Aussie Offroader

Interior pics found here on toyota australia website in the hilux gallery-

http://www.toyota.com.au/hilux/gallery/images

 

What's a "tyre"? Seriously though when the f*&k are we gonna get diesel tech in anything smaller than a super duty here in the States and I ain't talkin some VW hatchback either?

 

Ok Fella's,

The long awaited High Clearance Bashplate is complete and on the vehicle....woohoo! :lol:

Just in time for my trip tomorrow to Gough Bay at Lake Eildon for some offroading. Also got the rear suspension re-done on wednesday, removed the 1 inch block and added an extra leaf, greasable shackles and a full nolathane bush kit back and front.

Anyways, heres some pics of it finished....was abit fidly to install, the welding as you may know tends to re-adjust metal so had to clean up a couple holes and it weighs a tad more than before but all is good.

Front View


Side View

 

Good looking truck!!! Welcome to TW!!!

 

I love the Toyota Hilux! The old school especially, but the new ones are f'in' badass too! Awesome truck man, glad you joined us!

 

how do those HIlux's compare to tacomas overall?

 

Hilux's have a stronger chassis and the option of the diesel engine. Front end suspension is identical except for different LCA's.

Front guards on Taco seem to be flatter at the rear of the front guards where the hilux's are more rounded, which is why some Taco's can run a size bigger in tyres than we can on the hilux.

Anyway,
Just got back from my day trip from Gough Bay at Lake Eildon. We didnt do hardly any mudding down below but concentrated mainly on big hardcore mountain trails...and these mountain trails were not only long, but very very rocky and many were stepped with rocky ledges alot of the way up.

Let me just say that the bashplate I completed did not bottom out not once the whole day nor did my towbar that I had raised 2 inches either.

The Silverstones performed way above my expectations.....truly impressed with them and after today will not hesitate to recommend them to anybody and will consider getting another set when these wear out, they were really that good. I had them aired down to 18 psi all day. They never missed a beat and gripped everything in their path.

Now, the front locker.....maaaate! what can I say but FAAAAARRRRRKKKKK MEEEEEE!

This has got to be one of the best investments on the hilux that I have made and seriously, if I didnt have it with me today, I can guarantee you that I would have brocken something on the tracks because I would have needing heaps of momentum to climb some of the rock ledges.

It change the whole dynamic of the vehicle and the whole package as it is makes it one mean mother offroad now.

Seriously, and probably after easter when I get a copy to post up here, me mate taped us going up this steep rocky track.....BJ73 landruiser on 35" simex and front auto locker made it up, 80 series with rear locker and 36" simex made it up, 05 hilux with 2" lift and 265 cooper ST.....he was winching twice to make it up, new jeep rubicon,stock as,made it up revving abit hard (he had crawler gears and twin factory diff locks), current Prado VX with factory traction control and 32" SST's made it up but stalled half way. a GU patrol on 35" claws struggled to make it up...was bunny hopping all over the place sideways except upwards.

I, kept the hilux just off idle and I really wanted to see what this air-locker could do, I wanted it and the tyres to do the work for me. me mates were shouting out "give it some more berries", but I resisted and very lightly had my foot on the gas. The hilux was crab crawling at some points as the tyres were fighting to get traction between rock ledges, but got up without missing a beat, leading to some of the guys saying that I made it look too easy.

Am seriously impressed with the package the hilux has become and what I managed to crawl up and over today.....yes, Im blowing my horn abit here, but who wouldnt be. Im rapt!

so much so that Im considering not bothering with trying to go to 34" tyres as the half inch extra clearance isn't needed.

Next on my to do list will now be upgraded front brakes and a custom performance tune for the engine. And maybe a decent transfer case bashplate if I am going to be doing more of these rocky mountain trails.

Front locker and rear LSD really works wonders....just take it easy and let the hilux do the work.when I had to steer up and over obstacles with the locker on, I made sure to back off the gas, as I didnt want to risk over stressing the cv's in any way.

Heres some scenic shots from today....will endevour to get the vid ASAP.

 

Great pics of your trucks & countryside
Nice to meet you from Vermont

 

Awesome ride and Awesome Country! ! !! ! !!! Welcome to TW and thanks for the great pics! ! ! ! !

 

welcome aboard and that Hilux is a nice looking rig. What part of Austrailia are you from? I am hoping to be heading down under next summer, as we have family outside of Melbourne. Keep up the good work and feel free to up date with more photos.

 

very nice ride brother.... welcome to tw

 

Even their trails lead to power lines.

 

Truck is looking awesome and those pics make me wish I was trailing out there.

 

Im on the outskirts of Melbourne too, the north western side.

Anway,
Here ya go, finally got "some" video footage of not only my hilux but some other vehicles from the weekend.
I havent as yet got the footage of my hilux on the seriously rocky and steep section but I do have footage of a mates hilux on it and a Patrol going up it just so you can see what was involved.
So here to begin with, heres a clip of my hilux on the track leading up to the serious section, followed by me mates 80 series on 36" Simex.. This track was rocky, steep and very loose.

Next two is of a Patrol with 4" lift I think and 35" claws going up the hard bit I was mentioning earlier, no lockers for him, which is why he was going hard.


And finally, me mates 05 Hilux SR d4d manual, has a 2" front ironman lift only and 265/75x16 Cooper ST's....He's not shy to go real hard as you can see by the dints all over his hilux, and he did end up having to winch twice to get passed the rocks. His thrashing of his hilux really gives me confidence in the drive train on these things.


Hopefully during easter break Ill get me hands on the video me mate took of my hilux crawling up this section.

 

Oh man, if I didn't love my guns like my own children, I would move to Australia in a heartbeat!

Speaking of, what do they suggest you do to protect yourself from predators out there in the bush?

 

In regards to the guns, we still have them here, just they are only a maximum 10 round cartridge and bolt action rifles, and no pump action shotguns, only 2 round shotguns.

then again, you can own a 6 round lever action shotgun, or a pump action remington rifle...go figure

No, we cant have semi or full auto rifles, but you dont really need a machine gun to go hunting do you?

In regards to predators in the bush, they recommend you either un really fast or learn to climb the nearest tree!...LOL

Our predators arent the same as yours, our mosty damgerous are snakes or spiders, thou the bad ones will kill in within minutes, and you wont get a chance to see them till they bite you, and once they do, your machine guns your allowed to own over there wont help you much either....LOL, no offence, couldnt help meself

Our bush here is pretty safe, I reckon "man" himself is what you have to be weary off. plenty of nut cases wherever you go.

 

Ha ha! I never was a good tree climber . . . So I would be able to keep my lever-action Marlin 30-30? And my bolt-action Browning .280? What about a 9-round .45-cal Colt 1911?

 

They should all be fine. In regards to the Colt, the laws on usgae are abit stricter here. You can only use the Colt at the shooting range, it has to be transported there in a locked container, ammunition has to be transported in a seperate locked container. You can only have it in your vehicle whilst travelling to and from the range. If the police pull you over and work out you've travelled elsewhere on the way home, you'll be in strife.

No such thing as permit to carry a concealed weapon here unless your a federal agent or the like.

Rifles must be stored in a lcokable metal cabinet or safe, which is mounted to either the floor or the wall by 4 strong bolts...ammunition must be stored seperately in another locked and mounted safe.

alot tuffer than you blokes, but not that bad. If you do the right thing, you really dont have much to complain about.

Personally, I reackon you Yanks have had it way easy for a long time.

Just wish you guys would get together and over throw the Government so you can put a president in there that actually abides by your constitution and is for the people, not run the country like a business.

Some like Ron Paul....sorry, slightly off topic, oops

 

As for how easy it is to get firearms, I wouldn't have it any other way, but I'm a product of my raising and nothing is going to change that.

As for the leader of the free world, I could certainly be happier with our situation, but democracy is democracy. The thing that keeps me up at night is thinking about the people that would take over if Obama were to become unable to fulfill his duty. By my count, at least 5 people stand senior to anyone that knows how the job is done.

But yeah, off topic. Thanks for the info about the gun laws, man! I've always been curious.

 

So does everyone down there wish for Tacoma's just like everyone up here wishes for a Hilux?

BTW - Yours without the muffler sounds fantastic!