There are a few hit list items that it seems like just about every 4X4 needs to have whether they’re gearing up for the Canning, or a summer of beach camping. Items like bull bars, driving lights, lift kits and mud terrain tyres are all obvious must haves. Things like awnings and roof top tents are other nice-to-haves, but a bit self-explanatory too. But when it comes to storage, most 4X4ers seem to be aware they should have it, but very few actually maximise them to their fullest potential. Packed right, and with the right checklist in them, a set of drawers in your 4X4 just might be the most essential upgrade you make. Here’s the kind of kit banging around in the Offroad Systems setup across the Mr 4X4 fleet.
SPARE PARTS & TOOLS: BETTER TO HAVE THEM AND NOT NEED THEM
This is one that’s changing over the years. The odds and ends required to keep the Leyland Brothers trundling through the Simpson Desert will look vastly different to the tools you need to keep a modern-day rig running. Sure, throw a spare belt and some hoses in the back if it makes you feel better. But silicone tape and a coke can will fix most issues no matter which hose blows. An OBD scanner is an absolute must-have though. Most of the time in a modern rig you’ll be trying to find the sensor that’s played up rather than tie-wire the diff back into place so pack accordingly.
- Diagnostics Tool
- Jumper Cables
- Silicone Tape
- Puncture Repair Kit
- Metal Putty
- Spare Fuses
- Tool Roll with Sockets, Spanners, and Pliers
RECOVERY GEAR – FOR WHEN THINGS DON’T GO TO PLAN
Ahh now here’s an old faithful, some things don’t change no matter what. Your 4X4 should have the means to get you out of the situations you can get it into. What does that mean? Well, be realistic about it. Are you spending all your weekends on the beach and haven’t seen a rut since John Howard was Prime Minister? You can probably get out of most situations with a snatch strap, a couple of bow shackles, and a set of Exitrax. A winch pulley block won’t be much use on the beach. On the flip side, if you’re solo in the forests you’ll need things like tree trunk protectors, winch extension straps, and a pulley block if you need to get creative.
- Snatch Strap
- 4 x Rates Bow Shackles
- Tree Trunk Protector
- Winch Dampener
- Winch Extension Strap
- Pulley Block
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES
You might be starting to notice here that a set of drawers should be your magic toolbox you go to when things don’t go to plan. That doesn’t just mean breakdowns and recoveries either. There are a few essential items you should have stashed in your drawers that’ll come out more often than you think. A raincoat rolled up, a jumper you can throw on underneath, and a wide brimmed hat can have you prepared for just about any weather Australia can throw at you. A heavy-duty canvas ground sheet is fantastic for similar reasons, either as a makeshift shelter so you’re not working in the rain, or so you’re not laying in the mud.
Of course, there’s the other essential items too like a stocked first aid kit so you can treat cuts, sprains, breaks and bruises. Pat’s even taking an AED on the Canning Stock Route – talk about prepared. A few nutrition bars, some dehydrated meals, and a few canned goods will be some of the best food you ever eat if you break down in the outback, or forget the snags.
- Rain Coat
- Wide Brim Hat
- Jacket
- Ground Sheet
- First Aid Kit
- Emergency Food
BASIC COOKING EQUIPMENT
You don’t need to overthink this one. Sure, things like a coffee machine and air fryer are fantastic if you’re doing the big lap, but if you’re putting together a basic camping kit and need something stashed up the back of your drawers you don’t need to bring the kitchen sink. A way to boil water – this can be as simple as an old billy, maybe the one you keep your coffee pods in for your coffee machine. A way to make fire. Matches, a lighter, fire starters should get the job done. And a way to get foot hot from the fire you just built. A small frying pan sitting on a couple of rocks will get you out of strife if all else fails. You can spec things up fancier than that with a gas or induction cooker, but if you’re halfway up the ‘Tele Track and it fails do you have a backup?
- Cooker – Either Induction, Gas, or Fire
- Fry Pan
- Basic Cutlery
- Matches
- Fire Starters
- Billy
ODDS AND ENDS
Like Dr Who and his magic Tardis, your 4X4 drawers should be a never-ending source of the exact right item at the exact right time. Not that doesn’t mean you need to overload them, if anything, the exact opposite. They should be a careful curation of things you’re likely to need. Leave the Monopoly game at home, but maybe throw in a deck of cards somewhere up the back. A couple of ropes or ratchet straps are always handy, ropes if you know your way around a clove hitch, ratchet straps if you don’t. A roll or two of toilet paper will make you the campsite hero too.
- Cards or Other Entertainment
- A 20M Rope
- Ratchet Straps
- Toilet Paper & Shovel
IN THE GLOVEBOX
Right about now the old ORS drawers are probably starting to look pretty chockers so you may need to look elsewhere to stash the last few must-have items. Your glovebox, door pockets, seat back organisers, or even under the seat if safe are all excellent places for the last few bits and pieces. We’ve never been on a trip yet where at least a couple of head torches weren’t a must. Although we’ve certainly forgotten them a few times, so keep a pair in the glove box. A good camp knife is a must, from splitting firewood to cutting rope you never know when you’ll need one. A couple of paper maps of the areas you frequent, a compass, and the ability to understand the two are great in a pinch. And a couple of paracetamol or ibuprofen tablets might save you on a rainy day.
