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AXIAL R/C INC VISITS WITH ICON VEHICLE DYNAMICS
You have probably noticed a lot more full size off-road company names featured on Axial vehicles as of late. These names are not just another marketing ploy, but instead relationships that Axial has developed to bring you the best products we can. We all know that R/C vehicles are scale representations of full size vehicles, so isn’t it natural that Axial would want to work with full size companies to make their products as accurate as possible? There are obviously components that cannot be made to scale, due to the abuse that an R/C vehicle will see, which is way more intense than a full size rig would endure. Take an R/C car and let it tumble off a 10′ rock, which would be scaled to a 100′ rock in full scale, where a full size vehicle would be literally totaled and made into scrap metal; your Axial rig keeps on ticking. So as you can imagine, not all components scale out just right. The theory however, when it comes to suspension geometry and suspension tuning crosses over extremely well. The Axial staff recently ventured out to Riverside, California to have a technical chat with Dylan Evans and company at ICON Vehicle Dynamics so I tagged along to bring you the scoop! About ICON Vehicle Dynamics ICON Vehicle Dynamics is a very unique company staffed with some of the most talented suspension development experts in the nation. Headed up by SCORE off road racing champion Dylan Evans, who also knows rock crawling through his membership of the Poly Goats Four Wheel Drive Club of Cal Poly SLO; Evans and company know a thing or two about how to deal with rough terrain at all speeds. As the name implies, this company focuses on the unique characteristics of each vehicle’s dynamics (forces causing motion), and how to improve that vehicle’s ability to tackle rough terrain while significantly improving ride quality. ICON Vehicle Dynamics is further unique due to their manufacturing process, which all takes place “in house” at their Riverside, Ca facility. The ICON Vehicle Dynamics philosophy demands the use of the highest quality raw materials available, construct the products in the USA and deliver to the consumer the best mix of top-shelf product and customer service. This philosophy has made ICON Vehicle Dynamics stand out in a sea of aftermarket companies and has them labelled as the place to go if you demand the best available. Cool ICON Decal Here is a short video they have as an introductory to their company, check it out! Meeting ICON Staff We started out our visit with ICON Vehicle Dynamics in their large meeting room, where we met with the marketing staff, the general manager, and the engineering staff. This gave both companies an opportunity to discuss the similarities between the two companies. It is amazing how we share the same customers and the same passion for the off road lifestyle. After the meeting, we were off to the warehouse and shop area to check out where the magic happens. I made a few pit stops on the way out of the offices to snap a few pictures of some cool stuff I saw laying around. Shop Highlights Very high tech Bypass shock for off-road racing Our Axial EXO proudly on display! The SCX10 Honcho articulated in the office The line-up of Axial vehicles featuring ICON branding I decided to peek out the windows from the upstairs office and sneak a few shots of the facility from a bird’s eye view. Check out all those CnC machines!! Warehouse Tour Our shop tour started in the warehouse where they house some of the stock, getting ready to be shipped out. It was amazing to see how many different products they stock, and to hear about how the shelves get refilled almost every day as product is shipped out. Everything about ICON Vehicle Dynamics, from their design process, to the manufacturing all the way to packaging, is top notch! We were really looking forward to checking out the shock department, as these guys are known for mastering the ride quality as well as performance. shock shafts for days!! Bypass shock bodies freshly welded Mounting sets ready for assembly Reservoirs ready to be added Here is Dylan discussing shock tuning with Axial’s Jeff Johns, Matt Kearney, Brandon Coonce and Jamie Seymour. SCX10JK Suspension Test Not sure if you caught our blog on the SCX10JK where we installed the ICON suspension system (If not click here to read it), but we were running and testing some of their compression clicker shocks. We figured since we were here, we should go ahead and remove them to see how they were doing, as well as make a slight valving adjustment. We pulled the SCX10JK up in the shop, and Adrian (shock building master) got to work. The first step was to remove all of the shocks Once the shocks were off of the vehicle, Adrian set up the shock dyno, yes I said shock dyno! This is where these guys take technology to the next level to put their experience into scientific numbers. The numbers from the shock are then placed on a graph in real time on a computer screen The objective of the change was to make the shocks 25% lighter on the compression valving to make the clickers more effective through their range of adjustment. We found that the SCX10JK never went above 6-clicks even in the harshest of terrain. We had the pleasure of watching Dylan and Adrian work their magic on the Dyno and out in the shop as they disassembled and re-assembled the shocks for the adjustments. We will let the pictures tell most of the story… The shock pistons look quite a lot different than the average R/C shock piston. These pistons have valve shims that are designed to flex out of the way of piston holes to let fluid pass. The one unique feature of full size ICON shocks is their very drastic difference in tunability between compression and rebound settings. Where we would normally make changes in the R/C world with oil viscosity, these guys make changes with shims. They have been doing it long enough to know what shim stack will make the desired change, and only have to tear them down once and get it dialed in perfect! The seal heads are similar to the R/C versions, here is a cut away version of the ICON seal head Once the shocks are completely reassembled, it’s back to the dyno for a comparison check from the original numbers Dylan fires up the dyno and then checks the graph on the laptop and confirms they are good to go! Suspension Tuning Discussion While Adrian re-installs the shocks on the SCX10JK, Dylan, Brandon and Matt discuss some of the suspension tuning Dylan has been doing on his Axial EXO and Wraith. Dylan is also an R/C enthusiast and really gets into the deep technical theory conversation with Matt and Brandon. It was extremely cool to be a fly on the wall while the head of R&D from both of these companies exchange theories and ideas. It will be very interesting to see where this collaboration leads in the future. One thing for sure, with partners like ICON Vehicle Dynamics, there will not be an issue gathering insight into the full size world when developing the next Axial vehicles. Closing Thank you Dylan and crew at Icon Vehicle Dynamics, we appreciate your hospitality, and look forward to future visits! Please check out ICON Vehicle Dynamics on the web here. By Axial R/C Inc. – Story by: Recce01 Photos: GCRad1
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2009+ F-150 LEVELING COIL OVER KIT W/ UNIBALL ARM TECH INSTALL
After adding new Anzo lights and a rolling tonneau cover to his 2010 F-150, this owner had a severe case of the custom truck itch. Seeing other trucks cruising and towing with a taller stance, bigger wheels, and knobby off-road tires had him searching through Truckin’ for the latest in leveling and lift technologies. Wanting a truck that would still ride nice but look tough isn’t a pipe dream, and we helped him find the best of both worlds in just a few hours. ICON Vehicle Dynamics has recently released a complete leveling kit system that improves ride quality, helps the ½-ton clear 34s, and adds impressive off-road capability of the new-body-style F-150. The kit comes with a tubular, uniball upper control arm, 2½-inch coil overs for the front, and 2-inch aluminum series monotube shocks for the rear. Adding rugged good looks and functionality, we wrapped a set of BMF 20×9-inch Novakane wheels in BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A rubber, size 275/65R20 (34 inches tall). We’ll show you how simple it was to increase the height of this Ford while increasing the outward appearance and performance, both on- and off-road. 2010 Ford F-150 Before the Build The 2010 Ford F-150 before the build begins Step-by-Step Installation 1. Remove Front Wheels and Tires The first step was to remove the front wheels and tires. Then the upper ball joint nut could be loosened with an impact gun. 2. Disconnect Sway Bar Next, the sway bar was disconnected from the endlink to allow the lower control arm to flex down and accommodate the longer ICON F-150 coil over shock. 3. Free the Spindle A little persuasion was necessary to free the spindle from the upper control arm, which was left attached until we were ready to remove it. 4. Remove Factory Coil Over With the spindle loose, the next step was to remove the three nuts holding the factory coil over in place. 5. Remove Lower Bolt The air impact gun was again used to remove the lower bolt from the strut. 6. Remove Upper Control Arm Bolts Finally, the two bolts holding the upper control arm were removed and the control arm taken off. 7. Compare Struts Here is the difference between the factory strut and the new Icon 2½-inch coil over. This kit is adjustable, offering one to three inches of lift. 8. Install New Control Arms The new control arms were much beefier as well. They are a tubular design with uniball ball joints and polyurethane bushings. 9. Install Coil Over Installing the new coil over is a breeze since it fit perfectly where the coil over was removed. 10. Add Aluminum Spacers Aluminum spacers were included in the kit and were placed inside the lower control arm mount to center the ICON coil over. 11. Reuse Factory Hardware Since there was nothing wrong with the factory hardware, it was reused to bolt in the new upper control arm. 12. Bolt Coil Over with New Hardware Included in the kit was new Grade 8 hardware for the coil over, which was bolted onto the truck. 13. Secure Top of Coil Over Grade 8 bolts were also used to bolt in the top of the coil over to the bucket. 14. Reattach Spindle The spindle was re-attached to the upper arm and tightened to the recommended torque. 15. Reattach Sway Bar and Wheels The last step was to reattach the sway bar to the end link and bolt on the wheels and tires. 16. Tire Selection ICON recommends a 34″ maximum tire size, or 315/70/r17. For this install, we wrapped the 20 x 9 inch BMF Navakanes in BFG All-Terrain rubber, size 275/65/r20. That tire is about 34″ tall and fit perfectly inside the Ford’s arched fender wells. 17. Performance and Appearance Not only does the new kit outperform the factory parts, they look really good under the truck as well. 18. Rear Shocks Not shown being installed, the factory rear shocks were also replaced with these 2-inch aluminum series monotube shocks from ICON. Final Thoughts Icon Vehicle Dynamics has their stuff together. They really brought their A game with this leveling system. The install only took 2 hours, and when the kit was on, we couldn’t wait to get on the road to test it out. We started on the freeway, where the truck rode even better than it did before the kit. The coilovers up front and 2-inch monotube shocks out back really give the truck a better ride. The tires were louder than the factory Michelins but not obnoxious. Once we had the on-road testing done, we headed for some off-road testing. At speed on a rough dirt road, the truck rode almost as smooth as on the freeway. Over the more technical dips and ruts, the truck never rubbed, and even though it is a two-wheel-drive, it handled everything we brought it through. All in all, we loved the stance, ride, and ability that the Icon kit has given the truck. We liked it so much, we almost didn’t give the keys back to the owner. Contact Information BFGoodrich TiresP.O. Box 19001Greenville, SC 29602877-788-8899www.bfgoodrichtires.com Icon Vehicle Dynamics7929 Lincoln AveRiverside, CA 92504951-689-4266www.iconvehicledynamics.com BMF Wheels1401 N. Batavia StreetSuite 107Orange, CA 92867888-313-2580www.bmfwheels.com
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BMF WHEELS FORD F250 SUPERDUTY FEATURE IN TRUCKIN MAGAZINE
Ever just wished you could smash that Prius in front of you doing 51 mph in the carpool lane? Yeah, so have we. One problem with that scenario is all the red tape of police, insurance, and blah, blah, blah. Much like the Death Machine in the epic movie Animal House, we wish there was nothing but chaos felt from the wake of our traffic demolition. If we drove this lifted F-250 every day, we probably wouldn’t have a license or much freedom left because during our brief stint behind the wheel of the Super Duty, we felt more like crazy man Mad Max than law-abiding Barney Fife. Being a post-apocalyptic outlaw is one thing when the streets are clear, but in congested, knucklehead-filled LA traffic, all you want to say to other drivers is “Outta My Way!” The person responsible for this beast of a Super Duty is Blake Ramthum, Vice President of BMF Wheels. As one of the men dedicated to bringing new and different-looking wheels to the truck market, Blake wanted a truck that oozed the pissed-off attitude that is BMF. After picking up this new 2011 F-250 from the local dealer, the short trip was made to Greg Foster, of Industrial Motoring, in Anaheim, California, and a plan was devised. Blake wanted a functional, show-worthy truck that he could be a menace to commuter traffic in. Greg humbly accepted this challenge. Suspension Adjusting from 7-9 inches, the ICON lift kit features a large bolt on 2.5″ coil over and 2.0 Aluminum series remote reservoir secondary shock. To make the Ford taller than the econo-boxes clogging up the SoCal freeways, Greg and his Industrial Motoring team bolted on a custom-configured lift from Icon Vehicle Dynamics. Up front, an Icon coilover system serves as the centerpiece, with an Icon coilover mounting kit holding it and the Icon 2.0 aluminum reservoir shock in place. With an adjustable four-link and dual 2.0 steering stabilizer shocks, the ride and driving manners are surprisingly compliant. Out back, 5-inch Icon leafsprings get the bed up high, while matching Icon 2.0 aluminum shocks damp the freeway inconsistencies. Thanks to the front adjustability, Blake can drive his truck comfortably with 7-9 inches of lift. Providing the sinister looks, 20×10 BMF Novakane wheels in Death Metal black finish were mounted to 37-inch Toyo M/T tires. A black truck with a lift kit isn’t anything new, so it was on to the next step to make the truck show worthy. During our brief stint behind the wheel of the Super Duty, we felt more like Mad Max than Barney Fife. No big surprise here, 20-inch BMF Novakane wheels are mounted inside 37-inch Toyo M/T tire. Exterior Modifications All Quality Collision, in Orange, California, smoothed and painted the front and rear Fusion off-road bumpers, and while they were at it, they smoked the taillights, and painted the chrome grille shell. Back at Industrial Motoring, the guys bolted on the new BMF mesh grille in matching Death Metal black finish. Amp Research power steps with stainless trim were installed and help get passengers into the elevated rig, while hiding away in a stealth fashion when the doors are closed. Randy Pratt, of Street to Sand, in Reno, Nevada, then cut custom Ford Blue Oval logos out of billet aluminum for the front grille and tailgate. Billet badges from Street to Sand were also made for the upper front fender that read “BMF-250 Off Road.” For the rare, but always important nighttime off-roading missions, a 50-inch Rigid LED light bar was mounted atop the roof using SoCal Super Trucks light brackets. Rigid LED lights were also affixed inside the front and rear bumpers for the ultimate after-dark visibility. Performance Adding even more attitude to the one-man, hell-on-wheels machine is a skull-clad vinyl wrap by Crazy Fish Graphics installed at Findlay Customs, in Las Vegas. Keeping those 37-inch mud-terrain tires churning no matter the terrain, a Banks Power intake, MBRP DPF-back exhaust, and H&S tuner were added to the Power Stroke turbodiesel. Inside, the factory black leather and SYNC navigation system remain unmolested, for now. A BedRug keeps cargo from sliding around in the back, and also serves as bed protection from hauling gear around. For those jerks that do drive their econo-boxes 10 mph under the speed limit, Blake always has the HornBlasters’ train horns at the ready. Taking the truck to multiple shows and driving it every day, Blake loves his lifted F-250. Admittedly, he’s already toying with the idea of redoing it and making it really crazy. Until then, we’ll keep asking for the keys so we can go smash every Prius in sight. Inside the Build Vehicle Info Year Make Model: 2011 Ford F-250 Owner and City/State: Blake Ramthum • Placentia, California Engine Type: 6.7L turbodiesel Induction: Banks Power intake Exhaust: MBRP 5-inch Engine Management: H&S Tuners Mini Maxx Output: 465 hp and 910 lb-ft Built by: Industrial Motoring Chassis Front suspension: ICON Vehicle Dynamics 7-9-inch suspension lift with coil overs, 2.0 secondary shocks, adjustable four-link Rear suspension: ICON Vehicle Dynamics 5-inch leaf springs, 2.0 aluminum series remote reservoir shocks Wheels & Tires Wheels: 20×10 BMF Novakane in Death Metal black Tires: 37×13.50R20 Toyo Open Country M/T
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ICON VEHICLE DYNAMICS HITS THE TRAILS AT FJ SUMMIT NO.6
We headed out to Ouray, Colorado this past week for the 6th Annual FJ Summit. We have always supported the event from Day-1, but it has been a few years since we have been able to make an appearance. Needless to say the event has doubled, if not, tripled in size since we last went and it has meant nothing but great things for the off-road community and the town of Ouray. We left Tuesday morning bright and early to make the long haul to Colorado. After driving 17 Hours (towing) through beautiful California, Nevada, and Utah scenery we pulled into Ouray around Midnight just in time to pass out in bed. Wednesday morning, the attendees began to roll into town and at this point you start seeing the streets of this little town fill up with Toyotas of nearly every variety. The Best Western Twin Peaks has been the host of this event since its inception and we can’t thank them enough for all of their hospitably and putting up with the 500+ people swarming the small parking lots of the jam packed vendor area. Our friends from BajaRack Adventure Equipment came into town to set up their booth and show off their amazing roof racks and accessories for the FJ’s, 4Runners, and Land Cruisers. Shortly thereafter Jason Demello from Demello Offroad pulled into town with his convoy. Jason is one of most knowledgeable dealers when it comes to Toyota trucks and SUV’s. This year both Jason and the ICON 4Runner was equipped with the new “S2 Modular Performance System”. The S2 Modular Performance System with our OMEGA Series Bypass is a combination, Secondary Shock mount / A-arm skid plate package. This system is designed to use the factory lower control arms, as well as the factory front bump stops! No more massive cuts taken to the frame like other secondary shock systems currently on the market. These prototypes would be put to the test out on the trails in the San Juan Mountains with not only high speed abuse, but flex and articulation operation as well. Thursday morning we set out to Black Bear Pass. For those of you who are not familiar with Black Bear, the extreme switchbacks can be seen from the town of Telluride, and up close they are even more intimidating. Rushing waterfalls, slick rock, and trails barely wide enough to accommodate an FJ Cruiser coming down the side of a mountain 13,000 feet in elevation – enough said. The scenic trails and the small bouts of rain made for a beautiful day to be out on the trail and an awesome opportunity for photos. Friday was the day for the ICON / Demello / BajaRacks / TRD Parts 4U / Pandora Adventures Party and for those who were able to make it out, despite the rain had a great time. A SoCal feast of Carne Asada, Beans and Tortillas was given out to our guests and the raffle went off without a hitch! Congratulations to all the winners of the Axial RC Car, Demello Sliders, Synthetic Winch Line from TRDParts4U, Gift Certificates from Baja Rack , and Pandora Adventures. We were even able to convince All Pro Offroad to come out and donate some stuff for the raffle. Thanks to them for also letting us use their EZ up for some more shelter from the rain. Saturday morning, the last full day out in Ouray, we decided to head out with Sergio and Chris from BajaRack to get even more great photos and some GoPro footage on Imogene Pass. Sergio and Chris took the lead in their ICON-equipped FJ and definitely weren’t scared to push the limits of the suspension. While driving aggressively (but always treading lightly), the two Toyotas cut through the pass through rain and hail to make it to Telluride for lunch just as the lightning and thunder began. If you have ever been to Telluride or Ouray, the lightning and thunder alone are worth the trip. The thunder echoes through the valley and shakes the ground. It’s truly an amazing experience. The rain on Saturday made a bit of a mess back in the vendor area but it did not dampen (no pun intended) the spirits of any of the vendors or attendees. Everyone was focused and excited for the main raffle that would take place Saturday night. We would be raffling a set of our Piggyback Reservoir Shocks and Stainless Steel Shock Guards. As usual the raffle went on into the night and by the time it was said and done, the last remaining places open on Main Street were going off until the wee hours of the morning. Sunday was another early day and Main Street was corded off for the group photo taken every year. All the sponsors lined up and took their photos and we all headed home. Thanks to all of the organizers of the FJ Summit and to all of our great customers that were at the event! Stay tuned, the new S2 Suspension System held together great and will be pushed even further in the weeks to come!
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ROAD RACE MOTORSPORTS 2012 JEEP JK WRANGLER W/ ICON SHOCKS
For Road Race Motorsports in Santa Fe Springs, California – a shop that focuses on builds and performance car parts for the road race realm, rally racing and off-road – the opportunity to build a 2012 Jeep Wrangler came last year just before the SEMA show. With strong interest from potential companies participating in the build, they went ahead and took on the challenge with only about six weeks until the show. Building a show-quality vehicle is nothing new for the Southern California-based shop, which opened its doors back in 2000 and has helped build SEMA Show vehicles for Suzuki, Mitsubishi and Kia. Owner of Road Race Motorsports Robert Tallini is a road race and rally champion himself, and in spite of the name the shop actually does quite a bit of off-road work. “We wanted to showcase what we could do from a shop with a new and fresh perspective, building what most people want and really need in a Jeep that allows it to have multiple functions with an emphasis on the overlander purpose,” Tallini said. “We’re a company that has done six-digit concept cars for companies. We have design background, engineering background and off-road background. There’s a lot of great metal fabricating shops and companies, but mostly none of them have the experience and understanding we have in regards to making horsepower and making cars perform, and that comes from our experience in other kinds of racing.” Tallini has raced off-road himself, but injuries over the years pushed him into other forms of racing. “I raced the Mint 400 20 years ago, and I worked in a shop building cars for Mickey Thompson, literally, as well as Paris-Dakar buggies before the Europeans knew what an open-wheeled off-road buggy was,” he explained. 2012 Wrangler Build Concept For the 2012 Wrangler build, RRM decided to create a vehicle that was off-road capable but also ready for the long haul. John Rocha, an avid off-roader who has worked in the industry for years, helped the shop with the concept and execution of the build. “Our approach was not to make it a rock crawler but to make it more of an overland-style rig,” Rocha said, who went on to explain the idea was to make the Wrangler functional and capable with a low-center-of-gravity design. Suspension and Wheels Along this line of thought, providing trail clearance for the RRM ’12 Wrangler is a 2 1/2-inch Rock Krawler Max Travel suspension system. Specifically tuned 2-inch Icon shocks help soak up the bumps on the trail. RRM also squeezes 37-inch Toyo Open Country M/T tires on the JK. The Toyos are fitted on 17-inch Trail Ready beadlock HD wheels, which RRM had hard-anodized in “Tuxedo Black” instead of powder-coating for protection and clean look. Protection and Armor Poison Spyder is another major contributor to the build, and its Front Crusher fender flares help provide the proper clearance for the 37-inch Toyos. The Wrangler also features Poison Spyder’s Brawler Rockers for side protection and for a side step for entering and exiting the Jeep. These aluminum PS parts are a great complement to the overland-style rig, as keeping unnecessary weight down is important. To provide added protection, RRM utilized door armor on the ’12 Wrangler including its own JK door armor piece that is constructed of 3/16-inch 6061 aluminum that is painted to match. Poison Spyder B-Pillars also provide door protection to prevent this area from buckling or collapsing if hit by a tree or other obstacle. Front Bumper and Hood The front of the vehicle is equipped with a Poison Spyder Brawler front bumper with the tube-gusset design at the request of the shop. RRM added a color-matched piece to fill in the opening on the side. A Warn VR10,000 winch is fitted on the bumper to get the Jeep out of any tough spots on the trail. Just behind the bumper is RRM’s carbon-fiber grill, an eye-catching piece that isn’t performance enhancing but certainly gives the ’12 JK front a unique look. A part that does provide more of a noteworthy benefit, however, is what RRM refers to as its “functional” JK hood, which is designed to accept cool air in and dissipate heat through “shark gill” side hood vents. Drake Off Road JK hood latches help keep the hood in place. RRM also employs small vents on the side of the JK just behind the doors to help reduce drag from a closed airflow section by letting air flow through – a concept the shop borrowed from rally racing design concepts. Performance and Powertrain Under the hood, RRM equipped its air intake system for the Wrangler JK, which opens up the restrictive stock air intake system for more power and also a good complement to the RRM hood design. RRM also installed its Fuel Calibration System, which is a piggyback system that acts pre-ECU so it requires no tuning and will actually communicate with the ECU to improve power and fuel economy. RRM equipped the ’12 Wrangler with its axle-back exhaust system that actually tucks up higher than the stock unit and places the PPE exit higher for added trail clearance. Most importantly, the system provides performance improvement while not providing an overly loud or obnoxious tone (as Tallini notes, the pitch is wife-approved). Lighting and Storage Rigid Industries LED lights provide additional off-road lighting for the RRM Wrangler, as three LED floods are used on the bumper itself, while two 4-LED lights are outfitted on each side of the front window. Atop the Wrangler’s front roof is a Rigid 50-inch E-Series light bar. For added storage, a Garvin JK roof rack is installed that RRM fitted with customized side aluminum pieces that are color-matched to the vehicle’s design. The rack does feature additional Rigid lighting in the form of a SR-10 LED lightbar on each side, as well as two SR-6 bars at the rear of the rack. At the rear of Wrangler is a Poison Spyder RockBrawler Spare Tire Carrier, which is fitted with the optional CB antenna mount and Hi-Lift jack mount. RRM also outfitted its Rotopak mount into the bumper as well as an added strut for stability to reduce any rattle on the road or trail. X-Torm 4WD helped supply the RotoPaxs on the Jeep, of which there are two 4-gallon fuel tanks and two Pax that are lockable tool kits. RRM also installed one Rigid Industries LED that can swivel to provide added light when accessing the tailgate on the trail. Another thoughtful addition is the small hook added on the RotoPax strut for a Trasharoo (or trash bag) for the trail. The OEM rear taillights are replaced with Truck-Lite LED lights. Interior and Storage Solutions Inside the rear of the Wrangler, RRM has an ARB refrigerator to keep perishable food fresh. Another Garvin storage rack is utilized in the tailgate storage area to hold tools and two 1-gallon water RotoPax (stored inside to keep them cooler). Also inside is the Viair two-gallon compressed air tank, which is connected to two compressors that are mounted under the rear of the JK. As a “just in case” backup plan, a Powertank is also stored in back of the Wrangler. Axles and Brakes Under the 2012 Wrangler, RRM retained the stock Dana 44 axles but installed 4.88 G2 gears in the front and rear. The front axle was gusseted for added strength and Poly Performance sleeves reinforce the front axle as well. Stopping power for the Wrangler is provided by 13-inch slotted rotors on the front brakes, while the rear are RRM feature slotted stock rotors – another concept borrowed from the shop’s racing background. Conclusion All in all, this 2012 RRM Jeep Wrangler is not only pleasing to the eyes, it’s competent and confident on the trails. The low-COG design can tackle some serious obstacles, while the rig is equipped with the proper upgrades and safety measures for remote off-road adventures. Contacts Road Race Motorsports 13037 Lakeland Road, Suite F Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 562-906-0080 RoadRaceMotorsports.com Poison Spyder 951-849-5911 PoisonSpyder.com Spod 4x4spod.com ICON Vehicle Dynamics 951-689-ICON IconVehicleDynamics.com Garvin Wilderness Products WildernessRacks.com Powertank Powertank.com PRP Seats www.prpseats.com Rock Krawler 518-270-9822 RockKrawler.com Rigid Industries 480-655-0100 RigidIndustries.com Toyo Tires ToyoTires.com Trail Ready www.trailready.com Viair Viaircorp.com XTorm 4WD 305-981-6006 XTorm4x4.com Warn Industries Warn.com
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ALEXANDER MOTORSPORTS TAKES 1ST PLACE AT THE BITD SILVER STATE 300
Alexander Motorsports started first of the line in the Class 5000 at the Best in The Desert Silver State 300 and never looked back. Steve Alexander and ICON’s Sean Kepler ran the first 100 miles together going from 4,000 up to 7,000 foot elevation. No matter what the Silver State 300 course threw at them the car sucked it up thanks to the expertly tuned ICON Vehicle suspension. Turn after turn the Mickey Thompson Tires dug in deep keeping the car on track. The new RC Trans prepped Mendeola transaxle proved to be flawless, owner John Houlton wasn’t kidding when he says “we’ll get you in gear”. After 2 hours and 20 minutes they reached Pit 3 only to find out that the closest competitor was 40 miles behind them. After a quick splash of fuel, a clean set of K&N outer foam filters, a Livewire Energy chew, Gavin Ferguson traded seats with Sean to attack the final 200 miles navigating for Steve whose plans were to ironman the 300 mile course. The next 50 miles would prove to be the toughest with 6 water crossings and some of the deepest silt beds the 5005 crew has ever seen, many of them still littered with incapacitated race vehicles. They arrived at Pit 4 where the crew noticed a small crack developing on the front beam. 25 miles further down the road Pit 5 had a welder set-up and ready to go. Steve made the decision to push on to Pit 5 rather to wait for a welder. The crack was repaired at Baja Pits within 10 minutes and they were back in the race. At the 200 mile marker Gavin noticed a slight loss in oil pressure; they stopped and added a quart of Torco oil. 10 miles later they arrived at Pit 6 to take on fuel. The crew noticed the motor had developed a leak and more oil was needed. Steve made the choice to push on with the help of another Livewire Energy chew to keep him alert and focused. 50 miles later at Pit 7 the crew added two more quarts of oil but the motor was getting tired. With only 34 miles to go to the finish Steve made the call it’s “do or die”. They had 3 spare quarts of oil in the car; they crossed their fingers and hit the gas. Gavin called out every 10 miles to the crew and Steve was sweating bullets. Oil pressure dropped dangerously low to 20 pounds but with the finish line in site, Steve hammered down. It was all worth it, with a total time of 7 hours and 48 minutes and no flats Alexander Motorsports crossed the finish line scoring their first Best in The Desert victory. Thanks to everyone that made this possible starting with the expert maintenance of the Alexander Motorsports crew and the support of the following sponsors: KC HiLiTES, Livewire Energy, ICON Vehicle Dynamics, RC Trans, Mickey Thompson Tires, FK Rod Ends, BTR Wheels, K&N Filters, MSD Ignition, Torco Advanced Lubricants, Getpipe.com, Butch’s Speed Shop and Patrick Sign’s.
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MONGO RACING FINISHES STRONG AT BITD SILVER STATE 300
Best In The Desert Racing Association’s Silver State 300 was held Saturday May 5, 2012 near the small towns of Alamo and Caliente NV. The 3rd race of the series was looking to be a show down in the desert for most classes and Class 7200 or the V6 Unlimited class was no exception. Saturday morning’s start was about 10 miles outside of Alamo NV and the weather was clear and breezy. As the racer’s lined up, the team of Mongo Racing did their final checks on the KC HiLiTes/General Tire/ICON Vehicle Dynamics /TNC Ford truck numbered 7281. The first vehicle off the start line was at 9:30 am. Randy Merritt, driving theKC HiLiTes/General Tire/ICON Vehicle Dynamics /TNC Ford truck, started the BITD Silver State 300 at 10:20 am and headed out into the harsh Nevada desert. This was Merritt’s second race in the new state of the art chassis designed by Tracy Rubio at TNC Machine and starting 4th out of 16 in class meant he would be in the heat of the battle at the start of the race. Randy Merritt and co-rider RD Minor raced through the Nevada desert and tried to maintain pace with the leader, but slower traffic slowed the KC HiLiTes/General Tire/ICON Vehicle Dynamics /TNC Ford truck. The breezy conditions were helpful in the open desert, but the dust seemed to just hang around in some of the narrow canyons as Merritt raced to Caliente NV for his first scheduled fuel stop. The Mongo Racing team planned a strategy for 2 fuel stops for this race and at the first fuel stop, 103 mils into the race, Merritt requested the hood be removed because it was damaged from a racing incident about 60 miles into the race. Merritt entered the pit in 6th place and left in 5th place. The top 8 trucks in the class were all within 5 minutes at this point. Merritt stayed in the top 5 physically the entire race and after the second scheduled fuel stop Randy only had about 1 minute and 30 seconds of down time in the pits for fuel only. At the Finish of the BITD Silver State 300 Merritt thanked his crew for an awesome prep job and giving him a truck that all he had to do was drive all day. Merritt also thanked General Tire for making a great tire that could handle the terrain the race covered with no flats and ICON Vehicle Dynamics for the shocks that handled that same terrain with no leaks or fade was awesome. The difference between the top 5 trucks were set ups and Merritt said, “we at Mongo Racing will go back to Parker, AZ and work on our set up for the BITD Vegas to Reno and get faster.” Merritt added, “The KC HiLiTes/General Tire/ICON Vehicle Dynamics /TNC Ford truck has been very impressive to drive. Tracy Rubio at TNC Machine has built several race vehicles and this is my third from TNC Machine, so I know it’s just a matter of time before we get our first of many wins in this truck.” Merritt drove the KC HiLiTes General Tire TNC Ford truck to a 4th place unofficial finish physically and on corrected time at 6 hours 14 minutes and 41 seconds. Merritt finished the race 34th overall, 48 minutes behind the overall leader, and 18 minutes behind the 7200 class leader. The KC HiLiTes/General Tire/ICON Vehicle Dynamics /TNC Ford truck was also the highest finishing truck in the BITD Class 7200 Season Points Championship standings. After the race Randy Merritt commented, “The past 30 days has been exciting for us at Mongo Racing, EBC Brakes, KC HiLiTes and General Tire all have come out with national ad campaigns on the internet and in magazines featuring our trucks.” The Mongo Racing Class 7200 Unlimited Ford number 7281 is sponsored by KC HiLiTes, General Tires, TNC Machine, ICON Vehicle Dynamics, Trail Ready Bead Lock Wheels, Kincaid Racing Engines, Yukon, Wilwood, Pro AM, EBC Brakes, Master Craft Safety Innovations, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, Borla Exhausts, MSD Ignition, and Mongo Made Graphics.
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ICON RACERS BRING HOME GREAT FINISHES AT BITD SILVER STATE 300
The ICON Vehicle Dynamics race program has been working hard this 2012 season with both of its sponsored racers in the BITD Racing Series (Best In The Desert). Success has been the ultimate goal and the results from the Canidae/Tap It Brewery Silver State 300 put ICON shocks on the top of the podium in 1 class and finishing just outside of the podium for a solid top 5 finish in the other class. Contingency started Friday at the Aliante Station Casino way off the strip in N. Las Vegas. ICON Vehicle Dynamics’ booth was full of racers and crew members taking a look at the product and at both of the vehicle racing under the ICON Banner: #7281 – Randy Merrit; #5005 – Steve Alexander. Race day conditions were next to perfect with cool temperatures in the unforgiving dry deserts and a nice breeze clearing the dust in the deep Nevada silt beds, giving every racer confidence when getting the green flag. The perfect weather would also be a great sign for the ICON Sponsored Racers. Randy Merrit’s Ford started 4th in a premier class with 17 entries and would remain there throughout the day, taking home a solid 4th place finish and further moving him forward in the championship points chase. Steve Alexander started up front and stayed up front throughout the day, netting him his 1st win of 2012 and putting him in 1st for the championship chase. ICON’s race support staff was there helping each team from the day before the race till the drive back to the hotel after the checkered flag. ICON is proud to support the BITD series and its sponsored racers, pushing the envelope in the most grueling of conditions to help further development for the shock program for the OE applications.
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ICON FORD F-250 SUSPENSION GOES FOR A TOUR OF NEVADA
My son is in 5th grade and has an assignment to do a report on one of the United States. Well, he picked Nevada, and we concocted a plan to do a tour of Nevada and bring along one of our UTVs to help us explore all that the Silver State has to offer. We spent ten days off-roading, visiting nationals and state parks, touring museums and wandering around old ghost towns. Our route took us through the state capitol, Carson City, then east on US 50 “The Loneliest Highway”. Along US 50, we stopped at Sand Mountain Recreation Area, several Pony Express Stations and over nine mountain passes before reaching Highway 93 just east of Ely. From there we will swing into the Great Basin National Park before heading south on Highway 93 which is also known as the Great Basin Highway. We visited Cathedral George State Park and Delamar Ghost Town on our way south. After an overnight in Mesquite, we visited Logandale, Valley of Fire State Park and Nellis Sand Dunes before stopping in Las Vegas. We made a trip over to the Hoover Dam for a tour, then did some tourist stuff in Las Vegas for a few days. Heading back north, we visited the Amargosa Sand Dunes, Beatty, Rhyolite, Clayton Valley Dunes , Tonopah, Crescent Dunes, Hawthorne and Yerington. Near Yerington we headed off-road to see the ghost town of Pine Grove before looping back up towards Carson City. We stopped at just about every Historic Marker along the way and visited local museums and visitor bureaus as well to make sure we soaked up all the rich history that the Silver State has to offer. We received a lot of comments on our Facebook page, questions via email and a ton of people asking questions every time we stop about our UTV truck rack. I snapped a few pictures along the way that really illustrate how the UTV sits as compared to a cab over camper. The top of the roll cage is slightly higher that the camper, but it feels more stable. The truck is a 2011 F350 Superduty crew cab shortbed. The rack was built by Roggy Enterprises, and the truck features frame mounted camper tie-downs up front, air bags and a 2.5″ ICON Vehicle Dynamics leveling kit. Air bags are a necessity and the ICON shocks really made the ride super plush. We thought quite a bit about what to take on this trip (motorhome+trailer, truck+trail or truck+rack) and this setup was absolutely the perfect solution for this trip. We drove about 200 miles on dirt roads and in some tight parking lots that would have been a challenge with a trailer and impossible with a motorhome. The biggest downside is the cost of the motels (I do like shower and a bed though….). Our UTV of choice for this adventure was our 2011 Polaris RZR XP 900. Our RZR XP features Pro Armor doors and harnesses, STI Tires & Wheels, DragonFire Racing bumpers, spare tire carrier, flying v brace, a-arms and high clearance radius links, Fox shocks, Beard seats, Lowrance GPS, PURE Polaris rock skids and trailing arm guards, Unisteer power steering, Muzzys exhaust and Rugged Radios. Our XP continues to exceed our expectations in a wide variety of terrain and we even raced it at King of the Hammers in February. It also fits nicely on our truck rack! Here are a few highlights of the stops we made along the way: Day 2 – Sand Springs Pony Express Station – Covered by sand for over a hundred years, Sand Springs Station lay undisturbed until 1976. It was rediscovered by a team of Archaeologists, then excavated and stabilized in 1977. The Pony Express holds a special place in the imagination and folklore of America. The “Pony” lasted only 19 months, from April 1860 to November 1861, but it quickly became a legend. At a time before there were airplanes, telephones, railroads or even a telegraph, the Pony carried the mail 2,000 miles in just 12 days in the summer and 14 days in the winter. As the Civil War loomed, it provided the Union with a vital link to its far-flung Western territories, including the silver mines of the Comstock and the gold fields of California. Racing against time, the Pony had to overcome vast distances, hostile Indians and a harsh climate. But it could not overcome progress. When the transcontinental telegraph was completed on October 24, 1861, messages could be sent from coast to coast in just minutes. The Pony was doomed and it died only twenty-seven days later. Day 2 – Sand Mountain Recreation Area, Nevada – Located in Churchill County, just north of U.S. Highway 50, “The Loneliest Road in America,” Sand Mountain is 25 miles east of Fallon, Nevada. Managed by the U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the sand dunes of the 4,795 acre recreation fee area provide challenge and excitement for off-highway vehicle riders, hikers & sandboarders. Day 4 – Delamar, Nevada – We heard about a cool ghost town called Delamar which was south of Caliente on Hwy 93. Down a dirt road about 15 miles was all the directions we received…. So off we went. At about mile 20 we had no signs of any ghost town. We stopped and I dug out a Nevada topo map that had Delamar on it. We determined we had gone too far and missed a turn somewhere. Back we went and stopped 10 miles later at a turnoff that looked promising, but no sign. My son and I decided to go for it anyways because it looked about right based on the topo map. Well the road got ugly and we stopped and decided o unload our Polaris RZR XP and see if we could find the illusive Delmar. It was a good decision because I would not have been happy driving my truck up this billy goat trail. The ghost town and mining area was quite an expansive settlement that boasted more than 1,500 residents, a hospital, an opera house, churches, a school, several businesses and saloons. Most buildings were made of native rock. The Delamar mill handled up to 260 tons of ore daily. In 1889, prospectors John Ferguson and Joseph Sharp discovered gold around Monkeywrench Wash. A mining camp was then born west of the Monkeywrench Mine. It was called Ferguson. In April 1894, Captain Joseph Raphael De Lamar bought most of the important mines in the area and renamed the Ferguson camp as Delamar. In the same year, a newspaper called the Delamar Lode began publication and a post office was opened. Soon, the new settlement boasted more than 1,500 residents, a hospital, an opera house, churches, a school, several businesses and saloons. Most buildings were made of native rock. By 1896, the Delamar mill was handling up to 260 tons of ore daily. Water for the camp was pumped from a well in Meadow Valley Wash, some twelve miles away. Supplies and materials traveled even further, by mule team over mountainous terrain from the railroad head at Milford, Utah, which was 150 miles from Delamar. Day 5 – Logandale Trail System – Located about 65 miles northeast of Las Vegas, the Logandale Trails System covers 45,000 acres of desert, washes and vivid sandstone cliffs west of Logandale and north of Valley of Fire State Park. The Logandale Trails System (LTS) contains over 200 miles of trails, suitable for a variety of OHVs. Sand, rocks and desert trails make this a great place to explore in a UTV. We will definitely be back! Day 8 – Amargosa Sand Dunes – Amargosa or Big Dune is a playground that covers about five square miles of dunes, and its centerpiece is a peak that tops out at 500 feet. Expect to find steep hill climbs and sharp ridges at the dune which is located about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Day 8 – Clayton Valley Dunes – Clayton Valley dune field is located in the southern part of Clayton Valley, 7 miles south of Silver Peak, Nevada, and is accessible via dirt/gravel road. This is a very remote dune with very little use. If you like to dune all by yourself, this is the dune to visit. Day 9 – Crescent Dunes – This small dune complex near Tonopah is often deserted. Mostly used by local riders. There are no signs, and the area feels very remote. These dunes form under winds that blow consistently from one direction and form crescent shaped dunes. Day 10 – Pine Grove, Nevada – An Indian showed William Wilson the gold bearing rocks in June of 1866 and prospectors stampeded the area through the summer. At first called Wilsonville, the camp was renamed Pine Grove, with a post office, the weekly news, and a population of 200. Two steam powered stamp mills and three arrastras treated both both and silver ores, while stages and freight lines brought in supplies and hauled out bullion. In the early 1870s, the population reached it’s peak of 600. The tri-sectioned camp straggled for a mile of the canyon and contained five saloons, three hotels, a variety store, a hardware store, a Wells Fargo agent, a dance hall, blacksmith shops, general merchandise, barbershops, a shoeshine shop, a school, oxen yards, livery stables, and two doctor’s offices. Towards the end of the decade, the mines began to decline and by 1893, the mines were worked only intermittently. Today, only a few individuals work the mines from time to time. Most of the buildings in Pine Grove were destroyed some years ago when a severe storm sent a mudslide down the canyon destroying almost everything in its path. Today, only a few buildings still remain. Most notably the old boarding house which has about two feet of dirt covering the first floor. Pine Grove also served as a regional supply center for local ranchers until the later part of the decade, when the mines began to decline. Pine Grove is reachable by OHV from a few directions on Forest Service roads. It is best to have a GPS with topo.
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