Best thing you've done...

[scarecrow]

Hi,

I'm half way through building up my tourer (hopefully!!) and have been reading as much as I can so I thought we could throw out what your favourite mod to your D22 has been.

Mods I've done, rear speakers, snorkel, UHF, Canopy...
..happening in the coming weeks: dual battery, inverter, draw system for the back, LF Genesis 55Ws.

So...what's yours?

 

[grumpy d22]

gday scarecrow, id say with all the common mods out there like tyres lifts etc, i reckon the best mod ive done is the dual battery and 2200w inverter. im a tradie so now i dont need a generator on site for power, but the flip side is that when im away in the bush i have a cold fridge AND enough power to keep laptops/dvd players to keep the kids happy when they throw out that classic line....... "dad, i'm bored".
it did cost me a bit to get the bigger inverter and battery to power up the tools at work, but 2200w will run every other thing when you're camping, except boiling a kettle, kettles use sooo much power its ridiculous.

 

[KraftyPg]

Best thing I did was not buy a D22

 

[WoodyD40]

I have recently done a couple of trips with my local 4wd club, and you will be suprised how far an unmodified vehicle will go. I have changed my view slightly after seeing these vehicles off road (sorry, they were not Navara's)

The best and most important mod you can do to any 4wd, is invest in some really decent OFF-ROAD tyres. Everything else comes 2nd to this. Also, check that you have good recovery points front and rear (not a lot of cost)

2nd would be a good UHF setup.
3rd will be your own snatch straps and shackles - rule of thumb, if your stuck people use YOUR equipment to get you out. That way IF something breaks, its yours and not theirs that breaks. It encourages people to get quality equipment and not cheap imitations (in my opinion).

Everything else following will be based on budget, and usually done in stages.
Front protection (ie steel winch bar)
Winch (please not the aldi cheapie - u dont want it to fail when u need it the most)
Dual battery system (to cope with the loads that a winch will pull from your electrical system)
Lift kit
Undervehicle protection
side protection
(i can keep adding to this list, but i think you have the gist)

I can certainly see why Grumpy has a large 2nd battery (i assume large) and a decent inverter - it suits him for more than just going off road. Very wise investment I reckon. And i like the list of extras in his signature too.

 

[WoodyD40]

Best thing I did was not buy a D22

PMSL ... howd i guess you'd post that up ....

 

[KraftyPg]

Just keeping up appearances, if the post was in the D40 section I'd expect the same response from a 22 driver.

 

[will]

Tyres are possibly the one thing that will & can get you home in the end. if your tyres fail you're stuffed, so good ones are like an insurance to get you there (wherever there is). Then you need a good quality compressor so you can pump up your flash offroad tyres.

There's a quick $1500 depending what you go for, I got BFG ATs with a free compressor when they did the promotion last year. keeping an eye out for promotions like that can keep the price down a little.

Then after a few trips you will know what you're going to use the car for and you can look at getting whatever you wished you had whilst out. be that a lift, fridge, bullbar, spotties, dual batteries, campsite lighting (LED), roof racks, recovery gear, awning, etc.

 

[WoodyD40]

well said Will.

 

[Dave]

Thats a tough one.

Its a toss up between the Bilstiens and the longrange fuel tank.

However the bullbar has saved me thousands in repairs from all the roo strikes.