What a RG Colorado needs for touring/4 wheeling

Rackers03

Rackers03

Member
G'day everyone,

Looking to start setting my dual cab 2014 Collie up to do some touring and a bit of 4 wheeling, and just wanted to see who else has one they've set up and what mods you recommend first specifically for the RG collies.
Currently only has a ARB bar on it so nothing flash yet!

Cheers,
Hugh
 
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2

2luxes

Well-Known Member
Rackers03 said:
G'day everyone,

Looking to start setting my dual cab 2014 Collie up to do some touring and a bit of 4 wheeling, and just wanted to see who else has one they've set up and what mods you recommend first specifically for the RG collies.
Currently only has a ARB bar on it so nothing flash yet!

Cheers,
Hugh
Click to expand...
Where do you intend going?
 
discomatt

discomatt

Well-Known Member
I would suggest nothing is needed for basic touring except good tires, maybe suspension if its fully loaded and sagging unless touring will include very remote travel like the Canning
 
C

Colly18

Well-Known Member
Rackers03 said:
G'day everyone,

Looking to start setting my dual cab 2014 Collie up to do some touring and a bit of 4 wheeling, and just wanted to see who else has one they've set up and what mods you recommend first specifically for the RG collies.
Currently only has a ARB bar on it so nothing flash yet!

Cheers,
Hugh
Click to expand...
Needs are probably the same as with most dual cabs. I know you touched on this in anyother thread, But TBH a canopy is one of the best additions for touring IMO (the ability to lock stuff up and keep it dry and dust free; a place for the fridge, additional esky, second battery, dog, etc.). As Matt suggests for just an occasional small trip away just good tyres and see from there what you need. I did a lot of touring to less populated areas in my MY2014 Colly in pre Covid times :) and found a suspension upgrade was needed for my needs (corrugated roads and some off-roading at times). The front factory shocks didn't last the first trip and I don't like a vehcile sagging in the rear when loaded, so I upgraded with a 40mm lift and new springs and shocks all around. I also went up one size in tyre size and to 8 ply A/T LT tyres. I still manage without a bullbar and electric winch, but I don't drive at night and am not into difficult 4X4'ing. I'm sure others will chime in with their ideas. You will know there are negatives with such vehicle additions/mods, e.g. the car ride is not as soft and comfortable as with the factory suspension, decreased fuel economy and performance due to extra weight and increased wind resistance, etc.
 
Baggs71

Baggs71

Active Member
Like everyone has said....its all good info....
1. Tyres..high ply ATs of choice...go with a common high end brand that has offroad roots...or you could go cheap and bitch and whine why they get punctures and last only 50000klms.
2. Suspension lift and correction for intended touring weight...or adjustable suspension for touring weight and daily driver weight like i have ...you do not want to sag in the rear and take off much need weight off front axels for steering and look like a total tosser.
3. A front bar for animal strike or two to reduce the likely hood of hitting radiator and looking like a knob when wife says "but you said we didnt need a bullbar!"

There you have it...you main three to get you out back and beyond basic touring

Enjoy it out there...we are so lucky to live in australia....
 
Rackers03

Rackers03

Member
Baggs71 said:
Like everyone has said....its all good info....
1. Tyres..high ply ATs of choice...go with a common high end brand that has offroad roots...or you could go cheap and bitch and whine why they get punctures and last only 50000klms.
2. Suspension lift and correction for intended touring weight...or adjustable suspension for touring weight and daily driver weight like i have ...you do not want to sag in the rear and take off much need weight off front axels for steering and look like a total tosser.
3. A front bar for animal strike or two to reduce the likely hood of hitting radiator and looking like a knob when wife says "but you said we didnt need a bullbar!"

There you have it...you main three to get you out back and beyond basic touring

Enjoy it out there...we are so lucky to live in australia....
Click to expand...
Yeah it's got a ARB deluxe bar on it now, plus brand new 30 inch AT tyres on it. So I don't think I'll need new tyres just yet (not really financially a good idea, tight budget). And I'm not thinking anything crazy in the back at this stage a tub rack and the tonneau cover to keep stuff covered up
 
Baggs71

Baggs71

Active Member
Rackers03 said:
Yeah it's got a ARB deluxe bar on it now, plus brand new 30 inch AT tyres on it. So I don't think I'll need new tyres just yet (not really financially a good idea, tight budget). And I'm not thinking anything crazy in the back at this stage a tub rack and the tonneau cover to keep stuff covered up
Click to expand...
excellent having a bar up front and ATs allround means your almost there!
 
Baggs71

Baggs71

Active Member
Rackers03 said:
Live in rural South Australia so will most likely be the Flinders Rangers (rocks and long dirt roads) and down the South east way (sand dunes). So nothing crazy to start with
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bloody flinders and robe beachport!!!!..some people from interstate would kill for that oportunity...thats awesome to start with!
 
2

2luxes

Well-Known Member
Rackers03 said:
Live in rural South Australia so will most likely be the Flinders Rangers (rocks and long dirt roads) and down the South east way (sand dunes). So nothing crazy to start with
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I have never lived in SA but have done a lot of touring in the Flinders Ranges, around Roxby Downs, the Oodnadatta Track, Birdsville Track, Strzelecki Track, Innamincka, Dalhousie Springs and Mount Dare.

That was in our current car, a 2003 Hilux, that we have owned for 14 years.

Prior to that I drove over the Nullarbor four times in 1972 and '73 in an EH Holden. The road from near Ceduna to the WA border was unsealed. One thing that stood out while driving over it was the number of discarded tyres, buckled wheels and pieces of exhaust systems lying along the side of the road. Excessive speed on some of the rougher sections would be have been the reason for that.

In addition to to that, my wife and I have driven (solo) over many of the not be so well maintained Beadell tracks in other states plus a few other remote tracks. All of this has been on standard specification tyres running on the hand book pressures.

The suspension in our car is stock standard. The protypes that Toyota thrashed the living daylights out of in our central deserts also had the same suspension. It passed their tests so they put it into production just like all the other manufacturers do.

There is no need to " upgrade" it unless you want to carry an excessive load. That lifts the car and makes it look good but it is still overloaded, or incorrectly loaded, resulting in the Outback vehicle repair workshops doing a roaring trade during the cooler tourist season months fixing bent chassis, cracked/broken rear axle housings, sheered off wheel studs, cracked wheels, overheated engines and so on.

If the people living in those remote areas had to modify new cars with non genuine parts to make them suitable for their conditions, they would not buy them.

Keep your weight and speed down in those conditions and you won't have any problems.

Regarding sand driving: if you drive to an area just to drive on sand and nowhere else, you should find a set of partially worn street tyres will work a lot better than AT or mud tyres.

Way back in my RAAF days I spent many months on a beach with huge sand hills trying to clear an old bombing range of unexploded ammunition. Our Landcruisers used sand tyres. They were smooth with no tread except for four narrow straight groves to displace water if they were to be driven on wet sealed roads.

As far as width goes, they looked only slightly wider than the standard specification 7.50x16 off road tyres.

We must have got stuck every now and then but it must have been a rare occasion because I can't remember any.
 
C

Colly18

Well-Known Member
You're a braver man than me 2luxes! I can't say I'd want to head bush on the 6 ply road tyres that came on my Colorado. And throw four or five hundred kg in the back with standard springs (weight of canopy, full fuel tank, extra fuel, water, tools, fridge, etc) and she certainly drops more than I liked. Still not overloaded and I pride myself on packing a vehicle well, including removing the rear seat and packing gear in the middle of the ute. These Colorados are just no where near as good as the older Toyotas! :)
 
RODEODAVE

RODEODAVE

Well-Known Member
I have travel a bit in mine and you will find it too be a very capable vehicle .
As others have said upgrade suspension and tyres .
invest in a VSR to run you second battery no need for a DC-DC charger , these do not have a smart alternator .
that's my 2c worth
 
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