Author: JeepinCFLAdmin17

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Strong as an OX

Jeepin’ spoke with Allen Wiseman, the owner of OX Off-Road, about the company, its products and the thrills of off-roading.

Allen, where are you from, and how long have you been a Jeeper?

I grew up in Small Town, U.S.A, a place called Wilmington, Ohio. Although an aircraft mechanic by trade, I have done a few different things before OX. I was an aircraft mechanic, DC9 aircraft instructor, dabbled in real estate — buy, fix up and sell — a classic car dealer, and managed a machine shop, just to name a few. As you can see, nothing has kept me captive too long. I guess I jumped around a bit because I have a passion for learning new things.

As far as my hobbies go, I have always had a vehicle in the garage to fix up or restore, and for the last 15 years I have played poker semiprofessionally.

I’ve been a car guy since I was a little kid. My dad fixed up and raced cars as a hobby the whole time I was growing up. He was a bit of a workaholic and always had us kids helping. I can remember block-sanding cars for him in the fifth grade. I had some 4x4s when I was younger but never a Jeep until I owned OX. Some of the best times I can remember as a teenager were spent off-roading in the woods with my best friend’s CJ that we had put a 304 in and gave a spray can camo paint job to. Now, one of my favorite times of the year is my workcation at Easter Jeep Safari out in Moab, Utah.

What inspired you to start OX Lockers?

I didn’t personally start OX Lockers, but was lucky to get involved with it early on and was hooked on the concept from the beginning. I worked with the company that produced them, along with many other unrelated products, and I had always felt it didn’t get the attention it deserved. Around 2008, the OX product line was sold to a company, and because OX lockers was not the company’s first priority, things started going poorly.

In late 2009, the opportunity came about for me purchase the company. It was in the red and bleeding badly. From my involvement, I knew it was due to lack of attention, poor management and absentee owners. I was certain it would be a quick turnaround if I could purchase the company. It was a great product and all it needed was someone to give it the attention it deserved.

I purchased the company and started giving the product line the love it needed in 2010. Things got turned around almost immediately with the ousting of the old management. We shortly after introduced the new shifting systems, electric, air and the manual backup device. We have seen fantastic growth annually ever since.

What are your biggest sellers?

Currently our main products are the selectable locking differentials and axle shaft U-joints. We sell ring and pinions and axle shafts to complement our products; however, we do not manufacture them.

What makes your products stand out from others in the Jeepin’ community?

Our products are designed to make the customers’ vehicles more capable and durable, so our bling factor is not quite the same as a cool-looking bumper or grille. People don’t always notice our products until they see their performance on the trails. Additionally, we are made in the U.S.A., using the best materials and processes to make them as tough as we can.

As far as what makes us stand out from others in the same category, I would have to say it would be our durability and versatility. Using the same mechanically selectable locker, it can be shifted manually with a cable and shift lever, electrically or pneumatically, by switch.
What’s the best part of your work?

The designing and building is the fun stuff. Figuring out ways to make things better — and stronger — is what I enjoy.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

First, I would like to thank our customers for their support. It means a lot to me, personally, when I hear a customer talk about how much they like our products. Second, I would like to apologize to all our hopefully soon-to-be GM corporate 14-bolt locker customers. We announced it was coming and then got involved with the Mahindra Roxor OE locker project, and unfortunately, the 14-bolt got set on the back burner due to lack of resources. We hope to get back on that soon. Additionally I will drop a teaser, we are working on a new product line that is in testing right now and we should be able to let the cat out of the bag later in 2019!

Nuts and Bolts

Allen Wiseman is the owner of OX Off-Road, a manufacturer of selectable locking differentials, axle shaft U-joints and other parts and components for Jeeps and other off-road vehicles. ox-usa.com

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February 2019 Winner

Hey Jeepers,

Please join us in congratulating Scott A. Kistner.

Scott is the February winner of the Jeepin’ United Selfie Contest, and he will receive the Metal Art of Wisconsin Carbon Fiber Freedom Cabinet with Invisible RFID Lock and Key Card.

Scott will also be automatically entered in the Grand Prize Contest for An All Expenses Paid Trip for Two to Moab.

Congratulations Scott, and Good Luck in the Moab Drawing.

The Jeepin’ Magazine Team

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January 2019 Winner

Hey Jeepers,

Please join us in congratulating Flex Wheeler from the Sunset Krawlers 4×4.

Flex is the January winner of the Jeepin’ United Selfie Contest, and he will receive the Casio G-Shock Mudmaster Twin Sensor Men’s Sports Watch.

Flex will also be automatically entered in the Grand Prize Contest for An All Expenses Paid Trip for Two to Moab.

Congratulations Flex, and Good Luck in the Moab drawing.

The Jeepin’ Magazine Team

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December 2018 Winner

Hey Jeepers,

Please join us in congratulating Crystal Norris from the South Carolina Jeep Addicts.

Crystal is the December winner of the Jeepin’ United Selfie Contest, and she will receive the All-new Echo Show.

Crystal will also be automatically entered in the Grand Prize Contest in the Summer of 2019 for An All Expenses Paid Trip for Two to Moab.

Congratulations Crystal, and Good Luck in the Moab drawing.

The Jeepin’ Magazine Team!

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November 2018 Winner

Hey Jeepers,

Please join us in congratulating Danny Shea from the Legendary 1941 Jeep Group.

Danny is the November winner of the Jeepin’ United Selfie Contest, and he will receive a 7/8″ x 30′ Bubba Rope.

Danny will also be automatically entered in the Grand Prize Contest in the Summer of 2019 for An All Expenses Paid Trip for Two to Moab.

Congratulations Danny, and Good Luck in the Moab drawing.

The Jeepin’ Magazine Team!

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The Rematch: Jeeps Vs. Harleys is Ready to Roll

On Saturday, Oct. 6, at 7 a.m., Jeep and Harley-Davidson enthusiasts from Central Florida and beyond will begin to convene at East Lake Center on Bay Center Drive in Tampa, Fla., the starting point for the second annual Jeeps vs. Harleys charity convoy. The proceeds will benefit a number of local causes, including Ferrell Cares and Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS).

The assembled vehicles will line up at 9 a.m. and roll out at 9:30 sharp, beginning a 30-mile, police-escorted journey to the Sun ’n’ Fun Expo campus at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, where they will join a massive event that will include food and refreshments, live music and vendors selling Jeep and Harley parts, accessories, equipment and merchandise, and at least two big raffle prizes: a highly modified, customized and off-road-ready 2005 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and a 2003 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy.

It costs $15 per vehicle to participate in the convoy, and participation could easily double from 2017. Last year’s convoy included a total of more than 500 Jeeps and motorcycles, with Jeeps narrowly outnumbering Harleys. Organizer Al Feliz said Central Florida Jeepers will have to step up to maintain bragging rights.

“The word got out to the Harley community last year that the Jeeps took home the trophy, so word has it the Harleys are organizing and coming back strong,” says Feliz, who serves as vice president of Blackwater Jeepers, which has joined with Off-Road Alliance, Trail Monkeys 4×4 and Tri-County Jeepers to support the event.

The Stage Is Set

The inaugural Jeeps vs. Harleys was staged after only three months of planning. It was nevertheless a runaway success, attracting more than 1,000 participants and spectators, raising $16,000 in charitable donations, and setting the stage for 2018.

Although the convoy and the party went off without a hitch, JCF Publisher David Gesualdo identified a missing component: a “big” raffle prize; specifically, an off-road-ready Wrangler. He approached the groups with a proposition: The magazine would buy a used Jeep if the groups would build it into a trail-blasting beast.

They agreed, with Tri-County installing the suspension, lift, wheels and tires, Off-Road Alliance adding fenders and skid plates, Trail Monkeys responsible for the bumpers, a tire carrier, winch and Hi-Lift, and Blackwater is installing a snorkel and relocating the battery, installing lights, and handling all the finishing touches. Ferman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of New Port Richey helped manage all four phases, sourcing parts, conducting routine maintenance and inspections, and providing leadership throughout the process. Proceeds from the Jeep raffle will be distributed to local charities in partnership with the four participating groups and Farrell Cares.

“I wanted to do something big for the charity — not just a donation,” Gesualdo says. “Thanks to the four groups and Ferman, we have a raffle prize for the ages and one that will undoubtedly sell tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of tickets.”

Don’t Forget the Bikers

With the Jeep build underway, Gesualdo says, it occurred to organizers that one vehicle might not be enough. “Some Jeepers are also Harley riders, just as some Harley riders are also Jeepers, and both groups will be out in force. We wanted both groups to be represented with a big-ticket item.”

Enter the 2003 Fat Boy, donated by the magazine and purchased from Harley-Davidson of New Port Richey, where a number of upgrades were performed. The bike is ready to be handed over to a lucky Jeeps vs. Harleys attendee. Proceeds from the Harley-Davidson raffle will go to the West Central Florida chapter of COPS.

“We are anticipating a lot more Harley vendors and sponsors this year,” Feliz says. “But sponsorships and exhibit space are open to anyone who wants to reach a fantastic, fun-loving, civic-minded crowd at what promises to be a massive event.”

Speaking on behalf of the JCF staff, Gesualdo says he is proud that the magazine is associated with the event and inspired by the blood, sweat and tears organizers have poured into it. He encourages anyone in possession of a Jeep or a Harley to join the convoy, enjoy the party that follows, and enter to win the high-dollar items — including the vehicles as well as a long list of upgrades, accessories, merchandise and toys set to be raffled off — in support of our local charities.

“If you have never been in a convoy, you don’t know how cool it is,” says Gesualdo, who, along with his young son, Peter, was nominated to lead last year’s ride. “To see all those people, in all those vehicles, with the police escort — and to hear and feel all those engines revving — was one of the greatest moments of my life.”

Nuts and Bolts

Billed as “The Rematch,” the second annual Jeeps vs. Harleys charity convoy and family-friendly event is set for Saturday, Oct. 6. The convoy will assemble starting at 7 a.m. at East Lake Center in Tampa and start the 30-mile journey to the Sun ’n’ Fun Expo campus at Lakeland Linder Airport at 9:30 a.m. Register by finding the event on Facebook. To sponsor or join the event as a vendor, contact organizers at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

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Jeeps Are Social Creatures

Jeeps are social creatures in that they tend to be found in groups. If you happened to drive down A1A in Daytona Beach, Fla., the last week of April this year, you saw them in mega-sized herds. Being out there amongst so many other Jeep enthusiasts really got me thinking about why Jeeps are so much more than transportation.

More than a mere vehicle, Jeeps are like a membership card to a very special club. They not only make a statement outwardly about your enthusiasm for venturing down the path less taken, ownership also changes one’s own behavior. As a Jeep owner, we don’t just drive it to and from where we need to be, we purposely go looking for new and remote places we really need to be. “Have Jeep, will wander,” you could say.

My Jeep Is Calling

This desire to not just drive but explore is nurtured by the Jeep itself. It whispers, “Take me on an adventure” every time you start the engine. It develops its own personality over time, and because of this, Jeep owners have a habit of naming their Jeeps. Giving them a name makes them the core member of your adventure team. It’s a member of your family, not just another vehicle in your driveway.

As a family member, you trust your Jeep to get you out into the greater unknown places on Earth and to get you back home again at the end of the day. Regardless of how many Jeeps have been produced, no two remain alike as each is customized and modified.

As you and your friends and family pile into the Jeep each weekend to go out and explore new trails, you start planning your time off around trips to places to explore. Your spouse starts to buy you Jeep-related gifts for Christmas and birthdays. In short order, owning a Jeep transforms from something you bought into something you do — and you don’t do it alone. You do it with your family!

Jeepin’ is a way of life. We’ve all heard that saying, and we all know how true it is. The spirit of adventure, exploration, conquering difficult challenges, and recovering from disappointing failures is not only a reflection of the American spirit, it’s a reflection of the human spirit that moves through all of us and brings us together for enormous events.

Nuts and Bolts

Craig Simons is a member of the Ocala (Fla.) Jeep Crew and proud owner of “Black Widow,” a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. He believes Jeepin’ builds communities and families through off-road adventure, events and club membership.

But the most influential gathering of likeminded individuals (and their loved ones) is the Jeep club. Some are organized like traditional clubs of other hobbies and interests within a specific geographic area, and others are just an informal association of fellow Jeep enthusiasts that want to celebrate Jeep culture together. Those are the Jeep Crews we see popping up all over the world, often made possible by social media, and it is wonderful!

A Daughter’s Love

I know that, in my own personal experience, Jeep life was always part of my spirit. I didn’t own a Jeep until my mid-40s, but I’ve always taken any vehicle I’ve ever owned off-road, whether it was meant to do so or not. I just wanted to get off the beaten path and make my own trail.

A few years ago, I tried to get the family into the outdoor adventure sport of ATVs and UTVs. My oldest daughter has special needs and was not impressed. She did not like the rough ride as we went bouncing down the trails in my side-by-side. I was heartbroken. My dream of building family memories off-road seemed to be doomed.

Then I traded my pickup truck for a Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. To my delight, my daughter loves Jeepin’! My youngest daughter then bought her very own new Wrangler JK, and now our family’s love for adventure and exploration into the wilderness just keeps growing, much like the membership numbers of our very own Ocala Jeep Crew.

We have met so many amazing people through Jeepin’ and have made so many new friends. I’m a computer systems engineer by profession, so as you probably correctly assumed, I’m quite introverted. Meeting new people is not my strong suit, but after being shackled to my office computer all week, I need to unplug and recharge my soul batteries.

Jeepin’ does that for me. It does that for my whole family. It’s pushed me out of my dark computer lab and out into the forest to adventure with new friends I never would have met on my own. I never thought a vehicle could change my life in such a profound way. Jeepin’ is family!

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JCF Is Going National

You could say it was inevitable. Since it launched from our Tampa offices in early 2017, Jeepin’ Central Florida has been one of the best-kept secrets in the off-road world, read only by a select group of regional Jeep enthusiasts.

Or so we thought. As the months have passed, the issues have mailed, and our online and social media presence has grown, we have slowly begun to realize that JCF is a magnet for Jeepers (and wannabe Jeepers) all over the country.

My wife and son and I have been on two Western adventures: The first was a convoy to Houston in support of a massive Hurricane Harvey relief effort. The second was a bucket list-caliber family vacation to Moab, Utah. We interacted with a number of Jeep groups along the way. Some leaders and members were already familiar with the magazine. Those who weren’t dove right in, reading and sharing articles and encouraging fellow members to subscribe.

We added thousands of new Jeepers to our circulation on those trips and just as many words of encouragement. It was great to hear.
But it doesn’t end there. We have heard from readers as close as Alabama and Georgia and as far as Hawaii and Maine. I have worked in automotive publishing for several decades and launched countless publications. I have never seen any title grow so organically, so fast. I credit our editorial team and the many guest writers who have contributed articles on everything from modifications customizations to winching and spotting.

Despite never marketing our content outside Central Florida, we have readers in every corner of this great nation. Perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised, since these topics are universal. With that in mind, starting with the next issue, Jeepin’ Central Florida will become Jeepin’ Magazine.

If you’re a Central Floridian, you can be assured the magazine will continue to be produced in Tampa and feature writers and subjects from our region. If not, thank you for discovering and supporting our publication. Please join our core audience by staying engaged and reaching out to suggest new topics and ideas.

It’s so important to us that Jeepin’ remains a valuable resource for off-roaders and the communities they dedicate time and resources to supporting, protecting and improving. Thank you for reading.

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Moab Is for Jeepers

Q: I am planning a trip to Moab. What is the minimum lift, tire size and gear needed, and can you recommend some challenging trails?

A: Moab has every level of trail you could want. You can come with a stock Jeep and hit some beautiful trails, or you can come with all the best mods and hit some hardcore trails. To answer your question, upgrade it for what you want to experience, and Moab will form fit for you. Just choose the trails that your Jeep can do.

For example, you can take on one of our more difficult trails, like Hell’s Revenge, in a stock Jeep, but there will be obstacles along the way you will need to bypass. The slick rock terrain makes Moab like no other. However, we also have the La Sal Mountains just a couple miles away. If you want to cool down with a splash through the creek, do the Kane Creek Trail (difficult) or the Onion Creek Trail (easy).

Our company offers both ride-along and follow-along tours, but we do not provide the vehicle. We have had up to 60 vehicles follow before, but one to 10 vehicles is a lot more enjoyable. There is nothing wrong with striking out on your own, especially if you have a buddy who knows the area.

Nuts and Bolts

Richard Mick was born and raised in Moab, Utah, where he runs the trails with his father and the rest of the Dan Mick’s Jeep Tours team. He says the area offers trails for every experience level, along with terrain — and views — you can’t find anywhere else.
Dan Mick’s Jeep Tours
435-259-4567
danmick.com

If you’re new to Moab and you hire us, we can teach you the basics. We also know the best routes to take for the optimal experience on the trail. Having that extra security helps, especially if you are in town alone. For those who have a little more experience, we can hit more of the difficult trails that even the best drivers need someone to spot them over.

Cliffhanger and Metal Masher are a couple of my favorites. Those are tough trails, but I can get most vehicles with lockers and 35-inch-plus tires through. Pritchett Canyon is the most difficult Jeep safari trail. We try to only do that one a couple times a year because there is a high possibility of damage. You would need a tube buggy or a highly built JK to get through Pritchett Canyon.

If that does not satisfy you, go to Area BFE. They have some insane trails in that area. Rear Steer would be hands down the hardest. You would need something like a single seater comp buggy to get through that.