Offroad-Express

Hi,

I'm new, just moved to NZ from the UK. I had a modded Zuk for fun there, but now I've got a Mitsy Challenger for a daily driver.

Being new to the country I'm more than happy to explore the less challenging tracks; being able to see scenery most other visitors and a lot of natives don't is fun enough for now. I've been doing some of the Ken Sibley routes, and they seem easy enough for a standard vehicle, more than a few are easy enough for 2wd cars if you don't mind sill gravel rash. I'd prefer not to do them on my own, but the clubs I've contacted (CLROC & CR4WD) require rated tow points and suggest winch bumper and stuff that means lots of bucks and doesn't reflect the type of trail I intend to do at the moment. Maybe I'll get a bush basher in the future, but I haven't got the money for it now

Anyone know of any clubs to suit standard, shiny trucks for easy trails and maybe bush camping? Anything arranged through here?

Rated tow hooks are a must if you want to be towed out by someone. Most people I know will not tow a vehicle without rated hooks on. I on the otherhand will assist but will make you climb under and put a snig chain around the axile or something strong enough I have 4 rated hooks on my surf which you dont even know are there unless you are looking for them . Worth the couple of hours putting them on. Forget the winch bumper and other mods, your vehicle is perfect for most canterbury/west coast tracks standard. I did all the normal tracks in a standard surf.

Just keep a watch out for trips orgranised on here. Clubs tend to be quite political and do it their way or not at all which does not agree with everyone.

Enjoy

Mike

Who did you speak to in CLROC who reckons you need a winch bar. CRAP! I am in that club andf I don't have a winch bar, but I do have a great big piece of steel in place of the stanard bumper. I might take that issue up at the next club meeting. As for tow hooks, they are a must and along with a rope( it's polite to offer to use your own recovery gear on your own stuck truck when offerred a tow) you will be fine to do most tracks up to grade three. Let us know when you want to bite something more challenging.
Albundy

albundy wrote:I might take that issue up at the next club meeting.

It was a suggestion, along with an every increasingly extreme list of mods I might consider But to be fair it was more a Tim's Tool Time 'hur hur more power' than a requirement, so don't get worked up on my account

I guess I'll reconsider rated tow hooks then, any suggestions who to discuss suitable mounting positions with rather than the kids at Repco? I'm in Kaiapoi. (I thought the shop here sold them when I loked way back?)

And, yep I'll keep an eye on here tor trips. Thanks

check with steve on here the 4wdstuff banner at the top. he has a workshop just down the road from you near spencer park. his username is supralux on here if you want to pm him. he may be able to help out.


Cheers

Mike

hi

I'm in the CR4wd club and dont have a winch bar. Haven't needed it on any trips that I've done Generally most trips are easyish going and there's a rating system from 1 - 5 (5 being hardest). There is a basic list of stuff you do need, rated hooks, shovel, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, tow strap etc but nothing major or expensive. Stuff you should have off road anyway just in case.

Tyre size is limited to 33". We have a great time on trips and there a pretty good group of people.

PM if you need to know more.

Jonathan

Just a word of warning with your challenger, my dad owns one and the position of the air intake is some what not ideal. So when crossing river becareful of this and mayb installing a snorkel or at least put a tarpolling over the front when crossing deeper rivers.
if you intend to keep your truck looking good when 4wd then i take the side steps off and the mud gaurds as these can get ripped off, better to take them of then have them ripped off i always say.

when al says more challenging he means towing his nissan
i had the same dilema when i got here so i looked at clubs in ch ch but thought it wasn't for me!!!! these club runs seem to be popular but to buisy for my liking going elephant style in a 3 k m convoy so im going the whole hog with the toyota guru's help then i can see the whole of nz that most miss
my 2c rik