4WD News

FORTUNER AND EVEREST GET THE FULL ARB TREATMENT

All the big vehicle manufacturers must know by now that you can’t drop a top tier 4WD vehicle on the Australian market without ARB offering a comprehensive line up of specialised aftermarket accessories within 12 months.
It’s certainly a great time to drive a Toyota Fortuner, or the directly competing Ford Everest, as Australia’s most esteemed aftermarket manufacturer have just dropped an all-inclusive range of gear, fine tuned for each wagon.
ARB is offering their full Summit series protection kits for both vehicles, including their signature Summit bullbars, side steps and brush bars. All Summit series bullbars and protective gear comes with the option of being colour-matched to your vehicle for that extra bit of flair.
Head online to ARB’s website to check out their full range of gear for the Fortuner and Everest.
www.arb.com.au

ARB DROPS FORD EVEREST RANGE

It’s a great time to be an Everest owner, because Australia’s biggest 4WD aftermarket manufacturer have just dropped a comprehensive range of accessories designed to transform Ford’s latest 4WD wagon into a deluxe touring special.
The brand spanking range includes the new Summit bar, side rails and steps designed specifically for the Everest.
The Everest Summit bar is a state-of-the-art bullbar designed to protect you and your vehicle from the most extreme frontal collisions, while not interfering with safety features like airbags, stability and traction control and ABS braking.
Head on over to the ARB website to scope their full range of offroad aftermarket and camping gear and start building your dream tourer today.
www.arb.com.au

Australian Made – LIGHTFORCE SECURES TICK OF APPROVAL

Lightforce have built a hard earned reputation for designing and manufacturing of some of the best driving lights in the game, and in a flooded market, it takes a lot to ensure that the best products stand out.
One thing that most consumers tend to agree on is that the standards of Australian manufacturing are something that can be relied upon – particularly when trying to sift through the influx of cheap imported gear in search of products that are constructed with maximum integrity.
Recently, a selection of core products from the Lightforce range have been formally recognised by the Australian Made campaign, and awarded their coveted tick of approval.
The Lightforce products to receive the seal include the Classic Lance, Striker and Blitz, the Professional Venom, Genesis and XGT and the sector-topping new HTX, as well as a selection of handheld products.
Lightforce have their products quality assured by independent organisations during their research and development phase and they back their products with a reassuring three-year warranty. To see what all the fuss is about, check out their full range of vehicle-mounted and portable lighting solutions online.
www.lightforce.com

LED LENSER’S NEW HEADLAMP RELEASE

A proper headlamp is an essential bit of kit for every hardcore camper, and if you happen to be in the market for a new one, the recently revamped SEO series from LED Lenser is impossible to go past.
This is a company who have been at the top of the portable lighting game for years now, and they’re renowned for turning out some premium products, and the SEO Series is no exception.
The range is comprised of four models and features the upgraded Advanced Focus System – a combination of reflector and lens that provides a focused beam for long-distance and a spill-beam for up-
close reading.
The most powerful model, the SEO7R, omits a dazzling 220 lumens to a distance of 130 metres. This lightweight, lithium-powered dynamo tips the scales at only 104 grams for up to 20 hours of charge time.

LED LENSER SEO3 RRP $76.50
LED LENSER SEO5R RRP $108.50
LED LENSER SEO7R RRP $185.00
www.ledlenser.com.au

DARCHE PASSES TYPHOON TEST

The Air-Volution is Darche’s revolutionary air-pillar-supported touring tent. Although it’s been on the market for a while now, Darche recently released an online video of a wind test of the Air-Volution, conducted in collaboration with Monash University.
The testing was conducted in the university’s 1.4MW closed circuit wind tunnel, driven by a pile of DC motors that power two industrial fans that are each five metres wide.
The Air-Volution AT-6 was subjected to 3.5 minutes of sustained wind pressure, with pressure peaking at 69km per hour. Tellingly, at the conclusion of the test the tent had sustained no structural damage whatsoever.
This fully monitored test applied tremendous force to all integral structural components and seams and proved that the Air-Volution has got what it takes to stand up to the toughest typhoon you’re likely to find yourself camping in.
www.darche.com.au

REDARC TO DOUBLE THEIR WORKFORCE

Australian electronics and tech industry leaders REDARC recently announced that they’re set to double the company’s workforce over the next four years as part of a significant expansion of its Lonsdale facility in Adelaide.
The expansion is being fuelled by a $2.5 million Federal Government Next Generation Manufacturing Investment Programme grant, announced in August by the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Greg Hunt.
REDARC boss Anthony Kittel said, “The new equipment will enable us to enhance our export capabilities and diversify into other markets, including defence and medical devices.”
He said that to house the new equipment, REDARC would be undertaking a major redevelopment of its Lonsdale manufacturing facility.
As a result, the company expects to create around 100 new jobs during the next four years, mainly in the areas of innovation, advanced manufacturing, quality control and business development.
Head online and check out the complete REDARC range of 12V accessories at
www.redarc.com.au

TELL BUGS TO BUGGER OFF!

Few things can ruin a camping trip faster than an overabundance of bugs.
Flies, I can deal with. Mozzies, ticks and leeches, not so much.
There’s a whole arsenal of products out there to help deal with bugs at home and when camping, but it really can’t hurt to have every base covered if you happen to be visiting the tropics and you happen to get paranoid about contracting some weird, previously undocumented mosquito-borne virus.
The BugsAway line of pest resistant clothing was launched by ExOfficio as an attempt to offer an environmentally friendly and non-toxic way to reduce the risk of insects and other pests when camping and travelling outdoors.
The range includes different styles of lightweight pants and shirts that are built to deter mozzies, ticks, ants, flies, midges and more. Worth a look if you’re heading up north this summer.
www.outdooragencies.com.au

PLANNING A TASSIE TRIP?

If you’re considering a visit to the Apple Isle, you’ll be stoked to know of the further upgrades planned for the Port Arthur Holiday Park.
For those who’ve been living under a rock, this is the hugely popular commercial campground located at one of Tassie’s most idyllic getaway spots, just an hour and a half’s drive out of Hobart.
The management company that runs the park have announced a million dollar overhaul of the facility (after spending almost the same amount on it last year) and are set to provide tourers with a selection of ‘glamping’ options including safari tents and luxury cabins.
Port Arthur is located within the Stewarts Bay State Reserve, within easy range of a weekend getaway for those staying in the Tassie capital, and we reckon it’s a prime base to explore the peninsula’s spectacular coastline.  
www.portarthurhp.com.au

PRADO POINT’S KIMBERLEY ADVENTURE

Prado Point is one of the most popular online Aussie 4WD forums and the crew is currently locking in the details for their next annual meet up.
The upcoming get together will be held along West Oz’s iconic Gibb River Road in May and June of 2017 and is shaping up to be an absolute cracker.
The fellas will be kicking off with a two-week adventure at Lake Argyle and wrapping things up on the white sands of Broome’s Cable Beach – as such, the event has been named ‘Border to the Beach’.
Being that the Kimberley is a bucket list region, extended stays will be factored in at some destinations to allow attendees to make the most of their visit.
Registration for the event kicked off back in July, but there’s still plenty of time to get involved, so head on over to the forum and introduce yourself if you’d like to know more, or would simply like to connect with a group of knowledgeable and friendly Prado drivers.
www.pradopoint.com

ARB RELEASE NEW PATROL SHOCK RANGE

In the offroad suspension game, Old Man Emu are kind of a big deal, so when they drop a new product range, it’s no wonder people sit up and listen.
The new BP-51 high performance range of bypass shocks are the result of an exhaustive research and development process by ARB’s in-house team of Old Man Emu ride engineers – they’re a slick product and they’re designed to ensure your rig handles like a dream. The range is vehicle-specific and uses existing mounting points to allow for simple installation.
Stuart Fooks, Old Man Emu’s lead engineer, told us it was a ‘no-brainer’ that the GU & GQ Patrols were next on the list and explains why BP-51s are a perfect fit for the popular Nissan offroaders. 

“GU and GQ vehicles are just as at home on a long distance touring trip as they are as a weekend warrior. The adjustable nature of the BP-51s allows for fine tuning for a specific vehicle set-up, when more load is added or removed, or as terrain changes.”
Head online to the ARB website to check their full range of epic offroad aftermarket gear.
www.arb.com.au