The Importance of Shakedown Runs

Taking your rig through its paces after a mod, ensuring all parts are working, and inspecting essential gear before a trip will ensure great times running the trails.

by

Words by J.D. Keating @Dads_That_Wheel; Photos by Brad Morris

Whenever I hear the word “shakedown” I can’t help but envision a Wild West saloon, complete with swinging doors and jingling spurs. While there were no spurs on a recent wheeling trip, we did have our ears perked for jingling.

The purpose of a shakedown run is to put your vehicle through its paces in various situations with the intent to look, listen or feel for anything out of the ordinary concerning various working components. After installing a few new toys on our Jeep JL’s it was important for us to see what worked and what, if anything, didn’t.

A proper “shakedown” includes cycling your suspension, fully locking the steering both ways, flexing out, stretching out and essentially putting your vehicle safely – yet intentionally – through every possible scenario to ensure all new and existing parts properly mesh. When we reached out to a few good friends with an excuse to go wheeling, everyone jumped on board and our hoedown plan was settled before sundown.

We had just finished installing RCV front axles as well as some new steering systems, including the RPM Aluminum 2.5 tonne and SteerSmarts Yeti XD steering kits, on our two Jeep JL’s. We were anxious to push both Jeeps and see what would happen. Our white JL, dubbed “The Ghst” was also rubbing in all the wrong places so full flex was necessary to confirm what else needed to be trimmed.

Prior to your departure, look over your vehicle and double check that all torque spec’d bolts are fully seated. Make sure everything is tight and there are no loose wires. Take your time to see that everything looks as it should. We strongly recommend using a paint marker or even some nail polish if you get desperate to mark all essential nuts and bolts. Marking your connection points allows you to ensure nothing is loose at just a quick glance. Once you’re confident, it’s time to hit the trails.

With a good mix of friends, full-size rigs, the obligatory door less Jeep and even a beat up solid-axle-swapped Toyota to stretch our legs with we were prepared to put our trucks through the ringer and hopefully come out smiling on the other side.

We typically carry exactly what we need. However, every spring we find it invaluable to go over all camping supplies, emergency kits and tools. If you’re anything like us, you pour over forums, and review articles, opinions and tech specs on nearly every single product you purchase.

Packing for off road adventures is a testament of essentials versus comfort. Unless you’re driving a pre-1980s family wagon, space is at a premium in most off-road vehicles. As such, we packed several different camping essentials along for this trip to see what works best. Two collapsible picnic-style benches, several camp kitchens, folding chairs and portable tables – we even brought a kitchen sink. It’s so nice to test everything out on a casual run to narrow down exactly what you might need on regular basis. This is also the opportune time to make checklists of things you wish you had brought. Things like toilet paper, bug spray, spare nuts, bolts and wires all come in handy in a pinch.

There is nothing more annoying than an unrelenting rattle or squeak you can’t quite locate. On this trip, Brad chased a loose body mount and slightly twisted body, rubbing against itself for a few hours back at camp, insisting it was his overtaxed tailgate hinges. Luckily for me, my CavFab4x4 spare tire carrier was stout as a steed and didn’t make as much as a blip throughout the trip.

The laundry list of wants versus needs is a running gag with Jeep owners. The reality is each time you go out exploring you realize some new found limitation. At full flex, the rear tires on The “Ghst” were tucked right up into the wheel wells and the tire lugs grab ahold of the plastic inner fender liner, beating it like a war cry drum. While this isn’t an essential modification, it is annoying and will eventually begin to prematurely wear either the factory liners or at the very least, the grommets holding them – looks like an inner fender liner replacement search is next on our list.

Pierre finally conceded that his homebuilt bumpers stuck out from his rig further than he would he have liked and admitted he would be trimming them before the next time out. ToyotaTim even accepted that his rig needed some long over-do attention on wiring issues, which been ignoring for years. It was relaxing to take our time along the way, trying each line as many times as we wanted, honing our skills behind the wheel and really pushing the rigs to their limits.

Before every wheeling season, take the time to round up a few trusted comrades, spend time under your truck, look around and get to know your off-road vehicle. The trust you have in your vehicle is cultivated over maintenance and care and you always get the most out of what you put into it. Trust us, it will make each summer that much more enjoyable. It will provide the freedom to appreciate all the aspects of wheeling in the first place, including the camaraderie among friends, the landscapes and most importantly, the enjoyment of it all.