Ember Offroad

Is it safe to drive with the hubs locked in 2WD

"Is it safe to drive with my hubs locked in 2WD?" is a regular question from 'part-time 4WD' vehicle owners. The short answer is "yes", but, there are important points worth understanding before locking your hubs and forgetting them forever.

Your winch isn't as strong as you think: Winch capacity by layer

Modern 4x4 winches boast some big load ratings from small packages; winches with a capacity of 12,000lbs or more can be plucked off the shelf cheaply at just about any 4x4 store. Given that your average four-wheel-drive weighs less than two-thirds of this, a 12,000lb winch should be more than enough for any 4x4, right?…

Review: Offroad Animal Toro Bullbar for Toyota 70 series

As part of my new 2024 Toyota LC76 GXL build, I've gone with the Offroad Animal Toro bullbar, and now that it's on the vehicle I have to say I couldn't be happier with it.

Why your recovery hitch shackle should be vertical, not horizontal

99% of the time when you see a recovery hitch installed it is done horizontally, with the bow shackle hanging down. When putting your recovery hitch to work, though, this creates unnecessary stress and wear on your both your shackle and recovery strap eyelets. Here's why:

PLBs vs EPIRBs for camping: What's the difference?

When touring and camping remotely, it pays to have an emergency communication system with you in case the worst should happen, which often brings travelers to the subject of emergency locator beacons. Within this conversion though, there is often a bit of confusion about the different devices available.

Toyota 2024 LC76 GXL 2.8L manual: Pre-modification review

The latest release of Toyota's iconic 70 series has been the subject of much debate in the 4x4 community, both in terms of positive additions and improvements, as well as long-running complaints that have yet again gone unresolved.

Why most 4x4 recovery gear ratings are useless, and finding what's not

A lot of big numbers get quoted on off-road recovery gear, but sometimes these might not mean what you think, and all too often they're just outright useless.

UHF antenna sizes: Why big isn't always best, and is often worse

UHF antennas for 4x4s come in sizes ranging anywhere from a foot in height to 8 feet tall, but more antenna doesn't always mean more range. In fact when used in the wrong environment, the taller the antenna, the worse things get.

All-terrain vs Mud-terrain tires; which is best for you?

They say "There are no solutions, only trade-offs", and this is certainly true of tires. No tire can be the best on-road and off, in the dry and wet, softest for the most grip and the most durable, and so on... So are MT or AT tires the best option for your four-wheel-drive?

How to use a 4x4 recovery bridle, and mistakes to avoid

Many recovery points aren't rated for single-point recoveries, and are designed to be used with a bridle across two points to distribute the load. Improper use of bridles can still result in damaging your recovery points or vehicle though.

How to wake up and charge a sleeping ("dead") LiFePO4 lithium battery

All too often, first-time LiFePO4 battery users connect loads to their battery and run it flat, only to find their brand new battery "won't charge" and is seemingly dead. They return their battery, only to have it given back to them working fine. So what was the problem?

Is it worth using high octane premium petrol in your 4x4

The "regular vs high octane" petrol debate has been going strong for many years. Unfortunately, too often these debates are based on incorrect understandings and assumptions, and anecdotal "evidence" based on the same. So let's clear things up.

Do you need a tire deflator for off-roading, and how to use one

As you start off-roading further afield, and into more complex terrain, tire pressure becomes a critical component of your off-road capability and safety. Loose services, rock-crawling, mud, or sand driving all require dramatically different pressures compared to tire pressure for the road.

How to add a solar panels to your 4x4 - Off-grid solar power introduction

Adding solar power to your 4x4 is a game changer for camping and extended trips; rechargeable lights, speakers, fridges, etc., can all be run indefinitely with a sufficient-sized battery and solar panels, as long as the sun is shining.

How fast will a UHF radio drain your battery on standby

If you're meeting up to explore somewhere new with friends this can often mean no phone reception, and needing your UHF radio to find each once you're in the vicinity. If you're there hours early though, how long can you leave your radio on without draining your battery?

Parallel vs series solar panels - Which is best for your 4x4

When connecting multiple panels, you have to decide between wiring them in series for double the voltage, or parallel for double the current, so which is better? From personal experience, I would make the case that parallel is the better solution for camping. Here's why:

Vacuum sealing meals for camping

When I first bought a vacuum sealer, it was for experimenting with fermenting chillies/hot sauce at home. Using it for camping wasn't originally part of the plan, but as it turns out, it's been a great addition to liven up the camping menu and make meals easier.

Wide vs skinny tires for your 4x4 - Testing and practical differences

The "wide vs skinny" tire debate between off-roaders has been going forever, largely based on personal circumstance and anecdotal evidence. In this excellent video by Tinkerer's Adventure, the myths are put to the test, proven, and busted, with real work testing to demonstrate the practical performance differences.

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