks at Chrysler have rolled out the latest generation of the heavy-duty Ram for 2010.

For 2010, buyers can choose their Ram HD in Standard, Crew, and Mega Cab configurations, in wheelbases ranging from 140 to 169 inches, with either 6-foot, 4-inch or 8-foot beds, and in five distinct trim levels: ST, SLT, TRX, Laramie and, thankfully, Power Wagon, which was once rumored to be on the chopping block but which, we’re happy to say, is going to be around for at least another year.

While the Ram HD is all-new, inside and out, the truck’s basic powertrains carry over from 2009. The 5.7L Hemi V-8 has been tweaked for 2010 with variable valve timing, increased compression and improved cylinder head flow efficiency, and is now rated at 383 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. The 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel Six still produces 650 stump-pulling lb-ft of torque, and it’s also cleaner for 2010, having been equipped with a new particulate filter and NOx absorber catalyst that enable it to meet 2010 ½ federal clean-diesel standards without the need for a more costly (and heavier) urea-based emissions system. The Hemi is backed by the reliable 545RFE five-speed automatic transmission, while the Cummins offers either the G56 six-speed manual or the optional Kokomo-sourced 68RFE six-speed automatic. Transfer cases are the standard electric-shift NVG 273 or (for the Power Wagon) the manual-shift NV 271 with 2.72:1 low-range. Solid axles hold up both ends of the Ram; the suspension comprises coils and struts up front, and leaf springs and overload leaves in the rear; and you can still get 4.56:1 axle gears with the Power Wagon.

You can read all of our driving impression in the February 2010 issue of Four Wheeler (on sale December 22), but bottom line: Dodge needed badly to upgrade the Ram HD, inside and out, to match the levels of refinement offered in current HD trucks from Ford and GM. And judging by our time behind the wheel, we’d have to say they’ve met the challenge---and in some cases, surpassed it. Naturally, in challenging economic times, the $64-billion question remains: now that Dodge has got the product, will buyers come calling soon? Only time will tell, but Chrysler can be justifiably proud of this truck all the same. It's a really impressive piece of work. Pricing for the new Ram HD 4x4 starts at $34,810, and the trucks should be rolling into your local dealer showroom any day now.

Because we've all gotta do our part these days.

Big news! Four Wheeler---along with our parent company, Source Interlink Media---has formed a major partnership with BlueRibbon Coalition to promote responsible use of public lands, and to promote educational and organizational strategies to keep our public lands open and accessible for  recreation.

Here's the deal: Source Interlink and BRC are working cooperatively on informational ads promoting BRC and our mission of protecting responsible recreation. Ads will be placed in numerous magazines, including Four Wheeler, JP Magazine, 4Wheel Drive and Sport Utility, Off-Road, and 4Wheel & Off-Road.

Source Interlink and BFGoodrich Tires combined resources to give one randomly-selected lucky winner a set of awesome off-road tires just for being a member of BlueRibbon Coalition and being in the game of keeping trails open. Jerry Sparkman of Gilroy, California (pictured) won a beautiful set of 37-inch KM2 BFGs. Source Interlink plans to expand this membership incentive with other tire manufacturers as well.

"We are staunch supporters of keeping our trails open and our sports alive," said Jeff Nasi, Source Interlink Group Publisher. "BlueRibbon Coalition members are the national grassroots champions and we are proud to do our part to encourage more folks to join up and help save trails," Jeff added.

"This support from Source Interlink and all these great off-road magazines is a huge opportunity to educate the recreating public about protecting recreation," said Greg Mumm, Executive Director of BRC. "When it comes to the stewardship of our public lands, we promise to be in the forefront, working with our partners like Source Interlink and BFGoodrich Tires to ensure the continued responsible use of our public lands for outdoor recreation," he concluded.

Click here to find out more about our new partnership with BRC, and make your voice heard. Join up today!

Want more traction?  The team at Auburn Gear has introduced two new limited slip differentials for the Toyota truck and SUV market.  

From Auburn: "The new Auburn limited slip differentials are 4-pinion design, with 30 teeth axle shaft splines, fits all gear ratios."

These new units will fit Toyota four- and six-cylinder vehicles such as Tacoma, T-100, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, and FJ Cruiser.

More info: www.auburngear.com.

Wanna level your 2007-09 Chevy 1500? 

The folks over at Zone Offroad Products just trotted out this inexpensive ($69.95 MSRP) 2-inch leveling kit.  It's built in the USA and contains steel spacers that are quickly and easily installed on the bottom of the factory struts with no strut disassembly.  The Zone kit is powdercoated black to prevent corrosion and includes detailed instructions for the do-it-yourself installer.

You can dowload the installation instructions, chat live with a Zone representative, or order the kit directly from www.zoneoffroad.com.

The folks over at Valley Towing Products have introduced two new compact brake controls. The Blackbird (shown here) and the Phantom (below).

Both have identical measurements (3 inches wide, 3.75 inches long and 1-inch high) and are designed for smaller vehicles.  Both are installed with industry-standard adapter harnesses and they do not interfere with other vehicle electrical systems.  Both operate with electric over hydraulic braking systems and employ manual braking levers that illuminate vehicle and trailer stop lamps for safety.

The Phantom is a time-based unit engineered with Valley's exclusive F.E.T. brake control technology, which uses components that emit less heat and allow for the development of a smaller brake control.  It was developed for trailers with two and four brake systems and features a dual LED display that indicates trailer continuity, power connection, output power level, gain setting and ramp time setting.  It also allows for infinite adjustability in both output and ramp time settings.

The Blackbird is a more powerful version of the Phantom featuring an easy-to-read digital display that communicates trailer settings and diagnostic alerts for trailer disconnect, short circuits, and charging system errors.  It can support trailers with two, four, six, and eight brake systems.

More info: www.vtowing.com.

If you have an urge to go on a Jeep Jamboree you're in luck because there are two of 'em going on this weekend.     

The last time we checked the JJ USA website both were still accepting participants.

11th Annual Moab Jeep Jamboree, Moab, Utah.  Thursday through Friday.  More info: www.jeepjamboreeusa.com.

20th Annual Ouachita Jeep Jamboree, Hot Springs, Arkansas.  Thursday through Friday.  More info: www.jeepjamboreeusa.com.

The folks over at Traxxas debuted the world's first fullsize radio-controlled PRO Light racing truck at the Labor Day Weekend TORC series race in Crandon, Wisconsin.        

Yep, seriously.  They took a long-travel, tube frame, 350hp truck previously campaigned by Casey Currie and outfitted it with everything needed to make it driveable by remote control.  If anyone could do this, it would make sense that Traxxas could.  After all they're on fire (figuratively speaking) making a steady stream of some of the most innovative, high-performance R/C cars and trucks.  Example: the new Slash 4x4 and the rockin' locker-equipped Summit. 

It took a lot of work in a short amount of time to make the R/C PRO Light project happen.  It also took some on-the-fly ingenuity.  For instance, industrial servos were used for the steering, but they were too slow and had to be cleverly modified to increase their speed.  The steering proportion had to be adjusted as well to preserve the right "feel."  A special braking actuator was developed that allowed brake pressure to be modulated.  Of course, safety was a top priority, so redundant, independent fail-safe and disabling systems were a must.     

The design team worked almost around-the-clock to make it all happen.  Ultimately, they adapted a mix of hobby and industrial components to build the world's first R/C PRO Light truck.

After all of the modifications were made to the fullsize R/C race truck it was driven by remote control by PRO 4x4 points leader Rick Huseman on Friday night.  First, he drove it from the driver seat using the remote so he could gain a feel for the truck's responsiveness.  He then drove the truck from trackside using the R/C transmitter, doing donuts and ripping up and down the track.  And if that wasn't enough, on Saturday he drove the truck in a solo demonstration that included "virtual driving."  To do this, he commanded the R/C PRO Light truck from a darkened skybox suite as he watched a video image transmitted from the driver's seat of the truck.  To make this happen the design team had to eliminate the delay inherent in digital video transmission, for obvious reasons.  In addition to the audience at Crandon, millions at home saw the Traxxas breakthrough live on ABC television.

More info on Traxxas: www.traxxas.com.         

The ability to put gobs of light where you want it, when you want it, is a necessity on the trail at night.  We recently received a press release from the folks over at Stanley in regards to their new High Intensity Discharge (HID) Spotlight that we thought was pretty cool.   

Stanley's new HID light emits up to 4,200 lumens (comparable to the high-intensity beam on high-end automotive headlamps) of intense, bright, white light.  It has an integrated 12-volt rechargeable battery that will last up to 45 minutes per charge.  Stanley says this runtime is approximately three times longer than a standard spotlight, while emitting light that is eight times brighter.  They also say the light reaches maximum brightness in less than 10 seconds.  

The Stanley HID Spotlight runs off its battery or continuously from a vehicle's 12-volt DC port.  It's made of tough, durable, high-impact plastic and has a metal roll bar, shatter resistant lens, three LED area lights, a 35-watt HID bulb, and AC charger.

It has an MSRP of $79.99 and is sold at most major retailers including Wal-Mart, Lowes, and Meijer.

Last Saturday at the Off Road Expo in Pomona, California, BFGoodrich tires and BlueRibbon Coalition announced a cool partnership that will benefit off-roaders and off-road trails alike.  On hand for the announcement were BFG's Joe Mazur (on left), BRC's Del Albright (center), and BFG's Gary Enterline.  

BFGoodrich Tires announced that they will make a $5 donation to the BlueRibbon Coalition for each of its new 10 sizes of BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 tires sold between August 2009 and the end of December 2009.  Due to consumer demand, BFGoodrich recently expanded its line of Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 tire sizes, which are part of the 10 sizes eligible for the contribution.  You can see the 10 sizes below.

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of more than 600,000 recreationists nationwide.  The BRC is dedicated to protecting responsible recreational access to public lands and waters.    

More info on BlueRibbon Coalition: www.sharetrails.org.

More info on the complete line of BFGoodrich tires including the Mud-Terrain T/A KM2: www.bfgoodrichtires.com.

Eligible Sizes

LT345/75R16 LRD

LT365/75R16 LRC

38x14.50R17 LRD

40x14.50R17 LRD

36x13.50R18 LRD

38x14.50R18 LRD

40x14.50R18 LRC

38x14.50R20 LRD

40x14.50R20 LRC

42x14.50R20 LRC

OR-Fab's new bolt-on Sport Cage for the Jeep JK fits both two- and four-door models. 

The folks over at OR-Fab say the Sport Cage is made from 1 3/4-inch-diameter, 0.120-inch-wall tubing.  It's designed to interlock with the OR-Fab Floor Mount Kit that attaches to the vehicles's factory floor channel reinforcement.  This provides a sturdy mounting point to attach the Sport Cage's 1/2-inch-thick steel mounting brackets that bolt along the vehicle's door pinch-weld seams.  This allows the cage's tubing to tightly hug the contours of the frame providing maximum interior clearance and eliminating any interference with air conditioning vents or window cranks.  Also integrated into the cage are driver and passenger grab handles and a pair of front streamer bars to provide additional strength and rigidity.

The JK Sport Cage is available in wrinkle black and bicycle black finishes.  The JK Floor Mount Kit and Rear Streamer Bars for four-door models are sold separately.

More info: www.p-a-g.net.    

If you're looking for some 4WD goodness this weekend you're in luck.  There are events going on in California, Kentucky, Indiana, and Arizona. 

Mojave Road Adventure, Needles, California.  Wednesday through Saturday.  More info: www.4x4training.com.

3rd Annual Borrego Springs Jeep Jamboree, Borrego Springs, California.  Thursday through Saturday.  More info: www.jeepjamboreeusa.com.

16th Annual Gateway to the Cumberlands Jeep Jamboree, Williamsburg, Kentucky.  Thursday through Saturday.  More info: www.jeepjamboreeusa.com.

Mojave Desert Expedition, Needles, California.  Thursday through Wednesday.  More info: www.4x4training.com.

Trail Racing Endurance Circuit, Attica, Indiana.  Saturday only.  More info: www.trecwithus.com.

Superstition 250, Plaster City West, California.  Saturday only.  More info: www.mdrracing.com.

Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, Surprise, Arizona.  Saturday and Sunday.  More info: www.lucasoiloffroad.com.

That's right folks,

Pomona's legendary Off-Road Expo show begins today...

Today was move-in day, so after I placed the two vehicles I brought with me, I set out to catch a glimpse of what the public will get to see for the very first time tonight, when the show opens up @ 5:00 PM.

Check out what I found:

Overline Jeep fenders

Metalcloak just released their new Overline flat tube fenders for TJs and YJs. This new replacement fender design is modular and features aluminum inner fender wells as well as removable flare elements that are available in either a 3 or 6-inch wide flare. These fenders are super trick-looking and provide ample tire clearance for running larger tires with minimal lift. If you're planning to visit the show, be sure to check out the Metalcloak booth in building 4.

Grabbers for all

General Tire is planning to expose their new General Grabber DOT-legal race tire during a press conference on Saturday. We happened by their booth this morning while it was being set up and snapped this spy-shot of the new tread. This new tire should go on sale during the first quarter of 2010.

Light Force enters the bolt-on light bar arena.

These light bars are made of steel and feature easy bolt-on installation. They allow you to mount up to 4 axillary lights and are available for a whole assortment of full-size pickup and SUV applications. I particular like the billet aluminum end caps that give this bar an unmistakable finished look. Each bar comes in a durable black wrinkle finish powdercoat. Check out Light Force's website here for more details.

Rock Krawler's New Triple Threat Shocks

These new boingers are a little different than your traditional shock. First off, they have a much thicker tubular shock shaft that is made of 304 stainless steel instead of carbon steel that has been chrome plated. The void inside the shock shaft allows for added oil volume without sacrificing durability. It also allows a shock without a remote reservoir to have the same oil capacity as a shock with a remote reservoir, which is ideal for packaging them into tight spaces. The other thing that is different about these shocks is that their 2.5-inch bodies are made from extruded aluminum that features radial ribbing for increased surface area (cooling) and rigidity. This translates into a shock that will dissipate heat much better than the standard 2.5-inch steel-bodied, round tube type shock, plus it makes manufacturing much less expensive, which Rock Krawler tells us should reduce retail pricing over comparable shocks.

Here is a close-up of the inner workings of the hollow shaft technology.

The Source Interlink booth is already set up and features some of the coolest vehicles of the show.