EZDown is the pioneer of the tailgate damping solution, and its product is a smart idea for any touring ute.

This is advertiser content

The EZDown’s quick disconnect dampers prevent a tailgate from slamming shut by absorbing the speed of descent. This makes opening and closing the tailgate not only more convenient, but safer – kids won’t get knocked out.

The system works in tandem with a vehicle’s standard cables, so a tailgate will retain its factory-rated load capacity.

The EZDown separates itself from the competition as the kits are full “Dynamic Hydraulic Damper” based, not simple gas struts.

The fast-growing Australian company has come a long way from its online-only origins. It’s now an official Supplier Branded Option with Volkswagen Australia, meaning your new Amarok can be optioned with the EZDown before it leaves the dealership.

Mazda was the first Australian company to offer the EZDown as a factory accessory. And globally, the product has infiltrated Chile and Europe. While in South Africa, the EZDown is a genuine option with Volkswagen, Ford, Mazda and Toyota.

The company also told us it was currently working to have its product adopted into the Genuine Accessories catalogue of three major brands.

With a growing dealer network – the product is now shifted Australia-wide – the company’s expectation of becoming a “must-have” 4×4 accessory is coming to fruition.

The EZDown is currently available for a range of manufacturers including Ford, Holden, Great Wall, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen.

The most-popular installation is for the VW Amarok, Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Holden Colorado and Nissan Navara NP300.

We installed the EZDown to the rear of a Toyota Hilux, and the easy job only took about 20 minutes (thanks in part to the easy-to-read instructions).

To read the full review of the EZDown, pick up a copy of our August issue of 4X4 Australia.

EZDOWN AUSTRALIA Website: www.ezdown.com.au Phone: 0408 039 675

IT’S another touring season and, up north, from Fraser Island in the east to North West Cape and Steep Point in the west, people will be out flogging their four-wheel drives along sandy tracks – and, in the process, they’ll stuff up the tracks because they haven’t let their tyre pressures down.

It’s enough to drive anyone who does the right thing, or any of our land managers, bloody crazy! Out on our desert tracks, whether it is across the Simpson Desert, the Canning Stock Route or along the Anne Beadell Highway, half the reason the tracks are so corrugated and have whoopty doos on every sand dune is because people don’t let their tyres down.

With the power and torque from modern engines, many people just plant their foot, spin the wheels and kangaroo hop their way to the top of the dune.

There is no bloody need for it! Lowering tyre pressures, especially in sand, is the best thing you can do to make it easy on yourself and your vehicle – and, in the process, you’ll help save the track.

If you’re on a beach and not too heavily loaded, 20psi (or 140kpa) is generally a good starting point.

If you’re driving the Canning Stock Route and have 200 litres of fuel on board, along with water, food for three weeks and camping gear for the family, then 25psi (175kpa) would be more appropriate. If there is a chance of a stake or a rock taking out a sidewall, then 25psi makes even more sense. It just takes a bit of compromise.

The idea of lowering tyre pressures is to allow the tyre to deflate and increase its contact with Mother Earth – mainly in length but also in width. Some people reckon you should measure the length of the contact area with a ruler but, as I don’t carry a measuring stick with me on any of my journeys, a tyre gauge is fine.

It all does the same thing anyway, and I’ve yet to see anyone use a ruler when out bush, unless they’re spruiking about it on a video or in a magazine.

Info on tyre pressures and how the contact area of the tyre increases as air pressure drops can be found by reading the Cooper Tires’ Tyre Pressures Guide, found at www.coopertires.com.au

One of the things that continually surprises me – and trust me, I’ve been bogged more times than I can count – is the difference taking a few pounds out of a set of tyres can make to a vehicle and/or a bogging.

So, if you’re at 20psi and become bogged, drop your tyre pressures down to approximately 17 or 18psi and try driving out on that – don’t just spin the wheels.

You can go lower with air pressure but, as you do, remember it becomes easier for a tyre to be parted from the rim, or for the seal between tyre and rim to be broken for just a second or two. The result is the same – a very flat tyre – and that doesn’t help you regardless of whether you are on a soft sand beach or halfway up a dune.

Tyre pressures also play an important part when you are driving on a gravel road like the Strzelecki Track or a steep rock strewn mountain route in the Victoria High Country. For example, when I’m on the blacktop in my Toyota Cruiser or my Nissan Patrol towing my camper and set-up for a trip, my tyre pressures will be around 38 to 40psi (265-280kpa), front and rear.

Once I hit the gravel, I’ll drop six to eight psi from each tyre and maybe a couple more if the road is badly corrugated. If the track slows or becomes chopped up, I’ll go down a couple more psi. Once again, the Cooper Tires’ Guide mentioned earlier will give you a good idea of what you need.

This means you will need to carry a tyre pressure gauge, a tyre deflator and an air compressor on all your trips. So go get them… now!

THE NISSAN Navara D22 has covered just over 7000km since the last update, about 40 per cent of which was on a return trip from Wollongong to Eldee Station in New South Wales, north of Broken Hill, via the Snowy Mountains.

Before we loaded up the Navara with gear for the trip, I swapped the Narva Ultima 225 HIDs with a set of Lightforce Genesis LEDs. There was nothing wrong with the Narvas (in fact, they are an excellent light) but I was keen to put Lightforce’s new Aussie-developed and manufactured LEDs to the test.

As expected, they proved exceptionally bright and, despite their purported spot pattern, they throw plenty of light to the sides of the road. There’s also an optional combination filter available that’s designed to further widen the light spread.

My next task was to build a fridge box for my trusty old Engel, so that gear wouldn’t fall into the drawer every time I pulled out the fridge slide. Some leftover structural plywood from another project, a few self-tappers, some wood glue and about three hours of work resulted in not only a fridge box, but also a handy shelf that can be accessed through the canopy’s lift-up window, where I mounted a fire extinguisher and stowed a first-aid kit.

I also added an access port so I could monitor/access my Primus Power Pack and fridge controls, and I drilled some holes on the other side to allow for plenty of ventilation around the back of the fridge. With more time I would’ve lined the box with some charcoal marine carpet, but as usual I was in a rush, so once again form follows function.

While the cheap Chinese drawers I fitted in the tub are still operating as intended, both of the handles have broken off, so it looks like I’ll have to take another trip to the hardware store for some heavy-duty replacements. As mentioned previously, I’d already replaced the flimsy bolt on the fridge slide with a sturdier hardware-store-sourced item. The next drawer system I buy will definitely be a better-quality one – lesson learnt.

Once we’d packed all of our gear for our two-week escape, there wasn’t a hell of a lot of room left over. One drawer was full of food while the other was full of recovery gear, tools, spares, etc. The rest of the space in the tub was taken up by general luggage, camping chairs, a pair of MaxTrax, a 20L Jerrycan and all the other odds and ends that a family of three might (or might not) need on an Easter holiday.

Despite opting for Tough Dog’s ‘Light Rear Load’ kit, which is designed to best operate with a load of up to 300kg, the rear leaves handled the additional weight well. Not only did the laden Navara sit well on the road, it handled nicely both on and off the road; the leaves offering much better compliance and load carrying capacity than the OE items, and the 41mm foam cell shock absorbers offering far better damping than the standard shocks.

In all, we covered more than 3000km on our family adventure, about 400km of which was on gravel roads and a smaller proportion on rocky station tracks. At the end of the trip, Toyo Tires’ Technical Manager Stephen Burke dropped by to see how the Open Country II (OPAT II) tyres were wearing, as they had by now covered 23,775km. I have been very impressed with the OPAT IIs to date, and they offer a great blend of on-road traction (in both dry and wet conditions), reasonable ride quality, low noise levels and excellent wear rates.

This was Stephen’s fourth inspection of the tyres and, after closely measuring the wear rate across each tyre’s tread face, he concluded they had used on average a tad more than 20 per cent of their tread. Importantly, there were no signs of chipping from gravel-road driving and no signs of damage from off-road driving. I have been very particular when it comes to adjusting tyre pressures to suit driving conditions, and it appears this has paid off. On the road I have been running 35psi, dropping down to 28psi for gravel roads and then down to around 20-23psi for off-road tracks.

Sure, the Navara D22 falls way short of modern dual-cab utes when it comes to performance and refinement, but it never fails to surprise when it comes to getting the job done. Whether it’s a trip to the shops, a drive up the freeway to the big smoke, a run to the tip, or a family off-road adventure, the Navara gets it all done without a fuss. And with ‘luxury’ appointments like power windows, icy-cold air-con and an auxiliary input on the stereo, what more could you want?

When I bought the Navara four years ago, I was after a reliable and economical ute that I could use as a daily driver, load hauler and off-road tourer. With just a few modifications, the Navara has fulfilled that brief perfectly – the servicing costs are negligible, there have been no major mechanical issues, fuel consumption is a consistent 11.0L/100km, it has hauled everything from dirt bikes to building rubble, and off-road capability is surprisingly good, with decent low-range reduction, an effective limited-slip rear diff, and adequate ground clearance and wheel travel.

But there’s something missing in my relationship with the Navara. There’s no passion, no spark… which is why I’ve done the dirty and gone and bought myself another oil-leaking, money-sapping Land Rover. However, I don’t know if I can keep this two-timing up, so it might be time to let the Navara go.

IMAGINE climbing a tree that boasts a viewing platform 60 metres above the ground.

The southern forests of Western Australia offer three such lofty fire lookout tree-towers: the Gloucester Tree (3km from Pemberton), the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree (8km from Pemberton) and the Diamond Tree (10km south of Manjimup).

Of the three, we opted to explore the Bicentennial Tree, and for one very good reason: it has the highest treetop lookout in the world, with the top viewing platform a dizzying 75 metres aloft.

Impressed? Well, consider this: how did someone manage to climb the thing without the steps and platforms in the first place? It was enough to make me think, but I admit to being a bit of a chicken when it comes to heights.

There was no way I’d climb this tall timber, and I always have the excuse of looking after our one-year-old.

To reach the Bicentennial Tree, follow the Heartbreak Trail in Warren National Park, a one-way 4WD loop through tall karri forest. Even with our off-road camper trailer in tow, we had no trouble following the sometimes twisty, sometimes steep track; though, be warned: it’s not advisable to take a motor home or caravan along some of the narrow stretches here.

Our first stop was the Warren River Lookout, where the kids enjoyed a run-around. I discovered, to my surprise, that the Warren River is salty – strange, considering the distance of the ocean.

Apparently it works like this: spray is whipped up off the Southern Ocean by westerlies, and cold fronts deflect the salty, moisture-laden air up over the south-west of Australia where it falls with rain.

Next stop: the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, named for a local politician with a special interest in tree-towers; he even wrote a book about them. In 1994, Evans was awarded the Order of Australia for his services to the State.

The sight of the Bicentennial Tree is impressive enough. Peering upwards at all those rungs disappearing skyward (130, I discovered later) is a real wow moment.

Explore more 4X4 Australia destinations

Local forester Don Stewart came up with the idea of using the tallest karris as fire lookouts. And, in case you’re still pondering my earlier question, his colleague Jack Watson designed his own climbing gear and would use it to scale 40 trees from which he chose the best lookouts. Rungs were hammered into the trunk of each suitable tree, and cabins were built in their canopies.

The Bicentennial Tree’s lowest viewing platform is at a mere 25 metres, where the faint-hearted might linger while the true daredevil will forge upwards to that 75-metre ceiling.

The treetop cabin weighs two tonnes and, for obvious safety reasons, only four people at a time are allowed inside. In a strong breeze, the tree will sway 1.5 metres at top lookout level. Yet the view is spectacular (or so I was told by a brave soul who made it all the way to the top), offering 40km panoramas across the treetops to surrounding farmland.

Visiting a fire lookout tree-tower proved a memorable experience. And next time, I have promised myself, I will climb the thing (especially because I won’t have the excuse of looking after my one-year-old any more).

See you up there!

SO, THE brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee had a couple of thousand kilometres on the clock before I got to drive it. After a couple of long days, we’d turned off the highway to check out some old mining country behind Cloncurry, Queensland.

The track I’d picked hadn’t been driven in a few years and took a bit of finding and, as it hadn’t rained much in outback Queensland for the last five years, things were looking pretty rough. There were plenty of rocks, a few undulating channels that used to be creeks, and a whole bunch of scrub over the sides of the track.

“Hey John,” said Rod, our stills camera shooter. “Could you take the Jeep up that hill? I know I could do it but that little lecture you gave us about scratching the paint and…”

Yeah, I get it. If anyone’s going to stuff the new Jeep it’d better be the mug who borrowed it.

I hopped in and fiddled with the seat adjustment – there are a couple of buttons that shift the seat to suit almost any build, from Gimli the Dwarf to the Elephant Man. I went for the Santa selection.

“You can put the window up. The air’s on,” said Rod, no doubt feeling the dry outback heat after the Jeep’s comfy climate control. I switched the air off and buttoned down the windows just to be difficult. Yes, there is a layer of red dust through everything.

Hopping out of Milo isn’t good for comparisons. Fact is, Milo has the comfort of a Bobcat and the style of a rubber mallet, while the Cherokee felt leather-lush and beautiful. Right then, I figured I had better not let my wife Karen anywhere near it.

Like all Jeeps, the suspension instantly felt super soft and supple, with a ride over the rocks that’s best described as ‘floating boat-like’, while the steering, which I’d put in Sport mode, felt very precise. None of that’d matter, though, if this boat ran aground on the sharp, old rocks poking up out of the track. I put my faith in the unproven Desert Hawk muddies, selected low range with a push of the button and Rock mode with a twist of the fat dial, and then aimed for all of the high spots.

Wow! Sure, it took some judicious wheel placement to keep the low-slung body off the rocks, but wherever I pointed it, the Jeep responded by doing well. Then things got steeper and it started spitting out stones, and a couple of times it stopped altogether on the real steep stuff and nothing but a shove on the throttle would get it moving again.

So I tried mucking around with the modes. Now, I’ll leave it to the experts like Editor Matt and my old mate Fraser to explain why this is so – apart from the obvious reason that Roothy’s a klutz – but for some reason I found that when in Sand mode with occasional light pressure on the brake I could get it to clamber over almost anything. I know there’s an electronic diff lock up the rear and traction control all around, but somehow all four wheels found traction and the Cherokee became unstoppable. Only the fear of doing some body damage kept me from trying some really silly things.

Decades or more ago I went to Jeep releases in the US of A, and they always involved driving the Rubicon Trail, a tight, twisty and rocky 22-mile-long prospecting track that can take a couple of days. Big vehicles really struggle with it, but every Jeep ever made is expected – albeit with a bit of protection on the sills – to do it well in stock form. If you know that and you’ve seen the trail, it’s pretty easy to see why Jeeps, even Grand Cherokees, stay close to their heritage. Compact and light, reasonable approach and departure angles, and soft suspension make for a great formula for any off-roader – even one with all the leather bells and whistles.

After four days of swapping in and out of the Jeep every time things got hectic, the overwhelming feeling was how tight the whole package was. No rattles, no bangs, no vibrations – just pure power when you needed it and plenty of brakes. I did a few high range dirt tracks at speed for photos and found it as predictable as it was surefooted. The Grand Cherokee can be made to slide through a corner, but it’s like skipping out in a rally car as both ends shift together with minimal input at the wheel.

Maybe I’d better mention the engine again. The V6 turbo-diesel makes 180kW and 570Nm. For those of us brought up loving big V8s, that’s more torque and a tad less power than the GTS 350 Monaros that won Bathurst during the 1960s. Yet you wouldn’t even know the bloody thing was running if you stood behind it at idle. More muscle than a muscle car, but it’s backed by an eight speed automatic that selects the perfect ratio for every situation thanks to having a computerised brain under the seat

Meanwhile, Milo and my mate’s modified 60 Series, both tough, old live-axle trucks with leaf suspension, were tackling the same tracks without the caution. That’s a ride height and price thing – the Cherokee is lower and its price higher. This Grand Cherokee whistled all the way to Darwin and back without missing a superbly comfortable beat. The only tracks we didn’t inflict on it were the ones near Adelaide River that, with rain still falling at the end of the Wet, were too deep in mud and water to chuck in any vehicle without a snorkel.

This was a real-world test, with real-world drivers like our camera crew who are just there to do the job with plenty of real-world off-roading thrown in. Thewhole idea was to prove the ‘There and Back Guarantee’ that Jeep has been pushing. Three weeks later we were back in Brisbane, having done a tad less than 8000km of mixed highway hauling plus another 2000 or so kays of back-track touring. Fully loaded inside and out, it still averaged 10.9km/100L – try getting 28mpg out of that old Monaro!

Despite some sharp rock country and plenty of corrugations, the Desert Hawk tyres didn’t lose a pound of pressure. I know that, because there’s a read-out of individual tyre pressures on the dash. Despite some wheel-in-the-air situations and plenty of steep rocky dips, we didn’t need the VRS winch, which speaks volumes for the traction control, the Desert Hawks and the suspension all working together. The MaxTrax didn’t come off the rack, either, at least not until we borrowed them for our Adelaide River run.

Most of all, we didn’t need to phone the dealer. When I did, it was to ask Luke if we could keep his Cherokee for another couple of weeks because we were enjoying it too much to give it back. Off-roader, highway cruiser, around-town vehicle – the Grand Cherokee was brilliant everywhere.

You know what? I’m thinking the only people who knock Jeeps do so because they haven’t tried them.

Righto, from the sublime to the ridiculous – next month we’ll be back in the shed working on Milo 2.

I’M THE kind of bloke who will research a pair of socks before I buy them, so when I was laying down a couple of thousand on a canopy for my Ranger, you best believe I looked at plenty of options before signing on the dotted line.

After much deliberation, I opted for the Aeroklas ABS unit. It had plenty of qualities that ticked the box for me, like a sleek profile so the roof of the cab and canopy are in line, full-length opening windows on either side, and a paint job that make it look like OEM gear.

But the real question was how well will it hold up after more than 20,000km of lantana and wayward shopping trolleys? The short answer: good. The long answer: bloody good.

Aeroklas claims its canopies are painted to OEM spec, but frankly, that’s bull, as the paint on the canopy is holding up significantly better than the base vehicle.

While the Ranger itself has scratches everywhere you look (including one from a wayward dirt bike in the tray) the canopy itself still looks brand new. It’s been punted down more than a few dusty tracks, too, and while the tailgate happily spews dust into the tray, it’s clear no dust is coming in through any of the canopy windows or the seal between the tub and canopy.

The outside is colour-matched, but the inside layer (there’s an interior and exterior shell) is a clean white colour, with an LED light easily lighting up the tray when the back window is opened. I did miss out on the central locking option (don’t ask), but with all three windows keyed alike it’s really not a huge issue to secure the canopy if I’ve got the back full of camping gear.

Despite plenty of corrugations, the mounts are all still securely in place and the windows still pull into the seals with confidence.

Aeroklas claim the internal supports can hold 80kg on the roof with a set of Rhino-Rack mounts, which is more than enough for a rack or roof-top tent but, if you’re after more, an optional brace kit bumps that figure up to 150kg.

A lack of sliding windows may scare off dog owners, but with the front window popped down my German Shephard and Wolfhound get plenty of airflow without worrying they’ll do the Harold Holt whenever we pull up at the lights.

All in all it’s been a winner in my books. Some canopies offer a little easier access through the rear hatch, but for an all-rounder with style on its side, the Aeroklas unit has plenty to offer.

AVAILABLE FROM www.aeroklas.com.au RRP: $3554 (without fitment) WE SAY: Sleek lines, robust construction, weatherproof.

IT’S NO secret I like old 4x4s.

Over the years I’ve treated countless neighbours to the aural pleasure of me yelling at whatever the latest nugget was in my driveway, pumping the throttle, juggling the choke with surgeon-like precision and going through the full start-up routine just to drive to the shops for a sneaky lunch kebab.

I still love them, and always will. But with my sights set on some remote travel over the next 18 months, the idea of tuning a carb on the side of the track because of a slight altitude change didn’t exactly hold the appeal it did back when I was 18.

I searched under the lounge for all the spare change I could muster up and forged Matt’s signature for a loan application, then went looking at new 4x4s.

The short list was narrowed down to an SR5 Hilux for the reliability and dealer network, an NP300 Navara for its aggressive styling and coil spring rear, or an XLT PXII Ranger for its physically larger size and bigger engine.

After driving all back-to-back, I settled on the Ranger. Sure, I have a few reliability concerns, but I do a heap of towing, so the longer wheelbase and gruntier engine pushed it across the line.

Despite only picking it up a few days before Christmas, she’s already ticked over 20,000km with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

The XLT came with a bunch of options I wanted for on- and off-road use, as the whole point of the Ranger was to rack up kays and get me to places I couldn’t trust the 60 with. It picked up a factory rear locker, adaptive cruise control, and a heap of tech features that keep the missus and kids happy, too.

I’d always shied away from new cars because, well, they’re boring. The Ranger is no different, but that’s kind of the appeal to it. It’s done a few trips up and down the east coast now and doesn’t require anything more than a quick fluid-level check before hitting the road.

I’ve punted it along the Coffs Coast, effortlessly traversed the Pebbly Beach crossing, slipped and slid sideways through South East Queensland mud, and lugged more trailers around than you could shake a grey cardigan at – and I’ve barely even started modifying it.

Over the next few months I’ll start swiping the credit card to get it a little more outback-ready, then just sit back while the odometer ticks over. As long as it doesn’t require me to do any work on it, I’ll be laughing.

THERE COMES a time in a bloke’s life when he can appreciate the finer things in life and nothing is finer than a brand-spankin’-new 4X4.

This article was originally published in the October 2011 issue of 4×4 Australia

West Aussie Brett Rogers has had his fair share of 4X4s over the years, many of them modified with V8 engine transplants, big tyres and locked diffs, but his latest vehicle is a relatively new kid on the block. For a bit of comfort and ease of use he chose a new 150 series Prado GXL for his bush ride.

“I have (Toyota) HiLuxes with the D4D engine, and as work vehicles they hold up really well with all the crap we put them through,” says Brett. “But I didn’t want to drive one on the weekend as well as during the week, so thought I’d go with the Prado.”

Like any fella used to tinkering with cars and making them better for specific uses, Brett couldn’t leave the Prado standard for too long, and the result is the toughest-looking Prado 150 we’ve seen.

4×4 accessories store salesmen love it when a guy like Brett walks in their front door, and Brad Scott from Northern 4WD in Perth hit the jackpot with Brett and his Prado.

As the owner of a brand-new vehicle, Brett wasn’t another tyre kicker with nothing to spend, and from his previous experience with four-wheel drives, he knew what he wanted from the Prado and what was required to kit it up to the standard he wanted.

Northern 4WD is an ARB retailer and fitter and ARB has one of the most extensive ranges of gear for the 150 Series Prado, which is still a relatively new model in terms of what is on the road today. They were able to cover the vehicle for all Brett’s protection, suspension and cargo carrying requirements.

Starting from the front, there’s an ARB Deluxe steel winch bar with a Warn XD9000 nestled in the centre. A pair of IPF 800 Extreme spot lights sits upon the bar along with a GME spring-base antenna for the UHF radio.

Get down in the dirt and stick your head under the Prado and you’ll notice that there’s extra space between it and the gravel thanks to an Old Man Emu suspension kit with 50mm taller coil springs and matching Nitrocharger Sport shock absorbers.

While you’re under there you might scope the three-inch, mandrel-bent, straight-through stainless steel exhaust system that frees up some power from the Toyota turbo-diesel engine.

The exhaust was fitted by Chipit that also added one of its tuneable engine control units to make the most of the better-flowing exhaust.

Toyota’s four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine is a pretty good performer and ideal for touring, but when the Chipit unit was being tuned on the dyno the 3.0L D4D in this Prado was making double the standard torque figure at just 2000rpm.

Brett said that with all that low-down grunt, it spins all four tyres off the lights. Once a hoon always a hoon hey?

Brett’s choice of wheel is a bit different to what you see on most late-model vehicles but the 17 x 8-inch Savannah beadlock alloys from Allied Wheels give the Prado 150 a tough, purposeful look that really works well.

“Most of the Prados you see are soccer mums’ shopping trollies,” says Brett. “I hadn’t seen many modified ones around so I was aiming for a different look.” He’s certainly achieved that without resorting to massive wheels and tyres.

The extra pair of matching wheels hanging on the Kaymar rear bumper adds to the look while give reassurance when Brett’s a long way from the local tyre centre and all six wheels are clad in chunky Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tyres measuring 265/70R17.

Swing out the spare wheels and open the back door and the cargo area is chock-a-block with Black Widow storage drawers and a pair of 40-litre Engels on slides.

When away on trips one fridge operates as just that while the other is set as a freezer. In between the drawers and the rear seat is a 50-litre water tank with a 12-volt pump feeding a tap and shower head. This 4X4 has all the luxuries of home.

Crack a cold one from the Engel and resume the vehicle inspection under the bonnet. The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel remains stock, with the exception of the aforementioned exhaust system and Chipit control unit, and air is sucked in to the engine via a Safari snorkel.

While the tweaked Toyota mill gets along adequately in the Prado, Brett is always hungry for more power and he says there could be a turbocharger upgrade from AXT on the cards for the near future.

Like any Aussie bloke, Brett reckons you can never have enough horsepower and as his previous HiLuxes have had petrol V8s in them the Prado could use a further boost.

A dual battery set-up uses a Varta second battery with a Redarc isolator and ensures there’s always enough cranking power to get the Prado started after a long session in camp with the Engels running. An ARB air compressor is also installed in the engine bay.

The functional modifications continue when you venture inside the cabin. The Prado comes with most of what you need for practical and comfortable touring but, as we’ve come to expect of him, Brett saw the need for a few extras.

Canvas seat covers from Black Duck protect the factory cloth seats, a GME UHF radio is there for communications and a Hema Navigator helps with directions both in and out of town.

A ScanGauge is fitted in the dash and this gives Brett real-time fuel consumption figures so he knows how much touring distance he has from the 150-litre factory fuel tanks.

Working with Toyota vehicles in the mines in remote Western Australia has its advantages when you own a Toyota, too, and should the ScanGauge show any fault codes Brett can identify and rectify them.

Up on top of the Prado is more of ARB’s quality product. A steel Touring rack mounts an ARB awning and a quartet of IPF driving lights. It also provides the platform for the million-star accommodation with a Dingo Doza rooftop canvas tent fitted.

“It’s the best thing I’ve bought for it,” says Brett of the tent. “We used to swag it but got sick of that and the tent only takes a couple of minutes to set up and is real comfortable.”

When he’s not belting around the West Oz outback in a company HiLux, Brett likes to get out four-wheel driving, fishing and camping in his Prado with his missus. They’ve covered most of the west coast in it.

“Pemberton in the south-west is good,” says Brett. “Anywhere on the beach north of Perth, or four-wheel driving in the hills east of Perth where we live. Where we did the photo shoot at Red Hill is a bit of fun too. It spends as much time off the road as it does on it.”

The Prado handles most of the work dished up to it but as you would expect of a bloke used to playing with V8 HiLuxes, Brett has more mods planned for it.

“Diff locks front and rear, a couple of work lights around the rack and some bash plates underneath for starters. Maybe an AXT turbo upgrade and hopefully someone comes up with a taller lift kit so I can get some bigger tyres under it.”

Even though he’s going to fit lockers, Brett says he was impressed by how well the electronic traction control works.

“It surprised me! When it lifts a wheel in the air you drive through it, but you have to wait for the system to work. You need to change your driving style to suit the electronics; it’s different to the older 4X4s with V8s and diff locks.”

The safety and comfort features like electronic traction and stability control are just some of the benefits of owning and driving a new vehicle, and the GXL Prado covers most bases.

It sure beats belting around in old trucks with major mods like engine transplants but Brett has shown there’s always room for improvement.

Brett say that getting the modifications right has been relatively easy compared to some of his older 4X4s and that’s thanks to Brad from Northern 4X4 and Justin from Chipit, while the guys from Black Widow were a big help too.

SETTING UP camp smack-bang between Lake Ainsworth and the ocean provides for plenty of opportunity for long, lazy sunny days near the water doing… well… pretty much as much or as little as you want.

Don’t expect to be 4x4ing all day every day though, but there’s the excellent, easily accessed Seven Mile Beach just a few minutes away that you can drive onto (with a permit) to set up for the day.

Regardless if you’re a fisho, surfer, swimmer, or are into paddling or just out for an easy 4×4 along a pristine beach, then you’ll surely enjoy your time at this beach.

No need to pack your 4×4 for an epic journey into the great unknown for this one; the beach is slotted between the well-known towns of Byron Bay (to the north) and Ballina (to the south). In fact, scenic Lennox Head is right where the action is.

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Seven Mile Beach runs from Lennox Head north to near Broken Head, and is accessed from the Old Mining Road – a good gravel road that starts near the southern end of Lake Ainsworth, loops around the western rim, and heads north to where there’s an easily accessible 4×4 beach access point – too easy and close enough to take your fish and chips, prawns or hamburgers from the local shops to munch on while they’re still juicy and hot!

There’s no camping on the beach; we opted for the soft option of setting up our camper trailer in the caravan park near Lake Ainsworth, which has great amenities and allows for easy walking to both water fronts – tea tree-stained fresh and eye-stinging salty.

Heck, this was such a soft camping option that we walked into town the first night to dine in one of the many outdoor cafes. After that, it was hoeing into fish hooked on the beach and cooked on the public barbecues near the lake – they really don’t get any fresher than that!

For those with kids, you’ll no doubt love the opportunity to play in the water

The lake is perfect for canoeing and sailing, while the ocean provides plenty of opportunity to hang ten, fall off, get a nose full of water and tell the kids you were just showing them how NOT to do it. Why do they giggle when that happens?

For those interested in the history of the area, Lake Ainsworth, which is one of the few lowland dune lakes in northern New South Wales, was named after the son of Thomas Ainsworth (James), who was one of the first white fellas to settle and take up land in the area near North Head at Ballina way back in 1847.

The Aboriginal Jali people are the traditional owners and there have been various surveys completed around the region suggesting that burial sites, camp sites, ceremonial grounds, massacre sites and fish traps have been identified.

While many of these sites have been disturbed and/or destroyed by sand mining and urban development, if you do stumble on any of them, you’re best leaving them alone and respecting the cultural significance.

For those that must venture out to have a gander at one of Australia’s more eye-opening, back-packer-enticing, alternate-culture-attracting towns, then Byron Bay is just a short drive away.

Look, see, make comment if you must, then get back to the seclusion of the beach to discuss the weird, wonderful and downright different people that make up the world we live in… then go for another 4×4, peal another prawn, sip a cold drink and smile contentedly in the knowledge that you’ve found a great little piece of paradise that sees most 4x4s unknowingly pass by.

Make no mistake, this is war.

Toyota’s Hilux and Ford’s Ranger are fighting it out to not only be Australia’s most popular ute and 4×4, but – crucially – Australia’s most popular vehicle overall, ahead of the likes of Toyota’s Corolla and the Mazda3.

Year-to-date sales of the Hilux are 17,917, with the Ranger close behind at 16,587. Both are ahead of the Corolla 15,624 and Mazda3 14,562.

More tellingly, Ranger sales are climbing faster than Hilux, and the Ranger is already ahead in 4×4 sales, which is where most of the sales are in the ute market. If current trends continue, the Ranger will wrest the mantle of Australia’s best-selling vehicle from the Hilux before year’s end.

Within the extensive Hilux and Ranger model line-ups, which range from base work vehicles to well-appointed family transport, the higher-spec 4×4 dual-cabs are hot property on the showroom floor. It’s no surprise then that Toyota and Ford have pitched both of these models in that direction.

For Toyota, the TRD model sits above the top-spec SR5, whereas over at Ford the FX4 slots between the popular XLT and the top-spec Wildtrak. So, how do they compare and which one is worthy of your hard-earned dollars?

Toyota Hilux TRD

It has been almost ten years since the TRD nameplate was attached to a Hilux. That was the previous generation Hilux – and a petrol

V6 at that. TRD stands for Toyota Racing Development, a division within Toyota that deals with racing and performance parts.

The previous (launched in 2008) Hilux TRD was a product of Toyota Australia’s TRD division and came with a supercharger for the 4.0-litre petrol V6, Bilstein sports suspension, bigger front brake callipers and rotors, a body kit, and numerous styling details.

Thanks to the supercharger, the power was up by nearly 30 per cent – to 225kW – and torque up 20 per cent to 453Nm. Nice on paper, but unfortunately it didn’t fully deliver on its promise and was withdrawn from sale after 18 months. Now it’s probably a collector’s item!

Fast forward to 2017 and this latest TRD is diesel-only and has nothing that you’d traditionally associate with TRD, as there are no performance enhancements.

However, you get extra kit in the form of a prominent red skid plate, bespoke 18-inch rims, leather, a towbar, ute liner, soft tonneau and details such as new wheelarch flares, grille, lower bumper and tail-light covers. It comes in either black or white.

Powertrain and performance

The Hilux is powered by the now familiar 2.8-litre diesel that’s common to the Fortuner – it’s effectively what’s under the bonnet of the Prado, although the Prado’s 2.8-litre has counter-rotating balance shafts for even smoother running.

Despite a reduction in capacity over the previous 3.0-litre Hilux diesel, the 2.8 makes considerably more maximum torque (now 450Nm) and around the same power. So while the engine is more responsive in general give-and-take driving, it’s certainly no powerhouse pedal-to-metal and a fair way short of the performance of the Ranger.

It’s a pity the TRD badge didn’t come with a performance chip, a bigger exhaust and a bit more grunt.

The six-speed automatic which replaced the five-speeder behind the 3.0-litre doesn’t help either in terms of performance, it just adds a second overdrive ratio rather than tightening up the ratio spread.

What’s worse is that the engine doesn’t carry the extra tall sixth all that well at legal highway speeds on undulating roads, so there’s a bit of shuffling back and forth between fifth and sixth. At least shift quality is good.

Still, for all that, the 2.8 is an agreeable engine. Smooth, quiet and torquey down low, but also happy to rev hard when asked. Compared to the relatively gruff Ranger it’s noticeably quieter, more refined and a bit more economical, but it does lack the Ranger’s grunt and ultimate performance.

On-road ride and handling

The Hilux feels quite nimble for a modern-day ute, due in part to the fact it’s now one of the smaller utes in most dimensions – it certainly feels smaller than the Ranger.

Toyota has also done well with steering feel, general handing response and road-noise abatement, apparently learning something from the refined and sweet-handling VW Amarok that appeared early in the development of this generation Hilux and was subsequently accessed by the Hilux’s engineering team.

Either way, its general road manners are much improved on the previous Hilux, even if the ride is a bit sharp at the back when unladen – which is hard to avoid with a ute.

Off-road

The TRD’s trump card off-road is the notably long rear-wheel travel. At more than half a metre, it’s an improvement of near 70mm over the previous Hilux and is a best-in-class figure.

That wheel travel is backed by an extremely effective off-road-specific traction control system (A-TRC, in Toyota-speak) to provide 4×4 ability that’s as good as it gets in this class. Compared to the Ranger, and many others, the Hilux’s more compact dimensions can also be a bonus in tighter situations.

Interestingly, the TRD, like the SR and SR5, has a driver-switched rear locker, but as its activation cancels the traction control on both axles, leaving the front diff effectively ‘open’, it’s more often than not a disadvantage.

In contrast, the Ranger’s locker leaves the front-axle traction control active, which is a bonus. This would most likely put the Ranger in front of the Hilux for general tractive ability, if it weren’t for the Hilux’s extra rear travel.

It’s worth noting the TRD’s red bash plate is an addition to the standard bash plate, which remains in-situ, and while it may afford extra protection it can also reduce the approach angle in some situations.

Cabin, accommodation and safety

The TRD has smart-key entry and push-button start, as well as the tilt-and-reach steering wheel that’s standard across the Hilux range. All of this kit sets it aside from any Ranger – FX4 included – as well as most other utes.

Like all Hilux models, the TRD is nicely finished inside and has a passenger-car-style dash dominated by the large love-it-or-leave it tablet-style touchscreen, while the TRD’s leather and electric adjust for the driver’s seat adds a touch of luxury. Five-star safety is thanks, in part, to seven airbags.

The Hilux’s cabin is one of the smaller in this class. Not that this affects the driver and front-seat passenger, but three big blokes would certainly prefer to be in the Ranger’s rear seat (or most other utes) rather than the Hilux.

Practicalities

As with all 2.8-litre diesel automatic Hilux models, the TRD can legally tow up to 3200kg. If you wish to tow 3500kg like the Ranger, you’ll need the 2.8-litre diesel manual.

In our tow test, we put 2800kg behind the Hilux and it did it without fuss. Likewise, it carried its maximum payloads without a problem – even if they are shy of the Ranger’s maximum payloads by 100kg or so at this TRD versus FX4 spec level. This aside, the Hilux is the practicality king in terms of dealer support and both factory and aftermarket accessories.

Toyota Hilux TRD specs: Engine: 2.8-litre 4-cyl turbo-diesel Max power: 130kW @ 3400rpm Max torque: 450Nm @ 1600-2400rpm GVM: 3050kg Towing capacity: 3200kg Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres

Ford Ranger FX4

There are those among us who, upon hearing of the Ranger FX4, immediately think of the F150 FX4, America’s favourite pick-up truck made more off-road ready with extra underbody protection, upgraded dampers and a rear locker.

However, it was quickly a case of ‘don’t get too excited’, as FX4 in Ranger terms means cosmetics and kit, not mechanical changes – aside from a new wheel and tyre package.

The FX4 is essentially a ‘black’ or ‘dark’ special-edition version of the volume-selling XLT – an alternative ‘look’ for the XLT, if you like. Key exterior features include bespoke dark grey 18s (instead of the XLT’s 17s), black bonnet and tailgate panel decals, and black grille, roof rails, mudguard flares, mirror bodies, sportsbar, rear bumper, side-steps, door handles and fog-light surrounds.

Inside, there are FX4-branded leather seats and various black highlights.

Powertrain and performance

The FX4 is powered by the 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel, effectively the default engine across the Ranger model line-up; although, there’s a very underrated 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel in lower-spec 4×4 models. To some people, a five-cylinder engine sounds wrong – perhaps out of balance – as it doesn’t have an even number of cylinders.

To put the record straight, an in-line five is inherently smoother than an in-line four, and the Ranger’s engine is smooth, except for a somewhat lumpy idle (a typical in-line-five trait).

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However, the five-cylinder design brings a likeable character and offbeat sound, but what’s even better about this engine is the strong power delivery right from idle. By just 1500rpm it’s already producing its maximum torque figure of 470Nm, and it responds accordingly. What’s more, the engine holds that 470Nm for the next 1250rpm, which provides perfectly linear power delivery in this vital rev range.

Much of the Ranger’s strong power delivery comes courtesy of the big 3.2-litre engine, the biggest in the class along with the similar-engined Mazda BT-50. It’s nearly half a litre bigger (443cc, to be exact) than the Hilux and feels like it, too.

It’s also a bit gruff and noisy compared to the Hilux, and it’s not as polished around the edges. So where the Ranger’s engine feels blokey, relaxed and muscular, the Hilux’s is quieter and more refined, despite working generally harder.

The Ranger is geared more appropriately for most open road conditions and makes better use of its six ratios than the overly tall-geared Hilux. Good shift quality and smart shift protocols characterise the Ranger’s ZF automatic, although it is not noticeably better in this regard than the Hilux’s six-speeder.

On-road ride and handling

Climb into the FX4 after the TRD and it feels big, but it also feels instantly light and manoeuvrable as soon as you turn the steering wheel, thanks to its electric power steering.

The FX4’s steering is actually feather-light at parking speeds, belying the Ranger’s size and bulk. The steering then firms up nicely as speeds increase to give plenty of feedback out on the highway, where the Ranger has a reassuring and settled feel, no doubt helped by the extra long (3220mm) wheelbase. When unladen, the FX4, like all Ranger 4×4 dual-cabs, also rides surprisingly well.

Off-road

The FX4 has many things going for it off-road, and it all starts with generous suspension travel at both ends of the chassis. The Ranger’s supple, long-travel suspension allows it to ease over rough ground that many other utes – Holden Colorado, Isuzu D-MAX, Mitsubishi Triton and Nissan Navara – struggle on.

In this class, it’s comfortably better than most, even if it can’t match the standard-setting rear wheel travel of the Hilux.

If the FX4 – or indeed, any Ranger 4×4 dual-cab – needs a leg up, there’s the driver-switched rear diff lock that, unlike others, leaves the traction control active on the front axle. The end result is 4×4 capability that’s as good as it gets in any of the popular utes, with only the Hilux and VW Amarok in the same league.

Only a few things count against the FX4 off-road: you notice its size in tight spots (even if the EPS helps with wheel twirling), the driver’s vision could be better, and the factory towbar does nothing for the departure angle.

Cabin, accommodation and safety

As flash-looking as the FX4 is when you’re walking up to it, there’s still not the convenience of keyless entry and push-button start. Nor are there other luxuries such as reach adjustment for the steering wheel, or even electric adjustment for the driver’s seat once you get inside.

However, what you get is a big cabin with plenty of room for tall drivers. The FX4’s cabin, like all Ranger dual-cabs (as well as BT-50 dual-cabs), is also the longest in the class, so if you want to sit a tall passenger behind a tall driver, this is the place to do it. This cabin is wide across the back seat, a dimension only bettered by the Amarok in this class. Like the TRD, the FX4 has five-star ANCAP safety, but one less airbag.

Practicalities

If you wish to tow or carry heavy loads, the Ranger FX4 will do the job as good as any of the popular mainstream utes, including the Toyota Hilux.

In our recent maxxed-out load and tow test, we put a 3500kg trailer weight behind the Ranger and it towed it without fuss. Likewise, we put 800kg in the tray (for 1000kg total payload) and it hardly noticed the weight.

The FX4 (like all Rangers) has a class-leading 6000kg GCM and is well-supported by aftermarket and factory accessories.

Ford Ranger FX4 specs: Engine: 3.2-litre 5-cyl turbo-diesel Max power: 147kW @ 3000rpm Max torque: 470Nm @ 1500-2750rpm GVM: 3200kg Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres

THE VERDICT

On the dollar count, the FX4 and TRD are almost identical. At the manufacturer’s list price the FX4 is $61,115 for the automatic as tested here. Opt for the manual and you’ll save $2200. Over at Toyota, a TRD automatic list price is $60,990 in white and $61,540 in black.

Opt for a manual and you’ll save $2000. It wasn’t hard to find much to like about the FX4 when comparing the two side-by-side. It had notably stronger and more relaxed performance, generally better road feel, bigger cabin, more towing and load-carrying capacity and ability, and off-road performance every bit as good as the Hilux.

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As a ute to drive, it’s a better bet all round. The TRD counters with superior refinement, better fit and finish, a feel of quality the FX4 lacks, and a few important convenience features including ‘smart key’ entry and start, electric seat adjust, and tilt-and-reach wheel adjustment. Plus, it gets a tub liner and soft tonneau cover.

The TRD also comes with the promise of Toyota reliability and durability. On this point, there are a couple of pointed examples to consider: Why doesn’t the Hilux’s traction control stay active across the front axle when the rear locker is engaged? Because of durability concerns, according to Toyota engineers.

And why doesn’t the Hilux have electric power steering given the considerable benefits it brings? Because of durability concerns, according to Toyota engineers. So do you want a ute that’s better to drive, or potentially better to own in the long run?

Road tester Dan Everett summed it up succinctly by saying: “I’d buy the Ranger for myself, but as a fleet buyer I’d go for the Hilux.”