Are you someone who loves long road trips and camping in the great outdoors? If so, chances are that you will be using a 4WD to get to your destination. One of the easiest ways to be well prepared for your trip is to get useful 4×4 accessories to ensure that you have a comfortable and luxurious experience, wherever you are in Australia. This guide will help ensure you have everything you need for your next trip.
Revolutionise Your Camping Experience With 4×4 Accessories
Some people may choose to go on off-road trips without adding any aftermarket accessories. While this is a personal choice, it could be potentially risky. Having some essential 4×4 accessories added to your vehicle could make all the difference when you get into a jam and can even save you from cutting your trip short. Furthermore, in the event of accidents, aftermarket accessories can be lifesaving and can help avoid costly repairs. With all these advantages, you can revolutionise your trips and are guaranteed to have a comfortable and pleasant experience.
What Accessories Should I Carry In My 4X4?
There are many benefits to adding a number of accessories to your 4×4. However, what you need may differ based on your circumstances, including the type of vehicle you drive, where you will be going, how long your trip will be and more. Get a clearer picture of what you will need, here is a detailed breakdown of the different types of 4WD accessories available on the market and their uses.
Bull Bars & Shock Guards for Bonus Protection
Trips through the Australian outback often involve sudden encounters with a plethora of wildlife. While this can be a magical and humbling experience when you spot a family of roost near your campsite, encounters aren’t always this peaceful. Sudden collisions with wildlife while driving at high speeds can occur more often than you think. While you can’t stop wildlife from popping out, you can do your best to ensure minimal damage to your vehicle. Therefore, it’s a good idea to install a quality bull bar to provide full frontal protection to your vehicle. As bull bars wrap around the front grill and side pillars, the main bodywork will be protected also, and you will be left with minimal damage after a collision.
Another challenge that travellers often face is navigating the harsh and tricky Australian terrains in a 4WD. You can come across several obstacles like potholes, stones, fallen trees, gravel and general road debris. This can all cause damage to vital parts of your vehicle, particularly the underbody. Installing durable shock guards can help shield you against this damage and other unexpected impacts that can occur on or off-road.
Driving Lights for Improved Visibility Beyond the City
While standard factory headlights are sufficient for regular driving, they can be quite ineffective in the darkness of the outback. The scarcity of streetlights and the short range of your vehicle’s lights can limit where you can go. Adding some aftermarket driving lights can be a worthwhile investment. These 4×4 accessories Australia can provide far more visibility during the night or unsavoury weather conditions, thereby limiting sudden impacts with obstacles and allowing you to continue you on your journey.
Depending on the type of vehicle and the type of light you need, you can choose between light bars or driving spotlights. If you want a more focused beam that covers a greater distance, a spotlight will suffice. However, if you want a wider beam that offers a more spread-out field of vision, opt for light bars.
Storage Shelves & Panels to Maximise Storage Space
Most camping trips will require you to do some intense packing. An organised storage system can really save you a lot of space and allow you to bring more items along. The best way to organise your items is to make use of storage shelves or panels. These can help you create specific compartments so you can store and keep track of everything you need.
Roof Racks for Plenty of Essentials & Luxuries
While on the topic of storage, another great way to transport items that are too big to fit inside your car is to make use of roof racks. Most of the 4WDs out there come equipped with roof rails. This makes it quite simple to install additional roof racks. Just make sure you choose a set that fits your car model, as well as what you intend to carry, whether it’s extra fuel or water, or your paddleboard or canoe!
Fire Extinguisher Brackets So Help Is Always Close to Hand
One of the most important items you can bring on a camping trip is a fire extinguisher. This is because when you are going off-road, the possibility of a vehicle fire breaking out is significantly increased. This happens because of the extra strain on your engine and the greater likelihood of impact or damage that can cause fires.
While it’s simple enough to throw a fire extinguisher in the boot, the problem is you need to have it somewhere that you can access it immediately in an emergency. This is where fire extinguisher mounting brackets can come in handy. They can fit safely and securely right below your front seat or on the side, saving you precious time in the event of a sudden fire. They may in fact be the most important 4×4 accessory you can get.
Recovery Tracks for Getting Out of Tough Spots Easily
Sometimes your vehicle can get stuck due to mud or debris and will need to be recovered carefully. One of the safest ways to do so is to first see if you can drive it out. This is because winching or snatch recovery can be taxing for everyone involved, and, if the weight is not evenly distributed, it can fail, and lead to further damage to your vehicle.
To easily drive out your car, you will need to ensure your tyres can easily grip onto something. This is where recovery tracks come into play. Recovery tracks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, meaning you can easily find one to suit your 4WD. Most recovery tracks can also double up as a handy shovel, making the job of getting unstuck 10 times easier.
Recovery Points for When Things Go Really Awry
When your recovery tracks fail, your remaining option is to tow or winch your 4×4 out of trouble. For this, you’ll need a rated recovery point. This can be as simple as a bull bar, or you can get a specialised winch installed.
Knowing exactly where to distribute the weight during a recovery operation from the front can prevent damage to the chassis. Spreading the weight across the front will yield better results from snatching and towing when using kinetic ropes. Having an equally strong point at the rear is also vital. Luckily, your tow bar can double as a rear recovery point.
A Tool Kit for Off-Road Repairs & Fixes
Sometimes when you’re driving on or off-road, your car may break down or something might get knocked loose. You will have to be prepared to make repairs yourself, since you may not have access to a rest stop or a service centre to help fix the problem.
Therefore, it is always a good idea to have a handy tool kit with items like wire, tape, metal putty, as well as regular tools and a few spares onboard. You can then make quick temporary fixes until you are able to get your car serviced professionally.
For instance, if something falls off, you can temporarily tape it back into place. Metal putty can help repair things like a cracked diff housings or a gouged oil sump. As for spare parts, you can seriously benefit from taking along a few air and fuel filters as well as belts, bulbs and other items that are susceptible to wear and tear.
Explore 4×4 Accessories Online
If you’re looking to buy the best 4×4 accessories in Australia, Online shop has you covered. They are widely known for using innovative, precision technology when it comes to manufacturing their products, as well as sourcing innovative products made just for 4WD enthusiasts. For all your 4×4 accessory needs, check out their online store today!
