New 4x4 products buyers' guide: November 2022

With the summer season fast approaching, it’s time to prepare your 4x4 set-up so that it’s in tip-top shape for its next adventure.

To help guide you, we’ve assembled a selection of the best new products that have recently landed on aftermarket shelves.

Bendix Ultimate 4WD Big Brake Upgrade Kits

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Bendix has announced a range of Ultimate 4WD Big Brake Upgrade Kits, designed to transform the braking performance for owners of popular 4WD dual-cab utes and wagons.

These kits are completely ADR-compliant, and available in two sets to suit either the front or rear (or both, if you want the biggest improvement) of a wide range of vehicles.

These kits arrive complete with everything you need to do the job, and if you decide to go with the Big Brake Upgrade Kit, you will receive beefy looking Bendix 6-piston monoblock calipers with bracket mounting kit, as well as braided brake lines, upgraded disc rotors and Bendix Ultimate 4WD brake pads.

If your 4WD is heavy with aftermarket accessories or you tow regularly, a brake upgrade such as this kit from Bendix is something you’ll appreciate every time you drive your 4x4.

MORE INFO: https://www.bendix.com.au/
BUY NOW: https://amzn.to/3WEpSTN

Clearview Next Gen Towing Mirrors

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These new Clearview Next Gen Towing Mirrors extend out as far as the Clearview Original Mirrors, but retract to virtually the factory profile of the standard mirrors they replace. When set to their normal driving position, Clearview’s Next Gen Mirrors remain unobtrusive during your daily commute when you don’t need extended mirrors, or when you need to fit in tight spaces.

For a clearer view of your set-up when towing or reversing, Clearview’s Next Gen Mirrors extend a full 180mm, expanding your field of vision to help see you to your destination safely.

Clearview Towing Mirrors are designed to take the stress out of worrying about compliance, as towing mirrors are a legal requirement when towing anything wider than your vehicle. The Next Gen top mirror has a large, flat surface that can reflect vision directly down the sides of your caravan or trailer, and the bottom, smaller convex mirror reduces blind spots by allowing you increased vision out to the lanes beside your vehicle.

Clearview Accessories has been manufacturing towing mirrors since 2006 and offers a range of extendable towing mirrors available to suit more than 50 popular tow vehicles.

MORE INFO: https://www.clearviewaccessories.com.au/
BUY NOW: https://ebay.us/iw5JoB

GME Beyond Blue Edition TX6160XBL handheld UHF

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Communications leader, GME, has recently announced it is partnering with Beyond Blue with the introduction of its limited edition blue handheld radio, the TX6160XBL. The Beyond Blue 5W UFH CB handheld radio boasts an IP67 ingress protection rating, up to 30 hours of battery life, offers VOX hands-free mode and even an inbuilt LED torch.

Ten per cent from the sale of each radio will be donated directly to Beyond Blue to assist its ongoing efforts supporting people affected by anxiety, depression and suicide. This is an extremely worthy cause, so if you are in the market for a new handheld UHF radio, be sure to look into the Beyond Blue TX6160XBL from GME.

MORE INFO: https://www.gme.net.au/au/
BUY NOW: https://ebay.us/5hTsjA

YOKOHAMA Geolandar X-AT G016

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Yokohama’s Geolandar X-AT G016 has been designed to offer the strength of a mud-terrain tyre, with the tread pattern of an all-terrain tyre. Features include an aggressive tread design that Yokohama also says provides long tread life, off-road and wet-surface traction, excellent on-road handling, as well as low noise and a comfortable ride.

The Geolandar X-AT G016 is rated as a 70 per cent off-road tyre and 30 per cent on-road tyre, and is covered by their Road Hazard Protection plan for peace of mind. There are plenty of sizes available also, ranging in wheel diameter from 15-inch right up to 20-inch.

MORE INFO: https://www.yokohama.com.au/
BUY NOW: https://ebay.us/8IiWf2

Armadillo Bag

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The Armadillo Bag is a flexible, collapsible, lightweight expedition-ready utility bladder designed around the safe transportation and storage of liquid hydrocarbon products and other automotive fluids.

Armadillo Bags weigh a fraction of what rigid containers do, and pack up small for ease of storage when empty. Each Armadillo Bag is pressure tested to ensure leakproof performance, and include a pour spout with a dedicated storage pocket. There are four sizes available, from 3.8L right up to 18.9L with the largest size weighing in at just 680g.

Please note: these bags do not meet local standards for portable or long-term fuel storage, their intended purpose is for temporary transport of permitted automotive liquids however.

MORE INFO: www.armadillobag.com.au
BUY NOW: https://amzn.to/3UoeVnu

HULK 4x4 Tailgate Assist Kits

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Hulk 4x4 has just beefed up its range of vehicle-specific fitment Tailgate Assist Kits, with a wide range of 4WDs now covered. These Tailgate Assist Kits have been designed to remove the inconvenience of operating a heavy tailgate found on many dual-cab utes.

All Hulk 4x4 Tailgate Assist Kits have been designed as an easy instal, with every component required supplied in each kit. Inside each kit, you’ll find two struts: one assists the soft and slow down-direction of the tailgate, while the other makes lifting it up again a breeze. By fitting a Tailgate Assist Kit to your 4WD, you’ll be able to open and close your tailgate with one hand.

Kits are available to suit many popular makes and models, including Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-MAX, Mazda BT-50, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara, Toyota Hilux and Volkswagen Amarok.

MORE INFO: https://hulk4x4.com.au/
BUY NOW: https://amzn.to/3WwnCxT

TAG Next-Gen Ford Ranger Towbars

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TAG has just launched its most extreme range of towbars for the Next-Gen Ranger. The range of new towbars includes Heavy Duty (HD) and Extreme Recovery (XR) Towbars that have been designed to fit the Styleside, Cab Chassis and Extended Cab Chassis configurations, offering products to suit all needs for Next-Gen Ranger owners.

TAG’s towbars are a three-piece design for ease of installation, finished in a textured powder-coat for style and durability, all covered by the TAG Limited Lifetime Warranty. To sweeten the deal, all TAG towbars offered for the Next-Gen Ranger come with Tow Ball Mount, Pin & Clip and D-shackles.

MORE INFO: https://www.tagtowbars.com.au/
BUY NOW: https://ebay.us/loESaj

Invicta Hybrid Starter Lithium Battery

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A recent addition to the Invicta Lithium Batteries range, is this Hybrid Starter battery that offers a dual purpose: it’s got enough grunt to start your vehicle, as well as power a 12V electric winch and to run your camp accessories such as a fridge or LED lighting.

The Invicta Hybrid Starter battery is made up of A123 pouch cells, with a claimed output of over 1400CCA depending on the size of battery selected. This is a drop-in battery replacement that is powered off your vehicle’s alternator for a painless installation, too.

There is a wide range of batteries in the Hybrid Starter range, with a size to suit most applications. One unique feature is a backup Jump Start function which allows you to safely start your vehicle if you run the fridge at camp for a little too long.

MORE INFO: https://www.invictalithium.com.au/
BUY NOW: https://ebay.us/ioPf9m

ScanGauge Three

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An all-new product from the ScanGauge team, is the ScanGauge Three, designed to monitor your vehicle’s vital systems and provide real-time data via the inbuilt digital gauges.

As well as monitoring vitals such as transmission temperatures, oil temperature, trip data and fuel economy information, the ScanGauge Three is also an OBD2 Scan Tool that allows you to read and clear trouble codes in the event of a ‘check engine’ light.

The ScanGauge Three is easy to instal, with no tools required and no batteries required either. Another neat feature is the ability to customise the coloured backlit display to match your mood or instrument cluster for a factory finish.

MORE INFO: https://www.scangauge.com.au/
BUY NOW: Outback Equipment

Projecta 12V Lithium Battery Range

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Projecta tells us its new range of 12V lithium batteries took three years of development and testing before release, and have since announced there are two new lithium batteries available. The first being an 100AH called the LB100, and the second being a high-discharge unit dubbed the LB100-BT.

The LB100 offers a true 100amp discharge ability, with enough power to run a 1000W inverter as well as a fridge. The LB1-BT takes things one step further, by having the ability to power up to a 2000W inverter, which from a 100AH battery is impressive stuff indeed.

Both batteries are housed in a traditional N70 casing for ease of installation, but it must be mentioned these, like most lithium batteries, are not suitable for under-bonnet installation.

MORE INFO: https://www.projecta.com.au/

Terrafirma Rugged Terrain RT tyres

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Hybrid tyres are all the rage these days, and here we have the latest release from Terrafirma Tyres, the Rugged Terrain RT.

This tyre is said to offer a sweet spot between the aggressive off-road traction found with mud-terrain tyres, as well as the stability and on-road handling characteristics of an all-terrain tyre. While aimed as a more budget-friendly tyre, there’s still plenty of features to talk about, such as a two-ply 1500 denier carcass with steel belts, and a chemically coupled silica compound for grip and resistance to damage off road.

The Terrafirma Rugged Terrain RT offers a claimed tread depth of 12.1mm, and can be found in sizes ranging to suit wheel diameters from 15-inch up to 17-inch.

MORE INFO: https://terrafirmatyres.com.au/

Hulk Professional Series Smart 8-way Switch Panel

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If you’re looking for a neat and reliable solution for wiring up to eight auxiliary accessories or electrical devices, and want the option of being able to control these accessories via an app on your phone or via a touchpad, the Hulk Professional Series Smart 8-way Switch Panel is for you.

You can customise the unit’s appearance via the app also, with the choice of up to 64 programmable backlit colours. The 8-way Switch Panel from Hulk 4x4 operates at both 12 and 24V DC and even comes with 70 decals to position on the actual switch panel, as well as spare 60amp fuses for the main power supply.

There are also three feature modes: on/off, momentary and pulsed, so you can set up the switch panel specifically to best suit your needs.

MORE INFO: https://hulk4x4.com.au/

Ironman 4x4 Club Lounge Quad Fold Camp Chair

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Ironman 4x4 has just released a new range of camping chairs, pet beds and tables, including this luxurious looking Club Lounge Quad Fold Camp Chair. It features a comfortable quilted padded seat, as well as a storage pocket and mobile-phone holder for the ultimate in campsite convenience and comfort.

This new camp chair is also supplied with a dust- and water-resistant carry bag, meaning your chair will be ready to go when you arrive at camp. With a 150kg load rating, you know this is a serious and well-made camp chair, as well as being comfortable.

MORE INFO: https://www.ironman4x4.com/

TJM 2022 Ford Ranger side steps and side bars

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TJM has released a range of accessories to suit the new 2022 Ford Ranger, including these side-steps and side-bars. Not only do these side-steps and side-bars offer protection when off-roading, they also make accessing the cabin of the new Ranger much easier.

Constructed from 63mm steel tubing, these steps and bars arrive in a satin black powder-coated finish, which can also be colour coded to your four-wheel drive if that’s more your style. TJM’s side-bars are chassis mounted for increased strength, and are also a modular design meaning you have the option of fitting the side-steps first, and adding the side-bars at a later date.

MORE INFO: www.tjm.com.au

Autophix Outback 9360 Diagnostic OBD Scanner for Toyota

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This is the latest release from the Autophix crew, their Outback 9360 diagnostic OBD scanner, designed specifically to suit the range of Toyota vehicles. The Autophix 9360 not only scans for potential fault codes or issues with your vehicle, it allows you to clear these fault codes and be on your way.

As most error codes are generally sensor glitches that won’t come back, being able to scan and clear any faults when travelling is a very inexpensive insurance policy. Don’t fear if you own another vehicle than a Toyota, the team at Autophix have a range of OBD scanners available, including their extremely popular 9000 series.

MORE INFO: https://autophixaustralia.com.au

ROH Assault machined-finished wheel

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This is the latest and greatest wheel from Australian company, ROH, its Assault wheel in a machined finish. It is also available in a full matte black or a matte black with black bolts and graphite face, but these machined-finished wheels look stunning in our opinion.

Rim sizes available include 16, 17 and 18-inch, with a variety of offsets also available to suit a wide range of applications. Best of all, these wheels have a load rating of 1500kg per wheel, making them a perfect solution if increasing the GVM of your 4WD.

MORE INFO: https://www.roh.com.au/

OZtrail BlockOut 2.5M 270-degree awning

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This is the new flagship in the OZtrail 270-degree awning range, and also its largest 270-degree awning, offering coverage that wraps around your four-wheel drive as well as extending forward. While it is massive when set up, OZtrail tells us the awning packs down to a compact size when not in use.

Constructed from heavy-duty 280gsm Ripstop polycotton canvas, with a 1500 waterhead rating, OZtrail also tells us by incorporating its BlockOut technology, 95 per cent of light is blocked out, providing a reduction in heat of up to 10⁰C.

The unique design with an extended width of 2.5m provides a generous 20.96m² of coverage, with the whole package weighing in at just 27.17kg.

MORE INFO: https://www.oztrail.com.au/

Thule Approach M Rooftop Tent

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Thule’s new Approach M rooftop tent, has been designed from the ground up to offer a more modern and spacious rooftop tent design. It features massive windows for additional ventilation, as well as stargazing through the panoramic skylight.

Thule mentions these rooftop tents are quick to set up, taking approximately three minutes from start to finish. With more internal space than a traditional rooftop tent, it’s safe and easy to fit two adults and one child inside.

Mattress wise, there’s a thick dual-layer foam mattress with a bottom foam layer matched with a soft upper layer meaning you won’t need to upgrade this mattress. The included rain cover also offers three different set-up modes, making it more suitable for a variety of weather conditions.

MORE INFO: https://www.thule.com/en-au/