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Latest news and touring updates

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Build Planning

Chery Stockman gets Ironman accessory range through dealers

Chery has partnered with Ironman 4x4 to offer accessories developed for the Stockman ute, available to order with the vehicle through Chery dealerships.

25 October 2026 · 1 min read
Electrical

TJM launches Meridian driving lights in 7-inch and 9-inch kits

TJM’s new Meridian driving lights replace its Seeker Series, with 7-inch and 9-inch options.

25 October 2026 · 1 min read
Trip updates

Victorian High Country tracks begin seasonal reopening on 29 October

Many seasonally closed tracks in Victoria’s High Country are scheduled to reopen on Thursday 29 October 2026. Parks Victoria’s schedule includes Blue Rag Range Track and Zeka Spur Track, while most listed tracks in the Kiewa–Murray area reopen on Friday 30 October.

25 October 2026 · 2 min read
TowingPatriot GEN3 X1: Lighter, Simpler and $17,000 Under the GEN2Patriot’s GEN3 X1 starts at $57,900 with an estimated 895 kg base tare. Compare GEN2 equipment, option pricing, payload and the trade-offs.10 min read · FreeRead article →New vehicles2027 LDV T60 starts at $37,990 for ABN buyers; Luxe adds front and rear locksThe MY27 T60 gets a 163kW/520Nm diesel. Luxe adds front and rear differential locks, with a lower listed payload than Pro.2 min read · FreeRead article →New vehiclesChery Stockman deliveries set for February 2027 as reservations openReservations are open for Chery’s diesel plug-in hybrid ute. New indicative figures show 96km WLTP range, 3,495kg towing and published vehicle masses.2 min read · FreeRead article →IndustryIsuzu rules out the current electric D-MAX for AustraliaIsuzu says the current battery-electric D-MAX will not come to Australia. Future electrification remains open, with no hybrid launch commitment in the statement.2 min read · FreeRead article →IndustryConnected-car privacy: aftermarket association calls for stronger rulesAAAA wants clearer privacy rights and secure, owner-authorised data access for independent repairers. Its statement is a call for reform.1 min read · FreeRead article →ElectricalREDARC extends REDLAB Icon battery warranty to five yearsThe five-year term covers recreational and commercial use across the Icon range. Existing owners should confirm whether their battery qualifies.1 min read · FreeRead article →
Archived access updates (11)

These reports are past their review dates. They are historical records, not current travel advice.

Trip updatesVictorian alpine tracks scheduled to reopen on 29 OctoberParks Victoria lists 29 October for seasonal reopening of key alpine routes. Conditions and separate damage closures still need checking.2 min read · FreeRead article →Trip updatesCobberas, Ingeegoodbee and Macfarlane Flat tracks remain closedStorm and flood damage keeps three Alpine National Park tracks closed to vehicles. Parks Victoria has no reopening date in its current notice.2 min read · FreeRead article →Trip updatesK’gari: Urang Creek bridge damage closes part of Northern RoadA bridge failure closes Northern Road between Bogimbah Mission and Postans Road. QPWS directs traffic via Postans Road and Bogimbah Road.2 min read · FreeRead article →Trip updatesUrumbilum Creek closure affects the Orara Escarpment 4WD routeBridge works close the south-eastern end of Urumbilum Creek Road and the day use area from 21 September to a planned 23 October finish.1 min read · FreeRead article →Trip updatesMontezuma Falls 4WD track closes for September worksTasmania’s parks service lists the vehicle track closed from 21 September for approximately two weeks. Confirm reopening before making the trip.1 min read · FreeRead article →Trip updatesBarrington Tops: plan around the September access datesSeasonal closures, September roadworks and baiting notices affect trip planning in Barrington Tops. Check the exact route before departure.1 min read · FreeRead article →Trip updatesCoongie and Innamincka: check the whole route before committingFlood closures continue around Coongie Lakes and Innamincka. Conflicting track notices make direct confirmation of the complete route essential.1 min read · FreeRead article →Trip updatesWildman 4WD Track is now listed openThe official NT access register lists Wildman 4WD Track as open. Check approach roads and current conditions before planning a Mary River day out.1 min read · FreeRead article →Trip updatesInskip: check the campsite and the barge approach separatelyCamping maintenance and erosion near the barge approach are separate planning checks. Confirm both before setting out for Inskip.1 min read · FreeRead article →Trip updatesCooloola's walking plans need a wet-weather rethinkHigh water and a separate pedestrian-access closure affect Cooloola walking plans. Check the walk from camp as carefully as the drive in.1 min read · FreeRead article →Trip updatesClarence Lagoon: arrange a key before bringing the kayakA gate key is needed for vehicle access to launch or retrieve a boat at Clarence Lagoon. Arrange it before travelling with the kayak.1 min read · FreeRead article →

Quick answers

Short, beginner-friendly answers to the questions that come up on almost every first trip.

DrivingAm I Driving Too Fast on a Dirt Road?Why the posted limit is not the safe speed on loose gravel, dust and changing surfaces.2 min readRead answer → TyresShould I Let My Tyres Down Off Road?Why pressure changes with terrain, load and speed—and why there is no universal PSI.2 min readRead answer → RecoveryDoes Carrying Recovery Gear Mean I’m Prepared?Owning a strap is not the same as understanding rated points, stored energy and trip planning.2 min readRead answer → DrivingShould I Get Out and Check the Obstacle?What to inspect, how to use a spotter and why turning around remains a valid answer.2 min readRead answer → 4WD SystemsWhen Should I Lock My 4WD Hubs?What manual hubs connect, when to lock them and why locked hubs do not automatically select 4WD.2 min readRead answer → 4WD SystemsHigh Range vs Low Range: When Do I Use Each?4H for loose surfaces at normal speeds; 4L for torque, engine braking and slow control.2 min readRead answer → Build PlanningWhat’s the First Upgrade I Should Do?Fuel. Then use the thing. Match the first modification to what the vehicle actually needs to do.2 min readRead answer → TyresAll-Terrain vs Mud-Terrain: Which Do I Need?The honest trade between everyday road manners and specialist off-road traction.2 min readRead answer →

Use cases

Start with what you want the vehicle to do.

Use CasesElectric 4WDs in remote Australia: plan the way out as carefully as the way inAn electric touring plan starts with usable energy, loaded consumption and a credible charging fallback. A worked example shows how quickly the range budget changes.3 min read · FreeRead article → Use Cases Building a Touring 4WD: What Actually Matters Long trips on formed roads with the occasional rough section. The build is really a weight-management problem dressed up as an accessory list — here's the order to spend in. 9 min readRead guide → Use Cases Overlanding Builds: Self-Sufficiency Over Capability Extended remote travel where resupply is days away. Range, water and the ability to fix things in the field — and why the answer is usually fewer parts, not more. 8 min readRead guide → Use Cases Hard-Wheeling Builds: Clearance, Articulation and Damage Control Rock steps, ruts and steep technical terrain. Geometry and traction do the work — and almost every choice here makes the vehicle worse on the road. 8 min readRead guide → Use Cases Towing Builds: The Numbers That Make or Break the Setup Vans, boats and trailers. This is the build where the legal limits bite hardest, and where a setup that looks fine on paper is very often over one of them. 9 min readRead guide → Use Cases Trade and Work Setups: Payload, Access and Downtime A ute that earns its keep. Payload and how fast you can get to your gear beat everything else — and being off the road costs more than any part. 7 min readRead guide → Use Cases Weekend Camping Setups: The Cheapest Build That Works Two or three nights, a few hours from home. The most over-built use case in the country — here's what you actually need and what you can skip. 7 min readRead guide →

Build components

The detail on individual decisions, once you know what the build is for.

Weight & ComplianceGoing above 3,500 kg GVM: what actually changes?A GVM above 3,500 kg can change a goods vehicle’s category. Work through licence thresholds, lighting, approval and the limits a higher rating does not change.4 min read · FreeRead article → ProtectionIronman’s APEX for Ranger Super Duty: start with the front axleIronman’s Super Duty bar includes recovery points and a skid plate. Work through the complete fitted weight before adding a winch and lights.3 min read · FreeRead article → Roof Racks Platform Roof Racks: What You Gain and What You Give Up The most versatile way to carry gear, and the most expensive weight on the vehicle. Who should fit one, who should run crossbars, and who should leave the roof empty. 8 min readRead guide → Roof Racks ARB Base Rack: Narrow or Wide? Two widths, 130 mm apart, on the same vehicle. ARB say narrow is standard; a dealership will often say the opposite. What the extra width is really for. 8 min readRead guide → Tyres Bigger Tyres, Daily Driving: The Real Cost What an all-terrain or mud-terrain upsize actually costs on the bitumen you drive every day: fuel, noise, braking, wet grip and speedo error. 9 min readRead guide → Communications UHF or VHF: Which Radio Do You Actually Need? For 4WD touring in Australia the answer is almost always UHF, and the reasons why are worth understanding before you spend money on range you can't legally use. 7 min readRead guide → Wheels Beadlocks: Legal Everywhere Except the Road You Drive On Perfectly legal on a competition vehicle, perfectly illegal on the way there. What the rules actually say, why, and what to run instead. 7 min readRead guide → Recovery Recovery Gear: What's Non-Negotiable and How to Use It The kit that isn't optional, how to use a snatch strap and a winch dampener properly, and the specific mistakes that kill people. 10 min readRead guide → Towing How to Pack a Caravan: Load Placement, Ball Weight and Sway Two vans of identical weight can tow completely differently. Diagrams of where the weight goes, why sway starts, and the ball weight range that tells you you've got it right. 8 min readRead guide → Canopies Do You Actually Need a Canopy? Expensive, heavy and semi-permanent. When it transforms a build and when it's dead weight, broken down by how you actually use the ute — and who to talk to. 7 min readRead guide → Weight & Compliance GVM and payload: work from the vehicle you actually load. Separate published payload from measured mass. Check GVM, axle loads and towing limits, with assumptions visible. 8 min readRead guide → Protection How to Choose a Bull Bar: Steel vs Alloy vs Polymer Weight, winch compatibility, airbag compliance and approach angle — the trade-offs that actually matter, and why the heaviest bar isn't always the wrong answer (or the right one). 7 min readRead guide → Suspension Suspension Lifts and Load Ratings: Matching the Kit to the Build Why "2 inch lift" tells you almost nothing, how constant load ratings work, and the order you should buy accessories and suspension in (most people do it backwards). 7 min readRead guide → Weight & Compliance GVM upgrades: check the approval, then the whole build. How certified GVM upgrades work, the difference between federal and state approval, what happens to your warranty and insurance, and the limits an upgrade can't move. 9 min readRead guide →

Vehicles

Choosing the vehicle, understanding its limits and knowing what to look for before you buy.

Suspension2005 Navara D22 suspension: options, loads and 33-inch tyresCompare D22 shocks, torsion bars, rear leaves and packages. Understand rear-diff clearance, constant load and what to check before fitting 33s.12 min read · FreeRead guide → TyresArctic Trucks in Australia: big tyres, five practical questionsThe D-Max AT35 and Prado AT37 offer more than larger tyres. Start the buying discussion with approvals, spare-wheel storage, replacement tyres and the finished load.4 min read · FreeRead article → New vehiclesHiLux BEV SR5: does the electric ute fit your actual weekend?Toyota’s electric HiLux raises practical questions about touring load, towing and charging. We work through the Australian SR5 figures and the trips they might suit.3 min read · FreeRead article → New vehiclesThe new Patrol is a Y63 — and its touring story starts with the load sheetAustralian orders are open for the Y63 Patrol. Grade choice, payload and axle limits will shape its place in a family touring build.3 min read · FreeRead article → New vehiclesBronco Basecamp: the touring questions behind Ford's built-in campsiteFord’s electric-drive, petrol range-extender SUV is expected in mid-2027. Its camping features raise useful questions about weekend setup, load and range.1 min read · FreeRead article → PowertrainFord’s diesel reshuffle: what the V6 shift means for Ranger and EverestFord’s bi-turbo deletion, wider V6 range, payload and NVES evidence, accessory fitment and a 2025.5 Everest Sport owner’s experience.10 min readRead article → Buying Buying an Ex-Mine 4WD: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Low kilometres, full service history, half the price. Why engine hours matter more than the odometer, what dust and corrugations do, and the holes in the roof nobody mentions. 9 min readRead guide →

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FitFourby articles provide general information and opinion based on manufacturer material, published sources and practical experience. They are not engineering, legal, safety or vehicle-specific advice. Always follow your owner’s manual and confirm fitment, limits and compliance with the manufacturer or a suitably qualified professional.