Invariably the laws of the universe will dictate that if you’re going to have something go wrong under the bonnet, it will be dark, your headtorch will be flat, and no matter where you stick your phone or torch, it’s either in the way, or not putting light where it needs to go.

In our ongoing struggle of trying to beat the universe at its own game, we’ve put together this quick piece on how to install some lighting under the bonnet of your four-wheel drive. And now we wait, to see what the universe wants to throw at us next. In all fairness, the universe has a lot more experience creating problems than I do in finding solutions…

What you’ll need for the job

• Crimpers and terminals – you’ll need a pair of female blade terminals and a pair of ring terminals;
• Soldering iron and solder – cause just twisting wires is bad, m’kay?
• Electrical tape or heat-shrink – one is better than the other; if we need to tell you which, maybe 12V auto-electrics are not for you?
• In-line fuse holder and twin-core wire – I’ve used 5A wire, and a 3A fuse;
• A roll of LED strip lights;
• An on/off toggle switch with rubber ‘waterproof’ cover;
• Side-cutters and pliers; and
• Brake cleaner (or wax and grease remover) and a clean rag.

The installation explained

The installation is rather straight forward, so long as you use the right gear and parts, and you’ve got a very fundamental understanding of 12V systems (red is positive, black is negative – there, you’re done). Aside from the tools, I got all the parts I needed from Jaycar – simply because they had everything I needed without having to go further afield. For those playing at home, we’ll run through a step- by- step over the following pages.

How to wire the switch

We start with just a very standard 20A (sure, it’s miles overkill) toggle switch. Added to this, was a waterproof hood, that stops any water or dirt/mud getting down into the switch.

You’ll want to put a female spade terminal on the negative side of your twin-core wiring, connecting it to one side of the switch. On the other side, a shorter bit of wire, with your other spade terminal connected up to the switch, and the other end of that piece of wire, a ring terminal. I personally connect this one up to the negative, as should the terminal come off the switch and it ends up floating around your engine bay, it’s not positively charged, so it’s not going to short out by touching your body or engine.

You can get boxes and switch panels for under the bonnet, however it is the only switch I’ll need in there, so I’m happy for the switch to be tucked in behind the battery; easy to get to should a night-time disaster strike, yet not anywhere I’m going to bump by accident.

How to fuse the ‘positive’

Now that you’ve got the switch wired up to the negative side, you’ll want to solder the fuse to the positive, and then add the ring terminal. I’ve gone with a 3A fuse as it’s less than the wire rating, and more than is needed to run the LEDs. The full five-metre strip of LEDs will only draw 4A, and I’m using just one metre of the strip lights, so I should draw less than 1A. One thing to remember, no matter what you’re doing 12V wise on your rig, make sure you always fuse the positive, with a fuse that is rated less than your wiring, and as close to the battery as possible. Should the wire short, the fuse will blow before the wire catches on fire, so make sure the fuse is as close to the battery as you can get it.

How to run the wires

From here you want to run your wire along your inner guard, to the corner of your engine bay, and then up to the bonnet, along the inside of the bonnet if you can get it in there, and to where you’ll be mounting the LED strip light. How you do this will depend on your 4X4, . Iit was nice and simple on the 80, and I have a rather old (Ev’s note: JDM- spec) bonnet where I can wedge the wire nice and tightly under the bonnet braces, so it won’t move or rub.

Some automotive insulation tubing is a great addition here, because it keeps things nice and neat, and adds another lot of insulation to your wiring. If you’re going through holes in steel, get some rubber gromets so your wire isn’t rubbing there either. A touch of silicone sealant will help hold your wire along the bottom of the bonnet too, if you find it hanging down at all.

How to mount and connect the strip lights

All that should be left to do now, is mount the LED strip light and solder the wiring up. A bit of wax and grease remover goes a long way here, to clean off the edge of the bonnet. The strip lighting I had came with decent 3M double-sided tape, however the mating surface needs to be clean.

I connected up the wiring to the strip light (remembering to put heat-shrink over the wires before soldering them for a change), then mounted the strip lighting under the bonnet. The 80 Series bonnets are magic for this mod, in that with the bonnet all the way up, you’ve got a rubber seal it sits behind, and a nice 45° angle so the light shines straight down and doesn’t blind you.

Cleaning up

When you’ve got everything mounted and all the heat-shrink is tidied up, you’re ready to connect it up to the positive power terminal and re-insert your fuse into the fuse holder. Again, making doubly sure your fuse is rated to less than your wiring – so it blows first if anything decides to short out. Once this is done, you should have lights under your bonnet with the flick of a switch.

Top tips and troubleshooting

If your fuse blows with the switch still in the ‘off’ position, you’ve got a short somewhere on your positive wire. Don’t just put a bigger fuse in. Find it and fix it. If your fuse blows when you turn the switch on, you’re drawing more current than your fuse, and possibly your wire, can handle. Either upgrade your wiring and fuse to suit or downgrade the power of your LEDs.
Always run a fuse.

Even despite having insurance, if you do something dodgy like not running a fuse, and your fourby burns to the ground, they’ll write you off. Safety first, folks. Always make sure your fuse is rated less than your wiring. If you’re going to get a short, you really want the fuse to blow, before the wiring starts melting and catches on fire. If you’ve got dual batteries, wire this up to your auxiliary battery. If you leave it on by accident, it’s not going to flatten your starting battery.

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Spring spacers have been around for some time now and can be a very inexpensive way to improve the look of your vehicle by levelling it out or allowing the fitment of bigger (taller) tyres. In this article, we’ll explain what spring spacers are, whether they’re legal in Australia, why you might fit them and some of the issues they can cause.

Are spring spacers legal in Australia?

Yes, spring spacers are legal in Australia, insofar as there is nothing within VSB14 stating that they’re illegal. If you want to know more about vehicle modifications, then VSB14 is the document for you, and you can check it out HERE. LS Section is where you’ll want to go for suspension rules. What you can’t do, however, is use extended shackles on leaf packs. They’re frowned upon by, well, pretty much everyone, despite the fact they do essentially the same as a coil spacer; the springs just move around a lot more.

What is a spring/coil spacer?

Spring spacers are discs that sit on top of your springs in a coil-equipped vehicle. Whether a solid-axle coil-sprung 4X4 or an IFS rig with coil-over-strut set-ups, they work under the same principle. As the name suggests, they space your spring down a set amount from the spring seat, which equates to lift on your four-wheel drive. They usually come in sizes ranging from 25-50mm, unless you’re in ‘Murica and you have 12-inch spring spacers. They’re cheap, easy to fit, and a solid alternative to changing out springs.

They’re usually made from metal, rubber, or polyurethane, with the obvious advantage of each going along with it. Namely that the metal ones are absolutely solid, the rubber ones are a bit squishy but don’t rust, and the polyurethane ones are essentially in between… and don’t rust either. Aside from their longevity, the main difference comes down to price.

Why would you want to fit a spring spacer?

Spacers are often used to add a touch of lift (say 25mm), and they achieve this without changing the spring rates of your current suspension. But they don’t give you any extra wheel travel but they are useful for levelling your vehicle or if you’re looking for a cheap (first step) in building up your vehicle and have fitted taller tyres and need some extra clearance.

Being a pretty solid material, they’re a guaranteed height/lift amount, they’re easy to install, and are rather versatile in how and what you can use them with, but they’re not perfect, and there’s a reason for that. Indeed, spacers are generally used as a first step in a vehicle build, but nothing beats a perfectly designed and tailored suspension set-up to suit your vehicle.

Drawbacks of a spring spacer

Spring spacers have the same issues as a full suspension upgrade, in that you can bust CV’s, struts, upper control arms (UCA), ball joints, suspension geometry, the lot if you don’t do it properly. Where this becomes an issue, is that with a proper high-quality suspension kit, you may well get a diff-drop kit, extended brake lines, adjustable UCAs, the works, which will make sure everything works exactly as it should. But they’re rather expensive, especially when you put them against a set of $100 spacers. So if you are going to throw a set of spacers in, make sure you’re thinking about the accompanying mods to go along with them.

The pros and cons of spring spacers

Pros

• They’re cost-effective – Rubber spacers can be had for as little as $30 a pair, or decent alloy options at around $130. For a 25mm of extra lift, it’s cheap.
• They’re versatile – they’ll work with factory suspension, or an aftermarket kit, regardless of the suspension kit you have.
• Spring rate remains the same – If you’ve got your springs already dialled in exactly how you want them, rate wise, they offer a bit of lift, while leaving everything else alone.
• A fixed amount of lift – they don’t sag or settle. It is what it is; because it’s changing the height of the spring pad, not changing the height or size of your spring.
• Easy to level out a ute – most dual-cab suspension kits have much firmer springs in the rear, as that’s where you’re going to add any load to it (aside from a bullbar and winch), so adding an inch to the front, will often keep things on the straight and level.

Cons

• They don’t change the spring rate – There’s no stiffness or capacity change in your springs. If you’re needing to load more up, and you’re trying to level out your rig because you’re putting weight on it, you should be looking at appropriately set springs, not just adding spacers.
• Gaining height, but not travel – the main issue with spacers is that you’re just increasing height; this will limit the amount of suspension droop you have. This adds stresses to the suspension, potential fouling issues and more, like the strut bottoming out before it reaches the bump stop. It can also stiffen the on-road ride.
• Some spacers can fall out – this is especially true when the spacer just sits on top of your coil. Unless it’s attached to the spring tower, nothing is holding it in; however, most spacers these days are made to attach to the spring tower.
• Different materials mean different outcomes – using different materials like rubber, polyurethane or a metal spacer will mean they behave differently.
• Unlike a longer spring, you’re losing that potential extra inch of spring movement – You’re essentially adding an inch of mostly solid material (depending on spacer build material), where it’s certainly better to be using the whole spring for your four-wheel drive. This can negatively impact on wheel travel, reduce the bump stop clearance reducing up travel, it can also potentially force the coil too close to the control arm on some makes of 4X4 (Toyota HiLux we’re looking at you).

Final thoughts on spring/coil spacers

At the end of the day, which way you go will depend on a few factors like, what you’re actually trying to achieve. So, think about, cost, ride height, use, ride quality and just simply levelling out your four-wheel drive are the things you’ll need to think about when you’re looking at going a set of spacers. But you’ll also need to consider the potential risks involved, like damage to other componentry, like coils fouling on control arms, CV joints being over-stressed and more.

Essentially, what you’re gaining on one hand (a bit of extra room for taller tyres) you’re taking away with the other (and more) because you’re messing with the suspension’s travel which in turn can upset your vehicle’s ride and handling.

It tends to be a more expensive exercise but there is no substitute to loading up your four-wheel drive as if you’re about to go away, or having a ‘normal’ load in it, and taking it into your local quality suspension mob, and sitting down with them and getting the right springs and shocks off the bat. Even if you’re not having a full suspension upgrade, it’s worth discussing your vehicle and whether spacers will work and the type you should buy and install with a reputable suspension mob.

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In a word, no, a throttle controller does not just hand over free horsepower. This is despite what you may read on social media, and from some of the soapboxing companies with questionable marketing ethics. It does, however, change how your Engine Control Unit (ECU) reads input from your accelerator pedal and the speed at which that throttle input is applied to the engine.

Most controllers have various settings, from a rather sedate ‘economy’ mode to an aggressive ‘sports’ or ‘power’ mode. This lets you dial the controller into the specific task you’re undertaking with your four-wheel drive. There are some on the market, such as the iDrive, that have an ‘automatic’ mode, in which the controller will adjust settings based on how heavy you are on the pedal.

How throttle controllers work

To understand how a throttle controller works, first we need to know how the ECU sees signal input from the accelerator pedal. With modern fly-by-wire accelerator control, a signal voltage is sent from the pedal box transducer to the ECU. The ECU then interprets this signal; more voltage to the ECU from the pedal is read as more throttle input.

The pedal also sends the signal as a ‘ramp-up’ signal, in that, if you quickly push the accelerator to the floor, the pedal won’t send a 100 percent throttle signal straight away. This signal ramps up to 100 percent over a second or two, which takes any ‘jerkiness’ out of the acceleration profile.

An aftermarket throttle controller module plugs in between your pedal and the ECU. It manipulates the signal sent to the ECU. There is no modification to the mapping of the ECU, just the speed and amount of input that the ECU receives from the pedal transducer.

What does this mean for you?

The main difference you will notice from the addition of a throttle controller is that acceleration will happen sooner and more aggressively. Dependant on the controller, it can also make your pedal input range smaller. That is not to say that it is physically quicker, as the signal is sent very near the speed of light regardless; the pedal position is seen by the ECU as 100 percent near instantaneously as opposed to ramping up over time.

For example, as standard, 10 percent pedal input will give 10 per cent throttle signal to the ECU. Add a throttle controller, and depending on the profile set, it may send a message to the ECU of 30 per cent when you’re only at 10 percent throttle input. Plus, it will give the 30 percent signal to the ECU straight away, as opposed to smoothing the ramp-up out over time. From a driver’s perspective, with this ‘power mode’ active, your 4X4 feels a lot quicker and more responsive than it did before adding the controller.

The advantages…

Where the throttle controllers shine, is that should you be towing a heavy load, you’ll get up and moving quicker. This improvement in the acceleration profile is what some have incorrectly mistaken for extra horsepower.

Inversely, should you be out four-wheel driving through some rather bumpy or rutted out tracks, you can dial the controller down, so if you inadvertently mash the accelerator, the input won’t be nearly as aggressive and induce bunny-hopping.

Another excellent use for the ‘economy’ settings is in soft sand; it will let you accelerate without spinning the wheels, so you can stay up on top of the soft stuff, instead of spinning and sinking into it.

The disadvantages…

One of the most significant disadvantages with a throttle controller is, on some models, you effectively lose accelerator pedal travel at the top end. As an example, if you have the controller at maximum power, once you’ve hit 50 percent pedal, your ECU is already reading 100 percent input. Anything above that 50 percent pedal input, is going to make no appreciable difference. There is also the slight inconvenience of having to find a place to mount the control box so you’ve got easy access to it, while still being able to see the display. This usually means drilling holes into your dash or taking your chance with double-sided tape. Some units, however, have Bluetooth connectivity, so the module is hidden behind the dash, and you can control it via your smart device; however, this then makes changing settings on the fly technically illegal.

So, do you need one?

This question could well replace the adage about the length of string. A lot of folks who own them will tell you yes, absolutely, they make such a vast difference in acceleration profiles and control.

Some vehicle manufacturers, however, have cottoned on to the benefits and control that owners want from their four-wheel drives. Many new vehicles come with an economy and power mode button (regardless of being auto or manual), that does virtually the same thing, albeit with just two modes, as opposed to some throttle controllers that have upwards of nine different settings.

What to look for…

The answer to this is a horses for courses answer. Most are around the $300 mark, making it a modest investment for a more responsive engine. Before you rush out to buy one, however, check to see if your vehicle has an ‘economy/power’ button, and see if that makes enough of a difference in different driving conditions

Should you go looking for a controller, make sure you get information on exactly how it works and what settings it features. Ask if you can trial a module and take it for a 10-minute drive around the block to see precisely how it works and how it affects your vehicle; they are that quick to install.

Steer clear of cheap eBay knockoffs; one company selling cheap throttle controllers was accused of sending a 100 percent throttle signal to the ECU regardless of where the pedal was. They were quickly removed from sale and recalled. Safety should always come first for you and your family, so taking the cheap way out on something that has such significant control over your vehicle, is not recommended.

This article orignally appeared in Pat Callinan’s 4×4 Adventures Issue 38.

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Some vehicle brands have ridiculously thin diff covers, great for cooling, but not very good protection for what’s inside. Cast and fabricated replacement covers are available, usually steel, or bolt on guards that also raise the protection significantly.

As the photo above shows, I have a Dana 60 cover fabricated from 3/8” and ¼” steel protecting the insides. If you watch the follow ups by Gale Banks on aftermarket covers, it makes one think that a bolt on guard might be a better option:

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There’s a thousand and one ideas for post-apocalypse style emergency kits around the internet for inspiration. I also carry a very good first aid kit as well, so there was no need for this box to cover that role.

I store my kit under the back seat so it’s easy to access and never gets in the way. This box is particularly sturdy but a strong plastic container from the grocery store would work just as well.

An ever-evolving project, most of this stuff used to live in my centre console-until my wife wished to share that space!

Current Kit Contents

• Ponchos
• Hi-viz vest
• multi-tool (or pocket knife)
• cable ties
• rescue tape
• muesli bar and chocolate
• breakfast drink
• metho (for lighting fires and cleaning gunk from the windscreen)
• matches
• small torch + long life battery
• flashing red (bicycle) light-the black skull shaped thing!
• windscreen patches
• toilet paper in a zip lock plastic bag
• reusable shopping bag
• space blanket
• Note pad + pencil/pen
• Frisbee (heck, it folds up small and is a lot of fun!)
• hand sanitiser
• wet wipes
• tap keys (available from plumbing stores, so you can use tap water in public parks. Be mindful of recycled water though)
• metal epoxy
• shifting spanner

The next thing to add to my box is a knife, fork and spoon.

Apart from the Leatherman multi-tool, every other item was under $15!

When packing, use the various soft items to keep the rattly metal items separate.

Do you have any suggestions on what else to add? Leave a comment with your ideas please!

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When it comes to securing your gear safely and securely, you need to know a failsafe method of tying it down with some rope. So we thought we’d show you one of the handiest and most versatile knots in the business: the venerable Truckies Hitch.

1. Secure your rope at one end. Now make two loops in the rope. Double the rope over just beneath these two loops

2. Feed the doubled section up through your two loops

3. Hold the newly formed top loop in one hand and pull the bottom loop to tighten the slippery hitch

4. Run the tag end of the rope around an anchor point and thread it back through the bottom loop of your slippery hitch

5. Pull the tag end as tight as you can (put your entire body weight into it if possible) and hold the tightened rope in place at the loop

6. Run a couple of half hitches over the rope to hold the knot in place.

The beauty of this type of slippery hitch is that it will hold secure with any sort of rope (including hemp and nylon) without coming loose and will easily come undone without binding with a simple tug on either end when we’re ready to pull our space case off our roof.

NB:

There are heaps of types of hitches you can tie which will do the job, as long as it forms a secure loop in your rope. We just like this one as it will come undone without binding with all types of rope

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