WISH WE KNEW THIS SOONER... Lessons from 20 Years of 4WDing & Camping

This episode on Beers in the Shed. We've got cold beer. My good mate Jesse is in the workshop with me and we're going through over 20 years of hard-learned lessons for driving on some of Australia's toughest tracks and how to prep your vehicle. Things we've learned over the years getting them set up right. Mate of course we've got our epic regulars like our wins, fails and 4.24.7 kids. Yep. And then we're going to be looking at some new vehicles that are coming out this year. So mate let's get into it. Well Jesse mate, firstly I'm excited to have you down here in my nest. It's been a while since I've been in your little workshop mate and the Red Luxe's look is pretty flashy compared to the last time I saw it. Yeah to be honest I haven't worked on it in a little while because I've been playing with Land Rovers but I'm keen to get back into it. Maybe you could help me get on the tools mate. It's pretty clean. I'm a bit scared that I won't just pass you the tools. I don't want to get too close. This hot topic is a cracker because hard-learned lessons off-road. I know you, Sean, Graeme, all of us have made a lot of mistakes wheeling but a lot of the time and modifying cars they're better for it and there's a couple of things that we'd like to share with you and some that you guys have sent in lessons that you you've learned after years of wheeling. It's the best thing about mistakes you always learn something from you take it away you never do it again. Exactly, exactly. Mate let's get straight into it because one of the ones starting off in the shed before you go before you've gotten out onto the tracks you've got that dream trip you've been thinking about for years you take some spare parts and there's lots of spares to take but you know bearings, filters, fluids, belts, hoses are a and a lot of the time particularly with modern vehicles or if you go to your local part store sometimes it might be a slightly different part from a different variant. I know my Hilux that engine that's in it there's like nine different variants of that engine. Yeah. So it can be hard to make sure you get the right things and there is nothing worse than having to change one of those parts out in the bush and realising it doesn't fit particularly when you're a boat. Yeah that happened one year to me and Kate. I was in the D-Max where I think it was a CB we broke we had went to put them in a new model and they did not fit in. They were very remote. And the solution to that which I've learned after plenty of times making that mistake is before you go and you service your vehicle you do if you're doing a big trip you're doing your your hoses your belts filters fluids bearings etc when you're doing them if the old ones are still in serviceable condition you're just replacing them to be a bit more proactive use them as spares because realistically they only need to get you out of the bush and you know they're going to fit. Yeah that's that's the big one yeah. And if you're not servicing the vehicle yourself if your mechanic's doing it ask him to inspect those parts and if they're still in good nick keep them as spares. Because even if you don't know how to put the part on if you have it with you in your remote area it fixes 10 times of the problem. Yeah be tight we don't just sit around waiting for things if you've got the part someone can fit it. One of the ones I've definitely learned from mate I'm guilty of doing it myself too especially these as of the internet you see an image online and think that's really cool that's what I want or you think that's what you need to go and do a big trip and I know a few people especially some of our mates think that the biggest flash is seen to go and do a bucket list trip but you and me can both vouch for this some of the most fun we've had off-road even on big trips you took the red dog to the cave didn't you? I did mate. You don't need a big budget flash car to go and do a bucket list trip. But we're not saying there's anything wrong with having a flash of stuff if you are at that point in your life and you can't afford it definitely go for it yeah more having out the people the younger people or the people getting into it you don't have to live a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget you can get done in a cheap budget build it also if you are just getting into it and you might have a few things on your vision board build you really like don't go and do that straight away before you've gone and done these things you might go and do a heap of mods for hardcore stuff or a heap of mods of touring and then go and do them things and not enjoy them so I'd say get your car do a few basic mods get some recovery gear and you know maybe a fridge and some tires go and do a few trips and work out what sort of four-wheel driving you like and then build from there for sure you'll find very very quickly what your vehicle is capable of what you're capable of and you'll also find what you like and don't like when you're halfway up a hill and you got a tire in the air and you can't see anything you might be like this isn't for me I like touring and camping yeah and you can build on it from there like I've had my sas tire locks for 12 years now and it didn't start like that it was bog stock when I got it yeah and the first trip I went out in I took my dad's esky and a swag and went camping for a few days and then kind of built on it from there and now it's now it's mildly but I got carried away yeah so yeah you don't need all the flashiest gear straight away we're both definitely guilty of that I'm sure we've seen some mods online or we've gone and bought something yeah we really need this we want it and then it's probably been sitting in a car we've never used it or like we don't need it but we've got it because we want it so what we're trying to say is take a step back slow down go and use your car work out exactly what you want to do you save money and you just won't be carting around things you're not going to use or don't need the other thing too and it's probably a bit of a behind the scenes one mate you might agree with this but in our jobs we get to drive lots of different cool cars for the first time a lot of them are quite stock or they don't have all the flash of stuff you know we spent years setting up our own cars to go on trips and then you jump into another car you've just bought it doesn't have anything anymore and it's almost like a reset yeah you take it out into the simpson desert or whatever and you're just like oh I don't have this this and this I don't have the flashiest fridge and 12 volt and lights and all that sort of stuff I've got a real basic setup and it just it humbles you and reminds you that you don't need it all then when you go to someone set up who does have it you're like this is pretty nice so it's a balance it's a balance definitely yeah well Jesse there are a few lessons we've learned in the shed getting the vehicles ready and then going out for your dream trip what about when you're actually out there what are some wheeling tips you've learned over the years some wheeling tips probably the biggest one that I live by is seat time over shed time the more you drive the car the better you're gonna know it the better you're gonna have the feel for it and the better you're gonna be able to wheel it so that is a one and just real simple things like if you're first getting into it let down your tires make sure you've got recovery gear make sure you're prepared like those little things make a massive help at the end of the day yeah big time for me I've got two the first one is something I say all the time you said seat time over shed time that's probably your catch phrase mine is slow is smooth and smooth as fast and that comes down to wheeling is you don't need to rush into things a lot of the time with too much momentum on rock steps and things like that in particular you can feed your car you do damage you can break it out in the bush and then you're in strife just slow down take a breath and there is nothing wrong with using a winch if you have one winches are so cheap these days or even even walking the track first dude that makes a massive help as well and you always bagged me out for not liking to do it just because I you know I like to uh see see the limits of the car but don't be afraid to do a bit of rock packing do a bit of track building if you need to and have a good spotter yeah out there as well spotters definitely help yeah for sure the second one uh is take your rubbish out I know it's something we always are saying and 99.9% of people are doing the right thing it's just that small group of peanuts yeah leaving their rubbish behind just don't like you brought it in you came it didn't it didn't exist out there just take it out with you exactly 100% and I'd like to say that probably 100 hopefully 100% of our viewers do the right thing and they don't they don't leave rubbish in the bush yeah definitely not mate and let's move on because uh you guys at home sent a whole bunch of hard-learned lessons that you've learned from years of wheeling I'm sure combined experience of everyone watching there's probably thousands of years of wheeling all put together yeah and mate uh this one from Stu1983 don't exceed your own limits uh to follow someone else or to show off I definitely am guilty of that in the past you know you build your car you want to show it mates kind of peer pressure as you're alluding to before yeah that is that is a big one just just slow down cowboy it's all good and you're the one that's going to have to fix the car the mates geeing you up are they going to be the one that's going to hook in and fix the car hindsight is a great thing you you know you don't want to do it but you do it then you wreck your car and the whole drive home you're just what did I do that we're all guilty of it but uh it's it's a mistake you don't make too many times that's yeah there's one here from um Jackson Goodchild the cheaper the car the more you're doing that is true I love you know when I started I had a cheap four-wheel drive I had a Vitara bought for 300 bucks and I feel like if I had a more expensive vehicle I would have been very cautious compared to when I'm driving my GU to my GQ I'm very cautious of my GU and my GQ you know I'm happy to beat around a bit so if you're doing it you know first getting into it you want to explore and maybe do some more harder stuff I would say get a cheap car don't get the most expensive thing yeah for sure this one goes back to grassroots wheeling I really like it it's from Menno Doctors in most cases tire pressures will get you out of trouble and generally stop you getting in it probably one of the best things you can do to your vehicle to make it more capable is adjust your tire pressures off-road that's that's I guess wheeling 101 so um Menno Doctors that's a good one mate right back from the beginning there's another one here from Always All-Wheel Drive he's learned that speed is the number one cause of breakages slow and technical climbs that they go and that is that's the guy I've seen many times before people get stuck and they sit there going flat out or bouncing and that's exactly when you break stuff and that comes back to learning your car and knowing what mod you want to do and also yeah just just taking your time definitely mate and you guys watching at home what is the most important thing you've learned after years of wheeling out in the bush if we've missed it or there's something you really want to let us know tell us in the comments because we're all here to learn we're all here to experience what everyone else has dealt with over the years of wheeling and I reckon we'll pick up a few tips and tricks you never stop learning especially in this game well mate next up let's chat about uh some new four drives coming out this year because there's some that are getting some pretty sick upgrades and there are also some that are brand new coming to Australia this year that are going to be pretty hectic so the likes of the MU-X and the Mazda BT-50 they're getting some cosmetic upgrades a few changes to the interior and bits and pieces the MU-X I reckon is sorely needed it's starting to look on the tail end of uh yeah especially making the year was it was definitely a great basic car but yeah just the inside and a few you know bit of the tech was a little bit behind so it's definitely neat needed it'd be good to see that when it comes out mate one that I'm actually keen to see is the Photon Tunland is coming out uh in Australia this year it looks very F-truck spec like it looks super tough yeah and they've got uh two variants coming out they've got the V7 which is I guess dual cab ute size and the V9 which is a bit more F-150 size V7 is the model not the engine is it yeah yeah because I'm thinking how do you have an odd number in a V that'd be in one cylinder just over there yeah yeah I don't know but um they've both got a two litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel yeah uh and an eight-speed automatic it's a small engine but lots of gear so it must must work all right but that they look very cool like you know some of these new modern cars I don't like the look of them but that one looks tough speaking of the looks of new model cars mate there was one that I think uh the internet had a field day on it when it was released we're talking of course of the Kia Tasman that is coming out very very soon uh 2.2 litre four-cylinder turbo diesel and it's uh it's got let's say some style aesthetic that's ahead of its time it looks it looks yeah very space agey type thing I reckon I look like everyone had some quite strong opinions on the Tasman I want to see one in person uh before I make an opinion drive one take one for a wheel uh keen to see back in the day I remember like you know when when I first got my piece everyone had a Hyundai Accel or like an old Kia as their first car and they were cheap and you know they were just a bit cheap and nasty but these days Kia and Hyundai they're very good cars so I'm keen to see that thing I reckon it should be a quality build yeah mate speaking of big quality builds GMC are bringing the Denali the Yukon Denali to Australia yeah yeah yeah I saw heaps of them when I was over in the U.S. big dog SUV they always drive past in the U.S. with like blacked out tint they're all black they look cool they look like um like government cars they sound cool too I think they're gonna be like a 6.2 litre v8 yeah yeah it'd be an LS I imagine yeah yeah it'd be very cool big dog that'd be cool uh they're gonna be on the dearer end of the scale mate for and they're gonna I believe they're going to be converted by the same company that's doing uh vehicles down in Melbourne yeah yeah so uh keen to see keen to see how they go because they're a big SUV but we're starting to see a few more American vehicles coming over here like for example we've already spoken about this but the mighty Toyota Tundra is coming there are a couple of them being tested around that I've cited but uh cool to see other you so we've already spoken about the Ford plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and uh the BYD Shark now Jesse you could probably talk a little bit more about that because you just went and tested one that's exactly why I'm in Sydney I've spent the last two or three days testing the BYD Shark 6 and I'll tell you what I was a little bit disappointed in myself I thought I thought I was going to hate it being like a new modern hybrid electric ute and I'm an old four-wheel drive guy but I was very impressed by it there were certainly a few areas where you know I thought you know this thing's just not going to cut it for Australian conditions but overall I definitely do think they have a place in Australia obviously not for everyone and probably not for the stuff we do but I was very impressed by it drove super nice I have to say mate that was not the answer I was expecting you're going to be uh getting one to tow the caravan with or what probably not but like it's not for me but I can see I can see why someone would buy one for sure now there's a bunch of new vehicles there but want to know from you guys what four-wheel drive are you most interested in for 2025 let us know in the comments below there's a couple of epic ones coming out I can see you in a GMC Denali mate that'd be pretty cool maybe I just don't know how to pay for it but I'd love to see how to pay for the fuel as well yeah mate there's some awesome stuff we've chatted about on this episode of The Shed but before we move on we have a cracker of a deal of the month from Sean from Marta Cars for Cancer well Marta Cars for Cancer have done it again with their biggest ever lottery now you could win what I reckon is one of the ultimate touring vehicles in this country a chop 300 series land crew that's been extended it's got a tray canopy all the off-road gearing factors over 130 grand's worth of accessories on this bad boy right here and that wasn't cool enough you'll be hooking up this lifestyle campers fusion van now it's a full off-road caravan it'll take you to your wildest destinations and get this is also $75,000 worth the cashable gold bullion if you do the math real quick that takes a total prize package to over $420,000 and it could all be yours with just a $30 ticket your best way to take advantage of this one is jump onto the website carsforcancer.com.au but make sure you get your entries in real quick because this lottery ends real soon well Jesse mate now it's time for probably our favorite section because I know you love a bit of a second-hand bargain with vehicles of course we're talking about our grey's top buys of the week and we have some crackers here mate let's go through it now first up this one I saw straight away oh that is beautiful that's a beauty looks tidy too yeah so fun facts I'm going to go Hilux nerd of course it is an N60 Hilux this one 2004 so it's at the tail end of these before they went to an N70 Hilux so you're probably getting a pretty nice one and the best part is mate it has done 358,000 k's which sounds like a lot but it's just run in for one of them yeah the 1kz the engine that this has got is a fantastic engine provider they don't get hot and you look after them that thing should last for years to come and the best part is it looks pretty stock too so it's probably just done running around town that would be a great buy I might even place a bid on it yeah next one mate is a 2018 Isuzu D-max now the reason I picked this one is it looks like an absolute ripper of a buy it is set up to do it's from WA so I imagine it's probably a mine car but uh it's only done 85,000 k's and I reckon if it looked pretty clean that would probably be a good good buy because it's probably just done running around the site and things like that that's the best part about grey's too if you like this guy you can go have a look check underneath if it is good chuck a bid on it you got the good 4j engine in it low k's last forever yeah that'd be a good buy for a long term family car I reckon and mate what ones have you picked I have picked a 2003 Mitsubishi Pajero now I think these things are a bit of an underdog four-wheel drive independent front independent rear they're kind of like a mini y62 this one is a diesel you can also get a v6 so heaps of power on either version it's got 340,000 kilometers but these 3.2 diesels are pretty strong with a little bit of maintenance and uh yeah I think these things are super capable I've seen one of these with just a rear locker and with all the diff clearance it had was insane yeah they are the Pajeros we've been saying it for years probably one of the most underrated four-wheel drives you can get yeah most definitely speaking of underrated four-wheel drives mate another one I reckon is quite underrated is the Mitsubishi Triton of course my pick here is a 2016 Mitsubishi Triton it's only got 162,000 on it so still very new especially for a 2016 model and this thing's kitted out it's got a bull bar driving lights snorkel canopy got some aftermarket rims on it too like that it's got a rear bar too so you could get this for a steal you never spend any money it's ready to hit the track yeah that would be a perfect buy mate well what do you reckon mate that's enough of us waffling on this is probably one of my favorite parts of the sheds we go from jock shed into your shed we see what you guys have been up to your fails your rigs and something I love to see is what the kids have been up to some of those drawings and logo they're building is unreal epic mate let's have a look well mate first fail off the line this is from Marty G and he just fitted a set of 33 inch tires to his mighty Triton was straddling the but took the high side a bit too much it kept leaning over I would dare say maybe his driver's side wheels probably slipped into the rut and then he's just gone on to his side looks like as far as putting it on your side it looks he's done pretty well that pretty well so unfortunate that it happened but he said himself I'm sure he's learned his lesson and should have walked the track yeah even as I said before too and Navi would have definitely helped in this situation he's also said that he was taking his mate out four driving for the first time who's just got a full drive so I hope that didn't scare your mate off he's probably trying to show off a bit there yeah but next time at least you know you've got 33 so maybe just tip it in the ruts and see what happens yeah mate this thing is a rig look that's beautiful I love a white GQ I don't think that you can get I never knew you won you loved a white GQ yeah well there you know this thing is from Jimmy it's a 1993 it's twin locked it's got a Warnheim at winch 8NG turbo big 11 mil pump and he reckons it's a tough tour mate that is super tough it's definitely on the tougher side of the tourer side but he's got a rooftop 10 I think that's where the tourer comes in but I love the the layout too it's all white and black he's got white tray sides looks like he's just done it up so he's gonna have to get out and use that that is a beautiful rig mate well done Jimmy white four drives with black bar work bellissima well next up mate a mighty lego submission this one comes from mum Laura and uh this is what her son James has made and that looks like my vehicle yeah that jocks rig made by little young James that's look he's even got a rope over the spare tire on the back that's awesome he's got look at all the flex it's got he's flexed it up on a lego brick that's about as much flex as mine has anywhere on a lego brick that is awesome James epic mate keep building on that's sick look at the antenna as well yeah that's cool that's so cool I love it well of course mate there can only be one winner and I reckon it has to go to Marty G because it's gotta be Marty G we've all done it mate he's driving a different line done a few mods to his vehicle had a bit of a slip up and it was his mate's first time four-wheel driving so Marty you got a 4x merch pack coming your way now of course if you guys want to enter your vehicle your fail or you've got a young future four-wheel driver who's made an epic lego creation that you want to show off the best way to do it is by using the hashtags fourdrive247rigs fourdrive247kids and fourdrive247fails on our social medias and we'll get you on the next episode of beers in the shed you could win a 4x merch pack mate well Jocko that just about wraps up the show for today and our beers are empty so perfect timing thanks for watching and we do love to hear from you guys so don't forget to get in touch with us we've got all the socials we've got tiktok these days we've got instagram facebook and of course youtube there's a couple of comments you guys can put below we might even learn a thing or two for you of course Jesse mate as well we've got some real exciting stuff coming up the second part to your mental Tassie adventure ah muddy and mental muddy and mental and what's going on over here looks like you're getting ready for something mate I'm leaving on a trip tomorrow in the mighty disco looks a little bit different from the last time you saw it so keep an eye out because it looks a little bit more uh camel trophy spec now I think but uh of course you just got out in the BYD shark as we mentioned and heaps more stuff to come so make sure you keep an eye out and Jesse mate we'll catch you next time on fourdrive247