The hosts kick off with a Canada-and-units tangent, then pivot into how people naturally think about travel in terms of time instead of miles. The conversation turns into community updates and giveaways—review milestones, prizes like a Russo fire extinguisher, and an IceCo fridge/ice-chest partnership—plus OnX token logistics and a June 30 deadline. Later, they shift to whiskey tasting and “drink responsibly” social planning, followed by a long stretch of off-road build talk and solar/electrical troubleshooting.
Tyler and Jimmy talk about their weeks. Tyler was joking about how we had a shit show of a weekend, but then Jimmy agreed with him. Jimmy then went on and explaid his weekend and how the Assistant had a wonderful time at a party. Tyler took over, telling everyone about what needs to get done on Fionia and Kermit. There is a lot of work that needs to happen before Rubithon.
SnailTrail4x4 Discord: https://discord.gg/yFyFFkQbuy Come hang out with us on the SnailTrail4x4 Discord — it’s the easiest way to connect with Tyler and Jimmy directly, chat with fellow offroad enthusiasts, and get first access to Group Buys and Treasure Hunt token drops.
MORRFlate Giveaway at 900 Reviews on Apple Podcast. But our next giveaway is when we reach 800 reviews; we are giving away an OnX Elite Membership. We will also give away an OnX Elite membership when we get to 850. However, when we reach 900 Reviews, we are teaming up with MORRFlate for a $1000 MF Product Giveaway. Go over to Apple Podcasts to leave your review now and become eligible to win. Congratulations to A13XMONT, who won a set of tires from Yokohama Tire!
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4Wheel Underground has all the suspension parts you need to take your off-road rig from leaf springs to a performance suspension system. We just ordered our kits for Kermit and Samantha and are looking forward to getting them. The ordering process was quite simple, and after answering the questionnaire, we ensured we got the correct and best-fitting kits for our vehicles. If you want to level up your suspension game, check out 4Wheel Underground.
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Congrats to Johnny Freskie you won the Rusoh Fire Extinguishers. We have one of their 2.5-pound extinguishers to give away to a lucky winner. This extinguisher has an 18-year shelf life and is the best fire extinguisher for any off-road vehicle. To learn more, check out Rusoh.com. If you want a chance to win, sign up for the Giveaway Tier on Irate4x4
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"... who that might be. This podcast should have more ranger talk and should also let someone with a ranger wi..."
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck that can be used for both everyday driving and off-road trails. People talk about it a lot because it’s a common truck to modify with off-road tires and suspension upgrades. It’s also sized in a way that can be easier to handle on rough roads.
The Ford Ranger is a midsize pickup truck built for work and off-road capability, which is why it often comes up in 4x4 discussions. In off-road communities, it’s a popular platform for upgrades like tires, suspension, and armor because it’s relatively compact and maneuverable compared with larger trucks. It’s also frequently mentioned because owners swap parts and share setup ideas for trails and towing.
"with them and get them some panels so I can get my fire extinguishers because I still have the
other brand in my truck that we shouldn't be having."
A fire extinguisher is a handheld device that helps you put out a small fire. Off-road people carry one because fires can start in a vehicle, especially when you’re far from help.
A fire extinguisher is a safety device used to put out or control small fires. In off-road rigs, it’s commonly carried because vehicle fires can happen after crashes, electrical shorts, or fuel leaks in remote areas.
"whiskey and you've been following the brothers bond people, which are on the vampire diaries and you're a female and you really like them, you're not going to want to try a 90 proof. So they made an 80 proof. They didn't make cookie dough. That too. Yeah. The cookie dough whiskey."
The Toyota Supra is a sports car made for fast driving and handling. It’s not an off-road truck or SUV—it’s built more for performance on regular roads. It may be mentioned in a podcast because it’s a well-known enthusiast car.
The Toyota Supra is a performance sports car, and it tends to show up in podcasts when the conversation turns to cars with a strong enthusiast following. In a 4x4 off-road context, it may be mentioned more as a contrast to trail-focused vehicles or as part of a broader car culture discussion. The Supra’s significance is that it’s engineered for speed and handling rather than off-road work.
"eye bolts when I redid it. Okay. So it goes in and then eyeball or not a T bolt. So you, you drill a hole and then you put the bolt in and the thing goes in. And once it's on the other side of the wall, it snaps into a T."
A T-bolt is a special bolt that “locks” in place after you push it through a hole. It helps keep whatever you’re attaching from pulling back out.
A T-bolt is a type of fastener shaped like a “T” that locks into a slot or behind a surface. In this context, it’s used so the hardware can’t pull back out once it’s on the far side of the wall/fence.
"Yes. And so I did that siliconeed in the hole and then with an eye, eye bolt on the end and then you hook it to a carabiner to it"
An eye bolt is a bolt with a loop on the end. You can hook a rope or clip onto that loop to hold things in place.
An eye bolt is a bolt with a loop (“eye”) at one end, designed for attaching rope, straps, or carabiners. In the segment, it’s used as a connection point for the shade/awning tie-down.
"and then you hook it to a carabiner to it and then you tie off the other sides to the fence."
A carabiner is a springy metal clip that can quickly hook two things together. It’s commonly used for tying down gear or connecting straps.
A carabiner is a metal clip with a spring-loaded gate used to quickly connect ropes, straps, or hardware. Here it’s being used to attach the eye bolt to the awning/shade setup.
"Oh, those awnings. It's like a wind shade. Yes. Okay. I thought you had like awnings over your windows and doors and shade canopies."
An awning is a cover stretched over an area to block sun and provide shade. The hosts clarify they’re talking about a backyard shade canopy (not window/door awnings), with a partially light-transmitting fabric.
Term
mountain bike
"Oh, I went and picked up a bicycle Saturday as well. Or just riding. So it's a mountain bike. Okay."
A mountain bike is a bike built for dirt and rough paths. It’s tougher than a regular bike and can handle uneven ground.
A mountain bike is a bicycle designed for off-road riding, typically with wider tires and suspension (or suspension-like geometry) to handle rough terrain. The segment mentions picking one up and possibly riding it to the office.
Term
flexible mount
"what I needed to do was I had the flat mount solar panels on those, the flexible ones that I had adhesives to the top of the camper. There was two of those and then one hard mount panel."
Flexible panels are thinner solar panels you can stick onto a surface instead of mounting with rigid hardware. They can change how the system behaves compared to a traditional hard-mounted panel.
Flexible mount solar panels are thin, bendable panels that are typically adhered to a surface (like a camper roof) rather than bolted down. The host contrasts them with a hard-mounted panel and discusses how the different panels affect the system’s voltage/amp readings.
"Okay. And that one was there when I bought the lance and had the stock as the stock, a solar regulator built into it. At least the stock solar regulator display is built into the lance."
It’s the box that controls the power coming from your solar panels to your camper batteries. Without it, the batteries could get overcharged when the sun is strong.
A solar regulator (often called a charge controller) manages power from the solar panels so it charges the camper’s batteries safely. It prevents overcharging and helps the system deliver the right charging behavior as sunlight changes.
Term
hard mount panel
"There was two of those and then one hard mount panel. Okay. And that one was there when I bought the lance"
A hard mount panel is a solar panel attached firmly to the roof with fixed mounting points. It can behave differently than a flexible, adhesive-mounted panel.
A hard mount panel is a solar panel installed with rigid mounting hardware to the camper roof. The host notes this panel was part of the camper originally and appears to have different voltage characteristics than the newer flexible panels.
"But I think that the actual incoming charge controller, the solar controller coming in that then sends a signal to display what to display. I think that's aftermarket because it's variable."
This is the controller that takes the electricity from the solar panels and “tunes” it for charging the batteries. It can often be adjusted so the batteries get the correct voltage.
An incoming charge controller is the part of the solar system that receives panel output and regulates it before it reaches the batteries. In this segment, the host implies it’s an aftermarket unit because it can be configured for different output voltage settings.
"You can set it to be eight volts, 10 volts, 12 volts. I think it's variable. I want to say between 10 and 24 volts. So I have it set at a 14.5 right now."
Output voltage is the “electrical pressure” the controller sends toward the batteries. Setting it correctly helps the batteries charge properly instead of too weakly or too aggressively.
Output voltage is the electrical voltage the charge controller is set to deliver to the battery charging system. The host describes adjusting it across common battery-charging ranges (like 8V, 10V, 12V, and possibly up to the 24V range), which affects charging behavior and what the display reports.
Concept
wired both all three panels together into the same wiring harness
"So when I put the flexible mount ones on, those are putting out about 14 volts, 14.5 volts. And I think what happened was I wired both all three panels together into the same wiring harness that then"
Connecting multiple solar panels together in one wiring setup can affect how the whole system charges. If the panels aren’t matched, the system may not perform the way you expect.
Wiring multiple solar panels into the same harness can change how the system behaves electrically, especially if the panels have different voltage/current characteristics. The host is likely setting up a troubleshooting explanation for why the readings changed after adding the flexible panels.
"went down through the roof into the solar controller that converted it into whatever voltage it
[4448.5s] needed to be to go out to the batteries"
A solar controller is a box that “manages” the power from your solar panels. It makes sure the batteries get the right charging voltage and current.
A solar controller is the electronics that manages power coming from solar panels. It regulates the voltage/current going to the batteries so the batteries charge safely and efficiently instead of being overdriven.
"needed to be to go out to the batteries, which was I had it set for 14.5.
[4456.7s] When I put on those"
Here, the batteries are the storage for the solar power. The goal is to charge them properly so the system can run later.
In this context, the batteries are the energy storage that the solar system charges. The speaker is specifically talking about charging lithium batteries, which require correct voltage/current to avoid poor charging or damage.
"Okay. And so just slow the first battery in my line because I have everything wired parallel,
[4507.4s] but it's in a line rather than everything going to a common bus bar."
Wired in parallel means the batteries share the same voltage. That’s often done to increase how much energy the system can store.
Wiring batteries in parallel means connecting them so they share the same voltage while increasing total available capacity (amp-hours). The speaker notes their setup is “parallel” but not using a common bus bar, which can still lead to uneven charging across multiple batteries.
"but it's in a line rather than everything going to a common bus bar.
[4512.9s] Yeah. So the first battery would always get pretty decently charged"
A common bus bar is like a shared “junction” point for power. It helps make sure multiple battery connections are treated the same way.
A common bus bar is a single distribution point (usually a metal bar) that connects multiple electrical loads or battery connections together. Using a common bus bar helps ensure each battery sees the same voltage/current conditions, improving charging balance.
"turns out the both of the flexible mount panels
[4530.8s] shorted out. There was burns in the panels"
Shorted out means there’s an electrical fault where current takes an unintended path. That can ruin the panel or make it stop working properly.
Shorted out means an electrical fault created a low-resistance path, causing excessive current. For solar panels, a short can reduce output dramatically or permanently damage the panel.
"they weren't operating for it went backwards or something because
[4552.3s] there's access power. Yeah. I'm guessing the X that backfed the solar panels somehow"
Backfed means electricity is going the wrong way through the system. That can over-stress the solar panels and cause them to fail.
Backfed means power flows in the reverse direction through a circuit path. In solar systems, backfeeding can stress or damage panels and electronics because the panels aren’t designed to be driven “backwards” by other components.
Term
flat mount panels
"and then I connected them the exact same way because they should
[4585.9s] match the voltage, 20 volts, 20 volts. Makes sense. And I tested each one before I hooked"
Flat mount panels are solar panels that are fixed rigidly in place. The speaker is comparing them to flexible panels that had problems.
Flat mount panels are solar panels installed rigidly on a surface (as opposed to flexible panels). The speaker contrasts them with flexible mount panels that failed, implying mounting/installation and panel type can matter for system reliability.
"did a little bit of math that's still over 200 watts that the panel says it should be the output power of."
Watts tell you how much power you’re getting overall. It’s like the total “work rate” of the electricity. The host uses watts to check if the panel’s output makes sense given the amps and volts they’re seeing.
Watts are a measure of electrical power—how much energy per second the solar panel is producing or delivering. The host does “math” to estimate power from the panel’s voltage and current (amps), noting it’s still over 200 watts. This is central to deciding whether the 45-amp reading is realistic and whether the panel/controller is converting power correctly.
"“And our six, 56 amps. Sorry. Yeah. Current was 56 amps.”"
Amps tell you how much electricity is flowing. More amps usually means faster charging, but it can also make things run hotter.
“Amps” (current) is how much electrical flow the system is pushing into the battery bank. Higher amps generally mean more charging power, but it can also increase heat in the system and batteries.
"“and it was showing like 13, eight, 13, nine volts. I'm like, that's enough to charge at least like the first two to three batteries.”"
Volts are the “push” that drives electricity into the batteries. If the voltage is high enough, the charger can keep charging even as the batteries fill up.
“Volts” is the electrical pressure driving current into the batteries. In charging, the system’s voltage level determines whether the charger can keep pushing energy into the battery bank as it rises toward full.
"“Okay. Um, so how do you get more volts? Uh, you increase the variable voltage on it.”"
It means the charger can change the voltage it sends to the batteries. That helps it charge the batteries more effectively as the system heats up or as the batteries fill up.
In a battery-charging setup, “variable voltage” means the charger (or power controller) adjusts the charging voltage instead of holding it fixed. That lets the system push the right amount of electrical energy into the battery bank as conditions change.
"“or, uh, the internal resistances of the batteries as long as you have a high enough voltage, it should in theory keep feeding into the batteries”"
Batteries aren’t perfect conductors—there’s resistance inside them. That resistance affects how much current they can accept, especially when they’re nearly full.
“Internal resistance” is how much a battery resists the flow of current inside itself. As a battery fills up, internal resistance and voltage behavior can cause charging current to taper off and create heat.
"“but you'll still have a little bit of a loss down the line due to the internal resistance of batteries. Yeah. Like, uh, cascading waterfall sort of thing”"
It’s a way to picture charging multiple batteries in a row: once one battery fills up, the “flow” effectively moves to the next one. That’s why the charging pattern can change over time.
The “cascading waterfall” analogy describes how charging current can transfer from one battery (or stage) to the next as the first one reaches a higher state of charge. It’s a mental model for why current may shift and taper across a multi-battery setup.
"Maybe that is interfering somehow and giving false readouts. Um, but either way, it's showing now that it's running at 14 to 14.4 volts."
False readouts mean the screen is showing numbers that aren’t really what’s happening. That can be caused by a bad sensor or a mismatch between parts that were installed together.
False readouts are incorrect measurements shown by a system’s display or sensors. In a solar setup, that can happen if a sensor is miscalibrated, the wrong sensor is being used, or aftermarket electronics don’t communicate correctly with the factory display.
"so I want to put an ammeter on both sides of the solar controller and actually figure out which, how many amps are actually going into the system kind of thing."
An ammeter is a tool that measures how much electrical current is flowing. In this case, it would help you confirm whether the solar controller is really sending the expected amount of power to the batteries.
An ammeter measures electrical current (amps) flowing through a circuit. Putting an ammeter on both sides of the solar controller helps verify how much current is actually going from the panels into the battery system versus what the controller/display claims.
"I checked the batteries cause I can Bluetooth into three of the four batteries and check the BMS is on them and they're all very happy."
BMS stands for Battery Management System. It’s the safety-and-monitoring brain for a battery pack, making sure the cells stay balanced and don’t get damaged.
BMS (Battery Management System) is the electronics that monitor and protect a multi-cell battery pack. It tracks things like cell voltage and temperature and can balance cells to keep the pack healthy and prevent unsafe charging/discharging.
"I checked the batteries cause I can Bluetooth into three of the four batteries and check the BMS is on them and they're all very happy."
Here, Bluetooth means wireless connection to check your battery’s status. It lets you view battery/BMS info in an app instead of using only the built-in display.
In this context, Bluetooth refers to wireless connectivity used to communicate with a battery system or its app. That lets the owner read battery status and BMS data without physically connecting to the pack.
"So I don't know. I need to put an ammeter on or a shunt... It's a shunt. A shunt is something you put on typically the ground side of a battery and it measures the power draw... and will keep very accurate information... And good shunts will have memory features... historical data of power usage and power recharge."
A shunt is a small electrical part used to measure how much current is going in and out of a battery. It helps you track battery usage over time so you can understand how much charge you’re really using.
A shunt is a precision resistor placed in a circuit (often on the battery’s ground side) so the system can measure current by measuring the tiny voltage drop across it. In battery monitoring, a good shunt-based monitor can log historical power usage and recharge behavior to estimate battery capacity and health.
Term
12-volt AC systems
"...retrofit the AC system on the lance and go to the 12-volt AC systems... setting up the inverter and also putting in the 12-volt AC system."
They’re talking about the camper’s electrical system that runs on 12 volts. Depending on the device, some things run directly on 12V, while other things need an inverter to get AC power.
“12-volt AC systems” is a bit of a confusing phrase, but it’s clearly referring to a 12V electrical setup for powering a camper’s AC-related components (or a 12V version of what they previously had). In practice, campers often use 12V DC for lighting/fans and may use an inverter to create true AC for outlets.
"...then retrofit the AC system on the lance... setting up the inverter and also putting in the 12-volt AC system."
An inverter is a device that turns battery power (DC) into household-style power (AC). It lets you run normal AC electronics off your camper battery.
An inverter converts DC power (typically from a battery) into AC power (the kind used by household electronics). In an off-grid camper electrical system, adding an inverter enables running AC appliances from the battery.
"...I turned the fridge off, right, to save the propane. Sure. But if you leave the doors closed, it gets nasty inside..."
Propane is a gas fuel used in many campers. It can power things like a fridge, so turning the fridge off can reduce how much fuel you burn.
Propane is a fuel commonly used in RVs for heating and for certain appliances like refrigerators (often via absorption refrigeration). Here, they mention turning the fridge off to save propane when the camper isn’t being used.
"... got rid of the panel that was on the back of the Gladiator and he's moving to a snail armor panel. Nice. And..."
The Jeep Gladiator is a pickup truck that’s made for off-road driving. It’s based on Jeep’s 4x4 design, but it also has a truck bed. People often modify it with extra protective parts to make it better for trails.
The Jeep Gladiator is a midsize pickup truck that combines open-air Jeep-style capability with a truck bed. It’s frequently discussed in off-road settings because it’s designed for trail use and is popular for aftermarket upgrades like armor and suspension changes. In the context you provided, the conversation about replacing or upgrading the rear panel highlights how owners tailor the Gladiator to protect and configure the truck for off-road travel.
"Yeah, it's going to be that's a fun one to do. It's I did one for the Land Cruiser. Okay. Yeah, I had that one."
The Toyota Land Cruiser is a rugged 4x4 SUV that’s famous for going off-road and lasting a long time. Here, it’s just mentioned as one of the vehicles the speaker made a custom etched piece for.
The Toyota Land Cruiser is a long-running off-road SUV known for durability and strong axle/4x4 hardware. In this segment, it’s referenced as a vehicle the speaker has made an etched item for, showing how popular 4x4 platforms drive niche accessories.
"So I think the Dana 60 will be a little bit more interesting or interested because there's yeah, there's a lot of FJ80 as axles out there, but there's more Dana 60s out there and it's a no five up super duty axle design. Nice. Nick has the ultimate Dana 60 axle..."
Dana 60 is the name of a strong axle used on some trucks and a lot of off-road builds. Here they’re talking about different Dana 60 versions and how the wheel-end design changes, which affects what parts you can use and how it’s maintained.
The Dana 60 is a heavy-duty axle assembly used in many trucks and off-road builds. In this segment, the speaker compares versions of the Dana 60 and explains how one design removes the unit bearing and returns to a spindle-style setup—an important difference for serviceability and how parts interchange.
"So I think the Dana 60 will be a little bit more interesting or interested because there's yeah, there's a lot of FJ80 as axles out there, but there's more Dana 60s out there and it's a no five up super duty axle design. Nice."
Super Duty is Ford’s heavy-duty pickup truck family. In this context, they’re comparing axle designs, because off-road builders often use heavy-duty truck components for tougher setups.
Super Duty is Ford’s heavy-duty truck line, and the speaker is saying the axle design they’re discussing is based on a Super Duty axle layout. That’s relevant in off-road circles because heavy-duty axles are often swapped into 4x4 builds for strength and parts availability.
"Nick has the ultimate Dana 60 axle, which I didn't know there was a big difference between them, but it pretty much removes the unit bearing and goes back to spindle."
A unit bearing is a sealed wheel bearing built into the hub so it’s one combined part. They’re saying their axle design avoids that style and uses a spindle-based setup instead, which can make maintenance and parts sourcing different.
A unit bearing is a wheel-end bearing assembly that’s integrated into the hub, so the bearing and hub function as one sealed unit. The speaker says the “ultimate Dana 60” design removes the unit bearing and goes back to a spindle setup, which changes how the wheel bearings are serviced and what replacement parts you need.
"but it pretty much removes the unit bearing and goes back to spindle. I said, sorry, I think more people are going to have not have an ultimate Dana 60 and have actual Dana 60."
A spindle is the part that the wheel assembly mounts onto in certain axle designs. Here it’s mentioned as the alternative to a unit-bearing setup, meaning the wheel-end is built and serviced differently.
A spindle is the shaft the wheel components mount to in a spindle-style front axle design. The speaker contrasts spindle setups with unit-bearing designs, implying a different wheel-end architecture that affects bearing service procedures and parts compatibility.
"At least you know, I'm future casting here, but before I send it out, I'm going to shoot a video of that soon. Cool. Yeah, that'd be neat. I ordered a Wolfbox mount from Lee. Yeah, good limb cell function. So that came in yesterday."
Wolfbox makes dash cameras. In this segment, they’re talking about buying a mount for it and installing it on the dashboard.
Wolfbox is a brand of dash cameras and related mounting/accessory hardware. The speaker orders a Wolfbox mount and plans to install it, showing how off-roaders also outfit vehicles with recording gear for trails and documentation.
"So I'm going to put it down on the dash. I like the way it's kind of set up now, but I'm using somebody's GoPro mount. I think that's Carson. Is it Carson's for it? And I can't access the power button."
A GoPro mount is the bracket that holds an action camera in place on your vehicle. They’re saying the mount location matters because it can block buttons or visibility.
A GoPro mount is a bracket used to attach an action camera to a vehicle—often on the dash, windshield, or roll cage. The speaker mentions using someone’s GoPro mount and notes it affects access to the power button, which is a practical installation consideration for recording off-road drives.
"[5509.8s] enough to access that power button, but keeps it down low. So we'll get that installed. I got new
[5516.5s] shifter knobs for Fiona. Yeah. Because the ones that are in there are the Marlin crawler ones."
Shifter knobs are the parts you grab when you change gears. Off-road folks swap them to make shifting easier and more comfortable.
Shifter knobs are the aftermarket or upgraded handles you grip on a vehicle’s gear shifter(s). In off-road builds, people often change them for better grip, easier reach, or to match specific shifter/transfer-case layouts.
"...ree, I think it is in the, the cruiser box or the FJ cruiser transfer case gears. So I bought, I found some bl..."
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is an SUV made for off-road driving. It’s designed to go over rough ground and is popular with people who like to take their vehicle on trails. The transfer case is part of the drivetrain that helps control how the car moves at low speeds, which is why it comes up in off-road discussions.
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is a rugged, off-road-focused SUV known for its boxy design and trail-ready layout. It’s often discussed in 4x4 communities because it’s built to handle rough terrain and because owners frequently talk about drivetrain and transfer-case setups for low-speed control. In your excerpt, the mention of transfer case gears suggests the conversation is getting into how gearing affects crawling and traction.
"I keep losing track of which one's the 47 two point three,
[5527.6s] I think it is in the, the cruiser box or the FJ cruiser transfer case gears.
[5533.8s] So I bought, I found some black anodized aluminum shifter knobs that fit those, the M 12s, I believe"
A transfer case is part of a 4x4 that sends power to both the front and back wheels. It also provides low-range gearing for slow, controlled off-road driving.
A transfer case is the gearbox that splits power from the transmission to the front and rear axles in a 4x4. It often includes low-range gearing for crawling, which is why off-road builders reference it when talking about gear ratios and shifter setups.
"I think it bounces off and reflects. They're anodized. Oh, they're
[5574.4s] anodized. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, you can totally do it. They're anodized to black. Got it."
Anodized means the aluminum was treated to form a tough protective coating. That coating can also be colored, like black, and it helps the part last longer.
Anodizing is an electrochemical process that creates a durable oxide layer on aluminum. It can be dyed (like black) and helps the part resist wear and corrosion—important for knobs and other exposed hardware.
"Because the AC
[5613.4s] evacuated itself in less than 24 hours. Yeah. Turns out the line, the hard line,
[5619.0s] one of the hard lines was rubbing really bad on something back near the firewall,"
A hard line is a rigid pipe in the air-conditioning system that carries refrigerant. If it gets rubbed or damaged, the system can lose refrigerant quickly.
In an A/C system, a hard line is a rigid metal refrigerant line that carries refrigerant between components. If it rubs against something (like near the firewall), it can wear through and cause a rapid refrigerant loss.
"one of the hard lines was rubbing really bad on something back near the firewall,
[5623.2s] rubbed a hole in the hard line. And so they had to redo it, but there was no space with the engine
[5631.0s] cage and the fenders, the inner fenders that were built on that vehicle"
The firewall is the wall between the engine area and the inside of the car. Parts and lines often run near it, so if something rubs there, it can cause problems.
The firewall is the barrier between the engine bay and the cabin. Many wiring harnesses and fluid lines route near it, so rubbing or misrouting there can damage lines and create leaks.
"And so they had to redo it, but there was no space with the engine
[5631.0s] cage and the fenders, the inner fenders that were built on that vehicle to run a hard line again."
An engine cage is extra metal protection around the engine area. It can make it harder to route hoses and lines, so mechanics may need to reroute them to avoid rubbing.
An engine cage is a protective metal structure (often part of a rock-crawling or off-road safety setup) that shields the engine bay. It can also reduce space for routing lines, which is why the A/C hard line had to be rerouted.
"So we'll see on the drive home if it's cool. It's still cool. It was
[5651.7s] running cool when we went to lunch. Nice. But yeah, so the rig is back. My next move is to take the
[5660.8s] rig over to Brad's hot metal fab, take Fiona over there and finish the rear swing out or"
A rear swing-out is a hinged rear setup that swings open for easier access. Off-road builds use it so you can reach things like a spare tire or gear without crawling under the vehicle.
A rear swing-out is a hinged rear door or carrier that swings open for access—commonly used on off-road rigs for spare tires, recovery gear, or storage. Finishing a rear swing-out usually means completing the fabrication, alignment, and latch/hinge setup so it opens reliably.
"to do the rear diff and fix the rear diff and put an E locker in it and get out that ticking"
An “E locker” is a device that locks the two wheels on an axle together. That way, if one wheel starts slipping, the other wheel can still push the truck forward. It’s especially helpful on rocks, mud, or loose ground.
An “E locker” is an electronically controlled locking differential used on off-road axles. When engaged, it forces both wheels on that axle to rotate together, improving traction when one wheel loses grip. It’s commonly used to reduce wheelspin on uneven terrain.
"to do the rear diff and fix the rear diff and put an E locker in it and get out that ticking"
The “rear diff” is the part in the rear axle that lets the left and right wheels turn at different speeds when you’re turning. If it’s worn or mis-set, it can cause noise or traction problems. Rebuilding it can fix those issues.
The “rear diff” is the differential assembly in the rear axle, responsible for splitting torque between the left and right wheels. In off-road use, its condition and setup strongly affect traction and driveline noise. Rebuilding it can address issues like abnormal sounds and uneven wheel behavior.
"put an E locker in it and get out that ticking
[5685.4s] time bomb waiting to happen."
“Ticking” is a type of unusual noise from the drivetrain. It can mean something inside is worn or not set up right, like gears or bearings. Fixing it early helps avoid bigger damage later.
“Ticking” is a common description for abnormal driveline noise, often indicating internal wear, misalignment, or insufficient clearance in gears or bearings. In the context of a “rear diff” rebuild, ticking can be a sign the differential needs attention before it worsens. Off-road builds often chase these sounds to prevent bigger failures.
“Shock tuning” is when someone adjusts your shocks so the suspension soaks up bumps the way you want. It can make the ride smoother and help the tires stay in contact with the ground. It’s like setting the suspension to match how you drive.
“Shock tuning” means adjusting or revalving suspension shocks to match a vehicle’s weight, tire size, and driving style. The goal is to control how the suspension compresses and rebounds over bumps and impacts. On off-road rigs, correct tuning can reduce harshness and improve traction.
"I need to, I'm going to take the dual
[5736.3s] cases, my spare dual cases to Jason this week and have Jason start rebuilding the dual cases"
“Dual cases” usually means the truck has two transfer cases instead of one. Transfer cases control how power gets to the axles, especially in low range for crawling. With two of them, the gearing and durability can be better for extreme off-road use.
“Dual cases” refers to a dual-transfer-case setup, where two transfer cases are used to provide additional low-range gearing and/or redundancy for off-road crawling. This kind of drivetrain setup is common in heavily built 4x4 rigs. Rebuilding them involves setting up gears, bearings, and seals correctly to handle high torque loads.
"start rebuilding the dual cases
[5741.4s] and then put a 23 spline in and then rebuild the gears and everything."
“23 spline” is a way of describing how a shaft connects to another part using ridges (splines). The number has to match the mating components so they fit and transfer power correctly. It’s an important detail when rebuilding drivetrain parts.
A “23 spline” refers to the number of splines on a shaft or coupling in the drivetrain—how the parts interlock. Spline count matters because it determines compatibility between components and affects how torque is transmitted. Using the correct spline specification is critical during rebuilds.
"Make sure it's all
[5746.6s] good. Do a whole new bearing setup in them. Put them back together and then I'll get that back"
A “bearing setup” means installing the right bearings and making sure they’re positioned correctly. Bearings help rotating parts spin smoothly, and if they’re set wrong they can make noise or wear out quickly. It’s a key step in rebuilding drivetrain components.
A “bearing setup” during a rebuild refers to selecting and installing the correct bearings and setting them up to the proper clearances and alignment. Bearings control friction and gear/shaft stability, so incorrect setup can lead to noise, heat, or premature wear. In a transfer case rebuild, this is especially important for longevity under load.
"…I still really want to change my driveshaft out to one with a carrier bearing and go back to the old style that it used to be when I bought the truck kind of."
A carrier bearing is a support point for the driveshaft so it doesn’t wobble. If you change to a driveshaft that uses one, the angles can shift, and you may need to adjust other parts to make everything line up correctly.
A carrier bearing supports the driveshaft in the middle so it can spin smoothly without excessive vibration. When you switch to a driveshaft setup that uses a carrier bearing, the driveshaft’s operating angles can change, which often forces other drivetrain alignment work.
"…I need to switch out my rear axle, the housing and put in a new housing. Cause… my axle housing is cracked again…"
The rear axle housing is the metal “shell” that contains the rear differential gears. If it’s cracked, it can fail or cause driveline problems, so it usually needs to be replaced or professionally repaired.
The rear axle housing is the structural casing that holds the differential and supports the axle shafts. If the housing is cracked, it can compromise alignment and strength, so it typically needs replacement or a proper repair rather than continued use.
"…when I go to the carrier bearing, the driveshaft angle is going to change a lot. So I'm going to have to rotate the axle and point the pinion in a different direction."
The driveshaft angle is how “tilted” the driveshaft is. If it’s not set right, the truck can vibrate and the drivetrain can wear faster, so people adjust the axle and related angles when they change parts.
The driveshaft angle is the tilt between the driveshaft and the transmission/axle output. If that angle changes, it can affect vibration and driveline wear, so off-road builders often adjust axle position and pinion angle to restore proper alignment.
"…So I'm going to have to rotate the axle and point the pinion in a different direction."
The pinion is a key gear inside the rear axle that transfers power to the wheels. Changing its direction helps the drivetrain line up so the truck drives smoothly and doesn’t wear parts as quickly.
The pinion is the gear at the front of the differential that meshes with the ring gear to drive the axle. Pointing the pinion in a different direction is part of setting the drivetrain’s geometry so the driveshaft angle and gear engagement work smoothly under load.
"…The gas cans called the roto packs. The roto packs are rubbing so bad on the rear door…"
Roto packs are fuel cans you mount on the outside of an off-road vehicle. If they’re positioned poorly or move while you drive, they can rub and eventually damage the truck’s metal or the cans.
Roto packs are rotomolded jerry-can style fuel containers commonly used on off-road rigs. Because they’re mounted externally, they can shift or rub during suspension travel or when the rear swing-out moves, potentially wearing through the body or the container itself.
Select text to request an explanation
Welcome one welcome all to the snail trail four path for podcast if you like going off
running in Toyotas wrenching on Toyotas camping in Toyotas and maybe even poking a little bit
of fun at Toyotas and of course hearing about how fantastic I like I think I was ducking
now. How fantastic don't it's all right. Then this is the podcast for you. That's right
ladies and germs. My name is Tyler and joining me for another episode of snail trail four
by four from Canada live is the one and only Mr. Jimmy jet. How you doing? I'm doing good
a and doing good man. How's Canada treating you? It's a bit chilly.
It's like middle year. It's like a nice, crisp, warm, balmy 45 degrees outside a Fahrenheit.
So they do Celsius up there. Yeah. Yeah. So 45 Celsius would be a very different. Oh,
yeah. A very different thing than 45 Fahrenheit. Did I send you the video about how Canadians
measure things? No, but I think I know you. I've seen it or no. Amazing. Yeah. There's
a comedian that's up and I think he was he was in Toronto if I remember correctly. And he was
like, you know what blew my mind the other day is that you guys measure speed in kilometers per
hour, but you measure distance distance in like feet or miles or something. But if it gets so far
apart that you measure distance in time and I didn't see that one and then he was
and the people everybody was like, yeah. And he goes, that is crazy. And then people like, well,
yeah, how tall are you? And he would answer and feet and they're like, well, we would answer
kilometers or meters. Yeah. How tall they are. And then like, and then that went on and on and
on to explain all the different systems of intermingling systems that they use to measure
things. Yeah. They do speed. I'm pretty sure in kilometers an hour, but distance in like the
standard system. So feet and inches. So how tall they are is like five foot 10 or 11. Okay. Right.
And then they do, they did, what was the other one? They don't, whatever the other system was,
like they do measuring for like volume, I think. And like, I don't know what it is.
Yeah. But they don't do leaders. They do fluid ounces. Oh, really? So it's like, what the fuck
is going on up there? I gotta see if I can find this video. I knew, hold on. I knew where it
sent it to. I got to play it. You guys do kilograms here, right? So I, uh, no, wait,
where's we're in Canada? Do you kilograms? No, where, but you do kilometers an hour.
What the fuck is that? No way. So you do kilometers an hour, but you don't do kilograms.
How tall are you? Okay. So for cocaine, you use grams. Okay. Thanks for this very relatable
information for the rest of you. You guys are such nerds. You just had a fucking writing.
How do you measure things like a Canadian? What are you measuring temperature? Is it cooking? Oh
my God. Shut the fuck up. This is not real mass. Is it your weight? Yes. Pounds. It's not your weight.
Is it heavy? If it's heavy, we do kilograms. If it's not heavy, we do pounds. Shut the
up. This is horrible. Speed is the only one that's metric like consistently here. Yeah.
Distance. Is it your height? Yes. Imperial. Is it a long distance? If you say yes,
then the distance is just time. How are you an engineer in this country, dude?
Is it a long distance? No. Is it related to work? Imperial. Is it not related to work metric?
Fuck. There you go. Canadians. Canadians in their measuring systems. Yeah.
I mean, we do the hour thing too. That's fair. Yeah. How far away is your grandpa or your uncle's
cabin? It's about two hours. Yeah. You're not going to say it's 112 miles. That's true. I have no
clue how many miles it is to the cabin. Okay. That's fair. Yeah. How far is it to San Francisco
from us? Two hours. Yeah. Yeah. It's about 100 miles. Yeah. A little over 100 miles. Okay.
Or something like that. All right. So when it's so far, you don't know the mileage. Yeah. I mean,
for the most part, distance, I would probably almost all argue that it's time. Yeah.
Interesting. I never thought about it that way, but I think you're absolutely right. Yeah.
How far is it home? Home? It's seven minutes. Yeah. Eight minutes. Right. You're not even
thinking miles. Yeah. Interesting. I never realized that before. Right. I think besides that, I think
Canada screwed the rest of the time. Okay. Perfect. But I think even Americans will be like,
if it's a far distance, you're going to say time. And even to some extent, you're saying time.
So here's an interesting small distance. How far is it to Austin, Texas?
Days. Days? Interesting. See, I would argue, I would say that one in miles. I'd be like
1500 miles, 2000 miles, 1500, 2000 miles. I wouldn't say that one in time.
Yeah. I don't know. I mean, I would know the distance. So I would do, I don't know, multiple
days. Okay. Interesting. Cause I'd be thinking like, I'm going to take a plane to Austin. I'm not
driving to Austin. Yeah. Sure. So like if I'm taking a plane, it's only three to four hours.
Yeah. Well, I think you'd clarify that. Yeah. Interesting. But even when you're like, how,
I mean, how long does it, I think that's the thing is we go, how long does it take you to get to
King of the Hammers? Not how far is it to King of the Hammers? Okay. I mean, I think we phrased
the question a little differently. Yeah. Okay. Cause most of us, even if you said it was 500
miles to King of the Hammers, most of us would be like, how long does that take to drive?
The next question is like, okay, how long am I actually going to be in a car?
Okay. That's fair. So like how long is a King of the Hammers? Yeah. Like the race. It's multiple
day long. The race. How? Yeah. The race. That's a 10 hours, 12 hours. Yeah. I mean, it depends on
the course that year, but most of the time it's around 200 miles. Yeah. So I don't know. That
one's, I think, but I think the most common, most commonly you're going to refer to a distance
that you're going to travel by time. Okay. That's fair. I would argue that. But yeah, I don't know.
So yeah, I saw that video. It's funny. Like height, feet and inches. I thought it was funny.
Also, if you're doing business or if it's like with friends, it's different business versus
personal. Yeah. And I, and my argument about across the whole entire thing that we've been
talking about is we need to move to the metric system. I agree. I know the stupid imperial
standard system. Multiplying by six is lame. Multiply by tens. Come on, people. Yeah. And
everything. Yeah. Since we're on the huge tangent, we'll just keep going. I watched another video
one time of a guy that made every, I think the week that he had every month had the same amount
of days. Okay. And the month always started, I think it was on a Monday. Okay. And the,
and it was like all just, all everything was streamlined. I think he had to make another
month. I think it had to be 13 months. And there was only four weeks in a month. Okay. And all of
the months started on the first of, was a Monday and ended on a Sunday. Yeah. And it was just like
everything, it all worked. It all worked out the most part. Interesting. It was like, why,
why are we doing this before? So I showed that to the US. Julius Augustus Caesar wanted a month
named after him. Yeah. Well, then we went from 10 months to 12 months because they had to add
another month and then they skipped six months of a year to move it to realign the calendar
because they figured out they were off anyways, but I showed the video I watched to the assistant.
She's like, that wouldn't work being a all science teacher. She started explaining to me in science
why that, the whole thing wouldn't math out. You're like, none of this is scientifically
stable. Okay. It's all time or not time state. It's all convenience stable. Okay. Yeah. It's
like, why aren't we just on the lunar calendar? Yeah.
When the moon goes around the earth, that's one year. That's one year. Yeah. We're good.
We'd all be on months old like when we were kids.
Anyways, all right. Fun tangent. This is Thursday's episode, which means we have,
and we're at the beginning of the month. So even though we just did this for May,
we were a little bit behind in May. Thanks to trial hero X. Thanks a lot, Rich.
And now we're back into June new month. So we could just kind of start over and get you guys
a winner for the Russo fire extinguisher, which I have right here next to me. It's kind of sitting
in between me and Jimmy. My arms reach it because mine are longer because I'm much taller has nothing
to do that Jimmy's further away from it than I am. So I would, think I'd wager that
my wingspan is bigger than yours. You think so? Maybe we may have to challenge this in a bit.
Once we're off air, we may have to figure this one out. So we got a Russo fire extinguisher.
We got a new giveaway this month, which we'll get into the details on that. We've got birthdays,
FNGs. We've got reviews to go over. So fun packed episode, a lot of shout outs to people coming
along here. And then we also were up to some no goods over the weekend. So we'll get into those
too. So let's see, where should we start? Huh? Huh? Huh? Well, how about I'll talk about discord
if you want to, uh, you already got reviews and everything up though, huh? So never mind,
let's just start with reviews and then we'll move into birthdays and FNGs and all that fun stuff.
But if you guys want to go and leave us a review, you need to go to Apple podcast,
make sure that doesn't say 13 reviews when you log in because that's what happened when we logged
in. Tyler was freaking out. I panicked. Yes. Uh, so go over to a snail trail four by four podcast,
click on the reviews button over there and leave us a review. Uh, any stars, whatever you want to
say or whatever it is, we don't necessarily care. But what you're doing is you're entering yourself
into a giveaway because every 50 reviews we get, we do some sort of giveaway and we're coming up.
I think we're coming up. We might be over. He hasn't told me how many we have yet,
but we're coming up on 800 reviews and we're going to be giving away an on ex elite membership.
When we get a 850 reviews, we're doing another on ex elite membership and we get to 900 reviews.
We're giving away $900 of more flake gear.
That's exciting. I'm excited for it. Yep. Uh, one of the launches, we'll get into it
in a, uh, within a couple of weeks here. Uh, one of the launches is happening right now. I'm,
I'm 3d printing a bunch to start off. So, uh, all right. So let's do some reviews. Yeah. What
are we at? We're at 700 92 period 90. So we got 22 reviews in in two weeks. I think so. Yep.
Okay. Uh, so we got 10 more spots left before the next giveaway point. So, uh, make sure if
you guys were looking to get one of those spots so you can get in for this giveaway for the on
ex elite membership and some swag, um, as well as future giveaways. Um, there's only 10 spots there
right now. So, uh, we are down here. So I just wanted to say congratulations, Jimmy. Thank you.
What is today's date of, as of recording June 2nd, 2nd or 3rd? So I think we're recording on the
2nd today. Um, the last review we did was June 1st. So we're ahead except this one's now June 5th.
Okay. But we're gonna get it to get ahead. I think so. Yeah. We're getting ahead.
We're just two years behind three years, three years behind. So this review was June 5th of 2023.
All right. Uh, so it's from, uh, Jay Long. Oh, a good four by four dirt podcast,
always informative and a fun listen. Thanks, Jay Long. Thank you. It's a J long a J long.
Is it a J? No, it's a space J space long. So it could be a long J and, uh,
Apple just switched his names around. Yeah. Sure. Okay. Yeah.
Next up is Tacoma 79 89 with a long Jimmy a long Jimmy. That works. Yeah. Yeah.
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