How to build the perfect campfire
With the warmer months on the way out, we thought it time to get brushed up on our fire-building skills! For thousands of years, man and fire have had a…
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Advice
303 posts
Lazy Gourmet: Brekky Burritos
We’re forever looking at just dinner recipes for you on the road, and seem to forget the most important meal of the day; breakfast! So we thought it time to…
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Campfire Etiquette 101
Not much beats sitting around a great campfire but some still get it wrong without even knowing. These 19 tips will have you doing it like a pro. Words and…
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Overloaded roof racks and why your 4X4 might be an accident waiting to happen
Here’s everything you need to know about roof racks for your 4X4, from choosing them to the roof load limit and why you might die if you pile up too…
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How to stop killing your batteries!
Sometimes the biggest and angriest charger you can get your hands on isn’t always the best, and this simple mistake is killing your batteries by pushing too many amps into…
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Why you shouldn’t let your fuel tank run down too low
Did you just drive past that servo, and then nervously stare at your fuel gauge? I do it all the time, with that internal dialogue always happening: “She’ll be right,…
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Your guide to turbochargers: how they work and why you should care
If you get your hands on any diesel-powered vehicle these days, chances are they will be helped along by a turbocharger hanging off the side of the engine. Here’s what…
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Top Tips: 4X4 self-recovery techniques
Sometimes you haven’t got a winch handy or a mate to snatch you out of the muck. Here are five techniques to help you get out of a sticky situation.…
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DPF and second-hand diesels: what do you need to know?
Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) have a lifespan and some will last longer than others, here’s what you need to know about DPFs before buying a second-hand diesel 4X4. The diesel…
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Calculating how much solar you actually need: A Guide
In this guide, we’ll run through how to work out exactly how much solar you’ll need to be self-sufficient in the power department in your 4X4. If you’ve seen any…
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Lazy Gourmet: Camp oven pizza
Camp oven Pizza, you ask? Yes! It is totally possible to make a pizza in a camp oven, and as I have as yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like…
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12-volt fridge tips and tricks
No matter the brand of 12-volt fridge you’ve got, our tips and tricks will help you get the most from your chilly investment. Most tourers setups include a 12-volt fridge,…
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Season 13 Starts Sunday!
Australia’s foremost 4×4 expert Pat Callinan takes you on some of his all-time favourite four-wheel-drive adventures. Now in its 13th year (with two new rigs to boot), this epic season…
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How to: Outback Driving Part 2
In Part 2 of our series on Outback Driving we’ll look at how to deal with dusty conditions and how to drive through bulldust. In ‘How To: Outback Driving Part…
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Outback Driving Techniques – Part 1
In Outback Driving Techniques Part 1 we’re going to look at how to make sure you and your rig are up for the challenge. With travel restrictions beginning to ease,…
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All-Terrains or Mud-Terrains? The best rubber to suit your needs.
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to fitting muddies vs all-terrains. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each… Considering the age-old question still comes…
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Spun vs Cast – Which camp oven is right for you
Being able to cook in a camp oven is a right of passage for any semi-serious tourer or four-wheel driver. Sure, snags and veggies on the gas cooker is perhaps a simpler…
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Lazy Gourmet: Choc-Banana Spring Rolls
To ease your suffering as we trudge through the work week, we bring you this tasty morsel recipe: Choc-Banana spring rolls. I have discovered a combination of two ingredients which…
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HOW TO: Reading the side of your tyre and how to calculate tyre size
Reading the side of your tyre is a little more in-depth than it once was, with being able to calculate your tyre size a little harder than it used to…
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How long do you really need to warm-up your diesel engine up for?
We recently sat down with an expert on diesel engines and turbochargers to find out if long warm-up times are killing your engine. We thought it about time to sit…
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Don’t build a battery box the wrong way
Make sure if you’re going to build a battery box, you don’t build it the wrong way. If you do the wrong thing, chances are you will be turning your…
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Wood vs Charcoal: Which is best for cooking in the bush?
Wood vs Charcoal: We answer the question once and for all: what is the best way to cook while camping? Words and images by Gary Tischer I admit to being…
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Is your 4X4 insured for what it’s worth?
The other week I was minding my own business, working from home, when I got absolutely blindsided by a question from a mate of mine, Aiden. The question that proper…
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TPMS Systems explained…
We look at everything you ever wanted to know about Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems and how they can save you money… and save your life! The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System…
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How to drive in mud…and never get stuck…
Driving in mud is one of those four-wheel driving experiences that some people love and some loathe. Here’s how to drive in mud like a pro. Words and images by…
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How to stay sane while not actually four-wheel driving
The last few weeks have gone from ‘what’s all the fuss about’ to ‘holey moley, probs better stay home’. So with that in mind, here are some things to fuel…
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Don’t put oil into diesel to make it more lubricating
Ultra-low-sulphur diesel lacks lubrication according to the Internet. So, it says, adding 2-stroke oil to a tankful of diesel is the cure-all. Let’s find out. Ever since it became a…
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Everything you need to know about how an UHF aerial works
If you’ve got a 4X4, chances are you’ll have a UHF, but how do they work? Here’s everything you need to know about how an UHF aerial works. While UHF’s…
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Put the wrong fuel into your 4X4? Here’s what you need to know
Not as common as it used to be, it’s still possible to misfuel your petrol or diesel 4X4 causing thousands of dollars’ worth of damage. Me, I’ve never filled a…
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Top tips to make your automatic transmission last longer
Here’s everything you need to know about making your automatic transmission last longer when off-roading and towing. Automatic transmission servicing is often overlooked these days, especially in modern motoring. Indeed,…
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Financing a new 4×4? Know the 8 common traps (and how to avoid them)
Buying a new 4X4 is one of life’s great purchasing moments, here are the eight common traps buyers face and how to avoid them. In almost every single article you’ll…
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Rated recovery points explained
To handle the incredible forces and loads of either a winch or snatch recovery you’ll need rated recovery points, but not all are made equally, and it’s very important to…
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Brake dust is very bad for our health
According to researchers at Cambridge University brake dust is just as harmful as exhaust emissions. For years and years there’s been study after study released looking at the effects of…
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A beginner’s guide to astrophotography
Want to snap a pic of the Milky Way or get a cool-looking star-trail photo? Read our beginner’s guide to astrophotography for some top tips and tricks. Words and Images…
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How to install under-bonnet lights
Ever been stuck by the side of the road at night and the battery in your torch is flat? Here’s how to install under-bonnet lights so you’ve always got light…
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What is hill descent control and how does it work?
What is hill descent control and is it better than engine braking? We explain how it works, when to use it and how. Words by Robert Pepper: HDC has been…
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Being prepared: Remote Area Travel Tips
Planning a trip across the Simpson? Are you prepared for the good, the bad and the ugly? Here’s everything you need to know when planning your remote area travel. Words…
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The pros and cons of spring spacers
Want to give your 4X4 a bit of a lift but don’t want (or can’t afford…yet) a completely new suspension system? We look at the pros and cons of spring…
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Top tips for choosing your next swag
There is a lot to look out for when buying a swag from how much to pay to construction, size, mattress thickness and more. Here are seven tips for buying…
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A guide to water crossings in your 4X4
Water crossings can make a weekend camping trip into a proper off-road adventure but they require careful planning to get right. Here’s everything you ever needed to know about water…
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How to use a UHF radio
Practically everyone has a UHF radio in their tourer. And just about every truck on the road has one too, here’s how to use a UHF radio. Words and images…
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The essential packing list – food, stubby coolers, the kitchen sink and more
When it comes to heading away on holidays it can be easy to forget something… don’t leave home before you’ve checked off our essential packing checklist. This general packing list…
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How to tow a camper trailer on sand
Own a camper trailer and plan on heading into the outback or onto a beach? Here’s what you need to know about towing your camper trailer on sand, without getting…
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Meet Wes Whitworth Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures New Presenter
Season 12 sees Unsealed 4X4’s lovable giant, Wes Whitworth, join Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures. Want to know a little more about Pat’s new sidekick? Read on. Q: Presenting on TV…
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Willie Wagtail: Species Spotlight
The Willie Wagtail is one of the most common birds in Australia and one of the cutest too, often found flitting behind lawnmowers or running animals to catch disturbed insects.…
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Everything you need to know about throttle controllers – free horsepower?
The internet is full of wonderful claims about throttle controllers giving you free power…Here’s everything you need to know about throttle controllers. In a word, no, a throttle controller does…
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RM Williams for sale…to China?
Iconic Australian boot brand, RM Williams, is up for sale with its owners looking to sell the business for up to $500 million with a Chinese-backed venture capital business allegedly…
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How to keep dust out of your engine
Touring more often than not involves travelling dusty dirt roads, but with these tips, we may just be able to save your pride and joy from getting a gutful of…
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Q&A: Frank Hutchinson – Don Kyatt Spare Parts
Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures sits down with Frank Hutchinson, who has celebrated 50 years in the trade as boss at Don Kyatt Spare Parts. PC4X4: Do you have a trade…
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Busted and Broken near Birdsville
Pat recently caught up with Sam Barnes who runs the Birdsville Roadhouse and offered some sage advice around tourers heading across the Simpson and getting stuck or breaking their 4X4s.…
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