When we first heard about the Sprint Booster, we wrote it off as electronic snake oil. We found it hard to believe that a plug-in module that eliminated the delay in a vehicle with Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) could make a difference you could feel. We were wrong - big time!inline_mediumwraptextright25995929/techarticles/electrical/154_0911_sprint_booster_plug_in_throttle_delay_eliminator25875056.jpgTrue

In the first installation we showed you how we swapped a fuel-injected 5.7L Chevy V-8 into our '94 Wrangler in the parking garage under our office building. Well, since then, our office has come under new ownership that isn't nearly as gearhead-friendly as the old owners were, and we had to relocate the project. So Trasborg took it home and shoehorned it into his over-crowded, one-car garage to continue working on it.inline_mediumwraptextright25882847/techarticles/engine/154_0911_parking_garage_motor_swap_part_2154_0911_01_o+5.7_chevy_v8_engine_plumbing+garage.jpgTrue

We've said it for years: If you want your four-cylinder-powered Jeep to have power, sell it and get a six-cylinder-powered Jeep or swap in a V-8. The other thing we've been harping on for years is that some company needs to step up and bring to market an affordable bolt-on turbocharger kit. The Jeep 2.5L four-cylinder isn't a bad engine, it's actually downright bulletproof by today's engine standards; it just needs a shot of power that most bolt-on modifications can't provide.inline_mediumwraptextright27096505/techarticles/engine/154_0911_505_performance_turbo_system_for_jeep_4_cylinder154_0911_01_+505_performance_turbo_system_for_jeep_4.0l+wrangler.jpgTrue

If you don't pay much attention to new cars (and who cares about a Coke can on wheels?) you might not know that the wiring we have all come to know in our older Jeep vehicles is gone. That's not to say it just disappeared one day, but vehicle wiring as you and I both know it is going the way of carburetors, gravity-fed fuel systems, and hit-and-miss engines (those things are cool!). The only thing that is ever going to be constant is change. Well, except for those new pennies that non-God-fearing people designed. Oh wait, I'm talking about different change.inline_mediumwraptextrightThis is the brain of the system. All switches go to this mastercell and it then sends requests to the power cells downstream. The mastercell is programmable by computer or by face-mounted, push-button momentary switches. If that ain't enough, it is also waterproof to one meter. That means that you can sink your Jeep in water about up to your neck and this system will still work. Try that with a regular wiring harness.31210176/techarticles/electrical/154_0911_november_2009_randys_electrical_corner154_0911_01+working_the_controller_area_network_bus+brain.jpgTrue

Ten years ago, selectable locking differentials were about as rare as a brain in a celebutant's head. Today, selectable lockers are more common than child-star substance abuse. These lockers can be locked and unlocked using everything from air pressure to cables, and in this case, 12-volt electricity. The Auburn ECTED is actually a limited slip and a true locking differential all wrapped into one. The limited slip mechanism of the ECTED is a clutch plate-style limited slip. The locking mechanism is engaged by an electromagnet via a 12-volt switch. It's a fairly simple install if you have a few key tools and some axle experience available to you.

Lunchbox or drop-in lockers are often overlooked by the off-road rags. Much of the time we know we are going to bigger tires, regearing and so forth, so replacing the entire differential makes sense. Then there is the "drop-it-off-at-a-shop" method of building project vehicles, which makes it real easy to forget what a normal guy goes through to build a vehicle.

Until recently, there hasn't been much in the way of selectable electric lockers outside of OEM applications. A couple of years ago there was the Detroit Electrac, but the unit was overly-complicated and proved less than durable in Jp's long-term testing. Eaton must've agreed because a short time after it bought the Detroit brand, it yanked the Electrac from its product line. Thankfully, Eaton has lots of experience producing electronically selectable lockers for OEM applications, like GM's gold-chainer Hummer H2 and others. So it didn't take much for the company to lock its engineers in a candle-lit room and pelt them with melon balls until they came up with a viable design for the aftermarket that didn't require air lines, a compressor, or super-long lengths of cable to operate.

Taller, heavier tires, a higher center-of-gravity, and softer springs on a modified Jeep conspire to reduce braking effectiveness. Sometimes the problem is severe enough on extreme rigs to warrant high-dollar racing parts and a custom braking system. That's all fine and dandy, but to get better braking without completely melting your credit card try upgrading to some high-performance pads and rotors from EBC Brakes. EBC pad friction material comes in several levels starting with the low-dust, extended-life replacement Ultimax pads. Stepping up the stopping power next are the Redstuff and Greenstuff (6000 and 7000) series. EBC's grip flagship is the high-friction, aramid fiber Yellowstuff pad which gives ultimate brake performance.

Most folks immersed in the world of early Jeeps have heard of Herm Tillford, aka, Herm the Overdrive Guy. In fact, those in the early Jeep inner circle know right away what you're talking about when you say something like, "I used Herm's steering kit," or, "I had Herm rebuild my T-case and overdrive." And although the company is technically called ATV Manufacturing, anybody who has visited Herm's website at hermtheoverdriveguy.com has probably come to associate the moniker with a wide selection of specialty conversion drivetrain, steering, and braking parts for early Jeep vehicles.

There is nothing worse than being all flexed-out and not being able to go any further because both front and rear differentials are open and the tires are just spinning. Such was the case with our Jeepster at the TDS Desert Safari in Ocotillo Wells, California, and we decided to do something about it.

We all need connections. I connected with a girl in high school once and it was great. She'd let me copy homework off of her, she would get her mom to buy clothes for me and dress me up, and she'd cook for me, too. Even though we had a real connection, it ended too early. I used to have the same problems with Kenny's Le Car. It turns out the French aren't that good at wiring.inline_mediumwraptextright26550205/techarticles/electrical/154_0910_october_2009_randys_electrical_corner154_0910_01_z+jeep_wire_connectors+randy.jpgTrue

Trac-Lok
Overview: The Trac-Lok is the OEM limited slip differential offered in many vehicles-from early CJs from the mid-'70s up through XJs and some TJs. It uses stacks of friction discs that hold the spider gears from differentiating until enough torque is generated by the shafts to let them spin.inline_mediumwraptextright26542252/techarticles/drivetrain/154_0910_jeep_locker_overviewjpmp_0910_10_z+jeep_locker_traction_reviews+truc_lok.jpgTrue

If you've ever shifted your T-case on the trail with your suspension all crossed up,then you know the misery. You tug, heave, and yank like a bear with his paw in a trap in an effort to row through the gates.

Yeah, yeah, all Jeeps mark their spot. If we hear that one more time we're gonna puke. The real truth is, not all Jeeps mark their spot. Only the ones with shoddy maintenance, worn components, and lazy owners mark their spot. And while most tend to attribute that oil-puking-excuse of a saying to older Jeeps, even newer models from the '80-'90s aren't free from inherent sealing troubles.

Flattie Follies
I've read your magazine for a few years now and love it. I just decided to part ways with my '03 TJ. I'm currently active duty in the Army and just returned from a 12-month tour in Afghanistan and am currently serving another 12-month tour in Egypt. While over here I just found a '46 CJ-2A for $500. So, with a few quick emails to my dad and buddies it's being picked up this weekend.

In some college some-where there is a professor droning on and on aboutseries and parallel and even series/parallel circuits. I was following Kenny around and picking on him and accidentally ended up in the back of one of these classes. I don't really remember much of it though because I fell asleep and woke up in the middle of some kind of "art" class, if you know what I mean.

The last time we messed with the suspension on Jay Miller's TJ we showed you how to convert to coilovers using top-quality Walker Evans 16-way adjustable shocks, Eibach Springs, and some simple shock mounts from Currie Enterprises. The story is on our web site at jpmagazine.com if you want a refresher. Well, the Jeep is back and this time we're tackling the back end, ditching the factory coil setup for some clean, simple coilovers.

Like most of your finer strippers, Jeeps were meant to be topless. Or at leastsporting a little bikini top. And like most of your finer strippers, Jeeps can be touchy, problematic, and cause no end of grief. However, unlike most of your finer strippers, you can simply order the parts and components you need to make your Jeep stable, reliable, and free of Daddy issues. That last one is a bit of a stretch, but let's face it, both in the gentleman's club and on the trail it's better to be unencumbered by problems.

We've all heard the stories that a friend of a friend's father knew someone whowired his car up to shock anyone who touched the door handle or sheetmetal. While it is possible, it is illegal in every state we've checked so far and not very nice if you forget to shut it off before touching the Jeep yourself.

Ya just won't listen to me. For years I've been preaching the gospel that it's betterto regear your 2.5L's axles rather than bolting a bunch of go-fast parts to the engine. My argument was that for less money you'll get better driveability, fuel economy, and performance by changing gears. So I finally put my money where my mouth is.

Sometimes comfort matters. When you're slogging umpteen miles on your tires every day with only the occasional foray into the back woods, it makes sense to select a tire with mild on-road manners and not a crazy off-road performer that will shake your fillings loose on the pavement. We ran a set of General Tire's now-discontinued Grabber APs on a daily-driver nearly 20 years ago. So when it came time to shoe another daily driver with a tire that wouldn't make us feel like we were driving a paint shaker, we were curious to see the improvements time and technology brought about in General's more modern AT2 tire. We had five of the tires in a 235/75R15 size mounted and balanced on our Wrangler's 15x8 aluminum aftermarket rims and proceeded to eat up the on- and off-road miles.

In the time of radial tires, the Pit Bull Tire Company has come to be famous for an aggressive line of bias-ply tires that work great off-road. Coming from such an aggressive lineage, we tested these Growlers like we would any other mud tire-we broke them in for 1,000 miles on-road, and then took them in the dirt to pound on them and make them yelp for mercy.

Back in the '90s, Goodyear introduced the MT/R name and with it, a radical depar- ture from the other aggressive tires of the time. It balanced well, was quieter than anything else that aggressive, and its construction lent itself to abuse like no radial tire did before. Fast forward a decade, and many Jeepers have come to look at the MT/R as the tire for the Jeep that drives on- and off- road, and many of the MT/R's design features have found their way into other manufacturers' tires.

Once you move into Interco's Super Swamper line of tires, you're really saying,"I care more about off-road performance than on-road comfort." In fact, you're saying it in bold, neon letters the size of a battleship. The Super Swamper TSL, or three stage lug design is comprised of short, intermediate, and large lugs that bite hard and clean out quickly. They're built on a tough bias-ply carcass that can soak up hard rock hits, rubbing, and any off-road abuse you can dish out. Where the LTB differs from the regular TSL design is in the layout of these TSL lugs, with the LTB featuring more aggressive, wider lug spacing. The outer lugs are offset farther to the outside of the tread and the sidewall lugs extend down onto the sidewall more than the regular TSL. Interco offers the LTB in a lot of cool sizes not found in some of its other lines. We're dreaming of the 16/40-15 for some future projects, but for now we ordered up five 31x11.50-15 Interco Super Swamper LTBs for testing on a mildly built Wrangler.

I have been going on about how much better HID (High Intensity Discharge) lightsare for your Jeeps all this time and it's occurred to me some of you might not know how they work. Heck, some of you younger guys likely take the existence of HIDs in automobiles for granted.