Brief History

From Offroad Blazers (1997) to 4x4back2nature (2005), we too evolved from a group of hardcore 4x4 enthusiast to cross border traveller. Our group consist of people from all walks of life. There is only one role for us in this group, that is having fun with our 4 wheels.

project

5/cate4/project

our 4x4 choice

Subjected to our abuse in our fight against the mother nature, we expect our vehicle to be durable and parts easily swapable especially on trail. For being located in the Asia part of the world, our choice of 4x4 brands are the popular Japanese brands like Toyota, Suzuki, Nissan & Mitsubishi. And in the order of this listing is also our more preferred rank of these brand.

Firstly Toyota cars replacement parts are easy to find and not too costly at our local market. Toyota has more variety of full axle configuration unlike Suzuki where it only has the Samurai or Jimny model that is having axle on its front and rear. All Mitsubishi model available here are IFS. There are also the likes of Isuzu and Ford but due to their design complexity they are less popular.

travel

5/cate5/travel
Why travel in a 4x4 ? While the cost of traveling in one does not justify most of the time . There are certainly some perks to doing this. That is why we cannot stop ourselves from doing it again and again.

tech

5/cate3/tech

playlist

5/cate5/playlist

video

10/cate6/video

Recent post

Classic River Crossing

Back in the old days where winch were less reliable, prone to overheat and draining battery at an alarming rate, with no portable winch anchor on hand and no big tree in sight. How long will it take the team to cross a river that is at least 4 feet deep at some point ,  and a dreadful sandy river bed ?




 Our first idea was to get a car over first , shackling all the straps and ropes we had and anchoring at the nearest tree we found. But the soft river bed was taking a toll on the overworked winch. Leaving the first car (Toyota Landcruiser 40) aside to cool down, we pushed the second car (Toyota Hilux) off the right bank. Moving in the downstream direction didn't seems to make it more easier as it inched towards the opposite bank. We solely relied on the winch just to avoid make the already very loose river bed even deeper.


Getting out of the nice sandy bank was no easy feat either. Eventually the Hilux managed to cross after changing anchor position a few times and tow out the stranded Landcruiser. We did not have much time left on the daylight. To avoid crossing the river in pitch darkness and save some time we decided that both the Hilux and Landcruiser should tow the rest of the cars over to the sandy bank and they could winch themselves clear. It was pitch dark when the last car made it cross the river but everyone's spirit were high. An incident filled expedition but a wonder topics for old talks in times to come.


Bush Repair , Field Welding

What will you do if had a broken free wheel hub or its studs and you do not have a spares on hand, unless you have a Trail-Gear creeper drive flange then you will have nothing to worry about. But you don't.

 How about a broken drive shaft ? Wouldn't it be nice if you have your workshop's wielding machine with you. But you don't have them now.

 Do you have to continue with 2wd or 3wd , or being towed for the rest of the trail if your rig cannot move by itself?

 Putting up a simple welding system with things you should be able to find on your rig, with the exception of welding rods, these you should prepare or brought along for all these to work.
To build a temporary 36V welding system you need 3 x 12V battery, connect the negative lead of the first battery (using jumper cable) to the positive lead of the second battery and negative lead of second battery to the positive lead of the third battery. Connect the welding clamp to the positive lead of the first battery and the work clamp to the negative lead of the third battery. 




 Things to prepare in advance Welding Rods - https://amzn.to/2ztCzuR Things you should have and better have in your truck heavy duty jumper cables : https://amzn.to/3fpqXIF ARB hilift jack : https://amzn.to/30BWeUn Automotive tools : https://amzn.to/3d01aVC It would be handy if you have some deep cycle 12v batteries like Odessey battery : https://amzn.to/3d272hc Optima battery : https://amzn.to/3cZ2dFe




Winch is always your best friend



A winch is definitely an essential tools on trails. A snatch block can also reduce the stress and improve the efficiency of the winch. Xtreme Unlimited 8 ton snatch block: https://amzn.to/3f0Mua6 2 ton snatch block with swivel hook: https://amzn.to/3dRKxww ARB 20000 lbs snatch block: https://amzn.to/2XGsAve Protect the trees when you are using them as an anchor point 3" x 8 foot tree saver strap : https://amzn.to/2YfvLtg A garden hoe can sometimes work better than a shovel 7" head x 54" hoe : https://amzn.to/30g2lh3 Do not be complacent when it comes to safety , get the right gear Get a 3/8" Amsteel blue winch rope by feet : https://amzn.to/2Xoz1BV 100' of 3/8" Amsteel blue rope ready to go : https://amzn.to/2Xjtvk2 Eliminate all metal parts on your recovery line with a soft shackle: https://amzn.to/3cYhsiK Warn Winch line dampener : https://amzn.to/2ZqloVA ARB Winch line dampener : https://amzn.to/2XmKJwV
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Phu Chi Dao - Chiang Rai Famous Peak



Located along route 1093 together with Doi Phatang and Phu Chi Fa is Phu Chi Duen or Phu Chi Dao (Google Map). They don't really sound the same but one our recent trip to Chiang Rai in December 2019, I remember hearing a restaurant owner in Ban Phatang naming a particular peak Phu Chi Duen, it could be the unnamed peak that we went to in 2017. So for this article we refer it as Phu Chi Dao. 

We did visit this peak in 2017 but late in the afternoon, as we are looking for a site to camp. At the entrance to the hike trail was a small plot of clearing. When we were there , there is no one around but we did saw some closed temporary makeshift stall and some put out campfire. We guessed there were some activities in the morning. Some of us did the climb to the top while other sit around and discussed whether we should camp at the spot and make the climb the following morning. Eventually we left the site to look for another location as it was still early. We end up going to the unnamed peak the next morning.



On the 9th December 2019, our plan is to capture the sunrise on Phu Chi Dao, because we knew that it will only take use 10-15 minutes to reach to top, we did not leave our guesthouse early. We reach Ban Phatang pretty late the day before so we did not camp. This is part and parcel of our kind of traveling as we normally do not follow strictly to our initial plan and tend to overstay at some place or make a last minute detour to visit a waterfall. 



  While turning in from route 1093 to the hike trail entrance we were denied entry as it was during the peak hours and and road to the hike trail entrance is also very narrow. We were not allowed to drive our vehicles and need to take their transport instead. For safety reason only one car is allowed going up or down. The ground crew have to radio those on top that a car will be going up and vice versa. And due to all the delay we missed the sunrise by an inch. But anyway the sight is still beautiful.


Shot on DJI Phantom 4 Pro : https://amzn.to/2XH7yeR DJI Mavic Pro : https://amzn.to/2zgFjvA Insta360 One X : https://amzn.to/2U8In4b Insta360 One X invisible stick : https://amzn.to/36KTe9p Insta360 One X venture case : https://amzn.to/2AjawOS Things you might see in the video: Gitzo Tripod: https://amzn.to/36L58Ag Lowepro Camera Backpack: https://amzn.to/2XN6UfQ Merrell hiking shoes : https://amzn.to/3dcs0uJ

Triangulated 4-link Suspension Peek



See how our triangulated 4-link suspension works on the trail. 

Our 4-link suspension built with the following parts :

Nitrogear Toyota 8" TV6 5.29 Ratio Rear Axle Chromoly : https://amzn.to/2XxbajJ Axle Center Link Mount : https://amzn.to/2A6Pp21 Shock Hoop Top Mount: https://amzn.to/3d9kIaY Lower Shock Mount: https://amzn.to/2AgQxQz Shocks: 3.0" Fox Coil Over Shocks Other thing you see in the video : Get a 3/8" Amsteel blue winch rope by feet : https://amzn.to/2Xoz1BV 100' of 3/8" Amsteel blue rope ready to go : https://amzn.to/2Xjtvk2 Suspension Limit Strap : https://amzn.to/2LXrLrr 🎶Get a Free Month of Quality Music Subscription from Musicbed http://bit.ly/362fARK Color grade with the most comprehensive Cinemagrade (Mac Only) Plugin for FCPX or Adobe Premiere http://bit.ly/39CUlYK Follow us on Facebook http://bit.ly/2StMebo



Deadly mistake during winching



Never use any thing you find on the trail for recovery like old ropes or anchor point. On one of our 4x4 trip in Endau Rompin(Johor Malaysia) we made this unforgivable mistake. Even though I am very sure we had enough recovery straps and winch ropes, somehow the old rope was lying there readily and handy for usage. 


The rope survived three recovery action but on the fourth, disaster happened, the rope gave way and slingshot the tow hook back towards the driver's face. Fortunately we escaped with just a broken windshield and no one was injured. We had heard many stories of such but encountering one was the first time. According to the driver the hook missed his face just by a few inches. Everyone was pretty spooked and now we do not take any recovery for granted. 


       

The victim vehicle a Toyota Landcruiser 40, equipped with a front mount PTO winch with steel line and a swivel hook. Everything looks like a recipe for disaster. Many of us already had been using synthetic winch rope those had not are already looking to change. Real synthetic rope is not elastic and when snapped will not create any catapult effect so they are now the number one choice for winch line nowadays. Some of us even replaced the metal hook or  
shackle with a soft shackle made with synthetic rope like the Bubba  Rope Gator-Jaw.

 Never be complacent about safety, do the right and safe way. 
      

An Unnamed Cliff - Chiang Rai Famous Peaks



Our trip to this unnamed peak in Chiang Rai, Thailand in the year 2017. A few camera was setup at the entrance but no one was guarding. We went through some plantations and all the road leading to this peak are very narrow and treacherous , and there is only one path in and out, it will be unthinkable for our gigantic landcruiser if there was another oncoming vehicle. 

 We proceed cautiously but then also looking for any living soul. From what we gathered from our travelling all these year we knew that the Thai are friendly and will let us camp at the location if we asked nicely. We came across a newly built campsite with no one around, looks like there is a plan to develop this place. There is even a toilet but with no lights. We knew that there is a beautiful location nearby through our research on the web and google map. We proceed until a point where our 4x4 cannot go any further, there is also a space clearing which i guess will be where all the transport will be parked in the future.


We have less than an hour of lights left before it gets completely dark, we decided to go for the summit to see what are we in for. There are actually steps but steps that are dug out by human. Looks like they are really going to develop this place. The steps are small and slippery as well but It took us about 15 minutes to reach the top and we saw this.

We knew we need to get back here tomorrow morning. We descend in darkness back to our cars and drove back to the newly built campsite and camp there for the night. The place was very quiet but we have 10 person in 2 Landcruiser and we are quite used to camping in very remote location but having the whole campsite to ourselves, this is the first. 

 We manage to catch the sunrise the following morning. Breathtaking!
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4x4 offroad in Thailand

We drove all the way from Singapore Malaysia to Thailand Kanchanaburi Province. We were honored to be invited to this 4x4 trip hosted by 22nor 4x4 Team in Thailand. One river but we crossed it 36 times to and fro. Its a totally different experience offroading with the Thais. We learned alot and admire their respect for the forest and nature.




The Complete Playlist

ER#3: Winch save the day !

We are once again back at our trip to Endau Rompin National Park in Johor , Malaysia. This is the 3rd obstacle we encountered. It is tougher but takes us less time than the first obstacle where we have to clear a massive wall of fallen trees. 

 As shown in the video choosing your path of approach for an obstacle can go both ways. You can breeze through or get into awkward position that require more recovery work. Nevertheless all of us get through with the help of a basic winch and teamwork. 

 One of our landcruiser 80 (Navy Blue) showed signs of transmission problem again. How will it turn out for the rest of the trip, follow us on our youtube channel and get notification for any new updates to this series. 





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Bridge crossing P.O.V




See how the suspension work or the bridge crossing action from a bumper mounted action cam.

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Doi Phatang - Chiang Rai Famous Peak

Our trip to Doi Phatang in Chiang Rai in 2013 & 2016 We visited Chiang Rai's famous peaks over these few years. From Doi Phatang , Phu Chee Duen to Phu Chee Fa (Phu Chi Fa), and an unnamed cliff between Doi Phatang and Phu Chee Duen, path and earth steps were created during the time we visited in 2017, and a newly built campsite (with no one tending) at the foot of the cliff. I guess it will be developed into a point of interest very soon.

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#doiphatang #phuchifa #phuchiduen #4b2nCreative #4x4 #Scenic #Drive #Thailand #chiangrai #travelasia #asiantraveller #selfdrive #selfdrivingtour #drivingtour #4x4tour #mountain #phucheefa #phucheeduen

Fastest Electric Winch vs Fastest Modified PTO

A PTO (Power Take Off) is a mechanical gear box that is attached to a truck transmission ,  these PTO can be used to powered hydraulics or even a winch directly.  Shaft connect the PTO output to another gear reduction gearbox at the drum where Industrial or loggers PTO normally have a ratio from 45:1 up to 150:1 for slow speed and increase pulling power. For a normal 4x4 truck winch the ratio normally around 30-35 is to 1. From the sound of the ratio , we can tell that the winch is basically very slow even slower than some electric winch.



A modified version of the PTO was born out of 4x4 competition in Malaysia, The gearbox powering the reel drum was replaced with IFS differential modified to couple to the drum. The Toyota Prado 90 7.5 inch IFS differential are the most commonly used in this application. The stock ratio of this differential is normally 4.11:1 that will be at least 7 times faster than the normal PTO speed. If the engine is not powerful enough , re-gearing can be done easily with plenty of aftermarket gear. The construction differential make them very tolerant against stress. Due to the speed of this winch , it has a few nickname to it - "Winch Hantu" or ghost winch as hantu is a Malay word for ghost. It is also known as the "Winch of God" as no other winch till now can match its speed and strength.

 Its use is accepted in major international competition in Malaysia, thus creating an unfair advantages for local team. But kudos to the officials whom had been trying hard to balance this out by introducing rules regulations and competition format but let us put this aside first as this is not what we want to discuss in this topic.



But until recently the speed gap between electric winch and this modified PTO winch has been narrowed. Electric twin motor winch has been popular recently and with over-volting (that is supplying 24V to a 12V motor) the speed can increase significantly. Red Winches from the UK even came out with a motor that can produce higher rpm thus improving the speed of the winch even further. Although there is still a difference in speed compared to the modified PTO currently but as technology improves the gap might actually be bridged.

 There are pros and cons for both type of winch which we will discuss further in our next post.