Readers' Rigs: December 2022

Run an eye over the latest selection of four-wheel drives submitted by our readers. Better still, get involved and send a snap of your ride via our Facebook page.

2022 Isuzu MU-X LS-T

7

It’s only a couple of months old and it has spent lots of time in workshops. Just taken day trips so far to Straddie, Bribie and Bellthorpe NP. Big trips coming in the New Year.

Gear includes a two-inch EFS lift with Airbag Man suspension under the back; 17-inch ROH wheels and Yokohama Geolandar X-AT tyres; three-inch Legendex exhaust; Animal Toro bar and Carbon winch; custom off-road plates; STEDI lights all around; and a Rhino-Rack on the roof.

A Baintech battery in the back is topped up by a Hardkorr panel on the roof and Redarc inside. Plus it has hard pipes under the bonnet and a bunch of other bits and pieces, and it still has a few things on the to-do list. - Shaun Chandler

Holden Jackaroo

7

It’s fairly standard except for OME suspension for outback travel, along with necessary gear like a bullbar, side-steps and UHF. It’s running Bridgestone 697 ATs and it currently has 385,000km on clock. We’re off to SA to see what a good season does for the outback. - Ian Edgar

2021 Haval H9 Ultra

7

Something a little bit different to most, with Razor ATs and a lift on the way. This shot was taken during a trip along the Murray River in January 2022, and I’ve only done a few trips to Cargo, NSW, and to the Snowies during the end of winter – but more to come. I have a Kings drawer set-up in the rear, a 100L lithium fridge-freezer, and a Kings 270-degree awning. - Todd Bridge

Toyota 60 Series LandCruiser

7

This vehicle is the ultimate 60 Series! Recently driven on a return trip from Ceduna, SA, to the Red Centre NATS in Alice Springs, and it never missed a beat.

Kit includes a mildly worked 454 Chev mounted to a Toyota five-speed gearbox, with the heavy-duty upgrade on fifth gear; 15 x 8-inch black Sunraysia rims on 33 x 12.5 x 15 Kumho tyres; factory air and power steering; Black Duck seat covers; laser-cut door trim; two-inch lift with Ironman 4x4 suspension; an ARB bullbar; Sandgrabba floor mats; Long Ranger auxiliary fuel tank; ARB 40amp DC-DC dual-battery system; custom-built Adrad aluminium radiator; and a dual 2.5-inch exhaust with Lukey sports muffler. - Mario Nicholls

Mitsubishi Triton

7

Mods consist of a three-inch King Brown exhaust; two-inch Dobinsons springs and shocks; Oricom UHF; Rhino-Rack Platform roof rack and awning; aftermarket intercooler, ForeFront Industries hard intercooler pipes; eBay snorkel; Dobinsons bullbar; Ridge Ryder 12,000lb winch; MCC recovery points; Victron Energy Orion DC-DC; SuperNova 32-inch light bar and Rough Country seven-inch driving lights; and full rear axle swapped with factory diff lock. - Graham Blanch

2017 Ford Everest

7

This whole build was designed to balance the need for that extra power and reliability, while trying to keep it light for towing.

Mods include a Rhino bar and bash plate; Maxxis AT 285/70R17 tyres; two-inch lift on Outback Armour shocks; Kings winch; Yakima roof platform; custom second-battery set-up; and a GMC radio.

The real magic is under the hood, to give the lazy 3.2-litre a lot more gusto and reliability off-road and for towing. This includes a House Of Automotive (HOA) Stage 1 turbo with dyno and gearbox tune, to deliver about 30 per cent more power. There is more power to extract from the engine, but we traded that off against drivetrain reliability.

A HOA torque converter with a lower set point makes it quicker off the mark and also delivers that little bit of extra low-down power, to get over dunes or through heavy mud. We swapped the Everest cooling system for a Ranger set-up, which keeps her much cooler in peak summer and while towing.

A BushBarrier protection system makes getting through scratchy bits a lot more fun. The last hidden gem is the Kufatec Sound Booster Pro, which lets me tailor the sound of the car from a deep V8 to a screaming Maserati, or just go silent if I am sneaking in late at night. No exhaust mod. - Anton Kroger