Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2016 i NZ4WD

Subaru’s all-new turbocharged Levorg has been launched in New Zealand, offering style, substance and sophistication in a sports wagon package. The spiritual successor to the Legacy GT wagon, Levorg’s sports wagon exterior dimensions cleverly clothe a spacious cabin in which classy trim and leading-edge technology combine to produce a classic Subaru All Wheel Drive experience. The Levorg arrives here in premium 2.0GT-S spec with highlights including: • Turbocharged 197kW/350Nm direct injection boxer engine. • Subaru Lineartronic Transmission (SLT) with optional Manual Mode. • Third generation EyeSight & Vision Assist features. • Symmetrical All Wheel Drive. • RRP of just $56,990. Subaru of New Zealand’s Managing Director, Wallis Dumper, says “Levorg is an exciting and superior all-new sports wagon package and is perfect for New Zealanders who don’t want an SUV…

Land Rover stopped people in their tracks in June this year as a Discovery Sport SUV towed three luxury train carriages weighing 108 tonnes for 10 kms along a railway track in Switzerland. Though the Discovery Sport has a certified maximum towing weight of 2,500kg it was able to pull 60 times its own weight, thanks in part to Jaguar Land Rover’s new 132kW Ingenium diesel engine providing 430Nm of torque and Land Rover’s portfolio of towing and traction technologies such as Terrain Response, Tow Assist, Tow Hitch Assist and All Terrain Progress Control. In use these become a semi-autonomous off-road (or on-rail in this case) driving system that automatically manages engine output and braking. The feat coincided with the Discovery Sport being announced winner of the 1,700-1,899kg class at…

July 30-31 2016 Offlimits 4WD Ice Buster; at Waiouru Army training grounds. Subject to final Army approval. Ice Buster is a new and unique 4WD event. Unique because it’s held under the biggest North Island mountain in the middle of winter. Saturday and Sunday are guided Safari days where we explore the features and some of the history of the 163,000 acres of the Waiouru military training area. This Safari is deliberately placed in mid-winter to give you a chance to drive in real winter conditions. It is also placed at a time when there are few other events or distractions. An important notice; because it is winter “Ice Buster” is only open to trucks that are equipped for winter conditions. This event is not suitable for “Shinies.” Ice Buster…

When T.E. Lawrence was ordered to head into the unforgiving desert of the Arabian Peninsula during World War 1 to make contact with and assess the capabilities of the local rebels fighting against the Turks, he claimed (according to David Lean’s 1962 movie, that is) that it was “going to be fun.” As it turned out, however, Lawrence’s time in the desert fighting alongside the Hashemite Bedouin people would push the legendary Englishman to the very edge of sanity. What the film and, as a result, most people, overlooked was Lawrence’s long fascination with Middle Eastern archaeology and the fact that he had spent an extensive amount of time in the region prior to his wartime exploits and yet the horrors of war and the unremitting harshness of the desert…

Life is full of unexpected turns, not the least this year when I did some work, as a driver, for a bee company in Masterton. What you may well ask does this have to do with 4WDs and four-wheel-driving? A lot as it turns out. In fact, when I started I found that it was like doing a full-on 4WD trip every day. Or should I say, every night? That’s right, all the work is done as the sun sets and then on into the night. It’s called the hunt for the Manuka flower and the honey the bees produce from it. My job was to move hives around the country during the hours of darkness, with a sidekick along to help keep one awake. The prime off-road vehicle we…

With over 50 years’ experience in building suspension components, Ironman 4x4 has earned the title of ‘suspension specialists’ and are well qualified to explain just how shocks and springs are made. After deciding to bring out a replacement kit for a vehicle the standard suspension is assessed, and then decisions made as to the lift height and shock absorber rates. Whether a coil spring is made progressive or linear depends on what the manufacturer has originally specified for the vehicle. Ironman typically brings out a range of spring rates from A to E, with A being the softest and E for the heaviest loads. Getting high Most 4WDers will go for the B and C springs which are designed for a slight lift and a heavier load than standard. The…

Rear leaf spring bushings and shackles are often overlooked when upgrading the suspension of a 4WD. Leaf spring bushings stabilize the movement of the rear axle. Inferior bushes in this area will cause the solid rear axle to move and impart rear end passive steer to the vehicle. It also causes the vehicle to “wander” all over the road and be unstable under heavy braking. This can be especially noticeable carrying a load or towing a boat or caravan. Original equipment (OE) rubber-style bushes are designed to work at standard height with standard tyres and with standard loads. By fitting SuperPro Bushings and upgrading to greasable shackles the rear end of your 4WD will handle just about anything you can throw at it! You could benefit from a SuperPro Greasable…

After the usual start heading north from our Wellington home up SH1, I took SH3 and turned off just before Wanganui at the sign for Fordell. Past Fordell I followed the Whangaehu River valley through a winding network of mainly sealed roads that passed through open sections of back country farm land and deep, sheer-sided gorges clad in native forest. Recent rain and continuing intermittent showers made everything very green but had also caused a number of minor slips in the gorges, a common problem with the blue-grey mudstone known as papa rock common in this area. As I got deeper into the gorges I encountered a few slip repair crews working on the road where, unlike the very safety-conscious procedures in place in Wellington, I was just waved through…

Local drivers made the most of their home round and surged to the front of the 2016 Polaris New Zealand Offroad Racing Championship at West Melton near Christchurch over the June 11-12 weekend. Seasoned Christchurch racer Wayne Moriarty dominated the 1600 class in sunny conditions on the Saturday, winning all three heats in close racing. He then briefly led Sunday’s enduro but was happy to take second at the flag and add 71 points to his existing championship tally of 66 from the opening round to lead the southern points battle outright. Taking stock Former stock car racer Jacob Brownlee used his new unlimited-class Mitsubishi Evo-powered car to take his first championship race win on the first day and then to win Sunday’s 205 km endurance race in bitterly cold…

Winter has been slow to hit this year and when it did, it was a wet June for many places. June also has the shortest day of the year and longest night with regards to daylight hours. Working at the Mystery Creek Fieldays for four days had me on site in the dark in the morning and it was dark again when leaving. Long tiring days but very enjoyable. When it comes to night time a good torch and headlight can be very useful and I can’t rave enough about the Old Man Emu LED Nitro light and headlamp set from ARB that I have been using for the last 15 months or more. It is a great bit of kit and very versatile in the vehicle and I took…

The first of US truck brand RAM’s new NZ (RHD) market 4x4 trucks went on display here at the National Farm Fieldays on Wednesday June 15 with new importer American Special Vehicles promising a regular supply of 2500 and 3500 series trucks for sale here. American Special Vehicles is a new venture combining the resources of Ateco Automotive and the Walkinshaw Automotive Group. Since its launch as a standalone division of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) in 2009, the RAM truck brand now enjoys US sales of over 40,000 trucks per month. The ASV RAM trucks are imported to Australia ex-factory in left-hand-drive. The Walkinshaw Automotive Group then converts them to right-hand-drive for sale in Australia and New Zealand on a purpose-built production line in Melbourne. Powered by a 6.7 litre…

To mark 75 years in the 4x4 business Jeep NZ has launched special edition commemorative versions of its top models, the Wrangler, Cherokee and Grand Cherokee. The local special-edition models are white with low-gloss bronze wheels, bronze and orange exterior accents and 75th Anniversary badging inside and out. The three models are: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 75th Anniversary edition Based on the four-door version of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with a 3.6 litre 209 kW Pentastar V6 engine, the 75th Anniversary edition has a recommended retail price (RRP) of $69,990 plus on road costs. Jeep Cherokee 75th Anniversary edition Based on the Cherokee Longitude with the 3.2 litre 200 kW V6 engine, Jeep Cherokee 75th Anniversary edition has an RRP of $54,990 plus on road costs. 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee 75th…

Defying the dairy downturn and mainstream media doom merchants, Fieldays 2016 at Hamilton’s Mystery Creek Events Centre between June 15 & 18 proved as popular as ever with a total number of 130,684 punters making the effort to attend over the four days of the 48th event. Naturally 4WDs and SUVs were much in evidence, from rows and rows of used ones in the converted paddock car parks to shiny new ones on show on stands up and down the arena avenues. Isuzu NZ again took out the prize for the Best Interactive Experience Site for its ‘customer-focused and challenging 4WD track built into the site’ while Honda motorcycles won the hotly contested award for Best Agribusiness Outdoor Site for its ‘excellent use of spatial design on many levels.’ UTV…

Projecta has provided the ideal solution to mounting a second auxiliary battery into a vehicle with the launch of a range of custom-built heavy duty battery trays. The new range of battery trays have each been designed and engineered to fit conveniently into specific vehicles which means that they can be installed without the inconvenience of difficult and time-consuming modifications. Constructed of two mm heavy-duty rust and corrosion-resistant passivated zinc coated steel the Projecta battery trays are made to last and come complete with all the necessary mounting hardware for an easy hassle free installation. The range of specific applications covers trays to suit various 4WD models and marques such as Ford Ranger, Holden Colorado, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota and these are available from leading automotive and 4WD…

When Suzuki New Zealand unveiled its all-new Vitara model late last year it arrived just in time to be a deserving winner of our 2015/16 Compact SUV of The Year award. “An involving drive... fine-tuned for the active driver,” is how we summed it up. The only thing missing, in retrospect, was… a little bit of mumbo. At the time I remember asking a Suzuki NZ staffer about the possibility of “shoe-horning in your little 2.0 litre V6,” not knowing that the factory was already well-advanced on its own - more politically correct - solution, a new high-efficiency small capacity (1372cc) turbo four. The chassis and drivetrain could certainly cope with it, as despite a never-say-die willingness to work for its living the normally-aspirated 1.6-litre M16A four-cylinder felt like it…

It wasn’t all about the Ranger in Jordan, as we also had several examples of the Ranger’s bigger cousin to play with in the sand – the F-150. Ford F-150 King Ranch With a four-metre wheelbase and a quite remarkably overall length of 6.2 metres (that’s a fraction under a metre longer than a Ranger), the mighty F-150 King Ranch is a big, fully-loaded piece of Americana that is also a frankly silly two metres wide and two metres tall. Utterly jammed full of equipment both useful (the very clever camera-aided trailer hitch and backing system and the automatically retracting running boards) and weirdly pointless (the remote tailgate release), the F-150 King Ranch is an all-aluminium example of the current advances actually being made by the US manufacturers to push…

Aftermarket 4WD suspension is extremely complex, and determining the right solution for your vehicle and your requirements demands special attention to many factors. Unlike numerous aftermarket suspension systems, which are only available in a single configuration targeting lift height, OME offers a range of tuned and matched integrated suspension systems to ensure the right suspension is available to suit how the vehicle is outfitted and the conditions it will encounter. Old Man Emu employs a team of full-time ride control engineers to carry out an exhaustive testing and development program on each component in an OME suspension system. A long list of sophisticated test equipment – including Motec data acquisition and Finite Element Analysis programs, spring and shock dynamometers, and Solidworks design and analysis programs – ensure OME’s development work…

Terrain Tamer currently offers over 60 different suspension kits, each with different inclusions and suited to varying applications. The most popular kits generally come in under $3500 A basic lift kit for a 120/150 Series Land Cruiser Prado, for example, can start at a little over $1100, and includes front and rear coil springs, as well as expanded body shock absorbers, with a 40mm inside bore diameter for enhanced dampening, a 50-60mm outer tube for extra oil capacity and heavy duty welding for tough applications. All required bushes are also included. Complete kit A leaf spring set up will generally set you back a little more, with a Terrain Tamer lift kit for a 75 Series Land Cruiser coming in at about $2400. As well as leaf springs and slimline…

Want a suspension lift on your new 4WD ute without the price tag? SuperPro Roll Control Ezy-Lift Kits are a great new product from George Stock and Co. Ltd and is the easy way to lift a standard height dual or single cab 4WD ute and retain the standard suspension. Each kit has been tested and fitted to ensure the lift for each application is the right amount to maintain a safe working environment for the standard suspension. So, if you are looking for a little more ground clearance, this is an easy, cost effective way to do it! These kits come complete with everything that is required, including comprehensive fitting instructions to ensure the right outcome every time. SuperPro even supplies the hardware to lengthen brake hose and ABS…

During early June I visited the Australian city of Cairns for the first time and now know where what must be the most 4x4 populated place in the southern hemisphere (and maybe the world) is! Of course it was the start of the ‘dry’ winter season where the weather is settled, the rivers run lower and the ground dries. It would be interesting to know how many 4x4 are on the tracks to Cape York at any one time during these winter months. I managed to speak briefly to drivers from a couple of different groups stopping for a break as they came south through Cairns… it was easy to spot those who’d been touring, their vehicles were liberally coated in red dust. As one moved about Cairns and the…

Renault has joined the turbo-diesel 4x4 double cab ute party with an all-new Nissan Navara-based model called the Alaskan. Officially unveiled on June 30 and set to first go on sale in Columbia, the Alaskan will be manufactured in three different plants around the world and be available across South America, Europe, the UK, Asia and Australia and New Zealand. Like Nissan’s NP300 Navara, key models will be powered by a twin-turbo common rail 2.3 litre four-cylinder diesel engine mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission and use coil springs front and rear. There will be two and four-wheel-drive versions with all getting an electronic limited slip differential and a full suite of driver aids (ABS, EBD, ESP, and HSA/HDC). Renault claims ground clearance of 230mm and a braked trailer towing…

Jaguar Land Rover has opened a new $NZ450m (£240m) factory and training facility in Brazil, a first for a UK automotive group in Latin America. The new factory in Itatiaia in the state of Rio de Janeiro is also the company’s first wholly-owned overseas facility and marks a further phase in its global expansion strategy following the opening of its Chinese joint venture factory in 2014. The new facility will build both the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport for Brazilian customers. The plant includes Jaguar Land Rover’s first overseas Education Business Partnership Centre which will provide a range of classroom activities for up to 12,000 local children each year. The plant includes cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and has the most advanced Emissions Conformity and Certification facility in South…

New Zealand distributor of Nitto tyres and Raceline wheels YHI (New Zealand) Ltd is proud to announce a partnership with 2015 North Island Class 8 Off-road champion Jono Climo and co-driver Josh Piper. Racing Climo’s well-known self-engineered and fabricated twin turbo V8 ‘DSTRBR Hilux’, the team is set to be a force to be reckoned with. The DSTRBR will be running 17” Raceline AL Monster bead locks and pushing Nitto Trail Grappler and Mud Grappler tyres to their absolute limits at offroad competitions around New Zealand. “Josh Piper, myself and team 869 are ecstatic to have YHI on board as support for our exciting sport,” said Jono. “We are itching to get the 869 into action once again but this time with an arsenal of new rubber and wheels. We…

Invercargill-based couple Robbie and Connie Crickett’s company, NZ Adventures, offers fully guided 4x4 tours throughout the South Island, creating the opportunity for like-minded people to drive their own (or a hired 4WD) through the High Country, both pastoral and wilderness. Special highlight A special highlight of the company’s tours are the lunches on stations with the run holders on many of our trips. Accommodation is in motels, with dining in restaurants for most evening meals. NZ Adventures is currently offering six separate tours of either five or six days duration. Robbie and Connie are also able to offer one and two-day tours around Central Otago for those people with their own 4x4 vehicles who may like a day out exploring the area off road. These are not all out rough…

Followers of the local Winch Challenge scene will no doubt recognise the name Scotty Newport. Scotty, from Nelson, has been a regular competitor on the Superwinch Mainland Series circuit for a number of years, his skills as a co-driver recognised by the likes of Sav Satherley and Gordon Jackett. Both ran Jeeps with Scotty responsible for their electric Superwinchs, with Scotty part of the class-winning team in the Mainland SuperwinchSeries as well as joint holder of the NZ1 Title for their class four years running. He is also currently President for his local club, the Nelson 4WD Club. We (that’s me, Vicky, our three daughters plus a wee grand-daughter) all enjoy the 4WD scene and are very much involved in Scotty’s Winch Challenge activities. One daughter (Megan) in particular is…

Just because you can lift your 4WD 200 mms (eight inches) doesn’t mean you should. Often the best way to begin your process is to have a detailed conversation with someone who understands the parts and the installation process. And someone who is interested in helping you achieve your goal. There is also a huge amount of good information online. However interpreting this information correctly is key. Websites of reputable manufacturers of components are a good start. Some forums have a great deal of knowledge available, but it does mean trusting a relatively unknown individual’s information to be accurate. I think we have all experienced the “my cousin did that to his 4WD and it was fine “scenario. So exhibit caution when it comes to sources of information that have…

Suspension specialist Monroe is reporting the increased incidence of damage thanks to deteriorating road conditions across the Tasman… something which will be all too familiar to readers in this country. Hence it would pay to heed a warning from the company that cumulative damage can occur over a period of months of driving in such road conditions. Because of this the company also says it’s a good idea to have a qualified technician inspect your vehicle’s shock absorbers, strut mounts, steering components and wheel alignment on a regular basis. This is because a vehicle can only stop in the shortest time and steer at its optimum levels of safety when its shock absorbers, struts, strut mounts and bearings are not worn or damaged. The damping action performed by these components…

This year’s Woodhill 100 – held over the June 04-05 weekend – drew the biggest entry in the 2016 Polaris New Zealand Offroad Racing Championship and the strongest field of unlimited class racers this century: 97 cars were entered in the event, with 17 unlimited class race cars. The 4WD classes were down on numbers compared to recent years but were led by the hard-charging Raana Horan in his Nissan Titan V8. Also in contention were the new modified-class UTV race cars, with Polaris team driver and defending national champion Ben Thomasen of Tauranga taking pole position for the race in his RZR Turbo. Horan, McCall and Thomasen led the start, Thomasen swinging wide at the first corner to let McCall and Horan do battle on the long, fast straights…

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…