My Recommended 4×4 Accessories
I am sure you all know how much money can be spent on 4×4 Accessories – the list doesn’t stop growing! I’d like to write a post and share some of the 4×4 products that I have either used extensively or owned that I recommend. There is nothing worse than being let down by 4×4 accessories, which is where user reviews are so valuable. Below are the products that I think are worth purchasing:
Eaton Harrop ELockers
If you want your 4WD to go further off road, lockers are the ultimate solution. I’ve been seriously impressed with the Eaton Harrop Lockers. You can read more about them here – Eaton Harrop ELockers.
BFG KM2 Mud Terrain tyres
Tyres are seriously important. When a large majority of 4WD’s use BFG’s, its a no brainer. We’ve had the KM2’s on our vehicle now for quite some time, and love them.
Evakool 55L fridge
You need a reliable fridge to keep your drinks and food cold, and one that doesn’t break the bank. Evakool fridges are well built, intelligently designed and are bullet proof.
Old Man Emu suspension
ARB sells the Old Man Emu suspension, which has been flawless on our 80 series. I highly recommend it.
Redarc battery isolator
The basic Redarc battery isolator is a fantastic product; it automatically disconnects the two batteries when the main battery voltage drops, and joins them together when the voltage goes back up. Simple, automatic and flawless.
Beaudesert Exhaust
The first modification we did to our 80 Series was to fit a 3 inch Beaudesert Exhaust. They are a top quality product, and come highly recommended. Read more about it here – Beaudesert Exhaust upgrade.
Narva headlight upgrade
The 80 series Land Cruiser has very average headlights, but Narva and ARB fixed that with new reflectors, globes and wiring looms. Here’s the link for more information; Narva and ARB headlight upgrade.
Bushranger bin bag
There’s nothing worse than having to put rubbish inside your car. Get yourself a bin bag like the Bushranger one; they are top quality and extremely useful.

Maxtrax
These days, Maxtrax are my preferred method for vehicle recovery. You can use them on sand, snow and mud, and they work very well. Snatch straps are very useful, but there are huge forces built up, and potential for something to go wrong. Maxtrax can be set up much quicker, easier, and they are risk free. Sure, they aren’t cheap, but they are so worth it! Have a look at my Maxtrax Review Here.

ARB Bull Bar
When you see mining vehicles set up with ARB Bull Bars, you know they must be good. Have a look at the four wheel drives that you see with bull bars in your local area; a large majority of them run ARB Bull Bars. I had an unfortunate accident not so long ago, and ended up with a brand new ARB winch bar, which I am more than happy with. When you see how they are designed, how well they are manufactured and how good they look on any four wheel drive, you know why they are so popular!
ARB is also one of the fastest companies to come out with 4×4 Accessories for new model vehicles. You can get them sprayed to match your vehicles paint work, and there are a number of different designs. Have a look on the forums, and you won’t find very many threads of people complaining about them. I have read a number of posts of people who have hit big kangaroos at 100km/h and done no damage at all. If that was to happen with a substandard bull bar, you would require a tow home!

Kaymar Rear Bar
Every four wheel drive trip I go on I seem to appreciate my Kaymar Rear Bar more and more. The last trip to Mundaring Powerlines Track would have required a new tray on My Hilux had it not have been for the Kaymar Rear Bar that I have fitted. They are strong, brilliantly designed and they protect your vehicle from so much damage. Not only this, but you get somewhere to mount tyre carriers on (or jerry can holders), rear work lights and high lift jacks. Ask yourself – How much will panel damage cost me?

Just Strap Snatch Straps
I always appreciate businesses who manufacture a product that is simple, high performing and cheap. Just straps are made out of nylon, and are plain white. Boring? Yes. Does it matter? No way! The prices at Just Straps are probably the best in the market, and they perform much better than many of the more expensive brands. They are Aussie made, and I will be sure to buy more Snatch Straps from them!

ARB EZ Deflator
Having a deflator that is quick is one of the best investments I have made for my four wheel drive. There’s nothing worse than waiting 15 minutes to deflate your tyres (and getting sore knees from kneeling down in the process!) before you can get onto the beach! The ARB EZ Deflator unscrews the valve stem of your tyre valve, and will let air out very quickly. They have a built in gauge, making deflation quick, easy and painless. It may take a few tries until you learn how to use them properly, but they aren’t hard!


Recovery Hitch
I don’t believe this is a specific brand product, but it is sure worth purchasing if you go off road. I often see four wheel drives off road with big hitches that hang down. Not only do you regularly catch them on rocks, but you can’t recover off them safely without removing the towball or taking the hitch out completely. The solution then, is one of the Recovery Hitches you see in the photo. They slide into the hitch receiver, and have a 4.5 tonne shackle which hangs down. They only hang out about 20mm from the hitch receiver, so you won’t knock them (and if you do the shackle just moves up).
If you get stuck, you simply undo the shackle, put a snatch strap through it and do it back up. No pins to worry about. Have you ever tried hooking up a snatch strap when a vehicle is bogged in mud, or water? It’s almost impossible to feed the pin through the snatch strap and hitch receiver and then put the R clip in place! These take all the hassle out of it, and they only cost around $60. Money well spent.
I can guarantee these aren’t the only great four wheel drive products on the market. If you have something else you’d like to recommend, please leave a comment below!
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for stopping by. I agree that Maxtrax are a great investment. However, the best place to buy them is when a sale is on at BCF, Rays Outdoors or another 4WD store. I’ve seen them as low as $226 for a pair.
Aaron
Hey Aaron,
Great article mate. One thing ill mention is if you are looking at recovery tracks. You almost always pay twice if you go the cheaper alternatives. I purchased the cheap rip off versions and they just didn’t last. So essentially i should have purchased the quality maxtrax from the get go. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Also, don’t pay full price for the Maxtrax either, I found a coupon code that saved me $15 – Free shipping and included bonus items. I’ve copied and pasted the link below for anyone that want’s to save a buck. Cheers For the Article!
I reckon you’ll have to walk in and ask! I’d be keen to know more about it
Aaron
Yeah, the designers must be working to a set of figures. They don’t share them with us though. Commercial-in-confidence? Or the unclothed emperor?
How would you go if you walked into an ARB franchise with a spec sheet for a bullbar, including that it must withstand a frontal collision @ 80 kmh with a roo of 100 kg without immobilising your vehicle? Betcha the counter jumper couldn’t tell you whether their units were fit for this purpose.
Why are we all buying a pig in a poke?
I’d like to know more about this – surely there is a lot of R & D that goes into bars, especially from the likes of ARB etc?
I guess having an 80 series I don’t have to worry too much about it – they are basically bricks on wheels!
Yeah, I’d say bullbars are sold on an implicit promise of protection. But when you trawl the web for crash pics it’s clear that quite a few don’t deliver. Roo collisions (which are the majority) have driven the bar into the front of the wagon immobilising it.
Certainly when you fit a bar you say goodbye to your ANCAP 5 star rating if you have one. There are as far as I could find when last I looked only two wagon/bar combos that have been tested and certified as 5 star, both recent Rangers with a Smartbar and an ARB steel bar if memory serves. Of course that’s an exxy business.
You have to wonder though. We’ve had decades of vehicle design and testing that’s improved safety in frontal and frontal offset crashes. Some aftermarket gear makers reckon they can do better by bolting on a bar. What testing have they done to prove it? They don’t publish any results that I can find.
Hey Ziggy,
That is a very interesting link; I’ll have to do a bit more reading around it. Bull Bars are a great place to mount winches, aerials etc, and for me, the peace of mind knowing that if I hit a roo out bush there’s a good chance the vehicle is still going to be able to drive home. Without a bull bar though, and that’s possibly going to be a different result.
I’d like to know more about the forces it can withstand though
Aaron
Bullbars are a pig in a poke. Your ARB is ADR/air bag compliant but try asking the maker what force it can withstand without immobilising your wagon. Smartbar was the only maker I found that published bar performance data but not any more – it’s been bought out by ARB, surprise! In fact the only data I’ve been able to find showed that on ANCAP tests a triple loop steel bar on an old HiLux performed *worse* than a vehicle without, sustaining a hole in the footwell and bent pedals. See http://hub.icmm.com/document/4725
G’day Jon,
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you drive. Getting out there is what it’s all about. With some choice modifications and a bit of DIY you can build up a capable fourby without spending too much
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Thankyou for your suggestions I myself am contemplating selling my 2wd ute in preference of a 4wd to get out to some more remote camping locations. It’s good to know that you’re not suggesting the world when it comes to upgrades to the vehicle as it is definitely very easy to rack up the dough!
Cheers,
Jon