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Celebrity Truck Series – SEAL Team Six F-450

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Marc Patrick Galeazzi

SEAL Team Six is one of the most famous military groups known today. This group of Navy SEALs are the men who stormed the compound where Osama Bin Laden was hiding and killed him in a firefight. These brave soldiers brought an end to years of terror and for this, Armen Adjarian, owner of True Bliss Customs in California, felt he should honor them in the best way he knew how, building a custom truck worthy of any member of SEAL Team Six.

The Base Truck
Adjarian chose a 2009 Ford F-250 Super Duty as the base truck for this build. Edmunds.com calls the ’09 F-450 “the toughest, meanest, beefiest, macho-est truck you can buy.” With a review like that, you can see why Adjarian chose this as a base truck for the build out. It can tow a staggering 24,500 pounds when equipped with a fifth-wheel hitch and other necessities, can haul 6,000 pounds, and weighs 8,500 pounds! This is one seriously big truck.

Before 2009, this size truck from Ford was only sold commercially for use as ambulances, hauling trucks, and tow trucks. From the factory, the F-450 comes with a 6.4-liter turbo diesel V-8 as the only available engine. The F-450 is only available as a crew-cab body with an 8-foot bed. It comes with a dual-rear-wheel setup stock to allow for the increased towing and hauling capacity.

The Build
Adjarian wanted this truck to be special, and to be as tough as the members of SEAL Team Six. He started this off by adding a water-methanol injection system by Snow Performance to the engine to increase performance. He also added an S&B intake and a 5-inch straight pipe exhaust to get air in and out of this beast. To help cool the air down that’s coming in, a Spearco intercooler was added. All together, this makes for 580 hp and 800 ft-lbs of torque.

Just like the SEALs, this truck was built to go anywhere. With this in mind, Adjarian installed a Rize 8-inch lift kit onto the newly flat-black painted frame. Still sticking with suspension, he next installed Icon coil overs to help with ride and bump relief. Moving to the back of the truck you’ll find Atlas leaf springs and Icon piggyback shocks. All of this is intended to give this truck a solid, stable ride while letting it roll over pretty much anything.

Speaking of rolling over anything, the F-450 has 22 inch American Force Star rims wearing 37 inch Interco SSM16 tires. Custom rims and tires are not easy to find for the F-450, but these fit the build perfectly. As with any build, if you increase the wheel size, you must upgrade the brakes. SSBC slotted and drilled rotors were added to help this truck get some serious stopping power.

Inside and Out
SEAL teams are not known for being flashy. They generally slip unnoticed into enemy territory and slip back out with only a few people knowing they were even there. They tend to let their actions speak for them. Adjarian wanted this truck to follow suit as well, which is why instead of a big flashy paint job, he chose a matte grey vinyl wrap for the truck to subdue some of the trucks’s presence. This also helps to match the flat grey that Navy ships use. With a vinyl wrap, the truck’s “camo” can be changed for the environment, just like the SEALs can do.

Outside, Ranch Hand bumpers were installed, but not before being painted flat black. Not only are they flat black, but the paint used was bed liner spray. This gives them a very utilitarian look and feel, and a ruggedness that is necessary of such a truck. As with any good custom off road truck, a solid winch was installed from Mile Marker. A roof rack was added for increased storage and especially for somewhere to store the extra tire. This rack also allows for increased lighting with a Baja Designs LED light bar and Bulldog Lighting round lights. A Retraxz tonneau cover was added to the bed to protect it’s contents and to give the truck a sleeker look.

The exterior is where the utilitarian look and feel ends. The interior of this F-450 starts with heated and cooled seats wrapped in black Katzkin leather. To keep this look going, the headliner has the same leather application. Adjarian chose to stick with the stock navigation head unit, but added a Cobra CB radio for increased communication.

The Details
Details are what make or break a custom truck. For this F-450, the details is where it shines. From the subtle design in the vinyl wrap, to the flat black bumpers, this truck is less about flash and more about detail. Once of the best details is the custom aluminum badges made by Billet Badges for this build. They feature the SEAL Team Six name and logo in place of the standard Ford and F-450 ones. This adds a nice touch and reminds everyone what the truck is all about.

Wrapping It Up
This truck was built to honor the members of SEAL Team Six. Of course it does more than that, as it is a damn cool truck to look at, and I’m sure it’s even better to drive. All the details that came together to make this truck a rolling dedication to not only SEAL Team Six, but as a tribute to everyone serving in the armed forces today. All in all, I’d say this is a solid build dedicated to some amazing guys.
Thanks to Truckinweb.com and Edmunds.com for images and information.

About

My Name is Marc Galeazzi and I'm the owner of Train Horns Delivered. I wanted to start a blog about train horn kits and other awesome car and truck accessories as well as talk about what goes on behind the sense when running and e-commerce store. Find me on Google+ @ +Marc Patrick Galeazzi

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Celebrity Truck Series – Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Unimog U13

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Marc Patrick Galeazzi

It’s no secret that the rich and famous like to get larger than life cars and trucks to drive around in. It’s so common that it’s getting hard to have an over-the-top ride anymore. Arnold Schwarzenegger is no exception to this rule either. While it is hard to stand out, his most recent choice of truck is definitely unique and fitting of his personality and size. Let’s check out Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mercedes Unimog U1300.

Wait…A Unimog?

You read that right; a Mercedes Unimog. What is a Unimog? Well, this truck is known as the superhero villain of the off-road world. These trucks are giant off-road monsters that are the top choice for the German military for trucks, as well as countless other European fire/rescue/emergency agencies. The Unimog basically goes anywhere and can carry basically anything. This truck is one of the best platforms out there for building an off-road vehicle.

Is That Even Legal?

From the factory, this truck is not street legal in California where the Governator lives. This is where Schwarzenegger’s Unimog starts to be custom. Since this truck wasn’t meant for the States, a ton of customizations had to be made before it could be licensed. Above and beyond the basic upgrades that are necessary to license a foreign vehicle, like new windshields, bumpers, safety belts, and many others, the engine had to be totally customized to meet the super stringent California emissions requirements. The turn diesel engine has been converted to run on bio-diesel, which gives it a much smaller eco footprint. While Schwarzenegger hasn’t cared about this in the past, seeing that he had the first private sector Hummer H1, new laws and his former role as California governor makes this necessary, and smart.

The Customizations
The major customizations that helped to rack up the $250,000 price tag of this truck were the necessary engine, exhaust, and safety upgrades necessary for registering this truck in the US. Schwarzenegger purchased the truck from a Unimog customizer in Germany named Mertec, so of course there were some non-required upgrades, too. A custom bumper/winch from HARM was installed to give some solid winching power with 15,000 lb capacity and a 4.6hp motor.

Additional lighting was installed in the customized push bar and custom roll bar. An upgraded air horn system was installed with the horns proudly mounted on the roof, as they should be. It’s great to see such a high-profile show of air horns on an off-road vehicle as this, showing they’re not just toys but a key part to many upgrades. Both the lighting and horns were added to help with visibility of the truck, something you wouldn’t think was necessary for such a massive vehicle, but it’s easy to get off the roads and into trouble.

The Interior
Not much was done to upgrade the interior of this monster truck. The U1300s have a fairly nice interior as it is, so without going overboard, it was left basically as-is.

The Owner
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a widely known actor, most recently showing up in The Expendables 2 with basically every other action movie star we know. He served as governor of California from 2003 to 2011. Schwarzenegger started out as a bodybuilder and weightlifter, quickly making the move to movies in 1970 with his role as Hercules.

Schwarzenegger drove the first public Hummer H1, and while in office, even converted one to run on hydrogen, and a second to run on biodiesel. He signed executive orders and bills while in office helping to lower greenhouse gas emissions in California, which actually affected what he had to modify on his current Unimog. The biodiesel engine in the Unimog helps to lower oil usage and CO2 emissions.

Wrapping It Up
The Mercedes Unimog is a 10,000 lb beast. With 15 foot of ground clearance this truck can go over basically anything. Is it a waste that the only thing it goes over is California highway? Possibly, but hopefully Schwarzenegger will take it off road and enjoy the sport a little. He has a winch that can get him out of trouble and air horns that can get him found, so I see this as a hopeful possibility.

With a long history in forestry, rescue, fire, military, and utility work, this Unimog will definitely have a much cushier life than it’s European brethren, but it is nice to see one of these off-roading monsters in the US. Love it or hate it, Arnold’s Unimog is a legend in off-roading that made it’s way to America.

Here is a shot of the Unimog in it’s natural environment, working. This one is used for road work in Europe.

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Celebrity Truck Series – Chris “Birdman” Andersen

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Marc Patrick Galeazzi

Basketball has been on everyone’s mind lately. Today I wanted to look at the truck of an NBA star that’s a pretty big deal. Chris Andersen AKA Birdman, who is known for being the tattooed star for the Miami heat, has a taste for trucks. His most recent truck is pretty awesome, and above that, a monster!

It’s common to see an NBA star driving a sports car or a customized luxury ride. Birdman went another route with his truck by choosing a SportChassis P4XL to customize. The SportChassis P4XL is “the ultimate luxury sport utility vehicle on the planet” and is a perfect fit for this bigger than life player that really is like a comic book character come to life. At this truck’s heart, a Cummins ISC 8.3L diesel delivers power to a Allison TRV3200 in a 5-speed configuration. This setup is rated at 330 HP with a 1000-ft/lb torque. More than enough power to get you where you need to go, all while towing pretty much anything you could dream up. The P4XL has a 174-in. wheelbase and has 100-in. width and 264 inches from front to back. The huge 22.5″ black rims are wrapped in Michelin XZL 425/65R and of course it has the off road package.

The Interior
As for the interior, Birdman’s Limited Edition P4XL has an Italian leather wrapped interior, leather steering wheel, leather headliner, and basically everything else you can touch wrapped in suede. The guys at Car Toys in Denver, CO customized the audio system as well. The truck has a passive noise reduction system with Dynamat that helps to keep sound out and negate the sound that does seep in. In the dash you’ll find a Pioneer AVIC-Z3 central touchscreen controller for audio, video, and GPS.

From the outside, you wouldn’t expect a lush, leather-wrapped interior, but that seems to be the point. Video, audio, and leather are hidden inside this massive vehicle.

The Exterior
The exterior of Birdman’s truck is somewhat reserved. All black paint job, black rims, and a black push bar round out the overall look and feel of this truck. Accents like a lit running board and chrome strut grille add subtle accents to the all-black look.

There are other chrome accents around this massive truck, like chrome outlines for the headlights, and chrome air intakes. To give the truck a more impressive appearance, a scoop hood has been added as well. Overall, this is a seriously mean looking ride.

P4XL Background
THe P4XL is built by SportChassis, which focuses on heavy duty pickup trucks. SportChassis trucks, while based off of standard semi-trucks do not require a CDL license, and are generally allowed on all major roads.

This 6.5 ton truck is one of the largest SUVs on the planet, and tends to stand out wherever it goes.

Some might say this truck is over the top, but this go-anywhere truck,. with 4 doors and a large bed, make it perfect for that larger than life guy. This truck would be a perfect platform for a train horn as well, big sound for a big ride.

Wrapping It Up
Chris has always liked his trucks large, and this is just another entry in that list of trucks. Purchased in 2009, he still owns this truck, with a collection of other trucks and cars. He is a man that likes his rides, and this one is unique to most other celebrities out there.

If you enjoyed this article it would mean a lot to me if you would share it on Facebook, Twitter or Google Plus, thanks

Marc

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Celebrity Trucks Series – Shaquille O’Neal’s Custom Jeep

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Marc Patrick Galeazzi

Shaquille O’Neill is known for being larger than life. Being big both in size and personality, it takes a special truck to fit Shaq. Enter West Coast Customs. Shaq went to Ryan and his WCC crew to design a one-of-a-kind truck to call his own. The base vehicle chosen was a 4 door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. Anyone that follows Shaq knows he is a car guy. He’s had everything from super cars to SUVs built for him, each one crazier and flashier than the last, and all with his signature Superman logo. For his jeep, however, Shaq wanted something more low key and sophisticated. Let’s check out his truck and how it’s unique to him.

The Base Truck
Before you see what was done to Shaq’s truck, you first need to see what they started with. The Jeep originated in World War II as a military vehicle. It soon made it’s way into the private sector with the Willys civilian Jeep, or CJ, in the 1950s. It wasn’t until 1986 that the Jeep would first sport the Wrangler name. The current Jeeps, including the Unlimited, carry the JK designation. The Wrangler Unlimited first came on the market in 2006 at the New York Auto Show. This model was stretched and was the first Wrangler to have four doors. With a 3.6 litre V6 VVT engine mated to a 5 speed automatic transmission, this Jeep can get up and go, too. The Unlimited comes standard with cloth embroidered seats and a fairly standard interior.

The Build
The first big change that was decided was the size of the interior and door. Shaq is a big man, so the four doors were taken off and turned into two large doors. The stock front doors were cut and extended to accommodate the larger opening. The doors now fit someone of Shaq’s stature much better. While I’m stating this in a few sentences, it really is amazing that this can be done so seamlessly by the WCC crew, when done, it looks like the doors were meant to be this way. Along with the larger doors came adjusted seats. The seats were moved back to better fit Shaq and give him all the legroom he needs.

Once the doors were done, it was time to modify the suspension, bumpers, wheels, and everything else you would expect for a Jeep meant for the off road. WCC installed a magna flow exhaust to give the Jeep a deep throaty sound and to help get a few more HP out of the stock engine. The suspension is a Procomp with a suspension lift sitting on Fuel wheels. The bumper and rockers were upgraded to Poison Spyder Brawlers and a Smittybuilt winch with a Factor 55 Prolink shackle mount was added to get out of trouble if the Jeep ever sees the mud, which I strongly doubt.

Inside And Out
In keeping with Shaq’s want to tone down his standard rides, a matte black paint job was applied, which paired with the black and brushed rims, gives the Jeep a mean look. The only really flashy part to the exterior is the Rigid Industries off road LED lighting, but flashy is kind of something you want in lighting.

Keeping with the toned down look and feel, the embroidered seats were replaced with black leather with suede inserts. Shaq’s signature was added to each seat in place of his standard Superman logo, to add a little personality to the Jeep while keeping it low key. This is where low-key ends in the interior, however. A Pioneer audio and video system was installed, including 4 amplifiers driving a full surround system including integrated Pioneer subwoofers behind the front seats.

Thanks to the Jeep having set back seats and the extreme sound system, the four-seater jeep was cut back to only two seats, just like the doors. This is how so much was squeezed into such a small package like a Jeep.

The Details
As you can see in the pictures, the jeep has a definite unique look, and is as big as it’s 7 foot tall owner. The best parts of this Jeep are in the details. The custom glass for the side windows and the door windows, the custom drop top, fully custom frame, and custom exhaust and lighting are so well done that you don’t notice them. Everything comes together nicely to make a one of a kind truck.

While I doubt this truck will ever see a trail, knowing it has the power and ability to forge a trail and get itself out is nice to know. It’s more than just show; it’s got a lot of go to back it up. With Shaq’s big voice and personality, I think they missed out by not adding a custom train horn to the Jeep as well, but that’s just me.

Wrapping It UP
All in all, Shaq’s jeep fits him perfectly, both in it’s custom size and in the statement it makes. It’s big, sleek, and imposing. It doesn’t shout what it’s about, but stands silently above the rest, which is how it’s owner is in real life.

Shaq currently still owns this Jeep, along with his stretches Lamborghini, Mercedes S-Class, SRT8 Charger, and his huge custom International CST truck. He might be toning it down from some of these others, but Shaq’s Jeep is one mean truck.

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Celebrity Truck Series – Stallone’s ‘The Expendables’ 1955 F100

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Marc Patrick Galeazzi

Today I wanted to start a post series that focuses on celebrity custom trucks. Custom shops like West Coast Customs make some amazing vehicles, and of course the nicest ones tend to go to some pretty famous people. Each post will center around one vehicle and go into what it is, who owns or owned it, and how it was created. I’m a sucker for classic trucks as much as I am for custom ones, so the first truck to talk about was a pretty easy decision for me. Today’s celebrity truck is Sylvester Stallone’s 1955 F-100. Let’s check it out.

The Details

This truck was more than just a celebrity making an awesome ride, Stallone’s F-100 was used in the epic action star movie “The Expendables” as well. So the truck is a star in of itself. This F-100 was built by West Coast Customs (WCC) from the ground up. What’s pretty amazing here is that the truck is actually a 1956 F-100 that WCC fully customized to be a 1955! Along with the changes that happened for this year swap, all new guts were used as well. The truck now sports a 345 cubic-inch Edelbrock V-8 mated with a BGM-equipped AOD transmission.

Moving past the engine and tranny, you’ll find a Gibson tuned exhaust, Mustang II suspension and Heidts 4-link kit, with a Ford 9-inch rear axle finishing it off. This truck really was upgraded from head to toe. Speaking of feet, Stallone’s F-100 got a set of Lexani wheels wrapped in continental tires.

There are tons of other upgrades, including a Gennie Shifter Commander, Wilwood brakes, fire-breather Vintage Air system, and a kinetic battery. Just as you would expect, the details are what matter the most.

Why Not 3?

With all those upgrades, paired with the custom body, you’d think that one truck was enough work for the West Coast Customs team. You would be right, but for the movie, the WCC team built 3 of these! This is actually why they chose to make the ’56 into a ’55. The 1955 F-100 is very rare, so finding three that could be build up in time was nearly impossible.

If you’re a Stallone fan, you might recognize the grille on the front of the F-100. WCC made it to be reminiscent of the grille on Stallone’s ’50 Merc in his movie Cobra. It’s little touches like this that make these super custom trucks a cut above the rest.

There were some special customizations done specifically for the movie as well. A hidden compartment for Stallone’s .45 ACP was added, as well as very carefully chosen gauges and seats. When designing for a movie, you need to make sure such internal aspects are not overpowering but still easy to see on the screen. West Coast Customs chose to go with Aurora gauges and Cerillo racing seats. Add to that a Flaming River steering wheel and the interior is pretty much perfect.

Make It Real

What’s amazing about this build isn’t that there were 3 identical trucks built, but that the F-100 was hilt to be a real truck. Even the cooling system was upgraded with a Ron Davis Radiator and dual Zirgo cooling fans. Movie vehicles tend to be all show and very little go. These mechanical stars of the movie are generally made to fit a specific role and movie magic is used to cover the rest. Stallone’s F-100 was built from the ground up to be a solid, respectable custom truck that is as fast as it is beautiful.

The truck not only showed up on the big screen, but was at the premier with the other stars as well. IT’s flat-black exterior and squatted stance make this a very imposing vehicle; a perfect fit for Stallone as well as his character in the movie.

A Little History

The Ford F-100 here is a second generation F-Series truck. The second generation ran from 1953-1956. It was this generation that the “100″ designation started. Before this, it was called the F1. The original 1955 F-100 came with your choice of a 223 CID Mileage Maker I6 for 115 HP or the 239 CID Y-Block V-8, known as the “Power King” for 130 HP. The original also started a new line of amenities including a dome light, lighter, arm rests, sun visors and a radio. Before the second generation, none of these came with the truck!

The 1956 F-100 is structurally different from the other years in the second generation, as it has vertical windshield pillars and a wrap-around windshield. This is different from the ’55 model that had sloped pillars and an angled windshield. You can see how this was a unique challenge for the WCC team to convert the ’56 into a ’55.

The Truck Today

Today Stallone doesn’t own this truck. In 2011 the F-100 sold at Barrett-Jackson for $132,000. That’s a far cry from it’s $1,580 base price in 1955-56! The winner got a signed picture from Sly, and even got to keep the hidden compartments for “movie weapons.”

Hopefully today this truck is out there racking up the miles and making it’s owner smile ear to ear knowing he or she gets to spend all their drives with a real celebrity.

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Airbags and Lowered Trucks – A Love Story

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Marc Patrick Galeazzi

Any custom truck guy knows that lowering your truck is the best way to give it
that mean, smooth stance you’re looking for. The question is, how do you lower
it? There’s more than a few ways out there, including coil springs, drop spindles,
control arms, and my personal favorite: air springs.

Air springs go by a couple different names. Some people call them air bags.
Others call the air springs, while even more people just call them bags. Whatever
you call them, they’re like magic for lowering your truck.

All About Stance

Driving a truck lowered to the point you might want it isn’t always the most
feasible option. An aggressive drop means you will scrape often, and have to
deal with an overall tough ride. This can partially be fixed by air springs. By
installing these you can control the height of your suspension with the push of
a button. The bags inflate and raise your truck to driving height. Hit the switch
again and watch it drop as low as you want.

You can go with a nice normal drop or install the bags with custom a-arms and
rear suspension to get your truck resting on it’s frame. This means you can go

from a simple replacement of your springs to a fully customized suspension. The
choice is yours, as long as you have the cash to go big.

When you drop your truck with spring kits, you lose the ability to control the
height. Same goes for any other hardware replacement like drop spindles or
control arms. These are the best options for heavy use, but if you’re going for fun
and controllability, bags are definitely what you’re looking for.

What is an air spring, really?

Ok, when I use the phrase “air bag,” you probably think about the ones in your
dash. The explosive kind that inflate and deflate quickly. This isn’t the case with
what we’re talking about for suspension. It’s more of a hard core air bladder.
Hooked up to an air compressor, these inflate and actually hold your truck’s
weight like a spring would.

AIr bags aren’t just for dropping a custom truck. You can use these on trucks for
better rides and a more even stance, too. If you’re familiar with bagging a truck,
you probably think of a smooth, low rider truck. While this is a great use, super
duty trucks that tow can use them, too. In this use, they can help give you the
right stance when towing heavy loads.

Can I Install Bags?
Technically yes, you could install bags on your truck. This is a pretty intense
upgrade, so unless you’re pretty skilled at tearing your truck apart, I’d probably
recommend using a professional installer. NOt only is the install itself intense, but
setting the standard ride height and the maximum drop can be tricky. You want to
make sure you’re not hurting your tires and other suspension parts when you’re
driving around.

With this install, you’re basically replacing the major suspension parts with the
bag system. This includes 1-2 pairs of air bags, the plumbing for them, and a
compressor. The compressor is the heart of the system, and needs to be hooked
up right to get the maximum life and use out of your bags.

Wrapping It Up
One of the best upgrades for the most impact you can do to your custom truck is
a suspension drop. it gives your truck a totally fresh look and stance. I mentioned
a few ways to do this, but the best way is definitely bagging. You get great
suspension while gaining intense controllability over the height of your truck.
Raise it up for driving and drop it down for show.

This can be an expensive upgrade, but if you do it right the first time, your
custom truck will stand out from the crowd.

Make it custom, make it yours.

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Posted in Truck Customization | Tagged Airbags and Lowered Trucks | 1 Comment

Is Off Roading For Me?

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Marc Patrick Galeazzi

Off-roading combines two common hobbies together into one that pulls the best
parts of each and become amore than the sum of its parts. If you’re a fan of the
outdoors and really like cars or trucks, off-roading is for you. You get to spend
hours outside enjoying nature while using a truck that you upgraded yourself to
fly down trails, climb rocks, and shoot ruts like a pro.

Looking at off-roading from the outside might put you off from the idea, because
it looks so expensive. There are tires, rims, lift kits, bumpers…hundreds of
upgrades that all cost money. While this is true, and you can build a truck
that costs tens of thousands of dollars, off-roading starts as a hobby that
doesn’t require an expensive car or truck. You can start with a cheap, small,
capable truck that will get you going in no time. Instead of new F-150s or Grand
Cherokees, think Suzuki Samurai or older Jeep Wrangler. An older 4WD truck
will fit nicely here, too. These rides can be picked up for a few thousand dollars to
start and as long as they have 4WD, you cans tart off-roading immediately.

Some basic upgrades to start with include a lift kit, bigger rims and tires, brake
upgrade, winch, and train horn. Ok, wait…did I just say train horn? These tools
of the railway can help you let people know where you are if you get lost, broke
down, or just to meet up with a friend. The same goes for the other upgrades,
they all help you to get off-roading done better and more fun.

It can seem like an imposing hobby to start with, especially if you don’t have any
friends into it right now. If you do have some friends that off-road, it’s even better
because they can help upgrade your truck and show you the best trails to hit, and
even go out on the trail with you. It’s totally OK if you’re starting off on your own,
too. With some patience and research you can get a good truck, upgrade as your
budget allows, and get out there to have some fun.

There are hundreds of questions to ask when talking about upgrading. While
these can be imposing and scary, starting small and working up little by little
is really the best way. It’s overwhelming to think about the suspension lift you
need before you even get the truck. Do your research and get a truck that has
upgrades available, but don’t worry about planning them just yet. Enjoy your 4×4
and upgrade as you can.

If you know your limits and stick to trails you know in the beginning, you are
bound to have a good time. The title at the top asks the question: “Is Off-Roading
For Me?”. I don’t know you, your budget, or your current vehicle, and I can still
answer that question for you and say yes. Off-roading is for everyone. If you
respect nature and leave the trail like you left it, it’s a win-win situation. So get out
there are hit the trail. It’s more fun that you can imagine.

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5 Things To Consider When Buying Off Road Tires

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Marc Patrick Galeazzi

5 Elements Of An Off-Road Tire

You don’t need to be a master off-roader to know that tires are vital to driving.
While this is an understatement, choosing the right tire is a little more tricky than
just picking one that looks cool. Tires deliver all the power your engine has to the
dirt. You can get the best engine and transmission upgrades out there, but if your
tires aren’t up to it, that power will be wasted and you’ll either get nowhere or
even worse, stuck.

Remember, if your truck plays double duty and drives on the trail as well as the
road, tire choice is even more important so you’re safe in both environments.
Let’s check out the 5 key elements to choosing an off-road tire.

1. Tire Size

If you are going with the same tire size as stock, this is an easier choice, as
you just run with what you have. If, however, you want to go big, there is a little
more work involved. First, larger tires are great because they help by increasing
ground clearance. A wider tire means more traction, since there is more surface
area. Both great things. If you go too big, however, you start running into all sorts
of issues.

Increasing tire size means you generally need to upgrade your braking setup,
change your gearing ratios, and possibly install a lift kit. More on that in a bit.
Basically get the tire you need for the type of off-roading you want to do.

If you are building up a truck for off-roading, tire size should be the first thing you
choose, and everything else should be based upon them.

2. Tread Design and Depth

The first thing to remember here is that the better a tire is on the street, the worse
it will be in mud. If you are using this as an off-road toy as well as a daily driver,
you may want to look into getting a second set of tires and rims so you can run
the right tires for the right task.

Once the size of tire is chosen, it’s time to pick out a tread pattern. This affects
how your truck handles in the mud, and how well it can grab rocks. There are
hundreds of tread patterns and depths out there, so take your time and match it
up with the type of off-roading you will be doing.

Knowing this is the best case, you cans till pick something that will be OK in
both arenas. A tire with a good, off-road focused tread design can still drive on
the road, but you will notice decreased maneuverability, speed, and stopping
distance performance. Picking a mid-level aggressive tread tire is the best option
here. Make sure it has a nice deep tread depth and the pattern can be less
intense. Deep treads help to act as paddles when in mud, freeing themselves of
trapped mud as they spin. Deep treads are also great for rocks, as the individual
treads can grab on to corners of rocks and conform to various surfaces.

3. Fitment

Just because a tire says it will fit doesn’t mean it will. Basic numbers are all nice
and fine, but one company’s tire might fit perfectly while another one’s might rub.
With fitment, it’s best to go with the manufacturer’s specification sheet, as it will have exactly what you need to make sure the tire will not rub.

If the tire you need does rub, it may be necessary to do some modifications to
the truck to help the tires fit. If they are running suspension parts, you most likely
need to go with a different size.

4. Aspect Ratio

When talking about tires, aspect ratio refers to the distance from the ground to
the wheel in relation to the width of the tire. In other words, when you see a tire
size as P225/50R16, the “50″ is the aspect ratio. This means the sidewall height
from rim to tread is 50% of it’s section width. The higher this number is, the
higher the sidewall.

Make sure to choose an aspect ratio that gives you enough tread when you
air down for the trail while still having a solid sidewall. Also, this helps you to
understand how tall the tires will be, and how much ground clearance you will
add.

5. Additional Upgrades

It has been said that the devil is in the details, and with tire upgrades, this
couldn’t be more true. There’s a reason I said you should start with choosing a
tire size before doing any other upgrades and that is because everything from
brakes, suspension, lift kit, and transmission are tied to this decision.

Safety is number one in upgrading, so make sure the braking kit you have can
handle the tire sizer you choose. Larger tires mean the rotating mass of the

tire is more and further from the axle, which means it will be harder to stop. An
upgraded brake kit will help with this.

With larger tires comes the need for a re-geared transmission. Larger tires will
affect your transmission so make sure if you are going big, you update the tranny
as needed.

The biggest noticeable upgrade would be the lift kit. Lift your truck for the tire size
you need. Bigger isn’t always better, so take the time and figure out what size tire
you need, and base the lift kit off of it. Decide if you need a suspension lift or if
you are just going with a body lift. This will affect your budget greatly.

I know I said to start with tire size before doing anything else, but the un-official
#1 to-do her should be to figure out your budget and what you want the truck
to do. I am assuming that you do this first, but this is ideally the most important
question you could ask yourself. How much can I spend, and what do I want it to
do when I’m done. After that, figure out the tire size and move from there.

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Off-Roading On A Budget

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Marc Patrick Galeazzi

While we all wish we had unlimited funds, this is rarely the case. If you’re into trucks and off-roading, you probably dream of building a custom rig from the ground up, making it exactly what you want. I’ve watched the TV shows on Powerblock where they build amazing trucks and wished I could do the same, too. While building a truck isn’t as expensive as you would think, it is still out of the range of many of us. Does this mean you should give up on off-roading and start hiking? Hiking is fun, but it’s not truck-fun. You can keep your hobby on a budget with some key customizations to your daily driver as long as you don’t mind it getting a few bumps and scratches. Here’s a few ideas to help you out. There are three key upgrades you can do that will get your truck more trail worthy. With these, you can take your current truck piece by piece and make it into a trail monster.

1. Lift Kit

A lift kit is essential to many other upgrades, like tires and rims. There are two basic types of lift kits. Body lift and suspension lift. Both raise the driver up from the ground, but only one of them will change ground clearance. A body lift is the cheaper option, and lifts the body from the frame. While this doesn’t help with ground clearance, it is necessary if you plan on adding larger tires. There can be additional costs involved with gearshifts and bumpers, but a body lift will basically help you add larger tires onto your current ride. A body lift is generally not the choice of off-roaders because it does nothing to raise ground clearance while hurting stability by raising the center of gravity.

The second type of lift is the suspension lift. This is the way serious off-roaders prepare their trucks for the trail. A suspension lift replaces springs and shocks, along with brackets, spacers, bushings, and everything else that is necessary to align your truck to it’s new height. This is great because along with wheel height, you gain ground clearance; a necessity for clearing ruts and rocks on the trail. And seriously, what good will those nice new 4×4 mud tires do you when the truck can’t clear the ruts? Since we’re talking about this being your daily driver still, don’t go crazy here. Bigger isn’t always better. Impress people with the thought you put into building the perfect truck, not just its size.

2. Tires and Rims

Once the truck is lifted, it’s time to squeeze some new off-road rims and tires on. There is a huge range of sizes and styles to choose from here, so some homework is necessary on your part. What trails are you hitting up? How much city and highway driving will you do on them? Tires alone can run about $1,000 for a set of 4, so this is somewhere you want to make the right choice first. Good tires are vital to your off-road experience; so definitely don’t go with the cheapest option here. A little money now can save you a lot of trouble later. If you want to go bigger than the rims you currently have, a good set of off-road rims will set you back around $1,000 as well. So if you’re on a budget, I’d recommend trying to outfit your current rims with off-road tires. Remember, if you’re planning on keeping this truck your daily driver, you need to choose tires that are made for highway use as well as trail use. Tires meant strictly for the trail will wear out very quickly on the road, melting all the money you spent right into the pavement.

3. Winch

If you’re going off into the woods alone or even with some other trucks, you need a way to help yourself out if you get stuck, and a winch is just the thing. Imagine you’re plowing down a trail and you see a nice big mud pit and you want to hit it nice and fast to spray mud everywhere. When you hit it you realize it’s about a foot deeper than you thought and now you’re stuck. What do you do? It’s too far into the woods for a tow truck. This situation is why a winch is great. With the winch, you can tie off to a tree, or a friend’s truck, and winch yourself out. A good winch can mean the difference between leaving your truck on the trail and driving it home. A winch is not the easiest thing to install, as often times a new bumper is needed. A good winch will set you back around $400 and depending on your truck, a bumper will start around $400. The best option here is to check out an off-road shop in person to see what they have for your truck specifically, since winches are rated on weight and the truck dictates how hard it is to mount. You definitely DO NOT need a winch to start off-roading, but make sure you at least have the phone number of a friend that does.

There are literally hundreds of upgrades you can do to your daily driver truck to make it a champ at off-roading, but these are some of the key ones to make any truck a solid off-road machine, while keeping it tame enough for the road. When building on a budget, getting the perfect upgrade for what you want to do is vital. Don’t go too small, and don’t go too big, even if it is tempting. Get what you need and spend what you saved on the next upgrade. Lastly, even if you can’t afford all three of these upgrades, don’t worry. Get some good tires and a friend and go out and hit the trails! Something like a train horn on your truck can help someone find you if you get stuck, and a cell phone can be the biggest friend you have, too. Don’t get in over your head, keep the trails light in the beginning while you’re upgrading, and you’re sure to have a great time.

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Top 4 Upgrades For A New Truck

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Marc Patrick Galeazzi

Just bought yourself a new truck and looking for some quick upgrades to make it yours? Even if you have a truck that is just new to you, there are a few upgrades that can be done fairly quickly that will give you that feeling of ownership and make your truck stand out as unique from the crowd. Here are the top 4 quick upgrades you can do to your new truck

1. New In-Dash Stereo
The biggest upgrade to the interior of your truck you should do right away is the stereo. Depending on your truck, this can be done at varying levels of difficulty. Many trucks have a simple dash layout that allows the radio to come out quickly. This is great for you if you love to do it yourself. The basic parts you need to upgrade your radio are:
1) New Radio
2) Dash Kit
3) Wire Harness
4) Antenna Adapter

With those basics, you can install your own radio with minimal tools. A great place to get the parts you need for your stereo install is Crutchfield.Com. They often will give you all the parts you need for about $15 when you buy the radio from them. This is great compared to local shops that can charge upwards of $50 for these parts.
Now, what kind of stereo to install? Well, this is heavily dependent on your budget. Most trucks have what is called a “Double DIN” opening, which is a large radio opening that can fit in-dash video players. These start around $250 and go all the way up to about $2000, depending on features like DVD and GPS. You can always go for the standard radio that will run anywhere from $50 and up as well, too.
On top of video, most new units offer satellite radio like Sirius, which for a monthly subscription can give you access to hundreds of commercial-free music channels. These often have iPod or other MP3 player compatibility, giving them access to literally thousands of songs on demand.
Installing a new radio is a killer upgrade that can be done in about 2 hours or less. This makes a new in-dash radio the best first upgrade you can do.

2. Remote Start and Security
The next upgrade you can do when you get a new truck is to get a remote start and/or security system installed. Many people think that just because they have a diesel truck that they can’t use a remote start. In short, that’s just crazy! Modern remote starts have inputs for glow plugs to help them work seamlessly with any type of diesel engine. The remote start helps you to get your diesel engine warmed up while getting the cab nice and toasty on cold mornings.
Diesels aside, remote starts work great with gas engines, too. These can help warm your truck up on cold days and can cool it down in the summer. There is nothing like getting into a nice cool truck on a 100 degree day! Most engines do well with a few minutes of run time before you get moving, and with a remote start, you don’t have to sit and wait.
Along with remote start, many systems now include security. This really is a must with owning a vehicle today. When installed properly, truck alarms are solid, reliable pieces of security that only go off when necessary. The alarms you hear go off for no reason are either inferior/cheap units or were installed incorrectly. This is why alarms and remote starts are something I recommend be installed only by professionals. Spend the extra money now and get it put in correctly. Trust me, I personally have installed many of these myself and you want someone who knows what he or she is doing handling your truck.

Pair the remote start alarms with a key fob that reports back to you what the alarm and remote start are doing, and you’ve got the best security and remote start package out there. Cost on these vary greatly depending on vehicle, but can range from $100 installed up to $500, depending on features.

3. Window Tint
Depending on the laws in your area and your willingness to abide by them, window tint is the best exterior upgrade you can do first. This not only gives your truck a much sleeker, meaner look, but it protects your valuables inside while keeping the temperature in the cab lower. Tint also blocks out UV light, helping keep your interior new longer.
Tint is something I wouldn’t recommend doing yourself. This is a skill that takes a lot of practice to master. Getting 4 windows and a rear window done should coast you around $250 depending on your area. This is not a lot of money to give your truck a more impressive external look and feel, while protecting what’s inside it. I personally recommend a 35% tint on all windows (not counting windshield, obviously). This gives a dark look from outside while allowing you to see out without too much effort in the dark.
Getting window tint usually takes less than 5 hours and a professional tint job will last as long as your vehicle without bubbling, peeling, or looking worn out.

4. Train Horn
Wait, a TRAIN HORN? Aren’t those supposed to go on TRAINS? Well, yes,
sort of. Train horns were created to alert anyone around of the train’s presence,
and to let switch operators know from a distance that the train is approaching.
Basically train horns were made to make sure people knew where the train was.

This is why they are so great for an off-road truck. They are fairly inexpensive,
easier to install than a lift kit, and can be used to get you un-stuck when a friend
is trying to find you on the trail. Unless you’re using a GPS transponder for your
friend to find you so he can winch you out, having something that let’s everyone
know where you are is vital. A few blasts of the horn will get everyone coming
your way pretty quickly.

Also, people tend to ignore car horns, but it’s nearly impossible to ignore a train
horn! That’s why ambulances, fire trucks, and other emergency vehicles use
forms of these horns in their sirens.

On top of this, they’re pretty cool, too. If you are interested in buying a train horn kit, check out my selection at Train Horns Delivered.

Well, there you have it. These are my top 4 upgrades to do when you buy a new truck, even if it’s a few years old and just new to you. All totaled, you could get all three of these done professionally and spend around $1,400 for pretty awesome pieces for all three. When looking at engine, suspension, and truck bed upgrades that can cost $1,000 each, getting three for that price is a deal.

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