In this, the first part of building a capable 4x4, I want to look at the very basics. On most green lanes in the UK, do you really need an expedition equipped 4x4? Not really, I know a few Dacia Duster and Fiat Panda owners who enjoy ‘laning with just a few simple modifications. In fact, if you’re a regular reader of this fine monthly mag, you’ll know that I never shy away from taking a standard SUV or crossover green-laning. Assuming you’ve just purchased a bog standard 4x4 which is in good mechanical condition, what are the first three investments you should make? In my humble opinion it’s tyres, suspension and recovery points.
Congratulations, you’ve just bought a 4x4 and you want to go off and explore the UK’s network of green-lanes, and perhaps the odd weekend at a Pay and Play site, but what are the first modifications you should consider? As the saying goes, how long is a piece of string? You can spend an absolute fortune these days on a lot of trick gear for your 4x4, but do you really need to?
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Recovery points are relatively easy to sort out, but tyres and suspension can cause quite a headache, how? Well, you can’t decide on your suspension package until you know what tyre size you’re going to run. Also, you can’t decide on the spring rate until you know the weight of your accessories. See, it’s a bit of a conundrum, and don’t even get me started on brake upgrades! For now though, let’s just focus on the basics, you’ve bought a standard 4x4 and you want to drive some green-lanes and get a bit more adventurous at Play & Play sites.
