What to do first?

[Scuba steve]

Hey guys,
I have an 07 patrol and a bit stuck with what to do first.
My options are 2" lift,arb air lockers(I know a guy who works there soo I can get them a bit cheaper) or a winch? Any suggestions are welcome as I don't really have a clue where too start I've already had too put a heavy duty clutch and 3" exhaust in(not through choice) soo I have all ready sunk a bit of money in!!

[MEGOMONSTER]

Definitely the lift, winch and tyres will get you anywhere.

[gaddy]

From my experience I reckon sliders ,

[AB]

What type of 4wding do you do and what is the type of terrain in your area that you will be mostly exposed to and what type of 4wding do you want to do?

Touring?
Sand driving?
Wet areas and Muddy tracks?
Dry rocky steep areas
Etc

Is it your daily driver for work and family bus or fun mobile?

[Scuba steve]

I'm getting some new tyres(cooper stt's) next week
Any suggestions regarding winch brand? Do I need too go 12,00lbs?
What's a Ball park figure for a two inch lift?
Probs should have mentioned I have sliders,long range tank,spotties all ready:)

[Scuba steve]

AB, it's just a weekend warrior, I'm 22 soo no family fun for now haha
I live on the coast in WA soo I'm mostly exposed too sand,rocks and a bit of mud.
I don't really want too go too extreme just something too take out on the long weekends away and be Abel too tackle most obstacles my mates can't:P

[macca86]

Avoid the coopers try bfg km2 or maxis big horns. Lift locker then winch

[Clunk]

Tyre choice is down to personal preference, good and bad stories with most brands. I've managed without locker and winch for over 3 years on me old clunker tb42 gq but do have a front auto Lokka on me td42 gq, still no winch yet but on the lookout for one now.

For me a good set of 33s and 2in lift were the most important

[TPC]

As others have said, lift and tyres.
I have had bad experience with coopers at work, got rid of them after 50,000km because of flex in sidewall.
Have had 3 sets of BFG for personal cars and get over 100,000km reliably.

[Westy82]

Lift and Tires, and I have used Cooper STT's on my 4x4's and i can't fault them, as mentioned you won't find something that comes down to personal choice as much as tires are, you here people putting shit on every brand, i have used a few other brands and i find cooper's to be really universal and are on the low side of noisy for an aggressive tread pattern.

[mudski]

I would go...

Lift with tyres
Winch
Locker


Why winch before locker? A locker is awesome, don't get me wrong. But you still can get stuck. If you do how will you get yourself out? Hand winch? Good luck with that. A mate to recover you? What if he can't? I think a winch is a safer option IMO. As for what size. Get the biggest your budjet allows I suppose. I have a TJM 9500lb winch and has served me well but I have always had in the back of my mind its borderline too small. But it all depends on where and how you are stuck I suppose.

[Bush Ranger]

Go the 2 inch lift. Mine cost me around the $1600 mark. I don`t know if the `07 model has the same problem as the `01 where the corner(s) of the rear bumper gets knocked off its mount when doing certain angles on standard ride height. Cost me around $1600 from ARB back in 2008. A toss up between a winch and lockers for second place. A winch is good for self recovery, which will go well with the rest of the recovery gear you have, which they say you should get a recovery gear first and with lockers you can get better traction, but also you can get your self further in to the manure with no way of self recovery some people will tell you if you don`t have a winch or some one else with you to pull you out. If the vehicle I have had better tyres on it when I bought it, I`d go 2 inch lift, winch, lockers and then tyres when they needed to be replaced. I had to go lift and tyres, as the tyres were baldish. Haven`t gotten around doing the winch / lockers. I have never gotten in to bother yet, as I drive to the capability of the vehicle that I have with the mods that are on it. When I get a winch, I`ll get a bit more adventurous when I go out by my self.

[threedogs]

Do all your accessories first, high on my list would be a dual battery system and a fridge,
that allows you to at least go camping and have fresh food and cold drinks.
If you are not running two sets of tyres then a good all terrain like the MT atz3 would help.
I would go for a front diff lock in favour than a winch as its a lot of weight on the front end.
You can get a winch later when you tackle tougher terrain, a 2" lift and decent side steps
will have your Patrol looking the goods as well as being very capable, the rear LSD is one of the best in the business
When doing the 2" lift let them know that you intend to fit a winch at a later date, but a lot of winches sit idle for years on end and never get used.
so make sure its working before you tackle any tracks.

[mudski]

@ Bush Ranger. Rule number 1. Never go 4wheeling by yourself.
As for you TD. How could you put a locker before a winch? You can still get stuck with a locker. How would you get yourself unstuck? Handwinch? Goodluck with that.
Plus speaking from experience here, having a locker kind of gives you some extra feeling that you can do anything. I was warned about this prior to fitting the locker. Having a locker can get you into more trouble that you and your car can handle.
Recovery gear is paramount in my opinion.
I would do as you suggested and set the car up better first with dual batts, reco points and a decent jack too.

[rusty_nail]

I agree with mark. Recovery gear first. Easy terrain may be harder that it appears. Youll never know when you'll need it till u need it. I had my winch on my last car for a year and a half before I needed it but I would have been up shit creek if I didn't have it then. At least without a locker if you can get there you can always turn back go around or try a different line

[nissannewby]

Learning to drive without the aid of locker does teach you some very fundamental skills and techniques about driving.

[Bush Ranger]

Mudski, you may still need to do a self recovery, even if you are with others.

[fourj]

It's always best to be able to self recover! Decent tires, a lift and a winch ( even a hand winch ) and recovery gear should be a priority. If I don't go wheeling unless there's another vehicle to go with, I wouldn't go half as much as I do. Spend a couple of hours hand winching your vehicle out of trouble and you won't be so gung-ho next time I can assure you.

[mudski]

Mudski, you may still need to do a self recovery, even if you are with others.

But if you are with others you are not alone are you. You go out by yourself, you are by yourself and if you get stuck the first thing that goes through your head is that you are alone with no help. Not a good feeling. IMO, you are looking for trouble going out alone. But each to their own.

[paulyg]

I almost always go out alone, don't have much choice, not many people I now are into 4 wheeling.
But I have a winch and quite a lot of recovery gear that I now how to use.
So my choice would be lift then winch before lockers.

[Ben-e-boy]

Learning to drive without the aid of locker does teach you some very fundamental skills and techniques about driving.

X2..............

[Bush Ranger]

But if you are with others you are not alone are you. You go out by yourself, you are by yourself and if you get stuck the first thing that goes through your head is that you are alone with no help. Not a good feeling. IMO, you are looking for trouble going out alone. But each to their own.

Mudski, I`ll say it again. A winch is good for self recovery, which will go well with the rest of the recovery gear you have, which they say you should get a recovery gear first and with lockers you can get better traction, but also you can get your self further in to the manure with no way of self recovery some people will tell you if you don`t have a winch or some one else with you to pull you out.
Here is a little snippet of a previous comment on the same matter that you quoted ``A mate to recover you? What if he can't? I think a winch is a safer option IMO.``
You can`t get into trouble if you don`t look for it. I`ll admit to going out by myself for a drive and have enjoyed it. But in saying that, I have bumped in to a few people doing what we all enjoy doing and I hung around for awhile to help them out of a sticky situation they have gotten themselves in to whilst they were with others. I`ll agree with you on the each to their own.
Hope this helps you out a little Mudski. :trink13:

[mudski]

Mudski, I`ll say it again. A winch is good for self recovery, which will go well with the rest of the recovery gear you have, which they say you should get a recovery gear first and with lockers you can get better traction, but also you can get your self further in to the manure with no way of self recovery some people will tell you if you don`t have a winch or some one else with you to pull you out.
Here is a little snippet of a previous comment on the same matter that you quoted ``A mate to recover you? What if he can't? I think a winch is a safer option IMO.``
You can`t get into trouble if you don`t look for it. I`ll admit to going out by myself for a drive and have enjoyed it. But in saying that, I have bumped in to a few people doing what we all enjoy doing and I hung around for awhile to help them out of a sticky situation they have gotten themselves in to whilst they were with others. I`ll agree with you on the each to their own.
Hope this helps you out a little Mudski. :trink13:
Nice edit there bush ranger ;)
I never said you went out lone.... I was saying to you to never go out alone. More of a comment also for other less experienced 4 wheelers aswell. Nothing more nothing less...
I have spoken to many younger and less experienced 4wheelers who pick up parts from me and have told me stories of what happened when it was raining and though it would be fun to go out for the day. Not for me.

As you do go out for a drive by yourself, like you said each to their own. I did it once during a summer with the family and while I was 100% confident of where I was going as I had done this trip and tracks maybe 50 times over the last 20 odd years, I had the horrible though of the what if's. A dirt road is as far as i will go by myself now.
As for your little snippet " You can`t get into trouble if you don`t look for it. " Is absolute bollocks. Sorry but it is. You could take a track and begin a decent or accent and suddenly find it much harder that you thought and get stuck. You would be eff'ed if you have a mechanical failure and your all alone aswell. And if you don't happen to bump into to other people when you need it. What will you do?
Strezlecki track 1995 it was. Well a track from the Strez to Camerons corner. We were driving down the track and came across a Cruiser stuck in sand. He'd was all alone and been there for three days and we were the first that came past and pulled him out. No Sat phone with him and just enough food left he was happy to see us.

Maybe not for some, but for me. I'm no expert in 4wheeling, I know my car can do far more than what I am capable of, but safety is paramount and number 1 in my books.

[mudski]

I almost always go out alone, don't have much choice, not many people I now are into 4 wheeling.
But I have a winch and quite a lot of recovery gear that I now how to use.
So my choice would be lift then winch before lockers.

That would suck pauly! Plenty of friends but no 4wd's. I have to spend every Easter camping with people who don't have 4wds. Frustrating it is. I'm out in the scrub and can't go and explore.
You need to come out with us on a day trip. Or you show us some tracks out your way.

[paulyg]

Yeah mudski it does suck sometimes, always got to have in the back of your mind what if.

[Bush Ranger]

Thanks for the compliment on the edit Mudski. :D I know it was more of a comment in what you were saying and have taken it that way, I just wanted to reinforce it and I was stirring too.
You are alone in a way in a self recovery if the people you are with can`t offer any assistance in recovering you.
If you happen to do a descent or an ascent, wouldn`t you walk it first before attempting it to see if you and or your vehicle are capable of doing it? If you happen to drive it like you said and your vehicle isn`t in good mechanical condition, then you are looking for trouble. No bollocks about it. I`ve always walked a situation before attempting it.
You`ll have to accept that having a winch is a good tool for self recovery and that I didn`t say anything more or anything less.
We can keep playing this you said this, I said this all day long.
Lets get back on topic, instead of word twisting etc etc.