Table of contents for June 2016 in SA4x4

As an overlanding magazine, we get to hear about (and experience) some pretty hardcore trips. On occasion, this involves some real Camel Adventure stuff, where pulling vehicles up mountains or through muddy slush and building roads through rock gardens is all part of the adventure. Indeed, in this issue, the Middleton’s account of driving through Zaire and Uganda in the mid-eighties is precisely about surviving this sort of terrain. And being both wiser and stronger for it. In a story submitted by reader Dylan Watkins, he recounts his more recent experience of chugging two Defender 90s up Baboon’s Pass a couple – challenge a dash of spirit and some rock-placing skills. Would he go back? You bet. Then, if you delve into an account of the history of the Cape…

Due for update soon, the new Tiguan, which slots beneath the Touareg in VW’s range, will be the first SUV in the German manufacturer’s line-up to feature the modular MQB chassis architecture, which is shared with the Golf hatchback. Set to challenge Toyota’s RAV4 and the BMW X1, amongst others, the Tiguan will be available in 2WD and 4WD. When the Tiguan hits our shores, expect to see new sheet-metal, an updated interior along strictly evolutionary lines, and a familiar family of engines. These will include the 1.4 and 2.0 TSI petrol range as well as VW’s highly efficient 1.6- and 2.0-litre diesel models. Prices are expected to match key rival points, with a range between R400 000 and R500 000 for 4WD models. Expect to see the new Tiguan…

SNOMASTER 42-LITRE TRAVELLER SERIES FRIDGE/FREEZER Three weeks before our planned departure on the Wild Coast Shipwreck Tour, our trusty Engel fridge, which I’d had for 10 years, packed in. The quote for repair was nearly as much as for a new unit. So, it was a great relief when SnoMaster stepped in and offered to lend us a 42-litre Traveller Series fridge/ freezer. This is a must on this kind of trip, as retail facilities are not readily available along the Wild Coast, and we needed to take all our meat. The SnoMaster proved to be the perfect solution: for starters, the unit is compact (364x680x515mm) and didn’t take up the entire rear of the vehicle. Then, the silver powder-coated exterior was further protected by a travel cover, and the…

TOUR PLANNING Guy Boardman of the Land Cruiser Club of Southern Africa GUIDE Nicki von der Heyde | 082 6534166 nicki@campaigntrails.co.za Helpful contacts for guides, routes and alternative accommodation on the battlefields route: www.battlefieldsroute.co.za ACCOMMODATION Rollin M Ranch near Winterton. rollingmranch@gmail.com Battlefields Country Lodge outside Dundee reservations1@battlefieldslodge.co.za ROUTE Access to Swartkop gun pull track: only by arrangement with landowner. Request details from Rolling M Ranch. Access to Hlobane: contact a battlefields guide through the battlefields route web page. Route taken: Winterton (Battle of Vaalkrans) Ladysmith (Battle of Platrand) Dundee (Battle of Talana), Vryheid, Hlobane (Battle of Hlobane), Dundee. NEARBY ATTRACTIONS • Siege Museum, Murchison Street, Ladysmith • Talana Museum, Vryheid Road, Dundee • The Battle of Blood River • The battle of Spioenkop BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT Autumn,…

Have you ever tried to make sense of which motor oil is best for your vehicle’s engine? If you want to make a good choice, you could begin by learning about base oils - the starting point of finished lubricants. The base oils used in engine oils can provide varying levels of performance. However, one first needs to understand the terms fully-synthetic, synthetic technology and semi-synthetic, and how these are factors in our choice of motor oil. It is a complicated subject, so let’s begin by saying that it is far easier to simply abide by the recommendation of the original equipment manufacturers (OEM), than it is to make yourself knowledgeable enough to make a wise choice on lubrication options for your motor vehicle. This is partly because every article…

This is the ninth in a series of stories of an independent trans-African journey, undertaken in 1986/87 at the height of apartheid, by Peter and Mandi Middleton. SA was invading the frontline states during this period, and any journey north of Malawi was considered suicidal from South Africa. These stories reveal the not always strictly ‘legal’ lengths taken to break through these antagonistic borders. For 42 000 kilometres, the Middletons travelled alone, with very little money, at a time when there was no Internet, no cell/ sat phones, and when contact home was via unreliable ‘poste restante’ addresses in major towns, and the occasional call made from public phone offices. They survived with driving skill, scant mechanical knowledge, determination, a simple compass, unreliable maps, minimal tools and spares, and a…

RACEY AMAROKS Thompson Racing designed and built two Amaroks to take part as private entries in the RFS Endurance race run by Atlas Copco and RFS Motorsport. The Amarok race car is fitted with a Sadev 6-speed sequential gearbox, and is powered by the previous-generation Audi TTRS 5-cylinder 2.5 turbo petrol engine with 225kW and 500 Nm of torque. The endurance race formed part of the opening round of the 2016 Donaldson Cross Country Championship which took place in Vryburg on 1-2 April 2016. The Amarok sponsored by Atlas Copcowas placed 18th; the-RFS Motorsportsponsored Amarok did not complete the race. LET IT RAYNE Let’s face it, action cameras can be a pricey investment. With the way things are going in our country, it’s no wonder that the idea for a…

In response to a growing number of complaints about how we conduct ourselves in the wilderness, we decided to draw up and promote a code of conduct for overlanders. We’d like to include your input, comments and debate, so please send your suggestions to editor@sa4x4.co.za . FIREWOOD IN Take your firewood in with you; don’t chop down trees or gather dead wood within parks or wilderness areas. KEEP QUIET We go to the bush to appreciate the sights and sounds of the bush. No music, and nothing louder than a spoken conversation. RESPECT LOCALS – LAWS AND PEOPLE Obey the rules of the place you’re travelling through. Respect locals and their traditions; if they don’t like having their photos taken, don’t take photos. SUPPORT LOCAL TRADE Your…

DOUBLE MOUTH Phone: 043 705 4400 E-mail: reservations@ecpta.co.za Website: www.visiteasterncape.co.za Cost: R281 per night for a site that sleeps six. SMITH COTTAGE E-mail: petyr@murron.co.za WAVECREST Phone: 047 498 0022 E-mail: wavecrest@pixie.co.za Website: www.wavecrest.co.za Cost: Off-season rates (15 January 2016 to 14 December 2016) • Sea-facing units: R825 per person per night sharing • Garden-facing units: R765 per person per night sharing Peak-season rates (15 December 2016 to15 January 2017) • Sea-facing units: R1400 per person per night sharing • Garden-facing units: R1200 per person per night sharing Discounted rates for children: under two, 75% less; 2-5 years, 50% less; 6-12 years, 25% below adult rates. DWESA Phone: 043 705 4400 E-mail: reservations@ecpta.co.za Website: www.visiteasterncape.co.za Cost: R233 per night for a site that sleeps six. HOLE IN THE WALL HOTEL Phone:…

The thought of tackling Baboon’s Pass in Lesotho came to me when I first got my Defender just a few years ago. The idea of driving along this remote pass was by far the most exciting thing I had ever imagined; all I needed for the trip was a partner with another Defender. After five long years of friends chickening out, I finally persuaded my friend Jarryd Murray to take up the challenge. In December last year, we set off for Baboon’s Pass in two standard Defenders: my old 2000 90 Td5 and Jarryd’s more contemporary 2013 90 Puma. After the excitement had settled down, we quickly realised that this was not going to be a walk in the park. Horror story after horror story, doubts about whether the Defenders…

“Only he that has travelled the road knows where the holes are deep.” – Chinese Proverb “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming – “WOW – What a Ride!” – Anonymous “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” – Anais Nin “Adventure isn’t hanging on a rope off the side of a mountain. Adventure is an attitude that we must apply to the day to day obstacles of life.” — John Amatt “No, no! The adventures first, explanations take such a dreadful time.” – Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass “If you think adventure is…

PROVINCE Western Cape Nearest town Ladismith – 52km Nearest fuel stop Ladismith Directions Take the R62 through Ladismith and past the Hamlet of Zoar. About 25km from Ladismith, turn left onto the R323 gravel road and continue for another 20km until you see the Bosch Luys Kloof turn-off on the right. Continue for the 10km to your destination. GPS S30°20’16.2’’ E21°30’34.9’’ (Google says 33° 22' 0" South, 21° 25' 0" East) TRAIL DETAILS Terrain Rocks and shrub Guided/Unguided Unguided Open/Closed Open all year round Will I get lost? No VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS Low-range Yes Diff-lock Necessary on the Wagon Route, otherwise no. Minimum ground clearance 220mm Tyres A/T tyres advisable, although (if you’re careful) H/T tyres should provide sufficient traction. Recovery points If doing the wagon route, yes Underbody protection Bashplate…

Pieter counts building practical add-ons for his overland vehicle as a hobby. So far, he has already installed the following items: A canopy that basically consists of seven doors. There is no place inside that is out of reach. The canopy features a built-in roof rack, pop-top roof and spare-wheel carrier. A long-range tank, bigger than most at 130 litres, with a gauge and high pressure pump. An air conditioner with temperature control. A battery management system that handles four big batteries with ease – and, when conditions take a turn for the worse, outperforms anything else in the market. Pieter likes to brag with his frozen ice cream after a week in the Kaokoveld. A rear-bumper step for senior citizens. A dash-top extension to increase packing space for binocs,…

What a pleasant surprise it was to settle into the seats of the new Ford Everest XLT. This is a big, spacious, high-up SUV with plenty of elbow-room inside and a commanding view of the road. Swinging the starter yields another pleasant surprise: the offbeat grumble of that five-cylinder, 3.2-litre turbodiesel. This is a motor that clearly won’t be taking any prisoners. All good so far, because this is another great new product to emerge from the new Ford stable, where world-class standards are the key to their revised business model. In this case, the Aussies had a big hand in fettling and reworking the basic T6/ Ranger underpinnings to create a proper, hard-working body-on-frame SUV. It had to be different to the Territory (which rides slightly better on its…

There was a time when fully synthetic really meant fully synthetic, but this is no longer so. Here’s where the confusion started. During the late 1990s, Mobil filed a complaint with the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau in the US, claiming that Castrol was engaging in false advertising by calling its product, Syntec, “Full Synthetic”. They argued that the formulation had changed and that it was now being blended with Group III base oil. When Castrol first introduced Syntec SAE 5W-50 motor oil, it was Group IV PAO-based. Castrol was able to present enough “evidence” to convince the NAD that Group III base oil could legitimately be called synthetic, and the NAD ruled in Castrol’s favour in 1999. This ruling has no “legal” standing. As far as…

KEEPING PACE As any automaker worth his salt knows, you absolutely must feature an SUV in the line-up. As the premium crossover segment continues to expand, Jaguar has entered the fight, pitting its new SUV against the Porsche Macan, BMW X4 and Mercedes GLC, amongst others, including the left-field Lexus RX. Like its German rivals, the Jaguar makes no false claim to being a thoroughbred off-roader, but rather a svelte, high-performance machine. With a rear-biased AWD system and torque vectoring, the Jag promises extremely good tar road handling, with some off-road credentials (better suited to slippery conditions than a 4x4 trail) thanks to large 20-22-inch wheels and road-hugging clearance. For steep ascents and descents, an ‘All Surface Progress Control’ allows electronically controlled passage on steep or slippery hills without one…

PACK YOUR HILUX New Front Runner Slimline II Toyota Hilux Revo 2016 roof rack, storage systems and auxiliary fuel tank Let’s face it. There are certain things that just won’t fit in your vehicle, no matter how skilled you are in the art of packing. The NEW Hilux Revo Slimline II roof rack (priced at R4995) is 1165mm x 1358mm in size, along with vehicle specific foot rails with table openings and a wind deflector. Specifically designed for off-road use, this modular rack is manufactured with high-density aluminium and is lighter and stronger than the traditionally welded racks. The more than 50 roof rack accessories available will allow you to adapt your rack to meet your specific needs. Front Runner also manufactures storage systems for the 2016 Hilux Revo, and…

‘‘No, it’s quite impossible to drive up the old gun track to the summit of Swartkop Mountain,” said Mike, owner of the Rolling M ranch near Winterton. The Land Cruiser Club of Southern Africa was on a tour of the KwaZulu-Natal battlefields and Mike’s farm is close to the site of the Anglo-Boer War battle of Vaalkrans. Tour participants were in Mike’s pub, looking at a photograph of a huge gun being manhandled up an impossibly steep hill called Swartkop. The words ‘impossible to drive up the old track’ lingered like a whiff of gunpowder in the air; but people had driven that day from as far afield as Cape Town and Hoedspruit, and so it was early to bed. The next day, the ’Cruisers drove gingerly through the Tugela…

CAN YOU HANDLE A FOUR-DAY BLAST ACROSS THE DUNES OF NAMIBIA IN A DAKAR RALLY CAR? Submit your best overlanding experience to the SA4x4 Forum – and stand a chance to join the Red-Lined Motorsport Team as they prepare for the world’s toughest off-road race. Prize worth R75 000. TO ENTER Post to the SA4x4 website Forum before 12 August 2016. www.sa4x4.co.za/community-forum/ THE PLAN Be part of the Red-Lined Motorsport team’s Dakar training sessions in the Namibian dunes – the biggest pure sand dunes in the world. Camp at the base of the dunes 35km outside of Walvis Bay. Learn Dakar driving and navigational techniques. THE DETAILS Fly ex JHB on 12 September and return 15 September 2016. Return flight costs covered from JHB to Walvis Bay. All transfers, accommodation…

To test yourself, the Isuzu KB and the Trailblazer range to its limits, the Isuzu Off-Road Academy offers a variety of courses to suit your needs. The academy aims to teach existing and prospective owners exactly what their vehicles are capable of while educating drivers on how to operate the 4x4 systems when venturing out on their own. Off-road driving techniques in a variety of conditions including sand, mud, cross-axle situations and emergency recovery procedures are covered, aiding safe exploration through our country. Various courses are available, ranging from a half-day course to familiarise drivers with the vehicles 4x4 systems, moving on to a full-day and an advanced two-day course. Though based at Gerotek near Pretoria, the Isuzu Off-Road Academy can offer training in other major centres, whether or not…

Jerry cans deserve some respect, for they’ve been a saviour to many an off-road adventurer over the decades. They became one of the first must-have accessories for overland travel, and enabled explorers to venture ever further off the beaten track. But they’re also a bit of a palaver to use out in the bush. They can leak, rub up against each other, and even when paired with a funnel, the chances are that some of the precious liquid will be spilled. They are damn heavy to heft up and down, and topping up the tank with an exposed stream of fuel increases the risk of both fuel contamination and fire. To add insult to injury, they require at least an external holder (adding weight) or, more likely, a large amount…

• R634 900 • Odometer 9850km ENGINE Cylinders/Capacity 5/3198cc Valves 20 Bore and stroke 89.9 x 100.76mm Compression ratio 15.7:1 Fuel supply Common rail direct injection Fuel Diesel Max power 147kW @ 3000rpm Max torque 470Nm @ 1750-2500rpm TRANSMISSION Shift type Viscous automatic, manual over-ride First gear 4.171 Second gear 2.312 Third gear 1.521 Fourth gear 1.143 Fifth gear 0.867 Sixth gear 0.691 Final drive 3.73 Reverse N/A Low range Yes CONTROLS 4WD selection type Automatic Steering type Electric power assist Wheels Alloy 18-inch 4WD type Automatic torque distribution CHASSIS/SUSPENSION Chassis type Ladder frame Suspension (front) Independent, coil with anti-roll bar Suspension (rear) Solid axle, Watts link, coil springs Turning circle 11.7m Tyres 265/60 R18 Bridgestone Dueller MEASUREMENTS (MM) Length 4892 Width 1860 Height 1837 Wheelbase 2850 Front/rear track 1560/1564…

In the most basic terms, mineral oils are a complex mixture of naturally occurring hydrocarbons. Synthetic base fluids are “man-made“and are tailored to have a controlled molecular structure with predictable properties. Mineral oils, therefore, have properties that are the average of the mixture, including both the most, and the least, beneficial components. Mineral oils will provide good performance in the majority of applications, but synthetics possess additional performance advantages. It is a fact that specific synthetic oils will always outperform mineral oils. It is important to be aware that the terms “synthetic enhanced”or“synthetic fortified”, mean nothing other than that an oil company is attempting to create the illusion of a better product. There are no international guidelines or parameters set, and all an oil company would have to do is…