By this time next year, 4 door Jeep Wrangler Unlimiteds should be a common site on the road and maybe on the trails, too.

Source: Toledo Blade

I installed an onboard air system on our YJ project Raptor a few years ago and never once regretted it. I took the long route and bought a used junkyard York 210 compressor. My next step was to diagram how I wanted my system to run (an example can be found on the Kilby site), where each component would be located (like the tank and manifold) and then figure out what parts I needed. Although some parts I could have gotten locally, I didn’t want to make 20 trips to home depot and there were already some parts I needed from Kilby. There were also a few parts I could have bought cheaper locally. Harbor Freight, for instance, sells a cheaper oil-coalescing filter but I’ve seen comments online where the cheaper filter cracks when subjected to Jeep abuse. Ultimately I saved up and bought the more expensive filter from Kilby. Two years later I’m glad I did. I must have placed five orders over the course of a few months. Each time my order was shipped very quickly (same day in some cases), the order was always correct and the parts were top quality.

The website has gone through a few design revisions since I first visited. Kilby is now marketing their OBA air business with the brand “Air Boss”. Once you click the brand name, you’re then given the choice between air compressor systems and replacement parts on a page that looks like it’s asking your what kind of rig you have. Both links eventually get you to the same menu system and from there navigation is easy. I’m not sure why they opted for this more confusing layout but once you get to the main product menu its easy enough to figure out.

I’m listing this link as a “Hidden Gem”, mostly because in the 5 years the link has been in our database, it’s been visited only about 1,200 times and that surprises me. Perhaps the title or description need improvement. It’s not for lack of interest in OBA systems, that’s for sure. Every time I go on a trail run and offer to fill up tires at the end I get a crowd of admirers. My York 210 system fills 33 inch tires from 10 psi to 28 psi in less than a minute, WAY faster than most electric compressors. I’m almost always asked if I sell the parts myself or do installs.

JeepsOnly also has lots of how-to links to websites showing various ways to install engine-driven and other kinds of onboard air systems. Check out the Jeeps Only Onboard Air how-to category.

• Link type: specialty online store
• Link: http://www.onboardair.com
• Name variations: Kilby Enterprises, Onboard Air, OBA

The Upper Tellico OHV area outside Murphy, NC is one of the most famous trail systems in the US. It’s been called the “Moab of the east” for it’s variety or scenic and hardcore rockcrawling trails. Located on the Tennessee, North Carolina border, its location just south of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park gives some indication to the splendor of the scenery on the trails. Tellico, as most people call it, is managed by the US Forest Service and is open 365 days a year. Access to the park is only $5 or $10 per vehicle per day, depending on the time of year. Camping is available.

I Love Jeeps had a great trail guide for Tellico that has recently gone missing. Apparently the page didn’t survive a website redesign. This is too bad, as there aren’t many Tellico area guides available. This is one of the first links we added back in 2000 and thousands of users have clicked it over the years. While there is no official Tellico website, Tellico4×4 provides an alternative to the missing “Tellico Trail Guide” link:

Tellico4×4.com - an un-affiliated online store with a few pages dedicated to the OHV area.

For more information, try a Tennessee or North Carolina Jeep Club such as the Tennessee Virtual Jeep Club.

• Link type: trail guide
• Link: Ilovejeeps Tellico Trail Guide (archived - not working)

I was lucky enough to find this deal on my Jeep club website but there is a more centralized way to look for good deals on used Jeep parts - Jeep Classifieds. They’ve been around for a long time, in internet years. We added this website to JeepsOnly way back in 2002. Over 37,000 clicks later, we’ve never had a single complaint about them. I’ve even used them personally to sell some of my Jeep parts. As a buyer, you can see parts from all over the country or by state. As a seller, you can list your Jeep or Jeep product for sale for free. You only need to pay if you get responses and want to see them.

A quick check of parts for sale this week include a Jeep Comanche (MJ) in Texas for $1,600, a Jeep CJ snowplow for $300, lots of DJ Postal Jeep parts, Wrangler TJ full doors for $900 and Jeep Jamboree and 50th anniversary decals for $17, to name a few. There is a decent selection of Jeep parts for all kinds of Jeeps - about 600 ads as of this writing. While I would like to see more, 600 classified ads does offer a pretty good selection.

Competition-wise, there is another Jeep Classifieds in the JeepsOnly directory that appears unrelated. The other site has fewer ads but I’ll put it in queue for review some other time. Alternatives include the “for sale” categories on some of the popular Jeep discussion forums such as Jeeps Unlimited, Jeep Forums and Jeepaholics. Also check with local clubs, especially the large local “virtual” Jeep clubs like the Arizona Virtual Jeep Club (AZVJC), the Tennessee Virtual Jeep Club (TNVJC) and the New Mexico Virtual Jeep Club (NMVJC). And then there is always eBay.com , the worlds largest online “classified” system.

• Link type: Jeep classified ads
• Link: http://www.jeep-classifieds.com
• Name variations: Jeep Classifieds, Jeep-Classifieds

A couple of thoughts from this news:

1. Protect your doors, if possible. If you park your Jeep in an area that has a high crime rate, consider a door anti-theft device such as Tuffy’s “Security Door Locker.”
2. Make sure your auto insurance covers new replacement doors. Insurance on newer Jeeps but it’s important to know how your coverage changes as the vehicle ages.
3. Why the heck do doors cost up to $5,000 a pair to replace!?
4. No matter where you live, if you remove your doors for a trip, don’t leave them laying around.

News Source: Daily News

Now if you’re looking for the Tuffy Security Door Locker, not every place that carries Tuffy products carries it. I was able to find it at 4 Wheelers Supply:

Jeep Wrangler TJ version ($65)
Jeep Wrangler CJ & YJ version ($65)

$65 is cheap insurance if you feel your doors are at risk. Right now 4 Wheelers Supply is offering free shipping, too. (note: affiliate link)

So there’s another take on Jeep “camoflage.” Here’s a picture:

More Pictures via Flickr

Gulches ORV Park is 80 acres of private land on a river, loaded with lots of smaller obstacles like a tank trap, rock crawling area, etc. Runs are all marked clearly. It’s about 30 minutes from Greenville, SC and there are lots of 4×4 shops within an hour. Camping onsite available with notice and some electric is available. Lots of parking for trailers and some RV’s. Portapotty provided. As far as we’re aware, this may be the only 4×4 park in South Carolina. It’s located in the northwestern corner of South Carolina, about 3-4 hours from Tellico (see map link below). Price is $15 per day per vehicle (plus a one-time $5 membership fee), which is comparable for east coast OHV park access. 4×4 riders guests and visitors are $5 each per day.

The Gulches ORV Park website is packed with information about the park, including trail descriptions, pictures and even video of 4×4 action on the trails. It always seems to load nice and fast for me, despite the incredible overnight popularity. In a note explaining the recent addition of advertising on the website, park management reveals they’ve received over 50,000 hits (a hit is recorded every time an object is loaded from the site. Each graphic/photo that loads is a hit.) in a short period of time. Some visitors reported viewing problems in browser other than Firefox.

Checkout the website and support a home-grown park. Skip tells me he built this thing out of a love for offroading and doesn’t expect to make much or any money on it. It’s a labor of love and I personally appreciate the effort.

• Link type: organization web site
• Link: http://www.gulchesorvpark.com/
• Name variations: Gulches, Gulches ORV

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/10/02/023660.html