Just wanted to send you a quick note to tell you guys how much I've enjoyed your recent coverage of the lower-stance rigs. It's so nice to see people thinking about what they're doing and building smartly instead of slapping on 14 inches of lift and wheeling. Smooth bellies, high-clearance tricks, large amounts of fender trimming, and all manner of mods along those lines are really fantastic reading and guarantee my renewed subscription of your fine publication.
Also, my compliments on the two really great features in the Sept. '07 issue-the "Low Down and Stable" YJ and the "Grand Master Flex" ZJ are fantastic rigs that feature tons of intelligent owner-inflicted mods that work really well. Not only that, the features were excellent-great info, good writing, and lots and lots of great pictures that really showed me how the rigs were set up. The one thing that infuriates me more than any other flaw in a magazine feature is not enough photos or bad photos. Your magazine does a good job most of the time, but every once in a while, I'm shocked at the lack of pics of a rig. But for sure, you guys have been improving tremendously over the last two years. Again, my compliments, gentlemen-job well done. Keep those small-lift, high-clearance rigs coming!
Ben Bird
Beatrice, Nebraska
Keep the M35 coverage coming! I'm now so obsessed with these things after reading about them in the mag that my TJ is getting closer and closer to being put up for sale. I have you to thank for that! That's a good thing, but my wife thinks I have lost my mind. Anyways, keep up the awesome work with the mag, and keep paying your staff well-even Hazel. You really do have the best 4x4 mag in the biz.
Jamie Bator
Via e-mail
OK, enough is enough. I read the Sept. '07 Mailbag blurb about Randy ("Picky Electric"). I think it's time for someone to stand up for the guy. It's true he may not use the right terminology for electrical components, current, voltage, and so on. But to tell you the truth, if it wasn't for Randy using layman terms, I would have no idea what he was talking about.
Randy's article on relays helped me figure out my problem with my foglights. I didn't even know there were relays for any electrical part. Yes, I'm a 38-year-old new Jeeper who bought an '88 Wrangler with some electrical problems last year, and the foglights were one of issues. If it wasn't for Randy and his article, I would have never checked the relay to see that there was a bad wire.
Randy's articles are helpful. There was a quote in the Sept. '07 issue, "Sounds like a fifth-grade shop class." Maybe so, but some of us have an education level of a fifth-grader. Unfortunately, most of society and some Jeepers are not electrical engineers or electricians. So let's give the guy a break. In my opinion, Randy rules-unless Bree is in the picture.
John Hex
Lansing, Michigan
Leave Randy's Electrical Corner alone. Not everyone is as up-to-date and educated as all the other readers out there. Even if I learn just a little from Randy and figure out the rest either on my own or from someone more intelligent (example, Greg Jones from the Sept. '07 Mailbag), it's still learning. It might just give me the motivation to try out that new wiring project I've thought about but didn't think I could accomplish.
I'm sure there are plenty of other magazines out there that can write very-technical, big-worded, hard-to-understand articles just for you, Mr. Jones.
Erik Bledsoe
Spokane, Washington
I just read "The Great Carrier Shootout" (Aug. '07), and I have a bone to pick with you. Yes, there are some junk carriers and bumpers out there, but what I want to point to you is that I've had a Durango bumper/carrier on the back of my '02 Wrangler close to four years now, and I've had no rattles or any problems with adjusting the latch. I installed it myself by following the easy instructions and adjusted the latch as instructed. I've had this Jeep on the Rubicon, Fordyce Creek, and many other crazy trails, and the Durango Bumper is still tight and doesn't rattle. One more thing you failed to point out is Durango is the only outfit to rate the actual tongue weight for the bumper. None of the other companies will say that.
Gary Herge
Troutdale, Oregon