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Part one of our three part series on setting your 4WD up for whatever you want to point it at<\/p>\n
Setting up your 4WD for the truly astonishing amount of off-road tracks we have in this country can be a tricky thing. Sure, there\u2019s a basic recipe for building a well-rounded tourer: You need some decent suspension, tyres, storage, enough 12V gear to keep the drinks frosty and the tracks well lit, maybe a couple of engine upgrades and of course, a camping set-up that\u2019s going to be spot on for your individual needs. However how you get this package together is going to be influenced by a lot of variables.<\/p>\n
Basically, the answer lies in comparing different levels of modification. For just about every area of 4WD customisation there\u2019s basic, intermediate, and ultimate set-ups that all have their pros and cons. We\u2019re not here to tell you what you need, instead we\u2019re going to line them up back to back and show you how well each level of modification works, how far they\u2019ll take you, and tell you what you need to know to get there.<\/p>\n
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TEN THINGS TO ASK YOURSELF<\/strong> Where will I be taking this vehicle?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n What terrains will I be driving?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Will I be travelling alone for extended periods of time?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Is it a daily driver or dedicated get-away-from-it-all truck?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n What are the shortcomings of this particular make and model?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n What do I absolutely have to take with me when heading bush?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n What is the GVM?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n What camping set-up will I be using with this 4WD?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Which is more important to me: off-road capability or long distance comfort?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n What is my budget?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p>\n WANT Vs. NEED<\/strong><\/p>\n When it comes to modifying a 4WD, we see a lot of folks ticking the \u201cI want that…\u201d box instead of the \u201cI need that…\u201d one. While it\u2019s not necessarily a bad thing, by getting what you need knocked over first you\u2019ve got the basic recipe in place, then you can focus on refining it to suit your taste. Let\u2019s say you\u2019ve got a desert crossing planned for next year and want to prepare your vehicle to suit. You\u2019re going to need some heavy duty suspension, quality all-terrain tyres and maybe an awning to keep the dew off your swag. After that it\u2019s all about adding things to suit your requirements. A set of drawers makes life infinitely easier and a fridge is high on the wish list for desert travel. Maybe a long range tank and a good set of driving lights to keep the animals from becoming the latest bullbar decoration?<\/p>\n By sorting out the essentials first, it gives you a great foundation to build from. We can\u2019t tell you how many 4WDers we\u2019ve spoken to over the years who have thrown a heap of mods at their pride and joy, only to realise later on that they don\u2019t need half of them and would rather have spent the money on something they\u2019d actually use.<\/p>\n CAMPING<\/strong><\/p>\n CHOOSING YOUR CAMPING SET-UP IS A DIFFICULT CHOICE AND HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON HOW YOU MODIFY YOUR 4WD<\/p>\n Having a solid camping set-up makes any trip infinitely more enjoyable. But knowing what will work for you may take a little trial and error. While some of us start out with a swag or dome tent and work up from there, others will be happy with nothing else. It\u2019s a personal thing, so try a few different things on and find out what\u2019s the best fit for you.<\/p>\n BASIC<\/strong><\/p>\n An Adventure Kings Swag and Awning is as simple as it gets, but there\u2019s a reason this set-up has been in use for the past hundred-plus years. It\u2019s quick, easy and it works! Swags these days offer excellent comfort and awning keep the worst of the weather off. Perfect for singles or people travelling as a couple<\/p>\n <\/p>\n INTERMEDIATE<\/strong><\/p>\n An Adventure Kings Rooftop tent is perfect for couples and young families who need quick set-up and pack down times, don\u2019t have the room in the cab for swags and who aren\u2019t keen on towing. Perfect for when you\u2019re on a trip to a destination, like the Cape, where it\u2019s likely you\u2019ll be camping somewhere new every night or two.<\/p>\n ULTIMATE<\/strong><\/p>\n Camper trailers may take a long time to set up compared to a rooftop tent or swag, but the extra room and comfort they give is out of sight. Plenty of shelter, great for couples and families and best of all you can unhitch your trailer and go for a drive without the need to pack everything up.<\/p>\n EXPERT INPUT \u2013 BRENNO<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThere are few things as personal as setting up your campsite. Choosing between tents, swags or trailers can be one of the most difficult choices you can make, and can have a direct impact on how you modify your 4WD. Kids, pets, comfort requirements, cost, set-up times and the types of trip you do also play big parts in the decision making process. At the end of the day, the only way you\u2019re going to get a good idea of what you want is to get out there! Start out with a decent sized tent and go from there. You may find you want something quick and easy, like a swag, rooftopper or 30 second tent. Or you could find out that having more room and creature comforts like kitchens and double-beds are worth a little more time and effort, and start scouring the classifieds for a camper trailer. Everyone\u2019s different and there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all solution here. You have to work out what\u2019s important to you and go from there \u2013 and see some of the best parts of the country while you\u2019re doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n BASIC:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n SWAG AND AWNING<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n INTERMEDIATE:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ROOFTOP TENT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n ULTIMATE:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n CAMPER TRAILER<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n\n COST<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n $180 – $1200<\/span><\/p>\n Depending on size of swag and coverage of awning<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n $500-$1200<\/span><\/p>\n A great option for couples or small families<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n $7000-$60,000<\/span><\/p>\n Great for families or trips where you stay in one spot for more than one night<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n TIME<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Set-up in about three minutes<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Fully set-up in a few minutes depending on brand<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Set-up in a few minutes to half an hour or so depending on model<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n DIY?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Install the awning yourself with a couple of spanners and maybe a mate to help hold it in position while you\u2019re nipping up the bolts.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Installation will need a couple of burly blokes to get her up on your rack, but once installed they don\u2019t really need much added to them other than a couple of Illuminator LED strip lights in strategic locations to make those dark periods between days a little less inconvenient<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Buying a base model camper and adding things like hot water systems, solar chargers, jerry holders and LED lighting is a great way to save some coin<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n\n YOU WANT THIS IF…<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n …you\u2019re camping on your own or as a couple and want a quick, easy, hassle free set-up. It may be simple, but it works equally brilliantly if you\u2019re in a different location every night or are in one place for a week or more<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n …you want a bit more room than a swag offers and don\u2019t mind folding up the tent every time you go for a drive. Great in hot or tropical areas where mozzies and crocs are down on the ground while you\u2019re up in the cool breeze out of reach. More weight up top will affect your 4WD on off-camber tracks, but for general touring it\u2019s not really a worry.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n …you\u2019re a couple or a family that needs plenty of room and don\u2019t mind a bit of extra set-up time. Perfect as a base camp when staying in one spot for a couple of nights at a time. Drive the tracks by day, come back to a canvas palace complete with swing out kitchen at night. Pearler!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n WHY BRENNO RUNS A SWAG AND AWNING<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve run just about every camping set-up you can imagine over the years and was part of the rooftop tent faithful for ages, but since the advent of double swags I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever go back to anything else. Both swag and awning are ready to go in about three minutes, I\u2019m comfy, have plenty of room and can be packed up and ready to go again in no time. It\u2019s the perfect set-up for me, no matter if I\u2019m doing a fortnight long epic DVD trip or quick overnighter with the lads. The awning\u2019s always mounted so I just chuck the swag up on the rack or in the back and I\u2019m set.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Part one of our three part series on setting your 4WD up for whatever you want to point it at Setting up your 4WD for the truly astonishing amount of off-road tracks we have in this country can be a tricky thing. Sure, there\u2019s a basic recipe for building a well-rounded tourer: You need some…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123456,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/123456"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=329"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":336,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329\/revisions\/336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nBefore jumping in with both feet and going bananas with the mods on your truck, sit down and answer the following ten questions:<\/p>\n\n
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