As with almost everything there are quite a lot options you can choose from when it comes to upgrading your suspension system. With that I decided to go with what most of my friends and fellow club members started using: Old Man Emu.

So I brought my 1997 Suzuki Vitara to RATS 4×4 Accessories in Makati for the installation.

After getting my vehicle from RATS 4×4, I wasn’t so sure if I would feel the difference between my dead OEM shocks and the new Old Man Emu NitroChargers while driving on paved roads (I would have opted for the newer NitroCharger Sport but Old Man Emu still hasn’t come out with this for the 1st generation Vitara). So I did what I could for the moment. I intentionally drove over potholes and went faster than I normally would on turns (whenever it was safe to do so).

The Battle Begins

Then, the following week: Trail Day! Time to really see what I got. Sure, there are a lot of good testimonials all over the Internet about the Old Man Emu, plus first-hand stories AND testimonials from my friends. But nothing compares to actually driving the vehicle yourself and feeling the difference.

Seeing the obstacles we were about to go through I knew these would put the whole suspension system to the test. Obstacles like 1) a broken and eroded bridge, 2) an extremely rutted, 15- to 20-meter, and stony, 35-degree uphill climb, and 3) a long and deep mud pit.

I have tried driving over very similar obstacles before, when I still had my stock suspension system. Now before going over what’s laid out in front of me I felt excitement mounting as I would be experiencing the advantage of installing performance shocks and springs on my rig. Would I feel the huge difference? I was sure I would, judging from the “road test” I did with the potholes and turns.

No more bottoming out

And was I right! As expected, the new Old Man Emu shocks don’t bottom out on me, whereas my old stock shocks have been doing a lot. Sure, no surprise but I felt it was worth mentioning.

Crossing the eroded bridge; going inside and down the erosion, and back up on the other side, the shocks did a great job of gently (relative to how my old ones used to perform) bringing the vehicle down the hole and helped in getting it back out.

I felt happy, but that wasn’t an intense test. That’s fine, though, as it was still the first obstacle of the trip.

Then we came upon one of the real obstacles: the 35-degree rutted climb. Looking at the ruts I knew this would give my suspension system a good workout. Bring it on, I thought to myself, with a smile.

Upon successfully finishing the climb, with no help from anyone (except the ARB Air Lockers), I couldn’t remove the huge grin I had on my face. Not to mention the fact that I didn’t feel like I was a small metal ball inside a shoe box a baby was shaking and playing with while doing the climb!

On the road the Old Man Emus offer better handling than what you’d expect from an off-road performance suspension system and definitely more forgiving on pavement. This also works great out on the trails. It gives you a more comfortable ride while in the trails, conquering obstacles.

Well, looks like I will be enjoying more trails in the near future, in a more comfortable ride than what I was used to. Can’t wait!

Going through various topics on the 4×4 Philippines forum and around the internet regarding different traction aids, a new user might be a little bit overwhelmed at the amount of available options out there, ranging from tried-and-tested aftermarket products like the ARB Air Locker to individual offroad modification shop techniques, and even backyard engineering of Do-It-Yourselfers.

After running my 1997 Suzuki Vitara for years without any additional traction aids, subscribing to the mantra of building your rig slowly from stock to know it better, I decided it was high time I get myself something new. As I mentioned above there are a lot of choices out there, like the very basic tire chains (cumbersome to install, and requires manual removal when going back to the pavement) to LSD’s and differential lockers.

Choosing the right traction aid

I didn’t want to permanently weld my differentials to lock it full-time. LSD’s, based on my research, would wear out components on my SUV — not a good option for me as this is also my daily driver. Besides, some have shared their experiences about LSD’s and it didn’t work as expected. Blame it on too high expectations, but I need my expectations to be high so I can get back home after going out on the trails — not to mention get out of the trails with my vehicle.

Last option for me are lockers. As many of you know the best lockers are the ones that let you drive your vehicle in the city like you don’t have ANY lockers at all, but when off-highway and you need maximum traction you get what you need while sitting comfortably in the driver’s seat.

The most trusted name in this category is the original ARB Air Locker, and to my surprise (well, not really) there is the Chinese imitation. No contest, I balked at the idea of using an imitation of something as important as what I need. If you’re not convinced of my decision you might want to watch a comparison between the original ARB Air Locker and the Chinese imitation. Check the video below:

Putting it to the test

Now that I have mine installed it’s time to try it out. Perfect timing, one of clubs I’m a member of, the Suzuki Off-Roaders, Inc. (SORI), just informed me we’ll be having a club trail day.

First obstacle we encountered was an eroded section of a bridge due to Typhoon Pedring (international name Nesat). Upon first looking at it it was a huge gap that would swallow the front end of a vehicle easily. As I inspected it I knew this would be a simple test for my new ARB Air Locker. I need it to “push” the vehicle out of the ditch.

Before I put my SUV into first gear I flipped two switches. One for the air compressor, the next for the rear locking differential. Without moving my rear end off my seat my rear differential is now locked, ready to take on the first obstacle on its maiden voyage. Let’s do this.

Slowly and gently, as instructed and spotted by Joey, a good friend of mine, I start the entry into the ditch in front of me. Adding a little bit of power for the front of the vehicle to get out and bring the rear in and down the ditch. Now that my front end is up and out next goal is to get the rear out and clear the obstacle.

“Give a bit more power than usual,” Joey instructed. I normally would follow his directions, but I wanted to see if I can get out without exerting too much unnecessary throttling. I started feathering the gas and releasing the clutch, depending on the ARB Air Locker to get me out of this hole.

And it did, perfectly. Sure, it wasn’t that deep but I wanted to see how little power I need to give for it to be able to push me out. It passed with flying colors. Looking back I believe I was the one who gave it as little power as needed. I patted the locker on the back, in my mind. Heh.

Next up was a 35-degree deeply rutted, uphill climb, with fist- to head-sized rocks along the trail. I smiled. Now this is a better test, I thought to myself. And a better test, indeed.

After a few attempts of the one in front and opting to winch up the climb, the trail was clear for me. Joey’s 4xForce off-road crew got into position, in anticipation of more spotting and guiding. Again I flicked the switches to engage the ARB Air Locker and waited for the go signal.

As soon as the signal was given off I went, down and across the stream, then I started the climb. For additional testing purposes I decided to feather the accelerator again, only using the necessary amount of power and not relying too much on momentum to get me up this fairly steep climb.

I can hear my guides and my spotters shouting at me, “Power! Power! Power!” telling me to stomp on the gas pedal, to give my rig more juice to get me up, but I was playing with my new ARB lockers, so I didn’t give in.

Whenever I felt the vehicle start to slow down I’d tap on the gas pedal only a bit and smile as I felt the tires bite. Traction, yes sir, no unnecessary tire slippage.

I believe I can proudly say that day, at this specific section of the whole trip, I was the one who was able to climb without a single problem — I didn’t need to stop midway and try to use more power and momentum to finish the climb, I didn’t need to have someone pull me up or winch me out, I didn’t need to be pushed up by the crew to get me over this section. This is one of the perfect examples of a comparison between a 4-wheel-drive with open diffs and one with an ARB Air Locker installed.

The last test for this trip was unintentional: drive through a mud pit on 2-wheel-drive. You see, at this point of the trip I already have a broken front axle.

Approaching the mud pit I spotted Suzuki LJ with a broken crossjoint (also running on 2-wheel-drive now), two vehicles in front of me, stopped in the middle of the curving mud pit. Preparing to be pulled out.

As soon as Coach Rod in a Samurai, the one directly in front of me, was done crossing I decided I won’t wait for the go signal. I can always call on them if I get stuck in the middle, I thought.

Air Locker switch on, check. Mud pit clear of vehicles and people, check. First gear, check. Then I released the clutch. This time I needed to depend on proper momentum to get me through. Will the lockers pass this test?

I kept the rev high enough to keep forward momentum. In a way I felt the mud trying to stop my vehicle from moving forward, I felt the front tires not helping me in any way except to steer me in the direction I wanted to go. I put more pressure on the gas pedal, making sure I don’t lose the forward motion. My engine howled with the high rev, both my rear tires spun simultaneously, digging in the mud, throwing it back out of the way.

The people in Coach Rod’s pickup-type Samurai kept their eyes on my SUV, pumping their fists at me, telling me to go faster, to give it more power, egging me on.

Then I felt the rear tires bite the trail harder, the vehicle lurching forward suddenly, and I knew I was on safer ground. I made it. The ARB Air Locker helping me out, whether 4-wheel-drive or 2-wheel-drive due to a broken front axle — naturally, the latter has some limitations but compare it to the very same conditions but with an open differential. Worlds apart.

Now we set off to lunch by the river.

27Oct2009 (UTC +8)

Dear friends, families, and colleagues,

This is in response to the question of “what do I do now?” after your
car was sunk and recovered from the freak flash floods in Metro Manila
yesterday, brought about by Typhoon Ondoy.

This advisory is applicable to diesel- or gasoline-engine cars, four-
or front- or rear-wheel drive, with manual or automatic transmissions.

Hopefully, you were lucky to be at home and in a safe dry place before
the floods came. That means your car was just parked and the engine
was off. If you were caught in the city streets, I hope you had the
sense to stop your car engine when you saw that the water was getting
too high, and that you waited until the waters receded, and drove
yourself home (albeit with problems). If your vehicle stalled, and was
towed back home, this is still applicable, but the work to be done
will be more than what I can talk about here.

Before you begin your inspection and fundamental “first-aid” repairs,
make sure that there are no loose electrical wires nearby. It goes
without saying that water conducts electricity and you can really get
the shock of your life

You’ll need basic hand tools to wrench on nuts and bolts. Japanese and
(maybe) European cars use the metric system, while the Americans use
the English system. (Don’t force ill-fitting tools because you’ll
likely to damage the nuts & bolts.) You’ll also need comfortable
gloves so you don’t cut your hand too much. You still have to go back
to your real job in a couple of days y’know. A roll of electrical tape
will prove useful too. You’ll also need safety glasses to protect your
eyes from splashing fluids, or from dripping mud and dirt when you go
underneath the car. Wearing boots is a good idea because it helps
protect from the effects of electrical shocks as well as it’ll hurt a
lot less when tools are dropped on your toes –compared to when just
wearing slippers. Have a lot of clean and dry rags so you can wipe the
water off many parts of your car. And wear a set of old clothes that
your wife won’t mind getting messed up (been there, done that!).

One of the most important things to have on hand as well, is your car
maintenance manual. You should have it when you bought the car. If
that is missing or damaged from the floods, then you’ll have to Google
the Internet for information. What you need to know are the technical
specifications of the types of oils needed for different mechanical
parts of your car, the clutch (or alternatively, automatic
transmission fluid) and brake fluid types, the engine coolant, and the
corresponding amount of fluids required. Buying the right stuff is
*important* and should be complied with. You may also want a print-out
of this e-mail so that you can use it as a checklist when working on
your car.

You’ll also want to have “loctite” to put on the threads of the nuts &
bolts later when you put them back together again. (Loctite is a red-
or blue-something metal glue, so that the nuts & bolts bond together
tight enough that they don’t get shaken loose from vibrations, but not
too tight so they can still can be removed by hand tools.) Dielectric
grease, a substance that you put on every electrical contact point in
your engine, is good to have because it can prevent moisture and water
from causing trouble in your electrical wiring system. (Unfortunately,
dielectric grease is rather rare here in Metro Manila.) Shampoo,
cleaners and disinfectants like Windex or Lysol respectively, are
needed as well to clean stuff, and remove most evidence of water
damage so that your car can retain its fair resale value.

To get really started, go to your engine bay and open the hood.
Disconnect the battery terminals to minimize risk of electrical shock.
Check car battery for any signs of water intrusion. Maintenance-free
batteries have much less chances of water contamination, but check it
anyway to be sure. If you have a voltmeter, check if it is still fully
charged. You may be pleasantly surprised that it’s still well and
good, considering all the damage your car went through.

Then, you’ll have to drain out all the obvious water that collected
inside your car. They will stink, because Metro Manila flood waters
are nasty, disease-infested, and acidic. Park / push it in a secure
place, where rains (yup, up to now!) won’t get in and where thieves
can’t get to your stuff. If you’re parked out on the city streets,
then you’ll just have to watch your car interior dry up (about as fun
as watching paint dry, but more compelling). You’ll need a bottle of
Lysol or similar disinfectant to generously spray the carpet and
seats. If necessary, use your hand tools to remove the nuts & bolts so
you can remove the seats, dry them out, and spray with disinfectant
all the hard-to-reach areas. There are also electrical wires for the
electric-powered (front) seats that you’ll need to detach. If you want
to wash them out with shampoo and water, just be careful to protect
from water all electrical motors that power the seats. Those motors
can typically survive the floods, but there’s no need to abuse them.

<WARNING ON>
Now that you’re getting to disassembling stuff, remember the original
places of each bolt or nut that you took out! Better yet, mark each
from where you got them. And do one stuff at a time… keep things
simple. You don’t want a ton of nuts & bolts all over the floor or
street. There’s nothing more frustrating than putting something back
together then later realizing you have an “extra” bolt in hand!

Also, be gentle when trying to disconnect those (typically white or
grey) electrical connectors. Replacements can be surprisingly
expensive when you break them.
<WARNING OFF>

Back in the engine bay, figure out how to open the air filter box and
check if it is dry or wet. If it’s wet, then you’ll have that as
evidence that some water may have entered the engine. Water inside the
combustion chambers is bad because water does *not* compress, unlike
fuel. When the engine is started and there is water inside it, you
will have a broken piston rod. You would have heard a loud “tink!”
sound when that happens, and your engine will produce a lot of foul
smelling smoke. When that happens, stop the engine immediately or else
you’ll have more broken piston rods. Repairing that damage will
require an engine overhaul, as well as the purchase of new piston
rods, cylinder rings, and engine gaskets at the least.

To see more evidence if you have water in your engine, check the oil
filter stick. You should see only pure engine oil in it. If it’s murky
with brownish stuff in it, that’s bad. Change engine oil and oil
filter immediately. Not only is water is a very a poor lubricant for
your car’s metal parts, it can also turn into acid that will corrode
the internal stuff. (Later, when the engine is deemed to be ok, run
the engine for about 15 minutes or less than 10km, and change the
engine oil plus oil filter again.)

Check the radiator coolant and see if it looks pure (healthy colors
are red, pink, green or blue, depending on the coolant vendor). If it
looks bad, replace immediately and according to the specs in your car
maintenance manual. Other than the drain plugs on the radiator, don’t
forget to remove the water drain plugs in the engine itself, to really
drain all the contaminated coolant.

Now go underneath your car and look for the fuel drain plug in your
fuel tank. Do not open your fuel cap, as that will make fuel flow much
too readily. Put a basin underneath the fuel tank, and open the plug
slowly. Since water is heavier than gasoline or diesel, it will flow
out first from the bottom of the fuel tank. After draining half a
liter or so, and there is still no water, then that’s very good! If
there is water, then continue to drain until there is no more water
–and then drain just a little more so you can be really sure. Close
it up and move on.

After the above work, and you really just want to be doubly sure that
there is no water in the engine before you even attempt to start it
up, you may wish to remove the intake manifolds to inspect for water
collection. That’s a lot of work though, given the complexity of
today’s engines. If you’re willing to take acceptable risks, or if
there is not enough time, you can simply remove the spark plugs and
wiring (for gasoline engines) or fuel injectors (for diesel engines),
make sure all exposed wires are properly insulated from anything, then
connect a charged car battery. Hopefully, your starter still works
very well after the flood –if not, we’ll address that issue in a
while.

<WARNING ON>
At this point be reminded that you need to have safety glasses on, and
that any onlookers are *away* from the engine bay. Because you will be
cranking the engine to remove all water from the combustion chamber
and fuel system. Fuel pressure is extremely high, and if the fuel
gushing out upwards gets to directly hit anybody in any part of their
body, they will be in a world of pain. Fuel being ejected from the
ports and hitting only the top of the engine hood is ok. Recycling
spilt fuel as a cleaner for the engine is ok too.
<WARNING OFF>

Put the key in ignition and start the engine about 5 times. Don’t try
to crank the engine too much because you’ll need battery power later
to start the engine when everything is well. You just need enough
power to turn over the pistons so that all water will be expelled from
the combustion chambers and fuel system.

Once all the above are accomplished, put everything back together,
carefully. You’ve basically done the most important and immediate
things to take care of. But were not done yet, as the brake systems
and the transmission and axle oils still have to be taken care of.

Inspect the brake fluid container for any signs of contamination.
Better yet, just change it. Water mixing with brake fluid is very bad,
and they have to be changed every couple of years anyway. Water mixing
with brake fluid is dangerous because brake fluid gets extremely hot.
Of course, the boiling point of water under regular pressure is 100
deg Celsius. Higher than that, water turns to steam. When water is
vaporised, it gets easily compressed and there will be no pressure
exerted on the brake systems and you will not feel any resistance in
the brake pedal. Crashing will almost certainly result from that
issue. And since you’re now working on the brake system, go underneath
your car again and inspect the brake hoses / lines for any signs of
puncture, or if there are any twigs in there that can threaten it. Get
a water hose and gently wash off any mud or pebbles stuck in between
the brake calipers of your disk brakes, so as not to scratch the brake
pads and disks. High-pressure hoses may damage fancy stuff like ABS
sensors when hit directly.

For the transmission and axle mechanisms, you can start with the ATF
(Automatic Transmission Fluid) dip stick inside the engine bay. The
ATF stick may be found near the oil dip stick. Some new fancy cars
don’t have this anymore, but it shouldn’t stop you from checking
anyway, but just making your work a bit harder. ATF color is typically
red, and water shouldn’t be mixing in it. ATF is normally drained from
underneath the car, but the catch is that you can only get to drain
and replace some parts of it, not all. It sucks, I know. The best way
to replace ATF is to put the car on a stand, with all the wheels off
the ground, start the engine + drain ATF + shift the tranmission from
D to 2 to 3 and down again (never to “Reverse” for obvious reasons!) +
continuously replacing the ATF + stopping only when pure ATF is
flowing out the tranmission. If you haven’t done this expensive and
meticulous way before, then do it inside the nearest car shop with
experienced mechanics. Since you’re at it, check the power steering
fluid as well. Sometimes, it uses ATF as well, so drain and replace
the power steering fluid if necessary. Remember to reference your car
maintenance manual to know what is good for your car.

Replacing oil in the manual tranmissions is way easier than replacing
ATF. As with most oils, the way to check for water contamination is to
go underneath the car and drain some oil. If water is mixed in, remove
all oil and top off, normally from the top of the tranmission housing.
If your car is a 4×4, then do the same for your transfer case. Do
*not* overfill the tranmission and transfer case. Water normally gets
in through the breather tubes or ports on top of the metal housing. If
necessary, don’t forget to drain and replace the clutch fluid as well.

Checking the differentials, which is the “bungo” (what Pinoy mechanics
call it) and where the car axle is attached to, is very important as
well. This is the lowest part of your car that is exposed to floods.
As with the manual tranmission housing, remove the drain plug to
inspect for water contamination. If it looks bad, then replace as
necessary. Do *not* overfill.

Many times, the oil for the tranmission, transfer case, and
differentials are the same. Again, verify in your car maintenance
manual for the correct oil specs.

You’re mostly done at this point, to get your car safely working
again. Another thing that you might check with a mechanic is the
aircon system. Sometimes they leak because gaskets are damaged, or
maybe because of electrical problems. Letting things dry out for a few
days might fix the problem. One thing that is commonly a goner due to
water damage inside the car cabin are the stereo and speakers. Other
than trying to wait for them to dry, I’ve never been that good yet nor
patient enough to fix them. I always end up replacing them.

Since we’re at the last topic of electrical systems, sometimes cars
don’t really recover very well from floods, inspite of doing all the
mechanical stuff I’ve written above. Blame it on the electrical
gremlins that are eating away at the computer brains of your car,
producing “random” effects that you can’t pin down nor reproduce, but
enough to make it unreliable. Blame it on car makers as well, who keep
on loading too much fancy electrical stuff on our cars, that we don’t
really need. If that’s the case, there is no recourse but to
experiment and replace the car’s computers one at a time. There can be
a few for the car engine (load and engine timing, emissions, fuel
system, etc.) or the automatic transmission.

Hopefully, electrical problems can be simpler. Like for example, if
the car won’t start, like if you just hear clicking noises and you
know that the battery is still strong, the problem might just be the
starter contacts (where the battery wires connect) or the carbon
brushes being too short. Or maybe the the alternator (or generator)
needs to be replaced in its entirety because it can’t produce produce
enough power anymore, specially at low engine speeds. One of the many
indicators of low electrical power is when you turn on your signal
light (either left or right), and the lights on the dashboard flicker
in similar frequency as well.

This write-up is by no means complete with everything you need to
know, but just enough information to give you at the very least, an
accurate estimate of the (time and material) cost of what to fix, or
maybe even allow you to do the work yourself. I hope that as you are
now armed with these information, you won’t be taken advantage of by
unscrupulous mechanics and predatory car parts vendors.

Disclaimer:
I’m not a certified mechanic, but I’ve had my own share of troubles
since I first learned how to drive in 1982. Since then, I’ve driven
through snow, mud, sand, rocks, metro floods and all, in Nigeria
(Africa), various trails and parks in USA (CA, NV, OR, ID, UT, NY, NJ
& TX), Mexico, and of course throughout Philippines (Luzon, Visayas,
Mindanao), and have thankfully picked up several survival and
maintenance skills. I can’t and won’t warranty anything with this
advisory though, because I’m just giving out friendly advise.

By the way, I don’t blog, nor do I Twitter. I’m not active in many
Internet forums anymore too. So you’re most welcome to save this
e-mail for future reference, or even forward to your friends & family.
If others remove my name and plagiarize this write-up as their own, I
won’t mind –not even if they make money out of it like if it was
featured in Popular Science magazine or Discovery Channel TV. Ha ha
ha!!! This is open-source information. Let’s just get the word out
there so we can help others help themselves.

Drexx Laggui  — CISA, CISSP, CFE Associate, ISO27001 LA, CCSI, CSA
http://www.laggui.com ( Singapore / Manila / California )
Computer forensics; Penetration testing; QMS & ISMS developers; K-Transfer
PGP fingerprint = 6E62 A089 E3EA 1B93 BFB4  8363 FFEC 3976 FF31 8A4E

This is virtual off road duel between 2 legends in the history of 4 wheeling. After a closely contested match against the Defender 110, the victorious Wrangler Unlimited faces off with it’s rival from the east – The Toyota Land Cruiser 70 series Wagon.

This is a design comparo of the 2 vehicle makes’ most current and capable 4×4 models. Since the 70 series is not available in the local market we will be using the Australian/New Zealand factory specs. against the Philippine Jeep factory specs.

Once again our 4-wheeling icons will be battling it out in 8 different stages to determine which 4×4 is the more serious off road performer.

The Jeep clears the trail with minimal body damage. The Toyota scrapes paint, chrome and polymer in almost every obstacle.

Stage 1 Winner:

Once again the Rubie dominates this stage despite having the longer wheelbase among the 2.

Stage 2 Winner:

The Cruiser’s V8 Turbo Diesel is the far more superior power plant.

Stage 3 Winner:

Wrangler rhymes with “guzzler” while LC rhymes with “thrifty”!

Stage 4 Winner:

Nothing creeps and crawls like the Rubie! It ain’t called the Rubicon for nothing. Crawl ratio is the determined by the combined performance of 1st, differential, and low-range gears.

Stage 5 Winner:

The Cruiser is one of the most adept water crossers. This stage is truly the Wrangler’s waterloo (pun intended)!

Stage 6 Winner:

On-demand lockers are standard on the Jeep and optional on the Toyota. Both traction aiding devices make quick work of slippery surfaces and loose earth.

Stage 7 Winners:

Jeep’s ASBS is brilliant. It disconnects the front sway bar allowing more suspension stroke and articulation. All it takes is a push of a button.

Stage 8 Winner:

THE JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON RULES!

Researched, written, and rendered by Kits Aragon.

Comments? Violent reactions? Please email freeman[at]4x4ph[dot]com

Sources:
Toyota Australia & New Zealand brochures
Jeep USA and Australia catalogs and brochures
www.autoworld.co.za
www.caradvice.co.au

Bulky flared fenders, hefty grill and bumper ensemble provide the Navara its intimidating looks. It bears a scaled down resemblance to its massive North American cousin, the Titan. In cab, the Navara does not disappoint … Hold it! Before I get carried away, the boys at bigbigcar.com will give you all the dainty details about the Navara inside and out. They will also report how this little Titan behaves on the road. My role here is pretty clear cut, to determine how Nissan’s latest 4×4 truck the ’08 Frontier Navara D40 performs off road (sheesh… why didn’t they drop the “Frontier” moniker?).

I did get to drive the Navara a few kilometers on the pavement to get to the trail site. The first thing I took notice of was the how the truck lunged forward when I stomped on the accelerator. I shouted “yeah!” with glee as my head snapped back. I began to believe the manufacturer’s claims that its truck has the torquiest CRDi power plant in it’s class. Every 4×4 pickup in the market has at least a 3 liter, heck Mitsubishi’s Strada is a 3.2! Nissan thumbs its nose at the competition and enters a petite 2.5 liter that kicks everyone’s backside with a whopping 403 Nm of axle twisting force. I grinned as I envisioned how this little beast would climb and crawl in low range mode.

Not long after gray concrete beneath the truck transformed to red earth. It was time for 4WD action. The D40 has a simple dial to switch from 2-wheel drive to 4-wheel drive. Like the competition, it has a shift-on-the-fly system when engaging to and fro 2- and 4-high. Unlike the competition, the transfer system is smooth and prompt especially when switching from high range to low range and back. As the terrain began to deteriorate with deep ruts and slopes, I slowed the four-by to a halt and switched to 4-low. It engaged almost instantly and I was moving forward once more. Attacking hills was such a delight because this little titan did it with the littlest of effort. At one point I was negotiating a near 30-degree ascent on 1st gear at only 800 rpm. Every 4×4 off roader worth his salt will concede that the unbelievable torque of the Navara’s engine combined with its exceptionally low, low range ratio of 2.625 make for a terrific off road ride.

However, the new Frontier is vertically challenged. It is severely limited from venturing into more adventurous terrain by its ground clearance and it’s approach angle. A measly 29 degrees compared to 37 degrees by its Isuzu counterpart. The angle of approach is the indication of the steepest incline angle that a vehicle can approach and drive up without encountering front bumper or undercarriage damage.

We encountered a heavily rutted portion on the trail that had deep ditches snaking through the path. It was also damp and slippery from rain the day before. With the aid of a spotter, we negotiated the obstacle with success. Thanks to the ultra-low crawl ratio and the traction aiding limited slip differential on the rear axles. The D40 was also protected by its factory equipped nerf bars. These are tubular side bars that act as steps for entry into the vehicle, and as protection from rocks and ruts when off road. I’ve seen these nerf bars on Nissans since the gen. 1 Pathfinder, I’m glad they are still around.

Soon after the trail had heavily degraded, there was no way a stock 4×4 would make it through and we had to turn back. Turning back was a monumental effort in itself. Maneuvering a long wheel based truck on a narrow single lane path is not fun. You will have to inch the vehicle forward and reverse and repeat the process until the vehicle has done a full 180. I have done this many times before on a truck with a similar wheelbase. What made it more difficult this time was the poor turning radius of the Navara. Shifting to reverse on the stick was a chore because I kept getting it into 6th gear. When we finally got the D40 to turn tail, thanks to a clearing in the path and more spotting – disaster struck! Our support vehicle, a 70 series Land Cruiser was dangerously teetering on its side as it was negotiating the same heavily rutted portion the Navara went through. It did not fall on its side but the wheels were wedged in a deep rut. And the rear differential was high-centered. The Cruiser was equipped with a winch and, fortunately, a huge Narra tree was nearby to act as an anchor.

On the way back we encountered steep and slippery ascents that stalled the Frontier momentarily. Easing off the gas pedal and steering slowly from side to side gave bite to the tires. We were back on track. I forgot to mention that we were running stock tires – 255 70 R 16 highway terrain Dunlops. Not the ideal type of tire tread for off roading. Again the LSD and low gearing did its work.

All in all, the new Frontier Navara is a marvelous pickup truck for all-around use. I know this truck will receive rave reviews for power, handling, and ride comfort. But from an off road standpoint, in stock form, this truck won’t cut it due to its poor angle of approach and ground clearance. Nonetheless, raising the D40′s body or suspension and fitting taller tires will remedy this handicap.

Nissan describes its treatment to it’s latest Navara as “refined ruggedness”. It is a catchy phrase filled with contradiction. The end result is a compromise that pleases the refined and disappoints the rugged.

Pros:

• The “torquiest” engine in it’s class
• Comfy suspension
• Simple and prompt 4WD system
• Nerf bars
• Fuel efficient

Cons:

• Poor approach angle
• Poor ground clearance
• Annoying D&PS seat adjustment lever
• Wide turning circle

Sizing up the Navara 4×4 versus the competition

Credits: Carl Steve Ong (photos), Niky Tamayo (photos), Carlo R. Sapera (photos), Atty. Romy Alcantara (recovery vehicle), Alfred Rasay (recovery vehicle), Tess Rasay (The Diva)

The Nissan Patrol first rolled out of the production line in 1951. Despite appearing late in the 4×4 market it has gained a loyal following. This SUV is available in Australia, New Zealand, Central America, South America, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the Middle East. It is in direct competition with Toyota’s Land Cruiser. The Patrol is typically available in three variants. The two-door (Short Wheel Base or SWB), four-door wagon (LWB, Long Wheel Base), and Utility/Cab Chassis.

The previous Y60 (GQ) platform is still manufactured as a military vehicle for Asian and Mid East nations. Various versions of the Patrol are widely used by United Nations agencies worldwide. The current version of the Nissan Patrol, the Y61 (GQ) has very little in it to differentiate it from its 20 year old predecessor. It is basically the same 4×4 that is respected for its power and durability.

This vehicle was sold in Japan under the name Nissan Safari. The Nissan Patrol was first sold in Australia during the 1960′s, and was the very first vehicle to drive across the Simpson Desert in Australia. This model was designated as the G60 Patrol. In 1994, Ford rebadged the Australian version of the Y60 (GQ) Patrol, as the Maverick. The Nissan Patrol, particularly the Short Wheel Base version or the Utility version, has been a weapon of choice in Australia’s “Winch Challenge” competitions, due to it’s inherent driveline strength, ease in modification, and relative light weight. It is so popular down under that a local automotive journalist described it as the last of the great 4×4 vehicles in the market. Completely ignoring the likes of the pioneering Defender, Land Cruiser, and the Wrangler.

This is a virtual off-road duel between 2 legends in the history of 4-wheeling. Pitted against each other are each make’s local current flagship models. Land Rover’s 2008 Defender 110 Station Wagon versus its Yankee counterpart, the 2008 Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon.

Our goal is to determine which 4×4 will perform better in an off-road jaunt. All data gathered came from the makers’ published specs and media articles. Hopefully this will serve as a prelude to a physical face-off between these 2 automotive icons.

The Landie and Rubie will try to better each other in 8 different stages. Let’s get it on!

The Land Rover makes it through the trail relatively unscathed. While the Unlimited is limited by it’s lower and longer stance leaving slivers of plastic and metal behind.

Stage 1 Winner

Jeep has the longer wheelbase of the 2 but it’s tighter turning circle makes it suitable for narrow trails.

Stage 2 Winner

The Rubie’s got the horses but the Rover’s got the pull. Even Steven.

Stage 3 Winner

The Wrangler has the larger tank. Rightfully so ’cause it’s an obscene guzzler. During these times MPG/KPL counts! The fuel stingy Defender wins!

Stage 4 Winner

Crawl ratio is determined by the combined performance of 1st, differential, and low-range gears. Jeepers creepers, the Rubicon’s the better crawler.

Stage 5 Winner

The Landie makes it to the other side. Leaving the Rubie dead in the water.

Stage 6 Winner

Differential lockers outperform electronic braking on any given day. Selectable and on-demand lockers give an off-roader sole control of his destiny. Jeep gives the wheel back to the driver.

Stage 7 Winner

The ASBS disconnects the front sway bar allowing more suspension stroke and articulation. All it takes is a push of a button. ASBS is a stroke of genius by Jeep.

Stage 8 Winner

By the slimmest of margins Jeep’s flagship emerges victorious!

The 4×4 Philippines Virtual Duel Winner

The Rubie brings home the virtual bacon!

Researched, written, and rendered by Kits Aragon.
Comments? Violent reactions? Please email freeman@4x4ph.com

10th Place – 6.26% votes from 4x4ph.com respondents:

Range Rover Classic (First Generation – 1970 – 1995)

• Production: 1970-1995
• Body style(s): 3- and 5-door SUV
• Engine(s):
  • 3.5 L Rover V8
  • 3.9 L Rover V8
  • 4.2 L Rover V8
  • 2.4 L VM Turbo diesel I4
  • 2.5 L VM Turbo diesel I4
  • 2.5 L Land Rover I4
• Transmission(s):
  • 3-speed automatic
  • 4-speed automatic
  • 4-speed manual
  • 5-speed manual
• Wheelbase:
  • 100 in (2540 mm) (SWB)
  • 108 in (2743 mm) (LWB)
  • Length 175 in (4445 mm) (SWB)
  • 183 in (4648 mm) (LWB)
• Width: 71.4 in (1814 mm)
• Height 70.8 in (1798 mm)

Overview

The original Range Rover of 1970 was not designed as a ‘luxury’ 4×4 in the way that U.S. vehicles such as the Wagoneer were. Other luxury-type SUVs, such as the Jeep Wagoneer (1963) were produced before the Range Rover. Early Range Rovers had fairly basic interiors with vinyl seats and plastic dashboards that were designed to be washed down with a hose. Features such as power-assisted steering, carpeted floors, air conditioning, cloth/leather seats and wooden interior trim were only fitted to the Range Rover later, when it was realized that it had a far larger market as a luxury vehicle than merely as a more comfortable alternative to the Land Rover Station Wagon. However, the Range Rover introduced features such as all-coil spring on the original Range Rover series 1 whereas the American vehicles retained leaf springs and drum brakes (although some American SUVs like the Wagoneer also had automatic transmissions and power steering, which the original Range Rover lacked). The Jeep was first to introduce luxurious off-road vehicles to the general public,^[1] the Range Rover was the first to add coil-sprung suspension and four-wheel disc brakes to the mix.

The Range Rover was built on a box section ladder type chassis, much like the contemporary Series Land Rovers, but utilized coil springs as opposed to leaf springs, permanent four-wheel drive, and disc brakes all round. In the latest iteration, it uses a monocoque body structure. It was originally powered by the lightweight Rover V8 engine. Early models of the L322 were powered by a Jaguar V8 of 4.4 liters, until the introduction of a 3.6 TDV8 engine.

Range Rover Classic

The first generation Range Rover was introduced in 1970. Improvements compared to the Land Rover “Series” models included permanent four-wheel-drive with a lockable centre differential, all-coil suspension, disc brakes on all wheels, and a 3.5 L aluminum Rover V8 engine. The vehicle was built on a steel ladder frame, and most body panels were aluminum. However, design weaknesses, such as using steel bolts to fasten aluminum panels and poor anti-corrosion protection of the chassis, resulted in early vehicles suffering from electrolytic corrosion. Whilst in a car with a shorter expected lifespan this may have been of minor importance, in a strong, long-lived vehicle like the Range Rover (which runs well even after 20 years old) it needed to be corrected, by means such as Waxoyling the chassis and using stainless steel bolts.

Originally the car was a three-door design (with the “third door” being a horizontally split tailgate), and it came with a four-speed gearbox. A Fairey overdrive was available ex-works from 1973. A factory-built version with five doors arrived in 1981 due to market pressure; external coachbuilders had already found success with conversions. The gearbox was improved to a five-speed manual transmission with the option of a three-speed Chrysler Torqueflite automatic, subsequently superseded by a ZF four-speed which improved fuel economy and refinement but is generally regarded as not quite as strong as the Chrysler. It was soon after given a BorgWarner viscous coupling transfer box.

The original Rover 3.5-litre engine gave the original so much power and torque that it was popular with the police. Later upgrades enlarged the capacity to 3.9 litres and culminated in the 4.2-litre V8 block in the 1992-95 model. When people began to demand better fuel economy, Land Rover introduced a diesel. Originally, the Turbo D model used a 2.4-litre turbodiesel 4-cylinder engine from Italian manufacturer VM Motori, similar to their engine fitted to the Rover SD1 and later 800-series cars, but this had been intended to be a smooth petrol-like engine for cars, not off-roaders.

Its torque characteristics and Turbo lag combined with the relatively high weight of the Range Rover made it popular only amongst those for whom the fuel saving was the overriding priority. Eventually the Land Rover 2.5-litre Tdi as used in other Land Rovers was fitted, and this gave good on- and off-road performance compromise, combined with acceptable fuel economy for a vehicle as heavy as the Range Rover.

For the full Wikipedia entry click here.

9th Place – 6.46% votes from 4x4ph.com respondents:

Willys MB / Ford GPW

• Manufacturer: Willys, Ford
• Production: 640,000 standardized; 8,690 other (1941-1945)
• Successor: Willys M38
• Body style(s): can be piled for shipping, plastic steering wheel, steel seats, hinged passenger front seat, slitted War-time front parking lights.
  • Gauges: speedo 0 – 60mph, Temp 0 – 220F, Amp +30/-30A, Oil pressure, map light.
  • Fail safe main light switch push button (can’t accidentally pull mainlights on).
• Engine(s) 4-cyl. side valves, 134 CID (2199 cc), 60 hp.
  • Other: Oil Filter; oil filled mesh; 1 throat carburetor, manual choke, exhaust/intake at driver’s side, intake heated via exhaust/bimetal ctrl spring; hand crank. Excellent starting. 6-volt DC-current generator, fail safe automatic fuse.
• Transmission(s):
  • 3-speed + reverse t-84 transmission
  • 2-speed t-18 transfer case
• T case2 selections: 2WD Hi , 4WD Hi, 4WD Lo
• Wheelbase: 80 inches (203 cm) leaf springs, shock absorbers in all 4; full hydraulic brakes in all 4; handbrake assembly at clutch affecting rear axle
• Length: 131 inches (333 cm)
• Width: 62 inches (157.5 cm)
• Height: 72 inches (183 cm) with top up; reducible to 52 inches (132 cm)
• Curb weight: 2,293 lb(1040 kg)
• Fuel capacity 10 U.S. gallons (8.3 imp gal/38 L) (tank under driver seat); (plus strap-on extra fuel canisters)

Introduction

On its illuminating page on the Jeep’s evolution, the offroader.com website states:

From humble origins — a handful of prototypes built by three different manufacturers — the Jeep 1/4-ton utility vehicle has evolved over the years into one of the most popular and versatile vehicles ever made. Named the “Universal Jeep” by Willys-Overland shortly after World War II, it’s been used in combat and for desert racing, for rock crawling or daily driving . . . in short, if there’s a road or trail anywhere in the world, chances are that sometime, somehow, a Jeep has driven over it. [...]
The hero of World War II [...] served in every theater of war, in every conceivable role, and with every Allied army. They were also given modifications including longer wheelbases, skis, armor plating, railway wheels, and weapon mounts of various types. This vehicle changed the way [people,] Americans [and foreigners] looked at the automobile and added a new word to our vocabulary: Jeep.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower himself listed the Jeep as one of the most important tools that won the war.

Post-war

After the war, Willys took its four-wheel drive marvel to the public with its CJ (Civilian Jeep) versions, making these some of the first mass-produced 4×4 civilian vehicles ever.

The first CJs were essentially the same as the MB, except for such alterations as powered windshield wipers, a tailgate (and therefore a side-mounted spare tire), a rear view mirror, and civilian lighting. Also the civilian jeeps had amenities like naugahyde seats, chrome trim, and a variety of colors. Mechanically, a heftier T-90 transmission replaced the Willys’ MB’s T84 in order to appeal to the originally considered rural buyers demographic.

Before Willys-Overland company was absorbed into other companies over the years (currently called Jeep and part of Chrysler LLC), it supplied the War Department as well as friendly nations with military jeeps for several more decades.

Source : Wikipedia – Read the full article here.

8th and 7th Place to be published in the next article. 

Researched and compiled by: Kits Aragon

With the brakes done, I turned my attention to the intake. This is rather simple and I first removed the old air filter, which is done by undoing the clip and simply removing the old one.

Here is the comparison between the stock Ford air filter and the K&N. I noticed that my stock filter had some fins that were deformed, which I think is a sign that the filter has gotten rather clogged and hard to breathe through.

The installation was simple and the K&N filter was a perfect fit. I also replaced the air filters on the D-Max, which had 56,000 kilometers on it, and the Hilux, which had the 75,000 kilometers on it.

I had a hard time looking for the proper K&N filters to fit our Asian-spec vehicles, and I would just like to share the part numbers here so that our local suppliers of K&N could easily get the right filters for the D-Max and LN106 Hilux (the filter has two big holes). Ordering them online is a breeze too and the cost is so reasonable.

I hope this would help ease off the fuel costs for our different rides, as well as squeeze out every bit of performance from our rigs.

So, I had the brakes on the Expedition checked, as dragging brakes consume a lot of fuel as you unnecessarily increase the load on the engine. I had one caliper that was a bit stuck, and two of my rotors were out of alignment, causing them to drag a bit, and close to replacement thickness. I inquired with the local Ford dealer and got a quote for one rotor. I checked in the US and got the four drilled and slotted high-performance rotors with brake pads for the price of the one rotor here.

I also got the same drilled and slotted rotors for my LC 80 as they cost less than 15,000 pesos for the set including brake pads.

I also decided to replace the 26,000 mile air filter to a K & N one, as I like the power and mileage the K & N gives me, as well as I have used K & N since the early 90′s and they are still alive till today, provided you take care of them properly. I ordered everything including K & N for the Isuzu D-Max (K&N Part Number E-2023), Toyota LN-106 2.8 diesel (E-2487), and the Expedition (E-0945). I am sharing the part numbers as it took me days of research in ADVANCE AUTO PARTS to get the right air filter for the Isuzu and Toyota, and at least it will help our readers order from the US using the said numbers.

I put the Expedition in Park, emergency brake on, chucked the wheels, and put the Air Suspension switch off.

We first removed the calipers and then removed the old bent rotors.

The Ford front and rear rotors are easy to remove, as you simply just had to pull them out. No bolts need to be removed whatsoever. Just take out the caliper, and pull the rotor off.

I then installed the new rotor, and replaced the brake pads with the new ones. I removed a bit of brake fluid from the master reservoir, and then pushed the pistons in, installed the new pads, and re-installed the calipers.

Careful inspection showed me that the right rear brake caliper was a bit stuck. I had to open the caliper and clean the piston, as it was dirty. This is one clear reason for an increase in gas mileage, as sticky brakes make your engine consume more fuel.

With the brakes done, I turned my attention to the intake. [To be continued...]