RockCrawler.com

Author: RockCrawler.com

  • ARB PREMIUM RECOVERY KIT

    Now available  in a complete pre-assembled boxed kit, the ARB premium Recovery Kit includes everything the off-roader needs to get started. Whether it be a simple snatch recovery or a more serious winch recovery, the ARB premium recovery kit has it all. Retailing for $407.00, the premium recovery kit represents exceptional value and a savings over purchasing each component individually.

    Packaged in a sturdy color carton, the kit weighs in at under 35lbs.

    KIT CONTENTS
    ·      1x P/No. ARB501 Recovery Bag Larg
    ·      1x P/No. ARB705 17,500lb Snatch Strap
    ·      1x P/No. ARB730 26,500lb x 10′ Tree Trunk Protector
    ·      1x P/No. ARB720 9,900lb x 66′ Winch Extension Strap
    ·      1x P/No. ARB220 Recovery Damper
    ·      1x P/No. GLOVES Leather Recovery Gloves
    ·      2x P/No. ARB207D 10,640lbs, 3/4″ Pin, D-Shackle
    ·      1x P/No. 10100020 Snatch Block 9000

    Note: The ARB Premium Recovery Kit (P/No. RK9) is not suitable for all vehicles. Please verify your recovery working loads before ordering the kit. ARB recommends using  a snatch strap that is 3-4x the vehicle weight, therefore, ARB recommends this kit for vehicles 5,600lbs and under. Perfect for Jeep Wranglers, small pick-ups like the Toyota Tacoma and small SUVs like the FJ Cruiser, Nissan Xterra and Toyota 4Runner.

    Retail: $ 407.00

    About ARB

    ARB Corporation Limited is Australia’s largest and industry leading manufacturer and distributor of quality, 4WD vehicle accessories, with distribution in more than 100 countries worldwide. The company manufactures and stocks the world’s most respected and sought after brands including ARB Air Locker locking differentials and bumpers; Old Man Emu (OME) customized suspension systems, IPF high performance lighting, and Safari snorkel systems. ARB’s Seattle office is the North, South & Central American headquarters and importer of ARB 4×4 Accessories.

  • TREAD LIGHTLY! WORKS WITH CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS TO PROVIDE TRAINING COURSES THROUGHOUT THE STATE

    OGDEN, Utah (January 5, 2010) — Tread Lightly!Ò, through a grant provided by the California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Division, has announced six, no cost training courses to be held in 2010 throughout the state. Since 2003, Tread Lightly!’s train-the-trainer program, Tread Trainerä, has provided individuals from Puerto Rico to Alaska with instruction in innovative, practical methods of spreading outdoor ethics to the public with a curriculum specifically focused on motorized and mechanized recreation.

    “This type of schedule is a first in the six years of the Tread Trainer program’s existence,” reports Tread Lightly!’s executive director, Lori McCullough. “Because the need for outdoor ethics training around the country has intensified, we’ve begun to focus our efforts on individual states.”

    With the opportunity to train so many outdoor recreationists, land managers and instructors in California , Tread Lightly! hopes to more fully incorporate its message of responsible outdoor recreation in OHV education programs, employee and volunteer training, and throughout the state’s many recreation areas.

    “The Tread Lightly! ethic is a critical component to enjoying and protecting our beautiful state,” said Daphne Greene, California State Parks OHV division deputy director. “By offering this educational opportunity to willing volunteers, we are investing in a better future for our children by teaching people to value and protect our trails, parks and recreation areas.”

    “The Tread Trainer program is of utmost importance as it embodies the true meaning of what our organization is all about: people educating themselves and doing their part to behave responsibly while recreating outdoors,” said McCullough.

    Individuals that complete the one-day Tread Trainer course become representatives of Tread Lightly!. Tread Trainers present the Tread Lightly! message of responsible recreation practices to other educators, clubs, government employees, outdoor enthusiasts or community members. Presentations often focus on guidelines for minimizing recreational impacts as well as motivating individuals to be ambassadors of their chosen activity.

    Since the program’s launch, Tread Lightly! has increased its outreach ten fold and has made nearly a quarter of a million face-to-face impressions.

    As a long time partner of Tread Lightly!, California State Parks is the first state to work with the organization to provide the Tread Trainer course on such a large scale. The California State Parks OHMVR Division’s recent underwriting of the 2010 Tread Trainer courses came through a grant from their 2008/2009 Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program.

    In addition to the Tread Trainer courses, two Master Trainer courses will also be offered in the California schedule. The Master Trainer course is an intensive two-day workshop designed to create volunteers equipped to train trainers on behalf of Tread Lightly!.

    Tread Trainer course schedule:

    • – January 23, 2010 – Paso Robles, CA
    • – February 27, 2010 – Ontario , CA
    • – March 20, 2010 – San Jose , CA
    • – April 10, 2010 – Borrego Springs, CA

    Master Trainer course schedule:

    • – May 14 & 15, 2010 – Rancho Cordova , CA
    • – June 11 &12, 2010 – Ontario , CA

    Individuals interested in the Tread Trainer program can go to www.treadlightly.org for more information or to register for a course. Each course is free, but a credit card is required to register.

  • RECREATION COALITION FILES BRIEF IN ONGOING ROADLESS LAWSUIT

    POCATELLO, ID (January 5) – A coalition of recreation advocacy groups filed an Amicus Curiae brief in the 10th District Court of Appeals related to the 2001 Roadless Rule this week, marking over a decade of involvement in the controversial issue. The recreation groups include the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs (“CA4WDC”), United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA) and the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA).

    Environmental activists are appealing a 2008 decision by U.S. District Court of Wyoming Judge Clarence Brimmer declaring the Clinton era Roadless Rule illegal. That ruling came in a case brought by the State of Wyoming in 2007, which paralleled an earlier complaint filed by Wyoming in 2001. Brimmer’s 2008 decision minced few words, concluding the 2001 Rule “was driven by political haste and evidenced pro forma compliance with” environmental laws, using descriptors such as “flagrant” and “cavalier” in characterizing the “unequivocal” violations.

    Brian Hawthorne, BRC’s Public Lands Policy Director, said, “With millions of acres of National Forests susceptible to disease and wildfire, it should be evident that a top-down, one-size-fits-all management program should never be the answer. Each roadless area is unique, and local conditions should be taken into consideration when actively managing these lands.”

    “This marks a decade of involvement in the Roadless issue,” said Greg Mumm, Executive Director of BRC. “Force-feeding a ‘hands-off’ policy to manage Roadless Areas, like congressionally designated Wilderness, has been a goal of the preservationist groups for some time. BRC is proud to have protected recreational access to these lands and we are committed to continue this important effort.”

    Noting the U.S. Forest Service will be revising the regulations for preparing Forest Plans, Paul Turcke, the attorney for the recreational groups, observed in their brief that “our Nation’s treasured forest lands must be actively and effectively managed. Such management necessitates detailed, site-by-site analysis; not politically convenient templates. That improper procedural means advance an agenda of less rather than more active human presence is of little legal import. This Court should seize the opportunity to place the 2001 Roadless Rule alongside the 2005 State Petitions Rule and similar misplaced efforts to manage our National Forests via election cycle emanations from the DC beltway, and to begin a return to professionally-driven and project-focused management that our forests and citizens deserve.”

    The Recreation group’s filing can be found online. Learn more about the history of the Roadless Rule and latest updates on www.sharetrails.org.

  • FOA Shocks Rise to be King of the Hammers Official Shock Absorber

    JOHNSON VALLEY, CA, NOVEMBER 23, 2009: It is with great excitement that Hammerking Productions, promoters of 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers announce FOA Shock Absorbers as the Official Shock Absorber.

    Dave Cole, Co-founder of Hammerking Productions, remarked ”FOA is a perfect fit for us. They cut their teeth in Desert Racing and immediately found a following in the Rock Crawling crowd. That type of cross over functionality typifies our style of racing.”

    “We think King of the Hammers is the ideal series to step up our involvement in rock racing and the rock crawling sport in general.” stated FOA leader Chris Farrell. “Our customer base is primarily the rock/Jeep crowd and with our knowledge of off-road racing, we couldn’t ask for a better fit. We are honored to be a part of the King of the Hammers family and look forward to growing with them.”

    FOA Shocks will use their race entry to host well known driver Jeff Mello and his FOA shock outfitted rig. Mello started on the pole position in the 2009 Griffin King of the Hammers but “not having good suspension was defiantly a contributor to the demise of last years race. I cannot think of a any single piece of equipment that would make a greater difference to this teams performance,” said Jeff Mello. “We have been looking forward all year to go to the King of the Hammers with some good shocks under us and can’t be happier to be hooked up with the Official Shock FOA.”

    FOA Shock Absorbers is based in Las Vegas NV. and specializes in a full line of off-road racing shocks and bumpstops from 2.0 remote reservoir models, to large 2.5 coilovers and 2.5 to 3.5 bypasses shocks for the serious competitor. Using a combination of proprietary design and American ingenuity, FOA Shocks offer quality products at a substantial savings over their competition.

    For More Information on FOA Shocks go to: www.F-O-A.com

    Hammerking Productions, Inc. created the “King of the Hammers” off-road race in 2007 (www.kingofthehammers.com) and released its first full-length film in 2008. The 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers will be held on Friday February 12th, 2010 where over 15,000 drivers and fans from around the globe will descend on the desert of Johnson Valley for over a week of off-road related activities. The 2009 running of the King of the Hammers was featured on Spike TV and in the film “Second Crusade.” In 2009, Hammerking expanded race action to include three additional regional qualifiers for the 2010 race. More information can be found at www.kingofthehammers.com.

  • R-SE wins prestigious Global Media Award at SEMA!

    Rock-Slide Engineering is pleased to announce that our R-SE Tailgate Table won the Global Media Award for “Best Engineered New Product” at the 2009 SEMA Show held recently in Las Vegas, Nevada!

    Now that we are back, we would like to introduce to the public our newest addition to the R-SE product line- the patent pending R-SE Power Step Slider.  The first of its’ kind, the Power Step Slider incorporates the R-SE Rock Slider and a revolutionary power step function that is activated automatically or manually when desired. The step provides a solid platform accommodating front and rear doors on all 4 door and 2 door JK and TJ Jeep models. The Power Step Slider kit includes: Durable exterior quality powder coating with primer base, all mounting hardware, actuator for step operation, and wiring harness with system shut-off switch to offer manual control when step actuation is not desired by door operation.

    Our catalog is available online at www.rockslideengineering.com or we can send hard copies upon request.  We are looking forward to a great year, and have many new ideas in the pipeline for product design and development.  We will be offering are products on a wholesale and retail level.  Please don’t hesitate to call our office @ 435-752-4580 or email steve@rockslideengineering.com for pricing, availability and quantity price breaks. Dealers inquires welcomed!!!

  • Joe Bacal Captures Second with Marathon Drive in Baja 1000

    Cancer Survivor Goes the Distance Solo in Punishing Race

    ENSENADA, Mexico, November 23, 2009 – After taking an “out of nowhere” victory at the Baja 500 earlier this season, cancer survivor and off-road rookie sensation Joe Bacal nearly stole the show again with an epic 27-hour drive in the Cancer Treatment Centers of America JTGrey Lexus LX 570 to finish runner-up in the 42nd running of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 last Friday and Saturday.

    “It’s tough to narrowly miss the big prize, but just crossing the finish line in the biggest off-road race—and doing it after battling cancer—is a victory, both professionally and personally,” said Bacal. “Even after driving straight through the night, I felt good at the finish. I was dialed in and so was my Lexus—this was fun!”

    Bacal and navigator Gerald “Smitty” King stormed out of Ensenada at 11:59 Friday morning in the LX 570 and quickly settled into a comfortably quick pace, making good time early on. “King Shocks’ new suspension setup made the LX fast and easy to control,” observed Bacal. But the infamous Baja 1000 lived up to its reputation. Many competitors noted that it was one of the toughest in memory, with dust and visibility a near constant challenge that made passing a precarious process at best. “There were a number of times that I came up to pass slower cars and had to wait a long time because the dust was so heavy and going off course (to pass) was very risky.”

    Driving through the dark desert night without the dust presents its own set of visibility problems but Bacal credits the banks of KC HiLiTES on his Lexus for helping him through. “The big KCs really light up the desert,” he noted.

    Aside from scheduled stops for fuel, there were few other surprises as Bacal used his considerable off-road skills to keep the big Lexus out of trouble for most of the race. As in his previous races, the BF Goodrich tires never failed, but Bacal did have one mechanical issue that required two stops to finally sort as the pounding desert landscape took its toll. Another unscheduled stop to free the rig after getting stuck briefly and Bacal and King never looked back, arriving back in Ensenada in just over 27 hours.

    Their extraordinary effort was only the third race for Bacal and his Cancer Treatment Centers of America-sponsored team, but his consistently high finishes also earned him a remarkable second place in SCORE International’s driver points for the Stock Full class. “I think we surprised a lot of people with our racing program this year,” noted Bacal. “My team, sponsors and family also made huge contributions. Another special mention goes to Long Beach Racers for their excellent race support.”

    NBC Sports will provide delayed coverage of this year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, currently scheduled to air on December 19 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

    For more information and updates on Joe Bacal, visit www.controlamidchaos.com.

    Bacal and the JTGrey team acknowledge the following companies for their outstanding products, services and support:

    • Cancer Treatment Centers of America (sponsor)
    • Lexus (LX 570)
    • BF Goodrich (tires)
    • Toyota Racing Development (wheels, performance parts)
    • King Shocks (suspension components)
    • KC HiLiTES (lighting)
    • Long Beach Racers (race support)
    • Head First Design (graphics and marketing support)
    • Old Man Emu (off road accessories)
    • Débaufré Swiss Watches
    • Sparco (seats, safety equipment)
    • Mechanix Wear
    • Chet Huffman Motorsports (expertise)
    • Geiser Brothers Racing (vehicle build and prep)
    • Powertank (CO2)
    • Zeal Optics (sunglasses)
    • IonEarth (global race positioning)

    About JTGrey:

    JTGrey Performance Driving, LLC was created in 2007 by Joe and Teresa Bacal to provide expert high-performance driving services (on and off-road) to the auto industry and related companies such as parts suppliers, print advertising and marketing agencies and the commercial and feature film industries, among others. The company is based in Phoenix, Arizona.

    JTGrey Racing was created by Joe and Teresa Bacal in 2008 to support Joe’s off-road racing efforts and is also based in Phoenix.