Readers' Rigs: March 2023

Get your 4x4 in the next instalment of Readers’ Rigs by posting a few snaps on our Facebook page. It could even end up on the cover one day.

2016 Mitsubishi MQ Triton

For the price of the Triton, you can’t ask for a good, cheap and more reliable 4WD; it’s very capable and very underrated.

Mods include: an ARB Commercial bullbar; two-inch Old Man Emu lift; TJM rear protection bar and side-steps; CSA Hawk rims with Hankook A/T tyres; I’ve removed the rear seat for space and fitted an ARB 75-litre fridge/freezer; an ARB Classic canopy which houses a second battery set-up; and on the roof I run a 180amp fixed solar panel.

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The engine is stock with a FlashLube catchcan, and I’ve fitted a three-inch DPF back exhaust system. All up, it’s a pretty basic set-up, but simple is best I believe.

I've been up to the Vic High Country and Blue Rag Track; Dargo and surrounding area; done the Oodnadatta Track out to Lake Eyre and Marree; been through the Flinders Ranges including Blinman, Arkaroola and out to Coober Pedy as I enjoy opal fossicking; as well as the Grampians, Halls Gap, Broken Hill and Silverton. There are probably a few more places I have forgotten. I just clocked up 100,000km - Nick Shemmeld

2022 Ford F-150

I finally received the F-150 in August 2022 after a seven-month wait, with the intention of building a tough, capable tourer with enough comfort and space for the family and for solo trips.

The mods list includes a four-inch BDS lift with Fox coil-overs and rear airbag assists; 35-inch Geolandar X-AT tyres with Icon 18-inch rims; Addictive Desert Designs’ Stealth Fighter front bar fitted with Warn Zeon 12K winch, Stedi 40-inch curved light bar and Teralume Industries amber fog lights; Morimoto ditch lights on SDHQ A-pillar brackets; Front Runner slimline roof rack; Borla exhaust; Raptor-coated Bushwacker flares; and a Leitner bed rack with XL gearpod, small gearpod and twin Rotopax fuel containers. It can also hold a Drifta Stockton RTT on some trips.

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The rear tub has been custom-built to store 1300mm drawers, slide-out Evakool fridge, spare-wheel holder and two-tonne Pro Eagle jack. The rear wall has a BuiltRight bed rack with axe holder and 240V dual outlets.

Other kits includes a Bushwakka 270° awning; Safiery Blue Heeler battery management system with Simarine screen, 100amp/h lithium and 2500W inverter; a Switch Pro console fitted inside for all accessories; BuiltRight Industries dash mount for tablet and UHF holders, a BuiltRight Industries seat-back Molle plate; and a GMW XR370 UHF and Cel-Fi Go mobile booster.

In the six months of building it, it has been on three Vic High Country trips covering the Dargo and Corryong areas including Mount Pinnibar and surrounding areas. Will be heading north to Fraser Island next month for a two-week trip with the family and camper in tow - Daniel Santalucia

2005 Toyota Prado GXL

Original owner with 520,000km on the clock. In terms of mods, the auto has been fitted with a Nomad heavy-duty valve body and an external trans cooler, and it has a two-inch Dobinson lift at the front and three inches in the rear.

Other gear includes a colour-coded ARB bullbar with custom-made scrub rails and steps; an Ironman 12,000lb winch; dual batteries under the bonnet, along with an electronic boost controller, 15.5psi and a 3-bar MAP sensor; Safari snorkel with a Donaldson cyclonic pre-cleaner on top; a Pioneer Rhino backbone roof rack with a rear awning, shovel holder and a set of MaxTrax on top; and 17 x 8-inch Dynamic rims with Cooper STT Pro tyres in a 265/70/R17 size.

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Inside is a Kenwood double DIN head unit with built-in GPS and DVD player. There’s also a rear-mounted roof DVD and a second Garmin GPS mounted on the dash. A Uniden UHF sits just below the rear-vision mirror and a hard-wired mobile phone kit.

The rear houses a set of Outback Solution drawers, where my 40-litre Engel lives. The middle row of seats are currently out of the vehicle with a custom-made false floor and cargo barrier in their place, giving enough room for myself and my partner to sleep if we need to.

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As for trips, I have taken the Prado to WA three times, up to Kalbarri. Twice to Uluru and Kings Canyon. Once to Darwin and across the Gulf. It’s been to Fraser Island three times, up to Cairns once, and done several trips through outback NSW. Plus three trips to the Flinders Ranges, both between COVID lockdowns.

Being from Victoria, most of its trips have been to the Vic High Country and the Grampians. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been to both of these places. A lot of these trips have been towing a smallish camper trailer along, including through the river crossings in and out of Talbotville. As for the best places we’ve been, we live in Australia, so it's all good - Mark Jackson

2020 Ford F-250

I love my F-250. I bought it new and had it all fitted out. Some of the equipment includes Dometic fridges, a microwave, 3000W inverter, Alu-Cab rooftop tent, and a 180-degree awning.

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We also tow our Hollywood Lotus caravan with it, and we have plans to do the lap soon. These pics were taken at Fraser Island and Double Island Point last year - David Butler