The truth about 4X4 dual-cab utes, modifications & remote adventuring | Auto Expert John Cadogan

That 4X4 ute you’re thinking of (quote-unquote) ‘building’ for that big adventure? Yeah, sorry to say but 80 per cent of your plans in that respect are probably really dumb ideas. Here's how I'd approach it (as an engineer and a dual-cab ute owner).

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Here’s the thing with these utes: Hiluxes, Rangers, BTs, Navaras, Tritons, D-MAXes, even Amarok: They’re light-duty vehicles. Like, keep saying this to yourself: “Light duty.”

If you’re thinking of your ute as a truck, wake up. I strongly suggest you go look at a real truck. They’re not the same thing. Not even close.

Bolting all this stuff up, in, on, and around these vehicles, and adding the 4-5 people and all those provisions, and otherwise maxxing out the 1100kg payload - and then flogging you prized possession over (quote) ‘medium to advanced 4WD tracks’ for (quote) ’10-15’ years is at best quite a bad plan when your stated, overarching priority is (quote) ‘reliability’.

In fact, that sound you hear is reality pounding on the door, demanding to assist you with recalibrating your frankly batshit plan. If you let ‘reality’ in, it would explain calmly that your light-duty 4X4 dual-cab pickup is about to get caught in the crossfire, because severity of operation is the enemy of reliability. And you want both, apparently.

Reliability is compromised when operational severity is increased.

These sorts of vehicles, frankly, are not designed to be beaten endlessly at the limits of conflicting capabilities. (Limit of off-road ability + limit of payload capacity = a great way to break something expensive and/or end up parked on the roof. This happens all the time.

People often think it’s a great idea to tow something really heavy as well. It’s not.

So if you are going to do this adventuring, I’d recommend figuring out a way to do it at well under the maximum payload capacity, or carry the maximum payload if you must, but don’t also do heavy-duty 4WD work at the same time.

Or buy an actual truck, like an Iveco Turbo 4X4, which is kinda designed to do both things at the same time (and when you’re checking out the Iverco, have a look at how different the fundamental engineering of a vehicle such as that actually is…)

That Iveco is not a ‘light duty’ vehicle.

Alternatively, you could put 500kg in the ute, which is really just the family and some essentials, and maybe tow a trailer not more than 2000kg. (Like 400kg tare and with a payload of 1600kg - two axles, braked, roller-rocker suspension… It does not have to be the fanciest off-road trailer money can buy - just a decent trailer, for touring.)

Lots of people turn their utes into the showcase of 4X4s - which is a great recipe to overload them (or on-limit load them) and thus engineer out any latent reliability the vehicle(s) possess. If you max out the payload and then max out the severity of the usage, everything will break sooner, and it’ll be a pig to drive. This is heresy, of course, to the ears of ARB or TJM. They want to sell you one of everything. But you don’t have to say ‘yes’.

[mael-strom]

Reminds me of a quote by the famous 'All Aussie Adventurer' Russell Coight...
"These hopeless hippies had broken down and the only tools they had were themselves."

[Chad_the_dad_h]

Oh bugger, there goes my dreams of installing a coffee machine and pull out bar into my $45k Norweld canopy while I sit a dingo piss creek and admire the flies invading my every orifice.

[TheKnobCalledTone.]

Fun fact: The first East-West Australian crossing to go right through the guts of this wide brown land, including a stint on the then newly completed Gunbarrel Highway, was completed by a Mini and an Austin 1800.

Then, of course, were all those Jack Absalom docos in the '80s where he'd take a Sigma to Dingo Piss Creek and go do some painting.

So no, you don't need a wanking tractor or a ute with half of ARB bolted to it to go to Dingo Piss Creek and beyond.

[amalfi]

I may not always want to hear what John says but I have learned he is usually like my dad damn it

[gaj]

As a fellow qualified engineer (auto design), I shudder when people talk about GVM like it's a target weight rather than an absolute limit. They also tend to be the people who talk enthusiastically about saving 1kg on some random, no doubt pricey, modification, whilst having an entire Chinese steel factory bolted on. The aftermarket industry needs a real kick up the arse when it comes to overloading, but as long as they have someone willing to praise them for providing free kit, which is almost every youtube 4wd channel, it sadly won't change.

[brandonlong]

Not everyone lives in big cities. I've hit about a dozen roos with my ARB bullbar. Living in the NT often has flooding so my ARB snorkel has helped when crossing high waters. 2inch lift hit has made my ride a lot more comfortable especially when towing the boat out to remote fishing locations and general 4x4 activities in the NT national parks on weekends. All of this was money well spent in my PX2 Ranger (no winch). Each to their own but if you can justify the money for accessories and actually use them then that's fine.
Enjoy you videos John

[GuitarsRockForever]

Honest advice, just what people needed (but not wanted).

[StefSki]

A refreshing dose of honesty and reality. Hopefully enough to promote a U Turn, half way to DPC.

[itsbigal]

There's nothing wrong with buying the vehicle first, getting some real world experience with what you're planning to do, and how it's limitations will affect your intended use and installing mods down the track based on what becomes necessary.

It's also not a bad idea to know the baseline of what your vehicle can do out of the box without modifications.

[DanWallis]

I bought a second hand hilux. My friend recently drove it and told me he couldn’t believe how smooth it drove “it drove like a new car”
No dude. The 3inch lift, mud terrains and every accessory you could think of just makes your car drive like absolute shit.

[juliancollis]

My wife and I did the "Circular Tour" of Oz, Canning, Various central tracks, Vic high country and other remote areas over 5 years, 91 to 96.
This was done with stock standard 1982 HJ60 LandCruiser with only a 200 litre. LR tank, roof rack and tow ball. We didn't have phones, radios, fridges, max tracks, built in drawers, GPS's, ovens or roof tents. We informed the local police to our route and we had no trouble except for an alternator bearing, fixed in Ravensthorpe WA., and a fan belt breakage on the Tanami track, fixed by me. We enjoyed this time of exploration immensely, meeting all types of people who have us a warm welcome and info on what to see and do. Total KMs over 360, 000.
I totally agree with the KISS principle - I know - we did it!!

[alexmurray]

Jack Absolom used to drive the strezlecki track in a Sigma station wagon...mic drop

[stewartgardiner]

Looking at how my ARB shares have been performing, plenty of folks driving to Dingo Piss Creek tricked out to tackle the harsh Shitsville

[ossa]

you are absolutely spot my everyday job I do more 4x4 and off road activities than 99.9% of the people I know who think they need to make all this nonsense to their cars. I find that the only thing I've really needed was a good set of tires and a nice pair of boots!!

[ottoswinebar]

Don’t forget the Nuclear power station and multiple power outlets mounted in the back of the tray, just so your beer stays cold for a 2 day trip.

[chrisose]

If you think that a 1100kg load and rock crawling go together then perhaps you should stick to sedans and paved roads.

[strauss]

Just two points. Firstly, I have an Iveco Daily and I love it. Factory diff locks, ultra low gearing, climate control, lots of mod cons and it fits in a standard car bay. Secondly, I always love the Jeep ads that pop up part way through John's reports. We all know how much he loves

[frankguernier]

Had my Iveco now for 6 years. Just love it. Every time i walk past it and look at the truck chassis etc it has the goods.
Standard diff locks front centre and rear.

[georgeszurbach]

So refreshing !! well done John about time someone puts the record straight . So much 4x4 you tubers going on about" building" the "ultimate 4 X4 truck" ; fed up about all this !

[oldbloke]

No surprises that the weight builds up so quickly and that plenty wouldn't even know.
My wagon is lightly modified and the only thing added that weighs much is the steel bar on the front, yep lots of jumping rats around the country area we live in.
With my gear in it for about a week away it is within about 100-150 kg of GVM and I don't have fridge, dual battery, water tank etc etc etc.
Couple of passengers and oops.
I really don't understand the desire to pound the crap out of it over corrugations in the middle of nowhere to get to campsite that everyone else can get to now anyway.
Plenty of nice spots that can be accessed very easily these days if you look and can go when the rest of the great unwashed masses can't.
I was going to do more mods but have decided I will streamline my gear, going camping not dragging the contents of my house with me, find somewhere nice, set up camp and eat steak/drink beer.
Most standard vehicles will scare a lot of people with what they can do offroad right out of the box anyway if that is your thing.