Despite the recall, to date just four cases have presented with symptoms of a spring on its way to failure, however none have actually completely failed. The models affected include MY18 models with a build date up to October 2018, and include the 4X4 and 4X2 Isuzu D-MAX Crew Cab variants, which have the three-leaf suspension. The reason for the recall is that the affected spring pack eyelet may give way, leaving the rear diff unsupported, which then may unintentionally apply the handbrake, causing an accident and injury to occupants of the vehicle and other road users.

After speaking with Mark Harman, the PR & Sponsorship Manager at Isuzu Ute Australia, he told Mr4X4.com.au the following:

“Isuzu Motors Limited have identified a potential concern which may affect the rear suspension in a specific build period of MY18 4×2 and 4×4 Isuzu D-MAX Crew Cab variants equipped with three-leaf suspension only. A total of 4717 vehicles with production dates up to October 2018 are potentially affected by this precautionary recall,” he said. Harman went on further to say, “With customer safety of paramount importance and consideration to Isuzu Motors Limited and IUA, a voluntary recall has commenced on the limited number of vehicles potentially impacted”.

“The possibly affected rear suspension component, on certain models, may fracture due to an insufficient diameter of the front eye due to the manufacturing process; this process could potentially induce undue stress once the bushing is inserted and although highly unlikely there is a small possibility of it fracturing, resulting in the unexpected application of the parking brake due to the unsupported rear axle casing. Although the possibility of this happening is extremely low, the risk does exist and has resulted in recall action taken by the manufacturer.”

A list of the affected VINs and full details on the recall can be found here.

Owners affected by the recall will be notified via postal mail and are encouraged to contact their nearest authorised Isuzu Ute dealership for inspection and reparation, where the rear leaf spring assembly will be replaced free of charge. Mr Harman has also confirmed that the fix is already available, so there will be no need to wait on replacement parts to be manufactured and released.

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With solid axles front and rear and coil springs all around, the Wrangler JL is the only real ‘lifestyle’ off-roader on the market that isn’t compromised by utility or road-handling bias.

Jeep’s suggested retail pricing has finally been released for the JL Wrangler. Prices listed won’t include on-road costs, options or additions. Screenshots were unapologetically purloined from Robert Pepper’s excellent Facebook page.

There are six models covering the base model Sport S, Overland and Rubicon spec levels and in both two and four-door variants. Safety systems have been upgraded over the outgoing JK model, but rising safety expectations saw the JL Wrangler score badly in the Euro-NCAP testing due to a lack of autonomous safety technology.

Drivetrain

There is no manual option; all models share the eight-speed automatic gearbox. The Sport S and Overland models feature the standard 4X4 system and traction control. The Rubicon gets Jeep’s special Rock-Track system and heavy-duty locking diffs.

The majority of models will have the 3.6L Pentastar V6 petrol engine which produces 209kW of power and 347Nm of torque.

Only the Rubicon will be offered with an oil burner, in this case an EU6 emissions compliant 2.2L turbo four-cylinder producing 147kW and around 450Nm of torque.

The paint range has also been released.

Interior

The interior is pure Jeep; the Sport S advertised as having a wash-out interior while the Overland gains McKinley leather trimmed seats. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the range.

Is the Wrangler JL a winner?

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Sponsored by Jaguar Land Rover, the  first event was a driving challenge. Our proud Aussie team came second, with France taking the gold and the UK bronze. Congratulations to all competitors!

That’s not 4X4 though!

You’re right, this is a 4X4 blog. The driving challenge is hardly what we find exciting in the 4X4 world. Tarmac and Jaguars. However. The use of all electric Jaguar i-Pace cars through the ‘canoe slalom’ course was eye opening!

When talking about electric and hybrid 4X4s, two factors are often used to argue against them. Range, which isn’t relevant to this competition, and wading depth. Electricity and water don’t mix well. Yet here is a sporty electric Jaguar in the drink!

If Jaguar Land Rover have confidence in their electric Jaguar splashing through a competition under the world’s scrutiny we can rest assured the electric 4X4s will be thoroughly suitable for crossing Eli Creek on Fraser Island or the many Cape York rivers crossings without electrical issues.

Watch the following clip for the canoe slalom.

Would you trust an all electric or hybrid electric vehicle for river crossings? Let us know in the comments below!

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The Ultimate 580 sports the new 190kW, 580Nm turbo diesel V6, which will hit 200kW with overboost function, and propel the Amarok from 0-100km/h in just 7.3 seconds. Not bad for a dirty old diesel work ute, right? It is worth noting that the Ultimate 580 is more on-road biased, with a set of 20-inch wheels with low profile tyres. That said, there hasn’t been a brake upgrade on this model, so fitting a set of 17-inch rims with more touring spec rubber wont be an issue for those who plan on taking it further afield. The interior is sleek, black genuine and artificial leather, plus all the features of the current Amarok V6 Ultimate. Volkswagen are also stating a 0.1L/100km reduction in fuel consumption with the new high-powered V6 set to deliver 8.9L/100km. The Ultimate 580 has a retail price of $71,990 which puts it in-line with other top-end dual cab utes on the market, however with just that much more power available.  

The new Core V6, however retains the tried and tested 165kW/550Nm 3.0TDV6 (with 180kW overboost), cloth interior and rubber flooring for ease of washing mud, dirt and sand from the vehicle. It also comes on a set of 17-inch alloys, with more touring spec 245/65R17 tyres. Rear parking sensors, day-time running lights and reverse camera are all standard now across the range, as are front fog-lights. More specs are expected to be released on the Core V6 shortly by Volkswagen, as well as pricing details, however we’re expecting to see a price point around the $50,000 mark.

Both the Ultimate 580 and Core V6 models are set to come with the eight-speed ZF automatic; there are however plans to release a manual version, however we’re expecting timing to be early to mid next year. Both models also feature the full-time 4WD 4MOTION system, as opposed to part-time systems found in other 4X4 dual cab utes on the market (except the Super-Select of the Mitsubishi Triton).

With the new Ultimate 580 now released, will it be added to your list of possible upgrades to your current dual-cab list? Let us know below.

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If you’re new to the Deni Ute Muster, it runs every year down near the township of Deniliquin, in the South West of New South Wales. It all kicked off back in the 90’s when there was a crippling drought in the Riverina area of New South Wales. The drought was taking its toll on the main income of the area, being farming, and a bunch of like minded folks from Deni came together with the aim of starting a rural themed festival to bring visitors to the area.

With Deniliquin’s agricultural and farming roots, and the magnificent Riverina plains nearby, the utes and the plains were chosen as the themes for the festival. The Deni Play on the Plains Festival was thus conceived in October of 1999. It was to be held on the flattest, natural, most open plains on earth, with ‘Ute Culture’ being an intrinsic part of the festival. From there, the claim was laid for Deni to become the ‘Ute capital of the world’ after the first event, and it being slated with the moniker, ‘Deni Ute Muster’.

Fast forward 19 years, and we’re just about ready to kick off the 2018 Deni Ute Muster, being the 20th festival in Deniliquin. This year, as with past festivals, there is an expected crowd of over 20,000 people of all ages set to descend on the area. There are more than 1,000 volunteers ready to go, and as with previous events, it’s expected over $100,000 will be donated back to local community groups, and the festival itself brings in over $9 million into the region over the festival.

This year, you can expect to see Carrie Underwood, Kasey Chambers, Busby Marou, Troy Cassar Daley and Thirsty Merc among other artists in the main stage line up. You’ll also have Lawn Mower racing, the Wild Action zoo, Shimano Fishing tank with Dave ‘Mossy’ Moss, camel rides, wood chopping, bull-riding and driving competition (which you can enter yourself into here). Trust us, there won’t be a dull moment at the 2018 Deni Ute Muster!

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Running from 8am, the open day is going to be huge, with excellent deals on new gear from the team at ARB Caboolture. There will be 20 lucky door prizes, and bargains all day. With every $100 you spend on the day, you’ll also get a ticket in the draw to win a 47L ARB fridge freezer!

Roger Vickery from Creek to Coast will be there, as well as product demonstrations, industry experts, vehicle displays and exclusive open day specials. There’s even talk of there being a free sausage sizzle if you want to swing by for a snag.

So if you’re looking for something to do on what is expected to be a dreary and rainy Saturday, head on in to the ARB Caboolture Open Day, say g’day to Roger and the team, and score yourself a bargain!

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Running over the long weekend of 29 & 30 September (October 1st is the public holiday!), the 2018 Willowglen 4X4 Challenge is now in it’s 17th year, and is arguably the best off-road event in New South Wales. Proudly presented by the Toyota Land Cruiser Club of Australia the event is held at Willowglen near Tarago, New South Wales, pretty well plumb between Canberra and Goulburn.

Featuring a ‘U’ shaped course, hill climbs, creek runs, and descents, the event will have you on the edge of your logs watching some rather serious 4X4’s getting through the course. Each stage is designed to suit both competitors and spectators alike to ensure maximum enjoyment, speedy recoveries, and the continuous flow of the event.

Gates open at Midday, Friday 28th of September, so make sure you grab your tickets and head on down to have a magic weekend of four-wheel driving madness and see some of Australia’s toughest trucks put through their paces!

Event sponsors include Unsealed 4X4, ARB 4X4 Accessories, Club 4X4, Engel, Sydney 4WD & Adventure Show, AluCab, Cooper Tires, Go Treads, Redarc, and Toyo Tires.

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The most remote musical festival in the world reached new heights in 2018 as John Farnham featured the finale in front of a crowd of over 9,000 people. Collectively, festival goers travelled over 40 million kilometres to get to the Big Red Bash to attend the three-day rock festival, and brought thousands in tourism dollars into the outback.

Whispering Jack thrilled the excited crowd on the final day alongside ‘Bash’ veterans Daryl ‘Horses’ Braithwaite, Jon Stevens, Kate Ceberano and The Black Sorrows. The Hoodoo Gurus capped off a huge second day which featured an electrifying performance from The Angels, a crowd rousing Russell Morris, The Wolfe Brothers with Amber Lawrence and Travis Collins. Busby Marou opened the festival on Monday with Adam Brand playing host and entertainer across the whole festival alongside the energetic Crackup Sisters keeping all ages entertained for the school holiday scheduled festival.

History was made on the Thursday with a Guinness World Records title smashed to pieces for the largest amount of people performing the Nutbush line dance. The record was demolished with 1,719 people dancing it out, beating the original record of 522.

The ‘Bashville Drag Race’ was a highlight for many, as 280 Priscilla themed dress ups raced across Big Red, with fundraising between the Drag Race and the Nutbush line dance topping $50,000 to go directly to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Even though there were over 9,000 people in attendance, there were over 500 well behaved dogs along for the event, who could be seen waging away to Johnny Farnham. Founder Greg Donovan commended the local authorities and more than 450 volunteers for staging the festival that implemented extra eco-friendly services this year. He was especially complimentary of the warm spirited crowd who supported the artists, fundraisers and all the fun of the Birdsville Big Red Bash.

So, now that’s the 2018 Big Red Bash wrap up done and dusted for one year, who’s starting to plan for next year?

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Every year, the event raises much needed funds for the Royal Flying Doctors Service of Australia – a vital charity that provides help to remote areas often cut-off from medical services.

The volunteer registrations have now gone live at www.birdsvilleraces.com/volunteer. Volunteers can nominate to complete shifts with friends and family, and in line with a particular skill-set or area of interest. Depending on the team, volunteer time-commitments start from as little as nine hours. In return, volunteers receive an exclusive souvenir polo shirt and complementary two-day racing pass, granting them access to all of the exhilarating action at Birdsville’s iconic dirt race track – from punting and partying to Fashions on the Field.

“In terms of something that allows you to experience every facet of the Birdsville Races, you can’t go past volunteering at the event. You get to go behind-the-scenes and really soak up the history and heritage of the Races – as well as the community and spirit behind it,” said Gary Brook, Vice President, Birdsville Race Club.

Many volunteers have been known to begin the pilgrimage out to the races at the beginning of August, travelling with friends and family, and setting up camp early to enjoy the regions Yabbie Races, street parties and various other events that lead into the big racing weekend.

If you want to head out and see the races, give back to the community and get a behind the scenes of Australia’s most iconic Outback Race, then maybe ‘Birdsville Races Volunteers’ is for you!

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Running from August 3 – 5, the show kicks off from 8:30am till 4pm over Friday, Saturday & Sunday, with prices from $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and kids under 16 free – you can grab your tickets here. The 2018 Queensland Outdoor Adventure and Motoring Expo is in it’s 15th year this year, and it’s the biggest show in the region. There will be over 180 exhibitors with their wares on show, including caravans, camper trailers, motor homes, 4WD’s, camping gear and accessories. 

Also at the show you’ll find the Land Rover Terrapod Experience, camp oven cooking with Ranger Nick, TJM Toowoomba off-road skills track, Shimano fishing with Mossy, and free rides for the kids! There will also be a Billabong Caravan worth $52,000 to be won, as well as an overnight stay at Quest Toowoomba and a bunch of fishing prizes up for grabs with Mossy!

So make sure you get your tickets to the 2018 Queensland Outdoor Adventure and Motoring Expo early to skip the queues, and make it a magic day out for the whole family!

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