Innehållsförteckning för June 2019 från NZ4WD

Back in 1994 Christchurch 4x4 owner and businessman Peter Munro entered into a sales partnership with ARB, manufacturers of premium 4x4 accessories. Now, 25 years later, Peter has reaffirmed his commitment to the company by creating a dedicated flagship showroom at his site on Christchurch’s busy Blenheim Rd. Key to the look and feel of the expansive new showroom is it’s bright, open plan format with more of ARB’s signature 4x4 products on display than ever before. Particular attention has been paid to the way products are mounted and lit, so that customers can get up close and see for themselves the fit, finish and detailing that is a hallmark of every ARB 4x4 part and accessory. With the close relationship Peter Munro Commercials has with vehicle dealerships you can…

Nick Hall (Toyota Chev Prolite, Auckland) and Malcolm Langley (Toyota Tundra V8, Whakatane) pitted two different race truck designs against each other on the fastest short course track in the North Island. Makarau features a long front straight with a series of fast jumps which leads into a tight ‘corkscrew’ descending hairpin left. The infield is a maze of serpentine left and right hand corners and short straights, then a ridgeline jump leads over into a short sprint to another hairpin which in turn delivers trucks back onto the front straight. The first heat saw the two trucks neck and neck down the start-finish straight into the first corner, Hall taking the lead and putting a small margin on the bigger, heavier truck of Langley. Then on the fourth lap…

Nearly five months into the year and I have been punishing the 4WD fleet all around the country participating in various events or just out abusing the four-wheel drives. So much so that I now have a shed full of vehicles requiring urgent repairs and maintenance. Instead I am tapping away on the keyboard. The NZ4WD Project Jeep Cherokee is languishing in the corner of the shed needing the diff seals replaced and a new front driveshaft. It had a slight water leak which when investigated was a broken hose clip so it was replaced along with the top radiator hose. The Jeep was put into the corner of the shed and unfortunately is now blocked in by the Discovery which is on axle stands. My ever trusty 1998 Discovery…

Sleek, robust, load-rated ‘Hard Lids’ are fast becoming the preferred tray-covering/securing option for utility owners, with Hamilton-based manufacturer MAC Ute Accessories one of the key players. With their clean lines, industry-leading, black powder-coated four mm chequer plate aluminium construction and distinctive MAC Utes-branded, anti-theft handles, the company’s Hard Lids are certainly not hard to spot; particularly now that they are becoming so popular. The company offers a range of tough, lockable, weatherproof, load-rated (from 100 to 300kgs) Hard Lids from the MAC100 built specifically for Volkswagen’s distinctive sailplane-equipped Amarok Aventura (and soon to be available for the Z71 Colorado), to the MAC230F and MAC230FR (the latter for utes fitted with factory sports bars) and the key player in their range – the MAC300. There’s a MAC Hard Lid for the…

Boss Air Suspension’s ‘purpose’ in business is to make available high quality, safe and affordable aftermarket air suspension products. “We believe that life is sacred and we want to do our bit to make sure vehicles that carry loads perform in the same safe way they did at the point of manufacture. When it comes to carrying loads and stabilising vehicles we have the ability to make it happen.” The airbag suspension kit pictured here gives your vehicle air adjustable rear suspension by using the Boss airbag and six mm thick brackets, thus enabling vehicles to carry the load they were intended to. Boss Load Assist kits are easy to fit and most simply bolt on using basic hand tools. Then when filled with air, they raise the rear end…

Trusted by 4WDers all over the world, ARB is Australia’s largest manufacturer and distributor of 4x4 accessories, with an export network that extends through more than 100 countries across the globe, including New Zealand. When it comes to utes, ARB has you covered offering accessories for all of the most popular vehicle models like the Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50, Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max, Nissan Navara, Holden Colorado and Mitsubishi Triton. ARB stockists are spread across the North and South Island to help ensure that regardless of where 4WDers are, they still have access to the best products and services available. ARB’s product range includes: Protection Equipment – Bull Bars (including airbag compatibility), side rails and steps, rear protection bars, tow bars and under vehicle protection plates. Old Man…

The winners of the 2018 event, the Biggs brothers, Scott and Jarred from Auckland again played key roles at this year’s Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge, the big difference, each being in their own Nitro 4x4 Trials truck this time. Last year they teamed up to win the 2018 event outright with Scott the driver and Jarred the co-driver. This year Scott again claimed the outright win while Jarred finished fourth driving his own Nitro truck. The brainchild of engineer and 4x4 Trials truck builder Dan Cowper and held on his Turakina property for the fifth year, this year’s running featured the top ten finishers in the 2018/19 NZ 4x4 Trials Championship series. Once again the event was filmed for TV and it will be on CRC Motorsport over two weeks…

Scanned using 3D technology to ensure a correct fit that is both accurate and stylish and enhances the body shape, the new Deluxe Commercial Bull Bar from Ironman 4x4 is manufactured from premium grade materials, SPHC oil and pickled steel (not mild steel) for maximum strength and highest resistance to rust with 360º robotic welds. Compatible with the forward collision mitigation system and camera relocation and with provision for OE parking sensors the sleek new front ‘bar has been designed and engineered to ensure airbag compatibility and ADR compliance. It is also fully winch compatible using a unique mounting cradle, removing excess weight from the Bull Bar itself, and a hawse fairlead to suit synthetic rope winches. The new ‘bar comes complete with integrated spot light or light bar mounts…

The fifth generation RAV4 was launched officially here with a mix of on and yes some off-road driving through the Manawatu and middle of the North Island at the beginning of April. With close on 40,000 units sold since the launch of the then ground-breaking first-gen ‘crossover model back in 1995, Toyota claims that the RAV4 is New Zealand’s biggest-selling SUV by a long shot. So, it’s fair to say that there is plenty riding on the on-going appeal of the new Gen 5 version, which with its larger overall footprint, sharper more angular styling and choice of hybrid drivetrains, represents the most revolutionary change in the popular model’s 24-year history. Access all areas For instance, in a first for Toyota New Zealand’s SUV line-up, a hybrid powertrain will be…

Many readers will have figured out that I’m a resident of Auckland and that I’ve been a member of the Auckland Four Wheel Drive Club Inc. for quite a few years. Not as long however as some others who helped the club celebrate its 50th anniversary over the weekend of 6/7 April. Among those who joined us for a reunion dinner was Phil Pacey, a foundation member and a strong advocate during those early years. His name appears often in the early records of the Four Wheel Drive Association of NZ (FWDNZ), which itself was formed in 1974. The Auckland club was started in 1969, but as the New Zealand Four Wheel Drive Society, and with the eventual creation of the national body, the club ceded the New Zealand name…

Yes, it was quite the coincidence that we held the second-to-last round of the CTC at a different Whangaehu Valley near Tangiwai. Not to worry they were both great spots, thanks to Hugh Neal for the use of his land. I love days out with the Wairarapa 4WD Club; their roster of members has an amazing combination of old timers and keen next generation wheelers that few other clubs can match these days. The current President, Hamish Wilson, has been around different 4WD clubs forever and involved with the NZFWDA since the early days. Hamish didn’t compete on this day but has in the past. He did the drivers’ briefing and marshalling during the event. Gail Smith has been the club secretary for the last few years and also heavily…

All-new the 2020 Jeep Gladiator ute might be, but the Wrangler-based load carrier – set to go on sale here this time next year – builds on a rich heritage of tough, dependable Jeep trucks. Key to the appeal of the new Gladiator are Jeep staples like true off-road capability courtesy of the Command-Trac and Rock-Trac 4x4 systems, third-generation Dana 44 axles, Tru-Lock electric front- and rear-axle lockers, Trac-Lok limited-slip differential, segment-exclusive sway-bar disconnect and 33-inch off-road tyres. Proudly ‘made-in-the-US-of-A’ in Toledo, Ohio, in four different trim configurations, Sport, Sport S, Overland and Rubicon, the new model also boasts best-in-class towing and 4x4 payload capacity. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on all Gladiator models equipped with the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6, and an eight-speed automatic transmission is optional. Suspension-wise new…

RAM Trucks will be rolling off their Melbourne production line 24 hours a day, five days a week from June 1, to meet growing demand for the US manufacturer’s RHD ute range in Australia and here. Helping ramp up demand for all things RAM has been the RAM 1500 which, with its unique 291 kW V8 petrol engine and towing capacity of up to 4.5 tonnes, has set a new benchmark in the Australian and New Zealand markets. “This is not just great news for RAM, it is also a fantastic achievement for the Australian Automotive industry and shows the world our automotive and engineering industry is open for business,” says Alex Stewart, General Manager of RAM Trucks Australia. “Since we started production we have cut by more than two…

Bullbars, Nudge Bars and other vehicle accessories manufactured by Ali Arc Industries in Whanganui are designed and manufactured for New Zealand drivers and New Zealand road conditions. Our roads tend to be rougher and more rural based than many other countries around the world. For this reason our Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) standards are more rigorous meaning that our products must reach a higher level of quality in manufacture and installation. Regardless of your lifestyle Ali Arc has a product to suit your needs and the individual application of the vehicle. Their accessories are manufactured to the LTSA standard for New Zealand drivers and New Zealand Roads. Ali Arc products are lightweight yet strong, they are durable and will not rust. They are designed to enhance vehicle appearance without…

Knowing that I was kicking around Canterbury, our Editor Ross asked me to head to this year’s South Island Agricultural Field Days at Kirwee in late March to check it out and report back on any 4WD-related topics. Now, despite my time spent 4x4Exploring around the world, I know nothing about agriculture. I know what a sheep, a cow and a tractor looks like, but not much else. This bi annual event is organised by SIAFD and is the largest Field Days event in the South Island and runs over three days. Unfortunately the day that I was there the weather was overcast although it didn’t rain. This year, the event, which ran from 27-29 March, covered a massive 35 hectares and had a total of 640 exhibitors, up from…

Want to light up the road for kilometres ahead? Or see a 4WD track out into the back-of-beyond? Then your vehicle is begging to be fitted with the latest in advanced driving lamp technology; the Narva Ultima 225 LED. Building on the technology and performance of the Narva Ultima 175 LED driving lamps released a year ago, the Ultima 225 LED is aimed at commercial vehicle operators or serious four-wheel-drivers, whose vehicles are equipped with larger bull bars, “You really have to see the Ultima 225 on a very dark night to appreciate just how much light it can throw down the road – it’s just like driving in day-time,” says Tim Paterson, National Sales Manager for Narva New Zealand. Ultima 225 lamps use a combination of new ‘Optic Drive’…

This year’s Safari was run over the March 09-10 weekend, but with the dates and venue decided on and advertised back in November last year it gave everyone from near and far plenty of notice, meaning a larger than expected number of registrations, with both additions and the odd pull out right up until the last minute. Phillip and his team from the Manawatu 4WD Club certainly put in the hours and the hard work, checking the tracks, organizing all the many items large and small along the way, with plenty of pre-event emails to keep the appetite whetted, right up until it was time to head out the gate and point the nose of the ‘ole Patrol west for Ngamatapouri and the campsite at the rugby ground. The run…

Springfield – SH73’s gateway to the Southern Alps and Arthurs Pass – has a small wooden church still in use after 130 years of service. The church is in need of some TLC and funds so a group of local folk put on a 4WD fund-raiser over a local high country station – Mt Torlesse earlier this year. With an eye for publicising this good cause NZ4WD mag was invited – and being ‘Johnny-on-the-spot’ I got the gig! Heading West through Springers the notchy ridge ahead is the Torlesse Range. The highway then loops over Porters Pass to the other side of it but we would remain on the Eastern side. Unfortunately, the weather was not good, we’d had rain and more was forecast. In fact, I’d been expecting a…

Watching the membership applications come rolling in this month, it’s become obvious that size is everything. By the second week of April we’d had 21 unlimited-class race cars registered in the North Island alone. Many of these are imported cars, Jimco-style behemoths with V6 or V8 engines. In the south, there were a further eight big-banger class ones, including Rob Ryan with his new car. We haven’t yet seen Tony McCall or Daniel Powell reveal their plans for the year but I’m sure there are up to a further six cars coming. Woo-hoo! So in round figures the class is at least 30-strong, cars with values all the way from $24,000 to a couple of hundred thousand. Class three was also looking good with 29 north including NZ3 Jarrod Marwood…

Isuzu Utes New Zealand has announced the introduction of an unlimited kilometre three-year warranty on all Isuzu D-Max Utes and MU-X vehicles first registered new in New Zealand in the 2019 calendar year. This is understood to be the first unlimited kilometre warranty offered for a Ute in the New Zealand market that includes commercial use. It is believed that this is a class leading warranty and possibly one of the most comprehensive warranties on the market. The unlimited kilometre three-year warranty has very few exclusions. It encompasses the same criteria as the existing Isuzu 100,000km three-year warranty, no matter how many kilometres the vehicle travels in that three-year period. Round-the-clock 24/7 peace of mind roadside assistance is also included as part of Isuzu Utes new vehicle warranty, just in…

Ever since I have been holidaying in the Coromandel (and that is now 20+ years and counting...) I’ve heard stories about people living ‘off-the-grid’ up in the hills. One passed on more recently – but which tallied with a fleeting glimpse I had while out on a bush run last Christmas – was of a long-time visitor to the area finally moving in full-time to the eco-house he had been building up a long and torturous driveway high in the hills behind Whitianga. The driveway, so the story went, was a 4WD-only affair tackled with verve by said mysterious owner, in an old, rust-streaked Jeep Cherokee on his weekly trips to civilisation for supplies. Coincidentally, a good mate has just sold up his family home of 30+ years and moved…

One company was born in the dirt and has played in it ever since, and their latest mud tyre is testament to their heritage. This new tyre is a bit different though. It also tames the tarmac like no other mud tyre before it. That company is Maxxis. They’ve long been a favourite for the 4x4 community and in the rural sector, thanks to their reputation for durability and hard-wearing performance. The suitability to New Zealand conditions is well-known: they work hard on-road and off-road and do so for a long time. What you may not know is that Maxxis’s off-road 4x4 patterns have evolved from a long heritage of off-road racing. It’s a great testing ground and Maxxis take their time to get it right. This tyre was over…