Preparing the Adventure Beast

This blog is about our journey to get the Adventure Beast prepped to make this venture possible.

No road trip can be possible without having the correct vehicle for the right job. Before we can get into that we had to ask ourselves many questions to make sure we can achieve our expectations on the trip around Australia. Do we want to go hardcore off-roading and off the grid? What sights and locations are on our bucket list? Did we want a caravan, a rooftop tent or a camper trailer? What modifications do we need to do to the vehicle to make it more reliable and how much should we spend on it while still being practical/affordable?

Although we really enjoy going off roading and roughing it out in the bush, we still like our creature comforts, especially the dogs. I could not imagine The Pack sleeping every night on the hard ground, in a swag or a thin blow up mattress. Biggest no go would be a high rooftop tent. Our boys are very clumsy and could just imagine them rolling over to get more comfortable to suddenly falling back first into the ground. So after thinking about the questions raised we decided to get a vehicle that will primarily be for towing an off-road camper trailer that can also get into many spots off-road that the common weekend campers won’t be able to get to. For the occasions where we have made camp, we will be able to unhitch the trailer and go exploring with no limitations be it on road or off road.

With our budget, we were looking at the Dual Cab range. We currently own a Mitsubishi Triton but for all the towing we will be doing and the weight of the camper, the Triton will not be suitable for long term. After looking at all the major car manufacturers we decided to go with the Mazda BT-50 XTR. With its high tow capacity and comfort features we knew this was the Ute for us. I only just recently found out that the Mazda BT50 has factory REAR DIF LOCKERS, DIF BREATHERS along with improvements with airflow and height of belts/fans. All bonuses when it comes to off-roading (How did we know this??? BLOG TO COME)

With the car purchased, all we needed to do now is modify the vehicle to suit our requirements:

· Body / Motor Protection

· Fuel Economy

· Suspension

· Towing

· Storage/Power Solutions

· Lighting, Communications and Safety

After many hours researching the web and the suppliers in our area we chose to use Opposite Lock. The reason we chose Opposite Lock was because after we told them our plans on the around Australia trip, they sat us down to assess what they must do to make sure this is possible. Not once did they suggest any modifications over our needs and assured what we opted to install is the highest quality for the best experience in the future.

This is just a tool to what you can do to your vehicle. Everyone’s needs are different to what you plan on doing. An extreme offroader would have a completely different priority than what I have. Here is what we have done to our BT-50 for off road towing.

BODY / MOTOR PROTECTION –

Under Vehicle Protection- Any situation you are in you can always know if you slip off a massive rock, bottom out on a steep incline or just driving on corrugated roads; your vital components are always protected.

Drive Tech Catch Can- On those long; especially short trips you will have the benefits of a catch can slowing buildup of contaminates going into your intake. Long term can increase air intake, fuel efficiency and overall longevity of your valves, pistons and spark plugs.

Drive Tech Fuel Filter System/Water & Dust Separator- This system is essential for any off roader or tourer. This filter has been a savior for any petrol station that has had water level too high for vehicle consumption. Sometime unavoidable to the remote areas of Australia 600KM between stations. Some minor performance benefits can occur due to less contaminates long term.

Clearview Rock Tamers- Attached to the towball, these larger than average mudflaps protect the assets you are towing behind you. Not quite practical in the offroad sections but when you are going 80km/h on a gravel road you will be rest assured your trailer/caravan will not have any new dints to surprise you when you pull over at the rest stop. Not to mention any vehicles behind you aggravated by stones being flicked up behind you while you are enjoying your drive peacefully.

RoadSafe Recovery Points- Rated to 5000kgs per point, if we get stuck for any reason we will be able to safely remove ourselves from the situation via ourselves or on-goers. These recovery points should always be assessed when recovering a vehicle especially if you are assisting someone else stuck. Damage/Injury can easily occur if recovery points aren’t used or recovering a vehicle that hasn’t got any installed.

Safari ARMAX Snorkel- These snorkels are designed to increase airflow 25% to 70% more air than the stock air cleaner housing flows from the vehicle manufacturer, whilst still providing a watertight raised air intake. Essential for water crossings and environments that have high dust.

FUEL ECONOMY

Outback Long Range Fuel Tank- We added a 130Ltr Fuel Tank to our BT50. For those offroaders and tourers, this is essential as further outback you go the less fuels stations there are. Extra fuel should always be accessed with jerry cans as you never know what scenario you might be in at the time.

Having the oil catch cans and fuel filter systems also can also fall into this category as this has proven small fuel economy benefits in the long run are shown due to less contaminates and overall better motor health.

SUSPENSION

Outback Armor Expedition HD- This is the 2 Inch Lift Kit. Essential for those higher step ups in offroading and indispensable when hard hits on the underbody can be a constant. Surprising how much can be avoided when that small height advantage is given. Added advantages are for the trailer and caravan towers. Making your heavy load balanced from vehicle to the tow point is essential for a safer, stable drive.

Outback Armour Trial- This is a rear AIRBAG suspension. We are towing a camper trailer for long distances for an extended amount of time. Airbag suspension can help with stabilizing the load on the vehicle along with making the experience more comfortable. You can inflate or deflate the suspension to suit your load. Standard suspension can overheat and cause problems on the way with loose bolts and fixtures. A lot less maintenance as well.

TOWING

Tow-Pro Elite V3 Electric Brake Controller- This controller is excellent for towing on the road as well as towing off road. With user override settings you can control the brakes for any situation you are in. Mazda installed the controller at the time of purchase so the receiver box is tucked away in the dash so no unnecessary boxes or cords shown in the cabin and the dial is neatly installed in the center of the dash for the driver and passengers. The controller also has an emergency brake system for the circumstances the trailer loses control. By pressing down the dial that locks the trailer brakes immediately. Something I would never know without doing a 4WD and Towing course.

Trailer Breakaway System- If you are towing a trailer or caravan with electric brakes that weighs more than 2,000kg, it’s a legal requirement to have a breakaway system (AKA an emergency brake system) fitted. The safety device mounts to the trailer and in the event of uncoupling during transit will activate the electric brakes and bring the trailer to a safe stop.

STORAGE/POWER SOLUTIONS

MSA Double Drawer System- 2 slide out drawers for neat storage with a firearm rating lock system. When the drawers are completely open a LED strip illuminates on both sides.

MSA Explorer Power Panel- real time voltage meter of your dual battery system along with dual USB Charge Points, 2 Cigarette Ports and 3 Rocker Switches to fix applications in your canopy. I currently have 1 Rocker Switch for a built-in air compressor along with 1 for LED lights.

MSA Drop Fridge Slide 60Ltr- Fixed on top of the Drawer System this slide not only slides out of the canopy completely but also lowers waist height for easy access to the fridge. When not in use the slide also locks.

Dual Battery System- Along with the crank battery, an additional 120AH AGM battery has been installed within the MSA Dual Drawer System to power the Fridge, Lighting, Compressor and any electronic charging needed when the car is stationary. An external Anderson plug has been fitted to charge the dual battery system via solar during long stays.

Rhino Pioneer Platform Rack- Mounted on top of the front of the vehicle. This holds our extra 4kg Gas Bottle, Kings Side Awning, MaxTrax Recovery Treads and Rhino 600Ltr Storage Bag

LIGHTING, COMMUNICATION AND SAFETY

Perception 7inch LED Spotlights- For the remote roads you can be rest assured you will be able to spot any hazards ahead. A cool feature of these spotlights is that the have daytime hazard lights on the bottom section. A rocker switch was also installed inside the vehicle if you wish to isolate using the spotlights.

Perception H4 Premium LED Upgrade- Oppose to the factory halogen installed lights, this upgrade improves your field of view at night-time with less of a warm yellow tinge and more of a cool white coverage.

Uniden UHF 5 Watt Radio (6DBi Aerial) + Uniden UHF 5 Watt Handheld Radio- Along with having a built in CB Radio it is a must having a handheld device for the times you are 4WDing by yourself, to have that spare radio for a spotter or communications outside the vehicle.

KingOne 12000lbs Synthetic Cable Winch- The KingOne TDS 9.5 is made to work through the toughest conditions. Additional waterproofing features include specifically manufactured sealed motor drum supports and V-ring seals inside the drum flanges.

Other Safety Additions- Following items I have also added to the car and will be self-explanatory to why I have added it. Fire Extinguisher, Fire Blanket, Remote First Aid Kit inc Snake Bite, EPIRB (emergency position-indicating radio beacon), Satellite Phone, Glass Hammer, HEMA HX-1 GPS, Full 4WD Recovery Kit (Future Blog), Air Compressor with Gauges and Repair Kits, Tools and Spare 4WD Parts.

Yes, this list is quite expansive, and some might think this is very over the top. In saying this we are planning to go into the harsh Australian outback by ourselves. I have heard too many devastating stories of inexperienced people getting stranded from not being prepared or equipped. When the trip is over many of these things can be resold and I haven’t bought everything brand new.

Opposite Lock South Nowra were immensely helpful with all the installations and suppling the goods. I couldn’t add the costs of these upgrades as we have the BT50 and every vehicle is different but please feel free to post a comment I will try my best with a ballpark figure or refer to the best person to speak to.

Happy Travels!

The Adventure Woofpack,

Jared, Amanda, Kai and Loki