The Northwest 4x4 Blog

Liquidation Auction

2009-01-14T14:43:00.000-05:00

EVERYTHING MUST GO!!
Due to the closing of our store, we will be hosting an auction on Saturday, Feb. 7th at 10am. If you would like to preview what will be for sale, our doors will be open Friday (Feb. 6th) from 10am to 2pm.
There will be car lifts, an alignment rack, welders, a tire balancer and mounter, a tube bender, office equipment, current stock, shelving units, plus much more.
After January 15th, an updated list of items for sale will be available at:
www.merrittauctionservice.com

Hope you can make it, The Team at Northwest 4x4

Merry Christmas from the Bronco Babes!

2008-12-23T15:40:00.002-05:00

Well, we have to admit that we have been holding out on you. We've had this pic in our possession for 3-4 months now, but were waiting for a special occasion to break it out. So, here it is, a Christmas present from Northwest 4x4 and the Bronco Babes to all of our loyal customers. Thanks to one and all. Have a wonderful Christmas, be safe and take care.

The Northwest 4x4 Team

Nice Chevy Dually

2008-12-23T15:20:00.003-05:00

Our buddy Jim Fuller at Extreme Off Road Parts (EORP) recently brought us his Chevy dually. This truck looked pretty damn good already with it's custom paint, but we managed to take things up a notch with the addition of a 6" BDS lift and a set of 35" Procomp Xtreme All Terrains. We were pleasantly surprised with how well the truck rode after the lift, we might go as far to say that it rides better than stock.

Chevy Rockwell Project

2008-12-18T08:59:00.003-05:00

One of our favorite customers recently brought in an ordinary '93 Chevy pickup that we are going to turn into an off road beast. We are talking all kinds of cool stuff like: 2 1/2 ton Rockwells, Detroit Lockers, pinion brakes, Stazworks double beadlocks and 47" Super Swamper LTB's. The plan is for a simple yet durable 8" leaf spring lift, with a generous amount of body trimming. Stay tuned for updates as this project takes shape.

SET UP YOUR WISH LIST SOON

2008-12-12T14:57:00.002-05:00

If this is your kind of wish list, then we are your kind of store. Come on in or call us next week and set up your wish list. Then send your loved ones in so they can buy you exactly what you want. So, instead of getting the same old crap for Christmas, you could be unwrapping some bad ass off road gear. You better hurry though, Christmas is less than 2 weeks away!!

It's For The Kids!!!

2008-12-11T08:46:00.003-05:00

Northwest 4x4 is proud be a drop off location for the Toys For Tots program. If you stop by our shop in the next 2 weeks with a toy to donate, we will give you a certificate for $10 toward your next vehicle service (repair order must contain at least 1 hour of labor). This is a wonderful cause and this year there are more children than ever who need help in making their Christmas dreams come true. Thank you for your generosity.

Pic of the Week

2008-12-05T11:35:00.003-05:00

It looks like we are on pace for a December snowfall record here in Northern Michigan. Some of the local school districts are contemplating converting their buses to the above set up.

Pics of the week

2008-11-24T08:50:00.005-05:00

Well, we missed a few weeks of updating the Blog, but we're back at it today. With the way the white stuff is piling up out there, we figured a snow themed group of pictures would be appropriate. These are all from Dog Party 2007. Enjoy.

Pic of the Week

2008-10-29T07:29:00.002-05:00

Here's Kris gettin' after it at Dog Party '08 in his YJ.

Check Out Our On-Line Store

2008-10-21T08:08:00.002-05:00

Here is the situation: It's Friday night and you are sitting at home (alone, as usual) surfing Pirate 4x4 and all the other offroad forums, when you finally decide "You know what, I NEED a Warn Powerplant". You look at your clock, "crap!! 8:00 already, NW 4x4 has been closed for hours. Looks like I'll just sit here like a loser and surf another Friday night away on the web." Well, thanks to Northwest 4x4, this doesn't have to happen anymore. With our new on-line store you can turn your lonely Friday nights into a parts buying frenzy. While all your friends are out at the bar spending their hard earned money on $5.OO beers, you'll be buying up killer parts while you down a few Natural Light's in the comfort of your own home. Who's the loser now???

You can check out our on-line store by clicking the "CATALOG" link in the top left corner of our homepage (or simply click the link below). We'll be adding more products in the future, so be sure to take a look again soon. If you can't find what you are looking for, give us a call at the shop and we'll set you up. Thanks.

http://www.northwest4x4.com/catalog.php

Zone Offroad Products

2008-10-20T13:06:00.001-05:00

Northwest 4x4 is proud to announce that we are now an authorized dealer for Zone Offroad Products. Zone is in the process of building up a complete line of suspension products for popular Dodge, Chevy, Ford, Jeep and Toyota models. Zone’s lifts and accessories are designed for those who are budget minded, but not willing to sacrifice quality. Be sure to stop in our shop or check out the Zone Offroad Products website (link below) to learn more about this exciting new line of products.

http://zoneoffroad.com/

Pic of the Week

2008-10-14T09:18:00.003-05:00

Ryan airs out his CJ at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes...Summer 2006...

Wag Update

2008-10-14T07:36:00.002-05:00

If you are at all familiar with Clark's '89 Wag and have looked through our Loonie Run pictures, then you probably noticed the beast is now sporting tube doors. The stock doors had become intimate friends with trees and rocks on numerous occasions and no longer functioned properly. So, after a day of cutting, bending and welding, The Wag was outfitted with the burly set of tube doors seen above.

The increased visibility these doors offer when wheeling has been a great benefit and they look pretty damn cool too. Although, once Dog Party rolls around and the wind chill is -10, the tube doors may not seem like such a good idea...screw it...if your rig performs and looks better who cares about a mild case of frostbite!!!

Loonie Run 2008

2008-10-07T09:36:00.006-05:00

Without a doubt, one of our favorite wheeling events is the Loonie Run. Every year about this time we head north to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario for some of the gnarliest terrain you can find in the "Midwest". Big rock faces, steep hills and slippery as shit mud make for some intense 4 wheelin' action. Here is how it went down.

Thursday, October 2nd

We loaded up the Wag and headed over to Kalkaska to pick up another Jeep. Once we had everything squared away in K-Town, it was time to hop on 75 North and make our way to Canada. At the border we were given our annual anal cavity search by the border patrol agents (thanks for not using the whole fist this year guys). After that it was on to the cabins to claim our beds for the weekend. Things were pretty quiet there so we drove around a little to take in the sights. Eventually we ended up back at the cabins, where we had a quiet night in anticipation of 2 big days to come.

Friday, October 3rd

We set out from the cabins bright and early for breakfast, breathing in some very chilly (low 30's) Canadian air along the way. After breakfast we were off to Weeble's property for our first day of wheelin'. We spent the whole day there doing battle with the mud and the rocks (and trying to stay dry, cause it was so damn cold). That evening we made our way back to the cabins for some grub and a few after dinner cocktails.

Saturday, October 4th

After a hearty breakfast, it was off to Charlene and Randy's property for the 22nd Annual Loonie Run. Close to 60 rigs were in attendance, ready to tackle the rugged terrain. It was apparent early on that lockers and a winch are mandatory equipment and 40's or bigger are a good idea too. We spent all day slogging through the mud and banging the Wag off trees and rocks, loving every minute of it. The Wag escaped with minimal carnage...one broken passengers seat, thanks to Kris (we knew we should have fired him after the "Indy camera incident!"). As evening fell, we again returned to the cabins for dinner and cold beverages as we recounted the day's events.

Sunday, October 4th

We awoke, shook off the cob webs, packed up and headed for the border. In Sault, MI we made our way to the Kewadin Casino for a killer breakfast buffet. Then it was on the road for the long drive home. We made one quick stop in Kalkaska before finally rolling back into TC around 5:00. All in all it was a great weekend of wheeling with good people, just the way we like it.

Click the link for more pictures:
http://www.northwest4x4.com/photo_gallery2.php?gallery=162&gname=Loonie+Run+08

Bronco Babes

2008-09-29T10:03:00.007-05:00

Pictured above is NW 4x4 co-owner Cherie with her '74 Bronco and her friends Becky and Heidi. The photos were taken for the September issue of NM3 (Northern Michigan Men's Magazine). The ladies and the Bronco are featured as the centerfold in the issue out right now. It is a free magazine, available at many local businesses in the Traverse City area. Get your copy now before they are gone!!

Be sure to check out our friends at NM3... http://www.nm3live.com/

2008 Indy Jamboree Trip

2008-09-29T08:13:00.002-05:00

If it’s fall in the Midwest and trucks are your thing, then the Indy 4-Wheel Jamboree is the place for you. For 3 days in late September Indy is the epicenter of the off road world. With over 4000 trucks on display, there is something for everyone, from monster trucks to rock crawlers and everything in between. We were just down there for the weekend and had a great time, even though we were “working”. Here is a recap of our six days on the road.

Wednesday, September 17th “Headin’ South”

We met at the shop, loaded up our gear and hit the road. Special thanks to Gwen Allen for letting us borrow her 2006 Harley edition F-350 for transportation and display purposes. This is a sweet rig that we tricked out with a 4” BDS four link kit and 35” Pro-Comp X-Terrains. We were all very impressed with how well this truck rode. Anyway, we left the shop and made a beeline for Coldwater, MI, home of BDS Suspension. We picked up some parts, tires and other display items before we mounted up again for the rest of drive. Upon arrival in Indy, we checked into our hotel and began to settle in for the night. Everything had gone smoothly thus far, which meant we were due for trouble. And trouble arrived when Kris pulled back the sheets on his bed only to find a pair of underwear staring at him. He quickly disposed of them in the proper receptacle (that’s right, Rick’s pillowcase!!!). Unfortunately, Rick sniffed them out real quick and gently escorted them to the garbage can. Fun over. Lights out.

Thursday, Sept. 18th “Set Up Day”

We were up bright and early Thursday morning, ready to stake out our territory at the fairgrounds for the weekend. We grabbed some breakfast and drove over to the vendor area. BDS was kind enough to share their booth with us and we spend most of the day setting up. Our buddies from Extreme Off Road Parts (EORP) were set up right behind us, helping us represent the 231. After set up is was off to dinner and then back to hotel. It was in the hotel parking lot that we witnessed the first signs of “Indy Jambo Fun”, a Tug-O-War broke out between a couple big trucks. So we grabbed a few cold ones and enjoyed the free show before calling it a night.

Friday, Sept. 19th “Welcome to the Show”

Once again we jumped out of bed at the crack of dawn, grabbed some grub and made our way to the fairgrounds. The show opened to the public at 9:00, but things didn’t start to pick up till noon. The afternoon went by fast as we passed out countless stickers, bottle openers and business cards. Soon it was time to close up shop and head to dinner. We met up with our buddies from BDS at Lonestar Steakhouse, where we threw some peanut shells on the floor and ate countless pounds of beef. From there it was back to hotel parking lot for more late night, big truck fun.

Saturday, Sept. 20th “The Big Day”

Saturday is always the biggest and busiest day of the show and this year was no exception. Once again we were at our booth, ready for action by 9:00. The day went by fast as we continued with the passing out of swag, shaking hands and kissing babies (it’s an election year you know?). Late in the afternoon, the clouds rolled in and brought some serious rain. Most of the other vendors packed up and left for the day, but we stuck it out and were even rewarded by making a few sales. We finished out the day by heading over to the 4 Wheel Parts “open house”. They had a real nice crowd there rockin’ out with the live band and watching some rock crawling.

Sunday, Sept 21st “Winding Down”

Once again, we were back at it bright and early (see the pattern here?) doing our thing. There were not as many customers in the vendor area, so we did some networking with the other vendors. Kris took his camera and made is way around the fairgrounds, snapping hundreds of pictures along the way. However a minor “memory card problem” prevents us from showing you the bulk of these pictures. He says he has lots of pictures from the ’07 show, but ’08, not so much…he might just get fired for this. Back on track here…at 6 PM we started to tear everything down and exited the show for the final time around 8. A short drive took us to Joe’s Crab Shack were met up with EORP gang. Back to the hotel…trucks…beer…etc…bed.

Monday, Sept 22nd “Headin’ North”

We woke up early, as usual, relieved to know that we didn’t have to shake any more hands or kiss any more babies. A quick breakfast, then back in the truck. Next stop Coldwater, MI. We dropped some stuff off at BDS headquarters, before pointing ourselves toward Grand Rapids. In G.R. we met up with our raffle winner, Eric Speers. He is the proud new owner of a Hi-Lift Jack and a NW 4x4 T-Shirt…congrats Eric, hope you enjoy them both! Eventually we rolled back into TC around 5 PM, exhausted but excited about getting our name out there and meeting some great people.

We were pretty busy at our booth the whole weekend, so we didn't get much opportunity to walk around and check out all the rigs. We did however see enough to know that the trend toward diesels and diesel performance is getting stronger…stacks were abundant and the black smoke was flowing freely. We also noticed that the “average Joe” seems to be putting more time, effort and money into his suspension and steering set-ups. We, for one, are glad to see this. “Hackjob” steering set-ups are fun to look at and joke about, but they are just downright dangerous.

All in all it was a great 6 days, but it sure is nice to be home.

We're back!!

2008-09-25T09:55:00.002-05:00

We're back, in more ways than one. First of all, we just returned from the 4-Wheel Jamboree in Indianapolis where we spent 4 days selling stuff, checking out trucks and meeting people. Secondly, we're back to updating this blog, which is long overdue.

Check back next week for a write up on the Indy show. We'll let you know what we did, what we saw and what we thought was cool. In the weeks to come we will provide updates on some of our favorite projects...The Wag, The Scout and the JK. We have a few other cool projects in the works (can you say 2 1/2 ton Rockwells??) as well, so keep cheking back in.

Thanks for reading.

2007 Jeep JK Unlimited X

2007-04-05T08:43:00.000-05:00

These Are The Upgrades We're Doing:
- Currie Iron Jock High Pinion Dana 60 Center Sections
3" x .500" Wall Dom Axel Tubes
- Extreme Off Road Parts Billet Steering Knuckles, C's and High Steer Arms
- PSC Steering
- FK Bearing Rod Ends
- Rear Is 35 Spline Full Floater
- Front Is 35 Spline With Yukon 4340 Shafts With Spicer Joints
- 5.38 Gears Front And Rear
- OX Lockers Front And Rear
- Alcan Custom Leaf Springs Front And Rear With Orbit Eye Bushings. Built For Spring Over Configuration
- Fox Racing 2.0 Reservoir Shocks
- Fox Racing Air Bumps
- Warn Power plant 12,000 LB Winch
- Custom Northwest 4x4 Exo Cage
- Shrock Works Front Bumper
- Jeeperman Rear Bumper
- 37" Toyo MT's For Now
-17x9 Chamber Teflon Wheels
- Atlas 4 Speed Transfer Case
- Tom Woods Custom Drive Shafts
We Chose These Upgrades for Durability and Simplicity. Our philosophy at Northwest 4x4 is simple. "Its better to have a simple, well functioning machine then a trendy, over complicated, ill functioning machine". Simple, durable leaf springs provide the handling and stability we are looking for in this project while high end shocks and air bumps ensure a great ride with out the service requirements.

Here's the project picture link.
http://www.northwest4x4.com/photo_gallery2.php?gallery=119&gname=2007+Jeep+JK+Sahara

Thank You,
Northwest 4x4

1980 International Scout 2 Traveler

2007-03-15T09:36:00.000-05:00

Lately our biggest project has been our Scout. It started as a beautiful blue rusted pile of wonderland and has been turning into a tank. This things been through a lot and we're happy that its going to stay in the family. So far it has Dana 60's front and rear T19 wide, we dropped in a Factory Rebuilt Nissan Turbo Diesel, a Dana 20 Transfer Case with PTO which goes for our 10,000 lb. Braden PTO Winch. We also have OX lockers front and rear, Custom Bumpers, Rock Sliders and Roll Cage (which we just got back from paint). Full Fiberglass Body, H1 Dual Bead lock Rims, 35x12.50R16.5 Trxus M/T's, York Air Compressor and about 8" of lift. So you can kind of see why i say this is a tank. Its been over at paint for about a week now and we've been anxious to get it back. We still have a lot of interior work to do and we still have to get her running. If you would like to see the pictures they're on our site.

Here's the gallery link. http://www.northwest4x4.com/photo_gallery2.php?gallery=99&gname=1980+Scout+Traveler

Thank You,

Northwest 4x4

Project Stinger

2007-03-15T08:20:00.000-05:00

Right now we've been experimenting with producing a line of Stingers. If you don't know what a Stinger is, well you might just want to find out. We make them out of 1.5" Seq. 40. They're unpainted and can be made in all different sizes. We could even add maybe a little rock guard in the center for you. So what do you guys think? Give us ideas of what you would like to see in a Stinger and we'll see if we can fulfill that dream. Whats best for you the customer? Let us know.

Thank You,

Northwest 4x4