UNSEALED 4X4 ISSUE 016 by UNSEALED 4X4

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OCTOBER EDITION

ISSUE 016 FREE BUT NOT CHEAP

QUICK FIXES

FOR COMMON BREAKDOWNS

CUSTOM ALL-ROUNDER GU

X4 RA FIC M LIA'SIALLY AG B AZ IGG IN EST E!

8 TIPS TO STOP

OVERHEATING LONG WEEKEND

BEACH GETAWAY NAVARA NP300 THREE-WAY

REVIEW

PLUS

8 LESSO

FROM A P RO P HOTOGR APHER

DROP-DOWN

7 DAYS WITH A GRAND

FRIDGE SLIDE

TITLE FIGHT WE PUT THE TWO HEAVYWEIGHT FRIDGE SLIDES HEAD TO HEAD

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MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS|REGULARS

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ADVERTISER INDEX ADVERTISER DIRECTORY If video or any other clickable item for that matter doesn’t work in Unsealed 4X4, please turn off your popup blockers to fix it.

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I Am the new Amarok Core 4x4. View latest Core 4x4 offers I Am the biggest tray in class

I Am rear diff lock

I think, therefore I Amarok. Tough to its very core, introducing the Volkswagen Amarok Core 4x4. Built on a robust ladder chassis frame and distinguished by high standards of German engineering—with 16” alloys, Pirelli ATR tyres and rear differential lock—it’s the Amarok you’ve been waiting for. Packed with smart technology, clever and efficient bi-turbo power, Bluetooth facility, multifunction trip computer and cruise control, the Amarok Core 4x4 combines the best and most solid aspects of a range that led this multi-award winning ute to the rank of Carsales’ ‘Best Tradie Vehicle for 2014’ and 4x4 Australia magazine’s ‘Best in Class’ ute. Available in both manual and 8-speed automatic, the new Core 4x4 is the ute for all forms of work and play. To find out more visit IAmarok.com.au or your nearest Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle dealer. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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www.IAmarok.com.au

I Am off-road ABS

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D BRAN MODEL NEW

CUB EXPLORER

BEST VALUE OFF-ROAD AUSSIE MADE CAMPER SPECIFICATIONS • Cub’s new Mini Fridge Box which suits an EvaKool 47lt Fridge • Large new stainless steel kitchen with plenty of storage and bench space, including a portable Primus stove • New colours and interior panels • REDARC BC-DC 1225 LV • 100A/H battery • Aussie made heavy-duty 80lt water tank • Internal LED strip light • Alloy wood box mounted on drawbar • Cub’s ever-reliable off-road 6 leaf-spring suspension and construction

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL SPECS

$18,990

www.cubcampers.com.au

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THE UNSEALED 4X4 CHARTER

FREE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE MAGAZINES, NOW AND FOREVER! So what is Unsealed 4X4 all about? Well, without tooting our own horn we ARE the biggest and best four-wheel drive and adventure magazine in Australia. We are a free publication, but the one thing Unsealed 4X4 is not is cheap. Our success can be attributed to one simple fact: we put our readers first and foremost. We have fantastic and supportive advertising partners on-board, which allows us to exist and continue to offer this magazine to you free of charge (thanks guys!). Just don’t for one second think that means we can be bought – we tell it like it is, and we always will. you’ve heroically We are handsBecause on and have dirt chosen to download your under our fingernails, and aren’t copy of Unsealed 4X4, you can’t see what’s We on afraid of throwing punches. this page. But trust us - it’s are also proudwell ofworth our looking country, at. Toand it inwe all its glory go to even prouder see that are 100% unsealed4X4.com.au Australian made. We strive to

inform you, and feel entertaining you is equally as important. We spend less time writing preachy and sensationalised articles, with more effort going into finding

exciting trips and tips to help you with your own adventures. Isn’t that what four-wheel magazines should be about? At the end of the day, we are fourwheel drivers first and foremost not sales professionals. This is why Unsealed 4X4 is an off-road encyclopaedia, and not a product catalogue. It never will be either, as we cap advertising to a maximum of 30% advertising content per issue (others are over the 50% mark with fewer pages to start with). This means more content for you, without having to spend a cent. Beauty! Lastly, thank you for you for taking the time to read Unsealed 4X4. This is and always will be your fourwheel drive magazine, so please let us know where you would improve or what you would like to read more of. Plus we love hearing from you guys, so shoot us an email and show us your 4X4 and your adventures. Oh, don’t forget to tell your friends! The team at Unsealed 4X4.

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GEAR NEWS Words By Evan Spence

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Because you’ve heroically chosen to download your copy of Unsealed 4X4, you can’t see what’s on this page. But trust us - it’s well worth looking at. To see it in all its glory go to unsealed4X4.com.au

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UNSEAL

4X4 N

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LED 4X4

NEWS

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New managem now with an

Coming soon - The Manager30 with Lithium Profile. The Manager30 is the bigger, better battery management system that knows how to take charge. From October itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll come with a Lithium profile.

view the extra perk

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ment position n extra perk

THE

MANAGER

BMS1230

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UNSEALED 4X4 I

SNATCH STRAP COMP

You would have been living under a rock to not see our massive snatch strap comparison and destruction testing in issue #012 of Unsealed 4X4. From our testing, there were three brands, which did not meet their specified stamped minimum breaking strain. This even resulted in the ACCC being involved issuing recalls on some straps. Click here to read it for free

Ironman 4X4, Hercules distributed by (4WD Supacentre) and Ridge Ryder (distributed by Supercheap Auto) failed to make the grade. We thought it was only fitting to followup with these companies to see what they have done about this. Oh, don’t think were going easy on them either. Stay tuned for further testing, as we want to ensure the bar has been raised when it comes to safe recovery gear being sold in this country.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

PARISON FOLLOW UP

IRONMAN 4X4

Ironman 4X4 were just as surprised as we were at the test results, until they went out and performed their own testing indicating there was indeed an issue. They wasted no time handling the situation, and seem confident they have caught the problem. Read their reply below, as well as official test results and the new stitching used. Click here to see the results of Ironman 4X4’s testing on their new strap Click here to read the reply from Ironman 4X4

HERCULES BY 4WD SUPACENTRE We have been unable to receive comment back from anyone at 4WD Supacentre regarding this issue, despite reaching out via email. However once the ACCC was involved they were forced to remove the straps from sale. This is the official release from 4WD Supacentre, which was sent out to folk who had purchased their faulty 8,000kg or 11,000kg strap. Click here to read the recall letter from 4WD Supacentre

RIDGE RYDER BY SUPERCHEAP AUTO

The team at Supercheap Auto were rather surprised by our findings. They followed up by conducting their own testing, and claim all their straps have met expectations. We look forward to following this up in the near future.

Click here to read the official response from Supercheap Auto

Click here to see the results from Supercheap Auto’s strap testing

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UNSEALED 4X4 I

OFF-ROAD WILLOWGLEN 4X4 CHALLENGE

It’s on again, the Toyota LandCruiser 4X4 Club Willowglen Challenge held over the October long weekend (3rd and 4th of October) at their club property only 15 minutes from the town of Tarago. Over two exciting days, you can experience the best-of-thebest off-road drivers and vehicles from all around the country. This is one of the most accessible offroad events from a spectator point of view, witnessing nearly 15 teams made up of four different vehicles tackle some impressively tough terrain with barely having to turn your neck. How’s that for convenience!

Entry is just $50 per adult for the whole weekend, which includes camping too. Day visitors are just $25 and kids under 17 are free when accompanied by an adult. The site can be accessed with a 2WD vehicle, and there are camping facilities onsite. Campfires are permitted (depending on regulations), and there will be BBQ food and snack stalls on-site as well however make sure you bring cash, as there are no card facilities. Also, just so you know no pets or glass are allowed so make sure you leave both of those at home. Click here for more information

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INDUSTRY NEWS

D EVENTS THE OUTBACK CHALLENGE IS ON

Check the video of all the action from Wednesday and Thursday of arguably the toughest comp in Australia. This is off-road racing at its best! Click here for more information

IT’S 4X4 SHOW SEASON!

Sydney, Adelaide and Perth 4WD shows are right around the corner, so make sure you’re there to experience the latest in 4X4, camping, fishing and outdoor gear, new vehicles, the Isuzu stunt driving team, rock crawling demonstrations, the Land Rover Terrapod, fishing demonstrations, cooking tips and plenty of off-road celebrities. Click the video to see

what’s in store, and make sure you come along and say G’day! Buy your tickets right here! Click the link below to get entry for you and your family to any of the 4WD shows, plus a 6-month subscription to Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures magazine. Purchase tickets here

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ROAD AND TRACK REPORT If you see or hear of any road or track closures due to weather or restricted vehicle access, get in touch with us so we can let the rest of the four-wheel drive community know. editor@unsealed4x4.com.au

ROAD AND TR

WHAT’S H IN YOUR NECK

BIRDSVILLE ROADHOUSE: PETER BARNES

CAMERON CORNER STORE: FENN MILLER

“Not much to report this month, everything seems to be open and in good nick. Some of the tracks are starting to get a little chopped and there are a few softer sections, but nothing challenging. I guess that is what you can expect after the amount of visitors we are seeing through the area before it gets too hot”.

“We are still looking pretty good out here, the only issue which we have heard of is on the Birdsville Track from the SA border towards Mungeranie there are a few sections which are flagged with caution. The tracks are a little chopped up, and there is plenty of bull dust in sections just waiting to catch you out. Apparently there are road works on the Strzelecki Track too, from Innamincka to Merty Merty. So if you are headed that way there are detours and speed restrictions in place”.

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RACK REPORT

HAPPENING K OF THE WOODS?Â VICTORIA

While the weather is certainly warming up, there is the potential for road closures still. Expect this to be the case until at least midOctober when authorities have had the chance to investigate conditions. From our reports, Dargo High Plains Road is closed, as is Donna Buang Road due to seasonal road closures. Bogong High Plains Road between Falls Creek and Omeo is also closed and expected to reopen in midOctober (as mentioned). Mt Difficult Road is living up to its name, with recovery works causing road closures between Wartook Road and Boroka Lookout.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

There are some issues and holdups for travellers heading to East Arnhem Land. No traffic is permitted between Maningrida Airstrip turn-off and Ramingining Central Arnhem Road Intersection. Sacred Ceremonies are in progress, which means no traffic is permitted along this section till the conclusion of the events. Permits have been revoked, and it is asked you respect the traditional owners of the land. Broadarrow 4WD Track and all park facilities are also closed, namely between Wickham 4WD Track and the Buntine Highway Intersection.

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4 x4

SUV

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ROAD AND TRACK REPORT

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Crocodile sightings have increased in the Raft Point Beach area in Doubtful bay. While this doesn’t affect roads or tracks, it is worth mentioning if you are visiting the area. A section of Bibbulmun Track is closed due to the escape of a prescribed burn. Randall Road to North Bannister Roadhouse are the main areas of concern, as well as Monadnocks, Mount Cooke, Mount Cooke Group Use, Nerang and Ginger Creek Camp. There is also a fire threat to Parrys Lagoon Nature Reserve, meaning Old Halls Creek Road is closed.

NORTHERN QLD

Kennedy Development Road is open, but the road conditions are rough in sections due to previous flooding. Bull dust and road damage is restricting the Burke Developmental Road to four-wheel drive access only with cautions issued to take care. Animal and wildlife hazards have presented themselves on the Bruse Highway, namely between the Bluewater and Rollingstone area. Avoid driving through the area at night, and take extra care during the day.

› WARNING! This road and track guide is as up to date as possible, but weather conditions can change in the space of minutes. Before venturing into the bush, check with local police, National Parks or managing authority for the area you are travelling in before leaving.

hemamaps.com.au

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WHAT’S TRENDING

THE UNSEALED 4

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4X4 NEWS FEED

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

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DOW

FRIDGE SLIDE

IN ONE CORNER WE HAVE THE CLEARVIEW EASY SLIDE SLIDE. THE (NEARLY) $1000 QUESTION, IS WHICH DR

Words By Evan Spence, Photo NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE AUSTRALIA’S MOSTCLICK READHERE 4X4FOR MAGAZINE

R P

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E TITLE FIGHT

E, IN THE OTHER CORNER WE HAVE THE MSA 4X4 DROP ROP DOWN FRIDGE SLIDE IS THE BEST IN AUSTRALIA?

ography by Brett Hemmings. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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WHY SHOULD I BUY A . . . S T E I N BAU E R P E R F O R M A N C E M O D U L E ?

HOW‘S IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER MODULES? WHAT‘S THE PERFORMANCE INCREASE? WHAT DO OUR CUSTOMERS SAY? HOW IS IT INSTALLED?

SEE TESTING RESULTS HISTORY TIMELINE

www.steinbauer.com.au

FREECALL

1800 733 159

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TESTING

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It is a story as old as the transfer case; you have just bought a fourwheel drive and have decided to install dual batteries and storage drawers. This provides power for that shiny new fridge you bought on sale, as well as a place to secure it. So what’s the problem? Well, you can’t reach inside the bloody thing now it sits so high! This issue is further heightened if you have kids or are somewhat vertically challenged. Being a tall lad myself, I can say that being asked twenty times a day if you can jump up and grab a drink from the fridge kind of takes some of the joy away from relaxing around camp. So what do you do about it? Well, a drop down fridge slide is the answer my friend.

Sure, they aren’t a new product by any means these days, yet purchasing one is still a significant investment. In fact, some of the larger drop down fridge slides come in at close to $1000… that is more than many 12V fridges on the market! There are now two main choices available, and it must be said both of them actually have quite a few differences in design and operation. This is why we thought with the warmer months being upon us, it is time to take a closer look at both the MSA Drop Slide and the Clearview Easy Slide. So… who makes the best drop down fridge slide on the market?

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CLEARVIEW EASY SLIDE SPECIFICATIONS

MSA 4X4 DROP SLIDE SPECIFICATIONS

PRICE AS TESTED: $899

PRICE AS TESTED: $775

MODEL TESTED: ES-100

MODEL TESTED: DS40

COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION: China

WEIGHT: 37KG

WEIGHT: 31kg

LOAD CAPACITY: 180KG

LOAD CAPACITY: 200kg

WARRANTY: 36 Months (on moving parts)

WARRANTY: Lifetime Guarantee

DISTANCE OF DROP: 290mm

DISTANCE OF DROP: 300mm

STRUT SIZE: 1500N

STRUT SIZE: 675N

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MSA 4X4

WHO MADE

WHO?

MSA 4X4 claim to have invented the first drop down fridge slide, with patents dating back to 2007. Things get interesting when you research the Clearview Easy Slide, as it was actually originally manufactured by a company Called Black Widow. I managed to track down patents crediting the owner of Black Widow, Mark Oliver with the Easy Slide back to 2013. This Patent was then transferred to Clearview the

CLEARVIEW

following year when Black Widow went into receivership. This is the reason why these drop down fridge slides operate differently, as there would have been legal design restrictions placed on Black Widow when designing the Easy Slide. The MSA 4X4 Drop Slide gets slightly more drop out of their design, while the Clearview (or should that be Black Widow) has a safety ratchet mechanism, which prevents the slide from dropping suddenly. This also allows for the unit to be raised or lowered to different heights.

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UNBOXING

The ever popular unboxing videos, here is what to expect to arrive when you purchase either of these drop down fridge slides.

CLEARVIEW

MSA 4X4 BUILD QUALITY

We put a magnifying glass over the drop-down fridge slides.

CLEARVIEW

MSA 4X4 THE INSTALLATION

This is what goes into the install of both drop slides.

CLEARVIEW

MSA 4X4

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THE RATTLE TEST

URRRGHHH… don’t you just hate rattles! So which of these two slides is the quietest?

CLEARVIEW

MSA 4X4 EASE OF USE

Lets take these bad boys for a trial run, to see which one is the easiest to use.

CLEARVIEW

MSA 4X4

WEIGHTLIFTING

So how much force is required to operate either fridge slide?

CLEARVIEW

MSA 4X4

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Collector’s Items

Legacy is an Australian charity dedicated to caring for the families of our veterans. With a 90-year history in Australia, Legacy today assists over 90,000 widows and 1900 children. Part proceeds of each Legacy fridge-freezer and transit bag sold go to Legacy.

ENGEL ‘LEGACY ’ SERIES FRIDGE-FREEZERS

In 2015, Australians will commemorate 100 years since our nation’s involvement in the First World War. Like all Australians, Engel are doing their part to acknowledge this significant event in Australian history. Engel have released two special edition army green portable fridge freezers and matching camouflage transit bags. These collectors items are available while stocks last. Part proceeds will go directly to Legacy to help support the families of returned service men and women.

SPECIAL EDITION LEGACY FRIDGES S B AG O M A R CY C E FO L E G AVA I L A B L D E L S A MO BOT H

• Fully endorsed by Legacy A S K YO U R • Army green colour with Legacy badge R E TA I L E R T E N G E L OO • Features Engel Digital Technology YO U R S N O R D E R W! • Sawafuji Swing Motor • Tough steel construction • Available in the 40 litre and 60 litre model • Limited stock available For more information or your nearest stockist, visit www.engelaustralia.com.au

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RESULTS NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

WHOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEFT STANDING?

It has become apparent, that while these two slides do the same thing they are quite different in their operation. On paper, the MSA is has plenty of runs on the board. It is cheaper and has a lifetime warranty,

while being lighter in weight yet rated to carry more. It also has 10mm more droop in it than the Clearview Easy Slide. But is that enough to crown the MSA product the winner? Check out the conclusion video to find out!

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Family Owned Australian Company Since 1958

bull bars

winches

suspension

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rear bars

camping

fridges

drawer systems FIT MY FIT MY

Ironman 4X4,

SIMPSON DESERT

4X44X4 FIT MY

4X4

FIT MY FIT MY

4X44X4

ONLINE QUOTE

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FIT MY

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TABLELA

GREAT CAMPING, PANORAMIC VIEW A 4X4 LOOP TO FLEX THE BEAST. BLAC AUSTRALIA’S MOST READ 4X4 MAGAZINE

Words and Photography b

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ANDS NP

WS, A WATERFALL, ROCK ART AND CKDOWN IS THE COMPLETE PACKAGE.

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WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME FOR SECOND BEST.

With a reputation built on quality and reliability, Oztent has been the choice of Australian adventurers, helping create awesome experiences for over 20 years.

OZTENT

JET TENT

FOXWING

MALAMOO

Questions? Call 1800 OZTENT

Find out more about the range at www.oztent.com

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FACT FILE WHERE

Blackdown Tableland National Park is 180 km west of Rockhampton; a 2.5 hr drive, or 110 km east of Emerald and just over an hour’s drive. The turn off is 11km east of Dingo on the Capricorn Highway and well sign posted. Access is via a sealed road, but the steep winding nature of the final 6km means it’s not suitable for towing a caravan or heavy trailer. Roads are unsealed within the park.

CAMPING

SUPPLIES AND FACILITIES Dingo on the Capricorn H/Way

TRIP STANDARD

Easy but beware the steep down hill on the 4X4 Loop

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL

A great destination all year round. Summers are warm and winter temperatures can fall below zero. In wet weather the 4X4 track can also be closed.

MORE INFORMATION

Queensland Government Munall campground must be Department of National Parks, booked prior to arrival although there is a direct phone provided at Recreation, Sport and Racing: the parks entrance hut. Book online www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/ at www.qld.gov.au/camping. blackdown-tableland/ Alternatively, phone bookings can Rockhampton Visitor Information be made on 13 QGOV (13 74 68). Facilities are basic, with the campground having pit toilets. Bring water with you and take all rubbish with you when you leave. No bins are provided. The campground can be dusty in dry times and muddy when wet, so pack for the conditions.

Centre: (07) 4922 5339.

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www.clearviewaccessories.com.au

FIND OUT MORE

VIDEOS

FRIDGE SIZING GUIDE • Patented Aussie design lowers fridge up to 290mm • Monster 1500N gas struts to neutralise fridge weight • Safety locking mechanism • Heavy duty slides with right hand lock • Additional travel lock holds fridge securely • 180Kg capacity, 37Kg nett weight • Crash tested and ADR compliant • 36 month warranty on moving parts

Now available Click here to purchase

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This downhill section is not for everyone

The Great Dividing Range separates the beach from the bush for most of our eastern coastline and contains some amazing country with the Queensland Central Highlands having some of the best. In contrast to the surrounding bland plains country where little seems to grow, Blackdown Tableland National Park is a relative oasis rich with big trees, birds and waterways carved into the red rock, and best of all, a 4X4 only track where the little lever will definitely need to shift position. Just 148km west of Rockhampton or 110km east of Emerald, Blackdown is an ideal deviation

from a standard trundle up or down the Queensland coast, or fantastic alternative when returning from locations further west, as we were. Getting there is easy with a well sign posted turn 11km east of Dingo on the Capricorn Highway, and following a bitumen road which gives the first hint of the spectacular scenery to come as the steep sided tableland abruptly rises 600m above the flat cattle properties. The 6km road up the face is narrow, steep and winding with many very tight corners where anything other than 2 cars passing would be the equivalent of an Evil Knievel stunt. This is not a road for caravans or large

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1 x AIR LOCKER $995 1 x AIR LOCKER, COMPRESSOR AND PUMP UP KIT $1195 For your closest ARB outlet call 1300 ARB 4X4 or visit arb.com.au

Promotion runs from 1st October to 30th November inclusive. Offer applies to CKMA12 compressor only and excludes RD99CE Air Locker. Normal fitting charges apply. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.

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The shade provided by this outcrop was a great spot to boil the billy

heavy trailers. Being at the junction of the Shotover, Expedition and Dawson Ranges, the terrain being somewhere the other side of rugged, is not surprising. The tableland is the traditional lands of the Ghungalu people whilst European history started in 1869. The first lease was taken by an Englishman named Yaldwyn, who called it Blackdown, after his English estate. The run was later taken up by Walter Lock and Moses Wafer before it was attached to the Charlevue cattle station, whist the local town of Dingo was surveyed in 1889. As this was a last minute decision

for us, we were pleasantly surprised on 3 fronts. Firstly the park entrance hut had a phone from which we could book a campsite and secondly across the road was the start of a 100m walk to Yaddamen Dhina lookout which provides magnificent panoramic views of the plains below and stark, near vertical, sandstone walls. Thirdly, and most importantly, it was the end of the bitumen and time for the MTZ muddies to earn their keep again. Having snagged the trifecta, we headed for Munall camping area, 8km from the entrance hut via a reasonably well maintained but windy dirt track. Whilst generally

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preferring open camping areas, the 16 numbered sites were very well arranged to ensure maximum privacy. Sites are of varying sizes with some suited to tents and some camper trailers. Several easily accommodated a couple of families and all have the all important fire ring and long flat topped logs for sitting on. Basically though, you need to be self-sufficient although there are 2 sets of composting toilets for your sit down pleasure. Immediately we were given giddayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s by a kookaburra and a couple of pied currawong who instantly increased to 14 as soon as food appeared. A warning not

to let children walk around with food would be well heeded as these jokers swoop at the speed of lightening and with the accuracy of a laser. An open packet of Twisties we thought safe in the back of the canopy was raided in milliseconds. Whilst there are several walks and a couple of drives, the one which stood out like a neon sign as the absolute must do was the 19km of dirt and rock bliss more commonly known as the 4X4 Loop Rd. Whilst it was mostly a one way gentle trundle which would not stretch the springs on a go-cart, there were several sections where caution was required and some small step

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ups. Just after the Mitha Boongulla Lookout however things suddenly got very interesting with a very steep downhill with some sump smacking drop offs and lots of loose rocks to make sure the driver was on full alert. 1st gear low range was the call of the day with the Defender taking it on like the Man from Snowy Riversâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; horse...straight over the edge and straight down, handling it as sure footed as the famous brumby whilst the Prado safely traversed it with a bit of road building assistance. There is a 2-way entrance to the loop road about half way between the entrance hut and the camping

ground, for those who just want to get to the lookout. This provides an excellent opportunity for anyone not fully confident in their vehicle, or their own experience to check it out before committing to the long trip. Whilst generally much more comfortable on 4 big chunks of rubber than 2 Nikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, it must be said that the walks in the park are superb. Each has its own unique attractions making them more than worth the effort and all relatively easy trundles for even the mildly fit; kids will eat them up no problems. The park was clearly recovering

Spectacular sandstone walls, gorges and valleys are seem from the look out

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The road into the camp grounds is well maintained but beware of the red pea gravel

from bushfire but whilst the general bush was still looking scrappy, the wild flowers more than made up for it and even the botanically challenged would be hard pressed not to be impressed with the striking colours and beautiful variety on offer, including several bush orchids growing up trees.

examination shows axe marks and the bark was in fact used for the roof of the hut. The area looks like excellent cattle country but the soil is actually phosphorous deficient resulting in the cattle developing chalky bones so after a few months they were mustered and moved to Planet Downs a 3 day ride away.

Goon Goon Dhina is a fascinating 2.5km walk starting at the campground with gentle slopes and passes some fascinating old cattle yards where the springy bark rails are held in place by a tree growing around them and also the remains of an old drovers cooking hut. There is also a large tree which looks like a canoe has been cut from the bark but closer

Following the Mimosa Creek upstream there are sensational rock formations and a Ghungalu art site where ancient hands have been stenciled by spitting red pigment. Information boards along the way describe how local plants were used for medicine, food and shelter. Mook Mook walk, is a short 2.4-kilometre return, and almost unexpectedly leads to a lookout on

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the edge of the tableland. Initially we followed along a creek bed with beautiful sandstone features some holding water and the discussion was how inviting it would be in summer when the water was running. However soon the view spectacularly overlooks a stunning gorge and distant valleys leaving us mesmerized by the rugged, untouched beauty. The jewel in the crown though is inevitably Gudda Gumo (Rainbow Waters). Hiding over the 890m crest of the Expedition Range, Gudda Gumo is a magnificent waterfall with a crystal clear pool at the bottom of a dominating sandstone wall over which the water cascades from above. The 2km walk and

240 steps down might not be everyone’s cup of tea and many might be wishing they had given up the durries a few years earlier, but the view and swim in the cool waters makes it all worth the effort. One thing to be careful of is the “pea gravel”, gravel which looks like little red marbles although never completely spherical. It partly covers the roads, was on the Gudda Gumo track and is very slippery to walk or drive on. By any national parks standards this is a rip snorter with something for everyone, plus the all important 4X4 track to boot. It may have been our first visit but we will certainly be dropping in again on the way back from trips further west.

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TOWING LEGALITIES

ARE YOU CARRYING TOO MUCH WEIGHT, AND IS YOUR TOWING SETUP EVEN LEGAL? Words By Evan Spence NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE AUSTRALIA’S MOSTCLICK READHERE 4X4FOR MAGAZINE

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This is what can happen when your towing set-up (or skill) isn’t up to speed Caution, this video is pretty full on!

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THIS IS A HOT TOPIC THAT MANY NEW VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT New vehicle manufacturers, especially those in the dual-cab sector make some enormous claims surrounding how much weight their vehicles can tow and carry. The dirty little secret that no manufacturer is telling you though is that these lavish claims are absolute best-case scenarios. The claimed towing figures don’t take payload into account in most cases, meaning that while you might legally be

able to tow 3,000kg, if you fill your fuel tank and have a passenger on-board you could be over weight and illegal. Nor do many make allowances for off-road duty, which is pretty darn scary when you think about it! What we have assembled in this article is a bunch of tips to keep you on the right side of the law, while keeping your vehicle in one piece on your adventures.

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Putting your four-wheel drive over a weighbridge is a worthwhile exercise.

UNDERSTAND YOUR GVM In simple terms, Gross Vehicle Mass is the maximum amount your vehicle is allowed to weigh and still be considered roadworthy. This takes into account the vehicleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s driveline, chassis, engine fluids, fuel, cargo (including the driver and passenger) and any aftermarket accessories you fit. For example a 200 Series LandCruiser GX turbodiesel has a GVM of 3350kg, and the kerb weight of 2635kg. This means, at best you will be able to carry 715kg. Now, for the purpose of this

hypothetical lets say you have a family of four (mum, dad and two kids), and this would be around 220kg. Throw in a fridge (50kg), storage drawers (50kg) a bull bar and winch (70kg), camping gear and clothes (100kg) and a full tank of fuel (140kg) roof rack (40kg) and a rear bar (60kg) and you are at 3365kg and officially over your GVM. Yet how many four-wheel drives do you see setup like this, and how many people would even know they are now driving a technically un-roadworthy vehicle? When was the last time you even took the time to weigh your four-wheel drive?

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GCM?

NEVER HEARD OF IT! And you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be alone here. Quite simply, it stands for Gross Combination Mass, which is the maximum combined mass of your vehicle, trailer and cargo (including passengers and

accessories). Where GVM only takes into account the vehicle, weight on board and payload, GCM includes the weight of what you are towing. Without a truck licence, you can legally tow with a GCM of up to nine tonne, anything over that will require a Light Rigid Licence just so you know.

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TRAILER COUPLINGS AND TOW BALLS The most common tow coupling in Australia is the old ball coupling which sits over a 50mm tow ball.

These couplings and tow balls must meet Australian Standard AS 4177.3-2004 and must be installed so the centre of the tow ball is between 350mm and 460mm off the ground when laden. Off-road hitches it seems are exempt from height restrictions; however still need a few things to meet compliance. The coupling body must be stamped with the manufacturers name or trademark, the maximum load rating of the coupling body (usually 750kg, 2000kg or 3500kg), a code to indicate the serial number or production batch and the words ‘do not weld’ if the body is made from cast iron.

Believe it or not, there’s no height restriction on off-road hitches.

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TOWING LEGALITIES IN AUSTRALIA » Posted speed limits apply to mass of the tow vehicle provided vehicle and trailer combinations the towbar fitted is compliant and with a GCM of less than 4.5 the trailer is fitted with brakes tonnes; WA is an exception to this complying to ADR-38 with a maximum limit of 100km/h » The allowable maximum mass for vehicles towing over 750kg for the trailer is limited by » If the vehicle and trailer has either the capacity of the tow a GCM over 5 tonnes, the vehicle’s tow attachment, or the maximum speed limit is 100km/h stipulated towing limit provided my the manufacturer (this » All trailers with a GTM (Gross includes ball weight) Trailer Mass) over 750kg must have trailer brakes fitted (trailer » Towing more than one trailer at a brake controllers must be time isn’t permitted operated from the driver’s seat) » Passengers riding in trailer or » Trailers weighing between caravans is not allowed 2001kg and 4500kg must have » One safety chain must be fitted brakes on all wheels with an to trailers weighing less than automatic breakaway system in 2500kg loaded, two chains to the event of the trailer becoming trailers weighing over 2500kg detached from the vehicle » Loads must not project more » Vehicles may tow trailers up to than 150mm beyond the trailer one-and-a-half times the unladen width or be more than 2.5m Any trailer over 750kg must be fitted with trailer brakes operated from the driver’s seat.

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WHY DUAL CAB UTES FAIL This is a hot topic that many new vehicle manufacturers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to talk about, why dual cab four-wheel drives are bending their chassisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; off-road. The reality is it comes down to two things, a fulcrum effect of placing the majority of weight behind the rear axles and the shear amount of weight these poor vehicles are expected to carry. Take a look at where the rear axle of most dual cab utes sit, and you will notice it is close to the rear cab of the vehicle. While this is the simplest option from an engineering point of view it puts a heck of a lot of stress on the chassis as once weight is added to the tray, behind the axle, you are effectively playing a game of seesaw. It seems that manufacturers of modern dual-cab utes have

cottoned on to the fact that we use this vehicles for their intended purpose. The new Nissan Navara while shorter in wheelbase than the outgoing D40 Navara, has the rear wheel set further back from the body. This when combined with multi-link coil suspension which takes some pressure off the chassis by allowing a more even distribution of weight. Another positive example, is the VW Amarok which utilises seven chassis crossmembers instead of the traditional five. This helps strengthen the vehicles frame, and resists twisting while loaded up or towing. A good step in the right direction.

HOT TIP Move any heavy items to towards the front of the tray, and as close to the axle as possible. This will take pressure off the chassis, and provide better handling.

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Your GCM affects your payload so you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to carry as much when towing heavy.

PAYLOAD AND TOWING Payload is the maximum amount of weight that a vehicle is allowed to carry, for example a ute could have a payload of one tonne which is what is can legally carry in the tray. It is also the difference between the vehicles GVM and Tare Weight (Tare Weight is what the vehicle weighs completely empty).

The manufacturers maximum towing capacity is usually quoted with no payload, so you can see this causes issues once loaded up. If you think you can tow a 3,500kg trailer and still have 800kg in the tray, you are sadly mistaken.

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WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU

WEIGHED YOUR FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE?

TRAILER BALL WEIGHT Ball weight is the downward force created by the front end of a trailer when towing, as this is the weight forward of the trailer’s axles. Think about how heavy the trailer is to lift when connecting it to your towbar, this is the down-force placed on your vehicle’s towbar when towing. A set of scales can be

used to check trailer ball weight, or if you cant access a set of scales go to your local weighbridge and place the trailer’s jockey wheel on the scales to see where you sit. When you add a spare tyre, toolbox or fridge onto the drawbar of your trailer, this can increase the ball weight significantly. It pays to know what you are actually carrying or towing.

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DUAL CAB CASE STUDY

So while the Ford Ranger can tow more than the Amarok on paper, We wanted to compare two it can now legally carry 547kg popular dual cabs on the market, less than the VW. The point is, it the current Ford Ranger and pays to investigate new vehicle VW Amarok. As you can see in manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claims; just as the the specs down below, there combined fuel economy figures is a massive difference when it supplied are the best-case scenario, comes to manufacturer maximum towing figures are no different. towing limits, and the real world conditions us punters want to put them through.

FORD RANGER

VW AMAROK

TARE: 2,177KG

TARE: 2,080KG

GCM: 6,000kg

GCM: 5,950KG

PAYLOAD: 323kg

PAYLOAD: 870kg

TOW CAPACITY: 3,500kg

TOW CAPACITY: 3,000kg

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1 Negative terminal becomes earth

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B Positive terminal becomes the welding rod

Sh!t happens when you go fourwheel driving, something I used to tell customers quite often when I sat behind the front counter of a few four-wheel drive stores in my past life. It’s the nature of the beast when battling with rocks, mud and sand, your vehicle can and will come off second best. But there is no reason why some logical thinking can’t have you one-upping what Mother Nature throws at you. Here are some of the tips and tricks we have learnt over the years of four-wheel driving, gained from experience and just talking to people who have been there and done that.

BUSH WELDING If you have two batteries, you have a welder. Well sort of, you need a few more things: • A set of jumper leads • Some spare thick cable • Vice grips (to hold the cable on the battery terminals) • Arc welding rods • Wire to hold the welding rods • Welding mask (or glass from a welding mask)

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FLAT STARTING BATTERY

protected jumper leads. This will Most four-wheel drives will have equalise the batteries, and if all goes well your engine will fire dual batteries, and automatic up. But you need to ascertain transmissions these days. What the reason why the battery went on earth does that have to do flat in the first place; hopefully it with anything I hear you ask? Well, the option of clutch-starting was just an interior light left on or something simple and you’re vehicle with a flat battery isn’t back on your way. Ensure all there thanks to the auto cogearth straps are secured, and if swapper, but your dual battery you have a multimeter check to system can help you out of this see if the vehicle’s alternator is in bind. So the starting battery is flat, but your auxiliary battery is fact charging. in decent shape? Simply connect the two batteries together (+ to + and - to -) using a set of good quality surge and spike

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FLAT TYRES Tyre technology has come a very long way, and as a benefit we are seeing less and less punctures occurring. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let that lull you into a false sense of security, there are plenty of sharp objects out there with a grudge against your rubber. A basic tyre repair kit will pay for itself time and time again, as will the knowledge of how to use the kit and a good tyre compressor. But just remember this is a temporary repair, one that will need to be professionally inspected and repaired as soon as possible.

1, 2, 3

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BUSTED COOLING SYSTEMS

Here is how you ‘git er done’:

Find the puncture and remove any offending objects like sticks or nails/screws.

2 3 4

Read the instructions provided with the kit. Use the reaming tool to well, you know… ream the puncture.

Prepare the tyre plug insertion tool by pulling the tyre plug through the eyelet with a set of pliers (them plugs are sticky after all) then apply lube to point of the tool.

A split or leaky radiator or heater hose, can spell the end of your trip and engine pretty darn quickly. This is why carrying a roll of self-amalgamating tape (like Rescue Tape) to repair the busted hose is a clever idea. This stuff bonds to itself, forming a nice thick layer of protective goodness and actually has a fair few other uses (they claim you can even make an emergency fan belt out of it if required). The other trick you hear of is cracking an egg into the radiator and a bit of pepper to seal the hole. While this sounds delicious, and some people swear by it I’ve not had any luck here. However, when an engine fan decided to eat my radiator, I managed to drive 100km home after dumping a few bottles of radiator stop leak into the radiator, so can vouch for the effectiveness of this product in a short term application.

Push down firmly into the puncture until only a few centimetres of plug is visible, then remove the insertion tool and trim off excess tyre plug leaving a few millimetres proud. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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ELECTRICAL GREMLINS

Modern vehicles have more electronic components than my old Patrol has rust… lots! Don’t bury your head in the sand by writing them off as too hard to work on though, face the problem head on! A basic diagnostics tool which can be purchased from even mainstream auto parts stores will help identify any engine check lights that show up, as

well as clear faults that aren’t imminently threatening to the vehicle to get you rolling. Another point worth mentioning is if a vital fuse has blown (like the fuel pump for example), swap it out for something that will fit like the horn or headlight fuse. Then head back to the same auto parts store, and buy spares of all required fuses so this never happens again.

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STAFF TIPS

DEX’S UNIVERSAL SOLUTION

“I had an old HiLux that if I’m being honest, was driven far harder than it should have been. It had an identity crisis, part rock-crawler part tourer. Problem being, I kept smashing tailshafts when driving on rocks. The solution to get home? Drop the rear trailshaft from the vehicle, lock the hubs and limp home in front wheel drive. This should work if you have busted a rear diff too. The long-term solution was to A) stop trying to drive things I couldn’t walk and B) upgrade the shaft to a stronger custom unit”.

“Not that I really enjoy driving in mud, but some places (like the Vic High Country) the stuff is unavoidable. If you have ever heard a worrying grinding or high pitch ‘cry’ after mud driving, chances are you have done a universal joint. I always carry a spare, as they are small and cheap. If a trackside repair is required, grab your versatile high lift jack, two sockets (one smaller then the uni cup and one bigger to let it slide into the socket) and by wedging the shaft under a bull bar or tow bar then raising the jack, you will press the old part out in no time”.

EV’S TAILSHAFT WOES

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THAT’LL MA CAMP OVE

YOU’LL NEVER SETTLE FOR SNAG SANG AFTER READING THIS BEGINNER’S

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AKE YOU A EN GENIUS

GAS AND BURNED CHOPS EVER AGAIN S GUIDE TO CAMP OVEN COOKERY

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If you don’t already own a camp oven – why not? It’s almost impossible not to produce top meals from them, they’re easy to use, they’re inexpensive and there’s not much you can’t make with them. Even if you rock up at your campsite after dark, get a fire going, drop a frozen lasagne in one, cover it with a few coals and

by the time your camp is set up you’re ready to sit down to a world class meal. How good is that!

it evenly to whatever’s inside. However it’s not without its drawbacks.

CHOOSING YOUR OVEN A camp oven is a lifetime purchase, so take a bit of time to choose one that’s going to suit you. Prices can vary but, as with many things, this is a case of getting what you pay for.

If you’re a camp cooking novice or a five-star bush chef, you can never have enough camp-oven nous, so sit back and check out our top tips for camp oven cookery. Warning, this article will make you hungry!

Cast iron is heavy – even a small oven weighs around the 5kg mark so it can be a pain to travel with. Also, it’s an inherently brittle metal No matter which style of oven you meaning that it’s prone to cracks go for, make sure it has a lip on and breakages if dropped or left to the lid to hold the coals in place move around when you’re driving. when you’re cooking – nobody Plenty of folks have opened likes ash in their risotto. If possible their drawers in anticipation of a grab one with deep sides too. beaut meal only to find a nice big This’ll give you more room and fracture in their pot. keep the direct heat away from Steel ovens are the relatively new your food, which is especially kids on the block, being made useful if you’re doing any baking. from blue or spun steel. They’re a The most common and lot hardier and can literally take a traditional type of oven is the beating, however it’s worth noting good old-fashioned cast iron that they rely on heat from the bad boy. The cavemen cooked coals to cook your food whereas pterodactyl stew in these things iron radiates the heat from the they’ve been around that long, metal. They also weigh a fair bit less and cast iron is fantastic at so you can get a much bigger oven absorbing heat and distributing for the same amount of weight. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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CAMP OVEN CARE Before you start whipping up some culinary masterpieces in your new camp oven, there are a few things you’ll need to do first. All ovens come out of the box with a protective coating on them to prevent rust which’ll need to be removed with a soft cloth in some warm soapy water, and don’t forget to do the lid too. Once it’s washed, place it into a warm oven until it’s completely dry then remove it and allow to cool. Spray a thin film of vegetable oil in the inside, outside and both sides of the lid and throw it back in the oven at around 200ºC and leave it in there for a couple of hours. This will give it a protective non-stick surface. This process should be repeated every few months.

and put it over a few coals with a little detergent thrown in. Then just wipe it out with a soft cloth and recoat with oil to prevent rust. Same goes for when you’re storing it between trips, a light coat of oil will keep the rust off and your oven ready for action at a moment’s notice.

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ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES So you’ve now got your oven seasoned and ready to take camping, what else do you need? While there’s no shortage of stuff you can buy for your camp oven – everything from specialty cleaning agents to hard carry cases – over the years we’ve come up with a list of bare essentials that makes cooking with these things infinitely easier. Do yourself a favour and head to your local BBQ shop and grab a BBQ oven temperature gauge. The hardest thing to determine with bush cooking is when it’s ready to cook with and what the temps are. A gauge takes the guesswork out of it and makes cooking easier and less stressful. Hooded BBQs and home ovens have them for good reasons, so

why risk it with your camp oven? We also carry some welder’s gloves with us to make plucking it off the fire and re-arranging coals on the lid possible without thirddegree burns. A long handled shovel should already be in your recovery kit, and double up as an excellent method of scooping coals out of the fire to cook on. Lastly, we pack a mesh rack and a trivet that goes inside the camp oven to stop your food coming into contact with the base. The mesh rack is excellent for keeping the oven from coming into direct contact with the coals. Mine is approximately 5cm high and is perfect for keeping the coals alive. I can also add more coals with the shovel if needed without having to move the whole oven out of the way.

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OK, ENOUGH PREP - LET’S GET COOKING!

DEX’S BREKKY DAMPER Damper is one of the easiest to make meals in the world and is damn tasty. Dice some onion and bacon and toss them in a frypan while you’re preparing your dough. Grease your oven with butter and stack some coals around the sides and on top (not underneath to prevent the dough from sticking) to bring it to a medium heat. Use roughly one third around the sides and two-thirds of your coals on the lid, which is where you want the heat when you’re cooking something that rises like damper. Throw two cups of self-raising flour in a bowl along with a pinch of salt. Mix your bacon and onion in and make a well in the centre.

Slowly stir in a cup of milk until the mixture has come away from the sides and has formed a soft dough. The key is not to knead the dough as it’ll just make it dense. Use your hands to gently form it into a round damper shape without pushing the air out of it. Then place it into the oven on your trivet and sprinkle a little flour over it to give a nice crusty top. Cook for about 20-25 minutes until nice and golden on top. Quickly scramble up a couple of eggs in your pan and serve with your damper with enough butter to make your cardiologist shake their head in disappointment. Breakfast of champions!

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EV WANTS TO BE A NACHO MAN I’m all about quick and easy meals. When I stop for lunch and I’m in the mood for something I can knock up with a minimum of fuss, I often turn to my trusty nacho recipe. All you need is some corn chips, mince, an onion, some taco seasoning, mozzarella and a small jar of salsa. Oh, and don’t forget the sour cream. In a pan, brown the diced onion with the beef for about five minutes or until it’s brown. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and mix together then set the mixture aside. I like to line my oven with alfoil to avoid hassles with cleaning up before I place it over the coals. I sprinkle the corn chips into the

base of the oven then spoon the mince mixture over the top. Pour the salsa over the meat then sprinkle some grated mozzarella all over. Place the camp oven lid on and throw a small amount of coals on top and heat for about five minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Dollop the sour cream over the melted cheese and Shamwow, a hearty lunch ready in under fifteen minutes! If you’re unlike me and actually plan ahead, you can even cook the onion and meat before you leave on your trip, turning this into a fiveminute meal that the whole camp will not be able to get enough of.

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INDULGE YOUR PASSION FOR THE

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SAM’S ROAST LAMB – BECAUSE Chop a pumpkin and a couple of potatoes into large chunks YOU CAN’T EAT WOOL and spray them with olive oil I’m going to put my hand up and and throw some salt and pepper say that I reckon the aroma of a over them, then lift the oven lamb roast is probably the best lid and pack them around your smell in the world. I’ve got a fairly lamb before replacing the lid and large camp oven so I usually grab cooking for a further 30 mins. a 1.5-2kg leg of lamb, but make sure your meat will fit with room Load the top of the camp oven to spare before finding out the lid up with more coals and cook for doesn’t close. 20 more minutes to brown the meat. She’s cooked when a skewer Line your oven with foil and thickly is inserted into the thickest part slice a couple of onions and and the juices run clear. Remove carrots, stir through some minced the lamb and top vegies and keep garlic and olive oil and line the them warm. base of the oven with them. Remove the trivet and drain the On the skin side of your lamb, stab excess fat and the vegies on the a few deep slits in it and insert bottom into a small saucepan. some slivers of raw garlic. Then Mash them up and add a little rub olive oil all over the skin and stock and some flour and cook for sprinkle with salt and pepper. a few minutes to make a delicious Place your lamb on a trivet and put gravy. Serve as the sun’s going it in the oven on top of the vegies down with a fresh cold beer or a and cook on a medium heat for glass of red and enjoy one of the half an hour. best meals you’ll ever eat. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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THE ULTIMATE CHOCCY DESSERT What do you get when you cross a cake, a pudding and a brownie? The best thing you can do for your chocaholism and the worst thing you can do for your waistline, but trust us, this one’s worth it. Find a cake tin that’ll fit into your camp oven and grease and flour it. Beat half a knob of melted butter, a little vanilla essence and 1.75 cups of caster sugar together in a large bowl until it’s fluffy and creamy add three eggs in one at a time making sure they’re beat in well. Melt 250g of dark chocolate and add a little at a time until it’s all mixed in well. Sift 1.5 cups of flour and a teaspoon of salt together and add to the mixture. Add half a cup of chopped nuts and 0.75 cup

of full-cream milk about a third at a time and mix it all until it’s a uniform colour and consistency (Pro tip – mix the batter up before you leave and store in your fridge or esky to save a lot of time). Pour the batter into a tin and place it into your camp oven on a low to medium heat. Cook for about an hour until the centre is still slightly soft to the touch (the middle is fudgy). While that’s cooking away, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan and stir in half a cup of cocoa and 250g of finely chopped very dark chocolate, Once that’s all melted stir in 1-2 cups of icing sugar until it’s the right consistency. Pour the sauce over your warm cake and enjoy the feeling of the sugar high and increased risk of diabetes.

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EXCEPTIONAL MUD, DIRT, ROCK AND GRAVEL TRACTION

INCREASED CONTROL, STABILITY & HANDLING, REDUCED VEHICLE DRIFT & REDUCED ROAD NOISE

The design of the alternating Lug Scallops act as shovels to direct mud towards the Mud Scoops while Mud Release Dimples create air pockets that prevent mud from sticking between the tread blocks. The design and placement of Wide Lateral Grooves also promote selfcleaning ability. Large specially designed Side Biters enhance traction where maximum grip is essential.

New, unique alternating 3-2 Tread Pattern with a Mud Flex Design to strategically couple the shoulder and intermediate tread rib.

GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND A SMOOTHER RIDE The Flex Groove generates a flex point in the tyre allowing the tyre to flex, dampening the impact generated by inconsistent terrain, while working together with the Side Biters when traversing irregular, tough obstacles.

REDUCED CHANCE OF STONE RETENTION Strategically placed Raised Rubber Ribs and Pads and Angled Groove Walls work together to reduce the chance for stones and gravel to be trapped in the tread.

50% MORE PROTECTION AGAINST IMPACT DAMAGE The STT PRO consists of Cooper’s unique 3-ply carcass construction – Armor-Tek3 in the tread and sidewall. The third ply overlays the two normal plies at an optimal angle.

REDUCED CUTTING & CHIPPING, IMPROVED WET TRACTION AND IMPROVED FUEL MILEAGE The compound is formulated with a Chemically Infused Silica and carbon black mixture and infused with a Cut and Chip Formula while Variable Depth Sipes minimise the stress at the end of the sipe on the outside tread blocks.

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BRED IN OUR

OUTBACK COOPER’S NEW MUD TYRE Australian outback testing. American technological genius.

ur country’s toughest terrain has been the testing ground for Cooper Tires’ prototypes for the last 10 years. Last year, the STT PRO prototype was brought to Australia by Cooper Tires’ Lead Tire Engineer, Ken Reuille, and tyre Development Manager, Heather Mosier, and put through its paces in convoys into central Australia and the Kimberley. Test data was taken back to America to create the new generation mud tyre.

The STT PRO is testimony to the company’s commitment to continual research and development at the highest level with technology generations ahead of other leading tyre brands.

CLICK HERE TO GENERATE A QUOTE FOR YOUR VEHICLE To find out more visit coopertires.com.au or call 1300 COOPER NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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REVIEWED:

JOHNNO’S

CAMPER TRAILERS

X-R15

IT’S AN EVOLUTION ON THE EVOLUTION Words and photography by Sam Purcell

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Although the bed sits up high, you can easily hop in with the walk-up design.

Drawbar storage is plenty, and easily accessible via the hinged and strut-assisted door.

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NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE Hot water, courtesy of the Coleman unit mounted on the driver’s side.

I tend to treat most softfloor camper trailers with a fair degree of suspicion. Not to say that every one of my experiences with them has been bad; they have more often than not worked out quite well for me. But bad experiences stick in your mind, like sooty engine oil to that new shirt you just bought. If you’ve been camping often enough, you’ll know what it’s like: You’re running late, the sun is dipping below the horizon, and you’re not even anywhere near where you thought you’d be when you set out that morning. There’s dinner to cook, it’s just started drizzling and your temper could already be fraying. Throw some poorly-designed and hard-to-manage camping gear into the mix, and, well, this trip isn’t turning out nearly as relaxing as you were hoping.

You can fit a large gas bottle in the storage spot, and there are two 60 litre water tanks underneath the camper.

With that in mind, I was happy to discover that the X-R15 from Johnno’s Campers is quite easy to set up, especially when all you want to do is knock dinner on the head and hit the hay as quickly as possible. For those who have done the ‘soft-floor shuffle’ before, you’ll know what an advantage this is.

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After some extra time invested in set-up, you’ll have a nice sheltered space off the back of the camper.

THE TENT IS DEFINITELY

A QUICK ONE WHEN IT COMES TO THE ALL-IMPORTANT

SET-UP RACE

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The XR-15 is the rangetopper for Johnno’s soft-floor campers, with a larger trailer and tent base than the other models. It’s a fast and simple fold out tent, with a 2.7 x 2.7M living space. It’s nice and high in there with plenty of windows, so you don’t feel like a sardine in a canvas can. I like the handy little flap at the bottom, which can keep fresh air circulating in the tent. Having zippable access flaps to the tent’s (massive) drawer and battery compartment is fantastic as well. As mentioned, the tent is definitely a quick one when it comes to the all-important set-up race. After whipping off the top cover, you simply pull the floor of the tent to one side, and then roll over the structure for height. Step inside and adjust the two spreader bars for some tension, and you’re all done. If you’re looking for more space or setting up for a decent stay, the extra awning takes around five to ten minutes to get set up – depending on how down-pat you can get it. Two spreader bars come from the main tent structure, and then eight upright poles make for a sturdy setup. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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Two AGM batteries combine for 160 ampere hours of power. ATHERTON POLO

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Set up or not, you can quickly access the kitchen and storage area behind.

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Old customers of Johnno’s said| PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION they’d love to see a barbie built into a camper, and they got one. If conditions are good, you can

probably get away with less poles and guy ropes. For more space again, there’s an additional room that can be tacked onto the main room – effectively doubling overall space. The Johnno’s X-R15 gets straight to the point and gives you what you need, with a few handy little tricks up the sleeve. What the trailer does have plenty of is sturdiness. Hinges, seals, welds and (galvanised) chassis rails are all not lacking; important for those who like reliability in remote areas (who doesn’t?). Our model had independent coil-spring suspension, offering a more pliable ride over traditional leaves. Some big inclusions on this unit, especially at this price point, are the hot water system (a Coleman Hot Water on Demand) and the walk-up access to the bed which beats pole-vaulting into your sleeping quarters like some trailers demand.

The condiments shelf is just a downright good idea something this trailer has a few of. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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9/01/2015 4:28 pm

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Good rubber: 32x11.50 R15LT Goodyear MT/R Kevlar tyres.

Like the rest of the trailer, the kitchen is simple and effective. It swings away from the back of the trailer, and can be supported by a dropin leg. There’s a big flat-grille barbecue built into the unit, along with a sink and water, as well as a slide-out wok burner and lots of storage. The condiments shelf is a good one; it folds down and out of the way, with a mesh cover that keeps everything in place. The Johnno’s X-R15 camper trailer walks a fine balance between being able to cater for a big family on extended trips, and also not overdoing it with tricks and gadgets. Too many ‘things’ can quickly lead to confusion, annoyance and extended setup times – something that can drive you bonkers when all you want to do is sit back and relax for a little while. While the X-R15 might not have everything some want, it does have everything you need. And, quite often, that’s perfect.

We’ve used independent suspension on a camper similar to this for thousands of kilometres, and have loved it. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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SPECIFICATIONS: X-R15 Body 1.6mm

2080 x 1275 x 500 Zincaneal Pressed side

Chassis

50 x 50 x 2.5 Duragal Steel

Drawbar

100 x 50 x 3 Duragal Steel

Coupling

Hyland coupling

Rims & Tyres

15/8 steel with 32 x 11.5 Mud Terrain with black rims

Suspension

Independent coil with shock absorbers

Electric Brakes 12” electric Living Area

2.7 x 2.7 metre

Water Tank

2 x 60lt underbody water tanks with bash plates

Weight

1,100kg

Canvas

Australian-made Dynaproofed canvas with 5-year Manufacturer’s Warranty

Price

$28,990

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Presented with the Club Marine SA Boat & Fishing Show it’s two shows in one! See stunts by Isuzu Team D-max, meet special guests, show ambassador Paul Worsteling from IFish will be there talking fishing plus there’s seafood cooking demos on the Club Marine Lifestyle Stage.

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TOYO OPEN COUNTRY

A/T II REVIEW

AFTER 15,000KM ON THESE TYRES,

TIM STANNERS BRINGS YOU THE SKINNY ON THE LATEST ALL-TERRAIN OFFERING FROM TOYO Words and photography by Tim Stanners

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How DO you tell one set of tyres from the next when it comes to choosing new rubber for your vehicle? Your mates will let you know soon enough that you SHOULD choose the new Mickey Thompsons MTZ’s or the latest Maxxis Bighorns or that they’ve had five sets of Coopers, each lasting 100,000km... and the list goes on.

For most four-wheel drivers, answering these questions will land them in the ballpark of a tyre that performs well on-road with varying levels of off-road capability and it’s generally the all-terrain (AT) tyre which wins the compromise battle over the factory fitted Highway Terrains (HT) or the more aggressive Mud Terrain (MT) tyre.

Having run AT tyres in similar driving conditions from four In reality there’s a few simple questions you need to ask different top end manufacturers, yourself; are you after function I can tell you first hand that price over fashion, what terrain will you doesn’t necessarily equate to mostly be driving over, and lastly, the best tyre in terms of overall what are you prepared to spend? performance and durability.

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So, when it came to swapping out my last set of tyres, I was keen on trying one of the lesserknown 4X4 tyre manufacturers (at least in terms of the Australian 4X4 market) Toyo Tires have been running their Open Country A/T tyre for years, but have recently brought out an upgraded and much more aggressive looking version – the Open Country A/T II. Most of the changes are in and around the tread block design, incorporating a five-rib tread pattern and new casing compound as well as new stone ejecting blocks. Toyo have also added these cool little block ‘tie bars’ which are designed to improve individual block stability on the shoulder and reduce the chances of ‘throwing’ individual tread blocks. Most of the new range of AT II’s also come in the Light Truck (LT) construction for off-road use. Toyo are claiming some pretty big advances with these new donuts but I’ll let you read Toyo Tires own spec sheet through their website as it’s on the road, or rather, on the track where the rubber really hits the ground.

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOYO TIRES

SPEC SHEET

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WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH - GET A CENTURY 4WD OVERLANDER

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For more information contact your Century Batteries specialist on 1300 362 287 or visit www.centurybatteries.com.au.

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I’ve run the A/T II’s right around the Apple Isle at Christmas time, across the Simpson Desert and up and down the Blue Mountains and across all sorts of terrain, with and without camper trailers and to date, I must admit, they have performed admirably. Mud and sand driving and in particular, stone retention (or lack thereof) and selfcleaning ability have been excellent. Directional stability and vehicle handling were also noticeably good and on-road harmonics (although a little subjective without sound measuring gear) are certainly comparable with other AT tyres.

Whilst 15,000 km is only a baby in terms of overall tyre life, with the current wear rate and most importantly, the correct tyre pressure and regular rotation, I expect to get at least 75,000 km before the tread hits the wear bars and they need swapping out. At this stage, I’ll give Toyo a thumbs up for producing a good looking AT tyre which performs well on-road, is very capable offroad and if their claim to longevity is anything to go by you should be seeing these tyres in Unsealed 4X4 for a while yet.

See Tim putting the Toyo’s through their paces here.

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NAVARA NP

THREE OF UNSEALED 4X4’S STAFFERS TOOK TH HERE’S WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF THE

Words by Dex Fulton, Evan Spence and

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P300 REVIEW

HE NEW NAVARA OUT FOR A PLAY RECENTLY. E LATEST DUAL-CAB ON THE MARKET.

d Sam Purcell, photography by Ray Cully

The new Navara is now officially out. The big question on everyone’s lips is whether it’s up to the challenge of replacing not only one, but two highlyregarded Nissan dual-cabs. To see if we could answer this, Sam

Purcell, Evan Spence and Dex Fulton snuck out of the office last Wednesday arvo to put the NP300 through its paces. Two of them came back with the attitude that they’d buy one, the other one – not so much…

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DEX’S TAKE ON THE NEW NAVARA Finally! We have a five-seater ute on the scene that has done away with the last-century-tech rear leaves and replaced them with a decent five-link and coils set-up (unless you count the SsanYong Actyon Sports – which, at the risk of insulting all three Actyon owners in this country, I don’t… at all). This is surely going to change the way things are done in the realm of dual-cabs in the Aussie market, right? Well, yes and no. It’s been a decade since the D40 first graced our local Nissan dealerships, which is a good innings by anyone’s account. The NP300 has the big task of not only replacing the popular D40, but also the venerable D22 – a big ask given the previous two models’ popularity, but with a massive 27 model variants, one petrol, two diesel and two transmissions on

offer, as well as 40,000 individual tests and over one million kays covered during the development stages Nissan is certainly covering a lot of bases with their new model utes. The NP300 does represent another step on the road to making 4X4s as car-like as possible, and to be honest; it’s not as bad a thing as I initially thought. Interior comfort is simply ridiculous when compared to the dual-cabs of yesteryear that would leave your kidneys feeling like you’d just gone a few rounds with Danny Green. The driveability is also up there, with plenty of grunt from the twinturbo diesel (in the ST and STX models) and seven-speed auto combination; but it’s not without its flaws. In stock trim, the rear coils offer a nice comfy ride, but not much else. Admittedly the model we drove was unladen and things may get

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3” PERFORMANCE EXHAUSTS FOR

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better with a bit of weight over the back end, but it struggled to get the power to the ground, spinning wheels on inclines where other 4X4s along for the trip simply idled up. Some good aftermarket suspension would undoubtedly fix this but it’s worth noting. The twin-turbo diesel engine also felt underwhelming. It had plenty of torque and acceleration ability but there was that voice in the back of my head that kept telling me that it was only 2.3L of capacity pushing along nearly 2 tonnes of vehicle, and while I wouldn’t say the engine is a dog by any means, I found myself wishing that Nissan had ignored the Euro5 emissions regulations (argh!) and slotted in the beautiful V6 turbo-diesel from the old ST-X models. Hey, we can all dream can’t we? Off-road the NP300 was let down by its aforementioned lack of traction to the back end, although the loose dirt and rocky tracks

we were driving demanded a high level of traction. On a more forgiving surface like sand it would go extremely well. The front end was on a par with most of the other IFS dual-cabs. If you’re hoping for a hardcore rockcrawler prepare for disappointment but for 95% of off-road duties it is more than up to the task Economy was excellent, as you’d expect. We returned figures south of 9L/100km with a good mix of road, dirt roads and low-range type crawling. Overall, I was impressed with this vehicle. As a tradie’s ute or as an alternative to a bigger wagon there’s not too much that’ll let you down. It’s comfy, powerful and economical, and while beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder, I thought it looked pretty schmick too. Throw some aftermarket suspension and barwork at it and you’ll have a vehicle ready for tackling just about any trip in Australia.

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EV’S TAKE ON THE NEW NAVARA Make no mistake about it; this latest release from Nissan has some amazing potential on paper, yet the execution sadly lets it down. Firstly, a massive negative point was the steering, which felt as though it had the speed of a jellyfish. It was doughy, unresponsive and dangerously slow to respond to input. The engine also sounded rather uninspiring, but did an admirable job of moving what is not a very small vehicle around so I shouldn’t bully it too much.

The sunroof was a strange bugbear that I normally wouldn’t even notice, but it appeared to be installed in the wrong spot or something. It just didn’t feel right and took away from what should have been a cool feature. In a moment of madness, Nissan have also installed the rear cup-holders on the floor. Why on earth would you want your drink on the floor where it can be easily knocked over? Overall however, it must be said the interior of the Navara is a nice place to be, with plenty of gadgets to keep you entertained (the rear-view mirror even has a compass built in).

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The bonnet was a talking point in our test group, as it is weirdly kicked up on either side. It really is rather different, but I must admit to liking it. It feels as though you are driving some sort of futuristic space ship, not what is essentially a tarted up commercial vehicle. Finally, the all-singing all-dancing fancy coil suspension rear end again on paper should be the best thing since factory turbo-diesel engines were made mainstream. Sorry to deliver this bad news, but it isn’t. For years we have been told that coil springs are the cure for everything, but in reality in a

working vehicle they offer little advantage over a well-sorted leaf rear end. And while I’m sure the aftermarket industry will improve on this greatly, the fact remains that this ute will not carry a decent load in stock form, nor does it seem to get power down to the ground all that well. It just wants to spin tyres. Look, there are some major improvements over the old D40. Just please don’t buy one thinking coil springs equal flex and a great ride, because this new Navara offers neither.

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SAM’S TAKE ON THE NEW NAVARA I was pretty excited when I first started reading about the new Navara, which looks like it might shake up the status quo that currently exists in ute-land. After some quality time behind the wheel, I found its appeal not to do with the 4X4 side, but more about the car. Many (like Dex) will lament the omission of the three-litre diesel V6, which was sourced from the Renault-Nissan alliance. Nissan is probably missing it as well, now they don’t hold the crown as the

most powerful ute on the market. This new, 2.3L diesel comes from the same source, doing 140kW and 450Nm, whilst sipping fuel. Why no V6? Emission standards. The new motor is quite toey for its size, matching well with the sevenspeed automatic when driven hard. More gentle, around town driving can become annoying, as the gearbox hunts around between the premises of power and economy. We did get great economy of around 8 litres per hundred kays in our testing, and we weren’t driving for economy.

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Driving dynamics on the NP300 is decidedly carlike, showing how much this segment has changed over the last decade. Aside from the fact that there is a low range and rear locker button visible, you might as well be in a fancy-spec sedan. It’s quiet, efficient and painless to drive. Pushing the car hard into corners will show up that wallowing understeer, it is a 4X4 after all, not a sports saloon.

Off-road, the Navara is a good base for potentially great capability. Swap out the plastic extremities for something with stronger and better angles, and lift the belly away from the ground with a slight lift and tyre size, and you’ll have something quite capable. Our testing on rock steps and rutted climbs showed that the lines you picked are largely dictated by the crappy approach angle, front wheels quickly lift, and the locked rear end scrabbles on slippery sandstone rock. Give the revs a bit of a punch, and traction

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increase its appeal to the broader market of potential car buyers. The interior is one of the nicest Coils are great to see under the getting around, in terms of looks bum, and they give a noticeably and functionality. Importantly, it different ride to leaves. It’s much is a good base for a 4X4, which softer, sometimes feeling bouncy, is already well catered for with especially when pushed too hard aftermarket mods. Hardcore over big humps and potholes. You’ll four-wheel drivers won’t like how lose the car-like softness, but firmer car-like it is, and what that means rated rear coils would probably for factory off-road performance. benefit the Navara a bit. But on the plus side, this will easily replace the family Falcondore easily, and give you a ticket for The new Navara feels more like a escaping the city in a 4X4. car than a 4X4, which will certainly control kicks in. Better late than never, I guess.

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OUTBACK GOURMET

SECRETS

PORK CRACKLE

WELL AFTER TODAY THERE WILL BE NO SECRETS SO LISTEN CLOSELY AS I WILL ONLY TELL YOU ONCE. Words and Photography by Jo Clews This is the method I have found works for me and as yet have had no failures. First of all you need to choose your roast a 1.5kg – 2 kg roast will easily feed 4-6 people. I like to choose a piece of meat that just has a piece of skin on the top and not around the sides as it’s quite difficult to get the sides of your oven hot enough to pop the crackle. You will need to cook your meat for 1 hour 10-15 minutes per kilogram so a 2kilogram roast should take up to 2.5 hours to cook.

Place your camp oven on a rack over a small amount of fire coals, heat beads or charcoal, put the lid on and make a ring of coals around the outer edge of the lid. Cook for about one hour making sure you replace dead coals and brush away ash build up to maintain a constant temperature. At this point I like to add 2-3 cored and halved apples underneath the roast, replace the lid and cook for a further 30-40 minutes.

Place your roast into your camp oven and pat the skin dry, smear with a little oil and sprinkle liberally with salt.

At about this stage you will be thinking I have given you some dudd instructions but so long as you can ignore the fact your crackling looks more like boot leather you will be fine.

I like to add a couple of centimetres of water in the bottom to make sure the meat doesn’t dry out and stick to the bottom.

Now comes the magic, remove all your old coals from the top of the lid and replace with a fresh red hot batch and place them all over the lid.

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Now this part of the process is the most important so you can’t walk away or get distracted as your crackling will end up over done and burnt with all those fresh hot coals blasting straight down on top of your roast. The final crackling process should take about 20 minutes maybe even less, don’t be afraid to peek the last thing you want is to destroy your beautiful crackle at this late stage. Crackling is done and perfect when it is has all bubbled and popped on the top and sounds hard when tapped with a knife. As a bonus to this recipe remember those apples you placed in the bottom of your pan, well now all you need to do is mash them up with all those lovely roasting juices and presto the perfect apple gravy to go with the perfect pork. Enjoy!

Want the secret to the perfect pork crackling? Click the video and try to keep the drool off your keyboard.

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NEW SOUTH WALES THE ALPINE RUN

Sydney is often looked at as the dead spot in Australian 4X4ing. Too far south to head to the Cape, too far east to take on the outback, and too far north to duck off for a weekend in the Victorian High Country. You’d be forgiven for thinking we’re nothing but an endless sprawl of concrete jungle (with the exception of Daniels Point Road). We have one thing hiding up our sleeves though, Mt Kosciusko, the highest point in Australia. That’s without even mentioning the entire Snowy Mountain region. It’s easy

to think of the Snowy Mountains as nothing more than lycra clad snow bunnies, but in reality it’s every bit as spectacular as the Victorian High Country. Crystal clear rivers wind through rolling mountain ranges with secluded campgrounds nestled in between. There’s a little known campsite right on the Mexican border called Tom Groggin Campgrounds. It’ll be as far south as you can head before entering enemy territory so use that as your halfway mark before turning back north. Kick the adventure off in the Brindabella Ranges just outside of Canberra and zig zag your way down south picking up alpine huts and steep ultimatecampers.com.au

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hill climbs along the way. You’ll rack up about 1400kms along the way, if your consumption is around 15L/100km you can expect to spend roughly $350 for fuel. You’ll need a park pass for the majority of the trip, although most campgrounds are included in the price. Day rates can be from $16$27 depending on the time of the year. But factor in buying an annual pass for $190 and you’ll be covered for every park in the state with $460 left in your pocket for food and fun. In summer the area offers some of the best mountain biking in the country, while winter brings snow camping and ski season. With summer right around the

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NEW SOUTH WALES

Unless you’re fond of screaming kids and sitting behind caravans COFFS COAST driving well under the speed limit it’s best to head up outside With summer right around the of holiday season. The full loop corner now is the time to start there and back from Sydney planning a beach run. While the should see you punching out great un-washed line up for their close to 2000km so factor in 3m² of sand at Blacksmiths Beach around $450 in fuel. The area is or the government sanctioned littered with free camps in the runway at Stockton (if the mines bush and the beach leaving you don’t need it that day) you’ll be a hefty $550 in your wallet for beach hopping along the eastern refreshments at the pubs up and coastline kicking back with a few down the coast. If you’re hell bent good mates and a pub feed as on making yourself the alpha of you swap war stories from that your group plan on spending at day’s wheeling. least a few days at Coffs itself. The area is littered with seriously The surrounding area is home fun tracks through regions like to some of the regions toughest Barrington Tops, Oxley Wild tracks, so if you’re not packing the Rivers, Wauchope, and Wedding surf board you better be packing Bells state forest. If you’re game the recovery kit. With track names there’s even more adventure to like Widowmaker, Broken and be had searching for the most Commando, there’s a lot of hilarious parks in the area, I highly gnarly terrain waiting to show recommend a good giggle at you who’s boss. Tuckers Nob for a start.

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QUEENSLAND

with the pub owners and see if you can set your swag up out the CORNER COUNTRY back to keep costs down. There’s no shortage of outback pubs on Part of the beauty of heading into this trip either. Between stretches the Outback is even the highways of red dirt and jagged rocks you’ll aren’t much better than a 4X4 track, go through towns such as Old and I mean that in a good way. If Betoota, Quilpie, and Windorah. you’ve never been to the heart of Some of them a little more Australia now is the time to do it. inhabited than others. Get off Facebook and stop checking your emails, they’ll all be there in a If you’re looking for a relaxing week when you get back. To make trip with the kids riding their bikes around a manicured grass it all the way to Birdsville you’ll need to cover an average of 5hrs a campsite this isn’t the trip for you. day. When you remember you’ll be There’s long days, an offensive level of heat and hours upon hours hauling along an outback highway of nothing but horizon in front of with red dirt rolling underneath your 4X4 and kangaroos bouncing you. But by the end of it you’ll feel a along the horizon it doesn’t sound connection to the heart and soul of this country, one born on the backs like that much to ask. of tough men, tougher women, and You’ll spend the best part of your their often tragic stories. budget in fuel alone, so get friendly

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QUEENSLAND CREB TRACK

Alright, alright. I know what you’re thinking Queenslanders, why are your trips all epic adventures? For the simple fact that you lucky buggers have some of the best 4X4ing right on your door step. There’s not too many other parts of the world that can duck off for a week relaxing on one of the many sand islands in the region, and be there in a couple of hours. Let’s face it, you don’t need to look too far for a quick weekend getaway, or even a relaxing few nights by the campfire. So if you’re heading off for a week why not make it big? It’s not exactly enough time to go up and do the Cape, even if you’re starting from Cairns, but it is enough for one of the most adventurous beach runs in the country, culminating in the iconic CREB track. With a week up your sleeve and the GPS pointing north

you can beach hop every night all along the coast, there’s plenty of small coastal towns that’ll offer up a counter meal and beach to camp on, although if you can make it work it’s worth heading off the beaten track to some of the more remote spots along the way like Five Rocks, Cape Tribulation and most importantly the Bundaberg Rum factory. You’ll be lucky to have a pocket full of change left after paying for fuel, so it’s worth scouting out the exact campsites you’ll be stopping at every night. Where you stay all depends on how far you’re comfortable driving each day. You’ll need an average of 5 ½ hours a day, a couple of transit days should be enough to get it down to a more relaxed pace and free up an extra night to take on the CREB. If you’re after a relaxing week easily in the budget, head to Fraser and kick back beach side, if you’re after a trip you’ll never forget then head north.

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TASMANIA

TASSIE – BALFOUR We’re kicking off the Melbourne trip with what is arguably one of the best things you can do 4X4ing in Victoria, leave and go to Tasmania. Alright we kind of blew the budget too, you’ll need to spend over the $1000 allowed just on the Spirit of Tasmania alone, and all up a trip like this could run close to $2000 over the course of a week. That said, Tasmania is one of those destinations very few ever visit, so there’s no chance of turning up to a track and joining the queue like up in the Cape. There’s no shortage of destinations to head, even the locals never run out of spots, but if you’re ticking tracks off your

bucket list you’ll want to head out to the Balfour Track and Climes. Both offer vastly different terrain, from windscreen deep water through to off camber rocks perched above a water fall. If you’re after serious adventure both of these tracks should be on your to do list, although be warned, you’ll need snorkels, good tyres and a mate handy with a snatch strap. If you’re planning on doing multiple trips a year it’s worth shelling out the $96 for a pass for all parks (or if it’s a one off you can get away with a holiday pass $60 for up to 8 weeks). Tasmania is one of those places with adventure down every track, from stunning waterfalls and rainforest walks through to wheel lifting fun. Bring the cheque book and have an adventure you’ll never forget.

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VICTORIA

for a paddle down the river that inspired more than a few bush MURRAY-SUNSET poets. You’ll come across winding sandy tracks and low lying desert Alright I admit it, the main reason scrub as you make your way I give Melbournites so much slack towards the Pink Lakes, so it’s is I’m kind of jealous of the varied worth bringing a couple of traction terrain you have down there. aids along for the ride too. The What you miss out on in beach best place to pull up for the night 4X4ing you more than make up is Mopoke Hut, it requires a 4X4 for with stunning alpine scenery to get to so you’re safe away from and easily accessible red desert. the riff raff ready to pen your own From the heart of Melbourne it’s a outback poem, or rise early for an little over 5hrs to the heart of the iconic red desert sunrise. You’ll Murray-Sunset National Park, 6 if punch out about 1200kms over you’re in a British 4X4, hey gotta the course of a week so factor in account for breakdowns right? at least $300 for fuel. Camping The park straddles the Murray is free leaving plenty left in the River (funny that) so it goes purse for food and beverages, so without saying you’re best off be sure to stop in at a few of the bringing your kayak and going pubs along the way.

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA

to Lake Eyre and kick back at the pink roadhouse for a pub feed and OLD GHAN RAILWAY a few cold refreshments. You’ll follow the old railway through If you live in Adelaide you’re wide red deserts and inhospitable probably pretty bloody sick of terrain right up until Marla when reading the 40th article this year you’re back on the blacktop, telling you to head to the Flinders, although no trip through here is Robe, or Coorong National Park. It’d complete without spending a night chap my backside too, especially underground in Coober Pedy. You’ll with how much history and rack up nearly 2500kms, chew stunning scenery South Oz has through roughly $550 in fuel and a to offer. If you’ve got a week off little bit extra for camping wherever work and a crisp $1000 bill in your you pull up. But after a week you pocket head out to the Oodnadatta would have taken on a trip that track and follow the Old Ghan most Australian’s can only ever Railway. Kick your trip off with a dream of. Rope the boss into letting transit day and head to Maree, it’ll you off for an extra week if you take a full day to get there but will can, Alice Springs and Uluru are knock over roughly ¼ of the kays well worth the visit. If you haven’t you need to cover in the first day. already got a parks pass you’ll From here on in you’ll follow the need to factor in an extra $150 Oodnadatta track and the historic for an annual Desert Parks Pass. Old Ghan railway through some Hey, adventure ain’t cheap, but it’s of the most isolated desert known always worth it. to man. Make sure you drop in

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA THE WHITE SANDS OF ESPERANCE

What Western Australia lacks in Alpine Areas and mining profits it more than makes up for in stunning coastlines and crystal clear beaches. While there’s loads of 4X4ing to be had within a few hours of Perth itself the true jewel in WA’s crown is Esperance. Located halfway between Perth and the SA border, Esperance will set you back a full day’s drive both ways, although once you’re set up you’ll barely have to drive again if you don’t want to. If you’ve only ever seen Esperance in articles it’d be easy to think the whole area is nothing but a few white dunes straddling the beach front, normally with some maniac airborne in their 17in lifted GQ,

the reality is the terrain varies from rocky outcrops, limestone, corrugated gravel roads, soft inland sand tracks and hard packed beach front. Short of insane hill climbs Esperance has it all. Campsites are littered throughout the area, although a quick duck back into Esperance itself is all it takes to refill the fuel tanks and fridge. You’ll only punch through roughly $400 in fuel, leaving plenty left over for the local bakery. The whole attraction of the area is the stunning beach front and white dunes, so if you’re a surfer, fisho, or diver make sure you pack in your gear. Esperance is one of those destinations that’ll have you ringing in sick on Monday, and quitting by Tuesday - it’s that good you’ll never want to leave.

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA THE KIMBERLEY, AUSTRALIA’S LAST ADVENTURE If you’re setting off for a week long adventure from Darwin you really do have the pick of the bunch. Kakadu, Arnhem Land, Litchfield, the red centre, the Gulf country, even right over to Cape York are all within reach. Without a doubt, one of the bucket list items every Northern Territorian four-wheel driver needs to tick off is the Kimberley. With only a week up your sleeve you won’t be able to see the whole region, but it’d be enough to tick off Kununurra, the Bungle Bungles, and a good chunk of the Gibb River road, especially if you punch out a transit day or two. The area is one of the last great adventures in Australia so accommodation will be a swag by the side of the track, which works out well as you’ll need to budget at least $600 for fuel. Services are few and far between as well, so a long range tank is an absolute must. This is the kind of trip most of the eastern seaboard dreams of doing once in their lifetime, and for Northern Territorians it’s a week off work away. If it’s not on your to do list you’re reading the wrong magazine. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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If your engine overheats too badly, this could be the result

We’ve all been there. You’re cruising down the track enjoying the scenery when you happen to glance down at the dash and see your temperature gauge needle is right up at the wrong end. You look back up just in time to see steam hissing out around the bonnet. You take some time to spit out a curse-word or three before pulling over to the side of the track and shut the engine down, hoping like hell no lasting damage has been done.

tow and repair bill. Not ideal regardless of whether you’re out on the trip of a lifetime or heading up the beach for a quick weekend mission. Overheating sucks.

Y’see, it’s no secret that engines hate excess heat – it’s one of the quickest ways to kill your 4X4 and collect yourself a hefty five-figure

Here’s our rundown of what commonly goes wrong with your cooling system and how to get out of trouble when it does.

All is not lost however. Chances are it’s something that can be fixed right then and there. Of course, we don’t need to preach to you about preventative servicing and maintaining a healthy cooling system on your vehicle right… right?

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RADIATOR CAP

COOLANT LEVEL

Cooling systems are designed to be sealed with the coolant being circulated under pressure. This is because fluid under pressure has a higher boiling point than when it’s at atmospheric pressure. Ever heard about water boiling at the top of Mount Everest way under 100ºC due to the low air pressure? It’s the same principle at play – the higher pressure drives up the boiling point and allows the coolant to be more

It seems kind of obvious, but did you check your coolant levels before you left? Coolant has a higher boiling point and lower

efficient at removing heat from your engine. It’s your radiator cap’s job to maintain this pressure within the system. If you’re running hot, pull over and allow the engine to cool (have a cuppa) until you can touch the cap with your hand without screaming in pain. Remove the cap carefully (the fluid inside may still be under pressure and squirt out – I actually know someone with significant facial burn scars from opening a radiator that still had hot coolant inside, so take it

freezing temperature than water, although doesn’t displace heat as effectively so a mixture of both fluids is recommended. If you’re using a concentrate only mix it with distilled water. Tap water will rust the inside of your engine block’s coolant passages and can promote corrosion throughout your cooling system, whereas coolants have a corrosion inhibitor in them – radiators hate rust! Coolant also lubricates your water pump and keeps deposits from forming in your water galleries, so it’s important to keep it topped up and change it out every couple of years. In a pinch you can top your radiator up with tap water, but flush and re-fill it as soon as you get home.

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nice and easy ok) then inspect the gasket on the underside of the cap. If the gasket is split, perished, hard or brittle it may not be able to seal the system and hold pressure and allow the fluid to boil off, especially once the engine’s shut off. Once the engine is no longer turning the coolant is no longer circulating so it’s not shedding heat and it can be warmed enough to boil. Always carry a second cap with you in your spares kit to avoid any dramas.

HOSES

Ideally, check your radiator hoses before you leave on a trip - a good trick is to change them out anyway and toss the old ones in the spares kit. You want the rubber to be in good shape and not cracked or brittle, and the hose clamps not biting into the rubber which can cause cuts which produce leaks over corrugations and other off-road vibration producing terrain.

rusted away which is the main culprit here, but a stuck thermostat can also cause them to collapse, which brings us to our next point…

If you see this under your vehicle, chances are one of the hoses has let go

Hoses can also collapse from suction, which most often occurs on the lower radiator hose. It may only happen at speed and not be immediately obvious on a trackside inspection. Check the internal spring hasn’t collapsed or NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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THERMOSTAT

A thermostat is essentially a valve that gradually opens to allow cooling fluid into your engine as the temperature rises from running. It controls the rate of coolant flow and allows your engine to get up to operating temperature before it opens, which’ll only happen at a predetermined temperature (different thermostats open at different temps). A thermostat that’s not opening soon enough or too late can cause overheating to occur. If you suspect your thermostat is faulty, you can remove it entirely to get you home, but keep in mind that running without one may not allow your engine to reach optimum operating temperature and damage can occur, so replace it as soon as possible. Not to sound like a broken record but having a spare in your kit is a great idea, particularly if you’re travelling through the desert or other hotrunning environments like the beach or when towing a trailer.

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WATER PUMP

pump are most often advertised by a leak around the pump As the name suggests, this is housing, usually on the underside. what pumps the coolant around There’s a bearing and a seal inside your engine. It’s driven off the belt the pump and if one goes, the system which is among the first other often follows a short time things to be checked once you’ve later. Pump life comes down pulled over and let everything almost exclusively to cooling cool down. Look for cracked system maintenance. Use fresh or torn belts. Because you’re a coolant every couple of years smart four-wheel driver who’s and flush the entire system while always prepared, you can simply you’re at it. These should last the retrieve a belt from your spares life of the engine so they’re not kit and throw it on without too a regular cause of overheating, much fuss. If however you’re like but they do let go occasionally. the rest of us and didn’t pack it, As such, they’re not often found it’s time to get creative. We’ve in spares kits so you’ll need to seen everything from cable ties limp back to civilisation to swap to pantyhose used as makeshift it out for a new one. Make sure belts – just don’t expect them the coolant is regularly topped up to last. Get two new ones ASAP and the heater is on high while and chuck the second one in the you’re driving (the heater core is spares kit like you should’ve done effectively another small radiator in the first place (yes, we’re guilty which will bleed heat from the of not doing this too). cooling fluid for you). It’ll be an uncomfy drive, but it’s better than If that’s not the case, check the pump itself. Failures in the water paying thousands for a tow. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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FAN

Most 4X4s have either electrical fans or viscous clutched fans that are bolted directly to an engine pulley. They draw air through the radiator and are an important determining factor in its overall cooling ability. Clutched fans are able to work at low vehicle speeds, such as when negotiating a tight section of track in low range, and then essentially switch off at higher speeds when the air is flowing faster through the radiator fins. There are a few tell-tale signs that a fan clutch is on the way out. Check how much free-spin it has when the engine’s stopped. If it freewheels more than three revolutions on its own after you spin it the clutch is probably not working. Also, if your air-con is not working that well when the vehicle is travelling at slow speeds then there may not be enough air being pulled over the condenser

and AC performance will suffer. Also visually inspect the fan for fluid leaks and to see if there’s too much play in the bearing or if it spins roughly or grinds - all signs you’ve got a bad fan. On electric fans, check the wiring and fuses as well. While you’re under the bonnet, inspect the fan shroud for damage from stones or branches being kicked up. The shroud directs hot air away from the radiator, so if it’s damaged, the hot air may not be able to escape and lead to a rise in engine temperatures.

As ridiculous as this shroud looks, it’s actually there for a very good reason

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RADIATOR

This is the big one. The radiator is the main component in a vehicle’s cooling system and is what cools the fluid down after it’s circulated through the engine collecting heat. Inspect it closely for leaks and if possible, patch them with metal putty. Try to avoid using stop-leak fluids that you pour into the cooling system as they can often clog cooling channels…but if all else fails you may have to throw some in.

can affect the cooling efficiency. Some careful work with the needle-nose pliers can get them straightened back out.

It’s a good idea to get your radiator professionally flushed every year or two. Corrosion and lime scale can build up and impede coolant flow, which is not going to do your cooling ability any favours. If you do find yourself with a pierced radiator out in the scrub, try dropping a raw egg or some pepper in the fill-hole. When they cycle Dirt, mud and grass seeds can all clog a radiator’s fins so make through and contact air at the place of the leak, they should sure you regularly wash them swell up and seal the hole. I’ve out with a hose from the back side of the radiator. Also look for seen this work first hand, but it’s a temporary fix at best. bent or damaged fins, as they NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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HEAD GASKET

better a leak down test before you head off. That’ll let you If there are bubbles in the know whether it’s time to look coolant, oil mixed in with the elsewhere for the problem, or put cooling fluid, or a milky slime the trip off for a week or two in under the oil cap, chances are order to get it fixed. In some cases you’ve done your head gasket. Best bet here is to drop a tube of a cracked head gasket can lead to an air bubble being trapped in the stop-leak type stuff in and hope water pump causing it to stall. It for the best, but either way it’s time for the head to come off and may be worth trying to run your have a new gasket fitted in place. vehicle without the radiator cap on tight to stop pressure from Make sure the head is machined building and allow coolant to flat before you bolt her all back bleed back into the pump, but this up too. can also result in exhaust gasses Heads are an expensive repair, being pumped into the coolant no way around it. If you’re a bit (depending on where the gasket suss on it before you leave, or has broken), making the problem are losing coolant without any worse so it’s not a fix-all solution apparent external leaks, get a by any means. compression test done, or even

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OTHER THINGS THAT CAN CAUSE DIRTY ENGINE AND RADIATOR

You don’t need a degree in thermal dynamics to realise that an engine and radiator covered in a healthy layer of mud are not going to radiate heat as efficiently as one that’s not. Make sure you hose your radiator out from behind after every trip and keep your engine bay clean.

TOO MANY ACCESSORIES UNDER THE BONNET

Engines partially rely on airflow through the front grille to keep them cool. If you’ve got five batteries, a compressor, winch control box, pie warmer and a big block V8 crammed into the space that was designed to accommodate a 4-cylinder, you may run into problems. The engine needs to be able to have efficient radiant release of heat. Cramming accessories around it won’t let it happen.

POOR TUNE

If you’re running a poor tune on your engine it can lead to things running hotter. If you’ve isolated all other possibilities, it may be time to book her in some dyno time. Diesels in particular can fall out of tune and need adjustment. Similarly, if you’ve installed a cheap, cobbled together “performance chip” you may want to consider plucking it out and repurpose it for stopping your bin from floating away.

ENGINE COLOUR

Believe it or not, black is the best colour to paint your engine. It comes down to the fact that it is the most capably dissipative colour on the infrared spectrum. Lighter colours can actually absorb heat as well as dissipate it, and far less in the infrared spectrum than black. It’s probably not enough to overheat an engine on its own, but if you’re wondering why your freshly painted lime green powerplant isn’t running as efficiently as it used to – now you know.

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READER

UNSEAL

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R’S RIGS

LED 4X4

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GARY’S FJ CRUISER Want to see your pride and joy featured in Unsealed 4X4? All you have to do is email evan@unsealed4x4.com.au with a few pictures and /or videos of your four-wheel drive, and a couple of words letting us know what you have done to it, and where you like to take it.

Some of you will recognise Gary’s FJ Cruiser, we have run a few of his travel yarns in this here magazine. That includes a great article he put together in issue #008 of Unsealed 4X4 on his experiences travelling with kids. It seems Gary and his daughter Elodie have had some amazing adventures together in the bright yellow FJ. In fact, this would have to be one of the most travelled FJs in Australia, and one that you definitely won’t miss coming towards you. They have been across the Simpson Desert, through to Birdsville and even managed a stint into the Flinders Rangers. There have been countless weekend trips through the beaches of QLD, and even a snow trip just to mix things up. Whoever says you can’t tour in a petrol-powered mid-size wagon just hasn’t tried!

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ANT’S GQ UTE You have to admire the older GQ Patrol, especially the coil-cab utes. This is even more so when talking about a TD42 powered GQ coil-cab with a dirty big turbo bolted to the side of it. Heck, some would consider this to be the pinnacle four-wheel drive engineering. Ant drives this thing to its limits, which is why he has decided to keep it low and run 33in mud terrains rather than go all out with a big

lift and stupid size tyres. He also seems to be scared of the dark, judging by the Britax LED light bar and Roo Lite driving lights he has fitted. But then again, if you lived at the foothills of the Victorian High Country you would want to get out there as much as possible too rain, hail or shine. Which explains the Patroldocta stainless steel snorkel too I guess, as you all know there are plenty of water crossings in Ant’s part of the world.

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Want to see your pride and joy featured in Unsealed 4X4? All you have to do is email evan@unsealed4x4.com.au with a few pictures and /or videos of your four-wheel drive, and a couple of words letting us know what you have done to it, and where you like to take it.

HIS AND HERS TOYOTA PRADOS

George sent us these images of he and his wife’s Toyota Prados, his being the newer 150 and his wife drives the 90 Series. Initially, they had just the 90, which has so far been to the Cape, Simpson Desert, Fraser Island, Northern Territory and Outback Queensland. These days, it has been sidelined to daily driver duties, as well as being the weekend bush basher. The 150 on the other hand, has just started it’s off-road career, recently completing a trip to Fraser

Island after its maiden voyage to Cameron Corner for New Years. Having said that, it’s already got a 2in suspension lift, taller tyres, a dual battery system, barwork… the list kind of goes on from there, but trust me this is one well set-up tourer. Good to see you getting out there and using them guys!

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This is a pretty cool story! Camilla was sick of puttering around in common cars, so decided it was time to shake things up and buy a four-wheel drive. As she had just had a baby, there was plenty of time to stay up late and browse classified websites while dealing with teething and various tantrums. There was no point bothering with softroaders as Camilla wanted to explore this country. So it was decided - she went out and picked

up this Defender Extreme and hasn’t looked back. While most people would cut their teeth with smaller four-wheel drives with more creature comforts, Camilla definitely seems to belong to that rare breed who enjoy the simplicity of a tough old vehicle like the Defender. We actually bumped into Camilla out on a trip with the NSW Land Rover Club, where she seemed to be enjoying every second of her new found off-road freedom. Great to see we have another convert to our way of life.

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THE LONG

NSW COA THREE DAYS, FIVE BEACHES

Words by D NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE AUSTRALIA’S MOSTCLICK READHERE 4X4FOR MAGAZINE

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WEEKEND

AST RUN AND A WHOLE LOTTA FUN!

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One of the great things about working for a digital media publication like Unsealed 4X4 is that you don’t have to wait for ages for it to be printed, sent out to newsagents and if you’re lucky, see the article in the mag a few months down the track. Y’see, NSW, ACT, VIC, SA and QLD just had a long weekend, and rather than tell you guys how we spent it several weeks from now, we thought we’d show you straight away. In fact, this mag went out to you guys as the weekend was still going. Gotta love technology eh? Now that the weather is warming up what better way to spend a few days out of the office by hitting the beach? We wanted to visit as many

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beaches on the NSW coast as we could in the three days available so we jagged one of our publisher Pat’s old Nissan Patrols when he wasn’t looking (sorry mate but your desk’s top drawer isn’t the greatest hiding place for your keys) and struck out north early Saturday morning aiming for Bundjalung National Park to spend the night before making our way south stopping off at the Coffs Coast and Myall Lakes areas with a sneaky stop in at a couple of our favourite old beach haunts near Newcastle. Our rods were packed, the camper trailer hitched up and the tyre deflators were left within easy reach. Three days, five beaches and a whole lotta fun!

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DAY 1

BUNDJALUNG NP

Sydney to Bunjalung NP is a fairly big drive, just over 700km, so we knew it was a hike but were keen to get up to this region of the North Coast as the fishing is excellent, the scenery amazing and it’s largely untrodden by the tourists which is an important consideration when camping on a long weekend. We’d packed late Friday night and were up a couple of hours before sparrow’s on Saturday morning in order to get there while the sun was still well above the western horizon. I won’t bore you with the bitumen trip or the state of the road works still going on just north of Coffs but let’s just say we were glad when we got to Evans Head just after midday for a refuel and to pick up some last minute marshmallows for the campfire. We backtracked down the highway a little until we found the sign to Black Rocks camping ground (it’s hard to miss) and headed east to

the coast. We passed by the Evans Head Bombing Range, the hi-vis “Keep Out” signs promising we’d become target practice for an F-18 on a training run if we strayed into the prohibited zone. With that in mind we were careful to stay on the right side of the fence. The Black Rocks camp ground is well appointed with plenty of bays complete with clothes lines and fireplaces that are separated from one another by bush. It’s not a bad place to kick back at all with beach access literally over the dune – although vehicle access is via one of the numerous entry points south of the camp ground. We unhitched the trailer to claim our spot and dropped the tyre pressures over a cuppa before heading out of the camp for some sand antics. Beach driving is not permitted north of Black Rocks and south of Shark Bay and there’s a 40km/h speed limit but there’s plenty of fun to

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be had on the stretch of Ten Mile Beach with its soft sand and rock formations that give the camp ground its name. We shared the site with numerous wallabies and even an emu or two popped its head up to see what we were up to. After a hearty lunch we set up camp and got a fire going before throwing a few ingredients into the camp oven to let our stew slow-cook for a few hours. Then we got busy rigging up and made our way down to the water to see if we could find a decent gutter to cast into for tailor or a nice mulloway.

Plenty of these blokes around the place

It turns out that when it comes to fishing, I’m a hell of a mechanic and after losing what I’m sure was a record breaking fish they went off the bite. Still, spending a dusk casting into the water in one of the most peaceful and beautiful places on earth… it sure beats mowing the lawn. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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DAY 2

COFFS COAST

The next morning we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with the sun rising over the water. We pulled down our camp (gotta love a hard floor trailer – five minutes, including time spent drinking a coffee, and you’re ready to go!) and heading back out to the freeway. Our next stop was Coffs Harbour, which is only a couple of hours south so a much easier drive than yesterday’s slog. For me, the Coffs Coast and hinterland area is a deadest four-wheel driver’s paradise, and Pebbly Beach is probably my favourite beach camping spot in NSW. Not so long ago you could have the entire area to yourself pretty regularly. These days everyone knows about it and it fills up real quick so get in early.

The campsites are well spaced and there’s a few trees and shrubs in between sites so you can still have a relaxing weekend (or week) here without too many issues. As luck would have it, I had a mate who lives in Coffs staying at Pebbly for the weekend, and he was glad to stake out a site on Friday night for us to join him on Sunday morning. The road into Station Creek is well packed dirt and is fine for a 2WD. After dropping our camping fees into the honesty box at Station Creek campground we made our way down to the beach. The sand is soft here, particularly above the tide line so lower pressures may be needed, especially if you’re towing a trailer like we were. The run on the sand up to the creek crossing is only a couple of kays,

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There’s plenty of great wheeling through the Coffs hinterland

however it’s worth noting that Station Creek is tidal, and can only be crossed a couple of hours either side of low tide, so time your arrival accordingly. We’d arrived at around 0830 in the morning with the low being posted at around 0720, so we made it across with no dramas, however the locals will tell you more than one 4X4 has ended up written off trying to cross here at the wrong time, so be warned.

Crossing Station Creek should only be done at low tide, more than one 4X4 has met its end here

Once camp had been set up and we’d been more or less land locked by the tide, we spent the day diving, surfing (water’s still a bit chilly and the waves were definitely suited to longboards rather than our thrusters, but still totally worth it) and rinsing baits. This is how life was meant to be lived I reckon! NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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DAY 3

SEAL ROCKS

The track out is surprisingly tricky

Time and tide wait for no-one, so we’d eaten and were ready to go by 0730 in order to beat the low tide that was scheduled for 0830. Once back on the highway we again pointed the bullbar southwards and set the cruise control for a couple of hours. We wanted to check out the Myall Lakes National Park and duck in for a quick fish at Seal Rocks, at the base of the lighthouse at the reef the locals refer to as Sawtooth. I’ve been here several times in the past on spearfishing trips and I know for a fact that this place is absolutely teeming with marine life so I was keen to see if I could grab some lunch using my finely honed land-

based fishing abilities. Yep, we didn’t catch anything here either so we decided to have a quick surf before having some lunch and heading homeward. The break here was a bit heavier, with four to five feet faces – just about perfect relaxing conditions if you ask me. By the time we paddled in the sun was reaching its zenith in the sky, and there was a couple more stops we wanted to pack into our long weekend, so after locking it in low for the surprisingly tricky track off the beach, we got back on the highway, once again leaving north in the rearview.

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DAY 3.5

SAMURAI AND STOCKO

Here’s why Stocko used to be the best sand driving destination in NSW – dunes for days

Ok, we couldn’t do a beach run without stopping in at two of our old favourite sand destinations – Samurai and Stockton beaches. Samurai is a bit less travelled than Stocko, and there was only a couple of other vehicles in sight as we aired down on the soft sand. It’s actually a nudist beach, so if you’re planning on bringing your kids here, make sure you’re prepared to handle some potentially awkward questions on the drive home. We pulled into the camp ground at the northern end of the beach and had a quick cuppa before driving back up the beach and ducked down the road to the world renowned Stockon beach – what used to be the best fourwheel driving beach in the state.

I say used to be, because these days, thanks to a bunch of frankly disgusting politicking, you can now only drive on a fraction of the area that used to be allowed, and camping here has been outlawed. Apparently the good people of NSW aren’t good enough to camp on their own beaches… Ok, no more bitterness, I’ll stop, for now. It’s easy to see why Stockon was so popular though. Miles upon miles of majestic dunes, fishing that’d make you want to set-up a shack and live here full time, and world class waves – although given that it’s one of only two great white shark breeding grounds in NSW, we opted to keep the boards dry while we were here.

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just make sure old mate is wearing pants before you go up to say g’day

By the time we were ready to go home, the sun was well and truly down as we aired up at the Anna Bay servo. We’d visited five beaches in three days, and

truthfully we could’ve spent the entire weekend at any of them. We’d loved every second of our trip and already have plans to do something similar again soon.

OK, THAT’S HOW WE SPENT OUR LONG WEEKEND, NOW TELL US WHAT YOU GOT UP TO!

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THE EDITOR

Dex.

IT’S OF

UNSEALED 4X4 IS THE Yep, we’ve now officially got more readers, more pages, higher content-to-ad ratio and better stories than any other 4X4 mag out there. I’m not a scientist but I’m pretty sure that makes us the biggest and best in the country. Let’s take a sec to let that sink in shall we? In under 18 months Unsealed 4X4 has taken the four-wheel drive publishing game and completely turned it on its head, and you know what? It’s about bloody time. Up until recently, the off-road mag industry has done an absolutely piss-poor job of looking out for your (the readers) interests. I say that as a member of that industry and believe me, I’m not the only journo who feels this way. Y’see, most publishing companies

take an advertising-first-readersecond approach to the way they do business. Trust me, I could go on at length about the “standard policies” in place at some of the places I’ve written for – it’s enough to make you shake your head in incredulity and say to yourself “are you guys for f*$%ing real?” Let me give you an example: At a mag I used to work for the journo receives a product to test. In the process of going out and using it as it’s designed for, it breaks. Conclusion: it’s not up to the every-day treatment most fourwheel drivers are going to give it seems like a pretty open-and-shut case to most people with a little common sense doesn’t it? Only when you write something that honestly sums up the product you get told that you’re not allowed to write that as it may offend the advertiser with the overriding fear

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R’S COLUMN

FFICIAL

E BIGGEST AND BEST! being that they’ll withdraw their precious advertising dollars from your publication. So if the journo wants to eat that week they’re effectively forced to push out something flowery that doesn’t say much at all, much less give the reader an honest assessment of the product. To add insult to injury, the journo is then required to send the article to the advertiser before it goes to print, so that they can read it over and make sure they’re happy with whatever tripe has been smeared across the page - right there next to the journo’s dignity. I’ve seen it firsthand too many times to count. “Oh, that winch gearbox exploded? Write how good the line pull was up to that point”; “That compressor died halfway through pumping up the first tyre? Write about the handy carry case and easy-toread pressure gauge.” Deadset,

it’s enough to make you feel ill. And to make matters worse, readers aren’t idiots. They can see through that rubbish like Grandma’s old underwear. And I reckon that’s why Unsealed 4X4 is continuing to grow, both in terms of content and companies that want to get on board – yep, our advertisers are also loving what we’re doing. Other mags continue to play hide and seek with the truth while we continue to tell it like it is without fear or favour. One example is our snatch-strap comparo back in issue 12. One of our major advertisers didn’t fare too well and we went straight ahead and passed on that info to our readers. And y’know what? They went back and redesigned their product to be bigger and better, winning our respect for acting like a company that’s looking to put out great products,

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THE EDITOR

Dex. rather than one looking to pull the wool over their customer’s eyes (incidentally, they still advertise and we still have a tops relationship with them). Please don’t take this as a dig at any 4X4 company in Australia. We have one of the biggest and best aftermarkets in the entire world and we have plenty of folks making truly top-notch products, and I honestly appreciate the time and effort these companies make for us. I’m really just trying to make the point that once a magazine starts putting advertorial before fair-dinkum editorial, it’s on a very slippery slope. The crazy thing (at least to me) is that everyone (reader and advertiser alike) is finding our publication refreshing because they’ve been forced to “eat what they’re given” month after badtasting month for far too long. To me and the rest of us here at the mag, it’s all about respect. We respect our readers first and foremost. We’re not looking to push any products, we’re not trying to paint anything in an

unjustifiable favourable light, we’re just looking to keep bringing you no-BS 4X4 yarns that you guys want to read, and personally, I couldn’t be prouder of that. Before every issue the whole team gets together and floats article ideas. If the question “will the readers enjoy it?” isn’t answered in the affirmative it gets canned. We’re not salespeople here, we’re four-wheel drivers. We’re not going to brag about being “for the readers” because we know we are. Ask yourself: would a mag that’s “for me” really charge you two beers at happy hour an issue (we’re free), spam your email and social media with ad after ad (we’re not sellouts) and show you dangerous “experienced” recovery techniques like snatching off a winch hook (no, sadly I’m not joking)? Believe me, if you’ve just started reading our mag you’ve jumped aboard at the right time because the next few months we’re just going to ramp things up even harder. More industry leading comparos (compressors are up next – it’s going to be huge!),

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R’S COLUMN

more fantastic off-roading trips, more vehicle write-ups and more honest feedback that, frankly, is the way it should always have been. We’re taking the 4X4 journalism scene back. You guys have already told us that you’re loving what we’re doing, and

we want to keep it that way. So thank you from all of us here at Unsealed 4X4 for making us number one.

Strap in, `cos we’re just getting started. Dex.

HAS OFF-ROAD JOURNALISM’S INTEGRITY BEEN CONTAMINATED WITH LIGHT-ON SUBJECT MATTER OR TOTAL MISINFORMATION, OR DOES DEX NEED TO LAY OFF THE EIGHTEEN COFFEES A DAY?

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Amarok

MEGA GIVEAWAY

A voucher to the value of

$1K

Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures prize pack

towards insuring your vehicle courtesy of:

Insurance for 4X4 enthusiasts

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N I W K 0 4 $1

H T R O W PRIZES OF

BER O T C 16TH O S N E OP ENTRY

THE PRIZE POOL Volkswagen Amarok Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures pack: Lotus Caravans Freelander 1 year magazine subscription $5k worth of ARB 4X4 Accessories Archive collector’s set with a $1k Club 4X4 Insurance voucher certificate signed by Pat

PLUS

5 RUNNER-UP PRIZE PACKS INCLUDING: $1k worth of ARB 4X4 Accessories

$1k Club 4X4 Insurance voucher

ENTRY OPENS 16TH OCTOBER SIMPLY HEAD OVER TO MR4X4.COM.AU OR CARSALES.COM.AU AND FOLLOW THE LINKS

Terms and conditions: Entry is open only to Australian residents who are 18 years or over. For full terms and conditions, go to www.carsales.com.au.

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NISS

TOUGH ALL-

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SAN

L-ROUNDER

THINK ONE VEHICLE CAN’T HANDLE EVERYTHING? GUESS AGAIN. Words By Dex Fulton, Photography by Scott Mason

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One of the great compromises involved with four-wheel driving is the more you modify a vehicle to suit a purpose, be it towing, touring, hardcore wheeling or daily driving, you inevitably lose out in another area. Want to pull your caravan down the coast? You’re going to need some heavy duty rear suspension that’ll ride horribly when you’re not hitched up. Want to set your rig up for the big trips? Enjoy the decreased economy and power that come with bigger tyres and the extra weight from all your drawers and bar work. You add

to one area – you take from another. It’s just the way it is. Or should that read: how it used to be? Meet Scott Mason, the owner of this extremely modified yet highly versatile GU Patrol. You may recognise Scott as a contributor to Unsealed 4X4 and our sister mag Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures. He’s owned this thing a while now and has gone to town on decking it out, yet contrary to the compromise rule, this is still a Patrol that can literally be used for just about anything.

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Towing? Yep, it’s got more pull than a home-alone teenager with unrestricted internet. Touring? Yep, it’s got everything you could possibly want there too – not to mention Scott had a pretty trick camper he takes away with him. How about hardcore ability? It has plenty of flex, 35in rubber and twin lockers… any more questions? By now you’re probably stinging to find out just what makes this GU so capable? Trust us, this one is worth taking a closer look at, and if you’re anything like us, it’ll give you a few neat ideas to steal too.

Fresh water on tap thanks to the 30L water tank and trick outlet under the fridge slide

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Shower, dual batteries and an engine running 30psi of boost. Yes please

Note the switch for the LED light strips and 12V outlets in the back

The storage rack above the fridge was designed by Scott and keeps things organised and in place over the worst corrugations

Drop boxes and Superflex arms means this thing can articulate way more than stock, and the steering geometry is unaffected

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The winch apparently is a tight fit between the chassis rails. Note the front diff protector and upgraded Panhard and steering arms

THE 4X4

Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on his fourth set of 4in lifted coils and reckons the harder you hit the remote res Amada shocks the better

Scott bought this rig roughly 6 years ago already fitted with lockers, drawers and a factory (built by ARB) front winch bar. He searched for a long time to grab one with the venerable factory turbocharged and intercooled TD42-ti 4.2L straight-six diesel donk rather than settle for the more common 3.0L four-cylinder turbo-diesel. In order to find one, he had to fly up to QLD to pick it up, but it did give him plenty of time to get to know the vehicle and dream up a mod-list on the long haul back to his home on the NSW South Coast.

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Neat pillar mounted gauge pod

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An Outback roof console houses lightweight stuff up top and also provides interior LED lighting

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THE MODIFICATIONS

It’d probably just be easier to say “yeah, it’s got it” than list each individual mod on this truck. With the only exception being a long range tank, this thing ticks pretty much every box. Starting underneath, there’s a set of 4in raised coils (Scott actually tried out four different sets of springs before he was happy) that are controlled by Amada remote reservoir shocks. Interestingly, he reckons that the harder you hit these things the better they work, but he finds them a little stiff for driving around town. The usual array of adjustable Panhard rods, extended brake lines and quickdisconnect swaybar links have also been fitted in place by All Barred Up too. The reason Scott gets so much movement from the notoriously arthritic Patrol front end is due to the Superior Engineering Superflex radius arms, which allow for a heap more articulation without unduly sacrificing on-road handling. They’re the hybrid models, meaning they’ve also been bolted to drop boxes at the chassis end to keep the caster angles under control. Both diffs had Air Lockers fitted when Scott bought it, but he says if he was starting from scratch he’d throw in a set of Eaton E-lockers rather than the pneumatic units, but hey, they’re already fitted and work ok so why mess with it? NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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While the diffs were on the bench All Barred Up also fitted up a set of lower 4.6:1 crownwheel and pinion gears from a 2.8L GU to compensate for the larger 35in BFG KM2 rubber and get the lowrange gearing a bit more suitable. All Barred Up also built the tubestyle rock sliders which keep the panels looking nice and straight during hardcore runs. Out back there’s a Millweld steel rear bar that includes a spare mount, jerry holder and a rear facing camp light. Open the dual swing-aways and pop the rear barn doors and you’re greeted with the sight of the stacked Black Widow drawer set-up, Engel fridge and a custom storage rack that ties into the cargo

barrier that Scott designed himself and had fabricated. It’s a great use of otherwise wasted space that allows him to stack stuff on top of his fridge without affecting the slideout’s operation. Speaking of the fridge slide, check out the hose and tap that provides fresh water from a 30L tank. Pretty nifty. Jump up into the cab and a full complement of MSA seat covers and storage pouches will keep you from dirtying up the pews and provide ample storage for your knick-knacks. Boost, water temps and EGT gauges are mounted in a pod on the driver’s A-pillar and the locker and compressor switches are cleverly concealed in the flip-up opening in the centre of the dash. A dash-mounted iPad running a VMS mapping app handles navigation duties from Scott’s regular forays into the bush.

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Out front, the bull bar has been modified to accept the Warn Zeon 10 winch that only just fits between the frame rails. The winch has had the wire cable swapped out for some aftermarket synthetic rope to save a little weight and to increase recovery safety. Ok, onto the most impressive part of this rig – the engine. After a holiday to Fraser Island, Scott decided to keep heading north to Rockhampton where he’d booked his Patrol into Diesel Central for one hell of a power upgrade. The boys ripped out the standard fuel

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pump and replaced it with a much higher flowing DC6 unit. They also swapped out the asthmatic stock turbo for a UFI 18G huffer, which is running, wait for it, a massive 30psi through the custom front-mount intercooler and putting 240hp at the rear wheels to the ground. As for torque, let’s just say that Scott can tow just about anything without breaking a sweat. An upgraded PC Viper clutch has been built to take the massive increase in power and is so far holding up without an issue. Interestingly, Scott tells us that the EGTs have actually gone down since the

power upgrade, with it only reaching 390ºC after a long hill. It used to run way hotter apparently. A Fatz Fab stainless snorkel and airbox feed air into the big diesel while a 3in straight through exhaust gets the gasses out the back with a minimum of restriction. The turbo whistle and deep exhaust note make it sound pretty horn too! To keep things comfy when he’s camping, a heat exchanger has been plumbed into the cooling system so warm showers are readily available after a day’s dusty drive.

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THE OWNER

the Nissan was to be capable and above all reliable. Y’see, he Scott and his wife Sheree often travels a lot on his own for work, head out in the Patrol, spending and when he does do longer at least ten days away three or trips, it’s usually just him and his four times a year plus heaps family in the one vehicle so it of weekenders. Scott mentions has to be able to get there and that the build philosophy behind back without a drama.

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I don’t know about you, but when it comes to all-rounders, this thing has power, reliability and capability in spades…now I just have to get Scott to lend it to me for a few weeks…

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4X4 BOX

4X4 ADVENTURE CINEMA CLA

In this issue of Adventure Cinema, we decid drive commercials. Some from overseas, an

THIS JEEP CJ5 COMMERCIAL PROVES THAT FOUR-WHEEL DRIVERS ALWAYS GET THE GIRL

HOW IS THIS FOR AN ALL TIME CLASSIC FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE COMMERCIAL. BUGGER! NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE AUSTRALIA’S MOSTCLICK READHERE 4X4FOR MAGAZINE

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X OFFICE

ASSIC 4WD COMMERCIALS

ded to relive some of the classic four-wheel nd other gems from right here in Australia.

AN ORIGINAL 40 SERIES LANDCRUISER ADVERT… DO WE NEED TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE?

WHAT’S COOLER THAN A TOYOTA TERCEL MUD BOGGING? WELL, A LOT, BUT IT’S STILL A COOL AD. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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4X4 BOX

4X4 ADVENTURE CINEMA CLA

WHO REMEMBERS THE FORD MAVERICK?

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X OFFICE

ASSIC 4WD COMMERCIALS

A LAND ROVER DEFENDER CLIMBS A NEAR VERTICAL WALL. CRAZY STUFF!

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HOW TO YOUR NEXT

THE MAN WHO BRINGS YOU SO IMAGES TELL US HOW TO CH

Words By Bre

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CHOOSE

AMERA

OME OF UNSEALED 4X4S FINEST HOOSE YOUR NEXT CAMERA.

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to Australia's