Date Posted:21 December 2015
Which accessories are worth their weight in gold this summer? We check them out right here!
Let’s face it. There’s lots of products out there for your 4WD. You could spend all summer just installing gear, and never actually get out there to enjoy it. Bull bars, winches, spotlights and recovery gear are just some of the options on offer and it's sometimes difficult to know what you really need.
In this 2 part article we've cut through the hype and give you a list of gear that will really help make your off road experience safer and more enjoyable.
No 1. Bull Bars
We’ve written about Bull Bars before but while these aren’t essential in the city, we believe as soon as you leave the city behind, they become the most critical accessory you can have.
Bull Bars such as MCC Bull Bars, Xrox Bull Bars and ECB Bull Bars are designed to deflect any object you hit, outwards and downwards. This helps reduce the damage to the front of your car (damage which can leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere).
If you are really going offroad, there will also be times when it is necessary to bulldoze your way through - sometimes even going through small trees and scrub. This is where the bull bar really comes into its own. In particular a bull bar incorporated with brush rails and side steps which protect the sides of the car is even better.
The other good thing about Bull Bars is that they allow you to install other accessories such as driving lights, lifting points, winches, UHF aerials and fishing rod holders.
They are also very handy around the camp site as tie points for tarps and tents. Watch the video of Paul explaining the features on some of our videos HERE!
No 2. Hi-Lift Jacks
These simple tools are capable of saving a car from a potentially disastrous situation. We think this is SO important if you are going offroad that it deserves a special mention.
Hi Lift Jack can lift things up seriously high! This allows plenty of room to pack in rocks or branches if your diff bottoms out.
They can be used as a winch! While it may be slow and tough slog, it could really get you out of trouble.
Did you get dirt into your tyre bead? Hi-lift jacks can break the tyre bead so you can clean it up.
Seriously quick. Hi-lift jacks can easily lift a vehicle 10 times as high as a bottle jack could, in a fraction of the time.
It can even be used as a gigantic clamp or a spreader, which is handy if you need to straighten something like a bent steering rod.
If you're really looking at advantages, should you get REALLY stuck or in a tricky situation, you can actually turn a vehicle around on the spot. Just jack up the end of the vehicle and push it sideways off the jack.
In Part 2 of the article 'What Four Wheel Drive Accessories do you Really Need This Summer?' we take you through the final accessories we feel are necessary for any 4x4 enthusiast. Would you like to know more? Give us a call on (07) 3203 2155.