To be a success in the 4WD industry you need to start as early as you can.
This photo of our marketing manager, Kirk Barker, was taken way back in 1976. As you can see, Kirk is really proud of his transport - a new Suzuki LJ50 soft-top.
If you can’t remember the Seventies, here are the facts:
A new Suzuki 4WD had a recommended list price of $2795 plus registration and, in those days, very few dealers asked for ‘delivery fees’. The optional bull bar and side bars added another $150. The LJ50 was ‘powered’ by a 539cc, two-stroke, three-cylinder engine and featured a 4-speed gearbox, deep low-range and a narrow body sitting on a wheelbase identical in length to a wartime Jeep.
Despite predictions by some motoring writers, and many car dealers, that a tiny 4WD with a 2-stroke engine wouldn’t sell in Australia, the LJ50 won plenty of hearts. It served as an el cheapo sports car for young city slickers and an easy-to-manage 4WD for people on the land. Farmers liked the fact that, in low-low, the little Suzy would chug along (on idle) at the speed of a slow walk. This meant they could feed the livestock from a moving vehicle - without needing to be behind the wheel.
In the mid-1970s, just the sales of Suzuki’s first Sydney dealer equaled 2 per cent of the entire Australia 4WD market!
Our first stock of Warn Air-Power VTC compressors has just arrived, and our initial testing confirms that the performance is equal to the claims of Warn in USA.
At 0 PSI the compressor will pump 566 l/min. At 90 PSI it will still punch out 226 l/min.
These figures put every other 12v portable compressor to shame. Even the ‘High- Volume’ models marketed by ARB can only manage 75 l/min at 0 PSI.
Hooked up to one of our Jeep Wranglers, the VTC made very short work of getting a big 33-inch Goodyear MTR up from dead flat to 30 PSI. In a more likely scenario, the Warn was able to inflate the 33 from an aired-down 15 PSI to 30 PSI in just 50 seconds!
In addition to tyre inflation, the Warn VTC, with its high-horsepower fan-cooled motor, intercooler, and integrated 3.78 litre air reservoir, can be used to power air tools, pump up Zodiac-sized rubber boats, and just about anything else that needs plenty of air.
At $1095, (plus the hose/accessory kit if needed), the VTC is many times the price of a shopping-centre special. But it’s a classic example of “you only get what you pay for’. If you need a high-performance, top-quality, portable compressor - that will keep its cool in serious workouts – the Warn VTC is the one to buy.
The inside of our JK Rubicon just got a whole lot better. We fitted a Harman Becker MyGig unit in place of the original Chrysler radio/CD player.
Unlike most aftermarket information/entertainment systems, the MyGig model we installed is designed specifically for the Wrangler. This means everything fits perfectly; the existing wiring and cables snap straight into the ports, and the finished job looks absolutely ‘factory’.
What does it do? To be honest we haven’t fully road-tested all the features. We do know that ‘the sound’ is better, there is an inbuilt 6-CD stacker, the navigation system is terrific, and DVDs can be watched on the inbuilt screen, or (if you really wanted to show off at the next 4WD weekend) hooked up to an external wide-screen television! Then there’s the voice actuation function, the retrace-your-path mapping, memo recording, Blue Tooth, and enough hard drive capacity to store more tunes than any sane person would ever want to hear.
Harman Becker’s operations in Australia are looked after by ex-Jeep Australia CEO, Jerzy Stanley. Jerzy told us that every MyGig sold in Australia has been re-mapped to ensure perfect navigation, and functionality is vastly superior to ‘other brands’ - so we looking forward to giving all the features a big workout.
MyGig systems to suit Jeeps are sold only through Chrysler Jeep dealers.
Competition in the Australian recovery gear market got hotter with the release of the new Ironman 9500Lb and 12000lb electric winches.
These quality units are ‘priced right’ and offer, at no extra cost, a wireless remote controller, a safety blanket and a 3-Year warranty.
Incredibly, the 9500lb is just $799 and the beefier 12000lb model is just $899. So, if you have been thinking about adding some ’insurance ‘ to the front of your 4WD, now is the time to act. Plus, we will add more icing to the cake by offering free delivery, by insured road freight, to anywhere in Australia.
One of our best-selling products are billet alloy front spacers to suit the current-model Toyota Hilux and Nissan Navara 4WD utilities.
These spacers are a simple fit (you do not have to remove the coils from the struts), they will lift the front approx 45mm, retain the original ride comfort and will not reduce the off-road wheel travel. A full set, including hardware, is $220. Free delivery, by insured post, to anywhere in Australia.
To beef up the rear, we have heavy-duty shackles, Rancho add-a-leaf sets, higher-rate leaf springs, and Rancho ride-adjustable shock absorbers.
The 1:10 scale radio controlled JK Wranglers are back in stock. The over-size tyres will tackle most terrain and you will never need to add fuel to the tank.
When you watch the antics of some idiots, it’s easy to understand why 4WD owners get a bad rap from some sections of media. Watch one lunatic XJ Cherokee driver demonstrating how few cells he has between his ears. Judging by his actions - and the fact he wasn't wearing a seatbelt - he doesn't comprehend how easily he could have been injured, or killed.
Established in 1976, 4WD1 is Australia's leading 4WD suspension specialist.
We stock what we advertise, and offer the best customer service. Most orders leave our warehouse the same day. Export orders are welcome. We have shipped products to every corner of the earth - including Saudi Arabia, Russia and Inner Mongolia.
