Table of contents for August 2018 in SA4x4

T he dark and slippery art of mud driving is a difficult subject to tackle, primarily because there are so many different types of mud. Sandy mud, black cotton soil, layered clay and waterlogged mud all have different characteristics and require a different approach, so this article will cover the basic techniques required for most instances, but can’t hope to cover every situation. Look before you leap Mud must be approached with caution, just like any other challenging surface. It’s best to stop before entering a deep bog rather than ploughing into it without knowing its depth or length. Check to see how thick the mud is, how slippery or sticky it is, and make your judgement on the way forward based on that. The obvious is not always the…

SHADY GADGET The Thule Omnistor 5200 raises the standard for other awnings, with its patented tension arms, the Thule quick lock system, and quick-release support legs. The unit can be fitted with a 12V motor for automatic operation, and a variety of accessories is also available. From R13 629 011 230 5200 thuledirect@thrsa.co.za www.thule.com TOP DRAWER Never lose or misplace your tools again with this extensively-stocked 7-drawer Tool Cabinet from Adendorff. It contains 193 tools and features quick-release double ball-bearing sliders on the drawers. It also has swivelling caster wheels and durable, clearly-marked EVA foam inserts for the tools. It’s the ultimate automotive DIY toolkit. R13 495 0861 23 36 36 | info@adendorff.co.za | www.adendorff.co.za BEAM ME UP The VisionX Cannon ADV series features combo lamps which integrate a driving…

ROUTE 1: An alternative to Baviaanskloof Start & end points: From 13km outside Uniondale, to the T-Junction with the R334 about 14km south-west of Uitenhage. See map inset for details. Towns en route: None directly, although Patensie will be only 16km out of your way. Overall distance: 270km Time required: Allow around 7 hrs Surface: All gravel, sand and rocky tracks, except for about the last 8km which is tarred. Grade of road: Maximum Grade 2+ Tyres required: All-Terrains with strong sidewalls Recommended tyre pressure: Vehicle-weight dependent; around 1.6 bar front and 1.8 bar rear worked well for our fairly heavy bakkie. Suitable for 4WD soft-roaders: A qualified yes - if clearance is at least 200 mm, tyres are quality All Terrains, the track is not muddy and the weather…

Tony Park is an Australian fiction writer whose novels touch on conservation, survival, adventure and conflict. However, there is one common thread running through all 15 of them – Africa. Tony was bitten by the safari bug more than 20 years ago, and he now spends half the year in his home just outside the Kruger National Park. We sat down with him to examine his serious Africa addiction, and his passion for Land Rovers. This is the question you probably get asked the most, so let’s get it out of the way. When did your love affair with Africa begin? My wife Nicola and I came in 1995. She’s the planner in the family, so she says, “We’re going to Africa!” And I just say “Okay”! To give you…

Wheels and tyres play an important part in the suspension system of a vehicle and have a direct effect on ride quality. We’re going to look at some of the do’s and don’ts when it comes to selecting wheels and tyres for your 4WD. The standard tyres on the Ford Ranger Wildtrak are Continental Cross Contact LX highway-terrain type tyres, and the size is 265/60 R18. Just to recap the tyre-size thing, 265 is the tyre width in mm, 60 is the profile height of the tyre as a percentage of the width, and 18 is the rim size in inches. (I don’t get the metric/ imperial marriage either.) The standard rims are 8 inches wide with an offset of +55mm. This offset is the distance from the inner mounting…

This article is aimed at extended trips in adverse conditions. For a fridge set-up, adverse conditions include high ambient temperatures, short drive times per day, and long stationary periods with the engine switched off. In addition, you will want to keep the meat frozen and ensure the fridge copes with regular new loads of refreshments. (A six-pack is a huge load for a 12V fridge). It is very difficult to get straight answers in this field, because of the lack of practical knowledge and real understanding. Fault-finding of a system as a whole is almost impossible as the experts mostly only partly understand their own system (the charging controller) and know surprisingly little about how the rest of the items influence each other. The problems that overlanders face are normally…

The supercar SUV trend is inescapable. Soon, we’ll have the new Lamborghini Urus cruising through Camps Bay and Sandton, and it won’t be long before Ferrari follows suit. All the while, Maserati will have been quietly churning out Levantes from its Mirafiori production line in Turin. With coupe curves and wheels that look as if they were forged by Neptune himself, the Levante S is a serious work of art. At just over 5 metres, it is very, very long – longer than the Porsche Cayenne – but it’s no boat. The imposing grill, tapering front end and signature rear pillars make it unmistakably Maserati, and with the GranSport trim pack installed, there’s plenty of extra bling to let people know who’s boss. In contrast with the more luxury-orientated GranLusso…

“Okay, so do we take the right or the left fork, boet?” I asked my co-pilot, David Lowe, who was looking as dazed and confused as I was after our previous evening around the campfire. Needless to say, he didn’t know; and it was only after much clicking in an Afrikaans dialect I didn’t understand, and animated gesticulations from a helpful farm worker, that we made our way through a nest of labourer’s huts and onto the perimeter track our hosts had told us about. In fact, they’d even drawn a helpful little map, but we were having problems deciphering how to get onto the track as the result of the intelligence-minimising effects of a good hangover. Once on the track, though, things went pretty smoothly. With the BT-50s tyres…

This month’s Readers’ Rides prizewinner gets a set of Opposite Lock 100W halogen Long Range Driving Lights worth R3995, plus a recovery kit bag worth R395. The lights are 225mm in diameter with a steel body, black epoxy powder-coated finish and stainless steel rim. They feature a hardened shock resistant glass lens with a protective polycarbonate cover, and are backed by Opposite Lock’s 2-year national warranty. Opposite Lock’s range of 4x4 accessories includes Tough Dog suspensions, Lightforce Driving lights, OL bullbars, VRS winches, recovery gear, and more. Find them on www.oppositelock.co.za or contact 011 697 0001 . TERMS & CONDITIONS: Email your Readers Rides entry to editor@sa4x4.co.za. Only hi-res images (1MB or larger) will be considered – no cellphone pics. Please provide a description of the vehicle and the place.…

BATS & BEESTS INSPIRES The article, Into TSETSE TERRITORY, by Kerry and Michael Fraser in the January 2017 issue, warned us of the expenses involved in a trip to Kafue in Zambia. They found that “… every man and his dog had their hand out to fleece us”. However, a year later, my wife and I were sufficiently encouraged by reading the article Bats and Beests by Andrew Middleton (in the February 2018 issue) to have recently returned from an eyeopening trip to Livingstone, as well as to the Kunene and Zambezi Rivers - and, of course, to the Kafue area. Although the buffalo grass was high in Kafue, rendering game viewing difficult, we camped at KaingU and Roy’s Camp (Hook Bridge), both of which were pleasant. Tsetse flies were…

While on the recent Slovenian launch of the new Mercedes X-Class 350d 4Matic, I had ample opportunity to put the vehicle through its paces in the scenic surrounds of the capital city, Ljubljana, and test the new V6 offering on-and off-road. The X350d is the premier vehicle in the X-Class line-up. It is powered by a long-standing 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel in the Benz range, and offers a lot more grunt than the 2.3-litre four-pots in the X220d and X250d. In the lower models, torque is increased from the mid 400s to 550Nm - the benefit of which can be felt both on and off-road. Power delivery is immediate and responsive when you put your foot on the gas. The output increase to 190kW is a significant jump from the 140kW…

When my wife, Danelle, and I visited our friends Frans and Denise Eksteen in January 2018, we decided that (for the third time) Angola would be our next travel destination. We have travelled outside South Africa’s borders with the Eksteens often in the last eight years, so this was an easy decision. A provisional date was set for April/May, as it is the end of the rainy season and the temperatures become acceptable – between 26-38 degrees Celsius. I worked on a basic route which included a few ‘must do’ destinations: Park de Iona, Foz do Cunene and “The Bays” along the coast (south of Lobito). I also spent hours on Google Earth, looking for roads leading to some unmarked bays. As our trip was limited to 18 days, it…

THE RUBBER As with any overland vehicle, tyres play a vital role in the Avis fleet – but in this case, with poor tyres their entire business model would crumble. For this reason, Avis Safari Rentals have selected the best in the business for their vehicles, to ensure client safety and satisfaction while reducing cost per kilometre. Every year, hundreds of tourists rent any one of the 130 or so vehicles in the Avis fleet and travel, on average, 8000km per trip. The likelihood of a puncture during this time, considering many of the drivers are untrained or inexperienced, is extremely high. The replacement of said tyres is costly, but, more importantly, Avis customers can be severely inconvenienced or put at danger by punctures. For this reason alone, only the…

LOCATION: • Province: Northern Cape • GPS: S 26, 9534220° E 21, 8769310° • Nearest town: Van Zylsrus — 24km • Directions: From Johannesburg — Take the N14 to Kuruman and then the R31 to Van Zylsrus. Just before Van Zylsrus, take the Askham road and travel for 24 km; Leeupan guest farm will be on your right. From Cape Town — Take the N7 to Springbok and then the N14 to Upington. 40km after Upington, turn left off the N14, and follow the sand and gravel road for about 200km before reaching the T-Junction with the Askham-Van Zylsrus road (R31). Turn right here, and after about 6km you will see the Leeupan guest farm sign on your left. • Nearest fuel & provisions: Van Zylsrus; but rather stock up…

The Broject’s first challenge this month was the Wildebeest 4x4 Challenge Event in Robertson. We took Mike’s FJ (Fake Jeep), collected our trailer (sponsored by JP Trailers: www.jptrailers.co.za) and towed the Broject up early on Saturday morning to compete in the Open class. Although The Broject was probably one of the most capable vehicles in this class, we had brother Andrew behind the wheel, which helped level the playing field. We also got to put the Monster Winch (sponsored by Ironman 4x4 and 1st Outdoor & 4x4) to work a few times that day, as a number of heavy vehicles got stuck in the mud and were not able to be recovered by means of towing or snatch straps. (Several were snapped). All in all, it was a great day…

JOHANNES HATTINGH Age: 53 Occupation: Profession storyteller… Lecturer in Tourism at our local University and Tourist Guide Modifications: I own the original Land Rover used by Kingsley Holgate to do the Africa Outside Edge Expedition. Extras include double OME shocks, OME bull bar, winch, roof rack, long-range diesel tanks and the “Coup de grace’, the 40-litre “rum tank” at the back! Captain Morgan was a sponsor of Kingsley Holgate and the tank was filled with Cappies; I still use it occasionally. Fitted a bigger turbo and I kitted the inside with Takla covers for better sound and heat insulation. Future modifications: None Previous vehice/s: 1996 Discovery V8 and Opel Corsa Dream vehicle: This one… and a new Discovery. Favourite trail: I used to be the Tourism Manager of Lady Grey…

This month’s winning letter earns regular contributor Dr Martin Briggs an Eco Pressure Shower from Ironman 4x4, worth R950. This shower needs no electricity, nor does it need to be hung overhead. Pressure for the 12-litre bladder is simply provided by a foot-operated pump. Cleaning up - whether after hiking or camping or rinsing off a bike, dog or car - is a simple one-handed operation using a trigger on the shower head. Made from strong and hard-wearing plastic material, the Eco Pressure Shower can handle water temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius, and can be left in the sun to heat up. It all packs into a compact carry case with drainage holes.…

“They call me MISTER Pig…” (Pumbaa, The Lion King) Warthogs are African members of the pig family (Suidae), famous for their long, upcurved tusks and facial ‘warts’. The term wart is something of a misnomer, however, as these protuberances are actually thick pads designed to offer protection – mainly to the eyes – and most especially during sparring between males. Boars have three pairs, but sows have only two pairs, lacking the set situated on the sides of the jaw in males. For much of the 20th century, it was widely thought that all extant warthogs belonged to the same variable species (Phacochoerus aethiopicus). However, in recent decades we have been realised that two species are present: the Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), and the Desert Warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus). The Common…

SUZUKI JIMNY Keeping true How brilliant it is that some manufacturers can stay true to their roots, without softening their off-roaders for mass-market appeal as Land Rover appears to have done. Instead, we have to rely on Jeep, and now Suzuki, it seems, to make the right decisions. The last iteration of the Jimny remained lightweight and extremely capable, deriving mechanical inspiration directly from the LJ10 model of the 1970s which relied on a 359cc two-stroke engine. And now, after a long wait for the Jimny update, it seems Suzuki fans have every reason to pop a few champagne corks. Suzuki have replaced the cutesy-looking Jimny with a much more squared-off style, bucking current ‘super soft’ design trends to create something similar to the old SJ410 models from the 80s…

Baviaans-lite. This is how I had imagined the first of the two routes that my fiancée, Annette and I, were to go on: a 270km dirt track that was to take us off the tarred N9 outside Uniondale and eventually deposit us on the R334 to Uitenhage. Although we planned to detour off this route to wrestle with the Gonjah 4x4 trail near Patensie, I was looking forward to this challenging alternative route to PE, particularly as – unlike Baviaanskloof – it’s not on everyone’s bucket list. But, as we were to discover, it certainly should be. “Okay, so if we were going to do the Baviaanskloof like that line of cars that just passed us, we would turn right to Nuwekloof now,” I commented to Annette. Although it’s an…

Do you have a magic shot in your photo collection that captures the essence of overland travel? SA4x4 is keen to promote adventure travel the world over, and to share those amazing memories with all our readers. Trawl your image banks and share those moments in time on SA4x4’s Facebook or Instagram pages, along with your name and a short description of what you are seeing and where. Action, wildlife, landscapes – we want to see it all. Take a look at some of the best entries on this month’s cycle. HOW TO ENTER Tag @SA4x4 on Instagram, and use the hashtag #SA4x4OverlandImages If Instagram is too 21st Century, email your pic to overlandimages@sa4x4.co.za with the subject line Overland Images and we will post it to Instagram for you. The…

TOUR DETAILS If there is one place you have to visit in your lifetime it is the Serengeti National Park to experience the annual wildebeest migration. You have all seen it on numerous documentaries on National Geographic but nothing compares to actually experiencing it first-hand. The vast plains of this magnificent wilderness will leave you breathless and imprint memories to last a lifetime. This epic expedition will take us through Botswana, then into Zambia where we visit the mighty Victoria Falls and rejuvenate our souls in the Kapishya Hot Springs before heading into Tanzania and the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater and then to the Serengeti National Park to witness the awe-inspiring wildebeest migration and the predators that feast on this spectacle. From there we travel to Malawi and spend a couple…

Founded in 1995, Roush Performance focuses on the improvement of a range of (primarily) Ford vehicles by manufacturing high-performance components for both street and racing applications. Perhaps most famous for their Mustangs, Roush also has a reputation for building mean off-road racing machines by modifying Ford F150 Raptors with a range of go-faster kits from superchargers to suspension systems. What do we get? There are three options available from Roush for the local Ford Ranger platform, including the entirely cosmetic RS1 kit (R145 000) and the 170kW/550Nm RS2 kit (R210 000) which includes cosmetic upgrades. Then, there’s the full-fat RS3, seen here. Stage three brings with it a hybrid turbo upgrade and upgraded intercooler, a duel outlet exhaust, and five-map ECU software. With a brake-and-suspension upgrade courtesy of Australian company…

Eckhardt Retief Check out Eckhardt’s filthy Land Cruiser V8 gliding along these dunes between Lüderitz and Walvis Bay earlier this year. This is his second cruiser – he and his wife have visited many of South Africa’s most remote locations, updating a map on the car’s bonnet as they go along! Fanie van der Walt Fanie’s Hilux 2.8 GD-6 looks like it’s taking him and wife Elsa on a real adventure through the Richtersveld. It’s been fitted with the all-new Alu-Cab Khaya Camper, and it looks fantastic! Richard Kiggen Richard’s beloved 2014 Isuzu KB 3.0 diesel 4x4 looks perfectly at home in this tall grass of the Khutse Game Reserve in Botswana. The bakkie is fitted with an OffGrid bull bar and Ironman 4x4 suspension, among other goodies. Johan Burger…

There’s no point in driving around with your roofrack/ rooftop tent if you’re not on holiday. Save fuel (and wear & tear) by installing a Fredlin hoist. This proudly South African product solves the problem of where to store your roofrack/ rooftop tent, canopy, or even a sports car hardtop: up and out of the way! The Fredlin hoist fastens securely to your garage roof or carport, is easily installed and can be operated by one person. TO ENTER One Fredlin hoist will be given away every month to the lucky reader featured in Me & My 4x4. Simply send a photograph – 1 MB or larger – and the answers to the categories shown above, to editor@sa4x4.co.za. Vehicle and driver must be featured together in an off-road setting. (No…