StoreMachine blog

Automotive Aficionados Worldwide

As many of you know, I do quite a bit of traveling and have gotten to rub shoulders with automotive enthusiasts and manufacturers all over the globe. I have spent time in South America at General Motors Proving Grounds driving on their oval track, and on their off road obstacle courses. It was a lot of fun seeing the terrain, the testing facilities and the diverse vehicles that are built for the South American consumer base. Many of GM Brazil’s (GMB) designs and concepts have pioneered the road for vehicles that are enjoyed in North America and else where.

I had to chuckle when my guide from GM showed me a section of road that was full of pot holes, cracks, and multiple patches of concrete and other materials. When I asked about that test road, he quipped that it was a simulation of roads in Detroit. I wasn't sure if he was kidding or serious. Since I keep a home in Michigan it seems to me that they pretty much replicated some of our roads perfectly.

I have also had the adventure of visiting Beijing Jeep in Beijing China. I was fascinated seeing the manufacturing of these vehicles and seeing the slight differences in body styling, and standard options these Jeep Cherokees had. I jumped at the chance to test drive one of these vehicles. The experience was fun but somehow did not feel quite like the Jeeps I know and love.

Several visits to Thailand gave me the opportunity to visit Toyota and Mazda manufacturing plants located there. I was impressed seeing state of the art manufacturing processes and full automation of many lines. I also find it fascinating that Thailand is the second largest consumer of pickup trucks after North America. The aftermarket is also booming in Thailand for pickup trucks and many are fitted with Old Man Emu suspensions, ARB air lockers, snorkels, in addition to big tires and wheels.

While there I got an opportunity to do some off road testing with the folks from Toyota in one of their new 4WD trucks, the truck was fitted with locking differentials, full leather interior appointments and good sized tires. Unfortunately this visit to Thailand was scheduled during the rainy season and most of the roads were flooded with about six to 10 inches of muddy water so you had to look for guide rails or peaks of small hills to know where the off road course was. My hosts knew that I enjoy driving off-road and encouraged me to test drive their new truck without a guide riding shotgun. The truck performed flawlessly and was very impressive in its ability to climb, and push through twist ditch obstacles. What did not perform as flawlessly was the driver -- me who after a few runs through ditches, rock piles and other obstacles strayed from the flooded course and put the truck into a pond, which with 6 inches of water everywhere just looked like more of the course. The good natured folks at Toyota Thailand laughed as the new truck and silly American were slowly sinking into the jungle muck. I felt bad as several folks from Toyota waded into the chest deep water to attach a winch and get me and their flooded truck out. Despite the ruined truck, muck and rain everyone was smiling and laughing and fully enjoing the Trucks they had a part in developing.

My visits around the globe have shown me that the passion for vehicles is not exclusive to any one continent. Vehicles spark passion within our souls and this transcends culture, language, and socio economic classes.

Jeff

Holiday Toy Drive

Superior Axle & Gear is proud to be part of the Corona Cartel and would like to invite you all to come by and see us this Saturday December 12th for our Holiday Toy Drive and car show. Come show off your ride, see what we drive, and meet good folks supporting a good cause. Don't forget to bring a new unwraped toy to donate and make this a Christmas a needy child won’t forget.

Here's the details...

See ya there!

Mac

Vehicle of the Week PABLO

Pablo is owned by Superior’s Sales Manager Chad Jones, it was a concept that started as a joke between Chad and I about 5 years ago. We thought it would be funny to build a full blown off road buggy that would mock the styling of the vehicles seen in Low Rider Magazine. We talked about dead-locking a set of 100 spoke wire wheels and using a lot of gold and gold flake paint making it look, as Chad so well put it “I want it to look like a Bass Boat”. So in 2006 S&N Fabrication started work on what became to be known as “Pablo”. Along the way the concept got a lot of little touches that really took the original concept to the next level, things like the hand holding the 40Cal Glock handgun gangster style hood ornament, the 2006 Cadillac Escalade hood and grill, handmade chain link pedal assemblies, handmade Marabou hardwood dash and center consol inserts and of course no Low Rider would be complete without the chain link steering wheel. Pablo was completed in early 2009 and since has wheeled in places like Moab UT, Johnson Valley CA and the Dunes of Pismo Beach. Keep checking back in our Enthusiasts Blog for future pictures of future trips with Pablo and other Superior Axle Vehicles on the trail and on the road.

Here are the specs and some more pictures of Pablo

S&N Fabrication Venom 4 Seat chassis

Front Dana 60 Axle

5.38 Superior Axle & Gear Ring & Pinion
Superior Axle 35 spline 4340 Chrome-moly Evolution inner axles
Superior Axle 33 spline 4340 Chrome-moly Dodge unit bearing stub axles
Detroit locker (part number 225SL29A)

Rear Dana 60 Axle

5.38 Superior Axle & Gear Ring & Pinion
Superior 6 lug Simi-float 35 spline cut to fit builder axles (part number PA6060F)
Detroit locker (part number 225SL29A)

Engine

Ford 5.0ltr out of a 1993 Mustang

Transmission

Full manual valve body C4

Tires

40 X 13.50 X 17 Nitto Mud Grappler

Wheels

Custom 100 Spoke wires, bead-locked by Tailready

The first days at S&N Fab

The parts that makeup Pablo.

100 Spoke wire wheels with beadlock rings matched to the chassis.

Powder coating colors, gold for the chasis and black with gold flake for the sheet metal.

Chassis back from Powder Coating Inc. in Mukilteo WA.

Marabou hardwood dash and center consol

Loading up for the maiden voyage to Moab Easter Jeep Safari 2009

Thank You and Happy Holidays

Well the holidays are upon us once again! Every year they seem to slip up on me faster than the year before. The holiday season is always a great time to review the past year and to be reminded of the many friends we have.

I started making a list of all the folks who have supported me, my family, and Superior Axle and Gear during the past year and as the list grew I became humbled and overwhelmed by how lucky I am and we as an organization are to have the support of so many good people and companies. I have opted not to share the list, but want to thank you all for a fantastic 2009.

Despite the obstacles we have faced in the automotive aftermarket (poor economy, high unemployment, cash for clunkers, and high fuel prices) we still finished this year strongly and are uniquely positioned for 2010.

Some of our accomplishments in 2009 include: offering Nissan Titan ring and pinion gear sets, launching the Super 14™ center sections, providing complete Ford 9 inch drop outs, and adding hundreds of part numbers to our catalog and to inventory.

The enthusiasm and passion at Superior has never been stronger, the mood in our offices is electric. We simply can not wait to implement our plans for 2010 in order to offer you additional superior products and services.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

Jeff

T'was The Night Before Christmas...

... and Santa was near.

Pulling his ride were four mighty reindeer.

When all of a sudden Santa heard a big thump

and said to himself "Oh No! The Water Pump!"

When he pulled to the side to see what's the matter:

To his dismay he found the ring gear had shattered,

took out the axles and left the rear tattered.

A call to Superior got him fixed in a flash,

with quality parts for limited cash.

I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good - night."

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !

From all your friends at Superior Axle and Gear.

Mac's UA TJ

In 2006 I was very fortunate to be invited to go on Peterson’s 4 Wheel & Off road Magazine’s Ultimate Adventure. For those of you not familiar with Ultimate Adventure (UA), it’s a weeklong trip, done every summer in various parts of the US and Canada. It’s generally around 1500 miles long and requires you to drive (NO trailers) your trail vehicle all week, with all your camping gear, alternating days from off road trail driving one day to driving to the next camp and trail location the next day. It’s a long trip but definitely worth it if you ever get the chance to go.

At the point that I was invited I had nothing that was worthy of the week long 1500 mile trip. All I had was a competition rock crawling buggy and there was no way that a single seat rock crawler was going to be able to make that journey. So I set out looking for a Jeep that I could build in a relatively short amount of time as I only had about 8 weeks. I wanted a specific Jeep TJ Wrangler, I knew exactly what I wanted now it was just a matter of finding it! I wanted a 1997-2002 Wrangler, Automatic without OD (The Chrysler 999 is the only good transmission Chrysler ever made IMO) it also had to be a soft top with half doors. I was so sure that I could find what I was looking for, that even before I found a Jeep, I had a Tuff Country Long Arm lift kit, STaK 3 speed monster box transfer case, Dynatrac Pro Rock D60 axles housings Loaded with Superior axles and Superior 4.88 ring and pinion gears with Detroit lockers, Poison Spyder body armor and Kilby Enterprises skid plates all on their way to me before I ever found a Jeep to build! Luckily I found a pristine 1999 TJ that fit all my criteria 100%.

This is what I came home with. If only they could stay this nice!

Within two weeks I had it torn down!

We got it done just in time to leave for UA! The first time I drove it after it was done was to a trail just outside Boise ID. it worked PERFECTLY!

Here it sits after finishing it very first trail.

We even spent a day at St Anthony's sand dunes! That day would turn out bad for me..... Turns out you shouldn't jump a TJ over 40 feet! It smashed the front axle into the oil pan smashing the pan into the crank shaft....

Here is Clifton Slay making fun of my oil pan carnage!

Finishing the week at UA we hit a HUGE mud hole! I HATE MUD!! my poor Jeep has never been the same! It had 4" of mud inside!

It been a good Jeep over the past three and a half years, I've been to the Hammers, Moab, Pismo Beach and many others with more to come. I have some plans to make some changes soon so keep checking back to see it's coming new look.

Mac

CRAWL TO CURE CANCER

For several year’s Superior Axle and Gear has sponsored 4Wheel Drive Hardware’s Team #311. Driver Kelly Young is one tenacious competitor and has really made a big splash in the rock crawling world. She has shown the guys that she can be just as hard core as they can be and with the help of her team has built up a competition rig that is simply amazing.

Team #311’s rig had always been an ‘in your face’ bright green in years past but during the 09 season was curiously transformed to a bright pink…

For those of you unfamiliar with Team #311 and Kelly Young, you may not know that Kelly’s dear mother Marie has been one of her greatest supporters and would cheer her and the team on at many of the W.E. Rock events. Sadly, Marie passed away in 2008 as a result of cancer and the whole team took the loss to heart. The team decided to honor Marie’s memory by launching the “Crawl to Cure Cancer” program that would raise awareness of the disease and work to secure donations to cure cancer.

Kelly and Team #311 transformed their competition rig from their trademark green to a metallic pink and accented it with black graphics including logos for Crawl to Cure Cancer, The American Cancer Society along with their many sponsors. They started soliciting donations, selling T-shirts and raising cancer awareness at every event they attended. During 2009 Team #311 was able to collect and donate about 15K to the American Cancer Society!

Superior Axle and Gear is proud to call Kelly a friend and we are big fans of Team #311. For more information about Crawl To Cure Cancer please visit their website at www.crawltocurecancer.com

Jeff

Differential and Rear End Service Work @ Superior Axle & Gear

I should probably start off with a short introduction of myself. My name is Arthur and I've been in the differential industry for about 10 years now. I have trouble shot, repaired, and upgraded more axle assemblies than just about anyone in this industry. This hands on experience and knowledge reinforces my ability to perform TOP QUALITY work that is always done right the first time.

I have used this hands on experience to aid manufacturers in the design and re-design of ring & pinions, axles and complete drop out 3rd members. I was flattered seeing my designs being adopted by competitors at SEMA this past year.

I've built well over 5,000 differentials raging from your stock Dana 28s all the way up to Dana 80s and AAM 11.5s. I've been fortunate enough to do some really cool aftermarket stuff as well, ranging from Toyota's with air lockers, NASCAR 9"s, Vipers, Corvettes and of course the new Super 14.

That being said, I'm pretty excited that Jeff, Mac, Chad and Joel and the rest of the team have given me a great oppurtunity here at Superior Axle and Gear. They have been kind enough to let me come in and totally reorganize their building so that we could fire up a Service Shop! Although it seems you are never done organizing a shop to make enough room for all the cool new stuff, our warehouse looks awesome!

Speaking of cool new products, we have already launched some new products this year that I am proud to say I helped out on! Weve built some killer 3rd members.... ( I love the Black Oxide on the 3rds with the Red Pinion Supports)....I did a 40 spline spool in a 9" just the other day...and can't wait for the customer to see the completed piece because in addition to being set up perfectly it looks amazing! I was also lucky enough to help Dave Cole (KIng of the Hammers) out last week with his Super 14 differential. That really made my day as I am an avid motorsport enthusiast. Gonna be building a GM 12 bolt next week for a 1970 Impala...those are always a blast to put together. And whatever else gets thrown at me. I am always up for the challenge!

I am also excited to start doing sport compacts as we offer a full line of posis ( Quaiffe, Carbonetic) for Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Ford Focus, we even have product for the exotics including Aston Martin, Lotus, Ferarri and more.

So if any of you are in the Inland Empire area near LA, feel free to stop by and check us out. We are located in Rancho Cucamonga and close to I-10, I-15 and the 210.

If you're rear end is noisy or you just want to upgrade your 4wd, muscle car, or sports compact with premium axles, change gear ratios, or install positiractions or lockers please give us a call to schedule it! We'll be glad to help you out!

Arthur

909-476-8295 ext210

Jesse James & Discovery Channel all in same day!

Today was another interesting day at Superior, I got a call from Jesse James’s (Of West Coast Chopper fame) lead mechanic who maintains all of Jesse’s race cars and personal cars. He explained that Jesse was messing around doing doughnuts in his ’02 Chevy Camaro, hit a curb and bent a rear axle. I assured him we had the performance axle he needed. A couple hours later he showed up at our door with a bunch of West Coast Chopper swag. Really a cool guy and part of an organization we really admire.

Shortly after he left we got a call from the crew of the Discovery Channel TV show “Garage Wars” they busted a front axle in a Chevy ½ ton while filming an episode. The goal was to make a truck skip across water like one of those Icelandic race trucks. We had exactly what they needed to get the project fixed up, but what we weren’t expecting was for them to show up with a camera crew and film our facility and our rides. So keep an eye out for Superior Axle and Gear on a future episode of Garage Wars. You may even see a cameo appearance of a couple of our guys.

Mac

Cuz Brint's Superior Jeep ZJ

This week we are featuring Cuz Brint’s tricked out Jeep ZJ. Brint is a hands on guy and your typical starving college student. So with a limited budget and unlimited passion he decided to build up his daily driver into a serious rock crawler.

Brint fabricated his own long arm suspension system and lift, fabricated front and rear bumpers and put it together between classes and work.

Brint has taken this ride wheeling all across the western US from Washington, through Oregon, to Idaho and even to Moab Utah. Some of these photos were taken at Easter Jeep Safari in 2008.

Specs:

Front Axle:

Ford Dana 44 w/4.88 Superior gears, Superior Chrome-moly axle shafts, Detroit Locker, Warn hubs, Hydro assist steering

Rear Axle:

Ford 9" w/4.88 Superior gears, Detroit Locker, Superior Chrome-moly axle shafts.

Suspension:

Home-brewed long-arm suspension. Triangulated 4-link rear. Four-link front w/panhard bar.

Bumpers:

Home-brewed front and rear bumpers with Smittybilt winch and rear swing tire.

We were impressed with Brint’s fabrication and engineering skills and how capable his ZJ was off road when we met up with him in Moab. Brint is currently working on building up two Jeep YJs one for him and one for his wife. He has some pretty trick plans in the works and we can’t wait to see how they turn out!

Superior Axle Proudly Sponsors Craig Stumph Racing

Craig Stumph is an off-road and rock crawling legend and one of the best-known personalities in the sport. He has over 35 years of off-road experience and has competed in numerous competitions. He became addicted to off road sports at the age of 13 when he built his first dune buggy out of a 56 Ford. In 1976 at the age of 16 he purchased his first Jeep, a CJ-7 and took it to Moab Utah, he’s been back virtually every year since.

Craig competed in the first Warn Rock Crawl Competition 1998, in ARCA 1999 - 2001, UROC Pro National Series in 2004 and founded and managed the United Rockcrawling and Off-Road Challenge (UROC).

Craig went on to originate the modern rock crawling format used currently and organized the first SuperCrawl World Championship rock crawl in 2002. Craig helped establish and managed the world’s largest off-road team “ROCKSTARS” in 2003.

While the sport saw changes to rock crawling that incorporated speed, Stumph preferred promoting finesse, skill and control instead.

He has organized and is promoting the Old School Charity Rock Crawl in Delta Utah which is now in its third year. This event features rock crawling with the finesse and the excitement of the UROC days and is usually held over Memorial Day weekend.

Craig has a close relationship with Superior Axle and Gear and is working with Superior to make further advancements in Superior’s product line. Craig is a long-time friend and is the “Godfather” of rock crawling as we know it. We at Superior Axle and Gear are proud to have this legend in the sport showcasing our products. Stumph will be at Easter Jeep Safari this year and will be showing off at Superior’s Rock 7 event at Area BFE. Look for him there and bring a sharpie if you want him to autograph the hood of your ride.

Dave's Beautiful 1967 Camaro RS SS

If this week’s ride looks familiar to you, it probably is.

Dave’s 1967 RS SS Camaro has been used in a lot of marketing campaigns; it is featured prominently in Superior Axle and Gear’s brochures and marketing material and is also proudly displayed in sales and marketing material for Eaton Corporation including being displayed on the Eaton Posi box -- which is not so ironic when you learn that the 1967 Camaro offered the Eaton Posi as original equipment.

This Camaro boasts the 396 Big Block V8 engine (6.5L) that was bored 40 over giving it head snapping horse power. It has the black deluxe interior, Muncie 4 Speed transmission, power steering, fold-down back seat, tachometer on dash, tilt steering and cowl induction. The bold black racing stripes on the La Mans metallic blue paint let’s you know that this ride will pass anything except a gas station.

Dave secured this amazing ride in 1998 out of Arizona and the body was virtually perfect with one small rust spot. He spent 4 years of painstaking effort to restore this beauty to its original condition.

Dave’s son Cameron made an insightful observation after riding in the car for the first time. He noted that the Camaro has 6 ashtrays and not a single cup holder. Well times do change but the beauty of this classic will remain a constant.

Drivetrain Specs:

Superior Axle and Gear 12 Bolt

3.73 ratio Ring and Pinion Gears

(G88373P)

Superior 4340 Chrome Moly 12 Bolt American Made Axle Shafts (EV12-2C)

Eaton Posi differential (ED 19554-010)

Dave Schneider Wins Best in the Desert's Parker 425

Carson City, Nevada - February 19, 2010 - Determination and Enthusiasm. These are just a few words that describe the drive behind Red Dragon's Racing Co-Founder and Driver Dave Schneider. Racing in the Ultra4 class in the Best in the Desert Series, Dave Schneider drove his Superior Axle sponsored Ultra4 class car to victory in the Parker 425.

The 2010 Ultra4 racing season began this month at the Best in the Desert, Blue Water Casino Parker 425, in Parker, AZ. The team knew that with the first season in the books, and the 4401 number on the car, they had a target on their backs at the starting line. Team Navigator Tim Priess was quoted as saying “We raced the entire 2009 season and earned the championship, we will do our best to defend it, I believe we has the ability to make it happen"

Racing the same car that won the 2009 Championship, Schneider demonstrated his determination to win the opening race of the season, knowing that the competition was fierce off the starting line, With what is considered the Superbowl of Ultra4 racing (King of the Hammers) being only 6 days later, Schneider was pushed the car only as hard as needed to assure they were the first Ultra4 to cross the finish line. It took an amazing team effort by the Red Dragon's Racing team to keep the car in the lead the entire race with quick efficient pit stops, and excellent communication.

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the race was at the half way point in the race, doing what is referred to as the “Parker Python”, a 9 mile winding section of course through the main pit and spectator area, covered in large jumps and high banked turns. With having a short rainfall in the morning, the normal silt terrain had turned into dough like consistency. This put the 4wd and high horsepower of the Ultra4 car to the test but we were able to run as fast if not faster than some of the top cars in the race through the python. Schneider commented, “We entered the python on the tail of a faster class car, and were able to out brake, and out accelerate one of the fastest cars in off road racing. We pushed the car harder than a "rock crawler" had ever should be pushed. We are proud that great manufactures such as General Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Superior Axle & Gear, Trail Gear, Vision X Lighting and Shaffer's Off Road who have chose to partner with us again this season and have treated us well. This win is a testament to the strength of our race team partners and the incredible products that they continue to develop.” Shaffer's Off Road has worked hard in the off season preparing, and upgrading the car and have really been a key in helping to secure the win. Best in the Desert and HammerKing Productions really have put together a great class and racing series. I’ve been racing in Best in the Desert my entire career and to win in Parker is a dream come true.”

Dave Schneider is sponsored by: Bilstein Shocks, Trail Gear Inc, Superior Axle & Gear, Shaffer's Off Road, General Tire, Timberline Pool & Spa's, Vision X Lighting, Raceline Wheels, PSC Motorsports, Big Country Customs, Family and Friends

Superior's Rock 7 -- Moab Easter Jeep Safari 2010

Superior Axle and Gear is celebrating Easter Jeep Safari

by Inviting You to the Rock 7 Event!

Moab Utah becomes the Off Road Mecca the week before Easter for Enthusiasts from around the globe.

Superior Axle and Gear will kick off the week of celebration on Monday March 29th with the Infamous Rock Event.

(The event you've all been waiting for.)

This is the longest running manufacturer sponsored event held in Moab. Superior Axle and Gear along with its partners Full Traction, Hansen Offroad, and Goodyear have reserved AREA BFE just for our customers, friends, and associates for a day of fun.

This private Off Road park allows for serious fun without hassles of BLM permits, closed trails or long lines.

Be sure and RSVP if you can make it by Emailing us at mac@superioraxle.com We will respond with the official invitation.

Fueled By The Fallen At Keystone Big Show

This past Saturday, March 13^th, I had the opportunity of attending Keystone Automotive’s Big Show in Dallas Texas at the Gaylord Resort. This event attracted Keystone customers from across the US, Canada, and Mexico. It gave vendors such as Superior Axle and Gear the opportunity to meet some of our customers who purchase product through Keystone Distribution.

In the process of setting up the show, I found myself drawn to the drag cars featured at the front of the show. These drag cars were painted a camouflage green and upon closer inspection listed names of fallen soldiers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and US Police Officers. I was touched when I realized that these performance vehicles were designed, and raced in tribute of the many heroes of the United States. These fine automobiles listed name after name of heroes that have died in defense of their country on the vehicle body.

I was fortunate to meet Mr. Kevyn Major Howard founder of “Fueled by the Fallen” and his chief mechanic and driver Chuck. Kevyn noticed me looking closely at the vehicles and called me over. After introductions I learned that Chuck insisted that all of the vehicles run Superior Axle shafts. He explained that he had used much more expensive axle shafts in the past but continued to break them but had found Superior shafts outperformed any other brand axle he had used.

He went on to mention that in a recent trip to the track, he broke a heavy-duty spool but not the Superior shafts. He graciously complimented Superior and thanked us for making quality parts that they could rely on. That stunned me as Kevyn and Chuck are the guys I should be thanking for their efforts in reminding us of the blessings we have received from hero after hero who have fallen to protect us and our way of life.

They shared some stories about the Memorial Car Honor Tour. These vehicles are on tour across the US and have been featured on multiple newscasts, will be featured on segments of Fox News, and will be shown to President Obama in Washington.

I got a little misty when Chuck told me about how they take these vehicles to tracks across the nation and that people flock to the cars reading names. He said it was common to see family and friends of the fallen searching out the names on the vehicles and upon finding the name of their hero, seeing them quietly shed tears.

During the show on Saturday an additional name was added to one of the vehicles for a Marine that had fallen in Iraq. His parents were there and left a photo of their son attached to the window of the drag car. This was poignant experience for me that I won’t easily forget.

I have written a lot about enthusiasts and aficionados in this blog and I can’t think of a greater example of enthusiasts than Kevyn and Chuck.

The name Kevyn Major Howard may sound familiar to you; Kevyn is an accomplished actor, professional photographer and philanthropist. He has stared in Full Metal Jacket as “Rafterman” directed by Stanley Kubrick and in a list of movies and television shows to long to list. As he put it, “We have been blessed in our lives and careers and wanted to do something to pay it forward.” He went on to say “In the age of YouTube, and Video Games, it is important to teach our children about the sacrifices American heroes have made for them”.

Thank You Kevyn and Chuck for your altruistic efforts. God bless you, your organization and your families. For information on how to support this great cause please visit www.FueledByTheFallen.com

Jeff

Family Fun Moab Style

Mark and Lori are great parents but have not let their family get in the way of their enjoyment of off-roading. They purchased a Jeep Commander as the family vehicle because it could comfortably accommodate a family of seven (yes you read that right – five kids). While most Jeep Commanders never see a dirt road, this one has been where a lot of TJ’s fear to tread.

The Jeep Commander came stock with front and rear Limited Slip Differentials known as Quadradrive II which work well in providing traction for this rig.

I learned that they are in Moab Utah this week for Easter Jeep Safari 2010. And that this rig easily conquered Metal Masher among several other challenging trails and had no problem lifting tires off the ground.

The Commander features a Rock Krawler 3 ½ in lift, and 32 inch tires and wheel spacers. As Mark is a purist at heart, he opted to use stock Jeep JK Ruibicon wheels, which look perfect. The 3 ½ inch lift provides additional clearance to do some serious rock crawling without making it too difficult for the young ones to climb in and out of when going to the store or soccer games.

Moving to the larger tires required a gear swap and Superior Axle and Gear had the ratio and installation kit they needed to maintain the correct power band and to keep it a comfortable daily driver.

Lori tells me that she will be at Superior’s Rock 7 event at Area BFE this week in Moab Utah and will be driving Green Day. It’s folks like these that give us the passion for what we do. We love it when families share in their love for auto sports together. So if your in Moab this week and spot this rig, be sure and give them a thumbs up cause these guys really get it.

Be sure and opt in for text updates while at Easter Jeep Safari in Moab. Send the word Safari to 313131. It will provide you with trail closings, events and weather updates.

Michigan Jeep Militia Extravaganza – Battle Creek

Superior Axle and Gear will be attending the Michigan Jeep Militia Extravaganza on April 24, 2010. This is the first Extravaganza hosted by the Michigan Jeep Militia Jeep Club in conjunction with Off R Rockers Jeep Club and Unlimited Off Road Jeep Club.

In addition to Superior Axle and Gear, Eaton Performance Differentials, BDS Suspension, Fox Shocks, Drive Train Specialists (DTS) and Unlimited Offroad Centers will be there.

We will be showcasing Superior’s Jeep TJ “Redux”

· Candy Apple Red
· Red and Black Interior
· Master Craft Heated Seats
· Full Traction Lift
· Bushwacker Flat Fender Tire Flares
· Light Force Fog Lights

Be sure and swing by the Superior Axle and Gear booth, say hello, check out some of our new products and pick up a decal or two for your rig.

Curt's Mud Bogging, Rock Crawling 1969 4WD VW Bug

This past weekend at the Michigan Jeep Militia Extravaganza I had the chance to meet Curt Grant and his wife. I have heard about Curt and his amazing rig for over three years now and finally got to meet him and see his ride in person. Not only did I get to see it -- I got to see it perform. He made the aggressive boulder and log obstacle look easy. (Several rigs with higher lifts, and larger engines were unable to complete the course).

Curt has taken the term “Rock Buggy” quite literally. He converted a 1969 Volkswagen Bug into a serious rock crawlin’, mud boggin’, stump hoppin’ ride.

He kept the classic VW rear engine design, but crammed a fuel injected small block 350cid into it. Added a Turbo 350 transmission and a Dana 20 transfer case. Then upgraded the axle assemblies with a heavy duty front Dana 44 and rear Dana 60 complete with Superior Evolution axle shafts. He then crafted a four link air ride suspension which is very impressive!

Curt opted for Superior’s 5.13 ratio ring and pinion gear sets in order to handle the 39.5” Super Swamper tires. For ultimate mobility he included a D44 Lock Rite in front and a D60 Eaton ELocker in the rear.

This ride is cool, has the wow factor and performs outrageously! Curt is the kind of guy that you want to hang with as he’s got ingenuity, passion and is overall a great guy.

-- Jeff

Superior Axle will be attending Blessing of Jeeps in Mesick Michigan

Superior Axle and Gear will be attending the 9^th Annual Cadillac Jeepers Jeep Blessing on May 1^st in Mesick Michigan. This is one of the largest Jeep events in Michigan and attracts enthusiasts from all over the Midwest.

Cadillac Jeepers put on a great event and know how to draw the crowds. They create a family friendly environment where families can share in their passion for Jeeps and Off-Roading.

The gates open for parking at 8:00 AM. There will be four lines of vehicles to get everyone parked as seamlessly as possible. Entry fee will be $5 per adult.

The Master Drivers Course Fee is $20 per driver. Bring your vehicle number and your drivers licence and be ready to fill out the registration form witnessed by a notary. The Master Drivers Course fee pays for event insurance and the upgrades to the course every year.

Superior Axle and Gear will be in the vendors area and will be showcasing some of our quality products. You will also get to see Superior TJ Redux that is in the process of a major face lift! Pick up our latest catalog and a couple decals for your ride.

The Blessing will start approximately 11:30 am at the mainstage on the top of the hill. Pastor Chad of Chadville will be officiating.

After the Blessing there will be a Drivers Meeting and the Master Drivers course will open. Kids games are free from 1pm to 3pm Free Cotton Candy, Bounce House, More to be announced.

Guinness World Records attempt for the longest Parade of Jeeps. Line up starts at 4pm. This is a tentative event dependant on an adjudicator being available from Guinness.

This event is a highlight of the year and gets bigger and better every spring. So be sure and put it on your calendar and enjoy the day with us. Be sure and drop by the Superior Booth and say hi.

--Jeff

Two Thousand Jeep Enthusiasts in a Town of 451!

I have been fortunate to attend many vehicle events from the Indianapolis 500 to the Beijing International Auto Show, but have never seen the spectacle I saw today in Michigan.

Over a thousand Jeeps, and two thousand attendees showed up in the small town of Mesick (population 451) for the 9^th Annual Jeep Blessing. I was amazed by the collection of rigs on display from classic Willy’s, to 2010 Jeep Wrangler JKs and everything in between.

The Cadillac Jeepers club hosts the event and really knows how to throw a party. Jeeps started arriving at 7:00 AM and continued flowing through the gates until early evening. Most were reverently parked in a huge field by 11:00 AM when a local pastor blessed the Jeeps and their owners.

Vendors were set up prominently between the mud bog and off-road course and lines of Jeeps queued up for each of the events. It was wonderful to meet many of the attendees from new drivers to seasoned veterans. These diverse groups of folks all share in common their love for the iconic off road vehicle – Jeep.

I took the opportunity to visit with some of the drivers as they waited for their turn at the mud bog or off road course to learn about their vehicles. These are good people, down to earth, fun loving and real. One young man in a beautiful dark blue CJ-7 casually brushed of the compliments I gave him on his ride. He said he loves his Jeep but knows there are newer and prettier ones out there. I turned the conversation back to his ride and he laughed and said that he spends a lot of time touching up some of the little flaws when he sees them. But being a teenager he does not have a lot of cash -- so he does what he can. As he was about to enter the bog, I asked him if he was worried about the mud, and he replied that the thrill will be worth the time it takes to clean it up again. He grinned and said that after last year’s event it took him two full days to get all the mud cleaned up from inside his Jeep.

Later in the day I met a couple teenage girls trying to help each other brush mud out of their hair. I asked “tongue in cheek” if they had been mud bogging and they said they had ridden along in their Dad’s YJ with the top off. Their Dad asked if they wanted to watch from the sidelines but they insisted in riding along.

Jeepers come from all walks of life and enjoy using their rides in all sorts of ways from a simple soccer mom Grand Cherokees, to perfectly restored Willys, to extreme mud boggers and rock crawlers. It is truly a privilege to associate with these passionate folks and to be able to work at Superior Axle and Gear that supplies products to fuel these passions.

-- Jeff

Superior Axle and Gear Proudly Sponsors THE OLD SCHOOL ROCK CRAWL in Delta Utah

An old friend of ours, and Rock Crawling legend, Craig Stumph has organized a great new Rock Crawling event that hearkens back to the days of the Super Crawl and the excitement of UROC in its hay day.

The second annual Old School Rock Crawl will be held in Delta Utah at the Millard County Fair Grounds on May 13, – May 15, 2010. Not only is this one of the most fun extreme sporting events held in Utah, it is also for a great cause. All proceeds from this event go to support land use organizations to keep trails open for enthusiasts like you and I.

Itinerary 2010

Millard County Fair Grounds

Delta Utah

Thursday, May 13

Vendor Set Up 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Droubay Chevrolet (348 w. main street)

Tech Inspection 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM (free hot dogs being served)

Incline Ramp Contest 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM (trophy awarded, point event)

Off Road Show & Shine1:00 PM to 6:00 PM (trophy awarded, point event)

Practice Area at Event Site Open at 6:00 PM to 8:45 PM

Vendor Set Up at Event Site 6:00 PM to 8:45 PM

Judges Class 7:00 PM at Event Site

Friday, May 14

Vendor Set Up 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM

Late Tech Inspection 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM

Drivers Meeting 10:00 AM to 10:50 AM

National Anthem 10:50 AM by Megan Huber

Rock Crawling Start 11:00 AM Till Completion (point event)

Land Use Charity Raffle Ticket Sales Open 11:00 AM

Tip Over Challenge (immediately following rock crawling, trophy awarded, point event)

Saturday, May 15

Late Vendor Set Up 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM

National Anthem 10:50 AM by Megan Huber

Rock Crawling Start 11:00 AM Till Completion (trophy awarded, point event)

Land Use Charity Raffle Ticket Sales Open 11:00 AM

Mini King of The Hammers Short Course (immediately following rock crawling, trophy

awarded)

Land Use Charity Raffle Prizes Give-A-Way (immediately following Mini KOH)

Award Ceremony (immediately following the Raffle Give-A-Way at event site)

Note: An overall event winner will be announced at the Awards Ceremony and will be based on

total points earned from each event (trophy awarded).

Ramp- 1st = 20 points

Show- 1st = 20 points

Rock Crawling- 1st = 80 points, 2nd = 40 points, 3rd = 20 points

Tip Over Challenge- 1st = 20 points

Hammers- 1st = 20 points

Allan’s 1970 Little Red Corvette

Corvette has always held a special place in the hearts and minds of GM and muscle car enthusiasts around the globe. The iconic 2 seat roadster elevated GM’s image as a true performance car manufacturer and has maintained the brand and image since Corvette’s launch in 1953.

Allan’s 1970 Corvette has been immaculately restored to its original condition. It is the convertible model in Monza Red, with white cloth top, red interior, and power windows.

1970 saw some refinements in the model which had remained virtually unchanged since 1968. These upgrades saw new color options, square exhaust ports, fender flares, rectangle front turn signal lights, redesigned front grille and fender louvers.

Only 668 convertible Corvettes were produced in 1970 with a factory price of $4,849.00 -- quite a deal versus the current asking price of 60K + that they are currently commanding.

Allan drives his ‘Vette to and from work on occasion and is not afraid of getting it dirty. Allan tells me that he does not believe classic cars should be hidden in storage units or in private collections. He thinks they need to be driven and shared with others.

Allan’s Corvette came with the standard 3.36 ratio ring and pinion. He upgraded to the Superior Ring and Pinion gear set in a 4.11 ratio (Superior part GCIVET411) ratio using the Superior Axle overhaul kit 35-2082.

Superior Soccer Enthusiasts

Enthusiasts come from all walks of life and may not all be gear heads. My son’s soccer coach and his wife are two such people. James is a Marine and one of the most intense men you will ever meet, his wife Peggy is not as intense but just as passionate in her support of James. James has three of his children actively engaged in travel soccer and he coaches their teams and manages to squeeze in several practice sessions a week for each of his teams in addition to the weekly games.

As a coach he aggressively yells, prods and scolds his players into performing both individually and as a team. He clearly loves the sport and the kids he coaches. Despite the hard edge he takes with his players they know he is working to improve their play and they are not offended by his style -- In fact they actually thrive on it.

Superior Axle and Gear has the opportunity to sponsor his team and created artwork for the team jerseys. The design was chosen by James and his players really like them. They confidently march onto the field in their black shirts with the Superior Logo on the back and skull crest on the front sending the message to the opposing team. “We are Superior”.

And that makes me grin!

Bill's Charismatic 2010 Camaro RS SS

The Camaro was introduced in 1967 to a world that was eager to purchase a “pony car” built by GM that could compete head to head with the Ford Mustang. The 1967 Camaro proved that GM could build a ‘pony car’ that would generate sales and meet the public’s demand for an affordable, two- door, four passenger, sports car. The Camaro quickly became a household name and developed a reputation for affordable horsepower with beautiful styling. After 35 years of production and millions of vehicles sold GM decided to kill the Chevrolet Camaro .

Enthusiasts like me were shocked to hear the news that the Camaro would be no more. I remember being incredulous about the news thinking that there had to be a mistake -- That this was just a “New Coke” publicity stunt to boost slumping sales. My wishful thinking went nowhere as the Camaro and its cousin the Pontiac Firebird were indeed “mothballed”. When reality sunk in tears were shed by enthusiasts like me who could not fathom its demise.

In 2006 GM teased us with the unveiling of the Camaro Concept car. The initial spy photos of this car did not inspire me as the Camaro looked good, just not great. Luckily in November of 2007 I was able to see this car in person at a SEMA banquet.

While the Camaro did not show well in the initial spy photos, in person it was nothing short of charismatic. This car’s elegant lines, angel eye headlights, sleek side mirrors, understated door handles, and refined interior appointments make this car a TRUE Camaro in every way. My buddy saw it with me ( he is a dyed in the wool GM guy and owns a 67 RS SS Camaro)and he was just as thrilled as I was to meet the next generation Camaro.

That damn car has remained in my head for over two years before I finally got to see the production version on the road but the wait has been worth it. The car is every bit as intriguing, elegant and beautiful as the prototype I saw at SEMA. This is a HOME RUN for GM at a time when GM needs one.

Several weeks ago a friend of mine Bill, took possession of a 2010 Camaro SS with the ‘Red’ RS styling package. This car made a name for itself in less than a week, my son in 4^th Grade mentioned seeing it when he was riding the school bus. Then my wife pointed the car out to me a couple times. Saying “I see Bill everywhere in that Camaro” a friend of my wife admitted that she thought Bill looked awfully good driving it around. My daughter also pointed it out to me when I was driving her to dance class.

I finally caught up with Bill at the local grocery store and asked him if he drove his Camaro, he said he did but tried to park it away from old folks and kids with wayward doors. So I left the store with Bill and snapped a few pics. Several other patrons noticed the car and they too started snapping pictures with their phones.

Bill is a meticulous guy, his cars are detailed to showroom quality all the time and his Camaro is no different. Bill chose the Black on Black combination and it is SEXY! The car has great features including Bluetooth, fiber optic mood lighting, heated seats, and remote start.

Bill did add dark black window tinting, Corsa Performance Exhaust and a K&N Filter. The car has a nice engine roar. Kind of like the soft low growl of an attack dog before it strikes. Bill is already working on some additional enhancements and is planning to change the color of the angel eye headlights to red and will upgrade the front with a custom black grill and will either delete or blacken the Chevy Bow Tie.

The question you probably want to ask is whether Superior Axle and Gear has products for the 2010 Camaro. Not yet, but they will be a part of our product portfolio in the near future!

Leo Kuether's 2010 Top Truck Challenge Buggy

Superior Axle and Gear is pleased to sponsor the 2010 Top Truck Challenge in Hollister California. This event put on by Four Wheeler magazine is one of the most extreme off road vehicle competitions worldwide. This pits ten of the most outrageous off road vehicles ever built to compete against each other through a series of contests that pushes every vehicle and driver to their breaking point.

Leo Kuether is one of the ten competitors at this year’s Top Truck Challenge and calls Grand Forks North Dakota home where he operates Surplus Centre Inc. hardware store. I met Leo the first day of the event when I was drawn to his outrageous ride.

His buggy is big, sleek, and has a paint job that grabs your attention – painted a beautiful Metallic Pumpkin Seed Orange. Leo enlisted the help of friend and mechanic "Viz" to build the buggy. Viz is a perfectionist and has built and rebuilt the buggy several times to ensure that it is tuned to perfection. Even the paint was so important to Viz, that he repainted the buggy three times until he was satisfied with the outcome.

Leo is one of those guys that you end up liking in just one conversation. His gregarious wife Gem lives up to her name, she is truly a Gem in many ways and not just tolerates her gear head husband but enjoys the sport almost as much as he does. Leo is currently working on building Gem her own buggy. When Leo and Gem have free time, they enjoy Motocross and racing snowmobiles in addition to off-roading. Gem is no lightweight either when it comes to motor sports, she recently purchased a new quad and opted for the powerful Honda 700 XXX.

Leo’s buggy is built on a 2007 Coldworx chassis, is powered by a 502 Chevy Ram Jet crate motor mated to a TCI Turbo 400 transmission with reverse manual valve body. It has an Atlas 30 transfer case and sits upon front and rear Rockwell 2.5 Ton axle assemblies loaded with oversize gun drilled 47 spline axle shafts. The suspension is aided by Fox coil overs and King airbumps.

The tire and wheel combination of this over-the-top buggy are TOUGH. The 20-inch wheels are custom built by Marsh and feature double bead locks and each wheel has 96 bead lock bolts! I love the custom ‘TTC 2010’ detail that is laser cut into each wheel. Then our friends at Mickey Thompson provided limited edition 54” TTC Baja Claw tires. These tires were made in a very limited quantity exclusively for this event and even feature the TTC logo!

--Jeff

Superior Axle and Gear visits Ridemakerz - Dream Cars on a Budget

Several weeks ago my family and I vacationed in Myrtle Beach South Carolina. While there we visited the shopping and entertainment complex called Broadway at the Beach where you can visit Ripley’s Aquarium, do some miniature golfing, eat at the Kiss Café and shop for all sorts of eclectic souvenirs.

One of the main reasons for our visit to Broadway at the Beach was to visit a business called Ridemakerz that my wife had heard about and that seemed intriguing. Ridemakerz appeared to use the Build-A-Bear business model for kids and adults to build custom model cars and trucks.

Upon entering the business we were greeted with young enthusiastic staff wearing pit crew attire. We were first guided to the body shop where we selected vehicle car bodies of many different makes, models, colors and paint schemes. After some agonizing over what car to build my son chose an intense metallic green 2008 Dodge Viper body, I selected a 2010 flat black Dodge Challenger body with orange racing stripes.

Then we moved on to the chassis selection where you can choose a sports car chassis or monster truck chassis with or without remote control. My son went for the sports car remote control chassis and I selected the free-wheeling sports car chassis. From there we selected tires, my son went for wide tires all in black rubber, while I chose the wide black rubber with some orange treads to match my racing stripes. Then on to the wheels, the wheel selection was impressive, there must have been over 50 different wheels to chose from in all sorts of finishes from flat black to chrome. I was even more impressed to find a line of wheels designed by Chip Foose. I chose some sexy 10 spoke wheels in black chrome while my son went with some appropriate chrome wheels for his Viper.

Now that we had the basics we could now shop for the accessories which included ground effect lights, headers, oversized blowers and more. We decided to keep it simple and only added the ground effect lights, reddish orange for the Challenger and Green for the Viper. Our guide then took us to the pit where we were timed assembling our rides. We raced each other for the best pit time and I was pleased I did not lose to my 10 year old or I would have never heard the end of it.

Upon completion of our rides we got to play around with them, my Challenger has awesome headlights, tail lights, and ground effect lights that blink and flash in coordinated patterns. One press of the button hidden on the hoods air intake and you experience the light show complimented with sounds including racing, hard breaking and more.

After playing around with our rides for a while, we registered them on-line and were given vanity plates, a title and cool cardboard garages to carry them in. While the visit was not necessarily inexpensive the experience was phenomenal. I can’t wait to go back and build another amazing vehicle. I keep my Challenger on my desk in my office and press the button several times throughout the day as I love seeing the lights and hearing the sounds of my MoPar fantasy car.

If you are in Myrtle Beach or visiting Disney Land in California, you should stop in and check this company out. I guarantee you will have a blast and come out with a ride that is unique.

Kevin's 1937 Ford Top Truck Challenge Mud Rod

Mac and I attended Four Wheeler Magazine’s 2010 Top Truck Challenge last week in Hollister Hills California where we were able to get to know the competitors and their rigs in detail. These competitors come from all walks of life and from as far away as Guam and as close as Oregon. While they share a love for trucks in common they also share something else: These are all good people, down to earth, and fun loving. While they compete as hard as any professional athlete, they are also good sports. They would cheer each other on, yell words of encouragement and even help work on each other’s rigs when needed.

I truly like these folks and admire their “can do” attitudes. One of these competitors is Kevin Simmons from Wakefield New Hampshire. Kevin is an amazing guy who can fabricate just about anything. He drives the 1937 Ford Mud Rod which is our new vehicle of the week.

I asked Kevin about the inspiration for his truck and he told me that the ’37 Ford body had been kicking around his yard for a while and he had originally planned on turning it into a Rat rod. One of his buddies had built up a 1945 Chev into a serious truck that was turning heads and winning competitions in the East and Kevin decided that the old Ford may make a better rock buggy than a hot rod.

The metamorphosis of the truck began when Kevin and his buddies all combined their spare parts and fabrication know-how to build the ultimate truck. The old Ford body was mated to a 1979 Ford F250 frame in just one weekend.

The rig is powered by a 521ci Ford V8 engine and 4 speed transmission. The front features a Dana 60 Axle assembly with 4340 Chrome Moly Superior Axle shafts. The rear Axle assembly is a Ford 10.25 also equipped with Superior shafts. Kevin sports 46 inch Mickey Thompson tires, and uses Superior 4.10 gears. I am told that the truck drives like a dream and that it is roomy and comfortable in the cab. The small front windshield seems to impede vision but the overall appearance is really cool. Being a gear head, I loved the custom gas, clutch and brake pedals made out of recycled differential spider gears.

Kevin has just opened his own Off-Road shop called KMS Welding and Offroad located in Rochester New Hampshire. www.kmsweldingandoffroadcenter.com So if you are looking for a good mechanic in NH Kevin is your guy.

When I asked Kevin if he was married he promptly said that he was and has one daughter then he scrambled up into his big ride to show me his helmet which was covered in brightly colored flower and princess stickers. Kevin grinned from ear to ear and said that his daughter decorated his helmet for good luck.

Kevin Simmons is a true enthusiast, good guy and proud father!

--Jeff

Email from Jordie A. and pictures of his 1972 Blazer with Superior Axles

One of the most rewarding parts of our jobs is being able to help enthusiasts around the globe. We regularly receive correspondence from our customers like the one below from Jordie A. We receive great satisfaction helping customers solve common drivetrain problems and love to receive pictures of their rides in action. Jordie included several shots of his 1972 Blazer complete with the Superior Axle and Gear decal.

Thanks for the email Jordie, we appreciate the endorsement and love the pics of your tricked out Blazer!

-- Jeff

From: Jordie A.

Date: June 22, 2010 6:01:30 PM PDT

To: Mac

Subject: 72 Blazer

Hi Mac,

Thank you for all your help and advice, regarding the parts for my truck. As you know, this is a new sport for me and your expertise really made a difference for me and my truck.

I'm having a great time with it and doing some incredible stuff. You really know your parts! I'd recommend you to anyone who needs help in building their 4 X 4, using Superior quality parts. I think your parts are the best.

Sincerely,

Jordie A, AKA G.I Joe

Superior Axle and Gear will be attending the 23rd Annual 4 Wheel Jamboree Nationals in Bloomsburg PA

WHERE:

Bloomsburg Fairgrounds
Bloomsburg, PA
Get Directions

WHEN:

July 9 ....... 10am - 6:30pm
July 10 ....... 9am - 8:00pm
July 11 ....... 9am - 3:00pm

Superior Axle and Gear will have a booth set up in one of the air conditioned buildings, so take a few minutes and cool down inside, learn about our new products and pick up a decal or two for your ride.

The 4-Wheel Jamboree is a family event geared toward the truck enthusiast. The 6-show Jamboree series stretches from Missouri, across the Midwest and up to Vermont drawing truck enthusiasts from across the country and Canada.

The event is made up of participants (4x4 enthusiasts that come to display their truck for the weekend and compete in the racing events and show), spectators, vendors and sponsors. The shows are part of Family Events owned by The Promotion Company out of Indianapolis, Indiana.

_____________________________________________________

Media campaigns are created in each market to promote the event. Each year segments of the Jamboree are filmed and have been televised on ESPN 2, Verses (Vs.), The Outdoor Channel, Discover Channel, TLC and Spike TV. These events are also routinely covered in national enthusiast magazines and websites.
_____________________________________________________

Show-n-Shine
Show N Shine Rules

Participants from all over the country bring their 4x4’s to compete in the Show N Shine competition. Awards are given out during the weekend to trucks in various classes, makes, and models. See some of the most amazingly engineered and restored 4x4 trucks in the world.
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Monster Trucks

The top monster trucks from all over the country perform for large crowds at the 4-Wheel Jamboree. The trucks will compete in side by side racing and the crowd favorite free-style performance. The drivers on these famous trucks are available during and after each show to sign autographs.
Comp Cams NMRO Mud Drags
presented by TCI/
Mickey Thompson Tough Trucks
NMRO Rules
Join the NMRO

The 4-Wheel Jamboree is also home to the National Mud Racing Organization (NMRO). The NMRO is the sanctioning body for straight-line mud drag racing and 4x4 stock and modified Tough Truck racing. Competitors compete for a purse and a season series points championship. This is a membership organization made up of over 400 racers.
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Rock Crawl/Mud Bog
Rock Crawl Rules
Mud Bog Rules

The Rock Crawl Challenge is the latest competition that can be viewed at several Jamborees. Competitors compete on a man made obstacle course. The course tests the drivers patience and skill. The Mud Bogs offer participants a chance to test their vehicle in a 100 foot pit filled with some of the nastiest mud you’ll ever see. They compete for distance and time.
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Main Stage/Miss 4-Wheel Jamboree Contest

At each Jamboree the Main Stage is a hub of activity. Throughout the weekend the participants have to the opportunity to turn in their ballots to win top-of-the-line aftermarket products. There is constant action at the stage with kids/adult games and show information that is available. Each Sunday the show also crowns a Miss 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals for that year. Contestants must check in at the Main Stage no later than 2pm on Sunday. Sign up for your chance to win a cash prize!
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Manufacturer’s Midway

The Manufacturer’s Midway is popular with spectators and participants. National manufacturers are present with booths selling products and are accompanied with technicians on hand to answer product questions. Come realize the advantages of face-to-face interactive marketing.
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Monster Truck Rides

Feel what it's like to thunder across the track in a real monster truck. Sergeant Smash will take you on a thrill ride you won't soon forget. The ride truck operates throught the Jamboree giving kids young and old the chance to experience the excitement of what a monster truck feels like. Hop in and hang on!

Jim King’s One-of-a-Kind Engineering Marvel

We have featured a couple FourWheeler Magazine Top Truck Challenge rigs over the last month and are pleased to feature Jim King’s 1964 Dodge Powerwagon as vehicle of the week.

Jim King is a diamond in the rough, he is low key, reserved, and one very intelligent guy. Jim hails from Sparta Tennessee where he operates Premier Machine.

Jim has a passion for offroading that he has been enjoying for over 16 years. He made it a point of letting me know that he enjoys the thrill of conquering the rocks rather than engaging in mud bogging. Jim and his boys Joshua and Thor have helped him build several rock crawling rigs. They noticed that on some obstacles a shorter wheelbase was advantageous while on others a longer wheelbase was better. This caused some frustration in their quest to build the ultimate off road machine.

One night at the dinner table Jim and his son Joshua were discussing the ideal wheelbase for their next project and concluded that they wished they could have the best of both worlds. That sparked a discussion on the possibility of creating an adjustable frame that could be extended from a short wheelbase to a long wheelbase. Before long Jim and Joshua were sketching out some ideas right at the dinner table.

The ideas were refined with some trial and error and they were able to create a hydraulically variable three-foot extending frame on a 1964 Dodge Powerwagon. While Josh helped with the initial design, his brother Thor helped his dad with the fabrication assembly and mechanical work. Jim named his truck Elmo and competed successfully in the 2010 Top Truck Challenge with Co-driver Nazir (An XXRA Competitor). Elmo is an amazing vehicle and it is amazing to watch in action as the hydraulic frame allows it to “inch worm” itself through both rock and mud obstacles. Elmo is not the prettiest rig you will see but certainly one of the best engineered.

After day one of the competition Jim had burned up his winch, another team loaned him a backup chrome finished winch. Jim quipped that it was the first time ‘Elmo’ ever wore chrome.

Vehicle Specs:

1964 Dodge Powerwagon
Dodge 360 engine bored 308 propane
4 Speed Transmission
4 Wheel Steering
Front and Rear Rockwell Axles

Superior Axle & Gear 2006 Barbie Jeep TJ

Summer is definitely here and we at Superior Axle & Gear are genuinely enjoying it. We hope that you are as well. If not be sure and get out there and make the most of it, whether you enjoy taking your restored classic to the weekend cruise, muscle car to the track or getting together with some friends and going camping with your rig. Make it happen! Memories are always being made when you are doing what you love with those you love.

My three year old caught me by surprise the other day when she said “I love you daddy, and sometimes I even like you”. Out of the mouth of babes huh?

So in tribute to my three year old I am featuring her ride as vehicle of the week. She recently had a birthday and wanted a “Superior Jeep” like her dad’s.

Her Barbie Pink 2006 Jeep TJ features a real working radio, Superior Axle & Gear decals and just enough battery power to get her stuck in her mom’s flower garden.

BAD AZZ TRUCK EXPO 2010 - Ionia Michigan

Superior Axle & Gear has been afiliated with the BAD AZZ TRUCK EXPO for several years. This family fun event is celebrating its 5 year and it just keeps getting bigger, better and more fun.

The event is for Friday and Saturday August 20th and 21st at the Ionia Free Fair Grounds. I suggest taking the whole family on Friday, planning on hearing the live bands play in the evening and camping at the fair grounds Friday night. Then enjoy the contests, swap meet and food on Saturday.

Superior Axle & Gear is planning on attending and setting up a display so be sure and drop by and say hello!

Schedule of events:

Friday
August 20, 2010

Noon
Registration Begins

12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Show & Shine

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Burn Out Contest

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tug-O-War Truck Pulls

5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Dirt Drags

All Day
Swap Meet

9:00 - 12:00 PM
Live Music

Saturday
August 21, 2010

11:00 AM
Parade Through Downtown Ionia

12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Show & Shine

12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Mud Bog

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Rock Crawl

3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Lawn Mower Races

All Day
Swap Meet

Official website www.badazztruckexpo.com

1966 Ford Mustang Convertible Hi Po 289 V8

This ride is one of my favorites and we are pleased to showcase it on our website. It is a difficult car to photograph as the car color never looks like it does in person due to the unique flip flop paint.

This classic 1966 Mustang has been completely restored from the ground up. It features original styled steel wheels, and a Hi-Po 289 V8 engine with Cobra kit.

The rear end features Superior Axle and Gear shafts, Ford 9” drop out axle assembly, Detroit locker and a Superior Axle & Gear 3.50 ratio ring and pinion set.

It features the premium pony interior package with real wood steering wheel, pistol grip door handles, wood grain dash, cream colored upholstery complete with embossed wild horses stampeding across the seat backs.

Upgrades include the cloth “BMW” style top with folding glass rear window, radial low profile tires, and Royal Chrome Illusion paint that changes colors from red to blue to purple depending on the light.

Superior Axle & Gear parts on this Mustang include:

PA6070A (Left Hand) 31 Spline Upgrade Premium Superior Axle Shaft
PA6070B (Right Hand) 31 Spline Upgrade Premium Superior Axle Shaft
F90355 Superior ring and pinion Ford 9 inch 3.50 ratio
DL187SL-17B Ford 9 Inch Detroit Locker with 31 Splines

ORW Car Wash - FAST AID for CALIFORNIA 200 TRAGEDY

We at Superior Axle & Gear were saddened to hear of the tragedy that occured last weekend in the Lucerne area at the California 200 race. Our hearts go out to the many familes that have been impacted by this horrific event.

The off road and performance community is one large and caring family and has raised over 100 K for FAST-Aid California 200 fund to support the victims’ loved ones. ORW and others have worked to establish a Car Wash to raise additional funds for FAST-Aid and to show support for those who are impacted by the tragedy.

The event will be held on Saturday, August 28^th starting at 9:00 AM. Aside from the car wash, there will also be a raffle and a BBQ taking place. We hope to make this fundraiser huge! We invite you to come out and volunteer your time, contribute to the raffle, and get your car washed. If you won’t have the opportunity to make it to the event yourself, please spread the word to as many people as possible.

Jeff

Dodge Power Ram Sno Commander featuring Superior Axle & Gear

This week’s featured vehicle is a 1985 W350 Dodge Truck with the coveted Sno Commander package. The Snow Commander package is a factory snow plow option from Mopar that included a hydraulic front plow with integrated in cab plow controls. This special package was available on first generation Power Ram trucks from 1981 – 1993 and was discontinued with the 1994 model.

The Snow Commander package included standard 4 wheel drive, V8 engine, larger battery, heavy duty cooling and a special rear insignia.

This 1985 silver 1 ton Sno Commander has been restored and customized to bring it up to date. Larger wheels, tires, new paint and interior make this truck a great daily driver. It boasts a 360 cu inch (5.9 L) engine that provides 190 HP and has the heavy duty A727 automatic transmission.

The owner of this truck has retired the snow plow although he assures me he has restored that to perfect working condition as well.

This truck features the following Superior Axle and Gear performance products:

D60373 Dana 60 3.73 ratio ring and pinion by Superior
35-2034 D60 Ring and Pinion Master Installation Kit by Superior
D44373 Dana 44 3.73 ratio ring and pinion by Superior
35-2033 D44 Ring and Pinion Master Installation Kit by Superior

1956 Mercury Custom Convertible

I came across this 1956 Mercury Convertible in Marshall Michigan a couple weeks ago in front of Oaklawn Hospital. I was mesmerized by its classic beauty and its perfect restoration. As I stood eyes glued to this beauty, I found myself surrounded by additional onlookers who like me were in awe over this classic.

This Merc features a two-tone Niagara Blue and Classic White paint job, power steering, power brakes, spinner hubcaps, dual spot lights, continental kit, and a town & country radio.

Additionally the vehicle came with factory air that was new in 1955 and the Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission option that provided an “on-demand” low gear kickdown . It also boasts a 312 cubic inch V8 Engine and a 4 barrel carburetor.

1956 was an off year in terms of vehicle sales but Mercury was the exception as its sales were only slightly off pace from 1955 with 328,000 vehicles sold. This was due to the revamped “Big M’ full sized Mercury lines including the full sized Montclair, Monterey and Custom vehicles.

Mercury was founded by the Ford Motor Company in 1939 with the concept of offering semi-luxury vehicles to fill the niche between its Lincoln and Ford lines. Part of the success was attributed to Mercury body designs which stretched and lowered the vehicles making them look sleek, luxurious and sexy.

The full sized Mercury platform was restyled for 1955 making it even longer and lower than the previous version. (In reality the 55 platform was a cleverly re-skinned 52-54 platform that increased the wheelbase by one inch.) The premium Montclair series offered an overhead valve V8 , two-tone paint (commonly called “flo-tone”) and many standard and optional features.

• Convertible Production Volume: 7,762

• Wheelbase, inches: 119.0

• Length, inches: 206.3

• Weight, pounds: 3,490-3,725

• Price, new: $2,630-$2,900 (U.S.)

• Dana 45 Rear Axle Assembly

(Basically a Dana 44 design, but had bigger axle shafts and all were 20 spline)

• Top Speed 110 MPH

Engines for the 1955-1956 Mercury Montclair Hardtop/Convertible/Phaeton:

Type	Size	Horsepower	Years
ohv V-8	292	198	1955
ohv V-8	312	225/335	1956

One of the fascinating things about Ford, Lincoln and Mercury was the interchangeability of parts making it easy for the weekend mechanic to customize vehicles with parts from other Ford vehicle models and makes. This fact helped promote speed shops and hot rodders who could easily customize and tune their vehicles without a lot of expense. Common customizations included swaping out rear axle assemblies, engine and transmission swaps and changing external bumper, grill, and chrome trim.

COP 4X4 Jeep JK Truck at AAPEX

The first week of November is like Christmas to automotive enthusiasts worldwide. We at Superior look forward to the big Automotive Shows in Las Vegas that consist of SEMA and AAPEX. This year I was asked by many of my friends and colleagues if I would be going to SEMA this year. With tongue in cheek, I responded that we were not going to SEMA, but SEMA was coming to us this year since we had just recently opened our new warehouse and sales offices in Las Vegas during October.

Despite the hassles of setting up the new warehouse and sales office, I was able to pull myself away for a day to see some of our good friends at the show, see the latest technologies, and to drool over some of the most outrageous vehicles ever built.

So choosing a vehicle of the week from all of the eye candy at SEMA and AAPEX was a difficult task, even though Superior Product was featured on many vehicles at both shows including vehicles in Ford’s booth and on Chevy and Chrysler vehicles both inside and outside of the convention centers.

I settled on featuring a Jeep JK Wrangler conversion that was located at the AAPEX show at the Sands Convention Center. This amazing ride features front and rear Superior axle shafts and ring and pinion gear sets. While it is an amazing vehicle to look at it is also something that Mac and I at Superior had thought about a year or so ago when we were brainstorming building a vehicle that had not been done before. We thought a 4 door JK conversion with a pickup bed would be amazing, we toyed with the concept but did not actually begin our project. When we saw this beautiful JK at AAPEX it stopped us both in our tracks as it was our dream realized -- only better.

Vehicle Features:

10 Inch Lift by Teraflex
Xenon flat fenders
Interior and dash covered in saddle leather
472 aluminum block Hemi
17 inch bead locks
42 inch Good Year tires
King Coils and Shocks
Windshield raked back 10 degrees
COP 4X4 Rock Sliders
Road Armor Front Bumper
Custom COP rear Bumper
Pre runner tire carrier
50 Inch LED Light Bar
Front and Rear Superior Axle Shafts
Front and Rear Superior Ring and Pinion Gears

The color, lift, wheels, interior, bed and bumpers all seemed to flow together perfectly. The custom fiberglass hood was a nice addition as the integrated led lights and air intakes were impressive. I was pleased to learn that it had all of the Superior Axle & Gear performance goodies to ensure trouble free performance. Camp Crocker and the folks at COP 4X4 who spent the hours putting this together certainly get our props! So if you need work done in the Phoenix area or you need some quality Jeep components give them at call at 623-587-9323 or visit their website at www.cop4X4.com

-- Jeff

Superior Axle & Gear Salutes The Passionate Folks at JNJ Minis

I am always intrigued by the diverse passions of people I meet. One of our good friends Jacki has impressed us with her dedication and enthusiasm for Minis. I am not talking Mini Coopers here, I am talking Mini horses. Yes, the tiny horse breeds that are bred as companions and pets. Jacki, her Mom and Daughter spend most of their free time breeding and meticulously raising these beautiful horses. They currently have over 20 of these amazing creatures on their farm in Ceresco Michigan.

Jacki invited my family over to their Christmas “Open Barn” to celebrate the holiday season. We were delighted to drive through their tree lined private driveway and view the beautiful lights that adorned their home and yard. Jackie welcomed us as we climbed out of our rig and walked us to one of her horse barns.

While I admit I have not been in a lot of barns, I have never witnessed the spectacle that was before me -- A barn in which every stall was delightfully decorated from floor to ceiling. One stall featured angels and stars of all different kinds; another had a cheerful snowman theme, while another had Christmas stockings for each and every one of their ponies. A festive Christmas tree and faux fireplace adorned a corner while stuffed animals from bears to unicorns were perched on the stall gates.

In one stall was one of the most beautiful Appaloosas I have ever seen -- all white, muscular and extremely friendly. This white beauty was also decorated with golden glitter on his mane and forehead. Next to Zero’ the Appaloosa's stall was an energetic Mini named Varun who was sporting small jingle bells around his ears.

I admire Jacki and her family who are deeply committed to their passion of Minis. They believe in sharing their passion with others and encourage church groups, nonprofit organizations and others to visit their farm and to learn about their horses.

Jacki stated “We would like to touch the lives of as many people as we can through our miniature horses. When people see, touch and play with our "minis" we see the happiness radiate from their souls. These tiny horses have a way of healing whatever is broken inside someone”.

During the holiday season, I can’t help but be grateful that there are enthusiasts that sincerely use their passions to make the world a better place. Jacki and the folks at JNJ Minis are a great example of this. Check out their website at www.jnjminis.com and if you are interested in acquiring one of these beautiful horses be sure and contact them.

--Jeff

Are Electric Cars really Superior?

Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I just have a difficult time feeling passionate about hybrid and electric vehicles. I like the sound of well tuned V-8 engines, I even enjoy the smell of exhaust. I was heartbroken when Al Gore predicted a future without internal combustion engines.

I know that celebrities love to show up to red carpet events in supposedly “eco friendly” cars but they just seem to be a little flat. Yeah, I am aware of the Tesla Roadster and love the beautiful curves of that electric performance car. I have read a lot about the car but am more impressed with Tesla Motor’s Elon Musk and his management team with their technological “can-do” attitude. He reminds me a little of Preston Tucker and his passion to build the unfathomable. As for the Tesla Roadster I am still unconvinced, I would have to drive one at the track to actually believe in it. (Mr. Musk if you are reading this hook me up with a test drive.)

I have also seen the new Porshe 918 RSR Hybrid Race Car that was unveiled today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It is truly a hybrid race car, but I wonder how realistic this really is. Call me a skeptic, but I just struggle with the concept in general.

Is Al Gore’s hope of an internal combustion free world becoming a reality? I sure hope not, and while a recent poll shows that 20% of the US market would consider purchasing an electric or hybrid vehicle, I just don’t see the passion there. While January’s Road & Track features a slobbery article about the Nissan Leaf, It is upstaged by a cover that features Super Cars from the Corvette Z06 to the V-16 Bugatti Veyron Supersport. Despite the praise R&T gave to the Leaf, performance sells and creates passion -- leaving the Leaf and its low carbon footprint in the dust.

Speaking of low carbon electric cars, are they really that much better for the environment? Let’s remember where electricity comes from: 50% of electricity in the US comes from coal and other fossil fuels. Just because we don’t see the pollution emitting from our tail pipe does not mean it does not exist. A power plant miles away may be converting coal or oil into electricity and emitting pollution remotely so we can drive our “eco friendly” electric car guilt -free. This is not to say that this is a one for one pollution exchange. The electricity generated at a coal plant provided to an electric vehicle is estimated to reduce pollution by 30% or more.

Some 20% of electricity comes from Nuclear sources which also comes with the “eco unfriendly” result of nuclear waste and the use of cooling towers which emit tremendous amounts of heat into the environment.

The remaining 30% of electricity comes from other sources including hyrdo, wind and solar. These come with many intangible costs including the damage to the environment by damming rivers creating and maintaining unsightly wind structures and the cost of manufacturing solar panels. Despite the source of electricity, the increased use of batteries in electric and hybrid vehicles also has a negative impact on our environment as they contain heavy metals that can leech into ground waters and cause poisoning to living organisms.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that we must all be good stewards of this planet. I don’t want to live in a smog filled city or swim in a lake of contaminated water. I believe that substituting the internal combustion engine for electric ones is not all it’s cracked up to be. The automotive industry truly drives the economy. From American muscle to German luxury, to Italian exotics, the charismatic qualities of an internal combustion engine are difficult to replace.

The 2012 Ford Boss 302 at North American International Auto Show

Several weeks ago my son and I were able to visit the North American International Auto Show in Detroit during Industry Days. While the show was a little toned down from previous years there were some strong displays. Ford’s exhibit was crisp, clean, bright, informative and fun! My son and I had fun racing Mustang slot cars against each other. The Mercedes booth was also very impressive and featured some amazing vehicles, lots of color, lots of glitz and the gull wing vehicles immediately captured our attention and our imagination! BMW likewise had an impressive exhibit featuring their latest 6 series performance car on a rotating stage which I must confess I spent a lot of time sitting in and admiring the interior. Chrysler, General Motors, Hyundai, Ferrari, Maserati, Rolls Royce, Tesla and Maybach also had displays.

While we saw a lot of cars, sat in most, and spoke to the hosts to learn even more about the vehicles we fell in love with the new 2012 Boss 302. It was 40 years ago when the last Boss was manufactured back in 1970. The 2012 version is a light weight performance car that is track ready not one of those marketing generated packages that are all too common these days. (You know the models I am talking about –the ones that add a nice decal with a fancy name and can only boast having a little cosmetic fluff over the base model.

The 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 is true to its heritage. It will be fitted with the 5.0 Liter “Coyote”, currently on the Mustang GT. The Boss version receives new cams, a refined intake that provides 440 hp. The Boss gets a racing clutch, short – shifter, stiffer sway bars, adjustable suspension and 14” Brembo brakes. The interior features a tuned up GT interior with black panels and optional Recaro seats.

The folks at SVO worked aggressively to make the Boss 302 a true dream machine for muscle car enthusiasts. The suspension, handling and balance of the Boss 302 has been benchmarked against the BMW M3.

I got to tell ya, I have been a Mustang fan since I was two years old riding in my father’s 1964 and 1/2 Notch Back Coupe. That car was just cool no matter where he drove it, teenagers and adults were drawn to the charismatic pony car. When I grew up I wanted to own a Mustang so badly I could not stand it. I had dreamed about the car for so long that I knew exactly what I wanted. A ’66 Convertible Hi-Po 289 with deluxe pony interior and wood grain steering wheel. I was fortunate to find one owned by a small town Sheriff and he sold it to me sight unseen over the phone because I did not want it to get away.

I loved that car and still love that car, in fact it has moved with me across the country, from the West Coast to the upper Mid-West. She has become part of the family. A couple years back we brought our Mustang with us for our family picture session. It is one of my favorite pictures of my family as it just seems perfect.

Now while I am often called a Ford guy, I also have a passion for German performance cars as well and I have intensely appreciated every BMW I have owned. I love the solidly designed form, fit and function of BMW vehicles. The detail work has always impressed me and the robust engineering that makes a BMW a true pleasure to drive. If Ford is looking to benchmark some of the finer points of the M3 to aid in development of the Boss 302 I am even more impressed and I am itching to drive the new Boss

--Jeff

Chris Begley's "Glamis Ready" Ford F-250

One of the perks of working at Superior Axle & Gear is having the opportunity to work on phenomenal rigs. We sell performance products for everything from Dodge Vipers to this Extreme Ford Truck.

I love ‘em, and wish I had the budget and garage space to own them all. This outrageous beauty is owned by Chris Begley, and he had the technicians at Superior Axle & Gear perform some axle & gear upgrades on it at our Las Vegas facilities. That gave us the chance to see it first hand and snap some photos of it in person.

Chris bought this ride 10 years ago when he was in high school. Back then this was a 1967 Ford F250 with a 12 inch lift and 42 inch Swampers. The inspiration for this mammoth truck was to take it to Glamis, so with about ten years of blood sweat and tears, very little of the original ’67 Ford remains. Chris tells us that he believes only three feet of the original truck frame remains along with the original rear axle housing.

The new incarnation of his truck features a 1999 Ford F-150 Cab, Ford 408 Small Block power plant, Aluminum TRW forged pistons, Edelbrock intake, Holly 850 double pumper carburetor, custom headers, PSC full hydraulic steering with double ended ram, K&N filter, Painless wiring, RV Cam and a C6 Transmission mated to a NP205 Transfer Case. This ride is complemented with Fox Shocks, a Fiberwerx Dash, T-Rex grill insert, and Trailer Products fiberglass bedsides and front clip. Tires and suspension include 46” Mickey Thompsons Baja Claws, and 20” Trail Ready Bead locks and he still maintains 20” of front suspension travel and an amazing 28”of rear travel.

The front axle is a ‘79 Ford F350 hi pinion Dana 60 with a Detroit Locker PN 225SL29B, Superior 5.38 Reverse ring and pinion PN D60538RX and Superior Evolution Series Inner Axles PA6385A & PA6385B inner axles and PA6198 35 Spline stub axles with CTM U-joints

The rear axle is a Full Float Dana 60, Converted from 16 spline to 35 spline axles and running a 35 spline full spool PN 75-2034-35, 5.38 Ring and pinion and Superior Forged 1350 pinion yoke PN 90-2034-1350F and Evolution Series chrom-moly cut to fit full float axles PN PA6331C

We understand that this awesome ride will be featured in an upcoming issue of Petersons 4 Wheel and Off Road magazine. So be sure and check the newsstands for more info on this ride!