Innehållsförteckning för May 2021 från NZ4WD

Canterbury “Rec”, as it’s known, is based in Christchurch and has around 90 Members. Training days are held by the club around four times a year and each member is obliged to attend at least one training day every five years. As we used to say in the army, “train hard, fight easy”, or in this case “train hard, drive easy”. The day started sunny and hot as we met on the outskirts of Christchurch and headed out to Mt Thompson Station to the training area. The training ground is owned by a local farmer, borders the Ashley River and is truly a great spot. With ten trucks in attendance, we were set for a great day. Not being a member of the “Rec”, I was not permitted to bring…

Starting in the Lake Ohau/Omarama area and ending (usually anyway) in the Cardrona Valley, the’ Great Central Otago and Mackenzie Explorer Tour’ takes in the rugged and majestic high country and tussock lands of the Mackenzie Country, Lindis Pass, Central Otago, and Northern Southland. And boy does it deliver, putting the High into High Country Journeys from the first day until the last. We went into some stunning country, climbed up some very steep tracks, drove down some very steep tracks, went through some amazing high-country stations and covered some of my ‘must do, bucket list’ tracks listed in the likes of Mark Wilson’s and Ray Stone’s back country track books. It certainly took us into different country which was more of a challenge. John Mulholland in his Toyota Prado…

Ground anchors are a great idea, allowing you to winch yourself out of trouble when there isn’t a tree or other suitable anchoring point in sight. But carrying around a large, bulky ground anchor isn’t always practical. Enter the locally conceived and made Lan-cor version. While traditional anchors are big and cumbersome, when packed in its carry bag the Lan-cor is less than half a metre long, weighs just nine kg and can easily be stored with the rest of your recovery equipment in your vehicle. This, in a nutshell, is why more and more people – including NZ4WD columnist Richard Soult as well as the likes of the Fire Service, Department of Conservation (DoC) and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) – are going the Lan-Cor way. New twist…

After an early wake-up from our 4WD neighbours who were packing up and heading home, we had a leisurely breakfast in the sun before we started our run through Westport and up north. As we left Westport, making our way up the coast on a sealed road, there was a fairly heavy mist hanging on the coastal ranges and across the coastline. I had done this part of the trip when I was down here about ten years ago and I was looking for a view down along the coast of some old trees in a bay framed by the ranges, that I remembered. That time the mist had made it a very eerie scene but being in a convoy I had only been able to grab a quick snap.…

Thundertruck racer Raana Horan took his shiny gold Nissan Titan V8 to outright victory in the inaugural Mickey Thompson New Zealand Stadium Off-road Racing Championship, held at Manukau in Auckland over two rounds in February and March. Horan dominated the Thundertruck class, winning at both rounds in pitched battle with a record field that included Warren Adams, Leigh Bishop, Ricky May and Mal Langley – the latter in his Donovan-Chev Toyota Tundra being knocked out of both rounds in multi-vehicle crashes. Big truck entry The truck-class entry across the two rounds on 6 February and 13 March topped 18 – the most ever seen at a New Zealand short course or stadium event. The first national championship of 2021, the event attracted a record entry of 107 race cars across…

Farewell to a legend: Rocket Ron Kirkman, 11 June 1936 – 22 March 2021 Ah, the Race to the Sky. An antipodean Pike’s Peak, and between 2007 and 2015 a global motorsport event that attracted the luminaries of off-road racing, hillclimbing, truck racing, motorbike enduro and rallying. Legends raced in our backyard: Possum Bourne, Rod Millen, Monster Tajima, Kenneth Erikssen, Rocket Ron Kirkman. Yes. Rocket Ron. At 70+ and with a Pike’s Peak venture under his belt, this Whangarei identity became a regular at this international hillclimb, racing a mad (and ever more modified) Honda quad up that 14 km course with its hundred-plus corners and its elevation change from 450 metres to 1500 metres above sea level. Get that: 135 turns, short to medium length straights, all at a…

Our monthly feature showcases 4WDs doing just about anything except rolling over or burning! We will award a grand prize of a set of four Kumho 4x4 tyres in the NZ4WD Annual issue. This contest is open to all readers who are not professional photographers. IMPORTANT: Photographs must have been taken by the person entering them, or have the photographer’s written permission. Email your digital images and a detailed caption to: editor@NZ4WD.co.nz Send your prints and detailed captions to: Your4s with Kumho, PO Box 65-092, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0754. Be sure to include your postal address! Submitting photos The basics: as with any photo, there’s no substitute for an image that’s sharp – in focus and free of camera shake. It should be well-exposed. Size and type The ideal submission…

GMSV has released details of the latest addition to its NZ-bound RHD Chevrolet Silverado 4WD utility line-up, the new LT Trail Boss. “LT Trail Boss personifies what Silverado is all about. It’s big, it’s tough and it comes ingrained with brand-DNA which showcases qualities of strength, power, performance and no-nonsense work-hard attributes,” said the General Manager of GMSV New Zealand, Matthew Taylor. A key differentiator between the LT Trail Boss and its Silverado LTZ Premium stablemate is an innate desire to venture off-road and tackle the rough stuff. “Key to its performance credentials is a factory-fitted suspension lift-kit, which increases ride height by approximately 25mm at the front and 30mm at the rear,” said Mr Taylor. “Rancho monotube shocks provide for better damping, in turn enhancing ride and handling when…

Isuzu gave us this LS-spec D-Max in luscious Valencia Orange. Standouts in the new design are the ‘double claw’ grille and the swage lines down each flank. The D-Max takes a visual step forward from its predecessor. In this case it’s a bold step. Riding on wide, tall 18-inch alloys and an aggressive high-profile Maxxis all-terrain tyre, this truck makes a visual statement and the new mechanicals back the talk by walking the walk. This LS is the big winner in the range for many. Supportive seats in a tough-looking cloth with contrast stitching, comprehensive multimedia dash display, ‘grown-up’ audio system. Safety first It’s loaded with active and passive driver-assist technology, arguably the most comfortable truck in the range, and best of all we got one with the six-speed manual…

Our history with 4WD adventures began about five years ago. We were in Queenstown and I had just broken my hand at the Skyline MTB Park. We ran into a friend who invited us to come along with him on a 4WD mission. The trip entailed driving down Skippers Canyon, then taking the (very) narrow track down into Skippers Creek and weaving up the creek as far as possible. Here we would ditch the truck and hike to Dynamo Hut. The drive was amazing! I was amazed how we could access such a remote place so quickly in a 4WD, and I certainly had no idea one could drive up the waterfall feature back out of Skippers Creek! I was immediately hooked, and I started looking at used 4WDs. There…

Getting stuck may now be something you aim to do, just so you can put your Ironman 4x4 recovery gear to good use. Ironman 4x4 products have been developed in the harshest proving ground in the world – Australia – and have been the first choice for customers for over 50 years. Company stores across New Zealand offer every possible item of Recovery gear going – from winches to shovels and snatch straps and everything in-between. Ironman 4x4 Monster winches Ironman 4x4 has totally redesigned and upgraded its range of monster winches, including the use of stronger motors, heavy duty casings, synthetic ropes, and competition-style solenoids. Engine Breather The greatest new feature of the range of winches is the fully sealed motor with a breather that allows the motor to…

Maxtrax Recovery can at times be avoided by using Maxtrax, a traction enhancing device. These lightweight board-like devices have large aggressive cleats to give additional traction and a firm base, aiding or negating recovery. Maxtrax are made of UV-stabilised, flexible, super tough engineering-grade reinforced nylon and have been tested at the University of Queensland to wrap around a 33-inch tyre without breaking. Maxtrax can also be used singularly or doubled up to bridge small obstacles or as a ramp to reduce step size and approach or departure angles. They are available in UTV sized mini, 4WD size MkII and the stronger, tougher Extreme with replaceable cleats. Roadsafe tow points Roadsafe make a range of bolt on heavy duty tow points for many vehicles, often with fitment with or without a…

There’s a white-spirit burner in my Disco kitchen and I had noticed a vague ‘fueley’ sniff at the rear so checked out the stove and its fuel stash for leaks. All clear! The Disco’s own fuel tank looked OK but that was next to check. It became clear that the sniff only occurred after a full fuel-up but soon disappeared. I filled up, ran a few kms then parked up for the night. We’d off-roaded a bit on the way. It was a still, warm evening and the fuel smell was evident again so underneath I went again. No, I wasn’t carrying a match or flaming rag on a flaming stick! But there was a tell-tale! A rear corner of the fuel tank showed a damp stain. Not enough to…

Rally driver Andrew Hawkeswood has become the early truck-class leader in ORANZ NZ’s 2021 off-road racing championship. The series kicked off in March with the opening round at the TECT motorsport park near Tauranga. The event was in short course format with four in-class heats on a track that features some of the biggest ‘berm’ corners in the country. Andrew Hawkeswood and Brad Harvey won the unlimited truck and race car classes. Brookby racer Hawkeswood had two wins and two second places to finish the day with 70 points. Defending overall national champion Nick Hall had a win, a second and a third placing in the trucks but was a non-finisher in the final heat. Rob Cresswell won class four for improved trucks, taking a full 72 points. In the…

Proof that we all have to start somewhere comes from self-confessed 4WD scene newbie James Hunt. “My brother and I have recently gotten into a Suzuki Grand Vitara that we have kitted out. We’re new to the 4WD scene, so are novices and have just been going around the wider Manawatu region where we live gaining some experience on different tracks.” The accompanying pics were taken ‘up Takapari Road.’ “We were worried as it was drizzling at the start of the road. And though it fined up into a beautiful day, the track up the top was wet and very cut up and we lightly bellied out in one place (didn’t do any damage thankfully) so decided not to push on further. That experience made us decide a lift would be good…

It was just after WWII when Maurice Wilk, chief designer at the Rover Company, came up with a plan to build a light agricultural and utility vehicle squarely aimed at the farmer, the original concept a cross between a light truck and a tractor. His brother Spencer was Managing Director of Rover, and they needed to get vehicle production moving again after the war, and on 30 April 1948 Land Rover was launched onto the world stage. Over the years Land Rover has more often been the vehicle of choice for rural farmers and commercial industry alike until Toyota arrived on the scene and started to eat into market share. The Land Rover remained the undisputed ‘king’ for so long, however, because it was so basic that the interior could…

❝Microscopic amounts of the internal chemical substances inside your battery react even when not connected to your vehicle.❞ There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to start your vehicle when you need it most. The frustration is even worse and more prevalent during the colder winter months. Although there are many factors that affect the capacity and performance of lead acid batteries, temperature variation is definitely one to be considered. Self-discharge, age, driving habits and abuse are also factors that contribute to the life and performance of your lead acid battery. Self-discharge is a phenomenon that all batteries will endure, like it or not, it will happen. A lead acid battery will self-discharge even when not in use and rates can change depending on the type, AGM, EFB,…

The growing popularity of motorhomes and caravans in New Zealand has also seen a rise in the number of devices and conveniences connecting to the power supply... which can quickly drain the batteries or even overload them. To help manage the demand, battery technology company Projecta has now extended its INTELLI-RV range of RV and Caravan power management systems to include a second Bluetooth compatible model, known as the PM300-BT. Previously available only on the range-topping PM400, the Bluetooth feature allows users to control and monitor key electronics from the comfort and ease of their smart phone using the official app. Like the PM400, the lower cost PM300-BT comes with a remote LCD screen that offers information on battery/solar charging (Volts, AMPs, SOC, time remaining), up to four water tank…

Sometimes, things in life, are obviously just meant to be. Like my time with the second new Jeep Gladiator ute, I have now driven in the past 12 months, the entry-level (albeit still, $79,990) Sport, in March as part of this tow test, and the range-topping (off-road-orientated and trail-rated) Rubicon (RRP $92,990) sometime last year. To be absolutely frank with you, I never really gelled with the big, red Rubicon, finding it neither one thing or the other. Imagine my surprise, then, when my colleague Sean Willmot got to drive an ‘entry-level’ Sport version… and not only returned to our now virtual office absolutely raving about it, but he also immediately nominated it for and not long afterwards named it his Company Vehicle magazine 2020 Utility of the Year! “But,…

A week before the start of the 2021 Guiding season for 4x4Explore Adventures, I was sitting on the beach in Marahau, on the edge of the Abel Tasman National Park, enjoying the sunshine and feeling like summer had finally arrived. Before leaving, however, I checked the long-range forecast and got a nasty shock. The two weeks guiding that I was about to undertake were to be based in Cromwell and Ranfurly, where – according to the boffins at the Met Service, daytime temperatures were due to drop to as low as five degrees C, with a stiff Southerly breeze. Not really conducive for camping or 4WDing at high altitude Shorts ‘n jandals So, leaving Marahau in mid-January to head down to the meeting point in Fairlie, I was slightly concerned…

The new KDS-8.0SR winch from Kingone has been developed with the Suzuki Jimny 4WD in mind. With space a premium in most aftermarket front winch bar designs the design engineers at Kingone decided to change some features on the KDS-8.0 winch. Key features of the new KDS-8.0R are: • Synthetic rope. • Wireless remote control and pendant as well. • 173:1 gear ratio 3.629 kgs line pull. • Low winch weight 30kg. • 1.8m/m on an 8000lbs single line pull, plus there is a Rubber ’U’ seal on the inside of the drum to help stop dirt and water getting into the motor and gearbox. Aesthetics haven’t been forgotten either with the new KDS-8.0RS looking sharp in black with contrasting grey synthetic rope, making it the perfect accessory for any…

Like a lot of great 4WD adventures I have been on and/or party to, this one – in and back out of Barn Bay by 4WD – started with a casual conversation one day. In this case I was talking (over the phone!) to Rod Corbett from Wanaka during last year’s first big Covid-19 lockdown and he mentioned that the Otago Land Rover Owners Club had booked their annual trip into Barn Bay – “Do you know where that is?” As it turned out, I did! Many years ago, I was loaned a book called The Chopper Boys by Rex Forrester. It was a book about the start-up of the deer recovery business, initially dead deer – but later live recovery. It was adventure on a page. There were two…

It is a curious phenomenon that when you own a particular model of vehicle, you seem to notice greater numbers of that model than you ever did before! Back in August 2020, for instance, I was afflicted by that after-effect of a Covid-19 shutdown that led people to go and buy things. In my case it was an impromptu visit to a Jeep showroom that resulted in driving away in a new Wrangler JL Unlimited Rubicon a day later. Yes, it does go well and has since been places like the 42 Traverse, Woodhill Off Road Park etc., but so far, the scratches have been able to be polished out. However, what I was alluding to is the number of other new Wranglers that I am now seeing on the…

Round 3 of the 2020-2021 NZ 4×4 Trials Series took place just out of Eltham, on Saturday February 20, with the Mt Egmont 4WD Club putting on a cracker of a day. The course was designed to have a lot less risk than previous events, with an emphasis on technical sections to shake up the field, which it definitely did! Jarred Biggs and Fleche Crawford won the day with just 40 points + the three speed sections, to give a total of 118.33 for the day. Russell Luders and Chris Tomalin finished in second place just two points ahead of the impressive Reuben and Shane Mason, who returned after an eight-year hiatus in their D Class Howat-Biggs buggy. Mitchell Caldow and Marcus Thomsen won C Class and finished 15th overall,…