When we buy a vehicle, it has been designed and constructed for all systems to operate within certain parameters. Aftermarket Accessories parts will change parameters away from the factory balance. Not that your car, van, or ute can’t be tuned differently, but all changes come with gain and sacrifice.
Popular 4×4 Aftermarket Accessories
- Let’s go through a list of popular 4×4 aftermarket accessories and weigh what we gain/sacrifice from their installation and use.
Cargo Barrier
- If your truck has a tray or cargo bed, a cargo barrier behind the cab is a frequent accessory. They will protect the passengers from loose or shifting cargo, provide a location for road & vehicle lighting, and give you cargo tie-down locations. Their weight will cost you in fuel, there is a loss of cargo space, minimal visibility intrusion, and an additional load on your electrical system with lights.
Additional Lighting
- More often we bolt on additional driving, fog/smoke, vehicle, or offroad lighting on a 4X4 light bars, bull bar, roof rack, or canopy shell. Lights are generally light weight and LED use keeps their operating draw low. When you install and use too many lights, the combined draw can overwhelm your alternator and drain your battery, bringing engine operation to a stop.
Electric Winch
- On the topic of electrical use, an electric winch is an irreplaceable piece of 4×4 equipment that saves thousands in wrecker fees, and days of time, and provides confidence to the operator. Their electric motor pulls so many watts, that an upgrade to your charging system is needed.
Bull Bars
- Lights and winches need some place to call home. Bull bars are aftermarket Accessories bumpers to increase vehicle & occupant safety while offering accessory space. The weight can be excessive. Pay attention to your vehicle’s balance. Too much front-loaded weight will wear out steering and suspension components quickly.
Back Bumpers and Trailer Hitches
- Back bumpers with toy racks and trailer hitches provide their own pros and cons. Check with the vehicle manufacturer for towing and suspension capacity. Overloading the rear axle will result in less pressure on your front wheels and reduce steering response. Never overload your vehicle. Operating outside of the manufacturer’s recommendations can void warranties and your insurance coverage in an accident.
Dual-Battery System
- A dual-battery system can increase your power or length of operation when without power. A factory alternator is designed to operate at a reasonable capacity with the designed load. Dramatic increases to the load will require an increased capacity alternator. Your engine needs electricity to run. If your alternator is over-tasked with too much draw, everything shuts down, including your engine.
First Aid Kits
- Smart people are installing good-quality first aid kits. While on a holiday drive, camping, or fishing in our vast outdoor wonderland, injuries will happen. Include extra prescription or allergy medicine. We will be treating simple cuts, stings, or bites. The rest is for the stabilization of larger injuries to make the trip to qualified medical care. Be prepared and know how to use what you have. They take up space but present no other problem.
Tyre Patch Kit
- It’s a good idea to have some band-aids for thong blisters, but your tyres get holes as well. A manufacturer-recommended tyre patch kit is another tool that provides solutions in the worst situations. It will take 10,000 pumps of a bicycle pump to fill a tyre but include one to get you back on the road after two flat tyres.
Cargo Roof Rack
- A cargo roof rack can contain layers of aftermarket accessories. Today you can have a custom roof rack built with all-around area LED lighting, camping canopies, cargo racks, tie-downs, and antennae to fit your every need. Use caution when adding weight high on a vehicle. Weighting up high on a truck increases suspension loading when driving through corners. If the suspension reaches its limit and the inertia of the weight can not be stopped, your car, truck, or van will roll over.
Roll Bar or Cage
- At a time like that, a roll bar or cage is a good thing to have. A structured aluminium or steel ute canopy will protect the tools of your trade or toys for the glade from theft, damage, or loss. They are durable, versatile, and very heavy; especially when full of coldies. Too much weight and you can exceed tyre manufacturers’ recommendations causing more safety issues, and the possibility of breakdowns or rollover accidents.
Knobby Tyres
- Knobby tyres on your truck will prevent you from getting stuck in everything but a gas station. Their fuel efficiency is poor. Because they are thick layers of rubber wrapped around steel cables, tyres are heavy. All-season radials will save you some kilometres per litre.
Responsible Upgrading
We can tune or kit any vehicle to suit our needs or desires. A new Hilux, Ranger, or Triton can become an invaluable work rig, a family excursion vehicle, or an efficient way to accomplish tasks, depending on what you do to it. Upgrade responsibly, and drive safely.
