Why join a 4×4 club? They are just for extreme rock crawlers right?
NOPE. Full Stop.
While perhaps some clubs may be exclusive to a specific type of vehicle, or vehicle sport (rock crawling, mudding, overlanding whatever) Rattlesnake 4x4s is not. Period. We are a 4×4 club dedicated to 4×4’s and all the ways to enjoy them. Yes we have some seriously capable rigs that can crawl over huge boulders in places like The Rubicon and yes we have some seriously capable rigs that you can spend literally days on the road in the back country overlanding without civilization around but we also have stock rigs that just spend their leisure time driving down some lonely forest road in search of a lake few travel to, or mostly stock 4×4’s that enjoy a little time at the Dunes, a little on the beach and a mix of forest service roads with a little ‘jeep trail’ wheeling mixed in.
We have Toyota’s, Jeeps, Fords, Chevy’s and more. We don’t restrict brands. Our only requirement is that you have a 4×4 – that means a vehicle with a transfer case that allows you to shift from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive (high or low) though the use of a lever typically — or perhaps a modern button or switch.
But is there more to being apart of a club like ours? YES!!!
Recently a new member with a new (to her) jeep messaged us that she had some wobble and could use some help identifying where it was coming from. She didn’t ask that the club fix it, she was looking for information and she came to the right place.
Rattlesnake 4×4’s has mechanical experience that numbers in the decades upon decades. Heck, just 4 members off the top of my head probably total something like 160+ years of mechanical knowledge and experience and it was that kind of knowledge base and experience that looked over her jeep, advised her of what she needed and then, once she picked up the parts, they put it on her Jeep for her. She is new to wrenching but was right there learning throughout the process (and provided some delicious cookies she made with her Grandma’s traditional family recipe — always a good start).
She learned a lot, her jeep no longer has a wobble, her steering wheel is straight now and she’s much happier (and safer) driving down the road.
That’s a club.
Now, I’m not saying that as a club we can and will work on everyone’s 4×4 and fix it for them, not at all, though we do help out members whenever we can. Some, like me, are now physically unable to do a lot of things and the club has done work on my vehicle and I provided bread, donuts, bagels etc and many thanks and try to always help out others when I can and am able. But I’m just one of more than 80 people in our club and I have to say, I think every single one of our members would do the same thing.
That’s a club.
Joining a club means joining a group of people with similar passion, similar goals, similar dreams (of those lonely backroads). It means getting to know people who will be as willing to go fishing at that remote lake with you as they would be to tear out your front bumper, or maybe even clutch, or advise you of the best shop to take your rig to, or perhaps just have a laugh and raise money for a good charity with.
It doesn’t matter if you have a Nissan, a Toyota, a Jeep, Ford, Chevy, or frankly a Lada, if you are into 4 wheeling, however mild or wild a club like Rattlesnake 4x4s is a club for you. Seriously.
While we helped out a new club member yesterday, we’re running a scavenger hunt today (to raised funds for a deserving charity) and we’re wheeling in the snow later in the month, then in May overlanding our way around Washington and Idaho and in June, stopping traffic for Cool Desert Nights and then heading to The Rubicon in July to crawl over rocks for 3 days before overlanding our way back to Washington. That folks, is why you should join a club like Rattlesnake 4x4s. We’ve got you, and we’ve got something for pretty much anyone who loves their 4 wheel drive and wants to use it however mild or wild.
See you at the next adventure!
Erik McVay
Rattlesnake 4x4s VP