Interesting Thought on 4wd Vehicles ABC news

Read article that todays 4wd are to high tech according to a bush mechanic.
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I tend to agree in some way as the amount of electrics in the vehicles today and if this plays up unless you know what you are doing you can become stuck. I have an older vehicle 86 troopie I am stipping down and getting ready for when I retire. Just the basics so that if something does go wrong I hope to have a chance of fixing and getting out.

Have any of you had major issue with a newer vehicle model where you have been stuck would like to hear what happened....Ian

with any vehicle a second fuel filter is a must coz u r guaranteed to pick up dirty fuel from a garage somewhere.

if u strip and replace the hubs on the front end with new bearings and seals u will also save yahself a lot of grief further down the track.

make sure your rear main bearing isn't leaking --get it checked out or put thicker oil in your motor to reduce to leak--20w50.

certainly change all the oils on your vehicle including the brake fluid.

if u r going to do a number on your rocket then its easier in your driveway rather than parked on the side of a bush track in the middle of woop woop.

regards
oneday

Hi Ian, I too agree and use to own a 4d56t Pajero from new that had done over 600,000km, i would still use her for gold detecting but after 23 yrs in the family the old gal was falling to pieces out there, mechanically it would of done another 300000 im sure.
the issues i see regularly with newer 4wd Ian are usually in the electronic sensors and controllers associated with the euro3 and 4 emission standards. what was once a brilliant reliable motor is being eroded away with all small turbo diesels motors once they introduced EGR and catalytic converters and diesel particle filters etc and all the sensors that go along with it you no longer have a vehicle capable of going remote unless like me you have done the mods and have a diagnostic centre unit to plug in and clear codes or force a dpf regeneration etc. they are a must have tool now that i have used a few times myself in the bush to get the vehicle out of limp mode, a default setting that stops the vehicle from boosting when certain faults are found leaving you stuck with no power to drive unless your on level bitchumen. without it then a tow to a dealership will be required. i use 10w 50 Ray since removing the particle filter being a justifiable mod because my life depends on my vehicle not faulting and requiring a regen in the middle on nowhere , duel fuel filters are a must swapped every 10000km with the full service and a new oil filter every 5000km  I do a full fluid flush every 30000km, rotate tyres every 20000km. i have fitted exhaust temp gauge, an engine and auto oil temp gauge, a boost gauge and soon will have a oil pressure gauge to keep an eye on everything. you need to know how to fix the vehicle as well, at least be able to change a belt or hose.
hey Ray, I fitted a oil filter sandwich plate so i could locate the pressure and temp sensors but i didnt realise it had 3, 1/8 BSP holes for sender units in it, i thought it only had two as one was under a sticker, i started the car after fitting to check for leaks only to see all my oil shooting onto the garage floor.. I chucked some sand on it all and shovelled it up expecting to see a big black stain but there was no black, only a oil wet stain. the oil had done around 8000km and is as still practically clean as new,   this is due to stopping dirty exhaust going back into the motor by the egr mod and the oil catch can and to the regular oil filter change, best thing you could do to a diesel if you want to go bush.

I've got '03 cruiser ute
In the last couple of years out prospecting, I had a situation several times where I would try to start it up and sounded like a flat battery
After numerous attempts it would finally start
When back home, one morning it wouldn't start, rang a auto sparkie mate and he had a look at it and found it was the immobiliser causing the problem
I told him to disconnect it, as I didn't want to get stuck out bush
The red LED still flashes to make it look like it is still connected
Never had trouble since

I agree to much fancy crap on the newer 4x4's, but that's so they can sell to the soccer mum's and the princey office worker's who think there a bushy coz they got a $100k sahara or prado .
the best car I've owned was a 78 model FJ45, a bit thirsty with the 350 holly carb but that car got me everywhere. I purchased it in 1994 with just over 600000 k's on the clock ex state emergency service vehicle from down Bunbury. unfortunately I killed it by deciding to have a head on with a brand new drill corp drill rig on Gnangara rd doing bout 100 kph. thankfully the drill rig was stationary but some toss pot pulled out in front off me in wet conditions and I locked it up and slide into the truck. had a mate in the ute hahaha we all got out without a scratch though but the ole cruisy had a bent chassis and was the end of her.
I gave the running gear and what panels left a new home on a 76 model for a few more years though until the coppers whacked a sticker on it.
alright enough reminiscing sorry

after doing around 6 trips and due to our personal situation with Karen; although I loved the old NG i couldn't go with her 4wd for bush as we found out travelling even a few km on the corrugated roads in any older vehicle kills the wife's back in no time. we needed the comfort but capability, economy with high tow capacity, the newer 4wd certainly accommodate this after suspension and tyre mods and are fine for bush once you understand their weakness. every vehicle has its positives and negatives its up to you to make it work for your requirements or buy already setup.

yep and I'm looking for a decent seat for the old troopy.
the one I've got now is still the original and I reckon there must have been a couple of fat buggers sitting in her before I got it and the drivers seat is well lets say stuffed.

u r glad to pull up and stretch yah legs at every opportunity.

regards
oneday

then ya got computer chips or chips and I know what chips I prefer with a sprinkle of vinegar and salt.
I won't even talk about turbo's after hearing from one of our members about replacement price.
like Jase says, a lot of the 4x4's ya see especially around Perth metro never get off the bitumen or even leave the suburbs.
far too much reliance on electronics these days.

Was thinking about updating my 94 land cruiser 4.2 diesel a while back,but my mobile mechanic who has the same vehicle but a tray-back asked,why?He said these older vehicles are far more reliable than the newer ones and I would be better off keeping same and fixing up motor when the time come.At the moment with 380k on the clock still going great and uses no oil.With leaf springs front and back you lose a bit of comfort but with the reliability I think thats a a far better trade off.As Martin said in an earlier post the key to it is regular servicing,oil every 5000km and filters on a regular basis with grease up.Each trip back the air filter is first on the list,good blow out or replacement.At one stage I was holding back doing any additions to the troopy because I might be updating but now its full steam ahead and no holding back. just my thoughts and your vehicle is the most important item with prospecting.

Cheers

Phil

I have to agree with him that most of us experienced mechanics are either too old in the tooth to be able to approach this new technology or smart enough to leave it to the young guys.

Yes these vehicles have a lot of electronics that don't seem necessary in the bush but then we have a lot of drivers that don't have the bush experience to really handle a vehicle when the going gets rough. It's just as well the vehicle can do the thinking for them. It knows how to apply the brakes on a rough gravelly road or when to apply power in a slippery situation. The driver who doesn't know what to think doesn't have to.

I think if you were to take a look at statistics you'll find the majority of vehicle failures are with trailers and after-market modifications. I've spent a lot of time racing vehicles in various events and if you grab a stock standard vehicle of almost any era you can flog it to death and nothing fails. As soon as there is a modification made to electrics, suspension, engine, gears, accessories it becomes to some extent unreliable.

Try to buy a vehicle designed to handle the job without modifications or with minimal modifications and you'll find it reliable in the bush even with modern electronics.

As an example; On 4th January 2013 in stinking hot weather, over 45 degrees, we were returning from Victoria in a heavy duty 4WD. While crossing the Nullarbor we decided to take the opportunity to head south of Caiguna to Baxter's Memorial on a remote part of the WA coastline. The track was very narrow and overgrown. We started out with two revolving lights on the top of the cab, two combination lamps on the top of the traybody and a fibreglass arial with a flag on top. All went missing on overhead trees and branches.

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I pulled up to clear the road when almost at Tollina Cove. When I tried to start again it was dead. With over 40 years mechanical experience and a not too modern vehicle I was able to reach into the engine bay, disconnect the electric stop and restart the engine with a screwdriver across the starter motor terminals. That got us into camp for the night.
It took me about three quarters of an hour in the morning to check for wiring damage, blown fuses, loose terminals and anything else I could think of. In the end Sandra made a cuppa and we sat down beside the vehicle while I thought about it. Suddenly the problem was right there before my eyes. It was all caused by an aftermarket modification (see photo below). The starter isolation switch had been hit by a stick and switched off. I turned the switch on and we were underway again.

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Yes it helped being an early model vehicle but it wouldn't have broken down if it was not modified.

Phil

i personally wouldn't want to take any vehicle fitted as stock with a particle filter, single fuel filter, standard lighting or with only standard tyres/suspension out bush, yes you will get away with it a few times but sure enough you will also get stuck. certain mods are better than stock its just some people are more concerned with looks than practicality or just dont know what they are doing. thing is you have to be very careful once you start modding the engine or electronics as all soughts of issues can follow. all mining vehicles are modded and have external isolators, if i was going bush i would cover it with a simple guard or lock it off, it can be difficult to know in advanced every problem you will come across out there so you need to be capable of modifications on the fly.

Hi All,

Don.t get me started you blokes!!!,It's well documented some of the problems that I've had in the bush, but it's all about being prepared

I have a tool bag which I can just carry and a tool box in the back of the trayback full of things" in case" something should go wrong and it will eventually

The best "tool" so to speak is the car manual, not the one in the glove box,the serious one on how to fix the car kept in a zip lock bag under the seat

The internet is a great source,if you have had the problem someone else would have to

Know your cars weaknesses before you venture off, at least you will know what to expect

In saying all this people go out in boats and can't swim, so say la vee!!, whatever, whatever!!!

Ron

Flouro wrote:Hi All,

Don.t get me started you blokes!!!,It's well documented some of the problems that I've had in the bush, but it's all about being prepared

I have a tool bag which I can just carry and a tool box in the back of the trayback full of things" in case" something should go wrong and it will eventually

The best "tool" so to speak is the car manual, not the one in the glove box,the serious one on how to fix the car kept in a zip lock bag under the seat

The internet is a great source,if you have had the problem someone else would have to

Know your cars weaknesses before you venture off, at least you will know what to expect

In saying all this people go out in boats and can't swim, so say la vee!!, whatever, whatever!!!

Ron

Ron when I first setoff around Australia in 1977 I had everything that might possibly break. All I ended up with was a heavily overloaded vehicle and the only things that broke were the things I didn't pack. Each trip I slimmed i down and had the same result. The parts in the back stayed there and if ever we needed something it was never anything you'd imagine packing.

Now I service regularly, carry a couple of spare wheels if I'm heading off the beaten track or going for months on end and a couple of filters. I always have my little box of odd bits of wire, tape, glue and a few screws. My tool box has a good range of regular spanners and thats it.

Most of my family are in Queensland so in the last thirty years I travelled back and forth taking various routs at least a dozen times and I've only once broken down an not been able to get it fixed. That was in a Mazda T3500 bus that did big end bearings on its first trip to Exmouth. I bought new bearings for $400 in Exmouth and fitted them in a truck stop but the conn rod was stretched and even though I tried to file it down to size again it only took us a few more kilometres before starting to rattle again. I hitched a ride back to Exmouth and bought an old Falcon for the trip home and the bus came home on transport.
Murphys law states that if it's spare in the boot it won't break.

The last time I broke down I was in a 200 series LandCruiser 20km this side of Kimba while crossing the Nullarbor. I was in my son's vehicle towing a rally car in a trailer loaded with tools and parts. Of course we never packed a LH front inner CV joint for the Cruiser or a 46mm socket to undo the outer nut. I had to remove the joint from the shaft while it was in the hub, cut a section out of the inside of the spline with a Dremmel so that it could be reversed, filled it with grease and replaced the rubber boot. Within a couple of hours I was on the road again.

He always has spare hoses, belts and filters but have you ever done a belt or hose in a well serviced vehicle?

Oh yes I must ad, this vehicle was running a 2" suspension lift, the cause of the CV joint failure.

Phil