Bushranger 4WD gear gets serious with SUVs
November 27, 2008 by Anthony Crawford
Another mandatory inclusion for outback touring would have to be a jerry can or two, for additional fuel and/or water, and don’t forget a comprehensive first aid kit, there are a thousand reasons to have one of these on board.
I know this piece might sound like an advertorial for Bushranger but with so many innovative and useful products and such passionate people producing quality products, its hard not to want to give this outfit a plug.
Take their new Wheelie Bin, made from tough PVC it attaches to the rear door-mounted spare wheel, and can be used for temporary storage of wet rubbish or anything wet keeping it outside the vehicle!
If you’re used to penthouse living and happen to be up north fishing for Barra’ in a river where the odd crocodile may call home, then you’ll want to kit up with Bushranger’s Open Sky rooftop tent.
It’s a brilliant product, which will have you and your partner sleeping under the stars, on top of your vehicle’s roof, away from those nasty snakes, crocs and scorpions but with a gentle breeze keeping you cool at night. It even has its own extendable ladder, which is a good deal sturdier than my Bunnings version at home.
Nothing like a hot shower after a day’s driving in the outback or perhaps a surf session on a secluded break. No problem, with just a two-connection plug in hose and a drum of water, you can have hot flowing water from a proper showerhead. They call that product The Bushranger Hot Water Shower – what a surprise!
If you are planning to take your SUV on an off-road adventure you might want to at least contact the guys at Bushranger www.bushranger.com for some sound advice on what they reckon you should take with you depending on where you intend travelling.
Whatever brand of 4WD gear you end up buying, make damn sure it’s a quality item and not a cheapie, otherwise it could cost you big time.
I have had a Bushranger Max Air compressor as shown in photos for 5 years.
Has been great on our beach runs, inflates a tyre quick and was a lot cheaper than some of the competition.
It sure makes the Subaru Forester look like it had to work extra hard when a VT Commodore wagon made it on the beach (in the background of the photo with CEO Evan Black)…
Brent, you’re not too observant are you old mate. The commy wagon along with tents etc are clearly on the flat hard packed ground as opposed to where the Forrester is in the foreground. The Commodore would not make 10 metres in the soft stuff before the Forester driver would need to hook up the snatch strap and pull her out.
Yes but Anthony I’m sure you’d realise it had to get there somehow, and I’m fairly sure a helicopter didn’t drop it down there…
I’ve been there with my best friend and his sky blue combi following his dad. As we tried catching up to dad in the 4WD, we launched over a dune and all his dad saw in the rear view was the underbelly of the 1960 van.
A kodak moment.
Most people would be surprised what a bit of ground clearance can get you. 4WD’s can be overkill.
Where you get to depends on how you drive it. Surprising what happens with lower tyre pressure and lower speeds. I did 60,000km around Australia in a 1986 L300 4wd campervan ( full Suncamper Conversion) with a 2l petrol. The advice on tyres can not be ignored, I did it on BF Goodrich All Terrains and did not get flat. I travelled the Bloomfield Track & Lakefield NP, remote parts of Kakadu, Mereenie Loop, Gibb River Road, Cape Leveque etc.
I took one of the Bushranger Air Jacks but did not use it. When I tested it before I left it worked as expected. Tried to used on my current Troopy and it burst.
Can anyone attest to the capabilities of the Forester on the islands of SE QLD?
Darren,
I can attest to the 2007 Turbo manual ability on SE QLD beaches. I have personally driven ours fully loaded (seats folded packed to the roof and full roof rack) in Kinkuna National Park (Bundaberg) Very Soft sand and steep narrow gravelly beach. Burrum point, soft sand track entrance and about 8km of beach, Rainbow beach and Leisha Track, Noosa Foreshore, Freshwater camp ground, Stradbroke Island Flinders and Main. I am heading to Fraser for a week in September which will be our last trip in it on the beach as my wife will be giving birth soon after and we simply won’t fit the baby in next time!
It actually went more places than a 2004 V6 Hilux, I went up dunes and through soft tracks faster and easier than the Hilux because of its leight wieght and WRX like acceleration.
I have plenty of photos and videos of it tackling beaches with ease. Just rememeber to let the tyres down to 18psi and get a subextreme bash plate.