Technical Library

Technical articles written by members or links to articles of interest to our members and others with our shared obsession.

Accessory Wiring

Posted on by Paul Dufresne
It is common practice with off-road vehicles to add a variety of accessories, many of which require power. Whether you're adding a CB, trail lights, axle lockers or something else, taking a little extra time can prevent you from having to troubleshoot a rats nest in the middle of an obstacle out on the trail. This article is not a comprehensive course on vehicle electrical systems, but rather a series of tips and tricks to help make your accessory wiring manageable. Sourcing Power The most ...
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DIY Accessory Control Module

Posted on by Paul Dufresne
Almost every Jeep on the trail has some kind of after market accessory that requires power. Each lightbar, axle locker and compressor requires a switch and running all these wires into the cabin can create a real rat's nest under the hood and behind the dash. There are aftermarket solutions such as the SPOD and the new JL offers 4 programmable buttons to control accessories. The SPOD is quite expensive, and we can't all upgrade to the JL, so here's how you can clean up your wiring and build y...
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Care and Maintenance of your Smart Swaybar

Posted on by Paul Dufresne
One of the most welcome features of the JK/JKU Rubicon was the electronic disconnecting swaybar, AKA the Smartbar. This handy feature eliminates the need for aftermarket swaybar disconnects and allows you to improve your flex from the comfort of your driver's seat. It is one of the envious features of the Rubicon, until you get it wet. Then, any number of gremlins may appear. In fairness, it is generally pretty resilient. The one on my 2008 Rubicon went 9 years without any maintenance bef...
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Selecting a CB Antenna

Posted on by Paul Dufresne
Selecting an antenna for off-roading can be tricky, and you generally want an antenna that has the following characteristics: Flexible – you don’t want your antenna snapping the first time you hit a low hanging branch Top loaded – Top loaded antennas tend to have better range High Gain – antennas with high gain effectively amplify your signal. As a general rule, on the trail, you don’t need crazy range. Front to back, we’re usually within a kilometer or so. However, every so often, wh...
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Selecting a CB Radio

Posted on by Paul Dufresne
The EOTB, like many other off-road clubs uses CB radios as the primary means of communication between vehicles on the trail. Most CB radios are very similar. They usually support 40 channels, transmit at up to 4 Watts which is all you really need. You can get some extras like built-in SWR meters, weather radio, channel memories among others. As long as you stick with a reputable brand, you should be fine. It's generally advisable to stick to one of the three major brands, Uniden, Midland or C...
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