Search

While the NP300 isn't a big ute, Simon has managed to shoehorn a massive Sêt of 315x70R17, or basically a 35 -- inch tyre, under the guards. The good news is they respond well to tuning and upgrades, and it's safe to say Simon hasn't left his Navara stock in the power department. ROGUE 2.0: AFTER AN INCIDENT WITH A SWAMP THAT KILLED HIS FIRST MODIFIED NAVARA, ROGUE 2.0 WAS SIMON TAYLOR'S CHANCE TO BUILD. [Extracted from the article]

Off-road, the GR Sport is right at home, especially on chopped-out dirt roads where the suspension compliance and levels of traction -- combined with the plush comforts of the GR Sport's interior -- mean you could cover serious ground without feeling fatigued at the end of the day. As well as having a centre, front and rear differential lock, the GR Sport LC300 also boasts E-KDSS -- or Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System. To further enhance its off-road chops, the GR Sport boasts E-KDSS, which allows for the vehicle's sway bars to disconnect when driving on challenging terrain, thus allowing more suspension travel -- they then engage when on-road, to provide solid cornering ability. [Extracted from the article]

MARK Boxer, the owner and builder of this unique 80 Series LandCruiser, is a car guy through and through. Pedders also fitted a new replacement steering box and Pedders drag link, then Mark added a Tough Dog adjustable steering damper, rounding out a neat yet nice and simple suspension package. [Extracted from the article]

The vehicle has been lifted approximately three inches using a range of suspension components including Dobinson MRR/MRA long-travel shock absorbers from a Prado 150. BAR WORK & PROTECTION PROVIDING protection to the front of Chase's Lexus GX470 is a 4X4LABS bumper kit, which Chase assembled, welded and Raptor-Lined together himself at home. Oh, What a Feeling: A FACTORY V8 PETROL-POWERED LEXUS GX470 BASED ON A PRADO AND ROLLING ON 37-INCH TYRES. [Extracted from the article]

This vehicle offers so much more than the Raptor of old, all based around a fire-breathing 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine -- the powerplant the Raptor should have come with the first time around. 2022 FORD RANGER RAPTOR IS THE NEW RANGER RAPTOR A WORTHY SUCCESSOR TO THE PREVIOUS MODEL, OR HAS PETROL POWER RELEGATED IT TO THE WORLD OF MALL CRAWLERS AND CASHED-UP TRADIES? With Fox suspension and coil springs on all four corners, advanced off-road technology with interactive driver and terrain modes, and a beautifully thought-out interior, this new Ranger Raptor ticks plenty of boxes. [Extracted from the article]

As well as the LED driving lights, Dave also has a 30-inch Ultra Vision LED lightbar mounted to the bar as well as a 45-inch Ultra Vision LED light bar mounted to his Rhino-Rack roof platform. On the front AMVE alloy bumper are a pair of Australian-made Ultra Vision Nitro 180 Maxx LED driving lights, which also feature a handy high/low function, allowing Dave to adjust the lights for the terrain he's driving. DAVE Isaacs, the owner of thin mint 2021 Ford F350 tells us he is in the process of entering semi-retirement and has taken delivery of a larger 4.5-tonne caravan to enjoy in his new-found spare time. [Extracted from the article]

Speaking of accessories, you can have a Ranger built up through your Ford dealership with ARB accessories, which is not only convenient but it shows that Ford wants you to make your Ranger your own and build it up for your needs. WILDTRAK VS XLS After spending a week driving around the V6 Wiidtrack, I jumped straight into a lower spec 4-cylinder XLS spec Ranger. [Extracted from the article]

WHILE the stock suspension on the current model MU-X rides pretty well with factory gear and is an improvement over the previous generation wagon, it just isn't going to cut the mustard for what we need out of a four-wheel drive. The Tough Dog suspension kit to suit a 2022 Isuzu MU-X costs $1542 supplied with unassembled front struts, or $1722 with pre-assembled struts. [Extracted from the article]

Suspension wise, the Nefarious Kustoms crew (namely Micah Gamponia) selected and installed and fabricated the adjustable trailing arm suspension set-up, as well as HI) steering arms, a disc-brake conversion and Warn hubs completing the package. The 460hp Coyote Engine and 6-speed box provide the power and reliability one would want in a classic restomod, the coil-over suspension is supple with great road manners, and the interior is as comfortable as any modern luxury vehicle." This is when the owner and shop originally commissioned to do the work tapped out, and had the somewhat sad Bronco sent over to the team at Nefarious Kustoms to correct the suspension set-up and install the drive line properly. [Extracted from the article]

Additionally, Simon tells us Tough Doghas developed a sway bar relocationbracket, which lowers the sway bar backto its factory setting, restoring thealignment of the sway-bar link rod afterraising the 300 Series. DRIVE 200 VS 300 SERIES LANDCRUISERS DRIVE MODIFIED 200 VS 300 SERIES LANDCRUISERS THE TEAM AT TOUGH DOG4WD SUSPENSION HANDUS THE KEYS TO THEIR200 AND 300 SERIESLANDCRUISERS, TO SEEHOW THEY COMPARE OFF-ROAD IT CAN be a weirdold gig this 4x4journo game, somedays you're wadingthrough pressreleases aboutcosmetic updatesto 10-year-oldvehicles, otherdays you're beingwhisked aroundthe countryattending launchevents driving thelatest and greatestin off-roadmachines. "And that's not to say the 200 Series isa bad thing at all, nor am I saying thatyou should sell your 200 Series todayand put a deposit on a 300 Series if youare happy with the 200 Series. [Extracted from the article]

AS PER the 76 Series LandCruiser we reviewed in the May 22 issue of 4X4 Australia, this 79 Series 70th Anniversary model receives a swag of goodies that are exclusive to this range. While that might not sound like much, when you're starting with such a basic vehicle, the 70th Anniversary model is the best 79 Series Cruiser ever released. [Extracted from the article]

PRACTICALITIES AS A full-sized wagon with eight seats, the Patrol is an extremely practical and versatile off-roader. With a 5.6-litre petrol V8 engine mated to a seven-speed automatic, the Patrol moves effortlessly on- and- off-road, albeit at the expense of fuel, which you'd expect from a big engine pushing more than 2800kg of weight. A deal breaker for me is that you can't fit larger tyres to the Grand Cherokee thanks to the upper control arm design; while the Patrol will take a nearly 35-inch tyre on stock suspension. [Extracted from the article]

YOU'VE no doubt seen or read about vehicles built overseas in the US of A for SEMA, one of the wildest automotive shows in the world. No, this is the family vehicle of BAW Automotive's owners -- their daily driver, their tourer and the vehicle used to pick their three kids up from school in. [Extracted from the article]

KAS Salar, the owner of this stunning 2006 Td5 powered Land Rover Defender, is mad keen about his fishing. Kas purposefully selected a Td5 powered Defender, as from his research they don't mind making a bit more power with the right upgrades -- how's 200hp sound to you? The front end also receives MaxiDrive HD 23/24 axles (Kas says this is the strongest spline combination), a MaxiDrive County CY Conversion Kit with MaxiDrive HD Drive Flanges and County/Perentie CVs which are said to be the strongest CV joint made by Land Rover. [Extracted from the article]

OFF-ROAD WITH twin diff locks, stump-pulling low-range gearing and V8 diesel torque from damn near idle, the 76 Series is incredible in the rough stuff. And the handbrake worked on this 76 Series (Hilux/80/100 Series owners know what I mean) which was a pleasant surprise. WHY NOT... WHILE THE 76 SERIES IS CERTAINLY FEELING ITS AGE, CAN THIS LIMITED EDITION 70TH ANNIVERSARY CRUISER BREATHE NEW LIFE IN TO THE LONGSTANDING PLATFORM?. [Extracted from the article]

CUSTOM ONE OF THE FIRST ACCESSORISED 300 SERIES LANDCRUISERSWE'VE SEEN -- BUILT WITH QUALITY GEAR FROM THE AUSTRALIAN4X4 AFTERMARKET INDUSTRY IT WAS always going to happen,but it's taken less time thanI imagined. This build is a collectiveeffort from brands under the GUDgroup including Rola roof racks, Uneek4x4, Kaymar, and Narva, to name a few. UNEEK ARMOUR THE first thing you'll notice on thisparticular vehicle is the front bar fromUneek 4x4. [Extracted from the article]

The purposeof this exercise isn't to debate whetherthe 200 Series is better than the 300,we're just here to see if the lowest-spec(GX) 4x4 in the 300 Series line-up isworthy of your hard-earned dollars. POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE TOYOTA ditching the old V8 in favourof a twin-turbo V6 is big news. 4X4AUSTRALIA DRIVETOYOTA LAND CRUISER 300 GX DOES THE LOW-SPEC LC300 GX MAKE SENSE FORAUSSIE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVERS, OR IS IT TOO BASICTO LIVE WITH DAILY?. [Extracted from the article]

One of my favourite additions to the4X4 Australia D-Max, would have to bethe dual-battery system. The Invicta battery has been mountedon a trick Piranha Off Road battery tray,which was actually custom made for ourvehicle and the Invicta battery They arenow in production and available to buy,which is super cool. 4X4AUSTRALIA CUSTOM4X4 AUSTRALIA'S ISUZU D-MAX WE TRANSFORMED OUR STOCK-AS-A-ROCK 2020 ISUZUD-MAX TO A DIRT ROAD-READY TOURING WEAPON HERE'S WHAT WE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY WELL, it has certainlybeen a longer processthan we would haveliked, but the 4X4Australia D-Max isready to hit the tracks. [Extracted from the article]

"The 70 Series platform is by far the most common vehicle we see coming through our workshop", Brent and Amy tell us. That Boss Aluminium rooftop tent looks perfect mounted on to the Boss Aluminium alloy canopy. WHEN it came time to build a shop truck to highlight just what BAW Automotive is capable of, it was an easy choice to sign on the dotted line for a 79 Series dual cab. [Extracted from the article]

It might look stock, but Ken's V6 Amarok has been heavily tuned and features an upgraded front-mount intercooler and custom exhaust. When asked why he decided to start with an Amarok, Ken had this to say: "The Amarok is capable, comfortable and it's just a bit different in Australia to see one so modified, "I'm rapt with how the build turned out; it makes both short- and long-distance travel nothing but easy and enjoyable. As such, Ken has thrown the Stedi catalogue at his vehicle, with their HID replacement headlight bulb upgrade, as well as a roof-mounted LED light bar, and a smaller light bar mounted to the front bar. [Extracted from the article]

I started in the GR Sport, and did score seat time in the GX, GXL, VX, and Sahara, which provided a solid insight to the new LandCruiser. It's hard to beat the sound and low-down grunt of a twin-turbo V8, but the fact is, the 3.3L twin-turbo V6 diesel engine now used exclusively across the LC300 series is more powerful (by 27kW, to 227kW) and more torque rich (up 50Nm to 700Nm) as well as more frugal (by 0.6L/100km on the ADR combined cycle). The new twin-turbo V6 engine makes easy work of steep hills, sipping a meagre amount of diesel in the process. [Extracted from the article]

Fear not, the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine now used exclusively across the LC300 range is a winner. Every LC300 is powered by a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine, which Toyota claim is a Y8 beater performance-wise. THE Toyota LC300 is one of the most highly anticipated new four-wheel drives of the year. From the stripped-back GX with cloth seats and vinyl flooring that's perfect for hard off-road work, to the cream interior of the Sahara (which I wasn't a fan of), right up to the ultra-modern and sleek GR Sport (which has the best interior). [Extracted from the article]

In fact,a suspension upgrade (or GYM upgrade)would be the first modification I'd makeif I was to buy a JB74 Jimny. Again, the aftermarket industry can helpfix this, with both suspension lift kitsand protection plates which prevent thechassis mounts from being damaged. Insaying that, with the recent price increases,the Jimny is dangerously close to being tooexpensive for what it is (in my opinion).I really want to buy one, but consideringthere's a waiting list of apparently six to 12months, and prices are coming in at aroundor more than $30,000 drive-away (dependingon options), you have to really want a Jimnyto make it work. [Extracted from the article]

FIRST DRIVE 2021 LS-U ISUZU MU-X 4X4 IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT IS THE 2021 ISUZUMU-X A BETTER 4X4 THAN THE MODEL IT REPLACES? PRACTICALITIES IT is a shame to see 18-inch wheels onthe LS-U and 20-inch wheels on theLS-T, even though we know this is dueto the upgraded brakes found on this2021 model. A 15.3 per cent strongertransfer case output-shaft, larger one-piecetail shaft and a stronger frontshaft, round out the driveline upgradesfor this new MU-X. Now only available with a six-speedAisin automatic gearbox, which I have nocomplaints with performance wise. [Extracted from the article]

Basically, this new Navara is a goodthing if you want a capable andcomfortable dual-cab ute, with the optionof throwing factory-fitted accessories at it.With some bigger tyres and a suspensionlift, it would go anywhere I'd want to takeit. What you would have noticed are theoff-road friendly accessories fitted tothis Navara, because it's not a specificmodel of Navara on test, like its off-roadorientated PR0-4X Warrior. While it's a familiar package, with thesame seven-speed automatic gearboxand 2.3L twin-turbo motor, exteriorand interior revisions have certainlydone favours to the vehicle overall. [Extracted from the article]

RESULTS HT

Modern conveniences include front-seatheating and power adjustability, single-zoneclimate control, power windowswith an auto function for the driver, ananti-glare rear-view mirror, auto LEDheadlights and a rear window defroster. PERFORMANCE:6.5/10 255/60R18 108H Toya Open Country 0-100km/h: 11.32sec 60-100km/h: 6.4sec 100-0km/h: 41.39m (dry) 100-0km/h: 55.68m (wet) PERFORMANCE 6.5 DYNAMICS 7.5 INFOTAINMENT 8.5 RUNNING COSTS 7.5 TOWING 6.5 OFF ROAD 7.5 INTERIOR & SAFETY 7 PAYLOAD 7 MAINSTREAM CONTENDERS TOYOTA HILUX SR5 THE Toyota Hilux'supgraded engine servesit well. Optioned up with the 157kW-500Nm 2.0-litrefour-cylinder twin-turbo diesel (with10-speed auto) for a compelling $1500over the 33kg-heavier old 147kW-470Nm3.2-litre five-pot and six-speed autocombo, the XLT proved to be the mostcar-like of our gathered throng. DRIVEN DUAL CAB UTE COMPARISON WE TEST SEVEN POPULAR DOUBLE-CAB 4X4UTES, TO SEE WHICH ONE DESERVES YOUR MONEY WELCOME to WhichCar's dual-cab ute test. [Extracted from the article]

WELCOME TO THE 2021 dual-cab mega-test, a comprehensive examination of Australia's most popular vehicle segment. Our test location is the former Holden, now VinFast proving ground at Lang Lang; when it comes to testing cars, you can't beat a facility that's purpose-built for vehicle assessment. With Lang Lang proving ground at our disposal, we designed a torture test to really put the 11 utes through their paces So, did this comprehensive torture test bowl up any surprises?. [Extracted from the article]

02 Dune driving is allowed in theRecreational Vehicle Area atthe southern end of the beach. EVENT ISUZU - VENTURE CLUB OUR D-MAX GETS SAND ON ITS TYRES FOR THEFIRST TIME, WITH THE ISUZU I-VENTURE CLUB I STILL remember clearly myfirst time driving on the sandsof Stockton Beach. Dune driving is still permitted towardsthe southern end of the beach, in thedesignated Recreational Vehicle Area.There's also a designated camping areaif you wish to stay overnight. [Extracted from the article]

Darren spent 15 monthsto get the Jimny where it is today, andhe estimates the total cost of the build(including vehicle purchase) is around the$60,000 mark. 4X4AUSTRALIA CUSTOM2019 SUZUKI JIMNY SMALL IN SIZE, BIG ON ACCESSORIES-- THIS 2019 SUZUKI JIMNY HAS BEEN BUILTTO DO IT ALL THERE'Sno denyinghow populartheJB74model Suzuki Jimnyis, both locally andinternationally. While thetraction-control system used in theseJB74s is pretty good, Darren had frontand rear ARB Air lockers installed for dieultimate in traction. [Extracted from the article]

"I bought this stock and with the 4.5L petrol motor fitted", Stefan tells us. STEFAN Fischer is no stranger to the off-road scene, having run his ' successful YouTube channel AllOffroad 4x4 Adventures for several years. [Extracted from the article]

THE owner of this well-kitted Mazda BT-50, Jake Lawrence, is a self-confessed poker nut. "Originally the modification list for the vehicle was short; pretty much a small suspension lift, 31-inch tyres, tub rack and rooftop tent", Jake says with a familiar grin. [Extracted from the article]

FROM wet roads, sand, mud, rocksand outback desert tracks, we'vetaken the Maxxis RAZR muddiesover most terrain you couldexpect to find in Australia. GEAR TESTED -- MAXXIS MT-772 RAZR MUD TERRAIN HOW HAVE THE MAXXIS RAZR MUDDIES FITTED TO THE 4X4AUSTRALIA D-MAX PERFORMED AFTER 20,000KM OF USE AND ABUSE? On a recenttrip to the mud around the Lost Citytracks in Lithgow, with a stock IsuzuMU-X and 79 Series LandCruiser inconvoy, I was in front and didn't needto use the rear locker to get throughone particular spot both the 79 andMU-X needed their lockers -- thosestock tyres didn't have the bite topull through. [Extracted from the article]

TESTING THIS is not a scientific test, this is areal-world test. This iswhy we decided to test the smaller andincreasingly more common seven-inchround LED driving lights. GEAR PRODUCT TEST - 7INCH LED DRIVING LIGHTS LED DRIVING LIGHTS ARE A HOTTOPIC. [Extracted from the article]

Rover fans will know the Range Rover Classic was usuallypowered by a 3.5L or 3.9L petrol V8 motor. "The best thing about my currentvehicle is that it is mechanically veryreliable, very simple with no computersand minimal electronics, it's also capableand comfortable as you would expect froma Range Rover classic", David explains. To get the most out of the engine,David had a Factory Isuzu turbo fittedon a factory turbo manifold. [Extracted from the article]

THERE has been a trend in recent years of punters buying lower-spec vehicles and using the money that would have gone into leather seats and faux woodgrain towards 4x4 accessories. I'd spend the money you save over buying the higher spec LS-U or X-Terrain on some quality suspension, larger all-terrain tyres and some frontal protection, and you've got a solid vehicle. [Extracted from the article]

So 17x9-30 offset Dynamic steel wheels weredecided on, and Jamie had them powder-coatedin a custom bronze colour, whichspacers, looks awesome on the red Defender. 4X4AUSTRALIA CUSTOM2012 LAND ROVEH DEFENDER DON'T LIE, YOU WISH YOUR FIST 4X4 WAS ASNEAT AS THIS KITTED-OUT DEFENDER IT WAS love at first sight forJamie, the owner of this beautiful2012 Firenze Red Land RoverDefender. Comms ismy important, so Jamie shelled out on a GME UHEthe But when he doesn't feel like talking to anyone,an Alpine head unit with a Cadence amppowering a 12-inch Kicker sub drones out anyrattles or dad jokes over the UHE LOOKING OUTSIDE THERE'S no denying this is a toughDefender visually, with Jamie wanting itto look cool while being able to tackle anytrack he deemed a challenge. [Extracted from the article]

GEAR TESTED - D-MAX DUAL-BATTERY INSTALL A FIRST LOOK AT OUR INVICTA LITHIUM BATTERY ANDPIRANHA OFF-ROAD BATTERY TRAY MOUNTED BEHIND THEBACK SEAT BEING the main project vehiclefor 4X4 Australia over the lastfew months, there was no waywe'd settle for any old dual-batterysystem in our D-MAX. SPACE SAVERThe red PiranhaDCDC charger ismounted to thebattery tray, abovethe in situ Invictaslimline battery. INVICTA SLIMLINE 100AH LITHIUM BATTERY CYCLE LIFE 2000 MAX DISCHARGE CURRENT 95amp MAX CURRENT CHARGE 60amp OPERATING CHARGE TEMP 0 to 50 °C OPERATING TEMP DISCHARGE -20 to 55 °C RECOMMENDED CURRENT CHARGE 50amp CUT-OFF VOLTAGE 10V PRO FITThe team atAdvancedInstallation Servicehandled the install,including wiringin fuses from thestart battery. [Extracted from the article]

No weird vibrations, nohandling issues thanks to a proper wheel alignment (alwayshave a wheel alignment done after playing with suspension),and it's all fully legal for road use. GEAR TESTED - TOUGH DOG SUSPENSION INSTALL A TOUGH DOG SUSPENSION UPGRADE FIXES MORETHAN GROUND CLEARANCE ON OUR D-MAX THE current model D-MAX is a ripper of a ute, butthere's one thing I absolutely dislike about it: theyride like crap when unladen - to be blunt - and thestock suspension was never going to last long. Aftera chat with Simon Vella and the team at Tough DogSuspension a plan was devised and a date locked in to fixmy main gripe with the vehicle and gain some extra groundclearance in the process. Simon and Peter from Tough Dog, who handled theinstallation for us, are absolute gurus and they took thetime to educate me on everything suspension. [Extracted from the article]

The main addition is a 12,0001bironman 4x4 Monster Winch with synthetic rope. GEAR D-MAX - IRONMAN 4X4 INSTALL IRONMAN 4X4 WORKS ITS MAGIC ON OUR 2020D-MAX - SPOILER ALERT! RATED AVAILABLE FROM:www.ironman4x4.com.au RRP: Commercial DeluxeBullbar: $180412,0001b Monster Winch: $1099Recovery points: $200Fitting: $825 MONSTER PULLI have a feeling the12,000lb MonsterWinch from Ironman4x4 will get a solidworkout. [Extracted from the article]

The Companion Rover 40 Power Station is small in size but packs a decent punch, offering 40amp of lithium power in a package that weighs just 6.5kg, which is enough to keep my 47L myCOOLMAN fridge running for just under two full days without a charge. A portable lithium and solar set-up I can charge at home, and then take from car to car and campsite to campsite. [Extracted from the article]

Price is veryattractive, too, at half the price of other brands on themarket and I'm sure not half the tyre. GEARTESTED -- KENDA KLEVER MT TYRES LESSER-KNOWN TYRES LIKE THESE KENDAS CAN DELIVERSIMILAR RESULTS AS MORE ESTABLISHED BRANDS, ANDSOMETIMES AT UP TO HALF THE COST I AM A bit of a tyre snob these days -- you know, tried thebest and now looking at the rest. Anyway, the tyres on the trailer were onesI had never heard of before, namely Kenda Klevers in an MTpattern. [Extracted from the article]

There's no denying that a good set of vehicle-mounted four-wheel drive storage drawers are great for keeping things organised on long-distance trips and general day-to-day off-roading. This was my reasoning for purchasing two Expedition 134 storage tubs four years ago at the Sydney 4×4 show, to build myself a neat little portable storage solution. I'll have these for life, and if you are in the market for a portable storage solution, I reckon you should take a look at the 55L storage tubs from Expedition 134. [Extracted from the article]

NO OTHER piece of 4x4 kit I own has been used as hard or frequently as this portable ARB twin compressor. Then when it's time to use the compressor, a huge amount of air is forced in to the tyre, taking pressure off the compressor and speeding up inflation times in the process. [Extracted from the article]

Not a small amount of money for a used vehicle, but considering how crazy the market is, and the insane resale value FJ Cruisers are holding globally, I feel I've scored a bargain. I WANTED to buy a 4x4 wagon because I'm struggling to fit myself, my wife Jess and our dog Chiquita in my much-loved single-cab Hilux camper. [Extracted from the article]

GEAR TESTED - MAXTRAX RECOVERY KIT THE 4X4 AUSTRALIA D-MAX IS READY TO HIT THE TRACKS,WITH A COMPREHENSIVE MAXTRAX RECOVERY KIT THE FINAL PIECEOF THE PUZZLE IF THERE'S one thing in this worldI refuse to compromise on, it is4x4 recovery gear. With that said, when it came time toselect what recovery gear we wantedon-board 4X4 Australia's mighty D-MAX,we needed not only quality gear butmodern recovery gear. We also carry a MaxTrax kineticrecovery rope for snatch-style recoveries,a static rope, a MaxTrax winch ring andrope dampener. [Extracted from the article]