Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Mark A. Smith's Guide to Safe, Common Sense Off-Road Driving

Chris

Chris

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Thanks to @98TxTJ for sharing this.

Mark Smith was an exceptional person from what I've been told. I thought some people might find this resource of great use, and at the very least it makes for a good discussion.
 

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Pretty simplistic and the idea of starting and driving without a clutch is probably wierd to most everyone other than Toyota guys. And although he had many more decades of experience than I do it seems he had some really wierd ideas about tire pressures. Maybe he knew better but was was limited in what he could write due to Goodyear sponsorship?
 
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steelhd said:
Pretty simplistic and the idea of starting and driving without a clutch is probably wierd to most everyone other than Toyota guys. And although he had many more decades of experience than I do it seems he had some really wierd ideas about tire pressures. Maybe he knew better but was was limited in what he could write due to Goodyear sponsorship?
Click to expand...

Can someone explain this a little better for me? You don't have to disengage the clutch safety switch or anything, you can just.. start and drive while the jeep is in 1st without clutching in as long as it is against a rock or something?

I tried looking up some videos and I can't find anything on it - just clutchless shifting or moving forward in 4lo without the gas haha.
 
I met him one time out at his Ranch in Wellington Nevada. There was a group of us scouting trails for an upcoming JJUSA event which ended up being based out of Bridgeport Ca. We stayed at his Ranch for a couple nights while doing the scouting of the trails.
 
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Elyse8743 said:
Can someone explain this a little better for me? You don't have to disengage the clutch safety switch or anything, you can just.. start and drive while the jeep is in 1st without clutching in as long as it is against a rock or something?

I tried looking up some videos and I can't find anything on it - just clutchless shifting or moving forward in 4lo without the gas haha.
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Modern vehicles with a manual transmission have a clutch safety switch that prevents the vehicle from being started unless the clutch is depressed. Maybe the older Jeeps didn't have this feature but in any case it's probably easy enough to bypass. My manual Toyota 4x4s have had a "clutch start cancel" switch that bypasses the clutch safety switch. Automatic transmission vehicles have a neutral safety switch that does the same thing. What he is saying, if your vehicle is equipped to bypass the safety switch, is that if you are in 4 Low you can use the starter to move the vehicle and even start it without pushing in the clutch.
 
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In my 2005 TJ there was a fuse you needed to insert in the under hood fuse block. Then the engine would start without the clutch being pushed down, in any gear or transfer case position.

In my 2006 Rubicon the engine will start without the clutch being depressed if the transfer case is in 4LO. I used this feature to move in/out of the garage when the seats were out but have also tested off road. Never needed it yet but I have the confidence to know I can start the engine in 4lo without having to depress the clutch and get out of a sticky situation that I previously might have thought I needed 3 feet to handle.
 
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Thanks, good to know!! I may have to give that a try tomorrow just to get a feel for that. I don't foresee needing to use it too often with what I wheel, but definitely a good trick to have up my sleeve!
 
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Chris said:
Thanks to @98TxTJ for sharing this.

Mark Smith was an exceptional person from what I've been told. I thought some people might find this resource of great use, and at the very least it makes for a good discussion.
Click to expand...
Yes thanks and a lot of
Elyse8743 said:
Thanks, good to know!! I may have to give that a try tomorrow just to get a feel for that. I don't foresee needing to use it too often with what I wheel, but definitely a good trick to have up my sleeve!
Click to expand...
Yes thanks for this. A lot of good advise which never hurts to review. I especially noted page 50 where it is suggested not to use took/clevis to connect straps. Picture of it shooting the back. Window. Thru seat read, front windshield certainly affirms that point.
Chris said:
Thanks to @98TxTJ for sharing this.

Mark Smith was an exceptional person from what I've been told. I thought some people might find this resource of great use, and at the very least it makes for a good discussion.
Click to expand...
Yes thanks for this.
A lot of good advise which never hurts to review. I especially noted page 50 where it is suggested not to use hook/clevis to connect straps along with picture of it shooting thru back window, then the drivers headrest , then the front windshield certainly confirms that point.
 
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Bringing this thread back as Mark Smith was recently mentioned on another thread by @AndyG and a Google search brought it up. The pdf link still works and it's a great read and not over complicated. A couple things I picked up, a dot on the top of the steering wheel when the wheels are straight ahead (although my steering wheel is already centered) and the hard wood dowels. Plus the reminders of some basic stuff like finding traction by turning the steering wheel back and forth and always clearing out as much as possible around the stuck vehicle before the recovery attempt.

One thing impressed me was the use of stock Jeeps with no lifts and 31" tires even for the Darien trip. I also noticed on page 10 he said it is not necessary to disconnect the front sway bar links on a TJ.

He also mentions to know your approach and departure angles but didn't explain how you actually do that, for me it's more of a guestimate unless there's more to it?

There's also some good pictures here https://expeditionportal.com/the-passing-of-a-legend-mark-a-smith/ from some of the early day trips.
 
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B1Toad said:
Bringing this thread back as Mark Smith was recently mentioned on another thread by @AndyG and a Google search brought it up. The pdf link still works and it's a great read and not over complicated. A couple things I picked up, a dot on the top of the steering wheel when the wheels are straight ahead (although my steering wheel is already centered) and the hard wood dowels. Plus the reminders of some basic stuff like finding traction by turning the steering wheel back and forth and always clearing out as much as possible around the stuck vehicle before the recovery attempt.

One thing impressed me was the use of stock Jeeps with no lifts and 31" tires even for the Darien trip. I also noticed on page 10 he said it is not necessary to disconnect the front sway bar links on a TJ.

He also mentions to know your approach and departure angles but didn't explain how you actually do that, for me it's more of a guestimate unless there's more to it?

There's also some good pictures here https://expeditionportal.com/the-passing-of-a-legend-mark-a-smith/ from some of the early day trips.
Click to expand...

We wheeled with @tnjeepguy recently- near stock Sahara- we were in built LJR on 37’s- he was amazing - we struggled when he didn’t.
 
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AndyG said:
We wheeled with @tnjeepguy recently- near stock Sahara- we were in built LJR on 37’s- he was amazing - we struggled when he didn’t.
Click to expand...

I've always believed that off road abilities are largely knowledge, common sense and experience. Equipment helps but can't make up for the lack of the first 3. Did you ever watch Matt's video when the guy in the Raptor got stuck and when Matt got there he looked at it and said "I think I'll just drive this one out" and he did just that. That's what I'm talking about.
 
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