trailer rubber means you’ve got more options
in terms of spare tyres for those bigger trips
too. What size tyre do you think an outback
roadhouse would stock? An massive 37in rock
crawler, or a fairly standard size all terrain tyre?
The type of tyre is the next consideration to
make. You’ve got All-Terrain tyres, Mud-Terrain
tyres, Light Truck or Passenger construction
- the list goes on. All-Terrain tyres are a good
middle ground between Highway Terrain and
full blown Mud Terrain tyres. They’re usually of
Light Truck construction, which provides plenty
of strength, and are designed to perform well
over a variety of different terrain while still
maintaining decent on-road performance too.
You’ll need to keep in mind that the chosen
tyre must meet the specifications as per your
vehicles tyre place card, with things like the Load
Range and Speed Rating being adhered too. Oh,
and if you plan on doing a GVM upgrade to your
vehicle, the tyres must also carry the appropriate
rating to be legal.
SAGGY SUSPENSION
There’s a better than average chance you’ll need
to upgrade your suspension to help with the
added weight of a fully loaded 4WD and camper
trailer. These days campers seem to be fairly
heavy on the tow ball, and when you load the
back of your 4WD up to the hilt it tends to sag
more than a worn out hammock with low self
esteem. The good news is there are plenty of
aftermarket suspension options to help bring it
all back to life. But here’s a tip – wait until you’ve
fitted the rest of your 4WD out with accessories
first, then get your vehicle weighed while
it’s fully loaded before you jump in the deep
end. That way you’ll get a grasp around what
suspension you’ll need to support the increased
load properly, or more importantly, what “spring
rate” you’ll require. Weigh the front and rear axle
independently too; Things like steel bull bars
and chunky winches can rack up extra front-end
weight quicker than you would think, and who
knows what the rear axle weight would come to.
GVM INCREASE
Modern 4WDs are getting pretty darn heavy
these days, and the trade-off is their payload
takes the hit. It’s not uncommon for modern
day 4WDs to have a lousy payload of around
500-600kg, which is bugger-all once you add a
few basic upgrades, a couple of festively plump
mates and a full tank of fuel, not to mention a
camper trailer hanging off the ball. If you plan
on adding a chunk of after-market accessories to
your rig, it’s definitely worth looking into a GVM
upgrade for your chosen vehicle. It’s not easy to
work your way through the red tape, but it sure
beats giving your insurance company a way out
in the event of an accident, that’s for sure.FUEL FILTERS
ltering out
ontaminants like grit
r water has always
been a big part of
4WD touring, but with
modern day common
ail technology, good
clean diesel fuel is
more important now
than ever before.
Truth be told, there
are a million different
schools of thought
about adding a second
uel filter to the mix.
he thing is diesel
uel systems are quite
omplex these days,
nd adding the incorrectfilter in the wrong place can end up causing
more problems. The problem usually lies in poor
quality after-market filters wreaking havoc on
the fuel pressure/delivery requirements. Each
and every vehicle’s requirements are different.
So do your research, and if in doubt, regularly
replacing the factory fuel filter is a great habit to
keep on top of things.F
Fi
co
o b 4 m r c m t T a s a f Tfu
co
anootThese days, it's easy to reach your vehicle's GVM
so if in doubt, check it out!Obtaining good clean fuel is more
important now than ever beforeMatching your vehicle tyres to your camper's means
you have more options when it comes to spares