Why we modify our 4WD’s!

To the majority of people who see our 4WDs around town and wonder why on earth we spend all that money modifying our cars… this blog is for you.

Why We Do What We Do with Our 4WDs

Let’s make it as simple and as informative as we can. Let’s start with the purpose. When you have the ambition to go out and adventure around our great nation, your typical sedan or hatchback will only take you so far. Most of the interior of Australia consists of unsealed roads, and the best spots to go camping are usually in areas that you cannot access unless you have a high-clearance four-wheel drive. The ability to go off-road and have an epic adventure is addictive. While you may already have bought your four-wheel drive and have been using it to carry the kids to school and after-school activities—because, let’s face it, three kids in the back of a Mazda 3 is just a bit squishy—you may start out by doing day trips up the beach or into local fishing holes and tackle low-key tracks. This is when the addiction starts.

The first time you have a puncture or become stuck and realise that your standard four-wheel drive was not up to the task, you might feel the need to upgrade. Or, if you have bought a caravan and started towing it to caravan parks only to realise that the suspension cannot handle the extra weight and the car suffers from a lack of power, making towing unnerving and unsafe, you’ll understand the need for upgrades. This is when you need to start putting your upgrades on paper and work out what you need versus what you want.

In my honest opinion, I would start with everything related to safety. Upgrading suspension, tyres, and even enhancing the engine’s performance is where you should start. Suspension can be tricky to work out; it is not a one-size-fits-all approach. I highly recommend talking to your four-wheel drive experts and asking for assistance. They will ask you questions like: What is the use of the 4WD? What loads do you plan on carrying/towing, and how often? Do you plan on fitting any extra accessories to the front, like a bullbar, side rails, spotlights, and winch? Do you know the GVM of your vehicle, and will you need to upgrade the GVM to be able to carry the loads?

Choosing tyres that will work for you can be overwhelming. There are a lot of different brands and tread patterns. Again, talk with your local 4WD expert; they will always recommend tyres that will work for you. You may start with a simple All-Terrain pattern and then realise that you may need something more aggressive that will offer better protection for the area you plan on going into. That is normal and part of adventuring. There is not just one tyre style that will give you everything you need. So do not be surprised that it will come down to choosing comfort over traction/protection. Personally, I have just changed my tyres from an aggressive all-terrain style to a full-traction mud pattern style. I have done this for two reasons: traction and protection. My example is a Y62 petrol V8 Nissan Patrol, known for easily becoming stuck in sand and mud because of the horsepower it makes. The tyres off-road will break traction, and you end up sitting on your chassis rails in a big hurry, waiting for a recovery. Protection comes in the way the tyre is constructed. We are looking for sidewall protection and the tyres’ ability to self-clean the tread pattern, stopping rocks from getting stuck between the lugs and causing them to drill into the carcass of the tyre, resulting in punctures and impact damage. Of course, this may not be the choice for you, but a thorough discussion on needs versus wants will get you very close to a decision.

Engine Performance: Why It Falls Under Safety

Let’s be perfectly honest; you have been driving down the highway and come across a 4WD towing something, and they hold up traffic because they will not tow at anywhere close to the speed limit. There will be a lot of criticism here, but these drivers are not confident in their vehicle’s ability to do the job they are asking of it. Or, they think that by slowing down and being a pest to other road users, they will save money on fuel. If it’s low confidence and the vehicle is squirming around, then they need to have the discussions we just had above. If it’s a lack of power because they use loads more fuel when doing the speed limit, they will need some engine upgrades.

Engine upgrades, depending on your type of engine (whether it be Turbo Diesel or Petrol), will come in different forms. A turbo diesel, for instance, will benefit from larger exhaust diameters, larger surface area intercoolers, remapping, or fitting of a suitable power module like Steinbauer. In the case of a petrol-fueled engine, items like performance headers, high-flow catalytic converters, larger diameter exhausts, forced induction from either supercharging or turbocharging and remapping the ECU can be beneficial.

These performance add-ons will boost the engine’s performance. When you’re loaded up, you will find that you won’t need to give the engine a hard time to make it perform for you. The efficiency of the engine will increase, and fuel consumption will, in turn, be better. If you’re not using the four-wheel drive for towing, the engine enhancements can also benefit you out on the tracks. Improved throttle response can make things more enjoyable, and with throttle control devices, you can dial in what you require for different tracks and climbs. Of course, with more horsepower comes more torque, and being able to use this torque to your advantage when you require it in low-range, slow-moving tracks and climbs is beneficial.

Now that the safety items have been addressed, you can start looking into how you want to dress up the car and set up 12V accessory systems for extra lighting, camp fridges, compressors, and other items that you may want to carry and use in your 4WD. Other items to consider are how you would be recovered. Do you have recovery points and your own recovery gear? Do you need front protection like a bullbar and side protection like side rails and rock sliders? Do you need underbody protection to ensure the drivetrain does not get damaged? All these questions can be discussed with your four-wheel drive expert.

Beyond Aesthetics

Modifying our 4WDs is not just about aesthetics. Don’t get me wrong, we want them to look good, but at the same time, they have a purpose. When all these modifications are put together, the once standard 4WD you bought will be a distant memory of that time it didn’t work, and now you have an off-road weapon that will take you further than you imagined.

This is just the very basics. Of course, there are loads more four-wheel driving-enhancing modifications you can do. I highly recommend that you seek guidance before committing to anything.