What was your first 4wd, and how did you gain experience?

Good one Daza ,
Mine was a LWB landrover Series 1 with a holden red motor rev like hell and flat out at 80k.

Took a few work mates to the offroad buggy races and drove over a lump in the road on a diagonal and lifted LH front and RH back off the ground and went no where.Both LH front and RH back spinning around but that was that.Had to get a push .

Scoof .. :-o

Wasn't exactly mine but it was a 6WD Studebaker 6cyl side valve, and a landrover, 2.2 litre 4 Cyl petrol

88 LS Jackaroo. First real off road with experienced friends on the trails around Harrietville, scared me to death, but gained a great respect for the capabilities of the 4wd.

The friends had always had Hiluxes and were surprised at how good the Jack was.

Next one was the 98 Monterey which I still have today.

My 1st 4wd trip was in my Son's 4Runner on a training run we bought him as a gift.

I was hooked.

Soon bought a 2nd Series v6 Pajero with Super Select changer, hit the Powerline Trek and Beaches to gain experience. Then travelled Pilbara & Kimberley, had a ball.

Have just bought 4.2 Gu Dx Patrol with trademate canopy on back. Kitting it out and am hanging out for our next trip.

My first 4WD was a 20T MAN Diesel (well did not own it personally - but had to look after it for 12 months) when I did my compulsory military service in the early 70s. Had at least 30000 k's dirt and terrain when left the service. Was the driver/member of an 8 person radio communication unit and we did go "everywhere" with a 5T Generator on a 4 wheel trailer. Over improvised bridges, through rivers. mud and sand. Over hills and through tight tracks and behind a tank if we needed a few trees flattened to go where we needed to go. In most cases we never aired down and if we really got stuck there was a truck in front or behind to pull or push .. in really bad cases we had the Leopards to pull us out, but that usually resulted in an additional weekend watch for incompetent driving, and that included the other people of the unit too ... so you had enough pressure to do things right :)) ... the key was: Never loose momentum and have the 7 people walking if need be .. pushing was pretty useless with that sort of weight. in deeper sand we layed sand ladders and if it was really bad we aired down .. from 75 psi to about 45-50 ps. Ripping a tyre off the rim was a no no. And by the way ... the truck at the time did not have power steering; that saved the gym money (well we didn't need it at the time anyway :)) ..
have fun
gmd

My first was a short wheel base MQ Patrol it had the SD33 Diesel and 10R15 wheels and tyres. It was fitted with a chassis mounted roof rack because the resin top over the rear section was not strong enough to carry anything. It certainly carried some stuff in the time I had it and yes it was overloaded.

I bought it from a yard less than a kilometre from my home but still managed to bog it before I turned in the driveway. I had taken the scenic route.

I laughed when it happened. Some time before getting the MQ I had picked up a book on 4wdriving. Inside the front cover was a quote ""The reason you buy a 4wd is so you can go to a worse place to get bogged." Thing is I keep finding them, worse and worse and worse places to get bogged. I love it.

Duncs

Daza,

A 1988 Red two door Nissan Pathfinder 2.4 Petrol, 4 cyl, 8 spark plugs. That vehicle went places that Hiluxes were going and some times further. Greatest track was the "face" at Wirriba Ridge off the Putty road 100km north of Windsor. NSW.
The Pathfinder was a good vehicle to learn how to 4wd. Wheel placement was very important. A good vehicle to serve an apprenticeship in.
I had that vehicle for 4 years until the lease ran out and then my wife went an bought a 1992 Toyota GXL Turbo Diesel 80 Series and I was stuck with that vehicle. Travelled all over Australia in the 80 Series.
Since then 1x 75 Series Troopie and 1x 78 Series Troopie, and still travelling all over Australia.

Wayne

I suppose my first 4wd was an 83 subaru. Had high and low range. A great little car but I gained much experience driving a John Deere 4wd Back hoe on the olympic site.
Had that in some precarious situations. Also bobcats and excavators. But I reckon the biggest lesson was when I tipped a roller on its side trying to get it over a 200mm windrow

Going from way back to now:-
1st Drivers, not mine, belonged to the Fed Govt
LHD Jeep
Austin Champ
Series 2 Landrover 88
Dodge Power Wagon
Studebaker 6x6.

My own over the years, 1973--2008
1971 Landrover S/2A LWB
a gap of a few years with young kids and "normal" cars
1978 Toyota FJ55 (the only bloodyToyota I bought, more fool me)
1981Subaru S/wagon AWD # owned at same time
1962 Landrover S/2 SWB # *
1979 Landrover S/3 LWB 6 Cyl * owned at same time
1978 Range Rover
1989 Range Rover
1977 Lada Niva ** owned at same time
2003 Subaru Forester AWD **
1999Discovery TD5 -- current family vehicle
1996 Ford Courier Dual cab 4WD diesel -- just sold
1981 Landrover S/3 LWB Trayback -- current "play" ute.

I also worked for the State govt for 22 years and drove various Hilux/Navara/Rodeo/Triton/Daihatsu and Suzuki's while there.

Wonder if there are others with similar experiences on this site?
There must be!

Disco.

Daza

Can't recall which came first. It was either the Case tractor or the Essex truck.

Regards

Kim

Series 2 LWB Landie with a Holden 202 and auto. Under the bonnet was like a spaghetti factory, wires everywhere. Blew the engine up at Parachilna. Acres of room in the back.

First one was a cyan blue FJ45 well back landcruiser with a 253 V8,
never missed even with water 6 inches up the windscreen and no blind or snorkel.

now I'm on my 35th cruiser,
3 gutluxes
and various cars since 1988
but the tojo's are great.
(driven too many nissans doing commercial 4wd tours to own one)

Cheers
Dave

It was a then 10 year old FJ 40 SWB cruiser, young and dumb I paid $3000 for it only to have people laugh at me!
Everyone (except me) knew that the dive boat operator, who used to own it and used it to launch/drag his boat in and out of salt water, after about 6 weeks (when my foot went thru the step)I then began to suspect that my baby had some dark, DARK secrets.
It got me to Sydney (from Moruya, 300 k south) tech on 22 occasions over 4 years, only failed me once when I put too much radiator anti leak in, thus blocking the whole thing, getting hot just out of town, as well as heaps of trips into Bendethera/Alpine and surrounding mountains, coupla trips into Melbourne. around 80-90000 ks in total, Different body/tub, different guards and bonnet, valve regrind(what 2F didn't burn valves), re cored radiator, over the course of 5 years.
When it did let go,It was doing the Tuross head to Batemans bay shuffle to work (103 kms round trip)6 times a week for nearly a year!, I was my fault, the combination of dimly lit gauges and 2 am starts, a quick look at the gauges, temp was low( still warming up) oil pressure was 3/4 scale, all good, Turned onto Princess Highway upto 95 Kph where it was most happy, and then started to get slower and slower, then it came good for about 3 ks then it went clunk, RATTLE, RATTLE, RATTLE, stopped, on the side of the Highway 2.20 in the morning, upon closer inspection of gauges I realised then that I had them back to front, that is to say The temp was 3/4 up and the oil pressure was nearly to the bottom of gauge.After a nice 12klm walk I was finally picked up by the only vehicle to come past,a greyhound bus, who got me to work
That was the end of it, couldn't justify spending the money on the trusty girl, the rust had taken hold of the chassis, just not worth the effort, mate bought it of me for $800, put a 318 valiant motor in it, welded both the diffs, and used it for bush basher for a few years, now is in some paddock, rusting away.
Gained a hell of a lot of experience, not only with 4 W driving, but also in knowing your vehicle, never did anyone else ever do anything to it, Changing the body/panels, servicing, I removed/ replaced the head (actual valve grind was done by the experts) giving me the know how/where things are and the ability to at least try and diagnose whatever situation may arise.
I have just recently bought a FJ 73 which is not that different, but has a 5 speed, power steering, aircon, drinks like a sailor(25l/100 on gas, not that much better on petrol)still cheaper to run, than the diesel, but bog simple!
My 105 series has the basic 1HZ but even it has "stuff" on it, It goes to Toyota for services (just out of warranty), It does the big trips (Simpson, central Oz, Vic High country) but the Middi, good for the local bush(Brisbane), Moreton Is ,Fraser Is, nothing too life dependant, it IS getting on abit, sooo much mechanical similarities that I learnt with, giving me the ability to do everything myself again.
I don't know how many people I have put to sleep reading this, but, this post triggered memory's of past times (not THAT long ago)thinking how good a vehicle was back then, when relatively speaking now, where not that flash at all, but SIMPLE, All it needs is spark and fuel!

Shane

Mine was a brand spanking 94 Pathfinder 3.0 lt petrol. 18 months I had it, 100 000km going to places like Cape York, Gulf Carpentaria, Alice and surrounds, Tanami, Breifly into the Kimberly's, Darwin, you name it, that thing took me there and back. Safe as a house and was only REALLY bogged 10 km's from home when I lived in Sydney hehehehe. Had a few since then though.

Trevor.

Datun 1000 station wagon. Went bush, got bogged...squired my girlfriend [while going bush and getting bogged].

Okay.. not 4wd, but I treated it like one.... and dreamt of having one with 4wd... AND THEN along came the first SUBARUS!!!

I saved up and bought a 1600. Kept it until it rusted out. It was a cream colour, but as the rust started up, I hand painted it Killrust brown to match the rust colour. Not low range, just Go range... fantastic fun. I've had four more since.

Then three landcruisers, and two 4 runners and a Hilux.

Still got one GIANT landcruiser Supa trupa and a F360 tray.

Hmmmm the Kobota tractor is 4wd too!

GdAy
My first was an austin champ that my bosses brother owned. I had to do the servicing and all thirteen uni joints. Then part time for the big company, i learnt to drive a 6x6 GMC of which i had to teach servicing.Then land rovers, Ferret scout cars and The Saracen troop carrier, 6wd .
Muzbry

Daihatsu Rocky LWB
2.8L Diesel

How good were they.

Hi guys mine was a 89 Troopy ambo was a fantastic car, most of my experience came from trial and error with a few mates tagging along out the at Kurnell and trying to bog the cars and the trying to get them back out.
Always plenty of fun.

Cheers

Clint

First 4x4 was a Daihatsu Rocky (Short wheel base). That thing went anywhere (also for a swim in the ocean that the previous owner neglected to tell me about).
First experience was getting 'sort of' lost off the Gibb River Rd & coming up out of a river & missing the exit ramp. Lost the plot & gassed it only to launch the vehicle onto a hump (still axle high in water) & bottomed it out.
I could run my hand under all 4 wheels. Had to radio for help. A kind bloke found us & attempted to tow us (no good) so had to wait for a vehicle with a winch.
Now-a-day I won't go anywhere without a winch.
Cheers (from a now more experienced traveller)
Jason

My first and still is my belovered Paj 91 NH model,Me and the son went up to the Flinder's and did the Skytrek,what an eye opener.cheer's GREENDOG

Not a 4wd, but a Morris Isis was the first car we had, and drove it to Cooktown in around the early sixties. That car went everywhere. Our first 4wd was a swb Landrover series 11A, I loved that vehicle. Original motor, slow when pulling an 18ft tandem Glendale.

Not a 4wd, but a Morris Isis was the first car we had, and drove it to Cooktown in around the early sixties. That car went everywhere. Our first 4wd was a swb Landrover series 11A, I loved that vehicle. Original motor, slow when pulling an 18ft tandem Glendale.

First 4by was a Landcruiser vintage about 1966 bought I think in 1974. That saw good life and had to be hot wired a few times when a junior Nick R threw the key away three kms from home. Little bugger. Three speed box and long stroke six cylinder. PTO shaft to the front but no winch.

Three Hiluxes and a Rodeo before Moses and an 86 manual Rangie too before a 320ML. Countless 2by vehicles, including Falcon utes, Comodores, two Tickford modded Ghias.

Back in the early 70s though before the LC ute, there were things like a 1600 Capri with the Weber carb, and then 142 Volvo. Went like a train even over our local potholed gravel roads. No radar guns of course. Had an earlier Mazda 1800 and Falcon Super Roo that really could empty a fuel tank. Guess I learnt to drive in a Falcon ute.

Tractors by Ford, International Harvester, Deutz, John Deere and Clarke for an industrial

Subaru Brumby for me. I spent many a night with the swag in the back. Loved that thing. Best sand vehicle.