COMMON 4WD SETUP MISTAKES and HOW TO AVOID THEM

[@PaletoB]

I'm to cheap so I'm just no gear and no idea...

[@krispykruzer]

X 2

[@Upbt50gt]

X3

[@jimbospeak8473]

Yeahhh! Same boat here! Not long ago got my first 4x4

[@MrBenjaminoneill]

Love it

[@qcwred]

Broke*

[@BradGryphonn]

I have some suggestions for people who are putting an older vehicle together on a tight budget based on my practical experience (take it or leave it, I'm just the average bloke). 1: Replace all the hoses, belts and other bits that wear on the engine. Keep the old bits as emergency spares. If your budget allows, replace your water pump and other 'outside' parts that may be worn. 2: Go over your suspension and brakes with a fine tooth comb, and replace anything that is showing age. 3: Replace/refurbish any badly aged wiring and wiring insulation in the engine bay and on the body/rear. 4: Once you've got all that sorted, and your old jigger is more reliable and safe, you can look at your 'getaway' wants and needs. But do the safety and reliability stuff first. With respect to the drivetrain/suspension, it is surprising what you'll find when you really start looking for wear. I'm a bit old school and tend to go a little overboard with above. The ute I'm doing up now had some worn tie-rod ends. I started pulling the front suspension down and found worn ball joints, upper control arms, and some sad shocks. So I fell down the rabbit hole and replaced just about everything from pads and rotors to control arms, and shocks. I then replaced all the rear spring rubbers and shocks etc. I replaced the thermostat with an aluminium one rather than the old composite plastic thing, swapped out the clutch fan for electrics, replaced the water pump and a bunch of sensors, wiring, and insulation. Oh and all the top end seals. Total cost so far (including the price of the 2nd-hand ute) has been around $6000. That includes all the parts, as well as extra tools, paint and cleaning stuff, oils, greases, a full solar system, water tanks, gas hot water, stove etc. I shopped around and also found giveaway stuff for all the solar and water supply gear because I didn't want to skimp on the motor and drivetrain. Anyway, just a Sunday morning rambling from me. Hopefully something I wrote is useful for those on a tight budget who want to build a getaway vehicle on the cheap but safe path.

[@anotheryoutuber_]

maintenance over mods all the way! a broken rig with all the cool gear does look nearly as cool as well maintained stock vehicle that's not broke down on trail.

[@deriusnorris4463]

Yuuuup

[@jdcoverland365]

Well put Brad. I will be bidding on a truck from Auction. New hoses/water pump/oil pump /all steering parts/ball joints etc and a Complete brake rebuild are a given. Things usually don't break down in your driveway!.

[@BradGryphonn]

@@jdcoverland365 You're right there, mate. When I get this finished I'll be living in it 24/7 visiting old haunts and new. I'll be carrying a bunch of spares, a small welder, genset, jacks and stands, and more tools than I really need (until I need them). I've spent a lot of time estimating the weight of different things and where they'll go to keep the weight reasonable and also keep the centre of gravity low and balanced. It's probably why it's taken me so long to get it done. I think about it more than I actually work on it at the moment.

[@mikewhitman745]

It almost sounds like your budget build might be cheaper and way easier just getting a new truck to begin with?

[@day_for_it]

Where was this video 5-10 years ago. I have to say it resonates with me so much. My previous car I put mud tyres on as a daily /tourer and since have changed cars to all terrains as such a nicer experience. No one ever talks about the down side of drawers with fridge slides making the fridge just to high and before you know it your getting a drop slide. The list goes on. Great tips

[@archygrey9093]

I once came across a house with two 4wds with rooftop tents, but what the people there did was add a couple of boat winches and a pulley to the underside of the carport so that they could hook up and lift up the rooftop tents when not needed, and when it was time to go camping all they needed to do was park the car back under the carport and lower the tent back on. Great for storage too, the tents are suspended up and out of the way of everything. The guy i talked to seemed pretty proud of his system

[@isakfelton3524]

Holy fuck that is a mint idea

[@007Knightjp]

I've always considered the best kind of advice is to take your stock vehicle on a trip. Then you will know what you like and don't like, what you need and don't need.

[@alpha2gproject783]

Facts. I bought a 2014 F150 FX4 on a Wednesday and that Friday I took it out to an off-road park that has a mix of rock crawling areas, mud bogs, wide open trails as well as hairpins. Found that my ground clearance wasn't bad but could use improvement, the tires were okay but I needed something more aggressive and a winch would of been particularly useful as a just in case. Slowly over the past year since it's a daily and a weekend toy I've installed a 3 inch lift, a full width Baja style bumper and winch, slightly wider than stock tires and soon will be building a trail cam system consisting of a front, rear and roof mounted camera (more of like a GoPro for the views than a trail spotter)

[@mistercallme3047]

Great advice! I did this with my triton and worked out everything I want to upgrade, (everything except gearbox and transmission... for now)

[@axelvetter]

I agree, that's the way to go. I bought my Land Cruiser 78 here in Germany outfitted with what I wanted anyway e. g. raised air intake, air con, dual fuel tanks, tow hitch, dual fuel filters, bash plates, proper tyres and rims plus anti-rust treatment. On my first two trips to a hot climate (Sahara in Tunisia) and a cold one (Iceland) I found out what I was missing. Later I added an auxiliary heating, two more seats as I became a father of two boys, a pop-up roof, better suspension and diff locks. Now I have exactly the vehicle I want that is still quite light and has not a single accessory I don't need.

[@Krackerz92]

I was gonna comment exactly this, if you use it stock then mod it you'll actually know what you're going to use

[@didier89db]

Agreed mate. I bought my 2012 d22 5 months ago and picked it up 2 days before a trip to the Murray and as much as I loved it I realised straight away she needed some work. Next week booked in for a completely new suspension/lift kit system 😁 And still more to come but I go for little day trips between each mod and see what needs to be adjusted/added

[@davetaf1323]

Ronny mate i'm from Trinidad and Tobago and can honestly say from day one i never regretted subscribing to your channel

[@petterbecker-jostes5645]

After you said in one of your other videos that you need a bull bar so that hitting a kangaroo doesn't result in a vehicle breakdown, I got myself a super expensive bull bar and now I'm all set up for my trips around Europe...

[@MaitreMark]

In these crazy times anything can happen. I set up my 83 Patrol fire truck edition to survive the zombie plague of 2020....

[@maddawgnoll]

European kangaroos are dangerous... they all carry knives and baseball bats 😂

[@MaitreMark]

I spent 2021 driving around Australia, dodging lockdowns mostly, and then was marooned in WA wondering how I could manage to get back to Tassy.... but, the trip taught me quite a lot about what to keep, what to chuck and what to get next. I am now fine tuning for a trip to the NT because they were shut back in 2021.

[@crashedking1931]

All so true I figured it out finally. I ended up building 4 different builds and my Dailey is 4x4 all stock. The only setback is I pay for 5 sets of tabs every year. Love your channel. Oh and I know this guy that bought $1000.00 in recovery gear and only used it once in 2 years. He was watching to much matts offroad or something.

[@aussiedrifter]

G'day Ronny, I would love a coffee machine but for simplicity & not wanting to run out of the little coffee pod's I stick to the good old Nescafe Espresso (Green label) & I find it to be easy really good & a bloody good drop first thing in the morning for an instant coffee

[@OnCountryWithMick]

Some great points here Ronny. I know a few people like this unfortunately and you see it all the time in the bush especially with the young guys that watch some rather large channels and then want to buy everything they see their favourite influencers using. Personally I built my Pajero up knowing I will need to use all 5 seats at times and maybe the 3rd row from time to time. I also knew it would mostly be a daily so I wanted to keep weight down and still have it practical. Ive stuck with stock tyre sizes in AT, stock Alloy rims (Came with steelies) then custom built everything in the back of it. I want to make a couple of changes for example rebuild the back and swap the side my Drawer fridge sits on because with my drop down table on the back door I can open the fridge far enough to access everything but I can't open the drawer enough as it sits now unless I put the table back up. Ive also gone from a Metal Roof Basket to a Alloy Flat rack as I rarely carry things other than my solar panel, shovel and small tool box up there anyway. A lot of thought went into my original build but after use some things could work better.

[@hu28282828]

The most sensible advices. Simple but people often forget about asking those questions

[@CommieHunter7]

The "what are you using your car for" question is really challenging, because some people don't want to use them. They want to own the "best" thing, and describe all the things it can do, but they may not do it. It's a classic bench racer scenario. Let them own it if they like, but it's often clear who bought to say, and who bought to do.

[@fantabuloussnuffaluffagus]

Like my friend with the G-Wagon, he's telling me how great it is off road, how it has lockers and air suspension and how that makes it so killer off road. He won't actually take it past the end of the pavement.

[@mattrickard3716]

It's just not worth the risk of getting a gum leaf on the roof of your $100,000 cruiser. It's a moot point for me as I will never have that kind of money, but there's an advantage to driving a $4000 Rodeo; no tears because a gum leaf lands on the roof and no cracking the shits because someone gets sausage roll crumbs on the seat covers.

[@entropyachieved750]

Old Les Hiddins the bush tucker man had a fairly basic setup and got around just fine as well so keep that in mind

[@northislandguy]

I’m the weekend 4WD guy because I’m tradie during the week, good tips Ronny as always 🤙🏽 The “want” always exceeds the need 😂

[@ScottyP79]

All my gear is a tax write off. Even though it costs a lot I’m constantly touring around Oz working, so it does get used but when I watched this video my first thought was I could probably get rid of the scrub bars, unnecessary weight. The rest I’m really happy with! great video Ronny 👍🏻

[@rylandpeters8982]

Can tell you took this video as a personal attack and felt you had to defend yourself 😂

[@ScottyP79]

@@rylandpeters8982 😆 classic! I’m the first to admit I’m all the gear and no idea ahhaha but that’s not how I intended the comment to be, reading back now it does looks defensive 🤣

[@Wayno21]

Another great video Ronny, I started following the popular 4wd channels a few years back and decided I didn't want to climb over large rocks or get stuck in mud in Tassie, so I bought a Forester, yes it's not a real 4wd but it gets me out camping and exploring, living on the GC with sand islands in my backyard, a few simple mods and its all good. Fuel economy is fantastic (diesel), sure I can't take as much junk when I go camping, but can fit what I need.

[@gqwarrior6694]

I own a very capable GQ Patrol. My missus had a 2006 Forester (manual) for a couple of years. Went great on sand. In fact it often cruised through places the heavier GQ struggles. Only real restriction was clearance

[@FureyinHD]

Thing is you need to build a vehicle for your needs, sounds like you've done just that. My Jeep can handle all the trails on the island I live on, but people will still insist I need 37s and dual lockers, blah blah, or its not proper. Which is silly.

[@northislandguy]

Your getting out mate and that’s the real win, my Ute is my workhorse so I ain’t climbing rocks 😂

[@vincegiordmaina4440]

This vid is spot on, Did a lift few years ago , now going to get a gvm upgrade , waisted a few k's already.🤣🤣

[@crispyjokingtuna1495]

I got my 4x4 2 years ago, and I’m happy that it seems like I haven’t made any of these mistakes. I have (next to) no gear and am learning the idea

[@p.w.2149]

That's the most honest video about 4weeling I seen so far. ;-) In my case I got a regular 4x4 SUV not a true Off-roader but equipped with good old Geolandars it is pretty capable for my stuff. I got stuck only one time when I was unconcentrated leading to a wrong decision in my line choice. Next I'm looking for a slight lift to avoid the risk of bottom out on muddy European forest trails.

[@calvinsallee]

Im a weekend wheeler, i dont do stuff to drstroy my rig but i think its a well balanced rig, 99 4runner limited, multi mode j shift T case, e locker, 3 inch lift, 33" tires, tube bumper and winch, pod lights on the bumper & just upgraded the fog lights to some rigid D series lights, doesnt get loaded up with much when i go other than a couple guns and my shooting targets and some drinks and food, and its comfortable, its a badass rig!

[@richardhuczko2326]

The part about the coffee maker was brilliant. Currently trying to set up an inverter and definitely gonna want the battery too.

[@stevenwatling3160]

I just traded my BT50 which had 160,000 touring ks on the clock(17ft semi off road van) for a new V8 79 series dualcab( bucket list buy at a very reasonable post covid price) and was considering a few mods. This video has been very helpful in considering this . Also, I am now familiar with the ' unique towing characteristics' of the 79 when compared to the BT50! Having said that I love the 79 and the downhill braking with a load on is amazing. I love the channel Cheers!

[@4WheelingInNSW]

Good one Ronny, as always mate - both very entertaining and so relevant. Great stuff bud 👍🤜🤛 Side note : the wife’s 2006 Grand Vitara is pretty well stock with the exception of home made traction board holder, home made shove holder and a cheap aluminium / alloy roof basket thingy … that’s it and it gets super everywhere we need to go. Also helped to get my youtube channel going. Even though it has its limits off-road, and I know of them, it’s a great little 4x4 off road 👍 it’s my wife’s daily driver but it really works off-road on the weekend too. 👍👍

[@BradGryphonn]

You'll also find a lot of these 'no idea' rigs have dried car polish in the headlight surrounds and door seals, lots of brand stickers but no sponsors, and a vape in the centre console.

[@scotthepburn69]

Yep, bought an old 100 series and I’m still spending money on it just so I know it’s reliable, great advice, great channel.

[@williamwalsh1399]

Great video and informative. Have a current gallery prado and tow a van. I discovered very quickly that you have to be very careful about how you add accessories and load your car to keep it legal. Bullbar, winch, spare battery, lights, airbags, fridge, tools and a few slabs of water and towball download you suddenly have to leave the kids at home. I 'temporarily ' removed the 3rd row seats and put storage underneath to gain extra load capacity.

[@johnfitzgerald5158]

Ronny, With all due respect, I think we shouldn't all over think it. A lot of us want/need one vehicle to do everything, daily, rocks, camping, touring. I think people should just do what makes them happy. I drive a full size daily on 37" Toyo muddies, fully armored up, fridge on a slide in back powered by a Jackery 1000. It gets me to work, although it burns a boatload of gasoline, it cruises nicely on the highway, and it is a superior beast off-road when I need it. If I hit a whitetail deer 🦌 on the road, I will win because I have robust, heavy steel, aftermarket bumpers. Some of these weight compromisses ensure that I can get home and drive to work the next day. I think the best guidance is to have a vision of what it will be, so you don't pay twice. And buy quality aftermarket parts. There is a lot of crappy stuff that wears out, break or rusts really quickly.

[@RyanSmithization]

Dumb people

[@brianwalker1933]

Great advice. I've had my 1990 F150 4WD for 7 years now and l'm about to replace my standard tyres, which are 31" tyres to 33" tyres for that 1" extra ground clearance and also do a 2" suspension lift, as my standard suspension needs replacing, according to the mechanic that was doing a rego inspection. My vehicle is basically standard,apart from a set of extractors with a free flowing, two into one 3" single exhaust system. I use the vehicle off-road for camping, going fishing, getting firewood. Where l live, there are more dirt roads than bitumen roads that l mostly drive on and when it rains too much, mud tyres are an advantage. I'm a firm believer in the "KISS" method. ☺

[@agesadventures]

These are great tips for all new 4x4 owners. I see so many pavement princesses at the mall that never see dirt. So sad 😭

[@unluckyalf2007]

Funny. On one of the Hilux facebook pages there are people trying to sell their 4x4s and one of the 'selling points' is that its never been offroad. Crazy

[@agesadventures]

@@unluckyalf2007 and they are probably trying to sell at a premium too😁

[@thecommentor8384]

A lot of good points raised here. It’s a very hard thing to do, the trade offs you make to get that vehicle perfectly suited to your needs. You might have one rig that you daily to work, but you want to go on a proper mission every weekend. It’s all about the trade offs.

[@CHMernerner]

Yeah this is why I like this channel What you really need? Water, smallest Wheels. Ok offroad Tires. Recovery points. Spare tire. Protections. A shovel, And some other basic tools. Don't get lift over 2.5" if you don't know what are you doing. And check if your gear ratio and size are suitable for size of your tires too. Other than that, you need to research and experience. And be aware of what kind of places you will go and who can, what can rescue you. I... had bad time when i used AT on my truck. Just stuck. No matter what I did. On flat land. No traction. It was the first time that kind of thing happened on those kind if surface. I ordered 5 MT tires again in next day...

[@ryanj9731]

good vid Ronnie...I love the look of the roof rack + awning at camp but I ended up opting for the $200 gazebo over the $2k rack + awning and yep from camp i can wheel straight out for day trips.

[@tommygalatsi3237]

Very informative info as usual,and some very good tips there Ronny.Its taken me nearly 3 years to modified my 4WD the way I wanted to be,and I done all my electrical systems myself,your previous videos back a while ago,certainly help me to choose carefully and do my research,great stuff mate keep up the great work you do Cheers.

[@jasonhowe1697]

I find having the right tire for the right job is the key and knowing when to air up or down and also knowing what and where it is appropriate to have chains on hand and where to use them for extra grip.. Main fuel tank upgrade plus 2 sub wheel tanks.. with utes in use may be consider a 6x6/6x4 conversion to spread weight over a wider area..

[@unpluggedkiwi1063]

I have owned (and used) a number of 4WD's over the years, both in New Zealand and Australia. And I can't even count the number of times my pretty much standard vehicle has got places that the heavily modified ones have not. I am now retired and live full time in my caravan which I tow with my car based , bog standard all wheel drive Skoda. You would be surprised the places I have got to with this combination. Admittedly New Zealand has totally different conditions to Australia. 'All the gear, no idea" also applies in the caravan/campervan/motorhome arena. I bought my first RV just over 5 years ago, a 9m professionally converted bus and I A-framed a 3 door Suzuki Grand Vitara behind it. I bought something that big because, moving from an apartment, I thought I needed the room. Within a few months I realised it was way to big to get to the places I wanted to go. After 12 months I downsized to a 7m bus, still towing the Suzuki. 12 months later and I went to a 4.3m caravan. I lived in that full time with it completely standard for 2 years. Just over a year ago, I spent $15,000 upgrading the caravan (which I had purchased for $28,000) with on board fresh and grey water tanks, big solar panel, lithium battery and decent inverter, wind out awning and a number of other smaller items. I now have a set-up that I can get into out of the way places that a large caravan/motorhome can't get to. I can happily stay off grid for extended lengths of time. And being retired I can set up camp for weeks/months at a time and use my tow vehicle as a daily without having to pack up.

[@olenilsen4660]

0:55 - Love the level of self irony here - it´s part of what makes you great! I think we all might be a bit better off sometimes, if we remember that this cow was also a calf at some point. It´s nothing to be ashamed of, it´s just a part of living and learning. Thanks for offering us to not make the same mistakes! 9:45 - I feel a bit like a downer when I saw this, because I tend to tell people "I like this and that, but you will sacrifice odds and ends..." - but I just feel like it´s the honest thing to do - I have never purchased anything that doesn´t have those two views. Not a thing you can buy or make in this world will be the best in every occasion, it is always a tradeoff. Sidenote - If you wanna sell some ATGANI gear, I just might be interested ;)

[@AmeriCreed]

What an awesome video! I’m about to purchase an Outback. My first needs are skid plates, a lift, tires and wheels. I’ll run that for a few months and decide what to add next. It’s very emotional and you want everything now, but you don’t need everything now. Thanks for a great video.

[@benjaminnissen7977]

All very worthy points. Somewhere there will be a compromise, that’s just the way it goes. Just make sure you use what you have, then you are winning.

[@sheridancowling6257]

Good one today was a P plater in an MN Triton with twin snorkels. Second snorkel just for appearance. Another was a jacked up Ranger with big mud tyres and nothing else. Not a mark anywhere on this Ranger. 2 Landcruisers on Thursday, one was a brand spanka with a PVC pipe snorkel. The other was jacked right up with flash suspension sporting remote reservoir shocks, comp tray and lots of stickers. No protection gear or anything on it. All for looks from what I could see.

[@pim3054]

So many people need to understand this content , and as applied to ' life ' beyond 4wd'ing

[@teddost2293]

A rule of thumb that I've always used for modding is "does it ever leave a road" I mean this as in dirt road or unmaintained. If you're on a road of some sort chances are a stock 4x4 is overkill for the environment but nice to have for inclimate weather. I'd really pay attention to how often you actually use the 4x4 feature as well and if it was ever needed. I've been out many times in the past tooling around in my grandad's TJ that we mainly just added gas can holders, a bigger jack, a factory option lift, and a winch. I think we used the winch maybe 4 times in many years of using the vehicle and that was actively pushing the thing to see where we could get it stuck. The factory lift was like a 3'' inch. I can't even remember how many time's I'd see people stuck just due to not knowing how to use their vehicle where I'd roll up in 2wd and scratch my head on how did they get stuck there? Currently running a stock 2011 Ford ranger sport 4x4 in upstate NY and mainly just because of the snow in winter. Occasionally will drive through some fairly deep snow in some semi remote areas 8-12'' and that's plenty for my needs running just all weather tires. It's a far cry from hitting the desert in Arizona and the needs are entirely different. Here's what all the coolguy stuff gets you if it's a daily driver. 1. That lift kit makes your vehicle top heavy "very bad for highway driving in traffic" 2. The wear and tear from the extra gear means more maintence more often (more= heavier) This means decreased fuel economy, changing your fluids more often, metal fatigue, brakes wear out much faster (if not upgraded it also means you have a longer stopping distance), With a rock climb setup you also get much more body roll (horrendously bad for driving in traffic.) Many of the big boy lifts have custom parts (longer driveshafts for example) and many of those custom parts are not done correctly (longer drive shaft vs a jointed extended shaft that flexes with the suspension with an intermediary bearing) This can cause your bearings to heat up and fail if the angle of attack is too steep or can cause rear diff failure from the shaft (pushing and pulling) when the suspension actually does any sort of travel. It can also damage your transmission. Sorry for blabbing I really enjoyed the video and Aussyland looks amazing to go have fun in the outback. How I'd list it for myself is 1. Reliability 2.safety gear&supplies 3. mods to make life easier (take it out, see what you're comfortable driving in and mod accordingly) chances are with many 4x4's #3 would be like a snorkle for the dust if in a desert or different tire choices but, honestly mild upgrades tend to be the way to go unless you got a very specific need.

[@kennyhardknocks5183]

I agree with you 100%. The issue have is I tow a 2.6t off Rd van using a 100 series 1HDFTE. It has a lot of aftermarket accessories. Usual stuff bullbar, winch, rearbar, long range tank, roof rack etc. added an agm upgrade 3.5t I got it ready for the CSR hence long range tank and rear bar. I travel to Cape York and other places. So it has a few jobs towing, sand dunes off Rd stuff. What I’ve worked at to lighten it was sold the rock sliders 40kgs, removed the draw system & fridge slide 90kgs, remove 2nd row rear seats seats when travelling 50kgs, removed 3rd row seats permanently 40kgs, It sits at 3.1t. So get what you mean I’ve waste cash in adding and adding stuff

[@sandrewadventures]

One of the most considered - think about this first - responses, thanks for the challenge to think about things!

[@TwoCrabsAdventures]

Good information Ronny, love how you owned the mistakes you have made on the many build's. We all do it!

[@grantm1891]

Describes most Landcruiser owners I think. It was funny in the Bunners 4WD club 25 years ago. Landcruiser would turn up, double lockers, all the bar work, TJM or ARB catalogue thrown at it, mega dollars spent. We all had GQs, $600 on springs and cheap shocks, 33s and we’d out drive the mega dollar rigs. And the modified 80’s would spit cv’s and break wheel lugs (5 lugs) and blow gearboxes. Perfect rig back then was a GQ with a 1HDFT. If only Nissan did decent diesel engines..

[@johnnumbat9782]

Thanks for a good discussion Ronny - I’ve owned many Subarus but now have an auto diesel Hilux ute with factory bullbar and side steps - I wanted to use this for touring, domestic duties and ‘fortnightly driver as I’m a retired country gent - I sold the rear tub and ARB fibreglass canopy, found a good second hand aluminium 1800mm tray from Adelaide, a new 1600mm aluminium lift-off canopy with 23Zero RFT fitted to it - I’m still fitting out the dual battery system and kitchen as I learn what I need in time - the AT Geolandar tyres have been excellent on and off road including wet days and interestingly used on all my previous Subarus.

[@bluzrc7640]

This was a great video. I think sometimes we all have these magnificent daydreams about all the gear we want. But at the end of the day, we just want to ride.

[@thomasroyal2772]

Very practical ideas. I am hoping to get my rig a little more up to date, well as far as you can update a 1989 Trooper, so I won't need to take so many of those pieces and parts. Thanks for the video Ronnie. T-Rizzle

[@destination4wd788]

Good advises! This info is very important for people getting new cars in today community, our needs are always different as you said and what work for you may not work for me (it doesn’t mean that you are wrong or right, it just mean that it doesn’t suit everybody needs). But I guess it is easy for some people go for the easy path just getting what other say and not searching what can be suitable for them and it all end with disappointment and expending more that what they should have expended. 👍👍👍👍

[@stevereaver]

I've been building my Patrol up over 10 year. Just one thing at a time as I need it for each trip, and as my knowledge builds. The trips started small and local, and got more and more complex. I've since done Simpson and am heading to the Cape in a few months. No need to go all in at once, just build slowly.

[@scubbarookie]

Thank you for helping us put our heads on straight! Some of the products out there are over the top.

[@stevenlippis5488]

I do heaps of research, because it takes a long time to be able to afford anything. 😬 Car came with 33" muddies, but I replaced them with 32" a/t tyres when they wore out. Vehicle feels less stressed and much quieter. I'd love a 270 degree awning, but we currently don't do a lot of trips, and it is a daily driver, but our plan is to slowly build it into the tourer we want, while buying good quality gear over cheap crap we just have to replace, so we might be better off making an awning the last thing we get.

[@SeasonAscent]

Nearly at 500k! I remember watching at 10k. Quality as always.

[@andrewtariromoyo4087]

The quality of your videos is ever-improving. Great watch every time. Well done.

[@cAiNoOp]

newby tip here- consider how loud your roof rack is, mine is like a bloody wind sail, definitely getting it taken off and in future will do more research as to the noise it makes, fitment etc

[@stevesmith3556]

Some good advice Ronny! I have a Mazda (Ford) pickup with about 3 inch lift, aggressive 33 A/T's, winch bumper and winch, 4:10 years, skid plates and plan to lock front and rear. I use it mostly for harder tracks and towing a trailer over them. I don't want to have this as a touring vehicle and have a second vehicle for daily. I see trucks and SUVs that have all the stuff and just laugh because I know they don't have a clue😂. Can't wait to see where you take the Troopy for a good shakedown!

[@Goran2551]

Best idea is to keep your maintenance upto date ...having all the gear ...with a poorly maintained truck is nothing but trouble ...I ve seen so many so called weekend worriors that have no idea about vehicle maintenance...or general repair...

[@henkstols9326]

My first UTE/bakkie I lifted the suspension and did some extra mods for trail driving and some camping and I really enjoyed doing this to improve capability. My current vehicle I have just fitted bigger tyres and thats it, I dont need anything else really as I just want to go camping off the beaten track and I realised that my bakkie will 9 out of 10 times do it without breaking a sweat.

[@beer3029]

There are 3 main budgets to consider. 1. Monitory budget: how much money can you spend on the rig and accessories. 2. Weight budget: what is your gvwr and how does it effect the offroad ability of your vehicle/is it legal or will you be automatically held liable in certain accidents because you are overweight. 3. Usable room: how convenient is it to get to the gear that you need quickly or are things ultimately in the way.

[@australianmade2659]

I’ve just got a Subaru outback. I’ve never crossed water and I only do dirt tracks to campsites. That’s all I need

[@ryanm4013]

That’s good because I’ve seen more Outbacks stuck on trials than any other vehicle. People seem to think they are actually built for the Outback! 😂😂

[@4xhoser]

These are the things in my head constantly Ronny, so many Tacomas and Jeeps near me are built so terrible, and I'm a Tacoma owner haha 🤘🇨🇦 Great advice to all

[@TheLukaszpg]

My way of thinking. Thanks Ronny. That's why I am still running AGM and 300W inverter. I think Ronny is getting the pikup Kwik 😂

[@michaelmartin2057]

I see you have picked up on some editing techniques. Wonderful. It just improves on your professionalism in this sector of 4W driving. Research is imperative. I thought I had done enough research for my rear facing stainless 4inch for my LC 300 only to find out, after the fact, that a forward facing snorkel is more efficient and quieter. Can't open the sun roof or the passenger window whilst driving due to the noise. I hope this tip will help others. Now if you can help me, I'm about to put some under body armour on but don't want to do the complete front to back. What do you suggest in order of preference or need ?

[@PropaneTreeFiddy]

Whenever I get overly excited about an expensive mod I like to watch this channel to ground myself and save some money

[@damonclarkgymfitat6092]

Brilliant video Ronnie, I’m just starting my build and your videos have helped me make, what I think are sensible choices. First off, wheels and tyres, because it’s my daily driver I opted to go for maxxis AT and only going up an 1” in diameter, but I changed to steel wheels and changed the offset to push them to a wider stance. And so far not noticed any change in fuel 👍🏻👍🏻 . Next is roof rack, slim line then 270 awning with quick release 🤷🏼‍♂️ so when not needed off and stored.

[@deriusnorris4463]

A true video. Ergonomics/economics over ego. Thanks for the video nice effects and editing. FYI. Spell check @12:23 "understanding" Cheers

[@ZPSCRUISER]

Hey mate just started boarding school your vid helps me set up my 75 Toyota Ute

[@juangreeff2711]

Great video- deciding what concept you are going for and sticking with it will ultimately get you the most practical vehicle. It might not look as amazing, but it'll definitely do the job and looking at it will make sense.

[@RoyFJ65]

Truth here in every sense, seen too many over done FJ Cruisers. Some mud terrains of today do fairly well on road and off and manage to last. The E rated ones in stock size give a good predictability when the vehicle faces surprising mud or rocks, that happens to tourers often depending on where they are.

[@garyd3758]

I have an idea. Save the $30,000 you'll spend on all the gear and spend it on a nice pub room or hotel. Even a caravan park shower is heaven when you've just changed a CV on the trail.

[@michaeldejesus7418]

And here I am been contemplating where to put mu uhf antenna 😂😂 New viewer here. I've been watching a few of your vids and mostly about uhf radio and antenna placement so far, but loving most of your content 🤙

[@DelicaWorks]

great advice man, especially to the new crown of "vanlifers" who fall all over the spectrums you listed. I will share this in several Delica groups.

[@Bohemiahotrodandcustom]

It's all about planning, I spent atleast a month planning the accessories I needed before I even looked at a spanner, shop around, find the best products at the right price, write out a list then determine if you need it or just want it and is there a product that has more than one use. Stay away from the cheap Chinese garbage, try to do as much work on the vehicle as you can, if you are stuck in the outback it's a good idea to know how to fix the problem. To conclude have fun 👍

[@henrya1051]

Great vid full of common sense which I see very little of these days…….mainly in the tyre size / lift area. Bigger is better until someone with more sensible mods goes and does things that you struggle with because of all of those tough mods.

[@ericmurphy3970]

fun lecture. Thanks! food for thought for sure. My D40 is slowly taking shape.

[@bernieeod57]

Mods to my 2021 Tacoma (Hilux) 1) Metal bumper with hidden winch 2) Utility rack suitable for touring and work. Fabricated myself. 3) Driving lights. 4) Fog lights. 5) Running boards / step Planned mods: a) AT tires. b) 2 or 3 inch lift kit. Considering a 2nd set of wheels and tires "Weekend set" With the stock street tires for everyday driving. Being married, I am happy with stock rims because I have no desire to make my rig a "Chick magnet"

[@JDQproducciones]

I don't even have a truck or anything 4x4 but loved this videos and well, in my experience with Time Attacks and bike racing... it will always be better and slightly cheapper on the long run to have a stock daily, and you get rid of the problem when breaking something on sunday means taking an Uber on monday

[@benbirch2393]

Wj grand cherokee, thule roof bars, arb awning and fridge, 12v non-fixed batteries with solar charging (blankets), ome 2" lift, 245/70r17 tyres and a home made rear shelf with slide out cooking table, 4 Wolf pack boxes and I'm good to go. Light, simple, organised.

[@davetaf1323]

This video reminded me why i subscribed to your chanel from day one , excellent info , love ya buddy all the way from Trinidad and Tobago

[@kisbushcraftdownunder]

Its very easy to modify out reliability vehicle manufacturers match all the components so they work together drive line components strong enough to over power the tyres on a high traction surface, change the size (diameter or Width)of the wheels and you could find the weakest link.Change the suspension hight and see how long the universal joints and CV joints last, on a Kimberly trip I came to the aid of a HILUX same model as mine. It had a big lift and aftermarket upper control arms the bolt had come out it was a real pain to compress the spring and get it back together to then find it didn't have a metric thread on the bolt (used vice grips 🤪)

[@harrisonrawlinson5650]

Mines an IFS ford ranger that I use as a daily driver and I go to challenging pay and play sites once a month and go green laning on varying terrains at least once more or sometimes twice a month. I have to have the space in the bed to store tools but I also keep a set of recovery boards and a few good straps of varying lengths stored in boxes. It’s got a 2” lift with 33” mud tyres. Yes it’s slow, and I’ve sort of ruined the daily driving comfort and ease, but I only live 10 minutes from work. With the 33” mud tyres and lift, I am confident on much more terrain than I previously was and I can explore further every time I go out and climb over more obstacles every time I go to the pay and play. But when I drive to see my family 4 hours away, I do notice the fuel consumption is slightly worse and the noise at 70mph is quite bad. It really is swings and roundabouts

[@goodie4578]

On the topic of tyre size and overdrive, its true. It throws out the gearing ratios and can even overheat gearboxes. Before slapping gigantic tyres on an auto, do reaserch into diff ratios and build to suit.

[@AshleyHorne1]

Good break down video, I currently have a bt50 with a 3” lift on 35s but it’s a daily and I drive to work which is 700ks one way each fortnight but on Das off it gets used as a 4wd but I tried to have a set of smaller tires for the highway run but when I came to it having to take them off every days off to put the bigger tyres on plus storing the other set of tyres just wasn’t worth it so I run the 35s as a daily and I don’t worry about fuel efficiency because if I was worried about that I would have brought a Toyota Pruis 😂

[@ablokeinatroopyaustraliawide]

I totally agree with almost all of this video however… my 75 troopy with the springover lift (the one I called in to say g’day the morning on the Nullarbor torps diff broke) it’s high, makes it’s 35” mud tyres look small, it has almost 600,000 klm on it now and does lots of touring and tough tracks and with the setup I’ve done for remote travel ticks all the boxes of what I use it for. So don’t discount all “big lift” vehicles as show ponies cos that old rig is anything but… keep up the good vids

[@CombattWombatt]

I remember the days when most people drove all over Australia in 2wd vehicles. Just having a 4x4 was the ultimate accessory.. perhaps some fishing rod holders on your bull bar?.. free wheeling hubs?.. 99 percent of people don't need 99 percent of the products pushed on them.

[@klo1679]

I don’t go off-road as much as I would like to, however I do take some points from actual off-roaders to make my car better. Bigger thicker tires do two things when you aren’t offroading, the more rubber you have the slower said rubber wears out. Meaning you replace the tires less often and you can beat on them a lot harder. They also increase your ride height and give you slightly higher payload. I don’t have a full setup, my hilux is basic and carries tools more than camping gear; I carry the tools I need to fix it, fuel to keep me going and some spare room for other things in my toolboxes. I carry the original spare, which is enough to get me to the next town. The slightly bigger tires won’t make a massive difference to anything in a short distance. I haven’t gone overboard, and my ute is far more capable than most “off-road” utes.

[@maxperilous5944]

I needed to see this video. I just bought a 2024 Colorado ZR2 Bison. I've spent the last (week?) obsessively scouring the internet and youtube looking for things to spend more money on with the idea that I want to go to moab on vacation this year or perhaps next (maybe both?). This truck is going to be my daily driver except basically in the summertime when my motorcycle will be handling transportation duties. I also want to go do stuff in Colorado like Imogene pass. Realistically, do i need the rack and the tent and the (insert catalog here)? Honestly no. Maybe i need to look more into "the essentials".

[@andrews7046]

I think the gearing in modern vehicles are perfectly suited to a stock vehicle with no weight. I think once you go bigger tyres and put all that weight on it with 4wd gear, even if you're just fitting 265 32" tyres, I think you should just re gear the diffs, it'll help you tow, it'll help you accelerate around the city and help you keep at speed on the highway better having the engine revving a bit higher, also will probably save you fuel because the transmission lock up will be able to stay engaged more often and not unlock the moment you hit a slight incline.

[@RuwanPereraLK]

Hi from Sri Lanka, this content is gold

[@ryoc2138]

Man, so many people here in America need to see this video. It would make their ears bleed and possibly trigger some emotional breakdowns, but hopefully they would learn something...

[@buggz8889]

Never really thought of a way to discribe what I want out of my rig and the 50% tourer I think nails it. My thought process was very similar to what you describe, reasonable sized tires basic lift less weight I just didn't have a real name for it

[@alirezaee2217]

This was one of the best videos on the subject of mods. Thanks!

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

When I was in the Army ‘all the gear no idea’ just meant Americans.

[@garynew9637]

Haha

[@lukebrady3728]

Great video Ronnie. Another reason not to go over the top with a big lift and monster tyres, is that you will be tempted to try even more dangerous terrain than normal and hence increasing the risk of a roll-over, getting bogged or just plain wrecking an expensive vehicle.

[@trainlover9928]

Great video! Just got my first ever 4wd

[@joelahnstein2281]

Absolutely brilliant presentation. Very sound advice. Hope i can follow it.

[@philemonripin1190]

As always,no BS just facts,might touch 1 or 2 nerves bcause its so relatable but none the less very educational

[@sailingcitrinesunset4065]

The 4WD accessory peddler's are gonna love you lol

[@sgt_kissekatt6686]

Mitsubishi Second Gen L-200 (1992) It's a daily and as you call "weekend warrior" Planned changes are as follows but nothing completely determined: - Lifting it by around 1 inch maaybe 2. - Fitting some more aggressive A/T tires - Longer dampeners to allow each tire to drop further - Prob remove front swaybar (and then test and see how it affects it before deciding if to keep em off) - change out the rubber... "bushes" (i think they are called that? For a different material (which i do not remember the name of) to give more flex in the pivot points. - Welding on some metal parts where the underside of my car can catch on rocks and stumbs, like the attachment points of my leaf springs and tow hook for example. Thoughts?

[@garynew9637]

You're talking about polyurethane bushes vs rubber. Plenty of comparison videos out there. Personal preference is for rubber. Quieter ride and require no lubrication.

[@sgt_kissekatt6686]

@@garynew9637 To my understanding it doesnt restrict movement as much, but not too sure on it, seems like a lot of work for minor benefits.