TrailRecon drops the Diesel

[grimmjeeper]

he did had a JK but at least your vehicle wasn't going to limp mode when hitting 240 F. The diesel will. limit power and speed, annoying at least.

My old JK with the 3.6 went into reduced power mode when I was pushing it over Vail pass a few years back. I didn't even have a trailer behind it. Still, it was summer and it overheated. I was maybe 1/2 to 1/4 mile from the top. It overheated and cut power on me.

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[landshark99]

My issue with him is that he says in the latest video he buys all his vehicles so he can say honest unbiased commentary, but when he had problems with the diesel, he never brought it up in any video he posted while using it. The videos were always how great everything is, on the other hand I have seen 2 other you tubers post a video of their diesels doing exactly what he is complaining about while it was happening. I find that a more honest approach. I am happy for him that he is able to support his lifestyle through Youtube, but the fact he is now selling products, starts to cross the line on credibility.

 

[WreckEm711]

My issue with him is that he says in the latest video he buys all his vehicles so he can say honest unbiased commentary, but when he had problems with the diesel, he never brought it up in any video he posted while using it. The videos were always how great everything is, on the other hand I have seen 2 other you tubers post a video of their diesels doing exactly what he is complaining about while it was happening. I find that a more honest approach. I am happy for him that he is able to support his lifestyle through Youtube, but the fact he is now selling products, starts to cross the line on credibility.

Yeah, I still really enjoy the channel but the common theme is that everything is great until it isn't, and then you don't hear about it until it's gone. I get that he's going for a more positive vibe and he does do long-term reviews of things, but then others just quietly disappear for months after he advocated for them which feels disingenuous.

 

[DwnSth]

I like TrailRecon and he has inspired quite a few trips over the years. I don't blame him for getting rid of the diesel - I would too if it went into limp mode multiple times while trying to get through a trail or drive in the mountains. I wish he would have done a full follow up and reviewed his discusssion with jeep in more detail. However, I have a JLURD on 37's and have had 0 issues. Absolutly no issues with DEF consumption. I off-road and overland and have had no overheating issues at all (try Hidden Falls in July). We don't tow but our overlanding set-up is pretty loaded down. One thing I love about the JLURD, fuel consumption - even on 37's. We spent an several days at Windrock and each day barely burned more than 1/8 tank. Same thing overlanding - no fuel station worries ever. I do always top off the DEF before wheeling or overlanding.
Overall, I think TrailRecon is a great resource for info. I do think he should be more forthcomming with problems (the Gladiator, JLURD). I don't think he pushes products like other youtubers (remember when they all had Milestars). Trail Recon and Lite Brite are both E3 so not sure if there is ever any co mingling of ideas etc.

 

[BigFeet]

Right? He seems like a genuine and nice guy. But his videos were so much better when he was just making them for fun and not profit. The bag of TrailRecon Coffee front and center of the video just makes me roll my eyes.

What is the deal with everyone having their own coffee brand these last few years?

Not everyone is growing coffee. It is quite a complicated process, with logistical issues, production, etcetera. Does Folgers have some overabundance (big pile) of coffee somewhere? Are they doing some kind of "Build A Bear" for Youboobers?

Folgers *Come make a picture on one of our designer bags. The pile is over there. Pay us money. Make them pay you money.*

Is there a coffee smuggling crisis going on? No idea - I don't get it.

Anyway, yeah, everything gets commercialized after a while. These shows were for the niche, and now they are not - Youboobers are just surfing the market share.

 

[brewski]

In CO thin air, going up a mountain, 80 degrees so I assume the AC was on, 1k of mods on Jeep, towing 2k trailer, on 37s without gears…and we are surprised it got hot.

this is exactly the problem. Growing up in the mountains of CO I would see multiple cars catch on fire over mountain passes every year. So many JKs have had overheating issues over the years visiting CO. If it was 70-80 degrees and he was climbing a pass where altitude (thin air) is higher, there is not enough thermo mass to keep the engine cool.

Additionally, if you vehicle is running hot don't keep pushing it. Roll down the windows and put the heat on to help cool it. As soon as he said he kept driving it like he was when it was starting to overheat I immediately thought "he doesn't know about cars, his desires aren't practical".

Right? He seems like a genuine and nice guy. But his videos were so much better when he was just making them for fun and not profit. The bag of TrailRecon Coffee front and center of the video just makes me roll my eyes.

I don't know how public the knowledge is, but he is not an independent reviewer anymore. He is 100% reviewing in a way to keep companies happy. One of the largest car parts companies (Premier Performance, who bought Northridge4x4 in 2011 or 2012) is working with him and they have an overlanding company they've started called TrainRecon working off his YouTube fame. I can't speak for the trail recon youtube guy (is it Brad?), but at this point it is pretty obvious that he is incentivized to speak well of brands he uses; just like any store owner would. I know the guy running the store trail recon and he is a good guy, and hope he does well with that business adventure (he used to work with Northridge).

 

[TX_Ovrlnd]

this is exactly the problem. Growing up in the mountains of CO I would see multiple cars catch on fire over mountain passes every year. So many JKs have had overheating issues over the years visiting CO. If it was 70-80 degrees and he was climbing a pass where altitude (thin air) is higher, there is not enough thermo mass to keep the engine cool.

Additionally, if you vehicle is running hot don't keep pushing it. Roll down the windows and put the heat on to help cool it. As soon as he said he kept driving it like he was when it was starting to overheat I immediately thought "he doesn't know about cars, his desires aren't practical".

That is the problem of his platform, people watching his videos can think he is an expert. People who own and tow know to do things differently under given circumstances.

 

[OllieChristopher]

What is the deal with everyone having their own coffee brand these last few years?

Not everyone is growing coffee. It is quite a complicated process, with logistical issues, production, etcetera. Does Folgers have some overabundance (big pile) of coffee somewhere? Are they doing some kind of "Build A Bear" for Youboobers?

You have to remember that Brad (Trail Recon) lives on a huge coffee bean farm in San Diego. Coffee was his bread and butter long before his YouTube channel.

 

[brewski]

That is the problem of his platform, people watching his videos can think he is an expert. People who own and tow know to do things differently under given circumstances.

yes, it is a problem with YouTube too. I've seen so many people try to make How-To videos and then try to promote them. Sometimes they do things and recommend doing things that is very bad and even dangerous. But just like the "I have a buddy who can weld" mentality, people don't realize they're getting ; just because someone has a platform to share knowledge, doesn't mean it is good knowledge to have.

 

[pablo_max3045]

Not everyone is growing coffee. It is quite a complicated process, with logistical issues, production, etcetera. Does Folgers have some overabundance (big pile) of coffee somewhere? Are they doing some kind of "Build A Bear" for Youboobers?

It's actually not that hard.
I roast my own espresso, though my machine will do about 500g and is in the 1200€ range. A machine to make larger batches, say 15-20kg gets up there in price (10k+) but the principles are the same. They are mostly automated.
I buy the green beans from my local roaster and use a saved profile and run a couple batches a week. (Some colleagues buy from me)
Of course, none of these guys having anything to do with roasting beans.
It is basically a marketing and sales channel for wholesalers. They contact influencers and use their branding to move more product and all it costs them is a small percentage and a different label.

 

[Austintatious]

Yeah I'm calling BS on this one. I've got a JKUS that I regularly pulled a 3K lb camper with and it would overheat and go into limp mode on any slight grade on the highway at 60mph on a regular, consistent basis. Heck, I can get it to do the same thing going thru several miles of deep, soft sand on the beach. Some of that had to do with the winch mounted in front of the radiator, etc.

And it happened to me much more than "maybe a half dozen times" as he said in his video in a weighted down JLURD, pulling a trailer, going up a steep grade, slow enough to not maximize airflow thru the radiator, in 80 degree temps with most likely the AC running.

Seriously?

And to whine about having to put in a few gallons of DEF every several thousand miles? Is he also disappointed that he has to find a gas station with diesel whenever his fuel is low?

I've still got my JKUS and I've had my JLUD since May. I also had a 2016 Ram 1500 with the Ecodiesel. While I've certainly experienced high temps and limp mode on my JK, I've never experienced high temps in either Ecodiesel under similar circumstances - and that includes road trips to and around Colorado.

ETA: An additional observation - I think he's setting up a brand switch to EV's. Getting rid of the diesel Jeep for a hybrid? Including some comments about an electric motorcycle? Appears he may be preparing to shift into EV Review mode for upcoming truck releases from several manufacturers. Maybe his focus group told him he needed to go down that path?

 

[FinnCustomKnives]

FWIW from someone who also tows alot with my JLURD, I have had the overheating issue as well but never got so hot that it went into derate mode. However my issues happened with a wide as hell M1102 military trailer, with 160lbs each 37" run flats with double beadlocks, with the top on which has a huge amount of frontal area. Only had the overheating on our 6,000 mile road trip from Atlanta to Moab a few times, and every time was on the way from Montrose to Moab or back from Moab to Montrose. It was July and was 105-110°. So if you can show me a wrangler that won't get hot in that scenario I will eat crow but that is about as extreme of heat generating towing scenario as our wranglers will see.

DEF consumption has gotten better than it was for the first 10k miles or so, but when towing I still go through DEF somewhat quickly. Without towing, the consumption really isn't even worth talking about. Filled up in September, then just had to fill up after a new year's road trip to Tampa. Buc-ee's DEF was 2.79/gal and filled me up for 13 bucks.

22k miles and counting, still loving the JLURD.

 

[BigFeet]

You have to remember that Brad (Trail Recon) lives on a huge coffee bean farm in San Diego. Coffee was his bread and butter long before his YouTube channel.

Honestly, I've never followed all of his stuff, and did not know that. I've only caught a few of his shows here and there, so learned something new.

"Lives on a bean farm", for this... he gets a pass.

It's actually not that hard.
I roast my own espresso, though my machine will do about 500g and is in the 1200€ range. A machine to make larger batches, say 15-20kg gets up there in price (10k+) but the principles are the same. They are mostly automated.
I buy the green beans from my local roaster and use a saved profile and run a couple batches a week. (Some colleagues buy from me)
Of course, none of these guys having anything to do with roasting beans.
It is basically a marketing and sales channel for wholesalers. They contact influencers and use their branding to move more product and all it costs them is a small percentage and a different label.

No lie, my Dad purchased multiple coffee bean farms in Honduras and has other farms working on his behalf. The time, logistics, export fees, quarantine times, packaging, etcetera took him over a year just to get the first shipment on the market shelves.

I see all these new coffee gimmicks on YouTube, and I'm thinking I missed out on something my Dad didn't tell me about.

Back to talking smack about Youboobers, I guess. Have at it.

 

[Wheelin Matt]

I say good for him, he worked his way into the hearts of youtubers with some great videography and commentary and now gets paid to go wheeling and camping. I would love his job, but I'm not complaining as my job is pretty sweet too

I bought a JLURD in May of last year and it was great until 7000 miles when all sorts of electrical and other stuff made it impossible for me to trust it on my long, remote adventures. So I traded it in for a JLUR XR that's been great so far..... I really only have the Jeep to keep miles off my trustworthy 2018 Powerwagon that's taken me thru epic adventures with ZERO issues.

I don't watch most of TrailRecons videos but they are pretty well done and he seems like a decent guy for sure, just doing his job so he can have fun doing what all of us here are buying our Jeeps for!

 

[stumblinhorse]

I think what he did is a little bit BS. He seemingly had to give a reason to get rid of the JLURD and he pulled one out of his a$$. He should have just said “hey, I bought the bronco and I like it better“ or whatever. It was a cop out to take a parting shot at the JLURD. ”I can’t have a vehicle that overheats blah, blah…”. In CO running up the passes in any outside air temp with a trailer, every vehicle gets hot. So drive appropriately. He wouldn’t be able to own any vehicle if that is his measurement.

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