UNSEALED 4X4 ISSUE 018 by UNSEALED 4X4

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OFFICIALLY

AUSTRALIA'S

BIGGEST

4X4

DECEMBER EDITION

CHRISTMAS

GIFT IDEAS

MAGAZINE!

10 TIPS TO GET THE LADY IN YOUR

NEED

INSPIRATION? UNSEALED 4X4 IS HERE TO HELP WITH THIS MASSIVE BUYERS’ GUIDE.

LIFE TO GO CAMPING –

& ENJOY IT!

THE BEST MOD YOU WILL EVER MAKE TO YOUR

4X4 VAN

CRUISER OUTLAW

SUV

SEMA 2015 PAT CALLINAN'S

VW AMAROK SUZUKI

ACROSS THE SIMPSON

THINGS

YOU DIDN’T KNOW

ABOUT TYRES

ISSUE 018 FREE CHEAP

BUT NOT

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CONTENTS

SEMA 2015 CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS

PAT CALLINAN’S

VW AMAROK

BILSTEIN

SUSPENSION ROADTEST LAND ROVER

DEFENDER 90 HERITAGE

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CONTENTS

TIPS TO GET THE 10 LADY IN YOUR LIFE TO GO CAMPING – & ENJOY IT!

5 STEPS TO CHOOSING YOUR NEXT ROOF RACK

THE BEST MOD

YOU WILL EVER MAKE TO YOUR 4X4

5 THINGS

YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT TYRES

UNSEALED 4X4 READERS’ RIGS

TRACK REPORTS

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CONTENTS SUZUKI

ACROSS THE

SIMPSON

SUNDOWN

NATIONAL PARK, QLD

OUTBACK GOURMET

CORNED BEEF IN GINGER BEER WITH HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE

I N D U S T RY NEWS

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CONTENTS UNSEALED 4X4 STAFF CORNER

INTRODUCING: PROJECT RUSTY

EDITOR’S COLUMN ADVENTURE

CINEMA MEGA AMAROK

GIVEAWAY ADVERTISER

INDEX

ADVERTISER

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I Am the

Amarok Core 4x4. View latest Core 4x4 offers

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 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 volkswagen-commercial.com.au or your nearest Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle dealer.

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www.volkswagen-commercial.com.au

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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.

help you with your own adventures. Isn’t that what four wheel drive magazines should be about?

At the end of the day, we are four wheel drivers, 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 We have fantastic and supportive to a maximum of 30% advertising advertising partners on board, which content per issue (others are over allows us to exist and continue to the 50% mark with fewer pages to offer this magazine to you free of start with). This means more content charge (thanks guys!). Just don’t for for you, without having to spend a one second think that means we can cent. Beauty! be bought – we tell it like it is, and we Lastly, thank you for taking the time always will. to read Unsealed 4X4. This is and We are hands-on and have dirt always will be your four wheel drive under our fingernails, and are magazine, so please let us know only looking to put out a quality where you would improve it or what mag that’s for you guys first and you would like to read more of. Plus foremost. We are also proud of we love hearing from you guys, so our country, and even prouder shoot us an email and show us your that we are 100% Australian made. 4X4 and your adventures. Oh, don’t We strive to inform you, and feel forget to tell your friends! that entertaining you is equally The team at Unsealed 4X4. as important. We spend less time writing preachy and sensationalised articles, with more effort going into finding exciting trips and tips to NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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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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Braking News

Introducing Tow-Pro Elite…now with Active Calibration Choose between 2 types of braking - ‘Automatic’ (Inertia

Introducing Tow-Pro Elite…now with

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What is Active Calibration?

What is Active Calibrati

What is Active Calibration?

you are ready to roll. installed you are to Read more.... n. Once it’s installed youready are ready toroll. roll. ontrolled’ for off-road. Read more.... Read more....

and Sensing) ‘User Controlled’ for off-road. ‘Userand Controlled’ for off-road.

Elite

h Active Calibration. Once it’s installed you are r NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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UNSEALED 4X4 I

CLUB 4X4 O

INSUR

We first spotted Club 4X4 at the 2015 Sydney 4WD and Adventure show handing out show bags... hey, who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like a free show bag? Anyway, it turns out they are a specialist four wheel drive insurance company, who saw a rather large gap in the market. After requesting a quote and some general information, we wanted to learn more about this new 4X4 friendly insurance company. It turns out they will not only cover your vehicle, but also the aftermarket

accessories or modifications you have installed. And yes, they assure us this applies both on or off-road. Now, that on its own might not seem too out of the ordinary, many insurance companies allow you to expand upon your premium and provide cover for some of the accessories you have fitted. Where things got exciting though (if you can say exciting and insurance in the same sentence) is when we discovered the finer details of the coverage offered by Club 4X4.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

OFF-ROAD

RANCE

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking about an allowance for off-road recovery if you are bogged or stuck. Generous provisions for hire car coverage is included if your four wheel drive is stolen, with enough money allocated to get you into a good quality rental four wheel drive and not just a beaten up Hyundai Getz. Industry leading levels of essential vehicle repair cover is also included to cover emergency mechanical work required to get you mobile again. This takes into account the

extra costs you would normally wear when forced to fix your vehicle out in the bush. Oh, this is Australia wide too, not just in your driveway.

call

1800 club 4x4 or

click

here to get a quote

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UNSEALED 4X4 I

NEW LAN

DEFEN

The new Defender is a couple of years away, but will the wait be worth it for Land Rover enthusiasts? The iconic and aspirational shape of the Land Rover Defender has in its essence been in design since 1948. And while it must be noted that Defender dynamics and ergonomics basically stayed in the 40s, saying the Defender has a cult-status would be the understatement of the yearâ&#x20AC;Ś Or should that be half century? This is all about to change, with the introduction of the new Land Rover Defender, due for release in 2018. You see, the old traditional

shape is being put out to pasture due to safety regulations and strict upcoming emissions laws. Basically, it is time for Jaguar Land Rover to reinvent the grandfather axe. Initial reports indicate the new Defender will be based on a unibody construction, rather than the tried-and-true ladder frame. There are quite a few rumours floating around regarding the new powerplants offered, however we understand the new Defender will be powered by existing small

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ND ROVER

NDER IN 2018

The new Defender brings the first major update in half a century

capacity turbo-diesel engines from the Jaguar range. Although we would love to see one of Jaguars fire-breathing V8s as an option. Several model variants should also be available, including SWB, LWB, soft top and utility. So, while we welcome the new technology, which will no doubt be encased in this rather exciting development, how will the rivet counters out there deal with such change? Initial reactions to the

rather animated Defender Concept 100 which was showcased in 2011 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, were akin to an angry mob with pitchforks chanting “It’s not broke… don’t fix it”. Luckily, Jaguar Land Rover understand the enormity of redeveloping such an icon, and aim to build a vehicle soft enough for new perspective owners yet rugged enough for the English Army to purchase. Hats off to Jaguar Land Rover if they pull it off.

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GOT A TRACK UPDATE FOR US? 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 HA

IN YOUR NECK O

CAMERON CORNER STORE: FENN MILLER

“It is getting pretty warm out here, with temperatures exceeding the mid 40s last week. Track conditions are excellent, with only the last 12km from Tiboobura being a little average. If heat doesn’t bother you, we’re still open for business and looking forward to having a beer with you. Speaking of, we are having our annual New Years Eve bash, and we are the only place in Australia where you get the celebrate New Years three times thanks to the different time zones. If all goes to plan, I’ll even be building a small swimming pool to relax in. Give me a call on (08) 8091 3872 if you want to know more about it.”

BIRDSVILLE ROADHOUSE:

PETER BARNES

““The heat is definitely slowing down traffic through the area, which means the roads and tracks are actually quite good at the moment. There are warnings on the Birdsville Track at flagged sections. Wheel rutting and bulldust holes have caught a few people out. The other warning we have seen in place is on the Strzelecki Track from Mount Hopeless to Lyndhurst. Caution is required at creek crossings.”

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RACK REPORT

APPENING

OF THE WOODS?Â VICTORIA

With seasonal track closures now lifted, the High Country is experiencing large volumes of traffic before the weather becomes too hot. Mount Difficult Road is still living up to its name, with road closures in place between Wartook Road and Boroka Lookout. There are recovery works in progress. The Moira Shire advises the road closure between Lanes Road and Wangaratta Road due to flood damage. Avoid passing through this area on your way to the tracks. This warning also extends to McIntyre Road Cobram between Cottons Road and Campbell Road. This is due to the poor condition of the road surface and access.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Broadarrow 4WD Track is closed between Wickham 4WD Track, and Buntine Highway intersection. Park facilities are also closed in the area too, so it would be best to stay clear of the area. Reynolds 4WD Track at Lichfield between Litchfield Park Road and Daly River Road is closed also. These road closures have affected park facilities, and with authorities closing the park to traffic.

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ROAD AND TRACK REPORT

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

There have been some rather severe fires throughout Western Australia recently, and the good news is some park and recreation sites have been reopened. This includes the Serpentine National Park, and the Gazetted off-road area on Centreway Road north of Gnangara Road in the city of Swan. Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve is also reopened, however authorities still advise that there is plenty of smoke in the area and to take extreme care whilst driving through the reserve.

NEW SOUTH WALES

The Cobar Shire is experiencing flooding, and authorities are urging travellers take extra time while moving through the area. Many unsealed local roads are closed, so please ensure you look out for any signage advising of closed roads. Otherwise, track conditions look to be clear. There is significant road works in place along the east coast, namely Barrengarry Mountain that has scheduled road works and lane closures up until the 19th of December. There have also been reports of Chickens across the Pacific Highway north of Coffs Harbourâ&#x20AC;Ś but that should be clear by now.

â&#x20AC;ş 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 the managing authority for the area you are travelling in before leaving.

hemamaps.com.au

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2015 F-TRUCK

F250 SUPER DUTY

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A PROVEN WORKHORSE WITH A LEGENDARY BLOODLINE. THERE’S A PERFORMAX AGENT NEAR YOU

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

WATCH THE VIDEO TO FIND OUT MORE

CLICK HERE TO SEE

OUR SHOWROOM

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CHRIST

GIFT ID

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TMAS

DEAS

NEED INSPIRATION ? UNSEALED 4

HERE TO HE X4 IS LP WITH THIS MASSI BUYERS’ GU VE IDE. COMPILED B Y EVAN SPEN CE

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4 x4

SUV

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Finding that special gift for your partner, mum, dad etc. etc. can always be a bit tricky. Especially if they are one of those people who seems to have everything already. To make things easier, we have put together this collection of products we have used or spotted throughout the year, which we feel would make great inclusions under the Christmas tree.

READ THE COMPARO

here

U CT S

R E D N U $100

PROD B ES T

ARB

8,000kg

SNATCH STRAP

Those of you who read our snatch strap comparison back in Issue #12 of Unsealed 4X4 would know the ARB 8,000kg snatch strap came out in front. And really, would you expect recovery gear from... Read more

IRONMAN 4X4

WHEEL CARRIER BAG

More storage space is never a bad thing. If you have your spare tyre hanging off the back of your four wheel drive (where it should be), there is some primo real estate not being capitalised on. We like... Read more

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DARCHE ENDURO It’s always a tricky job to load up the 4X4 on a big trip, regardless of how smart or efficient you are. Multi-week trips need serious amounts of gear, and it’s easy for your storage solutions to... Read more

B ES T P R O D U CT

UNDER $100

GOAL ZERO ROCK OUT 2

PORTABLE SPEAKER

Portable speakers are another hot ticket item, and no doubt something you are going to want to bring along on your outdoor adventures. With that said, it makes plenty of sense to... Read more

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B ES T PR O D U CT

UNDERS 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

$100

SCRUBBA

WASH BAG

Small, lightweight and well priced… the Scrubba Wash Bag is technically what you would call the world’s smallest washing machine. It also proves that... Read more

UC D O R P B ES T

RESCUE SWAG

The Rescue Swag seems to be a comprehensive and portable first aid kit at first glance. But one that does so much more. Sure, you can use the waterproof Rescue Swag to... Read more

R E D UN 0 $50

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VIEW THE FULL SPECS HERE

DOUBLEGLAZED EURO-STYLE TINTED WINDOWS

TRIPLE LOCK SECURITY DOOR

OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT HATCH

INSULATED ROOF AND WALLS

THE ULTIMATE LUXURY, COMFORT AND FREEDOM – ADVENTURE AWAITS YOU •

OFF-ROAD TOURING CAPABILITIES

•

EQUIPPED FOR EXTENDED TRAVEL

•

FREEDOM TO EXPLORE ANY OFF-THE-ROAD HOLIDAY LOCATION

•

DURABLE AND RELIABLE AS WELL AS ELEGANT

•

STYLISH LIVING WITH RUGGED CAPABILITY

WATCH THE FEATURED VIDEO GLEN MORIARTY PRESENTS: THE 2015 TROOPER

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HELINOX

SUNSET CHAIR

Helinox chairs are fast becoming a common sight with four wheel drivers, motorcycle riders and campers, thanks to the tiny size offered once folded away. They make deck chairs seem like... Read more

B E ST PR O D U CT

UNDERS

$500

READ THE COMPARO

here

MEAN MOTHER ADVENTURER II

In the massive air compressor comparison we ran in issue #17 of Unsealed 4X4, it is fair to say we were impressed with the performance of the Mean Mother Adventurer II air compressor. In fact, we have continued to test it on... Read more

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B ES T P RODUC TS

SPOTTERS SUNGLASSES

UNDER $500

You know when you find the best pie shop or pub you have ever been to, and you keep telling everyone you know about it? And if anyone dare suggests that they... Read more

REDARC TOW-PRO ELITE

Sure, safety might not be sexy. But when it comes to towing, safety needs to be the highest consideration, for you and your family as well as the general public. As far as the Unsealed 4X4 team is concerned, any vehicle fitted with a towbar should... Read more

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B E ST PRO D U CT S

UNDER

$1000 CLEARVIEW

EASY SLIDE

READ THE COMPARO

here

Another product we have tested extensively over the space of the last year is the Clearview Easy Slide. Drop slides certainly aren’t anything new, however we feel... Read more

CTEK DS250

AND SMARTPASS

Man, how clever are dual battery systems getting these days? A few years ago, a marine switch by which you manually had to select which battery was getting charge was all the rage. Then we started... Read more

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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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ARB TWIN

AIR COMPRESSOR

UNDER $1000

Here is another product we have tested – and wow, what an impressive air compressor it is. Thanks to the design, which incorporates twin motor technology, as well as an on-board air tank, this is hands-down the... READ THE COMPARO Read more

here

DOBINSON MRR

REMOTE RES SUSPENSION

Any four wheel drive will benefit from quality suspension, and if you are anything like me when it comes time to upgrade a worn-out component, you actually want to upgrade; not just replace it. This is why we like... Read more

EMU WING GULLWING WINDOWS

Get out of here … gullwing windows for popular four wheel drives, which are actually readily available? When did this happen? Either way, what a neat touch to any touring four wheel drive – which will... Read more NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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T S E BRODUCTS

R E V O 0 0 0 1 $

RHINO 4X4

BULLBAR

The Rhino 4X4 front bumper is a newish product in this market, built to suit the front ends of modern four-wheel drives. It looks more like a steel bumper bar than an aftermarket bullbar. They are... Read more

RUNVA

2UP WINCH

We have given this product a fair bit of coverage in the past, and it is still to this day one of the most clicked-on gear pieces we have ever run. And it is not hard to see... Read more

CROSS COUNTry

INTERCOOLERS

Factory intercoolers are a compromise on space, quality and performance. After taking a tour of the Cross Country Intercoolers factory in Adelaide, and taking a... Read more

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B ES T P RODU

OVER $1000

CT S

DOLIUM K9 ROOF RACK

We’re glad to finally see some advancement in the field of roof racks. Seriously, do you need that big roof cage bolted on top of your vehicle 24/7? It limits access to car parks and other low-slung buildings; it’s... Read more

Xray Vision QUAD OPTIC LED DRIVING LIGHT

The Xray Vision people get really annoyed when you refer to their Quad Optic LED Driving Light as an LED light bar. They hate it! In fact, they have set up a swear jar at their office – for anybody check who dares... Read more

out our install

here

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F F TA ST

S SHLIfeelineg

WnIyoneusis… orinthg)

(I f a n e r o r e a d ge ss is bo

THE EARTHCRUISER

If there is such a thing as off-road Nirvana, this is it. It has 37-inch tyres, it’s fully locked and it has a total of 24 forward ratios available (lowest combination gearing is around 100:1). Capable? Much more than... Read more

EX-ARMY LAND ROVER

PERENTIE

Sure, these vehicles drive like drunken wombats, you can’t lock them when at the shops, they don’t have power steering and there isn’t even a key to start them … but one drive and... Read more

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STAFF

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WISH

(I f a n L I S T is feeyone gene ling ro or th us… boss e readi is ng)

METALINK

LIFT TOP UTE

CANOPIES

Hands up who owns a ute and has dreamed of installing either an alloy canopy or camper body on the tray area? Yeah, us too. Which is why we are putting our hands up as high as possible, and asking Santa very nicely for one of these Lift Top canopies from Metalink. The beauty of this... Read more

SEASON’S GREETINGS FR

4X4

UNSEALED

While we all hope Santa treats you well, more importantly we would just like to wish you a safe and merry Christmas/Hanukkah/ Kwanzaa/Omisoka/Festivus. Eat way too much food, have a couple of cold bevies (once parked up,

naturally) and enjoy the time off if you get any. We would also like to say thanks for your support over the last year, and for reading Unsealed 4X4. We can’t wait for the next 12 months as we’re ramping things up in a big way! Stay tuned.

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Family Owned Australian Company Since 1958

bull bars

winches

suspension

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rear bars

canvas seat covers

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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SUZUKI A THE SIM

THREE GENERATIONS OF THE RAEBU DESERT IN SUPPORT OF THE AUSS HOWEVER WITH AN AGENDA OF TH DESERT IN A TWO-STROKE LJ50 SUZUK

WORDS BY BRETT MILLER, PICS BY D

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ACROSS MPSON

URN FAMILY ATTACKED THE SIMPSON SIE OUTBACK SOLAR CHALLENGE, HEIR OWN – TO CROSS THE SIMPSON KI. SHEER MADNESS IF YOU ASK SOME!

DAVID RAEBURN AND ANT E FICTION.

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CONTAMINATED FUEL

COSTLY REPAIRS

n o i t u l o

PROTECT YOUR ENGINE WITH AN EASY TO INSTALL D.I.Y. KIT Fuel Filter Bracket Kits by Diesel Care

™

WHATS included? NED BRACKET SIG S DE

There are 2 types available, what’s the difference?

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CUST OM

KALILETD L A EQU IDGNIEN VER R O TOHFTEEN COPIE R

•

MADE IN AUST

Will it suit my vehicle? See what our customers are saying

Premium protection for your diesel engine

™

PURCHASE ONLINE

>> www.diesel care.com.au

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Two-stroke fuel wafted across the red sand dunes as the wind blew fumes back into the cabin of the LJ50 Suzuki, giving its occupants an oily pungent smell that stuck to their clothing and any exposed skin. The little Suzi had valiantly conquered yet another sand dune under grey skies and rain. Its 500cc engine was working mightily hard. With tyre pressures dropped to about

8psi, this cute little 4X4 bounced and rumbled its way across wet sand dunes with a sense of purpose … that purpose being to cross the Simpson! The iconic Simpson Desert is a place of wonder, it’s a place with a big history and it’s a place where 4X4s sometimes fear to tread. It’s also a place that presents challenges to the off-road fraternity, which can often be disastrous!

It was a happy group, having conquered Big Red.

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One such challenge undertaken this year, which nearly ended in disaster, was for three generations of the Raeburn family to cross the Simpson Desert. Heading the family was David Raeburn (72), a local legend down the east coast of Victoria with Suzi blood running through his veins. His son, Steve Raeburn (44), who was in fact the original owner of the LJ50, joined the team – and no-one knows whether this was to help his Dad or to entertain the group with his guitar and gravelly voice. Finally, David’s grandson Jack Wickfeldt (15) added his youthful exuberance and sensibility to the trio although I am sure his Pop brought him along to help as his personal butler … and Jack was too nice to decline. Maybe because he was on the trip of a lifetime, and loved it!

These three country blokes made a great team backing up the Aussie Outback Solar Challenge and brought some fun and laughs along the way with their stories, music and a great sense of humour! We covered Outback Solar this back in Issue 15 of Challenge Unsealed 4X4: Check iT OUt

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Dave and Michael enjoyed their day together!

here

Proof the little Suzi was crossing the desert.

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Mark French hijacked the Suzi for a flying trip, while Karen Alderson feared for her life.

The Couragia tyres gave Dave the courage to plough on!

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Getting the Zook to Mt Dare and the official start of the crossing was a big effort in itself. Steve hauled the lightweight LJ on a trailer from Bairnsdale with the rest of the family squished in with him in the cabin of his dual-cab Nissan Patrol. The only reason David didn’t drive the Suzi from Bairnsdale was its top speed of just 80kph. The distance from Bairnsdale to Mt Dare was about 2,600 kilometres, which meant it would have taken the boys a month of Sundays and goodness knows how much two-stroke oil to get there. Fair enough, we reckon. Travelling together meant the three of them could listen to their favourite music and chat

about their favourite 4X4s, which of course were Suzuki LJ models; and one thing you can say about the Raeburn lineage is that they really hate a chat. Yeah right, says all of us! This team of three also know how to have fun. On the second night out, Steve was belting out some tunes when Anthony Kilner pulled out his Doumbek – which is an Egyptian drum or ‘goblet’ drum. Anthony and Steve had never played together before; however the two of them blew the group away with their rocking sounds in the desert. The mighty dual-cab Patrol towed the little Zook to and from the desert.

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The fun really began when David asked them to play his favourite tune, Duelling Banjos. You know the one;

Da da,

dang, dang,

dang, dang, dang,

dang, dang on guitar. Da da, dang, dang,

No self-respecting duellist wouldn’t know the music from Deliverance, along with references to ‘squeal like a pig, boy’! Enough said really.

Well Anthony took on the banjo role and the boys took it to town – and eventually Birdsville! There was even some boot scooting going on in the background. Yee-hah!

dang,dang, dang, dang, dang on

ba n j o.

Steve and Anthony rocking it at the Birdsville Pub.

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I can hear several readers coughing and choking, so back to the yarn. David took passengers in the Suzi and everyone loved the raw experience of this fully rebuilt pint-sized 4X4. The 1973 LJ50 is a three-cylinder two-stroke with a massive 500cc capacity. The four-speed gearbox is coupled to a two-speed transfer case with live axles front and back, and there’s even a rag top for fun in the sun. It’s pretty basic inside, yet surprisingly comfortable. It took some time to get the tyre

pressures right as the Federal Couragia M/T tyres stood tall and the lightweight Suzi simply didn’t weigh enough to cause them to bag and give proper traction. Once the tyre pressures were sorted however, the little ring-dinger managed pretty much every sand dune in one run. And when you consider how rough the dunes were, it did an amazing job. David is an ex-mechanic and of course every mechanic knows you never stop being one. Dave and the boys are Suzuki fanatics and helped get the two-stroke

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ready. It’s almost a sad fact that Jack has been so corrupted, he’s already got a Zook at home. How many of you are shaking your heads in sympathy right now? I have to admit that after spending a day in the Suzi with Steve, freezing and being fumed out, I felt something change in me. My heart started beating faster, my fingers itched to get behind the wheel and the engine noise daaaang, daaaang, daaaaang, daaaaang started to match my heartbeat. As my eyes glazed over I began to

understand how folks can get overwhelmed and fall in love with these amazing little 4WDs.

I got so enamoured of the little Zook, I was trying to work out how to change my name to LJ! At that point I slapped myself across the face, got out and said thanks to Steve and jumped into a Patrol to get my head back in the right 4X4 space. Sorry Steve, it wasn’t your driving!

I think I can, I THINK I CAN!

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Between dunes the little powerhouse 500cc Suzi just roared along the track and while David was fully prepared for any breakdown, including an engine rebuild (which he swears could be done in-car in a few hours), the biggest mechanical issue he had was a float in the carby bending due to the rough roads. With some playing around, Steve sorted this problem out and off the crew went again. It’s fun having a Patrol as a back-up and tow vehicle; except when you get to Big Red and all you can smell is the clutch on the Nissan as it threatens to disintegrate. Not a good thing when this was all the boys had

to tow the Suzuki back from Birdsville to Bairnsdale. Disaster was looming.

The tension was set as the first car got up Big Red. Dave pushed the little Zook hard … however it bogged down and came to a screaming halt. After reversing down, Steve tried in the Patrol – but his clutch protested mightily and left the air smelling of burnt clutch plate. I don’t know about you, but I love the smell of burnt clutch in the morning! Dave kicked his passenger out and had another go; only to stop dead again. The tension kept building as all the other 4X4s managed to claw their way to the top of Big Red.

David blows the dust out of the engine bay in readiness to tackle the desert.

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Steve, in an effort to save his clutch, took the far right-hand track (which is less beaten than the others) and got up. All the other 4X4s were just about up when Dave failed yet another attempt. While we were at the top trying to will the little Suzi up, the last car was just

getting bogged. Dave eventually snuck up the right-hand track, following Steve, and within minutes all the vehicles were parked in the Big Red Bowl. David drove his baby into Birdsville a proud man, driving around town and talking to

The family had a ball on this trip.

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anybody who commented on his LJ. That evening the crew and visitors to the Birdsville Hotel were treated to an impromptu concert on the veranda of the pub, which included some warmup songs and another boot scooting rendition of Duelling Banjos with a guitar and a drum!

It was a sad team that packed up, loaded the LJ behind the limping Patrol and headed back to Bairnsdale. But there are three generations of Raeburns who have an amazing story that will last their lifetimes and continue to grow in the telling â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as all good yarns should!

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horror stories of stupidly big lifts, dangerously offset rims and tyre combos, eye-bleedingly awful paint jobs and any number of mods that are more likely to maim and kill than help conquer obstacles off-road.

With that said, if the future of our lifestyle has a birthplace, it’s right here. With plenty of It’s not open to the public however; it’s more of a companies coming out with better designed and engineered chance for companies within products that are not only safer, the aftermarket industry to showcase their newest and most but are actually pretty damn innovative products. While this clever in many cases. often involves the latest and greatest in the 4X4 scene, it can So let’s take a look at some of the hits and misses from this also highlight some absolute year’s SEMA show. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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We’ve been through the ‘what not to leave home without’ in the way of commonsense fix-it items like fencing wire, baling twine, duct tape, etc. But what happens when you are on your own without help and you get bogged in a remote location, with no phone service and not enough range to work repeater channels on the UHF? You can’t exactly eat duct tape, can you?

A brilliant idea thought up by a brainy bunch of lads and lasses in East Gippsland that may have just saved your bacon. Our kit is just a regular plastic cliptop box of a decent size. It is basically a ‘forbidden to open unless emergency’ box. In it are personal items that will keep us fed, watered and comfortable until help arrives.

Enter the ‘Oh Sh*t Kit’.

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Now I know you may be thinking: ‘How would someone get themselves into such a situation’? Well we have been in one. I can tell you it can happen in the absolute blink of an eye. Being local to the Victorian High Country is brilliant – it means we can head out for a day trip and enter some of the most remote and rugged country in Victoria and be back before nightfall.

Of course we always take the basics with us; spare fuel, water, a chainsaw, etc. Just enough to survive if the worst happens. But seeing as the worst never did happen we were pretty careless about such things … until a certain day trip that left us bogged on a precariously muddy, slippery mountain with the back wheel in mid-air over the cliff.

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On our own.

looking back now I marvel at the things I would have done for a kit like this.

Stuck.

Each kit is a do-it-yourself deal. You fill it with comfort items that you would need in an emergency. Items such as tinned food, a first aid kit, a foldable shovel, insect repellent, a blanket, extra water, matches, chocolate, dunny roll … and the list goes on. We have personalised ours with a small bottle of diesel to help get a fire going in wet weather, a spare pair of socks, a billy, two mugs and some tea, a multitool and

Minimal supplies. Remote country.

Fast forward a number of hours of calling repeater channels and an 8km hike up a cliffside and back for a very lucky one bar of phone service. Help was finally on its way, and now all we had to do was wait. It wasn’t the worst situation, we had enough food and water to keep us comfortable; but

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some common painkillers.

Basically this kit stays tucked in a corner of the 4X4 until a time when you need it most. In the situation I mentioned earlier, a kit like this would have kept us very comfortable. We have two four wheel drives, and we have one of these kits in each car now. We don’t even go to the pub without it!

Now this may be something you have heard of before, or indeed thought of. But the first time I ever came across the idea, it was a bunch of mates who put

it together for us as a gift … and it even came complete with a spare tin of dog food so the woofer didn’t go hungry!

Your kit can be whatever you want it to be. It can be as simple as a bottle of water and a tin of food that you never eat unless in an emergency, or it can contain enough stuff to keep you comfortable for a few days. It really doesn’t matter what your kit looks like, as long as you actually have one.

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ER OUTLAW A wise man once told me to keep an eye on the little stocky bloke at the end of the bar … ‘he was going to be the one that caused all the damage when things turned pear-shaped’. This analogy has proven itself 100% correct countless times in my life, and not always with reference to the battle-hardened knuckle duster with the grin on his face when the skin and hair started flying amongst bar stools. We’ve all heard similar references: ‘Good things come in

small packages’, ‘it’s not the size of the man in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the man’, and the list goes on.

Van Cruiser has long been recognised as a manufacturer of high quality caravans with the ability to customise many of its products to suit your personal needs – but recently the company diversified into a new and rapidly growing sector of the market and that’s where the all new Outlaw SUV is setting its roots.

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Twin spares and even a rear mount winch show that this thing is built for travelling beyond the caravan park.

ER OUTLAW 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

adventurous travellers who want to get to the spots where they can find solitude without having to feel like they are roughing it. The Outlaw SUV ticks those boxes quite nicely.

capable of stroking our egos when it comes to our fellow bush hounds admiring our setups – but a closer look exposes much more.

The Outlaw SUV is a well thought First impressions of the Outlaw are out escape capsule, capable of the ones that make an Aussie bloke following you on your quest to fulfil utter low guttural grunts and growls. bucket list dreams and ensure you It looks tough and is more than are comfortable whilst doing so. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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The G&S chassis and independent suspension are borderline overkill but, in my opinion, if there is a component in a product like this that’s worth overdoing it’s the chassis and suspension package. Electric brakes and a Breakaway braking system highlight Van Cruiser’s focus on safety, and will deliver peace of mind. There is plenty of room on the drawbar for toys and tools. The unit I reviewed was fitted with a dirt bike carrier, outboard motor bracket, two jerry can holders and two 9kg gas bottle holders. All of these things are optional; and if you would prefer a different layout, simply chat to the sales guys. Down the far side of the Outlaw I found an access to the bed (there’s one either side, ‘his and hers’ if you like), external access storage compartments, a remote shower attached to a gas hot water system and the filler for the 95L underbody water tank. It has a full-width storage tunnel perfect for fishing rods and the like, 12V power outlets, and even a TV connection so you don’t miss the footy.

There’s plenty of storage cupboards for clothes and personal effects.

Dual access doors, a big comfy bed and even a telly. Hard to argue with the comfort levels. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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For a relatively compact trailer, there’s heaps of storage available.

Slide-out kitchen and easily accessed upright fridge are well thought out additions.

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G&S Chassis build the frame and suspension, which are as stout as they get.

Around the back was a spare wheel, four lockable storage compartments and a winch â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which I thought was a nice touch, having personally been in the situation a few times where a rear recovery was necessary with a camper on. The winch will allow you to remove the camper under its own steam before focusing on the vehicle. The near side of the unit is set up as your living area, which makes sense as it enables you to stop on the side of the road and make a cuppa and be on the safe side of the camper away from passing traffic. There is a pull-out awning, slide-out kitchen with sink (again connected to the hot water system), gas cook top, 12V outlets, more storage options; as well as access to a 60L compressor-

driven upright fridge. I found all of this to be quite comfortable, easily accessible â&#x20AC;Ś and actually more than I expected from such a compact unit. The power is delivered via dual 105Ah AGM batteries backed up by a battery management system. The batteries drive the all-important fridge as well as ample lighting and a sound system (which I thought was a nice touch). The entire battery system begins at the hitch with an Anderson plug enabling charging through either your vehicle as you drive, or by connecting a solar panel. The roof is structurally tough; tough enough in fact to carry a tinny mounted on racks (on the unit I tested) which again just goes to filling the needs of the adventurer. Whoever has the most toys wins.

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ER OUTLAW Who said you can’t take your bike and boat with you when you’re towing a trailer?

Inside the Outlaw SUV is quite the surprise. Although there isn’t room for a dance (which I wasn’t expecting) there’s plenty of storage cupboards, a double bed, a 12V fan, flyscreens and privacy screens on all the windows and security screens on the doors. Everything you need to tuck yourself away when the day has become too much is there … and all at your fingertips.

have been described as ‘bold’ by other members of the industry who have now adapted similar directions. They are not scared to try new things without sacrificing the quality and strength that their RVs are renowned for – and it is for this reason that I look forward to watching the Outlaw SUV to see where it helps mold the hybrid range into the future.

All up, the Outlaw is tough, well designed, solidly constructed and Enzo and Tanya from Van Cruiser are a brother/sister team who have backed by a name that is well pioneered many developments in respected. It will follow you where the RV industry in Australia. They you’re going, and all the way have made moves in the past that home again. NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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BILST SUSPE

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5,000 KILOMETRES OF ROU PUT THESE SHOCK ABSORBE

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Before taking off on a big trip in Project 130, I had some new suspension installed to replace the old, original and worn-out gear. My shocks looked to be OEM, and probably 15 years old. Along with King Springs that had

different lengths and rates to the stuff I removed, I got some new shocks under the old girl as well: Bilsteins were chosen, because of the solid reputation of the brand, and discussions I have had with others who have used them in 4X4s previously.

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The new shocks were on the car for less than a week, before it was loaded up and pointed toward the Australian interior. During that time, I have to say I relished the refreshed drive that the 130 had with the new gear. These things aren’t exactly drivers’ cars on the bitumen – but the car felt much more composed and responsive with the new spring and shock combination underneath. Probably the best improvement was control over small bumps and undulations; feedback through the steering wheel lessened noticeably, as did that jiggling, side-to-side feeling.

these things go off-road. I’m not one to pretend I’m racing in the Baja 1000 on desert trips, going through rough country at high speeds. Accuse me of needing a zimmer frame … but what I look for in a shock is something that lasts the distance, and can put up with big loads and constant suspension cycling and do a good dampening job in the meantime. To get to the point, we fitted the Bilstein B6 Offroad shocks to my Defender 130, loaded closely to its 3.5 tonne GVM, and did some driving. We headed out from Sydney to Broken Hill, and then turned north at Peterborough.

ENSION RO But, on-road performance for me plays a close second fiddle to how

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STEEL BULLBARS

RAILS & SIDE STEPS

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We travelled the Oodnadatta Track, following the Old Ghan up to Old Andado, then turned right and did the Madigan Line. We went via Geosurveys Hill to Birdsville, and kept going with a run down Cordillo Downs Road and the Old Strzelecki Track. Then we finished with a run through Cameron Corner to Bourke and finally back to Sydney. We didn’t kill the shocks. On the contrary, they still perform as adeptly onroad after the big trip as they did before. For me, that’s a win.

Driving to the conditions, I didn’t experience any fade during the trip. The shocks look to have taken knocks big enough to remove a

good amount of that yellow paint – but the bodies and mounting points of the shocks proved stout enough to endure the punishment. Using the friction of oil passing through internal valves, the shock absorber aims to control the movement of the spring. It does this by turning kinetic energy (movement) into thermal energy (heat); stopping the bouncing effect of the spring. Conversely, that generation of heat is something that can negatively affect the performance of a shock, and cause it to fail. The harder it is working, the more heat it generates – affecting the oil’s viscosity (thickness) and cavitation, and performance of the seals within the unit.

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To look at some specs, the Bilstein B6 Offroad is a monotube shock absorber, with pressurised nitrogen gas inside of the shock in a separate chamber, which prevents the shock oil from cavitating (foaming) when under the duress of temperatures as it is forced back and forth through the valves, thus reducing the impact of heat on performance. The piston is 46mm, working with ‘shim stack’ valves to control the flow of oil in the shock absorber. With this setup, the Billies are rebuildable (and they can have their dampening rates adjusted by the right workshop). Also, the shocks can be mounted upside-down, without an impact on performance. After my run with them, I can’t see a reason not to recommend them.

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Defend

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IN A FEW SHORT MONTHS THE LAND ROVER RELIC OF A MOTORING AGE WHEN BLOKES B … AND LAND ROVER IS SENDING

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DEFENDER AS WE KNOW IT WILL BECOME A BUILT CARS WITH HAMMERS AND WRENCHES G THE MODEL OUT WITH A BANG.

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QUICK GLANCE PRICE $54,900 (+ORC)

WARRANTY THREE YEARS, 100,000KM SAFETY NO ANCAP RATING ENGINE 2.2-LITRE FOUR-CYLINDER TURBO-DIESEL POWER/TORQUE 90KW/360NM TRANSMISSION SIX-SPEED MANUAL BODY 4,040MM (L); 1,790MM (W – MIRRORS FOLDED); 2,000-2,082MM (H – DEPENDING ON TYRES AND SUSPENSION PACKAGE) WEIGHT 1,815KG THIRST 10L/100KM

The Land Rover Defender 90 Heritage is a fantastic send-off for the long-lived Defender and the Land Rovers that went before it. It’s a relic of a bygone age but it’s totally and utterly wonderful. It’ll be sorely missed. Buy one now.

Land Rover has become an icon of the off-road set, but its name came about by accident. See, in 1947, Spencer Wilks (the then boss of Rover Car Company, an automotive brand consigned to the dustbin of history) was driving his heavily modified Rover 12 across his estate at Lagan on Islay in Scotland. As he bumped and bucked across the countryside, the estate’s gamekeeper Ian Fraser said: “This must be a ‘land rover’.” The name stuck. The Land Rover was born. Sort of. Later that year, Wilks began working on his Land Rover which was most definitely based on the US Army Jeep. Indeed, that prototype Land Rover, known as Centre Steer, sat on a Jeep chassis and axles. A year later (1948) the Land Rover was revealed to the world at the Amsterdam Motor Show.

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And from then until now the Land Rover moved through Series I, II and III, then the 110, and then the County Wagon, until it eventually became known as the Defender in 1990. For 67 years the Land Rover (Defender) has been exploring the world – and even if it was never officially sold there, it’s likely you’ll be able to find one in every single one of the world’s 195 countries. But the end is nigh and in January 2016 the lights will be turned out on the current model to make way for an all-new Defender. Me and thousands of ’Fender fans the world over will be holding our breath. Until the production line falls silent, Land Rover wants to send the Huey off with a bang … of

sorts. It’s released three limitededition models, although only two are available in Australia; and most examples have (by the time you read this) probably already been snapped up. Our pick, and for obvious reasons, is this Heritage edition – although at an eye-watering $54,900 (+ORC) it isn’t cheap. Now, never have I bumped, knocked and bruised myself in a week with a test car so many times as I did with the Defender 90 Heritage. After my week behind the wheel I was literally black and blue; but I was also left with a split melon grin and an immediate desire to buy a Defender. Even as I write this I’ve got a browser window open with a list of Defenders available at Army auctions.

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When you’re driving a Defender you become part of a club. A friendly club where everyone waves to one another when they pass on the road. People stop you in the street as you’re climbing up into the thing, or just about fall over to get a second look at it as you drive by. Such is the draw of the Defender. Or, rather, such is the draw of this Land Rover Defender 90 Heritage.

little tags on the seats.

The Heritage models are painted in beautiful Grassmere Green metallic paint with contrasting Alaska White roof, while the door and the tailgate hinges are painted in Indus Silver giving them a polished cast iron look. There’s a heritage style front grille and headlight surrounds and body-coloured steel wheels. The front and rear mudflaps carry The Defender 90 Heritage has been the heritage Land Rover logo, and there’s aluminium heritage badging styled to tug at the heartstrings. at the front and rear (which I Taking inspiration from the prewatched one Defender fan stroking production 1947 Series I Land as I approached the thing in a car Rover, the Defender 90 heritage park … hilarious). even bears that car’s registration plate HUE 166 (hence the ‘Huey’ moniker) on its front fender and on

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On the inside, the heritage touches extend to a body-coloured faux metal dashboard and a 4X4 offroad instruction plaque as well as Almond Cloth seats – which as one Defenderist said to me are, “almost identical to the seats in my Series III … there was one time I was driving home late from …” Lovely bloke but his story went on, and on, and on and ended with him telling me how he nearly rolled his Land Rover. “They’ll forgive most things,” he said, “but not ham fists …” True, that. But I digress.

apt 90kW at 3,500rpm and 360Nm at 2,000rpm. This is mated to a six-speed manual transmission and drinks down a combined 10L/100km, but in our time with the Defender and across almost 800km we managed a little better than that at 9.5L/100km.

Anyone who’s ever sat behind the wheel of a Defender or even peered through the window of one will know just how tricky it is for taller drivers to climb up and then fold their frames in behind the steering wheel. Once in, though, the seat is comfy; and while some Under that beautiful bonnet is a Ford Transit van derived 2.2L four- will no doubt complain that the cylinder turbo-diesel that makes an driving position feels cramped, my

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six-foot body had plenty of room.

The steering wheel is comically large in the Defender and seems a throwback to a time before power steering when cars required large steering wheels to offer additional leverage to turn the tyres. And while we’re talking about turning, the Defender 90 might look compact enough to fit in your back pocket but the steering is very slow – meaning tight turns are absolutely out of the question. But in general driving, the steering (despite some slackness in the straight-ahead position) offers decent feel and weight off-centre.

with an aluminium body literally bolted onto it. There are live axles at either end, and while this Defender rides and handles better than any that’s gone before it … that’s really not saying much.

In my week with the car both my kids and I grinned like idiots as the thing bounced and bucked its way across everything we pointed it at, or leant over midcorner to the point where there were times we thought the wing mirror would scrape the road (OK, some slight exaggeration there…). The Defender is a vehicle you pootle about in, rather than teararse around in. Indeed, get too heavy-handed with it and you’re likely to end up picking bits of the windscreen out of your face – because the understeer flops from mild to wild depending on how quickly you’ve tried to pour it into a corner.

While the above might be a negative if we were reviewing a modern car, it’s all part of the Defender experience. The same goes for the ride and handling which are agricultural at best. See, the Defender’s chassis hasn’t changed much since 1984 when the thing switched from leaf As with previous models, the springs to coils and the wheelbase stretched from 88 to 90 inches. The chassis is still a steel ladder frame

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Defender is exceptional when the going gets rough. But, lacking the fancy driver and traction aids of modern off-roaders (particularly its fancier siblings like Discovery and Range Rover), the Defender requires skill and real off-road driving knowledge; it’s not an entry-level fourby for a novice off-roader. For those interested, the key off-road figures are 323mm of underbody clearance (250mm ground clearance to the axle), 47 degrees approach angle, 147 degrees rampover angle and 47.1 degrees departure angle. Wading depth is 500mm. Although the Defender 90 Heritage might offer a delicious Alpine sound system offering real depth of sound and clarity, you do have to crank the stereo to hear it above the wind and road noise. While I’ve seen some Defender owners getting about with ear defenders on, I think that’s a bit extreme … although

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The back seats are roomy enough for the kids, and I was comfortable in them too; and the tall ‘glasshouse’ means the back feels light and roomy. With the Speaking of the back seats, access seats folded down there’s not a to them is via the rear swing door huge amount of storage space – which has a stay, but the stay is not but there are plenty of places extra capable of holding back the weight stuff can be stashed, and if you of the door (which holds a spare needed to transport four people wheel) if you’re on anything other regularly then you’d plump for the than a dead-flat surface. There’s larger Defender 110. a small swing-down step to make climbing up and climbing back down a little easier. The back seats, via a few levers, can fold up against the sides of the car – leaving a decent amount of storage room. loose gravel pinging up under the body does sound like someone sitting in the back seats firing a machine gun.

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When the new Defender is released in 2018 it’ll be a totally new beast with all of the rivets, sharp edges and boxy styling replaced by modern styling and terrain-taming electro trickery from the Land Rover stable. Sure, it’ll still be the most rugged of the Land Rover offroaders, but it won’t be a Defender. Not one like this Heritage model, anyway.

So think of a Defender, particularly this $50K-plus Heritage model, as an investment … a collector’s item, if you will. It’s also your membership to the world’s friendliest group of car owners.

Long live Huey.

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OUTBACK GOURMET

CORNED BEEF

IN GINGER BEER WITH HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY JO CLEWS

Forget the fancy food at some overpriced five star restaurant, give me a perfectly cooked corned beef meal at any of the five million star campfire ‘restaurants’ in the Outback any day.

Being as I am a passionate corned beef consumer, I have found some people make the mistake of not cooking it long enough.Just when you think the meat is cooked, give it an extra half hour and it will fall apart perfectly.

As corned beef is the meal I would request if it were to be my last, I am Now here’s the neat trick … and always interested to learn how other it came about quite by accident: people cook it. Allow the liquid to reduce until it has turned golden and syrupy. Not Having cooked ribs in cola before, only does it coat the meat with a I couldn’t see why corned beef in delicious sticky glaze, but you will ginger beer wouldn’t work. have no excess liquid to discard. And work it did. Deliciously, I The glaze is however very rich and might add. can be a little salty, so use sparingly;

METHOD

Place the corned beef and half the ginger beer into a small cast iron camp oven with the lid on, over moderate heat on the stove top or over coals or heat beads. Cook for about an hour, top up with the excess ginger beer and continue to cook for another hour.

but it’s nothing that a good beer can’t wash down.

Tip. Corned beef does not need to be entirely submerged in the ginger beer, just 1/2 to 3/4. Tip. Turn the corned beef every 15 minutes so the meat does not stick to the bottom of the pot. The high sugar content in the ginger beer can

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make it prone to burning and sticking. Tip. Corned beef can be cooked in a heavy base pot with the lid on, on top of the stove at home or on a gas stove in a caravan or camper trailer.

Honey mustard sauce

Melt butter in a saucepan over low to moderate heat, add flour and combine, cook for a couple of minutes, slowly pour in milk stirring continuously to prevent lumps forming. Add both mustards and honey and bring just to the boil. Season with salt to taste… and slather over hot corned beef. This is entirely optional now that you have a ginger beer glaze, and is great if you cook corned beef the traditional way.

YOU WILL NEED i 1 corned beef approx 1-1.5kg in weight

i Up to 2 litres of ginger beer (bottles or cans) INGREDIENTS i 2 tablespoons of plain flour i 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine i 1½ cups of water or milk i 3 tablespoons of honey

i 2 tablespoons of grainy mustard i 2½ teaspoons of hot English mustard i Salt to taste

ENGELAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

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Does your insurance c

your recovery What happens if you find yourself broken down or bogged while on your journey? Depending on where you are recovery can be very expensive and often at your expense. Lucky not all insurers are the same, at Club 4X4 we will cover you for up to $1500* towards your recovery as part of your basic policy. Planning that big trip to the Simpson? For an extra premium you could get up to $30,000# coverage. Another way that Club 4X4 is breaking the insurance mould. Club 4X4, the insurer for 4X4 Enthusiasts.

Benefits

Visit CLUB4X4.COM.AU or call 1800 CLUB 4X4 for a quote *This Additional benefit is subject to an excess of $200 which will be applied and this benefit is limited to one claim per policy period. Vehicle will be recovered to the nearest gazetted road. # This Optional extra must be purchased either when taking out a new policy or on renewal. It cannot be purchased during the policy term. The insurer is The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd, AFSL No. 241436, (Hollard). Club 4X4 Pty Ltd is an authorised representative of Hollard, No. 1235616. Any advice provided is general only and insurance coverage is subject to the policy terms and conditions. Underwriting eligibility criteria applies to insurance applications. You should read the PDS available at www.club4x4.com.au to decide if this product suits your needs.

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SUNDOW

NATIONAL PARK,

QLD

250KM SOUTH-WEST OF BRISBANE LIES A RUGGED PLAYGROUND OF SHARP RIDGES, STEEP GORGES, PLENTY OF WATER CROSSINGS AND A WHOLE HEAP OF OFF-ROAD DRIVING.

WORDS BY GARY TISCHER. IMAGES BY GARY AND ELODIE TISCHER.

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Before Sundown became a National Park, it was a collection of leaseholds for sheep grazing. On their days off, the locals used to take 10 hours on a tractor towing a trailer to travel the 20km in to Burrows Waterhole. These days, I’m happy to be able to take about an hour and a half in an airconditioned 4X4, rather than bumping around on a dusty trailer for most of the day. So much for the good ol’ days.

UNDOWN NA Why would you want to be anywhere else?

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Much like the Flinders Ranges in SA, this area is often dry and always rocky. Grazing and fine wool production were started in the late 1800s but were not economically viable. From the 1870s, rich pockets of the minerals tin, copper and arsenic were sporadically mined … but like the grazing, it never proved successful. It may be not a great place for producing minerals or wool; but as a place to visit, it’s a fabulous spot.

ATIONAL PA

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Late afternoon light through the cypress pines.

The old mine sites are cordoned off and the land cleared for grazing is slowly being reclaimed by the local vegetation. As well as the 150 bird species and numerous native animals including plenty of roos and wallabies, you are likely to spot deer in the open grasslands or hiding amongst the forests of cypress pines.

yellowbelly and Murray cod hiding in the deeper waterholes. You are able to try your luck catching these with line fishing but they’re notoriously elusive species – so don’t count on success! There are also reportedly red claw crayfish … although these also proved too smart for the fisherman when I was last there.

The Severn River that dissects Sundown National Park has

As for the four wheel driving and camping – it’s plentiful. There

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are some top spots to break out the swag or put up the tent. The most popular camping spots are along the edge of Burrows Waterhole. Flat, grassy camping areas and the water to cool down in during the warmer months means that you should book online before you go (as only 60 people are permitted to camp at any one time). On the long weekend when we were up there, the campground

was full. But because it stretches for a few hundred metres alongside the waterhole, it never felt like there were too many people. On a normal weekend you may well have the place to yourselves. The rough access tracks are likely the reason that many more campers head for the easilyaccessible Girraween NP of the nearby granite country, rather than going to Sundown.

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The access track from the Ballandean side of Sundown is rocky and rough. In 2011, much of the track was graded after severe rainfall caused track erosion. Soon after grading, it only took an hour to drive the 20km. These days the track is getting rough again â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so leave the soft roader at home. There are some red clay sections, so if it gets too wet, be warned that the track will become very slippery.

At Burrows Waterhole, there is plenty for the kids to do with swimming, kayaking, setting the traps for red claw or just skipping rocks across the water. There are heaps of animals to spot with the roos hanging around on the edges of the camping areas. If you want a quiet place to put up the feet, Burrows is perfect.

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If you get itchy feet for some more challenging off-road driving, it’s not far away. The track from Burrows to Rats Castle hasn’t seen a grader for many years. It has more than a few obstacles to test you and your vehicle. The first challenge is a steep downhill full of moguls – pick your line well, or

descend at your peril. It’s good to remember that you need to climb back up this incline to get back to Burrows. After the descent, there are a few rocky creek crossings which are normally OK – but it’s best to check that there are no diff-destroying rocks waiting just under the surface.

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When the Severn River floods, as it does occasionally, all the rocks move about … ready to test the first 4X4 to attempt the crossings after the flood.

Rats Castle got its name from the early graziers who saw the rock wallabies moving around on the distinctive orange rock pile on top of the ridge. The wallabies looked like rats and the rock pile looked Around 1km before Rats Castle like a castle. Although the climb by you can turn left across the river foot to the top is steep and pretty again or head right and climb hard going, the view is spectacular. the steep, rocky and rutted track that heads up the hill. Best to Below Rats Castle, the track walk this one first. We chose crosses the Severn River before to go left because I like the FJ’s heading west towards the Hell Hole. There are plenty of scrapes panels just the way they are.

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Double Falls in the southern part of Sundown NP.

and paint marks left by vehicles as they have attempted the slippery, rocky ledges that make up the crossing. Our group had stopped here to enjoy the scenery while the kids played in the rock pools. Soon after we arrived, another group of three vehicles driven by some Warwick locals turned

up to continue across the difficult rocky crossing. They took it easy as they guided each other between and over the rocks and holes. One of the crossing vehicle’s rear wheels dropped into a rock hole deep enough for it to become hung up on its suspension. Many young blokes would

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have gone like a bull at a gate to free the stuck 4X4, so it was good to watch these guys take a considered approach trying a number of different options. In the end, a light snatch from the vehicle in front was all that was needed to get the wheel out of the hole and back on solid ground. No damage done, and they kept going on to Hell Hole.

difficult climb was made that much easier – the FJ climbed like a local mountain goat.

Back at camp, it was time to start the fire and get those coals ready for some good camp oven cooking. The skies out this way are so clear that stars seem to go on forever… and probably do. As the sun dipped below the horizon, it Watching this was a good lesson was time to test out the new LED spotties and lightbar. for some of our group who The power of these things were new to off-road driving. blows me away – when only a We retraced our route before climbing the difficult track on the few years ago LEDs were the domain of only cheap torches. way back to Burrows. Although the FJ lifted its front wheels a few Now they light up the bush better than the old aircraft times, the diff lock in the rear landing lights that used to be made sure that the potentially bolted on the ancient Landie. From here on, the track gets rough.

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There are other tracks to explore, including the one down to Reedy Creek. It’s pretty rough and there are a small number of camping spots down there as well. The turnoff to Red Rock Falls is passed on the way into Burrows and is worth a look. The waterfall is often just a trickle, but the

rocks glow red as the sun sets. There are a few camping spots around the top of the gorge … but Burrows is the pick of the spots with the waterhole at your tent’s doorstep.

There are plenty of creeks, gorges and ridges to explore by foot and Sundown is a magnet

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for bushwalkers. Why not bring the mountain bikes as well? The tracks are perfect for a bit of mountain biking (although the hills are pretty steep, so bring your fitness). In winter it gets pretty cold. It even snowed on the higher peaks in 2015. Don’t bother

with your skis though; the snow melts pretty quickly here. In summer, there can be some big storms as the heat builds after 40-plus degrees days. Autumn and spring are the best times to visit Sundown; and make it a few days rather than just an overnighter. Once you arrive, you’ll want to stay longer.

The crew of all ages, and all had heaps of fun.

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ET THE LADY At some point in life, the fellas tend to stop hanging out in massive groups of man gangs and opt for the coupled-up, raising kids lifestyle. And even though it’s fun to head out into the bush with the guys, blokes are always asking how to get their partners to go camping. Well, like most relationship advice, the best approach is to always try and see it from her perspective. That’s why I’ve put this article together and hopefully some of these ideas will get you sleeping under the stars with your main squeeze before too long.

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Go away for the weekend to someplace close by. Make sure there are facilities, toilets and showers, possibly BBQs. Caravan parks are great because there are lots of activities for the kids – pools, jumping pillows, playgrounds, movie nights and heaps of other playmates. Plus, if you bring bikes, the kids can just cruise around the caravan park in gangs and leave you to relax. Don’t head out for a two-week trip on your virgin voyage; that could ruin things for the rest of your life!

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2AND ACTUALLY DO IT! Promise to help –

We tend to avoid camping as a holiday because it’s a lot of work. If blokes pitch in a bit more and make the whole operation less daunting, we’re more likely to go again. There is nothing worse than coming home exhausted from a trip, unpacking the 4X4 and doing 10 loads of washing. If you want us to camp, roll up your sleeves gents … and make sure we feel like you’re helping!

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Find out what kind of camper she is

Full-blown wild woman, quasicamper who needs a shower and loo, or the ‘tame caravan park only’ kind of gal. Sometimes you can swap between these options – but for me personally, I’d rather camp wild with nothing but a hole in the ground, than suffer through communal caravan park bathrooms and the sound of generators. Either way, you might have to make compromises; but hey, that’s what relationships are all about! If you have to buy a camper trailer so she can have a bed, do it!

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Be pro-active with the kids

If you think taking the family along for a camping trip is the perfect opportunity for you to kick back with your mates and drink a carton of beer every day, you are wrong. Beer can be drunk, but large quantities should only be consumed after the kids go to bed. While the sun is up, Dad must be on duty fishing, swimming, bushwalking, playing cricket … whatever is necessary to keep all the campers happy. We’re not saying don’t have a beer all day. Just keep it functional.

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If she’s really not interested, start bargaining

Camping is fun, but so are beachside resorts. Can you go camping for four nights and then stay in a five-star hotel for the last one or two? Buy her a spa voucher so she can be pampered and de-stressed after you get home. Offer to take her to a nice dinner, plan the night

and hire a babysitter when you get back. Thoughtful gestures work like magic. Compromises can move mountains; so if you show the love, she’s more likely to help you pack the car and put up with mozzies and dirt for a few days.

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Go with friends

Camping in groups is way more fun. Plus, you can share the cooking and cleaning with other people. And the more

playmates you bring for the kids, the better off everyone is. Use peer pressure from mates to work in your favour! No-one wants to say ‘no’ to fun!

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Tell her she looks beautiful every morning

… it’s hard to leave all that stuff behind. We just don’t feel sexy. But with a little pinch on the bottom We’re scared to go camping and a wink from our main man, it because we don’t want to look ugly. makes letting go of the modernNo makeday perception of beauty a lot up, hairy easier. Besides, it can be liberating legs, body to embrace the freedom of living odour, no without the hassles of day-to-day hair dryers life; it just takes time to realise this.

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Dirt and sand everywhere

dirty and there is sand all over the tent/camper trailer/caravan. Help her clean up. Help her keep Most women do not want to deal the campsite reasonably tidy and with the dirt. The kids get dirty, then she wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have anything to the beds get dirty, clothes are nag you about.

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Managing meal times

Be grateful

At the end of the trip, say thank you. Even if it rains the Camping makes eating more entire time, the kids are covered complicated than it is at home. If you can have a fire, use it to cook in mozzie bites and stung by everything. If you can’t, make sure stingers, there are snakes in the tent, the fridge breaks and you help with the cooking and washing up. Put the kids in charge spoils all the food, the missus is looking suicidal and gives you of clean-up duties; and always, always, always take charge of the the silent treatment … laugh and shrug your shoulders and meat. If you leave us alone all say thanks for coming along. day to go fishing and deal with We’ll get over it eventually, if you feeding time ourselves, we will really mean it. want to kill you – and we might even try. Unless you bring back a really nice catch, but even then …

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WHY WON’T YOUR PARTNER GO CAMPING WITH YOU?

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We want to see your four wheel drive in Unsealed 4X4. So much so, that we are going to give you a six-month subscription to the Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures magazine just for sending in a picture of you and your four wheel drive. Every vehicle we publish will win!

ANTHONY’S 80 SERIES LANDCRUISER Anthony has three loves in his life: His wife, his dog Roxy, and his 1995 80 Series LandCruiser. Now he never specified in which order he rates them, so to keep him out of hot water we made an executive decision on his behalf (you’re welcome, buddy). He’s been driving his 80 around for four years, and to

give it a little extra zip he’s fitted an aftermarket Garret T28 roller-bearing turbo kit. He’s running Tough Dog 4-inch springs up front to get a little more air under the guards and 5-inch springs at the back to cope with the extra weight. Anthony’s spruced up the interior with a Recaro driver’s seat that looks as good as factory, and some custom rear drawers he made himself – good to see those old cabinetmaking skills not going to waste! All these mods have been getting his baby ready for a trip from his home in NSW’s Shire up to the Cape next July. Your wife and pooch are going with you too though, Anthony … right?

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CHRIS’ GQ PATROL Now she’s no spring chicken, but according to Chris ‘Bluey’ definitely isn’t past her prime. The 1990 GQ Patrol is Chris’ first fourby and despite having over 320,000km on the dial, he describes her power as nothing short of ‘sensational’. In

order to get the most out of things, Bluey has had some enhancements. To brighten her smile she got an ARB bullbar, she runs further with the new 145L Long Ranger Tank, and Chris even bought her new shoes – 31x10.5 A/T tyres. Side steps, a roof rack, UHF and a 2-inch lift via King Springs and KYB shocks complete the mods he’s done, by himself as it turns out, just so he knows what he’s doing if he’s caught out in the bush. Good on ya for following the Boy Scout motto: ‘Be prepared’! Chris has been out to Arkaroola, Coorong Beach, through the Flinders Rangers and camping along the Murray River. On his to-drive list is the Anne Beadell Highway, The Madigan Line and whatever he can get his wheels on in the Kimberley.

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IAN’S DISCOVERY 4 Ian’s 09 Disco 4 was bought a few years back as a tow mule for his Lotus Trooper caravan … we’re guessing Ian likes to travel in style! He’s given it an update in the looks department with some trick 18-inch Compomotive alloy rims and has also fitted up a long-range fuel tank so the fantastic 3.0L TDV6 turbodiesel can push the Disco a longer distance in between drinks – always a good idea we reckon.

Brothers tow hitch give him peace of mind when hitching up his Trooper (that, if you don’t know, is pretty bloody huge). The last thing you want is a couple of tonnes of van coming loose when you’re halfway down a steep hill, eh mate? All up we reckon Ian has got himself one beaut touring setup that’d be just as comfy tootling around the ’burbs as it would be on the CREB. Not that we’re jealous or anything Ian, we’re perfectly happy with our rigs with Unsealed 4X4 stickers covering up the rust holes …

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CHRIS’ 120 PRADO Two years ago Chris waved a sad goodbye to his 80 Series when he and his wife downsized to one vehicle, a 120 Series Toyota LandCruiser Prado. Despite mentioning how much he misses the 80 (a few times, actually), Chris is pretty chipper about how well the Prado performs. His modest (sort of) list of mods includes a winch bar, light bar, reverse camera, reverse/ camping light, a dual battery kit, an electronic brake controller and

rear shocks and springs. He’s also adding a new exhaust and a winch, and upgrading the front suspension. Coorong National Park was where Chris had his first taste of driving on sand, and he was happy to see his Prado handle it like a boss. He’s lucky enough to have the Victorian High Country as his backyard and usually takes to Walhalla and Aberfeldy whenever he can. Next year Chris is looking forward to a trip through South Australia along as many tracks as he can set his four (sometimes three) wheels on.

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We need to talk about roof racks. If you’ve been anywhere in 4X4 land over the last five years you’d spot more cheap Chinese roof racks than you could shake a product recall notice at. And hey, we’re not hating, they make a lot of sense. They offer up a heap more storage space no doubt,

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but they’re not without their downsides. They raise your centre of gravity making you more likely to roll, can potentially rust your roof in a matter of months causing thousands of dollars of damage, and they increase your fuel consumption due to a reduction in aerodynamic efficiency.

As you can see, there might be a little bit more to the whole roof rack situation than looking for one that comes with a free stubby cooler. This month we’re taking a closer look at roof racks, what you can put on them, choosing the right material, how they mount, and to be honest, whether you need one at all.

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DO YOU EVEN NEED A ROOF RACK?

It’s no big secret a lot of 4X4 magazines survive by bending over backwards for their advertisers, convincing their readers they need the latest and greatest whatever-thehell the advertiser is selling. If you listened to half the things they said you’d be convinced you need to pack for a three-month expedition just for an overnight camping trip. Things are done a little differently around here, so before deciding what you need in a roof rack it’s important to see if you even need one.

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the gear you need to take camping. As you’re loading every item in give it a good look over to see what’s vital, and what you’ve never even used before. The large majority of gear can be slotted inside somewhere with a little creative thinking and making use of the available space. Interior roofmounted cargo nets offer a great place to stash bulky but lightweight items that’d normally end up on the roof. Things like push bikes can often be mounted in a substantially cheaper hitch receiver carrier. Larger items such as tents, swags or kayaks can work with cross bars rather than a full rack, offering a considerable cost and weight saving.

XT ROOF RA

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Street Navigation

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Vehicle Compatibility

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Isuzu DMAX / MUX

Toyota Landcruiser 70 Series

Nissan Patrol

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Ford Ranger

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Toyota Hilux

Toyota Prado 150 Series GXL

Volkswagen Amarok

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HOW THEY MOUNT

If you’ve decided a roof rack fits the bill for your build then it’s time to look into how you can actually mount one to your vehicle. There’s no use getting all excited about a particular design only to find out it won’t work with your particular four wheel drive. There’s a few differing mounting methods, and while some have advantages over the others, in most cases you’re pretty well stuck with what the manufacturer of your 4X4 designed from the factory. The first, and most common method on older fourbies is the gutter mount system. There will be a metal lip running down the sides of your vehicle that the rack can clamp to. In newer vehicles the rain gutter has been replaced by channels in the top of your roof; these channels often have a removable cap that hides a factory-fitted, load-rated mounting point.

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Gutter style mount

Track-style mount

Another popular thing coming out of the factory these days are roof rails. While they don’t really do anything other than look good, they do provide a solid mounting point for either cross bars or a full rack system.

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WHAT’S IT MADE OF?

Things are going to get a little left field here but hear us out. Manufacturers make things to be just strong enough to do the job while being as light as possible. If they could make steel wheels lighter but retain the same strength they would. Therefore logic dictates that steel wheels need to be as thick

as they are in order to carry the weight of a fully loaded 4X4. These same manufacturers make alloy wheels that deal with the same weight but are significantly lighter. Now some bloke on an internet forum might argue, “But Toyota, Nissan, and every other manufacturer in the world all agree that for a given weight, aluminium is stronger”. Which leads us to…

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Some manufacturers claim to have tested their steel racks to hold over twice the weight of their aluminium counterparts. If that’s really the case these companies have no business manufacturing anything out of steel or alloy.

The whole point is moot anyway; your vehicle’s roof can only hold a set amount of weight, and it’s far below the maximum rating of

most racks. Alloy vs. steel really comes down to cost. The jury has already decided alloy is both stronger and lighter – but it’s also more expensive.

Alloy racks are lighter than steel equivalents, and are plenty strong enough for the job

This custom alloy rack was built to suit by the owner – looks trick too!

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WHAT STYLE RACK?

By now you should know if you need a rack, how it’s getting mounted, and what it’s going to be made of. The next step is picking what style you want.

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Flat racks are lower in profile, so wind resistance is minimised

Basket racks have a rail running right around the circumference, preventing your gear from sliding off should a tie-down strap break

There are a multitude of different rack designs, some acting as a basket allowing you to load them up with small gear, others are a more open design providing room for larger or bulkier items like roof top tents. If you know exactly what you’re planning on running upstairs and will never waver from it then the choice is pretty straightforward. If, like a lot of us, you need a more versatile system, then it’s a bit of a no brainer that modular systems are a better fit. While not exactly cheap they allow the bolt-on fitment of accessories such as bike holders, jerry can mounts, shovel mounts, even straps for kayaks.

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5 STEPS TO 5

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WHAT CAN YOU PUT ON THEM?

Depending on the vehicle, most 4X4s will have a maximum roof carrying capacity of around the 100200kg mark. This includes the roof rack. Considering a completely empty steel rack can eat up 50kg of that weight, it’s important to minimise what’s on the roof.

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The general rule is if there is anywhere else something should go, that’s where it should go. Spare tyres should be on a carrier, or inside if need be. Water can be stored inside, and high-lift jacks and shovels can be

mounted to bar work as well. Leave the roof racks free for bulky items that physically can’t fit anywhere else such as tents and swags. A weather-proof roof bag is the perfect solution to get bulky but lightweight items such as clothing up there, leaving room inside the vehicle for heavier items. It’ll minimise the chance of damage to your roof and keep your centre of gravity lower as well.

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THE EDITOR

Dex. I’ve been out and about driving a whole bunch of new 4X4s lately, and I’ve been struck by how modern inclusions like traction control and hill descent control have made huge positive impacts on the off-road ability of these computer-controlled vehicles. But I reckon all this electrickery comes at a price. Yeah, we have more power, better economy, and more things available to us at the press of a button than ever before (thanks to computers); but what happens when it all goes pearshaped? I mean, most new 4X4s don’t even have a stubby lever to engage low-range these days. You push a button or turn a knob to enable four wheel drive – which is fine when it’s all working properly – but what happens when you’ve just passed Geosurveys Hill and find you can no longer get your transfer case into gear thanks to a cactus actuator solenoid? Unless you hold a degree in electrical engineering

WHAT HAPPE STUBBY and have a host of diagnostic tools on-board, chances are you’d be in real strife. Let’s compare that to a good oldfashioned stubby lever. If you find that you can no longer go into four wheel drive it’s a fairly intuitive process to follow the shift linkages, identify the problem, and (even if it can’t be fixed) you can still get your vehicle into the correct gear with a little elbow grease and some vicegrips. Twenty minutes later you’re back on your way. This begs the question: Are we sacrificing reliability in the name of useability? It’s not so much a question of whether these gadgets work – they do. I’ve taken plenty of modern vehicles out into the bush and come away mightily impressed with their stock off-road abilities. Case in point: Our Deputy Editor Ev followed a modified 80 Series LandCruiser up a particularly gnarly

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R’S COLUMN

ENED TO THE Y LEVER? hill in a factory-spec Mazda BT-50 recently. Where the 80 was spinning tyres and generally struggling to make forward momentum, the BT-50 simply walked up the slope with the standard rear diff-locker engaged and traction control sending drive to the wheels when needed. No lift, no mud tyres, no aftermarket gearing; just a little technology and driving ability will see you get almost everywhere these days. However the 800 pound gorilla in the room is whether or not this stuff can handle an extended life

out in the Aussie bush; or worse, will it leave you stranded 300km out of Karratha without any means of ‘bush fixing’ and a very expensive tow bill? There’s no doubt that technology is the way of the future; but do we really need to scroll through 13 different menus on our touchscreen multi-media systems to turn on the air-con? Call me a Luddite if you like, but I think there’s still a lot to be said for the mantra of keeping things simple.

Dex.

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VW AM

LETS TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT O AND MOST MODIFIED VOLKSWA

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MAROK

LLINAN

ONE OF THE HARDEST WORKING, AGEN AMAROKS IN AUSTRALIA.

BY BRETT HEMMINGS AND TOMMY SALMON

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Well, you have asked for it and we thought it was about time we delivered. We receive countless emails and messages on social media, asking for a more detailed look at the Volkswagen Amarok our publisher has been driving for close to a year now. When Pat made the move from driving Nissan Patrols to the new-kid-onthe-block dual cab some people were left scratching their heads.

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“After driving a GU Patrol all over the country for close to seven years, I just wanted to try something different,” says Pat. “The first trip in the new utes was across the Simpson Desert towing camper trailers. I wanted to see very early on in the piece how tough the VWs were, and man am I impressed.” So impressed, that the vehicles which were originally going to remain rather stock, have been extremely well-kitted out.

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I was lucky enough to find the keys to Pat’s daily drive poorly hidden on his desk (you’re going to have to try harder mate) and spent a few days on the NSW coast all in the name of testing. It must be said,

while he might have trouble keeping staff away from his vehicles, Pat sure knows how to set a four-wheel drive up for extended travel. Let’s take a closer look at this very special Volkswagen.

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THE VEHICLE

“I actually have two Amaroks,” Pat mentions. “One is an auto which I have kept relatively stock, and my crew drive it while we are out filming my TV show Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures. My main vehicle is a manual Amarok with lowrange gearing, that has been considerably more modified. I just can’t help myself,” he says with a grin. The vehicles are 2014 models, and have been in service for close to a year. Now, a year of ownership isn’t terribly long if you’re an average four wheel drive owner. However a year of ownership around this office includes more offroading than some people would do in their lifetime. “Between myself, Unsealed 4X4 journalists and my film crew, these trucks are heading bush at least once a week,” Pat explains.

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“We’re at the stage that we need to think about employing a car detailer full-time

– the Amaroks see more dirt and mud than a Surry Hills beauty therapist.”

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As is a sign of the times, Volkswagen have included a relatively small 2.0L diesel engine, however the bi-turbo setup takes care of the old adage about needing cubic capacity to make decent power. If you haven’t driven an Amarok, it must be said that these things hoot along.

There are also the standard offroad-friendly inclusions, such as a factory-fitted rear diff lock and ABS tuned specifically for offroad conditions. As mentioned, the crew vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox, but technically doesn’t have lowrange 4WD. What it does have though, is a very clever 8-speed gearbox, which essentially provides a gear for all situations.

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POWER

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Deep cycling technology to run all of your power needs, where ever you find yourself.

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Drive one of these vehicles on-road, and the first thing you will notice is how car-like they are. Read any review of the Amarok, and the one thing every off-road journalist

in Australia will agree on is how comfortable they are. “In modifying this vehicle it was imperative to retain the goodnatured handling,” says Pat.

We spend loads of time driving “ on-road as well AS OFF-ROAD,

and considering how often I tow, comfort was a major deciding

factor in giving the nod to

THE Amarok.”

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A recent addition to the Amarok are Clearview Towing Mirrors, that have really improved visibility especially when towing

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THE

MODIFICATIONS

For the most part, the vehicle modifications have been handled by the extremely capable hands at ARB Moorebank in Sydney. This includes fitting the 30mm raised Old Man Emu suspension, which Pat is convinced rides better than any leaf sprung setup he has ever driven. They also installed and colour-coded the ARB bull bar, brush bars and side steps. The team at ARB hadn’t worked on many Amaroks, so this vehicle was in many ways a test mule for them. Not that you would be able to tell. The same team also installed the Redarc gauges, a rear drawer system, mounted an ARB air compressor for tyre inflation duties and cut into the brand new guards to install the Safari Snorkel. An ARB canopy keeps the tray covered, and also provided the perfect platform to mount a Tradesman roof rack and side awning.

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Communications duties are handled by a Uniden UH8020S indash UHF radio

Be sure to look out for Pat’s Amarok on display at four-wheel drive shows around the country

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The interior has been left largely stock; however our local auto-electrician S&K Autos handled any extra 12V wiring. This includes installing a few extra 12V sockets and USB charging points. Speaking of 12V gadgetry, Pat has wisely installed a Redarc Tow Pro Elite electronic trailer brake system. This truck towsâ&#x20AC;Ś a lot! Originally, the Amarok was running the stock alloy wheels with a set of General Grabber All-Terrains, but with the Sydney 4WD Show fast approaching (and now come and gone) we stayed back late one night, and bolted up a larger set of General Grabber SRLs stretched onto CSA Raptor wheels.

The Old Man Emu 30mm suspension lift rides like a dream according to Pat

Redarc gauges are a smart inclusion, keeping an eye on the 12V systems as well as the engine

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let the adventure begin...

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Which really gave a huge boost to the looks department. While we were already putting in a bit of O.T. Pat asked this ‘ere journo to fabricate a stainless steel table to protect the rear tailgate. “We also use this as a table for lunch breaks, and the camera guys can lay their gear out on it at the end of a day shooting to edit on the road,” Pat mentions.

A piece of stainless steel on the tailgate provides protection, and is the perfect place to make lunch. It was installed by one of the country’s most talented fabricators… okay, I slapped it on one afternoon for Pat

ARB Intensity LED driving lights are the only auxiliary lighting Pat has fitted, and produce all the light he needs. A Warn Platinum 12 winch was installed, and it all sits on a colour coded ARB bull bar with brush bars and side steps

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PROTECT YOUR

INVESTMENT.

PREVENT RUST.

USE ERPS.

• Prevents Rust • Protects not only the outside of vehicles but also all the inner and hidden areas that traditional sprays can’t reach • Prevents stone chips from developing into protusion rust • Maintains vehicle resale value • Unmatched record of 19 years of Australian manufacturing • Saves on maintenance costs • Enhances paintwork

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THE OWNER

The first trip out was through the Simpson Desert and Birdsville to see Jimmy Barnes perform at the Well, if you haven’t heard of Pat Big Red Bash - quite the baptism Callinan, you have either been of fire. Since then, the Amarok living under a rock, don’t own a has been through some of Pat’s TV or can’t read. Pat has been producing his own televison show favourite parts of the country, on Network 10 for over eight years including the Blue Mountains, now, and has covered pretty much Fraser Island the NSW North Coast, just to mention a few every square inch of this wide destinations. And nothing has brown land. Season eight of the show has just begun airing on TV, gone wrong, bar a set of mudflaps that decided they wanted to stay in so to see how the Amaroks are performing in the field, be sure to the Simpson Desert a little longer than the vehicle. Pretty impressive check it out. if you ask us! NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

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THINGS YOU DIDN’T

KNOW ABOUT TYRES

MORE GOES INTO YOUR OFF-ROAD RUBBER THAN YOU’D THINK – HERE’S A FEW THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT REALISE ABOUT TYRES

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See all those squiggly little lines on the tread blocks? They’re sipes that help with water dispersion

U DIDN’T KNO MODERN TYRE DESIGN CAME FROM A 1920s AMERICAN BUTCHER

Ever felt that your own genius was so far ahead of the time it’d take decades before people realised how clever you really are? No? Me neither. But one bloke who can (or could) loudly make such a claim was an American chap by the name of John Sipe in the 1920s. If you haven’t heard of him before, don’t worry – his claim to fame was inventing a system that’d help stop him falling over on the slippery concrete floors in the slaughterhouse where he worked. Apparently that was an on-going problem for him.

Despite all the jokes, what this clever bugger did would revolutionise tyre design. Well, with a few tweaks it would, anyway. He invented tyre siping (Sipe, get it?). He worked out that by making strategic, thin cuts into the rubber tread on his boots it’d allow the water to be pushed out from under the sole and let the rubber bite into the concrete underneath. Unfortunately when he patented the design for use on solid rubber car tyres, it didn’t work out too well – the rubber was too stiff to take advantage of the relief cuts. His son Harry finally got the ball rolling in a big way when the motoring industry starting changing to the inflatable tyres we have today.

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A TYRE IS LIKE A LAYERED ONION What has a flexible liner, chunky tread and a steel belt? No; not the local BDSM club. Tyres! Contrary to uninformed belief there’s actually a whole lot of design and construction that goes into each tyre. Your standard everyday tyre is constructed out of a whole heap of materials such as carbon black, silica, nylon, steel, canvas, silk, cotton, kevlar and more types of rubber than what’s found in a teenage boy’s wallet. In an average tyre you’ll generally have a thick steel cable giving strength to the bead area. This steel cable will be coated in a rubber extrusion to stiffen the sidewall and give a solid foundation to build the tyre from. From here, there are multiple different layers of rubber compounds making up the carcass and inner liner before various steel belts are laid in place (often in crossing patterns) with fibre top caps. In fact the rubber we can see is pretty much one of the least significant components of tyre construction.

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U DIDN’T KNO SIDEWALL STAMPINGS ARE ACTUALLY USEFUL

On your average mud tyre you’d spot something along the lines of LT265/75R16 98T. The LT stands for Light Truck construction (the alternative is P for Passenger construction; more on that later). 265 means there’s 265mm between the sidewalls on the recommended rim size. 75 is the aspect ratio, the total sidewall height would be 75% of the width. R stands for radius and 16 stands for a 16-inch rim. From this we can work out we’ve got an overall height of 31.8 inches and a width of around 10.5 inches. The next two numbers are what’s known as the load index. There’s no rhyme

SIDEWAlL CHART LOAD INDEX

or reason for these numbers, so we’ve attached a handy table. Finally the T, which is our tyre’s speed rating. A speed rating of T would mean this tyre is safe up to 190km/h, although that’s not recommended in a 4X4 (also see attached table).

People have written textbooks on this information, so consider this the abridged version. M+S stands for Mud + Snow. The Temperature, Traction and Treadwear markings all indicate how much heat the tyre can handle, how well it grips in the wet, and how long the tread will last. The rule here is the more As or the bigger the number, the better it is.

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LIGHT TRUCK VS PASSENGER CONSTRUCTION

I touched briefly on LT and P designations earlier. The difference in constructions is huge, and the outcomes even larger. At first a Passenger rated tyre sounds fantastic. They’re designed to maximise handling, ride quality and fuel economy while minimising road noise. Sounds awesome, except it basically does it by being the girlie-man version of a Light Truck (LT) tyre, complete with un-calloused hands and a freshly shaved face. They’re essentially made as light as can be. Thinner side walls, thinner tread, thinner belts and a smaller bead design. What this means for us in 4X4 land is they’re more likely to get staked, can’t handle the load of even an unladen 4X4, and are far more likely to spin a bead – leaving you sitting on the side of the track desperately trying to grow a beard to make up for your poor tyre choice. So why do people keep fitting them to 4X4s? Well, they’re cheaper. They also come in lower profiles for those bling-bling wheels. That’s about it, really. Look at it this way: If it’d make your air conditioning work a little bit better, would you fit smaller brakes to your 4X4? Didn’t think so. Stick with LT tyres on your off-road rig.

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THEY CAN MELT You’ve probably heard us squawking before about not running low pressures on the blacktop, and it’s not just because we’re big fans of maximising performance and pretending we’re Steve McQueen through mountain passes (we really are). It does damage, as in potentially life-ending damage. A tyre is constructed of lots of different layers and parts. When the tyre deforms (the flat bit on the bottom) the bonds that stick those layers together get stretched and pushed, causing heat to build up. At slow speeds off-road it’s not really an issue. But with tyre pressures dropped low and highway speeds, the tyre is excessively stretching and deforming; all while building up heat. This heat can cause the bonds to separate and the tyre to literally fall apart from the inside out. Think of it like death by a thousand cuts. A quick trip down to the servo to fill up probably won’t be an issue; but if you’re doing 50 kilometres up the freeway without airing up, you’d better start wearing a helmet when you drive.

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UH-OH, WHAT HAVE WE GONE GETS A NEW PROJECT 76 LAN

A couple of weeks back a few of us were sitting around having a work meeting (we may or may not have been at the pub at the time…) and the talk was turned to project vehicles. Ev has his GQ, Dex has his FrankenForty and Sam has his old Series Landy that consumes most of his weekends. And while they’re all cool vehicles, they’re not exactly new, powerful or going to win any awards in the looks department. So around beer three it was decided

that we needed to look for a new project vehicle to build up in Unsealed 4X4. The problem is, most newer 4X4s that are worth investing time and parts into ain’t exactly cheap, and somehow we didn’t think Mercedes would give us an AMG 6X6 G-wagen to go nuts with so we had to come up with a plan B. How do you get a newer vehicle with plenty of power and reliability

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STAFF CORNER

PROJECT RUSTY

E AND DONE? UNSEALED 4X4 NDCRUISER TO GO NUTS ON

that’s a blank canvas from which we can build the ultimate expedition vehicle – without taking out a second mortgage on the house? Of course, the mines! Fast forward a couple of days (we move quick around these parts) and a truck pulled up in the work car park with an excoal mine Toyota 76 LandCruiser on the back of it that cost us the princely sum of $17K. It’s

sporting a 4.5L V8 turbo-diesel, cold air-con, what looks to be an Ironman 4X4 front winch bar and not a whole lot else. One turn of the key though and it started straight up before we headed out for the local tracks (which it handled with ease). Considering the engine alone is almost worth the asking price, this has to be one of the bargain buys of the century - and it leaves us heaps in the kitty for mods.

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UH-OH, WHAT HAVE WE GONE GETS A NEW PROJECT 76 LAN

We’ve got some massive plans for this bus after we clean it up and de-mine it, so feast your eyes on what must be one of the best value 4X4s in the country. Oh, and in case you’re wondering where the name came from, take a look at the photos of the underbody – and yep, stripping it back and repainting the frame, diffs and suspension are high on the to-do list! NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION | PLEASE INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE AUSTRALIA’S MOSTCLICK READHERE 4X4FOR MAGAZINE

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STAFF CORNER

PROJECT RUSTY

E AND DONE? UNSEALED 4X4 NDCRUISER TO GO NUTS ON

WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD DO TO TURN PROJECT RUSTY INTO THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE MACHINE?

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