Innehållsförteckning för July 2015 från Go! Drive & Camp

Defective airbags out of Japan More defects in airbags produced by Japanese company Takata have been found in vehicles globally. Toyota and Nissan announced that there are defects with airbags in 6,5 million of their vehicles. Following an investigation, it was determined that the inflators of the Takata airbags put too much pressure into them, which can cause the airbags to burst. Toyota SA says that the airbags of Corolla Run X and Yaris models that were manufactured between 2002 – 2007 (a total of 195630 vehicles) and RAV4, Hilux and Fortuner models that were manufactured between July 2003 – December 2005 (28376 vehicles), will be replaced. Toyota asks these owners to please contact their nearest dealer. The replacement of airbags is free of charge. Contact Toyota on 0800 139…

The ability of a four-wheel drive vehicle to brake safely and efficiently is affected by several factors. Most importantly, the tyres stop it through the braking system. But besides tyres, two big factors affect the efficiency of the braking system – ride height and load. Generally, an unmodified four-wheel drive’s braking system is designed to apply more braking pressure to the front wheels than to the rear ones. This is because when you brake, weight gets transferred to the front axle. And with more weight on the front wheels, more braking pressure can be applied to them before they lock up or activate the ABS system. Conversely, with the transfer of weight away from the rear axle, the rear wheels can only sustain a minimal amount of braking pressure to…

It is estimated that around 30 to 80 out of every 100000 people in South Africa are hospitalised because of snake bites annually. If you like the outdoors, your chances of getting bitten are even bigger. Prevention is better than cure The best way to treat a snake bite is to avoid getting it in the first place. Use these guidelines: Keep your eyes open. Always be on the lookout for snakes in nature and stay as far away from them as possible. Be especially careful when packing up camp – snakes can coil up in small spaces and love warm, dark places. Stay cool and observe. If you get within a metre of a snake, stand still and watch its reaction. It will likely look for an escape route…

When a victim has suffered a neurotoxic bite to a limb, do the following: 1 Apply pressure, preferably with an elastic bandage. Alternatively, wrap most of the limb with an intact long-sleeved shirt. This is your last resort, though – it’s difficult to apply even pressure with inelastic fabric and one shirt may not be long enough. 2 Begin bandaging 5 to 10 cm above the bite (i.e. between the bite and the heart), winding the bandage around in overlapping turns. Move up towards the heart and then back down over the bite and past it towards the hand or foot. 3 Immobilise the limb and if possible support it with a splint or sling. 4 Ensure the bandage is as tight as when strapping a sprained ankle. It must…

A white Land Cruiser with big BF Mud-Terrains stops in front of me in O.R. Tambo’s pickup area. It looks about as comfortable in the row of shiny German sedans as a big man in khaki clothes does in a boardroom full of suits. I soon realise these Joburg roads aren’t exactly the driver, Riaan Haasbroek’s, home ground either. I decide to leave him in the company of his GPS for now. Five days in Swaziland lie ahead of us – plenty of time for chit-chat. We soon reach the Oshoek border post and come out the other side in a flash – the officials are friendly and no one tries to bribe you. Riaan is putting together a new tour for Bhejane 4x4 Adventures and I’ve come along for…

TRACKS4AFRICA 15.05 More roads to explore The latest version of Tracsk4Africa has been released. If you expect there to be millions of kilometres of new roads added, then maybe you don’t realise just how thoroughly the previous versions already charted Africa’s roads. The new T4A contains 867 974 km of roads – 3% more than the previous version (14.10). The points of interest have gone up to 134452 (2% more than before), and there are 10273 accommodation options (1% more than before). But there are slightly fewer camp sites to choose from as camp sites that have closed down have been taken off the system. But that is the point of new T4A maps: they ensure that you do not arrive to find everything closed up. The Western and Northern…

1 Framework. Weld a frame according to the Fortuner’s measurements with space for the fridge, battery box and a drawer. 2 Snug fit. Weld a second frame, wider than the bottom one, for the top of the drawer system so it fits snugly. Then weld them together with support struts. 3 On top. Cut the hardboard to the shape of the vehicle’s interior. Divide it in two so the system is removable. 4 Keeping it cool. Bolt the sides and the shallow drawer together to form a box around the fridge. 5 Aesthetics. Cut and mount two aluminium plates for finishing touches. Cover everything in carpet tiles and attach the cargo and aluminium strips. 6 In its place. The drawer can now be put in place and the electrical components…

It’s a quiet country destination, with peaceful mornings and evenings, lots of birds at the camp site and short, easy routes that are perfect for beginners. ON THE TRAIL Trail distances: Kudu trail: 3,6 km, 30 minutes; Springbok trail: 6,5 km, 45 minutes; Duiker trail, 13,3 km, 1½ hours. How long will I be driving: About 3 hours in total. Maximum number of vehicles: 6. Do I get a map? Yes. Will my car get scratched? No. Should I remove my running boards? No. Should I take a compressor? Yes. Can we have a braai en route? No, but you can at the camp site. Can I see game? Yes, but you have to look carefully. There are 100 identified bird species on the property and numerous plant species. Should…

One West Coast traveller, one new face Annette Smit and her Namaqualand friends drove the Shipwreck 4x4 Route on the West Coast. What’s your earliest travel memory? A trip in 2009 to the Khaudum National Park and the old Caprivi. The route through thick sand and under teak trees up north was unforgettable. Best bit of travel advice? Enjoy every moment. You don’t know if you’ll ever get the chance again. Do you plan your trips in detail or just go with the flow? I plan every detail. I also research the route – I want to know as much as possible about it. Where would you like to go next? I’d love to see Zambia again. Also Mana Pools and the Serengeti. Do you have a favourite travel writer?…

We posted a photo of the new Jeep Renegade (article on p 37) and asked you what you thought: Jaap Meyer: Jeep makes good clothes... but they struggle to make cars. Deon Joubert: Luckily I was never a Jeep fan. Jeep’s t-shirts are good though... Andre van der Sandt: An expensive Fiat. The salesman told me it’s more reliable that a Jimny. I told him I would show him how much I’ve spent over the last few years on Jeep and Suzuki parts. Gerhardt Visser: Quite funky. Hehehe. Wilfred van der Merwe: The biggest toolbox I’ve ever seen.…

I have made a spare wheel holder that is bolted to my tow bar. I drew it to scale to be sure that everything would fit. I then bought heavy-duty pipes and ready-made corner pipes at the hardware store, and steel pins and a piece of heavy metal sheeting at a scrapyard. I cut through one of the 90° pipes so that I had two of 45°. Then I began to cut up everything, fitted and welded it together. The two nylon bushings on the main hinge pin and one on the lock pin I threaded myself. The steel was sliced with a blowtorch and finished with an angle grinder. Everything was then painted and put together, and voila! I had an extra number plate made to keep the traffic…

Cytotoxic Snakes like the puff adder inject their venom just under the skin into the subcutaneous tissue and cause Painful Progressive Swelling (PPS). It affects the immediate area around the wound first and can lead to necrosis, or tissue death. Some cobras, like the Mozambique spitting cobra, spit cytotoxic venom into the eyes. This leads to acute inflammation of the eye area. Neurotoxic These snakes, like the black mamba and Cape cobra, deliver venom which directly affects the nervous system, causing Progressive Weakness (PW). It can lead to mental instability, muscle weakness, paralysis and respiratory problems. Haemotoxic venom This is found in snakes like the boomslang, for example. The haemostatic toxic effect hampers the ability of the victim’s blood to clot normally, which leads to irregular bleeding from the nose,…

Although most local effects of snake bites are caused directly by the cytotoxic venom itself, the bite may introduce bacteria to the wound. The risk of local infections can also greatly increase if the wound has been cut with an unsterile instrument or tampered with in any other way with dirty objects. 1 First, begin by cleaning the affected area and wound with an antiseptic solution. 2 Only open blisters if rupture seems imminent. 3 Ensure the affected limb is in the most comfortable position but don’t elevate it excessively if there is tense swelling. This increases the risk of ischemia. 4 Don’t apply anti-venom. It’s best given in a medical facility by a physician who can deal with any allergic reactions.…

Engine: 2 967 cc V6 turbo-diesel Power: 180 kW@ 4 000 r/min Torque: 550 Nm @ 2 000 – 2 250 r/min Top speed: 218 km/h 0-100 km/h: 7,8 s Transmission: 8-speed automatic gearbox, full-time four-wheel drive, electronic traction control Suspension: Double wishbones front and rear Tyres: 255/55/R18 Fuel tank: 100 litre Fuel consumption: 7,2 litre/100 km Ground clearance: 220 - 300 mm Approach angle: 22/23° (with raised suspension) Departure angle: 24/25° (With raised suspension) Wading depth: 500/580 mm Weight: 2 043 kg Towing capacity: 3 500 kg (braked trailer) Service interval: 15 000 km Warranty: 3 year/120 000 km Service plan: 5 year/ 100 000 km Price: R808 400 (without optional extras)…

Best time of year? The summer can get very hot. The springtime is mild and the plants begin to bloom. Autumn is also lekker and in May all the quiver trees usually flower. In the winter it can get very cold in the evening. Do I need a 4x4? You can get very far with a 4x2 bakkie, but there are places where you will struggle and there are one or two places that you probably won’t be able to get to. Is there cell phone reception? There was weak Vodacom signal in Lekkersing. It was a bit better in Eksteenfontein. There was good signal in Kuboes, Vioolsdrift and Sendelingsdrift. With roaming on, you can pick up Namibia’s cell phone signal in some places. Fuel? There is 50ppm diesel and…

Hunters around the country are busy participating in the annual hunting season.The guns are oiled and sighted and the knives have been sharpened. After all the years I’ve been involved with hunting, the food which results is still my favourite. My mouth waters just thinking about the first night when we serve the liver of a gemsbok, which was hunted that same afternoon, fried in a bit of oil on a skottel or done over the coals. In my opinion, it is a meat that can’t be cooked medium.You can cook it completely, as with a dish full of off-cuts for a hearty pie, or you just sear the meat, as with fillet – browned on the outside and pink on the inside. Game is also ideal for Carpaccio! SPRINGBOK…

On Saturday 8 March this year I set-off from my hometown, Polokwane, for what was to be the first 4x4 adventure in my new Mitsubishi Triton. I was with my father-in-law Dawie and two friends, Francois and Riaan. We drove the 30km or so to the Matlala River, where we were planning a day of 4x4 fun in the riverbed, hopefully without any unforeseen incidents. When we got there, we immediately brought down our tyre pressure to 1,2 bar, then I put the Triton in low range and a day of horsing around in the river began. We drove until about 10am, made breakfast and started again around 11am. The area was very wet in some places, but quite dry in others. At one point, I was driving in front…

INSPIRED BY MABUA The article “In Search of Lions” in the March 2015 issue of Drive Out convinced us to include Mabuasehube on our itinerary for our trip to Botswana. We camped under the same camel thorn tree on Mpayathutlwa Pan that is visible in the photograph in the article. We have had good luck with lion sightings on previous visits to this camp site, and were not disappointed during our visit there earlier this month. We watched a female cross the pan to a thicket close to the camp. That night a male (possibly the same one from your article) passed through our camp to join the female. He kept us awake, the ground reverberating with each roar. MARTIN BRIGGS, Onrus River GREAT WEEKEND SPOT I had a great…

WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR STORY! Have you been on exciting adventures or to interesting places in your Fortuner? If you can answer “yes” to the above, send us your story for inclusion in our Toyota Fortuner #TellBetterStories series. This is what we need from you: A story of between 600 and 1000 words where you tell us more about your Fortuner. Please write it in story form, and not short, cryptic telegram-style language. We also need a minimum of four photos of your Fortuner in action, plus pictures of you/your whole family with the Fortuner. Photos must be high-resolution. You are welcome to send more than four photos. Tips on how to write your “My Fortuner and I” story in a jiffy: 1. How long have you had your…

Stay where you’re supposed to. Only camp where you’ve booked for. Don’t pay for a camp site without electricity and then plug in a lead at the nearest kitchen or bathroom plug. That’s theft. Drive where you’re allowed to. Only drive on demarcated routes and only at times stipulated by the park. If you want to take a photograph, stop next to the road, not in the middle of it. Be a buddy. Yes, we know your neighbour should’ve brought his own braai grid. But if he comes grovelling, finish up your braai quickly and lend him yours. Good camping neighbours help one another. Be responsible with rubbish. If you camp somewhere with no rubbish bins, put all your garbage in bags. Put them on the roof of your vehicle…

If someone in your group does get bitten, forget all those home remedies and old wives’ tales like cauterisation, bleeding, cutting off a bitten digit or washing the wound with petrol. FOLLOW THESE STEPS: 1 Call a medical professional out or get the patient to a medical facility immediately, alerting them ahead of your arrival. 2 Try to identify the snake, but don’t risk further bites. Species diagnosis is important but if the snake is still at large, rather take a picture from a distance! In the majority of cases, emergency centres will look at the symptoms, laboratory and clinical data – and then make a decision about the appropriate treatment. 3 Reassure the victim. 4 Remove any constricting clothing or jewellery from the bitten area – there could be…

Best time of the year? All year round, but find out ahead of time if it has been raining. Some parts of the route may be washed away. What did you drive? The Ford Ranger Wildtrak. You definitely need a 4x4 with good ground clearance. If it is very wet, low range and diff lock would be essential. Where can I fill up? Kareedouw, Patensie, Steytlerville and Willowmore all have fuel stations (with 50 ppm diesel), but there are none in the valley itself. Where can I order a nice steak? Most of the accommodation in the Baviaanskloof is self-catering, so bring a cooler with supplies. If you organise ahead of time, you could buy things like ice, braai packs and wood at some places. At Babe se Winkel and…

1 KALAHARI/KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK WHEN? 29 January - 5 February 2016 Accommodation: Tents Cost: R10 950 per person Visit the 4 million hectare Mabenyani a Kalahari in Botswana and Mabuasehube in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Track lions with a Bushman-tracker and search for the Kgalagadi’s resident eagles, such as the Martial, Tawny and Bateleur. 2 LESOTHO LANDMARKS WHEN? 28 February - 4 March 2016 Accommodation: Lodge and guest house Cost: R7 550 per person This 6-day mountain adventure traverses Lesotho from east to west. You’ll drive on the highest gravel roads, including the incredible Sani Pass, see the biggest dam and highest single-drop waterfall in Southern Africa and visit the birth place of the Basotho nation. 3 THREE COUNTRIES: KRUGER, SWAZI KINGDOM & MOZAMBIQUE COAST WHEN? 5 - 12 February…

If you realise, as many travellers do, that after a holiday in Botswana Junior’s wet suit did not see water, you’re probably still touring with unnecessary gear. If you cut down the gear and the luggage so much that you have to share a coffee cup – and the luggage pile is still huge – it’s time to make a better plan. PLAY TETRIS IN YOUR CRUISER It's nearly impossible to stack a pile of soccer balls on top of each other in the back of your boot, in the load bin or on the roof rack. It’s the same with a heap of different sized luggage. It wastes space and makes packing difficult. The smart solution is to pack it in a box or crate and then into the…

About 14 metres of 25 x 5 x 2 mm aluminium square tubing for the main frame. About 2 metres of 20 x 40 x 3 mm aluminium angle iron for supports. One 2 mm thick aluminium sheet (1000 x 2000 mm) for the drawer and the box around the fridge. One sheet (1000 x 2000 mm) 20 mm thickness hardboard for the top. Two metres of 3 x 20 mm aluminium strips for rounding off edges. Four double roller catches (the kind used in kitchen cupboards). Two cargo strips. A handle for the drawer. Nuts and bolts. TOTAL COST: R3500…

Do I need to book? You need to book at least one week in advance if you want to do the Shipwreck 4x4 tour, and you need to bring along the ID documents of everyone in the vehicle with you. Contact the Kleinzee tourism office on 027 877 0028 Best time of to go? From February until April the climate is most mild, and between July and October, the world here is full of flowers! Where can I buy fuel? There is a small filling station in Koingnaas, but it doesn’t have 50ppm diesel. Rather fill up your vehicle in Port Nolloth, Garies, Springbok, Kleinzee or Lutzville. Can I pay by card? Here and there, but most places only accept cash, and ATM’s are quite scarce here. South of Port…

Villiers says Bob has submitted a photo for Photo Mechanic before with his picture of a barn owl in flight. This time around, he again managed to capture an unforgettable moment in nature on film. What separates this specific photo from the rest (Bob also sent me a few of the other lion photos) is the eyes of the cub on the left hand side of the frame. It doesn’t matter how many times you look at the photo, your eye always jumps back to the cub’s each time. Without a doubt, his eyes draw the most attention in the photo. Naturally it helps that his brothers and sisters (or are they cousins?) are looking down at the water. Reflections work! It’s not neccessarily the fact that the cub’s eyes…