4X4 Australia

NOT ALL Prados are mechanically identical, and that’s not just due to the difference between diesel and petrol engines, or the availability of a manual gearbox with the diesel. More expensive VX and Kakadu models come with Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS), a feature not fitted to, or available with, the GX and GXL models.

For on-road driving, KDSS lessens body roll for flatter and sportier handling, yet it also provides more wheel travel for superior performance in rough off-road terrain. It does this by automatically adjusting the tension on the suspension’s sway bars (also called anti-roll bars).

The trouble is: the cheapest way to get KDSS is on the $73,990 VX. That’s a $12,000 ask over the best-selling GXL auto – the closest non-KDSS Prado to a VX. However, you get more than just the KDSS when you step up to a VX from the GXL (see VX Upgrades breakout).

While we have driven every spec-level Prado, from GX to Kakadu, we have never had the chance to compare a non-KDSS Prado against a KDSS-equipped Prado to see the difference KDSS makes. To this end, we have lined up a GLX and a VX.

We chose the VX over the more expensive Kakadu due to the Kakadu having features such as height-adjustable rear suspension and variable dampers that would throw unwanted variables into the mix. We also chose a GXL auto, as the VX is auto-only. The only variable we couldn’t control is that the GXL comes with 17s, while the VX runs with 18s.

THE THEORY

TO UNDERSTAND KDSS it’s best to start with what a sway bar is and what it does. In essence, a sway bar is just a torsion-bar spring that connects opposite wheels across either axle. It increases the suspension’s roll stiffness independent of spring rate, so it provides flatter handing without unduly compromising ride quality.

A sway bar isn’t a necessary part of a suspension system, and for an off-road vehicle where wheel travel is paramount, it’s not what you want.

The first-generation Range Rover (1970), the 4×4 that pioneered all-coil, long-travel, live-axle suspension, wasn’t fitted with sway bars for most of its quarter-century-long production life. The end result was extremely supple long-travel suspension that worked brilliantly off-road. However, there was a fair degree of body roll when driven hard through corners and, as more and more people bought their Range Rovers purely for on-road use, there was public demand for a flatter-handing vehicle, which was achieved by fitting sway bars. Unfortunately this also diminished the Range Rover’s legendary off-road ability.

This compromise between off-road wheel travel and on-road handing is, of course, one of the classic design dilemmas of a modern 4×4 that’s expected to perform well both on- and off-road.

One solution is to manually ‘disconnect’ the sway bar(s) for off-road use and then reconnect it for on-road use. Up-spec variants of Nissan’s GQ Patrol have a mechanical release for the rear sway bar operated via a lever in the cab, while the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has an electro-mechanical release for the front sway bar operated via a dashboard switch.

The other solution is to have some means to vary the tension on the sway bars – softer for off-road; firmer for on-road – which is exactly what KDSS does.

With KDSS, one end of each sway bar is connected to the chassis via an hydraulic cylinder, rather than being directly attached to the chassis. These two cylinders, one at the front and one at the rear, are then connected via hydraulic lines that allow an exchange of hydraulic fluid between the two.

When the vehicle is cornering on-road and tries to lean over, the pressure from the front and rear cylinders is cancelled out, which doesn’t allow an exchange of fluid between the two. With the ends of the sway bars locked solid, the sway bars then have to twist – as they do in a conventional suspension – to suppress body roll.

In an off-road situation, where rough ground will have the wheels on one side of the vehicle travelling in opposite directions, fluid can flow between the two cylinders. This relaxes the sway bars for greater wheel travel. On the Prado’s rear axle, KDSS increases wheel travel from 465mm to 565mm (more than 20 per cent).

The other benefit of being able to relax the sway bar for off-road use is that a stiffer sway bar can be employed in the first place on the VX, which leads to flatter on-road handing.

KDSS, as fitted to the Prado, has some minor electronic control on what is otherwise a simple hydro-mechanical system. The first-generation KDSS, as fitted to the Land Cruiser 200, is purely hydro-mechanical with no electronic override.

KDSS came about after Toyota purchased the rights to Kinetic Suspension Technology, a Western Australian company specialising in off-road suspension.

THE RESULT

SO, HOW well does it work? Surprisingly well, in fact. And while we have always been aware of the difference KDSS makes, it was illuminating to drive these two back to back.

Jumping from the GXL to the VX on-road, you could instantly feel the flatter handing, the shaper turn-in and the better body control. The VX is also noticeable smoother when entering corners and when transitioning from leaning over to an upright stance. The KDSS-equipped VX is a noticeably crisper and sportier on-road drive than the non-KDSS GXL. Some of the benefit here comes from the VX’s 18s, but the critical difference, namely the reduced sidewall height, is only in the order of eight per cent, so it’s not a significant amount.

Off-road, especially in broken and rough ground, the VX feels suppler and is certainly more capable with all the extra travel. In mud and sand, where travel isn’t so much the issue, the benefit lessens.

The sad part of this tale is the price hike from a GXL auto ($61,990) to the VX ($73,990). However, you do get plenty of worthwhile kit with the VX – unlike the more expensive Kakadu, which includes add-ons with little value.

It’s just a shame KDSS isn’t fitted to the popular GXL, or at least offered as an option on the Land Cruiser 200 GXL diesel.

VX UPGRADES

IF YOU go for a Prado VX over a Prado GXL, you get 18-inch alloys (instead of 17s); leather trim; heated front and second-row seats; electric seat and steering wheel adjustment; power-fold third row seating; auto headlights and wipers; a 17-speaker premium audio system; front parking sensors; and, of course, KDSS.

LAND ROVER’S ACE

LAND Rover’s Discovery II (1998) offered ‘active’ sway bars, called Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE), on some models. ACE used a high-volume, high-pressure pump and hydraulic rams, placed between the chassis and the sway bars, to tension or relax the sway bars depending on whether the vehicle was travelling straight or around a corner.

When travelling straight, the hydraulic rams placed no resistance on the ends of the rollbars, which gave the effect of not having a rollbar at all. Once the vehicle entered a corner the hydraulic rams tensioned the sway bars by an amount proportional to the vehicle’s lateral acceleration, as measured by two accelerometers. In essence, ACE is a more complex (pump-driven) version of Toyota’s KDSS system. It came out nearly 10 years before KDSS first appeared on the then-new Land Cruiser 200, in 2007.

NISSAN’S HBMC

CLOSER to the original Kinetic Suspension Technology (developed in Western Australia), is Nissan’s Hydraulic Body Motion Control (HBMC), as used on the Y62 Patrol.

This fully independent suspension system does away with mechanical sway bars by using interlinked, active dampers. By pumping hydraulic fluid from one side of the vehicle to the other – managed by electronically controlled, nitrogen-charged accumulators – the suspension travel can be adjusted to limit body roll when cornering on-road, or maximise the wheel travel for off-road use. The system works brilliantly.

PRICES

Prado GXL (auto): $61,990* Prado VX: $73,990* *Prices do not include on-road costs.

[specs]

TOYOTA PRADO 2.8D Engine: DOHC 16-valve 4-cyl turbo-diesel Capacity: 2.8-litre (2755cc) Power: 130kW @ 3400rpm Torque: 450Nm @ 1600-2400rpm Gearbox: six-speed auto 4×4 system: full-time dual-range Crawl ratio: 36.1:1 Construction: separate chassis Front suspension: independent/coils Rear suspension: live axle/coils GXL wheel/tyre spec: 265/65R17 112S VX wheel/tyre spec: 265/60R18 110H Kerb mass (full range): 2150kg-2435kg GVM: 2900kg Payload (full range): 465kg-750kg Towing capacity: 2500kg Seating capacity: seven Fuel tank capacity: 150 litres ADR fuel claim: 8.0L/100km On-test consumption: 10.4L/100km Touring range*: 1392km *Based on test consumption and 50km ‘safety margin’.

THIS PRODUCT, the name of which is so evocative of Australia’s past, is actually from Africa.

The background is quite interesting: In the mid-1990s, environmentalist Ken Hall designed a cooker so that villagers could use dried corn cobs for fuel. Wood supplies were scarce, but there was an abundance of corn cobs in the village as maize was the staple diet.

The cookers evolved into the simple but technologically sophisticated, ecologically friendly and attractive product of today. Time magazine recognised its significance by naming it one of the 30 most important inventions of 2001.

The Cobb is handy both at home and in the bush, and with an increase in campsite restrictions, and a lack of firewood at some campsites, campfires are not as common as they used to be. This is likely to continue and it makes the Cobb an ideal replacement for gas bottles, stoves, camp ovens, frying pans and so on.

The whole unit, in its strong carry bag, is 30cm in diameter and a little over 30cm tall. Considering fuel can be carried inside the Cobb, it is an effective use of space in a vehicle. With the increasing popularity of smaller cars, and the huge amount of outdoor gear people typically pack, the Cobb’s size is important.

When it comes to doing what it’s designed to do, the Cobb has plenty of cooking ‘bang for your buck’. The Cobb can grill, fry, boil and even smoke food. It comes into its own as an oven, and it’s much easier to use than the traditional camp oven.

It can also be used as a stove, while a frying pan is available as an accessory and can be used instead of the standard grill. Last but not least, with appropriate care, it can be used as a heater simply by removing the lid and grill. Plus it’s good for the environment.

To get the Cobb cooking, three to four firelighters and the recommended number of heat beads need to be placed into the fire-well, which is surrounded by a moat (of water).

Light the firelighters and wait for the beads to ‘whiten’, and then attach the grill. Now you’re ready to add food. Don’t forget to put water in the moat, and never put the lid on without there being food on the grill.

We used four heat beads and when the fuel went white we put on the juicy leg of lamb, which cooked in the planned two hours.

The damper took 75 minutes, which was 15 minutes longer than expected. But be sure to check after 40 minutes, as a damper often needs to be turned.

There are two booklets that come with the cooker with instructions, hints and recipes. They are simple instructions, but it’s very important to read them.

Potatoes, pumpkins and carrots can be cooked on the plate directly, as can greens in a foil packet. Vegetables can also be cooked in the moat. We prefer to cook the hard vegetables on the plate and the greens separately, but this is a personal choice.

The cookers are available from a wide variety of camping and outdoor stores, while Snowys Outdoors in Adelaide often has demonstrations. There is a gimbal-mount attachment available for boats, but this was not available locally or on the internet at the time of writing.

The RRP is about $220-230, which is good considering ours was $199 nearly 10 years ago. Add a casserole dish, frying pan and billycan – and perhaps a gas ring – and you could have all the cooking essentials needed to travel around Australia.

Maybe we will try that on our next trip instead of the mound of cooking gear, including five camp ovens, we usually carry.

SILLERS Lookout, at the terminus of the Ridgetop Track in Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, must be one of the best views in the Australian bush. It takes in 360-degress of the spectacular Flinders Ranges, a jewel of outback South Australia.

Sillers can only be reached in one of Arkaroola’s open Land Cruiser tour vehicles, and it can’t be driven by the general public, but it’s a place that shouldn’t be left off the itinerary of any adventure.

The Ridgetop Track was blazed in the late 1960s by Exoil Ltd, as part of more than 150km of tracks that were carved out of the rock that is Arkaroola, in the company’s thirsty quest to find uranium. It was all for nothing, as the uranium had been leached out of the hills many millennia ago and deposited on the plains to the north, where one of the planet’s richest bodies of the metal now lie.

The track follows the ridgetops as it winds its way towards its final destination at Sillers; a craggy elevated lookout upon which the act of turning around a car requires a great deal of skill and bravado. Exoil Ltd chose the ridges as they offered the line of least resistance, and from there all of the tracks radiate to the far extremities of the property.

To get to the ridges means a lot of steep climbs and descents, and that’s what makes the Ridgetop Track so challenging.

The journey begins as you leave Arkaroola campground and spend the first five or so kilometres travelling through Whywhyana Creek. The surrounding geology exposed in the rock walls shows the forces at work that created what we now know to be the Flinders Ranges.

It’s not until you reach the locked gate that you feel true adventure is about to begin. A steady climb out of a very rough gully takes you past a geological fault that in itself is amazing, before taking you to a lookout that features a 360-degree view of the surrounding countryside.

The track then meanders through country that owners would once have classified as arable, but to the untrained eye looks like wasteland. Very soon the track takes a sinister turn, with eroded and seemingly impassable sections that would test the articulation of any vehicle – deep, chassis-twisting, bottomless potholes appear mid-descent and would frighten the bravest of drivers.

All along the journey there are places to marvel at. The yucca plants at Split Rock, and the ancient underground geysers that once lay hundreds of metres below the surface, are now are exposed to the world. Those familiar with Sir Douglas Mawson’s work know he spent every spare moment researching these hills.

The jewel in the crown is Sillers Lookout. A steep narrow ribbon of track has the word foreboding written all over it, and it appears out of nowhere. Cresting a rocky and extremely off-camber piece of track, the zenith appears and it’s these moments as a driver that make you gulp.

It looks devilish and it can make you doubt your vehicle. This is the last place you’d want to score a flat tyre or broken driveline component, and it’s the point in the drive where many are glad not to have driven their own 4×4 vehicle up here.

It is one of the most spectacular views you will ever see, and it makes you feel so insignificant when a continent is laid out before you in its rawest form.

The Arkaroola Ridgetop Tour should be on any tourer’s bucket list!

TRAVEL PLANNER

WHERE Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is located approximately 300km north of Yunta, which is on the Barrier Highway. The sanctuary can also be accessed from Leigh Creek, 130km to the west. This road weaves through the heart of the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park.

CAMPING & ACCOMMODATION Arkaroola has a large camping ground with powered camping and caravan sites. There are dozens of bush campsites situated along the banks of Whywhyana Creek and its tributaries. Firewood is in short supply and you’re encouraged to bring it in with you. There are also bunkhouses and air-conditioned suites available.

SUPPLIES AND FACILITIES A sturdy pair of hiking boots is a must-have. There are a number of self-drive tracks ranging from novice to pro, so pick up a mud map at reception. The sanctuary sells most everyday essentials in its supermarket. It’s advised you come fully self-sufficient for food needs, but the fully licensed restaurant operates seven days a week. Unleaded and diesel fuel are available, but LPG isn’t. Gas bottles can be refilled. Plenty of drinking water is available, with the main campground well-serviced. If you need a bigger shop, head to Leigh Creek.

TRIP STANDARD Both roads into Arkaroola are well-maintained dirt roads, but are prone to corrugations and bulldust patches. Creek crossings can become scoured out after heavy rain and stock can cross the road at any time. The tracks range from novice to expert. More info is available from the guides at reception.

CONTACTS AND INFORMATION Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary: Visit www.arkaroola.com.au; or contact (08) 8648 4848.PERMITS AND MAPS No permits required to visit Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, but permits are needed if you camp in the adjoining national park. These self-registration permits can be found at the entrance to any campground. Hema Maps’ Flinders Ranges map will get you there.

TROOP CARRIERS are commercial 4x4s, not luxo-barges, so it’s to be expected that they will lack some mod-cons, one of which is interior sound deadening.

Unfortunately, my Troopy suffered more than most. Having been an ambulance in a previous life, they seemingly drilled, cut and hacked more holes in it than you could poke a stick at. These floorpan holes allowed tyre, driveline and road noise into the cabin and eliminated the ability to talk to passengers or listen to the radio, no matter how high it was turned up. It was downright annoying.

My first step was to spend up on rubber grommets to fill as many regular round holes as possible, while a few conveyor-belt-type rubber patches with liquid nails were used to patch the larger misshapen hack-jobs. While that approach may seem a little antiquated, it was the most straightforward and effective first line of defence to prevent the ingress of noise.

Next up, I called Tru-Fit Carpets in Melbourne to discuss my options. On their advice, I went more high-tech, with the purchase of a couple of boxes of Resomat. Resomat is a premium heat reflector and sound deadener that incorporates a sticky back, a thin rubber layer, and a top silver heat-reflective surface layer, which should rid the heat sink problems from the exhaust system that is positioned close to the floor on the passenger side.

The Resomat helps to deaden noise, stop vibration and, as noted, reflect heat. This product is also used in door skins to help control panel vibration from stereo speakers, but I have no need for that.

Once positioned, the Resomat backing is peeled off to allow moulding to the floor panels – and while a small roller is advertised as being the best way to apply it, I simply pushed my thumbs and a rag over it to ensure good fit and adhesion (no heating is required).

Thankfully, the product is odourless from the get-go, so it doesn’t impact delicate nostrils.

After that, I opted for a secondary layer of Tru-Fit premium foam sound deadener, which was cut to size and laid into position. I then used a Tru-Fit moulded vinyl flooring in the rear section of the Troopy (including separate heat-moulded pieces over the wheelarches), yet maintained the factory carpet in the front – for now.

Having vinyl in the rear cargo section and where the kids sit will be a boon for cleaning dropped food and drinks, as well as everyday grit – not to mention the piles of sand and dirt we seem to attract every camping trip. Now it’s an easy sweep-out option, and it only required basic tools and careful measuring to fit.

In the driver and front passenger footwell I’ve also popped in a set of Tru-Fit heat-moulded floor mats, which feature a non-slip backing and finished edges. These mats cover the trim near the door openings to allow the easy removal of dirt.

All up, I’m happy with the results – other than the vinyl, which wasn’t the exact fit I expected. It required trimming (which was expected) and I’ve purchased lengths of touch tape to hold the edges down flat. My bucket seat set-up in the rear is custom and necessitated a few changes to the flooring, but the top layer is durable and should withstand the abuse my four kids will dish out.

I’ve taken a few decibel readings (before and after installation) from the driver’s seat at 100km/h. To keep things even I drove on the same road with the same gear and tyres. I put all windows up and maintained identical revs. All up, it showed a drop of a few decibels.

While that may not ‘sound’ like a lot, I can assure you it has made a huge difference to in-cabin noise and comfort. So much so I’ve taken up listening to the wireless again. The only problem is, I can hear the kids arguing in the back. Hmm, maybe a lead-lined screen surrounding the driver’s seat will help with that!

RATED Available from: www.trufitcarpets.com.au RRP: Price is vehicle- and amount-dependent. We say: A great way to prevent sound and heat ingress.

IT IS ALL pretty much black and white for AFN’s Gavin Duffield. He believes there’s a ready-made local market for Australian-sorted, Portuguese-made protection gear for 4×4 utes and wagons.

Vote for AFN’s SR5 Toyota Hilux to decide this year’s Custom 4×4 of the Year.

To drive the point home, Gavin has given a new Toyota HiLux the black-and-white treatment as a 24/7 rolling advert. The result is a head-turning, out-of-my-way cruiser, which owes its charms both to cosmetic touches and some AFN gear.

Portuguese-based AFN has supplied gear – from bullbars to turret guns – for the likes of United Nations and NATO vehicles for some time. But there’s also scope for products for civilian machinery, the most notable being bullbars tailored for specific vehicles. AFN concentrates on protective kit, from bars to underbody shields.

Wolf 4×4 in Brisbane became the Australian distributor for AFN back in 2014, when hunting down bars for the Volkswagen Amarok ute. Wolf director Ashley Gibbons has spun the AFN business into AFN 4×4 Australia, with the blessing and backing of the European company.

The new operation sits side-by-side with the Wolf 4×4 outfit in a shiny new 1000m2 premises at North Lakes, just to the north of Brisbane. Gavin Duffield is ready for business, showcasing the AFN wares in this handsome SR5 HiLux.

“AFN needs to get its own brand attention, it’s critical for us to get that brand awareness,” Gavin said. “We understand there’s lots of competition out there. We’re not afraid of the competition, but we’re after recognition that we’re on our own now with our own stock, our own warehouse. We want to be heard and seen.”

Gavin’s proud of this truck’s style and upgraded ability. The Toyota’s driveline – diesel and auto – is factory stock, but it’s now a ute with more protection and more comfort for the rough stuff.

People said Gavin was a bit crazy wanting a black-and-white theme to best co-ordinate with AFN’s logo. He was adamant that he wanted a black-and-white car with no chrome. “Part of that was getting rid of this ugly grille that was in there… it was very, very ugly,” he said.

So that has been replaced with a plain black, mesh-steel insert, while the chrome SR5 door handles and door mirrors are also wrapped in black, as is the bonnet and rear canopy roof. But it’s the bullbar that magnifies the dramatic style of the ute, with its two-inch lift kit. It’s the prototype bar for the current HiLux, and it was designed by AFN with input from the Australian side of the business.

“We didn’t want bumper cuts, we wanted full recovery points, we wanted lights and jacking points, and we wanted that as all part of our standard product. We didn’t want them [as] add-ons,” Gavin said. “And we didn’t want the old square box look, we wanted something unique.”

The result is an aggressive-looking bar, which sits back on the vehicle as far as possible for style and weight distribution. High, swept-back corners improve approach angles – whether in the scrub or in shopping centre carparks – and show off the HiLux’s meaty BFGoodrich KO2s.

All AFN bullbars are steel and all are vehicle-specific, rather than some rivals who use a singular bar design and different mounting kits to suit different vehicles.

There’s now an AFN bar to suit a range of current four-wheel drives: Prados, Amaroks, D-Maxes, Land Cruisers and Tritons. Bars for the latest Ford Ranger and Nissan Navara are on their way. AFN Australia 4×4 will also be sticking with steel and won’t be looking at bars for older utes and wagons.

Gavin admits prices are toward the premium end, but he suggests the quality of the design and build is worth the extra coin. His HiLux bar is also fitted with AFN side rails (black, of course) and solid AFN sidesteps.

In profile, the ute’s charm is enhanced by a set of forged alloy Delta Klassik 18x9in wheels and BFGoodrich boots. Below, there’s a host of AFN 6mm alloy protection plates for the engine, transmission, differentials and fuel tank. There’s even a neat AFN shield for the Toyota’s load sensor, which adjusts headlights to the weight of the load.

All of this is sitting on Outback Armour suspension – springs and struts – front and rear. This Brisbane-based suspension design outfit, favoured by Amarok owners (among others), is also a supplier to bullet- and bomb-proofed vehicle builders in Europe and the Middle East.

A steel Sammitr canopy and a very tidy AFN rear bar and wheel carrier reside down back. There’s the option of wearing two spare wheels, two jerry cans or, on this HiLux, one of each. The carriers use a cam lock, rather than a conventional latching system, so they can be pushed shut. There’s also a locking device to keep the carriers swung out when needed.

Clever bits here include a three-way combination light – for tail-lights, brake lights and indicators – in the rear bar, because a spare wheel can cover up a little of the Toyota’s regular rear lights. And AFN’s wheel carrier uses a cone arrangement (like on a wheel balancer), rather than using wheel studs, so the holder can accommodate just about any wheel.

Out and about, the AFN Toyota HiLux offers well-balanced ride and handling. Gavin wasn’t that impressed with the original suspension, but understood the HiLux was built as a load-carrier. Now the combination of Outback Armour suspension and a little extra weight down back has settled things and helped make the HiLux a great drive on Queensland beaches.

“I like the height and that it’s very stable,” Gavin said. “There are no bodyroll issues, yet it’s a big vehicle and heavy off the ground. The centre of gravity is up with that raised suspension, plus another 40-odd millimetres with those tyres.”

Gavin’s happy with the rig’s road manners on the bitumen, but an outing in the sand on the re-sorted suspension most impressed. “I just couldn’t believe how well it went on the beach,” Gavin grinned. “It’s got a bit of get up and go.”

And this black-and-white AFN HiLux has plenty of show to mate with that factory get up and go.

EXTRA COSTS – THE AFN HILUX AFN Bullbar: $2150 AFN Sidesteps: $850 AFN Side Rails: $375 AFN Rear Wheel Carrier:$2995 AFN Underbody Protection: TBA Outback Armour Suspension: $1790 SMM V2 Canopy: $3395 Delta 4×4 Klassik 18x9in wheels: $500 each BFG KO2 285/65/18: $495 each Oricom UHF: $329 Runva 11XP Premium Black winch $975

CONTACTS AFN 4×4 Australia 19B Flinders Parade, North Lakes, 4509, Qld Email: [email protected] Phone: 1300 AFN 4X4

Vote for AFN’s SR5 Toyota Hilux to decide this year’s Custom 4×4 of the Year.

FORD’S Ranger Wildtrak is a handy on- and off-road mauler, but can it cope with two sandbags in the tray and more than 2.5-tonnes of caravan strapped to its towball?

And not just any caravan, but a class-leading Avida Topaz 7052SL 50th Anniversary edition.

To find out, 4X4 Australia sent it on a 200km loop south out of Sydney on varied roads including inner-city roadblocks, two-lane highways and freeways, winding secondary roads, and plenty of steep climbs and descents.

The Ranger got down to business with its oodles of power and torque (147kW/470Nm) making relatively light work of the caravan. On the road, the Ranger is relaxed and quiet at a steady cruise, although the inline-five lets you know when it’s working hard. The six-speed transmission seems to have a big ratio gap between the crucial second and third gearchange, and it takes a while to up-shift after hillclimbs level onto flat terrain.

Using Sport mode makes the Ranger more eager to downshift, but it also holds gears for longer. Manual mode works best, especially for engine braking – the transmission has a predictive mode that downshifts when it senses it is necessary (which works well when not towing), but it doesn’t downshift enough when there’s something weighty on the towball.

The Ford has a wheelbase of 3220mm and a rear axle-to-towball stretch of 1330mm to provide a good foundation for stable towing. Also encouraging is the lack of front body rise (just 10mm). Rear suspension compression is more significant (a droop of 80mm).

The Ford is only marginally affected by crosswinds, large trucks (with their destabilising bow wave of air) or yaw (sway) when changing direction or braking. Body pitching is minimal and the Ranger rides smoothly with the big box on its tail.

The Ranger’s reversing camera screen incorporates a centreline marker to help line up the towball, and it works really well. Helping ease sway anxiety is the Ranger’s standard trailer sway control, although we never needed to rely on its help.

Making life easier for those who need to power accessories in their caravan, the Ranger comes standard with a 12-pin plug.

The Ranger’s side mirror casings have a lot of flex in them around the lip where the towing mirror brackets are secured. This meant the towing mirrors vibrated a lot, making them hard to use at speed. Permanent-fit, truck-style towing mirrors would fix this.

FORD RANGER WILDTRAK Engine 3.2-litre 5cyl turbo-diesel Outputs 147kW at 3000rpm/470Nm at 1500-2750rpm Transmission Six-speed auto with manual mode Driveline Part-time 4WD with high/low range Weight 2137kg Max towing capacity 750kg (unbraked); 3500kg (braked) Max towball download 350kg Fuel tank 80 litres Price as tested $57,890 (not incl. on-road costs)

TOW TEST RESULTS 0-60km/h: 11.2sec 0-80km/h: 19.6sec 50-70km/h: 7.5sec Hillclimb speed (start 100km/h): 73km/h Descent speed (start 80km/h): 89km/h Test average fuel consumption: 20.6L/100km Towing range: (with 50km safety margin) 330km

TOWING WHAT?

AVIDA has been building RVs since 1965, and to celebrate its 50-year milestone, the company released its new top-of-the-range Topaz 7052SL 50th Anniversary.

This is the company’s first caravan slide-out, and it’s a big one – it takes in almost the whole offside, stretching out just over four metres. Only the bathroom misses out on the 600mm-plus widened living space.

The Avida’s composite wall, ceiling and floor panels combine to make a rigid structure, with a steel galvanised chassis (with six-inch RHS longitudinal rails and four-inch drawbar rails) underneath.

The net result of the body and chassis design is great rigidity and lightness. The 2572kg tare weight is light for a ’van of this size and specifications, especially as it’s a slide-out.

The Cruisemaster independent suspension is an asset for a caravan intended for rough-road use, as are the All-Terrain tyres.

The kitchen has plenty of room, while the dining area is the size of a small room – there’s a leather-clad offside lounge opposite a slightly wider lounge on the nearside wall. The dining table is secured to the floor in front of the nearside lounge, and there’s plenty of room to get around it to the lounge.

The bedroom is spacious with the slide-out, with ample room to walk around the end to the bed. Opposite the bed on the nearside is one of the Avida’s party tricks – at the press of a button, a flat-screen LCD TV pops out of a narrow cabinet benchtop.

The bathroom is also a good size – there’s a shower enclosure on the nearside, and in the centre sits a ceramic washbasin on a stylish, curved vanity-unit top. A washing machine is under a sliding benchtop further along the vanity.

Underneath there are twin water tanks, as well as a greywater tank – a rare commodity in caravans and great for camping, ensuring greywater doesn’t turn the campsite into a mud bath.

The Topaz’s electrical layout is both simple and comprehensive – the master power switch is right next to the door, and there’s an LCD water and power level indicator panel.

The Topaz has Avida’s trademark attention to detail: it has a strong yet light body and chassis structure, and it has one of the longest slide-outs in the business.

AVIDA TOPAZ 7052sl 50TH ANN. Overall length 8.17m (26ft 10in) Body width 2.49m (8ft 2in) Travel height 3.14m (10ft 4in) Tare 2572kg ATM 3300kg Ball weight 212kg Price $94,990 (on-road, NSW)

FORGET about all the cooking shows wasting space on the telly, with their impractical and highly complicated recipes.

Roothy likes to keep things simple when he’s in the outback kitchen, and for this hearty meal all that’s needed is some raw chicken breast, a tin of Vegeta seasoning, mushrooms, some butter and a pit oven.

Slice the chicken into thin strips (less than an inch thick), sprinkle with some Vegeta seasoning, throw a few mushrooms on top and cover it with butter. Cover it all in aluminium foil and then whack it in the earth oven for 20-odd minutes.

While you’re at it, wrap a few spuds in some aluminium foil and throw them in the pit.

Make sure the chicken is completely cooked through and there are no pink bits!

Fill the spuds with some sour cream and spring onions and you’ve got yourself a brilliant outback dinner.

On a health kick? Just drop the butter.

Check out the video to see just how quick and easy it is to knock up a delicious meal the whole family will enjoy.

For more bush cooking and recipes, visit our page here.

FOR first-timers and veterans alike, taking a set of spanners to your own 4×4 can be an intimidating prospect. In years gone by, where a rough engine rarely took little more than an adjustment of points, working on your own vehicle was just assumed – they were even designed that way.

Unfortunately, a slip of the spanner can now lead to thousands of dollars in repair bills, so the art of doing it yourself is all but forgotten. Most vehicles don’t even have a dipstick on their gearbox anymore!

Not all hope is lost. For those itching to spin their own spanners to save a few bucks, there are still a wide variety of projects you can take on yourself. We’re taking a closer look at a typical electric winch you’ll find hanging off the front of most 4x4s. They’re a vital component for self-extraction, and they’re simpler to work on than you’d think.

So, save the money you’d spend on someone else’s time and use it to buy that accessory you’ve been eyeing off for ages, because we’re showing you how to service your own winch.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Contact cleaner • 400-grit sandpaper • Degreaser • Old toothbrush • Grease – one tub • Two sets of jumper leads

1. EXTRACTION First, take a small punch and do light matching indents on the cap (and where it lines up with the motor), the motor body and the motor end-plate. This allows you to get it back into the right position. Remove the two bolts that run through the length of the motor and pull the motor away. The motor may require force to remove it. Never lever it up and down as it can damage internals. Instead, twist the motor to break the seal and then pull it back.

2. INSPECTION Before removing the rotor assembly, inspect for corrosion or water damage. If present, take the motor to an auto electrician. A DIY repair is viable but will require some experience in electric motors.

This winch appears to have had little use, so the key areas to inspect are the copper connections on the terminals, and the bearings. The solder connection on these posts can fatigue, causing poor contact and therefore winch failure.

The bearings on either end of the rotor assembly are also simple to inspect, and replacement bearings can often be sourced cheaply from a local bearing supplier.

3. SPRING CLEAN With the rotor assembly taken out, take light-grade sandpaper to the commutator (copper surface the brushes run against). Good contact is vital here, so the surface should be as clean and smooth as possible. While there, use a small pick or screwdriver to clean out the grooves in the commutator.

Before re-installing the rotor assembly, clean it and the housing with contact cleaner. When you’re sliding the rotor assembly in, the brushes on the housing will be in the way. With a small, flat-blade screwdriver, hold each brush back just enough to let the commutator slide past.

4. GREASE IT UP With the motor re-assembled and off to the side, remove the motor end-plate from the rest of the winch. You’ll find three tie rods connecting the two ends with Allen key bolts. If the rods spin as you’re undoing them, you’ll need to hold them with multi-grips. Use a rag to avoid damaging the chrome finish, as corrosion is inevitable if the finish gets broken.

With the three bars off, remove the motor end-plate and then the drum. You’ll want to clean away the existing grease on the drum and end-plates to replace it with fresh grease. On each end-plate you’ll find a plastic bushing that the drum runs in. Run your finger along it looking for any gouges or rough spots. If they’re damaged they’ll need to be replaced, otherwise they can be lightly re-greased.

5. GEAR CHANGE Remove the three crossbars from the gearbox housing and mark the end-plate and housing with the same punch method used on the motor. Remove the end-plate to access the planetary gearset inside. If you’re not familiar with planetary gears, take a minute to spin the input shaft and see the speed change between each gear. Pull the gears out and place them in order on a bench or clean area. You’ll need to pay attention to any plastic bushings and the sun gear on the smallest planetary gearset, to ensure they will be reinstalled correctly.

6. POP YOUR COLLAR With the gears out of the way, you’ll notice a circlip inside the housing. Remove the circlip to gain access to the free-spool collar. This locks into the housing by turning the free-spool lever. When the lever is disengaged the collar is allowed to spin, which lets the planetary gears spin despite the input shaft from the motor being locked solid.

Remove the free-spool collar and inspect for any wear or damage inside the housing. These items are mass-produced and aren’t perfect, so a small amount of metal-on-metal contact can cause the free-spool collar to jam.

Once the internals are removed, sit down with a bucket, a toothbrush and degreaser. You’ll want all the old grease removed, as some greases can react with each other and either break down completely or form a thick paste.

7. ON THE GEAR If you speak to 10 people you’ll get 11 opinions on the appropriate grease to use inside a winch. I’ve always found success with wheel-bearing grease, and it offers the extra benefit of simplifying the spares I carry. It’s also able to cope with the heat generated in a winch.

Whatever grease you decide to use should be applied sparingly. Overloading with grease can cause the free-spool to become difficult to operate. Apply a fine layer inside the housing where the collar sits and then on each of the planetary gears in each set. Also apply a small amount to the plastic bushes. Reinstall the free-spool collar and circlip, ensuring the free-spool lever can lock and unlock – most collars have an offset groove in them.

With the gears reinstalled, grab a battery drill and spin the input shaft to ensure all gears work before bolting the gearbox end-plate back on. If the housing is in two pieces you will need to lightly bolt it together to install the gears. Only use two bolts at this stage, as it may need to be separated if the free-spool or gearset doesn’t work.

8. CLOCKED When the free-spool is engaging and disengaging, re-attach the gearbox end-plate. If you’re hoping to not open it again for another 5-10 years, use silicone or a fresh gasket. If it’s your first time pulling a winch apart you may want to re-check it after its first use, so re-use the existing gaskets for now.

If you want to clock the housing to re-position where the free-spool lever is, now’s the time. The bolt patterns are rarely symmetrical, so you may need to clock it slightly further than desired. If you’re not clocking the lever, then re-align the punch marks you left before. Dab a touch of anti-seize on each bolt and install finger-tight, then tighten in a star pattern. Do the same on the centre section if the ’box is a two-piece item.

9. RE-INSTALLATION Slide the winch drum back onto the gearbox end-plate, ensuring it seats firmly onto the input shaft for the gears and the outer planetary gear itself. There should be a smear of fresh grease in the plastic bush the drum rides in, and in the outer seal as well.

Re-install the three crossbars onto the gearbox end-plate and ensure you use anti-seize, as the dissimilar metals can cause corrosion and lock bolts. Do the same again with the motor end-plate. With the winch assembled and the drum correctly aligned, re-install the motor onto the end-plate by either re-using the existing gaskets or replacing with silicone or new items. It can be difficult lining the long bolts up with their threads, so try having the motor 2-3mm away from the housing so you can see inside.

10. GIVE IT A WHIRL The final step is to test the winch. Test the free-spool is operating correctly by disengaging the collar and twisting the drum. The winch motor can be tested by connecting a negative jumper cable to the negative post underneath (and the positive to the red terminal post), with the other ends attached to your battery. Then run a second jumper cable between the yellow and blue posts.

You can check both directions by connecting the positive jumper cable to the yellow post, and by running the second cable from the red to the blue.

For more information and tips on Gear, check out our page here.

If you have a tin of tuna at camp, you have a meal. This recipe is a great twist on the potato rösti and is a sure way to improve tinned fish.

INGREDIENTS Serves 4 (makes 8 cakes) 4 med/large potatoes – peeled and coarsely grated (don’t grate too finely) 1 tbs fresh parsley – chopped (or use about 1 tsp of dried parsley flakes) 1-2 tbs of chopped chives – or you can use a couple of finely chopped spring onions ½ to 1 red onion – finely chopped 1 to 2 tsp of grated lemon zest 2 eggs – beaten 2 x 95g cans of flavoured tuna – drained well Salt and pepper 1 to 2 tbs plain flour (will help hold the cakes together with the addition of the tuna)

INSTRUCTIONS

VIVu2019S HINTS

A KILLER issue of 4X4 Australia is hitting shelves on June 9.

Not only do you get another edition of Roothy’s LowRange DVD ‘Which way did you say?’, but the mag itself is packed with off-road goodness.

This month, a Patrol with Cummins power and 40-inch Treps travels from Denmark to Oz for an Aussie assault, and we get down and dirty with Australia’s toughest custom-built ML Triton.

Plus, we belt a Harrop-tweaked Ford PXII Ranger, and we pay our respects to the outgoing FJ Cruiser.

Grab the latest copy of 4X4 Australia from newsagents, or get it before everyone else by subscribing to 4X4 Australia in electronic or print format.

Here’s what makes the July issue so salivating:

THE LONE RANGER The Ford Ranger is challenging Toyota’s best-selling 4x4s on the sales charts, and Harrop’s custom PXII Ranger shows us why!

KING TONKA To celebrate the end of FJ Cruiser production, we saddle up 2011’s 4X4 Of The Year for a fitting farewell.

FJ FAREWELL We’ve also gathered every iconic Toyota from the past 60 years that played a part in the production of the FJ Cruiser, from the FJ25 to the 70 Series and everything in between.

GREAT DANE Cummins-powered GU Patrol with 40-inch Treps is roaming the globe.

TOUGH TRITON Wild MT Triton lays claim to being Australia’s toughest street-legal Mitsubishi Triton.

PRICE-SLASHED PATROL Petrol-only Y62 Patrol Ti has had a $20K price drop, but will that be enough to entice buyers? Let’s find out.

KDSS. WHAT IS IT? Does KDSS make a difference? We compare two Prados – one with it, one without it – to find out!

TIPS FOR YOUR TYRES Fitting the correct rubber to your off-road rig will reap benefits in the long run.

WEIGHTY ISSUE Never really got your head around GVMs, tare weights and axle loadings? Fear not, we’ll tell you how to safely load your 4×4.

RED CENTRE SECRET Just off the beaten track not far from Alice lies a hidden gem.

AROUND THE CORNER Take a pub crawl through NSW’s Corner Country with Ron and Viv Moon.

LAKE BALLARD Within the vast emptiness of WA’s Kimberley is a lake you must visit!

LOADED LUX GIVEAWAY Opposite Lock gives the Hilux a roof rack, sump protection and a stainless-steel fridge. The package could be yours, but you’ve got to be in it to win it!

THE REST Roothy, Fraser, Ron and Deano on 4×4 issues that matter, and we test a bunch of neat gear. Plus, we show you how to use a high-lift jack without breaking bones!