On the Cover

Top 3 MODS For Your Rig Before Going Inland

Whether you’ve purchased a brand new 4×4 or grabbed a tried and true offroader from a dealer, chances are you’re chomping at the bit to get out there and explore the great outdoors.

Before you load up your new rig with camping gear, an esky full of tinnies and a rod or two, there’s a few modifications and some equipment you’ll need to avoid potential disaster.

Tackling deserts, crossing treacherous waterways, scaling mountain ranges or barrelling through a forest is all part and parcel of exploring Australia’s outback. There’s mystery and beauty around every corner, but danger awaits for those underprepared for what the Australian landscape has to offer.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We’ve outlined the top 3 mods your 4×4 needs for treks through the outback.

SUSPENSION
If you’ve bought yourself a new 4×4 from a dealership, chances are it’s been designed for the tarmac, not the Aussie bush.
Why?
It all comes down to the suspension.

Standard suspension simply isn’t going to cut it if you want to have a fair-dinkum good look around and see what this land has to offer. Getting yourself a suspension upgrade gives you the ability to add travel and flex, along with extra ground clearance and, most importantly, keep your tyres on the ground so they can do the job they’re designed to do.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how good your tyres are, if they’re constantly off the ground and spinning in the air, you’ll compromise your safety and have a mighty hard time trying to climb that rocky hill.

Suspension is crucial to your vehicle’s ability to tow and carry loads, while it will also dictate how your 4WD responds while braking, accelerating, and cornering.

AIR INTAKE (SNORKEL)
No matter where you go in Australia, the second you leave the asphalt you’re met with acres of dusty tracks and water crossings that could wreak havoc on your engine. The best way to combat this is to get yourself a snorkel, pronto.

A snorkel is a device that fits onto your engine’s air intake and takes air from close to the roof level. The air quality up there is cleaner and cooler than air travelling through and around the bonnet, which means better fuel efficiency and less clogging of air filters when a snorkel is fitted. It also allows your vehicle to continue to ‘breathe’, even as you’re passing through creeks and rivers that may be up to the doors.

And if you get water into your engine bay, consider it buggered.

BULL BAR
When you’re trekking about the bush, there’s quite a few vital accessories that could be placed right here in our number 3 spot. But when it comes to safety, nothing quite compares to the benefits offered by an allsteel bull bar.

Fitting a bull bar to the front of your 4×4 means you’re immediately protecting your vehicle’s vital components at the front from potential animal strikes, as well as providing your vehicle with rated recovery points to get you out of strife. It also allows you to mount important 4×4 accessories such as driving lights, fog lights, a winch and an aerial for a UHF radio (vital if you’re away from service or travelling in a convoy) to warn others or call for help from nearby travellers.

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