Tough Dog’s Air-assist Suspension Kits Provide Touring 4x4 Utes With The Best Of Both Worlds.
A 4X4 DUAL-CAB ute is, in the ideal world, viewed as the ultimate off-road multi-tool A real jack-of-all-trades when it comes to offering the versatility needed by a large number of tourers. Being able to lug your – or your mate’s – furniture to a new abode, carrying bikes, watercraft, camping gear, the family pan-licker or just the shopping are, along with improvements in ride, handling and safety, some of the reasons behind the explosion in dual-cab sales over the past five years. But the truth is, a dual-cab is still a compromise. A balancing act, if you will, and one that owners strive to get right, in no more important area than being able to take advantage of that load-carrying capacity, while minimising any sacrifice in ride comfort and overall handling when their four-wheel workhorse is trundling around with no load out back.
KEEPING IT BALANCED
SUSPENSION is key to ensuring the best middle-ground in terms of balancing the demands of load-lugging with unladen driving. Go too heavy-duty underneath and you and yours will be bounced and bumped all over the place when tootling around town with no load; go too light and, when the time does come to load up, the vehicle’s rear will drop low, impeding ride and handling, with the roll-on effect being a potential compromise to occupant safety.
This story is from the February 2019 edition of 4x4 Magazine Australia.
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This story is from the February 2019 edition of 4x4 Magazine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
OUTBACK WATERING HOLES
SINCE OFF TRACK WINES WAS LAUNCHED, OWNERS ANNA AND BRETT FISHER HAVE DRIVEN MORE THAN 20,000KM UP, DOWN AND ACROSS AUSTRALIA SPRUIKING THEIR WINES-IN-A-CAN MADE FOR CAMPING. THEY DROPPED INTO PLENTY OF OUTBACK PUBS ALONG THE WAY AND THESE ARE THEIR SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FAVOURITES
BIG COUNTRY
THE PILBARA IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF BIG COUNTRY, AND THERE IS PLENTY TO SEE, DO AND ENJOY IN THIS ANCIENT LANDSCAPE IN WA'S RUGGED NORTHWEST
ISLAND PARADISE
NEAR THE TOP OF THE BUCKET LIST FOR EVERY AUSSIE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVER, K'GARI IS PACKED WITH STUNNING HIGHLIGHTS AND BOASTS SOME OF THE BEST BEACH DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY
WEIGHTLIFTING
INCREASING THE GVM OF YOUR 4X4 SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN SHOULD NOT BE AVOIDED IF YOU NEED IT. WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS ON OUR FORD RANGER TO EXPLAIN HOW TO GET IT RIGHT
NOW HEAR THIS
THE CEL-FI GO MOBILE BOOSTER WILL KEEP EMAILS, MESSAGES AND CALLS COMING THROUGH TO YOUR DEVICES WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE IS HEARING CRICKETS
LOOKING BACK
A PAIR OF MSA 4X4 TOWING MIRRORS ENSURE WE ALWAYS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND US WHEN WE HAVE A TRAILER HITCHED TO OUR MITSUBISHI TRITON
TRUCKIN' LIFE
CAN FORD AUSTRALIA'S NEW F-150 BE AN ACCOMPLISHED OFF-ROAD TOURING 4X4?
WHAT LURKS BENEATH
IT MAY LOOK LIKE A FAIRLY STANDARD (IF CLEAN) 80 SERIES, BUT DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER AND YOU'LL FIND A MONSTER BELOW THE SURFACE
EYE OF THE HURRICANE
RAM HAS DUMPED ITS HEMI V8FOR A SIX-CYLINDER, AND IT'S COMING TO AUSTRALIA
GETTING TANKED
GWM EXPANDS IT TANK 4X4 RANGE WITH THE LUXURIOUS TANK 500 WAGON