When we say we test our parts we weren’t playing around.  We took one of our Wrangler projects to Batlground Engineering for dyno testing.  Batlground is one of the hottest motorsport shops in the southeast known for their drag racing and drifting. Almost new this 2009 Jeep Wrangler 4dr, with 1600 miles, got our Rugged Ridge ORV 4″ Lift Kit and our Black Rugged Ridge Wheels with machined lip wrapped in 35″ Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar provided by TreaDepot.com before we did the test.  So depending on application and wheel/tire package your numbers could vary.  If you have a newer JK Wrangler with 3.8L you know the motor is a dog and when you add an offroad wheel/tire package it just gets worse.  So we wanted to know exactly how much wheel power we were putting to the ground and what performance gains we could expect from our intake/exhaust.

STOCK – Power = 145.87 Torque = 150.75
INTAKE – Power = 153.89 Torque = 158.37
INTAKE & EXHAUST – Power = 163.45 Torque = 167.69

GAINS – Power = 17.58 Torque = 17.69

It’s that time of year. The time when hard working tax payers saunter out to their mail boxes, and find a tax bill rebate check waiting for them. If you’re lucky, and you happen to find it before your significant other, you can start plotting and planning on sinking the money into your rig. Here is the Top Ten items that made our Tax Refund Wish List:

10.)  Winch Recovery Gear Kit

If you don’t already own one, then buy it today. Only a tool goes off road without decent first aid and recovery gear kits.

9.)  Cold Air Intake / Performance Filter

Invest in parts that will earn an extra return. Cold Air Intakes and Performance Filters increase horsepower and fuel economy, and put money back where it belongs: in your wallet.

8.)  GPS

A nice GPS with both Road and Topo maps will cost around $150-400. With it you can record your favorite trails, find the next peak and keep from getting lost.

7.)  Off Road Seats

Nothing is worse than a day on the trail in a worn out seat… it is like every rock is personally kicking you in the seat of your pants. Replace your worn and weathered seats with a set custom made for off-road use for a difference you can feel.

6.)  Off Road Lights

Don’t let night fall on your adventure. Create your own daylight long after the sun has gone down. From ultra bright HIDs to traditional halogen lights, there is a light kit to fit your budget.

5.)  Dual Battery Tray

Don’t let your battery die during your next recovery operation. A dual battery tray gives you extra piece of mind, and two batteries to power all your accessories.

4.)  Heavy Duty Winch

You can pick up a heavy duty 8500 LB winch for less than $350 bucks, or you can fork over the same amount to Hillbilly & Son’s Wrecker Service the next time you get stuck.

3.)  XHD Modular Bumper

It’s the only bumper system that allows you to pick and choose from a series of interchangeable components to build the bumper of your choice.

2.)  Lift Kit

Let’s face it: Its not a Jeep until its lifted.

1.)  Take a Jeep Trip.

It may not be cost effective to drive your Jeep across the county, but for just a few hundred dollars you can rent a Jeep in places like Moab, Telluride, Hawaii or Costa Rica.

Did you miss Moab? Do you scan magazines and troll the web to see the latest concept cars and hottest new products? Well… Don’t miss SEMA!

The SEMA Show is the world’s premier automotive car show and product showcase. With more than 3.2 million sq. ft. of concept cars, aftermarket vendors and over 2,500 new products on display, right off the Las Veags Strip,  not only is it the hottest auto show on the planet, it is the world’s largest automotive party!. The only problem? The SEMA Show is this exclusive trade show is for  Automotive Aftermarket industry personnel insiders only.

Win your way inside SEMA with Omix-ADA! 5 Lucky winners will win a trip SEMA as courtesy of Omix / Rugged Ridge.

The Grand Prize Winner will receive: Round Trip Air Fare, 4 Nights Accommodation in a 4 or 5 Star Hotel, Night Club Passes, a Spa Treatment, and of course Passes to the SEMA Show!

Register to win (no purchase necessary) at www.omix-ada.com. Fill out the online registration form using promo code “RR Blog”.

244 Page 4-color catalog covering the complete line of Omix-Ada, Rugged Ridge, ORV, Outland Automotive and Alloy USA products. Check it out today!

• 240 pages
• 8000+ parts
• Over 500+ new parts
• Covers 1941-2010 Jeep models

Since a Jeep is essentially an aerodynamic brick the folks over at Rugged Ridge had a head start into turning their block of wood into a stylish racer. Their team of engineers fashioned a scale CJ8 Scrambler complete with: Fender Flares, Mirrors, Off Road Lights, Jerry Can, Hi Lift Jack, Tube Steps and Spare Tire Carrier from their pine block.

How did it fare? When Rugged Ridge turned their Jeep over to the young racer, they had hopes of only scoring a trophy in the Pine Wood Derby Car Show. However, the wooden model was apparently more aerodynamic than its larger counterparts and scored 3rd in the races.

Need a winch for your Jeep, truck, or SUV? Rugged Ridge’s line of Heavy Duty winches are everything you could ever want in a winch. Our popular 8500 LB series is powered by a durable 5.5 HP Series Wound Motor for long life and extra pulling power. A tough 3 Stage Planetary Gear box with a 172.8:1 gear ratio delivering power, and reliability on each and every pull. The Heavy Duty 8500 LB Winch has more power and exclusive features than any other winch in its price range: Stainless Steel Hardware- All the exterior winch body screws and bolts are Stainless steel to prevent rust and provide a long life. All Rugged Ridge steel cable style Winches include off road light mount roller fairleads allowing for the easy mount of two off road lights! Special Solenoid mounting brackets allow for multiple solenoid mounting points and the ability to tilt the Solenoid for ease of use. This “tilt” feature ensures that each Rugged Ridge winch can be used with almost all off-road bumpers and over riders! All for a retail price under $300.00!

Alloy USA Rear Axle Kit

Suwanee, GA –For years Alloy USA has been the predominant supplier of Chromoly axles for off road enthusiasts looking to increase their axle strength and spline count. Now Alloy USA is using this same great forging technology to produce 4140 Chromoly axles in stock spline counts. Built with the occasional off-roader in mind, these great axles offer unparalleled strength both on and off road, but without the added expense of having to upgrade to a 30-spline differential. High tensile strength 4140 Chromoly is heat-treated twice and induction hardened to produce these heavy-duty axles that are up to 35% stronger than stock 1040 axles. The shafts are then precision CNC machined and magnaflux inspected for cracks before receiving a slick black anodized finish. Each axle shaft is backed by Alloy USA’s exclusive ten-year warranty! Our axle shaft kits include everything you need to complete the job: both passenger and drive side axle shafts, seals, bearings and wheel studs.