“There is a hole here,” I said, a little bit louder. “Uh-huh,” he said as he moved the steering wheel right, then left, then right again in an attempt to find traction for the climb. I put my brand-new camera in its case and wedged it between my knees, tightened my seat belt, and one last time said, “THERE IS A HOLE HERE.” The tire dropped in the hole, and I closed my eyes, fully expecting the buggy to land hard on the passenger side. I felt the movement of the vehicle as we started to fall. I opened my eyes to discover we were lying on the driver’s side, and my camera was gone, buried somewhere in the sand. This wasn’t my first experience in the buggy, but it was my first rollover.
The Rabid Squirrel was built in 2009. My husband wanted a comp buggy; I wanted something that we could go wheeling in as a family. After a lot of looking at builds and budgets, we spent a day test driving a friend’s Formula Toyota. At the time, building an F-toy made the most sense for us. Designed to be an entry-level buggy, F-Toys had a pre-fabricated chassis that you bought then built to class specifications. They were leaf-sprung, Toyota powered, and had a frame under them. Earlier in the year, we had taken the Squirrel to Moab for a shakedown run. The tuning on the propane system was not right.
The engine was getting too much fuel and running too hot. Sadly, the Squirrel spent most of its maiden voyage parked at the house while we wheeled in my 4Runner. Later that summer, the Squirrel made its debut in competitive rock crawling.
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TRAIL REPORT: Gladiator Trail
There are many trails within the Chokecherry Canyon area of Farmington, New Mexico.
CHASING SQUIRRELS
“ There is a hole here,” I said, gazing through the lime green tubing as the front passenger tire inched closer to the hole. “Uh-huh,” he replied.
PUT IT OUT!
ALWAYS CARRY A FIRE EXTINGUISHER
STAMPEDE AMONG THE PANDEMIC
STAMPEDE AMONG THE PANDEMIC
STEERING THAT IS FORGIVING
A challenge, as your o -road daringness increases, is how to keep your steering safe.
GLAMIS BLACK BAG PROJECT
Keeping Glamis clean for all to enjoy
LIGHTEN THE RIDE OFF YOUR RIG
Aftermarket suspension systems typically use one of three end types on their suspension links.
FIRST GENERATION BRONCO VS. 2021 FORD BRONCO SPECS
A comparison of the data. The first-generation Ford Bronco, released in 1966 and after vs. the 2021 Ford Bronco.
DIXIE 4 WHEEL DRIVE - NAMED TORA RETAILER OF THE YEAR AT SEMA
Some four-wheel-drive shops feel like institutions. They’ve been around in everyone’s memories forever, so you know they’ve existed for a long time. Dixie Four Wheel Drive has long been one of those establishments in St. George, Utah.
ANOTHER SHAFT OPTION
Two key components that take a beating on an off-road vehicle are the front and rear driveshafts.
TOYOTA PROFIT DOWN AS CHIPS SHORTAGE KEEPS CUSTOMERS WAITING
Toyota’s profit fell nearly 18% in the AprilJune quarter from the year before, as a semiconductor shortage that has slammed the auto industry dented production at Japan’s top automaker.
FJ5.3
DANNY SOLIS' LS-POWERED 1963 LAND CRUISER FJ40
Angus MacKenzie: The Big Picture
EVS mean everyone needs to be at the top of their game.
Delta Places Order for 100 Boeing 737 Aircraft
Delta is ordering 100 737 Max 10 airplanes, the largest of the line produced by Boeing, potentially giving the manufacturer additional momentum after a troubled rollout of its most advanced aircraft.
2022 Toyota Tacoma Trail Edition
A budget-friendly off-roader that starts at under $40,000
SUBSTANCE OVER STYLE?
WITH OFF-ROAD-ORIENTED CROSSOVERS RESURGENT, TWO OF THE NEWEST PLAYERS CHALLENGE A PIONEER
MODERN TRUCKSTERS
THESE CLOSELY MATCHED SUVS CAN DO IT ALL, BUT ONLY ONE DOES IT BEST
MILESTAR PATAGONIA X/T
Here's what we think after 10,000 on-and off-road miles
Safe at First
Highs: Taut yet compliant suspension, airy interior, solid roster of features. Lows: Modest power, so-so range, federal tax credit expiring soon.
NICE F-ING TRUCKS
IF YOU WANT TO INVEST IN THE NEXT BIG THING, HERE ARE FOUR NFTs THAT ARE GUARANTEED TO HAVE YOU LIVING LARGE