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Most travel brochures describe Chaco Culture National Historical Park as a "spiritual sanctuary" or a "bucket-list destination" for the soul. They show you golden hour photos of perfectly stacked stone walls and talk about "communing with the spirits" in the high desert of New Mexico. But if you have spent any time following my adventures, you know that things rarely go according to the brochure. We have a unique knack for turning a standard six-hour drive into a ten-hour ody

Why Upgrade to the MetalCloak Billet Aluminum Stabilizer Mount? Hey guys, Muddy Ruttzz here. I recently tackled a project on my Jeep Gladiator that started as a simple fix but quickly turned into a "fight." While there is absolutely nothing wrong with the standard steel mount that MetalCloak provides with their steering systems, I managed to make a bit of a mess during my initial installation. Between breaking a U-bolt and bending the bracket, I decided it was time to move t

When you’re deep in the backcountry, the last thing you want to find is that your tire iron doesn't fit your wheel. During my recent project—matching my Xventure trailer wheel upgrades to my Jeep Gladiator fleet—I discovered a safety issue that every Jeep owner needs to see.

Those heavy-duty tie rod ends from your fancy steering kit are usually way bigger than the stock stuff. If you try to slap your old OEM wheels back on, you might find them rubbing or even grinding against those new joints as soon as you turn the wheel. To make Jeep steel wheel fitment work, you’ll want to grab some wheels with at least 4.5 inches of backspacing. That’ll help push the tires out and give them some breathing room from the steering parts.

The Richter scale of 7.0 shaking is officially a thing of the past. After a marathon of installs, "Alignment Day" at B&G Total Alignment in New Mexico served as the final nail in the coffin. A successful Jeep death wobble fix isn't just about throwing money at parts; it’s about restoring the geometric integrity of the front end.

A successful MetalCloak steering system install is about more than just beefy parts; it’s about restoring the steering geometry and eliminating the "cumulative slop" we’ve been researching. As we found with the upper control arms, every pivot point matters.

How deep into the rabbit hole are you willing to go to find a ticking sound? Is it better to ignore the noise and risk getting stranded, or do you tear it all down and pray you don't make things worse? This is my story of trying, failing, and opening a $162 can of worms that cost me more than just money.

If you’re pulling the passenger-side axle on a Jeep Gladiator (JT) or Wrangler (JL), you’ve probably realized there is a major "gotcha" waiting for you inside the axle tube. It’s called the FAD, or Front Axle Disconnect. Many DIYers treat the passenger side like the driver side—just pull it out and shove it back in. But if you do that, you’re going to hit a wall. Or worse, you’ll ruin an expensive inner axle seal. This guide, born out of my extensive "Death Wobble Nuclear Op

If you are battling the dreaded front-end shimmy, a Dynatrac Ball Joint Install is often considered the "Nuclear Option" for a reason. Unlike standard factory units, these ProSteer heavy-duty joints are built to handle the added leverage of larger tires and off-road abuse. The beauty of this system is that they are rebuildable on the vehicle. Once you press them in this time, you’ll never have to use a ball joint press on those knuckles again.

When you’re dealing with a Jeep Gladiator or Wrangler shaking itself apart, sometimes you have to stop chasing small fixes and go nuclear. That is exactly what I’m doing in Part 5 of my Death Wobble series. Today, we are performing a MetalCloak Track Bar install to replace the thin, hollow factory unit with something that actually has the "beef" required for heavy off-road use.

I didn't realize how much a steering box could flex until I started chasing the death wobble on this 2022 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon. Today, we're beefing up the steering to stop the shake. Welcome to Muddy Ruttzz. This is part 4 of our series, and while no single part is a "silver bullet," this Jeep Sector Shaft Brace is a critical piece of the puzzle. By the time we finish this build with Metalcloak and Dynatrac components, this Gladiator should drive better than the day it le

When your Jeep starts shaking like a 7.0 on the Richter scale, you know you need a permanent Jeep Death Wobble Fix. After installing a Mopar 2-inch lift on my 2022 Gladiator, the steering became flighty. This happens because lifting the vehicle alters the suspension geometry, specifically pushing the caster angle out of its ideal range.

When you’re fighting the dreaded "Death Wobble," most people focus entirely on the front end. However, you can’t have a rock-solid front end without a stable rear. Installing a heavy-duty Jeep Gladiator Rear Track Bar is one of the easiest ways to start your teardown and build-up process.

If your steering wheel is shaking so hard it feels like a 7.0 on the Richter scale, you’re in the right place. While I am performing this build on my 2022 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, the components and geometry principles involved in the "Nuclear Option" apply directly to:Jeep Gladiator (JT) * Jeep Wrangler (JL & JK) The Goal: Stop "guessing" with steering stabilizers and address the root cause by replacing weak, plastic-seated factory parts with heavy-duty, solid steel alternat

If you’ve ever struggled with standard one-piece plugs, switching to 3-piece RJ45 connectors will be a total game-changer for your home office or media closet. After 40 years in the sheet metal trade, I’ve learned that having the right system is better than having raw speed. These three-part systems—consisting of the main housing, a spacer, and a loading bar—allow you to maintain the tightest possible twists in your Cat6 cable.

Whether you are a retired sheet metal worker like me or just a frustrated homeowner, building a DIY 2.5Gbps Home Network is the best way to get the speeds you are actually paying for. Most modern homes have a "rats nest" of wires hidden in a closet, but they aren't utilized. By moving away from "all-in-one" ISP boxes and installing dedicated multi-gigabit hardware, you can future-proof your home office and eliminate Wi-Fi dead zones.

There is nothing quite like the high desert in the winter. My Alaskan American Eskimo dog was in his element as we headed out to explore the trails near the house. By mid-morning, the grey clouds began to break, revealing those iconic patches of New Mexico blue sky against the rugged terrain.

There is nothing quite like the high desert in the winter. My Alaskan American Eskimo dog was in his element as we headed out to explore the trails near the house. By mid-morning, the grey clouds began to break, revealing those iconic patches of New Mexico blue sky against the rugged terrain.

Call it the pumpkin, rear end diff or center section, performing a Jeep differential fluid change is one of the most rewarding DIY projects you can tackle in your garage. Whether you are running a classic JK or a newer JL or Gladiator, the differential is the heart of your drivetrain. Keeping the gears and clutch packs lubricated with fresadd ons were installed on the cars as soon as they roll off the car carrier and non-negotiable. Pitre KIA my local KIA dealer dropped them

KIA wasn't on my radar but I was determined not to pay for "Dealer Add Ons. Other dealers claimed the add ons were installed on the cars as soon as they roll off the car carrier and non-negotiable. Pitre KIA my local KIA dealer dropped them without hassling me.