Western 4W Driver Edition 103 ebook teaser

103rd EDITION Winter 2017 WA’s own 4WD MagazineMore Power toAmarokHallsCreek toPurnululu CopperD to the MAX TrailsUp the Coast to Wotsaname Euro’ver and Out - Pinning down the Polluters Tri-Turbo Audi

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WINTER 2017 CONTENTS DESTINATIONS East Kimberley Extravaganza - Linda Bloffwitch revisits Halls Creek and Purnululu____________ 8 The Shakedown - Amanda and Mike christen a new camper_________________ 64 Up the Coast to Wotsaname - En route to the Murchison_________________________________ 146 Copper Trails - Ruins, ragged hills and rugged tracks______________________ 194 TESTING Pumping up the D-Max - with Rob Robson__________________________________________ 34 Smooth Sailing with Bluewater - Alex Garner checks out a forward folding camper___________ 51 Amarok Re-powered - Volkswagen goes for Six____________________________________ 84 Tougher than a Five Buck Steak - Or a Rhino Hide___________________________________________ 127 Audi Tri-Turbo - Overkill or Porsche beater?________________________________ 1604 Western 4W Driver #103

FEATURESThe Early Days - A longitude Solution_________________________________________ 59A Simple Wheel Bearing Service - Keeping the wheels on your trailer___________________________ 95On the Way There - Ian Elliot explores some en route highlights_________________ 100Euro’ver and Out - Neil Dowling pins down the polluters________________________ 109Reader’s Ride E-BOOK!Now in: - Vee Ten Vee Dub______________ 119 Go to:wFesoterrnM4wodrriveer.com.auSteps to Survival - Signalling for help_____________ 137Naming Rites - A blast from the past___________ 206 REGULARS What’s New? 21 80 WIN! Happy Dayz 113 Fishy Business COLUMNS Over the Bonnet 131EdSed Gear to Go Camping 169Wildtrax What’s in a Name 6 Workshop Chat 183Bindon’s Lore 45 - Suspension Clewed Up 47The Things you See 73 Capture the Moment 191 125 157 Goings on 203 Subscriptions 208 Supplier’s Directory 210 Silly Snaps 212 Western 4W Driver #103 5

East KimberleyExtravaganza Part 2While the Gibb River Roadmay be the most populardestination for Kimberleytravellers, there areplenty of other stunningattractions in theregion’s east asLinda Bloffwitchhas discoveredover the years.8 Western 4W Driver #103

We revisit the magnificent Cathedral Gorge Amphitheatre in Purnululu National Park. Western 4W Driver #103 9

90 DAYS, 37 PLACES, 8,757 KILOMETRESZERO PUNCTURES “Our Coopers have taken us from Adelaide to theKimberley, across the Tanami, and Pilbara regions. We wouldn’t risk being out there in anything else but Cooper tyres”. - Linda & Grant from My Aussie Travel Guide -WWW.COOPERTIRES.COM.AU OR CALL 1300 182 118

Rekindle the kid inside youWith the latest from Toyota. Yes, that sandpit favourite is back Underneath the black-and-yellow in adult size as Toyota dresses paint is the flagship SR5 dual-cab with up the Hilux to create the a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-dieselTonka Concept. And now that you’re all engine.Toyota began its makeover byexcited, I am going to pour cold water raising the ground clearance by 150mmin the sand by saying it’s not destined - it’s now 429mm - thanks to a high-for production. Yet. But that’s what they riding axle, heavy-duty suspension andsaid about the FJ Cruiser, too. And until 35-inch diameter tyres.The new front barlast year, that became reality. is compatible with the vehicle’s safety systems; the bonnet has a carbon-fibreBuilt to celebrate the Hilux becoming skin and features a “power bulge” andAustralia’s top-selling vehicle last air scoops; high-performance off-roadyear andTonka celebrating its 70th LED lights are in the bar and roof pod;anniversary (whileToyota is in its there’s a rugged bash plate made from80th year of incorporation), theTonka 6mm-thick alloy; and tubular side railsConcept was conceived, designed, to protect the body and chassis. Insideassembled and tested by designers and the tub, pretty much everything hasengineers fromToyota Australia. been changed.There’s a new tailgateProduct design chief Nicolas Hogios said with a carbon-fibre skin; an integratedthe team had: “takenTonka out of the rear spoiler and two air vents for airsand pit and reinvented Hilux from top flow.There’s also a lightweight strapto bottom and from nose to tail”. instead of a handle to open the tailgate. Western 4W Driver #103 21

PUMPING UP THEIt was way back in 1963 when Isuzu’s firstute rolled off the production line – called theWASP it was a ute version of Isuzu’s passengercar, the Bellett. A long line of Isuzu utes havefollowed (who could forget the Chevy LUV andthe Isuzu KB) with the D-MAX first arrivingin 2002. The latest in the D-MAX lineage wasreleased in February this year at an all-bells-and-whistles launch on the Gold Coast.34 Western 4W Driver #103

Off-RoadD-MAX RwRioothbbson Western 4W Driver #103 35

TESTIt’s pretty easy and affordable to tow a goodINGnight’s sleep and all the amenities behindyour vehicle these days. What’s not easy ischoosing a camper trailer from the sea ofoptions available. Alex Garner checks out aforward folder from the pool of choices.SMOOTH SAILING WITHBLUEWATERMost camper trailers on the market today are built in China, forward folding camper trailer. It wasn’t and Bluewater Campers are no a straight drop on and go, as this trailer exception. The difference here uses a rather unique hitch (unique tois that only the body and chassis are me at least). It’s called a Mchitch, andbuilt there. The Canvas is Australian once the receiver is bolted up to theand sewn together here, and the Navara; it offers a full range of motionsuspension is all quality Australian like a poly block coupling, while beingLovells springs and Ridepro shocks. much easier to hook up. Pulling out of the driveway and downI rocked up at Josh’s place in a Nissan the street I could instantly feel theD23 Navara, to which he attached a top weight of the trailer on the back.of the line bed-on-wheels; the Murray Heading up to destination Dwellingup, Western 4W Driver #103 51

the Navara was still pulling easily and to bring the trailer to a stop.holding speed up hills, but had lost that Let’s talk about that weight for aseat of the pants punch that I love when moment. As mentioned, the tare isthe beast is unloaded. On the road I 1480kg including the canvas and poleswatched the camper through the rear for the annexe and ensuite. The ATM isview mirror. While the Navara shook 1990kg, and the two water tanks totalaround a little in the bumpy corners, 170 litres, which is 170 kilograms. Thisthe Murray remained smooth. Upon leaves you with 340kg for food andhitting corrugations through corners everything else. In my mind that shouldon the gravel, the trailer held course be enough, but if you plan on carryingperfectly – even when the back end of more or installing the optional boatthe Navara wanted to kick out. rack – it might be worth consideringI didn’t stretch the capabilities of this the ATM upgrade to 2400kg. Looking at the size of the steel used in the chassis and the impressive suspension setup – this trailer will handle the weight no problem! When it comes to the final stop of the day, setting up isn’t too bad a job. The hard floor is held shut D23 Navara easily held up- hill speed under load. Wind’er up, wind’er down.combo too far off road. When I using over-cam latches and the dustdid, the trail consisted of loose sealing is seemingly impenetrable – Igravel, some minor washouts don’t see too many setups with terribleand a moderate incline. Even dust sealing really. With more than onewith low range selected and person present you could easily set upthe rear diff lock engaged, theNavara scrabbled all over theplace for traction; dragging mebackwards a tad at one point.With a dry weight of 1480kg,plus a bit of water on board;the highway terrain tyres onthe Navara are way out of theirdepth. If you plan on doing morethan gravel roads, you’ll want yourtow rig decked out with a meaner treadpattern. Thankfully you shouldn’t havethe same problem coming downhill, 12inch electric brakes are plenty sufficient52 Western 4W Driver #103

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THE NAVIGATIONEARLY DAYS with Barney Hutchison more you go further north or south of the equator, however, the direction and distance remain the same. As the world is a globe, well almost, the lat/long system is the more accurate system to indicate a position as they both refer to the 360 degrees of a circle. Although straight, longs start to converge on each other as you move away from the equator until they touch each other at the poles. In the early days of mapping, latitude was calculated from various star sightings.The degrees of latitude refer to the angle of the latitude line in relation to the plane of the equator, either North or South. Perth is roughly on the 32 degrees South line of latitude.Therefore the angle of the latitude line that runs through Perth is 32 degrees south from Equator 32oDuring some of my navigation 90o courses I have been asked Perth the question, “Why does our GPS’s position default show Lat South Pole(Latitude) and Long (longitude) andnot the UTM/UPS (Universal Trans the equator (Fig. 1).The South Pole has aMercator/Universal Polar Stereographic latitude of 90 degrees South. Longitudesetting which is used on the maps?” was a lot harder to calculate, so much so that in 1714 the British GovernmentThe UTM system uses a two- passed the Longitude Act placing adimensional grid system placed over prize to anyone who could accuratelya map of the world where the lines of calculate longitude. Many methodslatitude run East/West and the lines of of calculating longitude have beenlongitude run North/South.These linesrun parallel to each other which creates Western 4W Driver #103 59the ‘grid’.This grid distorts the globe the



TO TAKE OR salesperson, of whom there were only a few, would rather be out fishing.NOT TO TAKE When asked whether a pamphlet was available on an interesting productRecently I had the chance to visit he or she was likely to say, “no we a camping and caravanning don’t have any of them mate, you’ve show. There were an enormous got to download one for yourself off number of exhibitors, more the Internet.” While this salesperson‘off-road’ campers that I had ever has little chance of making your walletimagined existed and thousands of lighter I would have thought theredifferent kinds of tents and swags in was also little chance of selling anyall the colours of the rainbow. There of the products on display in his orwere stalls inside pavilions and outside her trade stand. In fact, my mate andin the grounds; every imaginable I immediately lost interest in the gearcontrivance that could possibly be that he had for sale and went off to lookused in the bush was exhibited or for it elsewhere.being sold. After visiting a few stallsI discovered that there are two main It wasn’t difficult to find a similarkinds of salespersons working in this product, because there were whatindustry. One is extremely enthusiastic, seemed to be hundreds of trade stands.encouraging and determined to sell you We must have seen 50 different kindsevery requirement to make your trip of barbecues especially designedenjoyable. But, I suspect that although for ‘camping.’There were certainlyyour trip may be very enjoyable four or five varieties of ‘camping’ air-your vehicle will be tremendously conditioners. Now here is a productoverloaded. This salesperson will guaranteed to make you think youleave your wallet and bank account are still at home rather than sittingmuch lighter and make your 4WD next to a picturesque rock hole onmuch heavier. The second type of the edge of the Great Sandy Desert. And this was not the only product I Western 4W Driver #103 73

AMAROKRE-POWEREDA 4wd ute with a Porscheengine - well that mightbe something to getexcited about. vsypeeolorai.yumw.t.Avifaetienrrvcmrdteyohlrtmyaqhytueeisnipscustuokpbuslpetythlehe”edes84 Western 4W Driver #103

Off-Road RRwioothbbson Western 4W Driver #103 85

You know your destination but do youknow what’s to be seen en route? In theinterests of making your journey more ON THEFor me, Winter is the prime season Sharing the driving and driving day and for 4WD travel. To avoid the cold night can achieve this, but it seems to and rain of our southern districts, the older, wiser (debatable) me that, many of us will be heading by doing this, you can miss out on anorthwards or north-eastwards to lot of fantastic scenery andseek out warmer climes. I’ve known experiences on the way there. Overlots of people who can’t wait to hit the the years I’ve gradually adopted myKimberley and they’ll drive non-stop to own methodology.get there in the shortest time possible. I plan my route in advance on100 Western 4W Driver #103

enjoyable we asked inveterate bushtraveller Ian Elliot (Mr. E) for his tips onwhat’s worth checking out....WAY THEREOziExplorer, fixing eaTxthptehlroeer’iscnangmo. pfifnireeratfhtienrgatbhuasnyddoazyingwaypoints at turn-offsand places of interest.Something of a speed hoonin my youth, these daysI opt for a slower, morerelaxed pace. I usuallyset the cruise control toaround 100kph.That way Western 4W Driver #103 101



READER’S RIDE:VEE TEN VEE-DUB From Steve BekkersHere is our 2004 VW Touareg, it’s I mention power… and heated leather a V10 with 750Nm and 230Kw as seats, 4 zone air conditioning, quiet and standard but with the magic of smooth driving manners and excellent computers it has been “chipped” road holding.This one has the full sizeto R50 specs 850Nm and 258Kw. spare option and came with 2 sets of wheels; 19” for pimp mode and theWe bought it because any touring more practical 18” set. Very handy nowholiday here in the West is going to that so many utes have 265/60R18 asinvolve travelling long distances, and standard fitment.this machine eats the miles without It has an excellent traction controleffort. Western 4W Driver mag is system plus low range and lockingto blame for this obsession. Many centre and rear diffs. It also has airyears ago when I was driving a 2.8L suspension so raised up and with theTD “Slowdeo” I read the bumper 50th 31” tyres it has 320mm clear underedition which featured the “Torquey any part of the body. Unfortunately 31”Touareg”. How could I even dream of tyres are the max it can take.owning such a beast? But the seed was Sadly I have no respect for this car andsown and 11 years later these machines take it places it probably should notare almost affordable, so I find myself go, like beach tracks and rocky tracksdriving my dream machine. through the hills.The photos don’tWhat a change after the “Slowdeo”, did Western 4W Driver #103 119

TOUGHER THAN YOU FINKE Mazda BT-50 is built tough to take on any task and do it all in style. Its sheer power and grunt made it the perfect choice to take on Australia’s toughest off-road challenge, the 2016 Tatts Finke Desert Race. It’s no race for the faint-hearted, with over half the entrants failing to finish. BT-50 was ready to take on the harsh terrain as it defied all expectations for a podium finish in its class. Equipped for work, play and everything in between, BT-50 is built to do it all, including Finke. BT-50 4X4 DUAL CAB XTR with Finke Pack: • 17-inch Black with Silver Face Alloy Wheels 53,826• Black steel bull bar • Soft tonneau cover from only * DRIVEAWAY • Black sports bar • BT-50 decal and more $ Metropolitan Dealers Regional and Provincial Dealers BAYSWATER/MORLEY Bayswater Mazda 9272 4044 ALBANY Albany Mazda 9892 0866 CANNINGTON Parkland Mazda 9458 7222 BUNBURY Spencer Motors 972 1 2477 MELVILLE Melville Mazda 9319 1500 BUSSELTON Busselton Mazda 9752 4000 OSBORNE PARK Osborne Park Mazda 9444 7388 CARNARVON Carnarvon Mazda 994 1 1 029 ROCKINGHAM Rockingham Mazda 9528 9528 GERALDTON Youngs Mazda 9965 6999 WANGARA Wanneroo Mazda 9403 9777 KALGOORLIE Golden City Mazda 902 1 1 699 This advertisement is a manufacturer’s advertisement KATANNING Katanning Mazda 982 1 2388 and vehicles must be bought from dealers. Private Buyers only. *Recommended Promotional Driveway Price for MANDURAH Mandurah Mazda 9583 1600 BT-50 4x4 Dual Cab XTR manual with Finke Pack. NARROGIN Narrogin Mazda 988 1 2044 NORTHAM Northam Mazda 9622 1 188 mazda.com.au95185

Steps to Survival - Part Five:GETTING HELPOne consistent thing that about With Bob Cooper 90% of lost people don’t do in Australia is signal for help in signal flares should be spaced at least any way shape or form. They 10 metres and not more than 30 metresjust carry on or move off without any apart to be effective.consideration or thought to rescuers. A single fire tripod flare is also aIt is distressing to have realised that very effective night distress signaloften great lengths of stressful time and and is sometimes your only optionin some cases loss of life, could have in a confined space or with limitedall been prevented by a simple vehicle flammable materials.hood up, notes on the dashboard, travel To make a single signal flare, makearrows on the ground, stick tripods with a tripod of thick sticks, then createnotes or just by smoke signals. a platform half way up and stuff the upper half with lots of dead leaves andTwo minutes is the average time you dry grasses.have to signal from when you first hear When you light this from underneathan aircraft to attract any attention to the platform, the updraught will causeyourself.Your life could depend on it, so the fire to flare into a huge ball of flamemake very sure you are ready to signal visible many kilometres away.with your available methods. Visual alerts at night can be made with a series of three evenly spaced torchNight Signals or camera flashes, followed by a pauseThree fires configured in an equilateral and then repeated. A strobe light signaltriangle are an internationally flashing continuously is designed torecognised night emergency signal. be a distress signal. If a search planeI prefer to call these signal flares or chopper is looking for you hold upbecause, if done correctly, their volatileeruption of flames flare upwardsseveral metres making it obvious thatthis is definitely not a camp fire – easilyseen kilometres away.The triangular shaped emergency

UP THE COAST TOWOTSANAME A pretty beach near our first night’s camp.146 Western 4W Driver #103

Words by Susie UnderwoodPics by Nick & Susie UnderwoodGood fun by crikey.As we didn’t get the opportunity to go away forEaster this year, Nick and I decided we wouldtake advantage of the Anzac Day public holidayand escape for a long weekend. With the weatherlooking decidedly iffy down south, we decampedin a northerly direction, destination MurchisonHouse Station in Kalbarri. Western 4W Driver #103 147

Audi has sweetened the luxuryend of the SUV market with aninnovative, sophisticated yetcomplex new model. NEIL DOWLINGdrives the latest SQ7, the high-performance sister to the Q7.160 Western 4W Driver #103

Classycockpit in avehicle withenough gruntto take on aPorsche 911. Western 4W Driver #103 161

CGAEAMR PTOIGNOG With Chris HarwoodFly-by-night and day their internships at Vegemite?). RRP’s are $279.95, $379.95 and $499.95The good folk at Oztent have released a respectively, with weights of 2.5kg,new range of tents called the Malamoo 4.7kg and 7kg.They all pack down toJourney series. Music to the ears is small small sizes, even the Journeythat they feature built-in flys! No more 3.0 is only 90 x 80 cm when folded up,struggling with an uncooperative, that is like carrying a bicycle wheelamorphous lump of material bearing around in your car. So there you are,no discernible relationship to the three good compact tents for those in atent in one hand, instruction sheet in hurry.Yours from Getaway Outdoors.the other, in that howling gale which Hot stuffinvariably springs up just as you openthe tent bag. The Journey tents come Don’t like being cold? Don’t likein 1 person, 2 to 3, and 4 to 5 person being wet? Don’t like collectingsizes, and they are all pop-up types firewood? Or just totallywith tunnel configuration, so they are incompetent at lighting fires? Welldouble-sided entry and exit. Just pull then get yourself a Companionthem out of the bag, release and peg LPG Gas Heater!This little unitout. Note that, peg out.This makes can pump out a whopping 10,800them different from other Malamoos. BTU’s, soAs usual with Oztent, quality is key, there iswith a 2 year manufacturer warranty. oodles of heat forThe fly material is PolyesterTaffeta 68D, everyone, and forfloor is Poly-oxford, and the fitted poles peace of mind inare fibreglass resin. a crowded busySo, the three Journey tents are the camp site thereJourney 1.0, Journey 2.0 and Journey are excellent3.0 (did the marketing department do safety features with anti-tilt shut off, an oxygen depletion sensor and protective front guard. Size- wise it stands a little over 30 cm high, 40 cm wide and 19 cm deep, and weighs 4 kg. Included in the $179 RRP is a POL Gas Regulator and a 1500 mm gas hose, which you connect up to a Western 4W Driver #103 169

POL Gas Cylinder that you have bought protect it when rolled up or deployed.separately. Good old piezo ignition will It uses the same mounting methodsfire it up, no messy matches, and you as other ARB awnings, either attachingwill be warm as toast in no time, but directly to roof racks, or to ARB “L”read the manual (RTFM for the texters) brackets. It looks a lot better than aand do not operate in the tent or soft-covered one on the side of yourcaravan, outdoors only! vehicle, and no spiders, nits or other uninvited guests can enter.Hard Core See more at arb.com.auIF you’re going camping, you’d be wise Cracker Trackerto have an awning in your kit.If you don’t, you could end up looking IS there anything more ‘Straylianlike a piece of walking biltong, so than a swag? Probably not. Swagsyes, you sure do need an were in use long before Vegemiteawning.They’re usually became the national gastronomicalattached to your fourbie’s icon and also before they maderoof rack but what if a Drizabones.tarantula has taken up Yep, the old stockmen would unfurlresidence within? Or a family of nits, their swags after a tough day andjust waiting to parachute onto your have a kip under the stars.Brylcreemed coiffure? If it rained, well, they’d get a washFear not, the chaps at ARB have a at the same time.solution: they’ve just released their Today’s campers still like theirlatest innovation: an aluminium swags, but they can do sansencased awning. the rain, cold and other not-so-Inside is a 2.5m x 2.5m awning, and wonderful things that can land onyou can open or close it with the one’s face while asleep.greatest of ease via its UV treated,marine-grade, quick release cords. Enter the AOS (thatThe awning itself is of ARB’s proven stands for300gsm, PU coated, waterproof and UVprotected canvas and abrasion-resistant Aussie Outbackmaterial has been added to better Supplies)Tracker Swag.170 Western 4W Driver #103 Tailor-made for warmish spots such as the Outback and tropical and northern regions of our girt-by-sea country, it has a waterproof, breathable canvas top to keep the moisture off. If it’s pleasant enough weather, you can sleep under the stars or have the protection of a fully enclosed sandfly and mosquito-proof mesh that extends right down to the zip. And that mesh is adjustable to let in

SEVEN MOREGreat Trips for2017noCeuhwr escwtkuenobnusiinttge! DIRK HARTOG TRIP Jul 1 - 16 Pilbara Waterholes. When it’s cold down south spend lazy days camped at remote waterholes or drive rough tracks and riverbeds a long way from the tourist routes. Don’t miss out - this trip fills fast. Sep 8 - 10 Wildflowers. Wander among the Wildflowers and get your cameras clicking. We hunt out the best displays and the best campsites. Sep 22 - 25 Beyond the Holland Track. Celebrate the Queen’s Birthday in the stunning Goldfields Woodland among salmon gums and bluebush understorey, we always take the route less travelled to ensure a unique experience for our clients. Oct 6 - 8 Dads and Lads. This one for the boys big and small, doing what boys do - marroning, 4W driving, raft racing with a big Sunday brekky thrown in. Don’t miss this special bonding opportunity for fathers and sons. Oct 27 - 29 Best of the Southwest. (New) Jarrah to Karri to coastline. This trip showcases the top spots in the Southwest with a beach drive thrown in for good measure. Nov 24 - 26 Shutterbuggers. Grab this weekend away with Graham Cahill for a photographic extravaganza. Shoot the Cape to Cape, drop into a vineyard and much more. Huge prizes for good shots. Dec 8 - 10 D’Entrecasteaux. Explore our favourite parts of D’Entrecasteauex National Park. Drive sublime sand tracks to coastal outcrops a freshwater lake, river crossings and huge dunes. This trip has it all. * Most trips camper trailer friendly. Call Nick on 9291 8303 for more info. Definitely the most fun you can have on 4 wheels. Taking you to the edge! www.campfireescapes.com.au