I think I get Lincoln Trager. After more than twenty years of four-wheel driving, he’s your ‘been there done that’ kind of guy. Now it’s time to kick back and enjoy a four-wheel drive that just works.
This article was originally published in the October 2014 issue of 4×4 Australia.
Finding a vehicle that meets Lincoln’s standards for comfort and drivability was no easy task. His fussy eye for detail – from the showroom floor to out the aftermarket door – doesn’t help. And, that’s where the Land Rover Discovery comes into the picture.
Lincoln was a normal teenager. He grew up four-wheel driving with his mates in the Perth hills and he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. He finished his apprenticeship as a cabinet-maker, and that’s when he realised he wanted to tinker with cars, so he switched to auto-trans mechanics. Before long, he headed back to work as a chippie to chase the money that goes with a remote job in Western Australia’s great northern frontier.
Based on the Fitzroy River, Lincoln had a ball – pig shooting in the morning and barra fishing in the afternoon (with the odd bit of construction work to keep fuel in the tanks). This provided Lincoln with a hands-on four-wheel drive introduction – driving to do contract work in the western desert near the Canning Stock Route.
Lincoln has plenty of camping memories in the Kimberley, with highlights from Broome to Kununurra, Cambellin, Galeru Gorge, Mercedes Cove on the way to Cape Leveque or Coral Bay (a choice spot, with plenty of tracks to explore).
There’s so much to love about a camping trip and Lincoln believes the best way to holiday is to settle in for a long drive that will get you to a perfect beach destination. So it was a no-brainer that Lincoln’s vehicle of choice had to be a comfortable long distance tourer.
Having driven most models over the years, Lincoln’s previous 4×4 was a 2011 200 Series Toyota Sahara. He was happy enough with it that he was prepared to trade it in for the latest model. But before he did that, he wanted to ‘test the waters’ and see what else was out there.
“I borrowed a new D4 for the night and tested it towing my ’van. I couldn’t believe the difference, I didn’t even know the van was there. The D4 drives better, goes better, uses less fuel and is finished off better, so I didn’t even try anything else,” Lincoln said.
He chose the 2014 Land Rover Discovery SDV6 3.0-litre diesel with the updated 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. “Once you have had an auto on the sand, you wouldn’t ever want anything else ever again. The new 3.0-litre and 8-speed ’box is a great combination,” he said.
Lincoln’s not the first person to identify the greatest downfall of the standard D4 is the 19-inch rims and rubber. Or more to the point thier lack of durable rubber. Lincoln’s fitted blacked out 18x9in KMC rims wrapped in 285/60/18 Cooper Zeon tyres – a combination that’s given him not only enhanced off road ability but unique styling.
“I get stopped in the street and asked about the wheels, they set my D4 apart from other D4s and keep everything in line with the black theme,” he said. A small amout of metal had to be removed from the front brake calipers to fit the smaller diameter wheels. This is a modifictaion that should only be undertaken by a professional and could have factory warranty implications.
The rest of the kit on the Disco gives it plenty of street-cred as well. With a supremely capable base vehicle that comfortably towed a caravan, there was no need to spend money on things like suspension or performance mods. This freed up a budget for all those extra bits usually needed for practicality and comfort.
Opposite Lock, Jandakot helped Lincoln source the right accessories and made sure they were fitted to his finicky standards – with the end result a credit to the fitting team.
After switching to 18-inch rims, Lincoln said the next best addition is the gleaming colour-coded black Opposite Lock Bullbar and Warn XPs 9.5 winch: “Although you hardly use it for yourself, it gives you piece of mind when out on your own.”
With plenty of remote travel booked in with his family, Lincoln made sure he covered off the essential fuel issue by upping the standard OEM fuel tank to a much more respectable 175-litres, by adding a long range tank.
With excellent fuel economy, the range is now more in the region of 1400km depending on conditions, load and weight in tow. To avoid getting lost, Lincoln uses the Hema app on an iPad mini for navigation and a Uniden 8080 remote head UHF is mounted for comms with his travelling companions.
A Front Runner slimline roof rack provides a flat base for up-top transport of swags. It also provides the neatest storage for a stainless-steel camping table, which slides out from between the rack and the roof, over the vehicle tailgate for instant setup. The roof rack also provides the perfect mounting point for a massive 50-inch light bar capable of searing your kangaroo steak to medium rare at 100 paces.
Even though the OEM HID lights provide good base performance and the light bar is incredibly bright, Lincoln firmly believes there is no such thing as too much light. He didn’t want to waste the good mounting points on the bullbar, so he added a couple of Lightforce 50W HID spot beams for extra candle power.
He didn’t neglect lighting in the opposite direction either – making sure the Kaymar twin rear wheel carrier had a camp light to illuminate late arrival campsite setup. It’d be pretty hard to forget that you’d left all those lights on, but there is a neatly installed dual battery squeezed under the bonnet with a Traxide management system. This keeps all the electronics correctly balanced to ensure there’s always sufficient juice in the starting battery at all times.
Storage in the rear is maximised with deep large capacity Front Runner drawers. The essential fridge duties are well covered by an ARB 60-litre fridge mounted on the drawers.
Lincoln likes to get out as often as he can on the weekends – he’ll take any chance to head off to a local beach, camping overnight in the swag and spending the day fishing and exploring. The next big trip will be the Canning Stock Route with his seven-year-old son who keeps asking to go.
It will be interesting to see if Lincoln trades in the Discovery for another Landie – right now, he wouldn’t do anything differently. “It’s got it all and… I don’t think they sell any more accessories,” he said.
Some big 4×4 news stories landed throughout 2016, none bigger than the revelation of Mercedes-Benz’s X-Class Pick-Up in October.
With SUVs and LCVs taking further strives towards market dominance in 2016 – the Ranger and Hilux were the best-selling vehicles on the overall market in the later stages of the year – there were some big stories that shaped a successful year for the 4×4 industry.
We’ve analysed the stats to bring you the biggest news stories of 2016.
1: Mercedes-Benz unveils X-Class Pick-Up
As mentioned, Merc’s revelation of its X-Class Pick-Up in Stockholm, Sweden, was the most popular 4×4 news story of 2016. Due to arrive in Australia in 2018, the X-Class pick-up is set to shake up the one-tonne ute class!
2: Ford Ranger Raptor, HSV Colorado, Hilux TRD and Merc-AMG ute revealed
Back in March, 2016, we discussed the future of the exxy performance dual-cab ute. We pondered if Ford would bring out the Ranger Raptor, Holden a HSV Colorado, Toyota a Hilux TRD, and Mercedes an AMG ute.
3: VW Amarok to get 3.0 TDi V6
The Amarok V6 has already landed, and we’ve even tested it against the Ford Ranger (February, 2017), but it was massive news when VW officially reported the much-rumoured V6 was a reality. It’s a sweet thing, too.
4: Production to end for FJ Cruiser
It was sad day when news broke that Toyota was ending production of its FJ Cruiser. The under-rated off-road warrior controversially won our 2011 4X4OTY award, and it has wowed the 4×4 community since. Tony Cramb, Toyota Australia’s executive director of sales and marketing, said: “It will leave lasting memories as one of the most iconic vehicles in Toyota’s rich SUV history.”
5: 2017 Ford Ranger: Updates announced
The Ranger sits with the Hilux at the top of sales tree, and when news landed that 2017 updates to the range were inbound, expectations were that it may overtake the venerable Toyota. The changes aren’t shocking, but all 2017 Rangers will receive a powertrain tweak to meet Euro 5 emissions standards.
Roothy’s gas stove got a thorough workout this year as he put on a feast with his weekly Bush Cooking segments.
From pork chops to chilli beef and apple spring rolls, Roothy ticked off every meal of the day. The best thing about Roothy’s recipes is that they’re so simple, anyone without any cooking talent can still put a decent meal together.
Don’t worry if you missed any of Roothy’s spectacular culinary creations, as we’ve compiled the five most popular Bush Cooking videos of 2016.
Number 5: Kicking off the list is a delicious fire-cooked chicken with mushroom dish. Check out the video to learn how to make a camp meal with just chicken breast, Vegeta, mushrooms, butter and a pit oven.
Number 4: Chili prawns are guaranteed to be a winner on that next family excursion to the bush, and Roothy’s take on them is sure to please.
Number 3: When travelling in a big group, hot dogs are a great and easy way to feed the troops. So the crew at Opposite Lock took a break from tinkering with Roothy’s rigs to dine on some Kraut Dogs.
Number 2: Scotch eggs are the perfect campsite meal. Why? Because they’re filling, easy to make and taste sensational!
Number 1: The Bush Cooking video that got the most clicks in 2016 was another breakfast dish: Roothy’s hash browns. Maybe it topped the list because it’s a simple, hearty way to kick off a day in the bush, perhaps it’s just because they’re delicious.
WE’VE already run some of the best comparisons of 2016, but here a few more that got our readers talking this year.
Driving a 4×4 back-to-back with its competition is the easiest and most effective way to detect a car’s foibles and/or advantages.
What might seem like a decent off-road performer on its own, may struggle once it’s lined up behind its competition.
So, here are a few more of 2016’s best 4×4 battles.
Be warned, though, some stirred some Facebook posters to awaken from their slumber.
1: Colorado Z71 v Ranger XLT The Ford versus Ranger debate was dialled up to 11 when we got the keys to the born-again Colorado Z71 and refreshed Ranger XLT. Can the Colorado take a slice of the Ranger’s market dominance?
2: Pajero v Pajero Sport or watch the video here Fraser asks the question: With the release of Mitsubishi’s new Pajero Sport, why is the old Pajero still around? It’s a good question, but can the much smaller Sport do the things off-road that its bigger, older brother can?
3: Colorado Z71 v Hilux SR5 The Colorado Z71 fronts up to another market leader, this time it’s the top-of-the-range Toyota Hilux SR5. The new Colorado is a massive improvement and can play with the big boys, but can it keep up with the Hilux, which is a beast when the tarmac ends?
4: Everest Trend v Ranger XLT Two Fords tangle in the desert – a wagon and a ute that share the same platform and many components – to find out which body style works best in the bush. The all-Ford battle dishes up a few interesting talking points.
No doubt these user-submitted rigs are out and about exploring this great country of ours this holiday period.
Check out more Readers’ Rigs here.
To feature your 4×4 here, snap your 4×4 when it’s off on an adventure and then post it on our Facebook page. Your rig might even get published in the mag one day and, if we really like it, perhaps you’ll even see it on the cover of 4X4 Australia!
1986 EX-ADF MERCEDES UNIMOG U1700 435 – ADAM CRAZE
WHAT’S IT GOT: We brought it early in 2016. We recently sent it to Mog Central in ACT to get some mods done including: a class overdrive, giving it 16 gear forward and 16 reverse; intercooler; two custom-made fuel tanks, which give just over 380L of diesel; three-inch lift with Ironman 4×4 foam cell pro shocks; and some alloy beadlocks with 395/85/20 (46in) tyres. We are about to fit Recaro seats and tint the windows. We are heading to the High Country over Xmas. We did a few snow trips over winter. We will eventually change the back to a camper.
2012 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER – NEIL LAWLEY
WHAT’S IT GOT: Safari Snorkel, ECB alloy front bar, Kaymar rear bar with one spare and two fuel carriers (now), ARB rock sliders, Superior Engineering upper control arms, two-inch via Old Man Emu suspension, ERP’s rust protection, diff breather, Ironman 4×4 underbody protection, Rhino Rack Platform (now), IPF Xtreme 900 HIDs, light bar, TMAX 10000lb winch, LRA 120l second fuel tank, UHF, King steelies (with spacers) and 285/70/17 Nittos (now), and Bushwacker flares (now). Best trip was to Cape York in 2013, with not a single issue.
1993 SUZUKI SIDEKICK (USA) – GREG FULLER
WHAT’S IT GOT: Audi 1.8t from a 2001 TT, VEMS ECU, three-inch stainless exhaust, 4.5in Kustom Kreations IFS lift, Kustom Kreations strut eliminator kit, 10in dual rate Fox coilovers up front, and Fox 2.0 shocks in rear. I’ve taken it all over Oregon, USA – mostly back roads and mild trails. Kept blowing up the stock Suzuki ring and pinion, so just installed a Ford 9in out of a 76 Bronco and a custom 4-link rear suspension.
TOYOTA FJ CRUISER – BRENT HILL
WHAT’S IT GOT: OME Nitrochargers and medium coils all ’round, ARB deluxe bar, IPF HID lights, Kaymar rear bar, ARB compressor under the bonnet, ARB 2m awning, ARB bash-plate kit, and it has a Fourtrex mounted. Best places: Fraser Island, Double Island Point (Cooloola Coast) and Bribie Island.
2016 TOYOTA PRADO KAKADU D4 AUTO – JOHN DRAFFIN
WHAT’S IT GOT: It was delivered fresh from the factory in July, 2016. Mods so far: colour-coded ARB Sahara bar, ARB underbody protection, KMC Monster II wheels, Cooper Discoverer A/T3 tyres, recovery point, 3D mud mats, and a Rhino Pioneer rack. There’s plenty still to do. Best trip was out in a farm at the back of Coolabin, near Maleny.
MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER – JOE VAN DEURSE
WHAT’S IT GOT: Twin locked, bigger intercooler, ECU remap by Diesel Australia, 33in Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs, rock sliders, dual batteries, rear drawers, fridge, snorkel, and awning. Best place I’ve been to would have to be Fraser. However, the toughest place would be a tie between Glasshouse and Cruiser Park. She’s done Camp Road, Telecom Hill and the test track at Cruiser Park.
PITTING a newly released vehicle up against the best-in-class is a sure-fire way to see where it sits in the pecking order.
2016 saw a bunch of great rivalries form, with some hotly contested bouts – as well as a few one-sided battles.
To lift your Christmas spirits, we’ve compiled a list of the best comparisons of 2016. It was a year with some big releases, and thus some massive comparisons. Here are a handful of the best.
1: Everest Trend v Pajero Sport v Fortuner v MU-X v Colorado 7 The big wagon made a comeback in 2016, with some great wagons-based-on-utes released. The sophisticated Everest was the 2015 4X4OTY, so it’s a great vehicle to judge the competition. So we threw a Pajero Sport, Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu MU-X and Holden Colorado 7 up against it in a massive comparison.
2: Prado v Fortuner v MU-X v Everest The Canning Stock Route is a brutal, unforgiving road that tests the heart and soul of a vehicle. The Everest may have cleaned up at 4X4OTY testing, but taking on the CSR is a different kettle of fish. The remote roads of the CSR also welcomed the Prado, Fortuner and MU-X.
3: Everest v Discovery v Prado The Everest features in our three most popular comparisons of 2016, and for good reason as it was the 2015 4X4OTY. But how does the upper-spec Titanium model fare against the high-end Prado Kakadu and Discovery SDV6?
4: Pik-Up v Land Cruiser 79 More of a value test than a direct comparison, our Mahindra Pik-Up versus Land Cruiser 79 comparo was a hit with readers. The point of the test: is the LC79 really worth a $40K premium over the Pik-Up? Watch the video to find out.
We’ve assembled an incredible list of modified machines for the inaugural Custom 4X4 Of The Year award.
After a spate of bad luck, Shane Griffiths decided he needed a 4×4 that suited his tough nature. “I did months of research and knew what I wanted when I went shopping” he said. He decided on a sandy taupe Toyota LC79 GXL.
However, 4x4s are all about individuality and versatility, so Shane decided on creating something that not only stood out, but also suited his extremely varied lifestyle.
With front and rear diff locks as standard, Shane took a more personalised approach to the tray. Collaborating with Tod from Tag Fab in Victoria, Shane’s tray is a two-piece design: the tray stays on the rig full time and comes with storage boxes for wet gear, a full length trundle tray that pulls the whole way out and a stainless-steel water tank in front of the drawer.
The headboard also doubles as an additional fuel tank, adding significant fuel range and keeping weight forward of the rear axle.
The lift-off camper is lightweight, quick and easy to set up and simple to remove – Shane’s got it down to three minutes. There’s an electronically operated pop-top with a full-size custom inner spring mattress and folding rear doors to provide an enclosed change space and ample standing room.
Rather than a traditional drop-slide and top-loader, Shane’s 79 is fitted with a 57L Engel upright fridge, powered by a lithium battery with an Enerdrive DC2DC 30A.
The leaf springs have been changed to a bolt-in coil conversion from Jmacx Off Road Solutions, with three-inch-lifted Dobinsons coils and Superior Engineering eight-stage adjustable external reservoir shocks front and rear. The wheels are 285/70R17 BFGoodrich KM2s wrapped around 17x9in KMC alloys.
Shane’s individual ‘functional but different’ approach continues at the front, where he opted for a front bar, slider, and scrub bar set-up from TJM’s commercial range. The front bar has a waterproof 12,000lb Sherpa winch and two spread-beam XRay HID driving lights from TJM.
Shane’s extremely proud of his LC79: “I took the plunge, made some financial sacrifices, built the truck of my dreams and I’ve never been happier.”
Vote for Shane’s Sandy LC79 to decide this year’s Custom 4×4 of the Year.
We’ve compiled five more opinion pieces that started conversations in 2016, as well as ruffled a few feathers.
These popular articles were a hit on our Facebook page, generating some positive (and not-so-positive) feedback.
Let’s take a look.
1: AUSSIE MOTORING JOURNOS ARE CORRUPT, JUST ASK FACEBOOK
Deano did what journalists should never do, and that’s respond to absurd Facebook comments. He tackled the sensitive issue by calling out all the Facebook experts who claimed our 4X4OTY testing process was rigged.
2: TOWING WEIGHTS CONTINUE TO INCREASE
20-odd years ago, most popular 4×4 wagons were capable of towing 2500kg. Now, a 4×4 isn’t worth looking at if it doesn’t have a braked towing capacity of at least 3000kg. Deano detailed how modern 4x4s are capable of carrying massive loads.
3: ALL THE BEST 4X4S HAVE SIX-CYLINDER ENGINES
In relation to VW’s Amarok V6, editor Matt asked the question: When was the last time emissions regulation gave us a bigger and better engine? He’s right, and he also explained what other six-cylinder engines are on the horizon!
Fraser made his aversion to the V6 known, as he detailed the advantages – manufacturing costs, weight and complexity – offered by a straight-six configuration.
5: TOYOTA TROOP CARRIER MADE FOR OUTBACK ADVENTURE
The Troop Carrier has been kicking goals for more than half a century. Why? Because it’s the ultimate off-road-ready package – copious amount of space, superior overlanding ability and extreme versatility. Editor Matt also hung out with the Troop Carriers of Australia group.
We’ve assembled an incredible list of modified machines for the inaugural Custom 4X4 Of The Year award.
On Track 4×4 Repairs owner Andrew Cassar is no stranger to modified 4x4s, but when it comes to engine mods, his latest Nissan Patrol takes the cake.
After fitting the stock VK56 5.6-litre V8 engine with a Harrop 2.3-litre supercharger kit, and retuning the ECU, Andrew’s Patrol now puts out a massive 350kW at the wheels.
“It goes great. It sounds like an HSV, goes like an HSV and I drive it like I stole it!” Andrew said with a grin.
With a weight of three tonnes, V8 Supercar power and a fuel economy of 21L/100km, it’s lucky that Andrew installed a 150L LRA auxiliary fuel tank which took the total capacity up to 290 litres, giving him a range of more than 1000km between fuel stops.
Independent suspension and electronic aids further help with performance. Andrew’s Patrol has been fitted with specifically tailored tyres: a set of 35/12.5R18 BFGoodrichs with stock rims for when it’s time to get dirty and a second set of 305/70R18 Mickey Thompson ATZ P3s for running around town.
For the tyres to fit, the Patrol has been raised by 50mm, riding Old Man Emu springs with Nitrocharger Sport shocks; however Andrew told us that they’re currently being replaced with remote reservoir fully adjustable BP-51s.
At the front, the Patrol has been fitted with an ARB Deluxe bullbar and a Magnum 10,000lb winch with a 6hp Warn 9.5XP motor.
The Patrol has matching custom-made scrub bars and sliders, with a Kaymar full rear bar carrying the spare which has been moved out of the rear floor recess. In its place are five 20Ah AGM batteries with a total of 100Ah in reserve, controlled by a Redarc BCBDC 1225 charger. The Patrol is now able to jumpstart itself at the flick of a button.
Most people would expect that such a vehicle would have an extensive storage system installed inside the cabin; however Andrew’s got other priorities to worry about: family duties.
“It’s normally got three kiddie seats in there and the back’s full of groceries” he said with a laugh. No doubt it’s the fastest 4×4 shopping cart out there.
Vote for Andrew’s Supercharged Patrol to decide this year’s Custom 4×4 of the Year.
A few big opinions were launched during 2016 by 4X4 Australia’s writers.
Some opinions were met with a ‘here, here’, while others received more of a brutal reception, especially on Facebook – thanks widely to keyboard trolls.
To get you through the holiday period, we’ve compiled a list of the hardest-hitting, most-popular opinion pieces of 2016.
1: PART TIME VERSUS FULL TIME 4X4
While driving a base-spec Hilux Workmate in Sydney, Fraser Stronach realised how much better off he’d be with full-time 4×4 instead of part-time. The addition of a centre diff could make a world of difference!
2: DIESEL ENGINES ARE GETTING SMALLER
Fraser’s article on the shrinking diesel engine caused a bit of a whirlwind when it was published back in April, 2016. He notes how the only models bucking the downsizing trend are the Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50 twins. Is the shrinking diesel engine a good or a bad thing? Read Fraser’s two cents.
3: TOP 10 4X4 TRIPS IN AUSTRALIA
When planning your next off-road adventure, why not take advice from the guy who has pretty much been everywhere! It seems plenty of people did, as Ron Moon’s article on the best 4×4 trips in Australia was one of our most popular in 2016.
It seems our readers are eager to learn about diesel donks, with this article being one of the most clicked in 2016 – perhaps due to the improvements the engine has received in recent years. Fraser runs through the benefits a diesel engine has over the long-endured petrol.
5: TOW RATINGS ARE JUST MARKETING HYPE
Ron was sick and tired of manufacturer’s claiming bogus tow ratings, so he vented his frustrations here. Too often has he seen grey nomads towing more than their 4x4s are capable of!