Why you shouldn't go offroad with the towbar on...

[murcod]

The pictures say it all.

I also learnt another lesson: if you're stuck on a bit of a slope don't let the seat belt retract- there is no way you'll be able able to pull it back out again!

[Toyhatsu]

David,

That's exactly why you need to jack your suspension all to hell and run 35" tyres

[murcod]

Hi Kent, that's the first time in 11 months of owning the Feroza that I've actually managed to find somewhere to get it stuck! There isn't anywhere within a couple of hours drive for me to go driving- that pic was taken on a sidetrack and that was the only decent hole there..... Until I find more places to go, there isn't much point in me jacking the suspension. It's a daily driver for me and spends 95% of it's time on road.

I got through in the end- with a bit of ploughing and tyre spinning. The wife wasn't too impressed though with the rough ride.

I think the clutch needs improving first anyway- it's not too good when it's fully released in lowrange first and you're not moving forward.

[Toyhatsu]

David,

I was just kidding you. Sometimes I wish that I hadn't started modifying but it is too late to look back now. I can drive for 10 minutes to some "in town" trails. It's about 45 minutes to some moderate to difficult trails.

If the wife is in the navagators seat isn't she the one to get out in the mud and hook the winch cable up? You'll just have to remember to unbolt the tow bar when you go out in the ruff.

I'm sure that you have probably done this but I'll ask anyway...have you adjusted the clutch?

Take care

[murcod]

By adjust the clutch I take it you mean check that the cable has free play when the clutch pedal is out? If so, I last checked about 10 mths ago.

There was no way my wife was going to get out- she wasn't impressed with the angle we were stuck on! I wanted her to take a video of me driving out- would have been a good video as there was a bit of tyre spinning going on.

I'm getting a new towbar made up soon- one of the ones where the tongue assembly slides into a receiver and is pinned in place. It probably saved my trailer plug from getting ripped off the bumper anyway.

[ShinyDiscoBalls]

As usual I cant see the damn photos... Hey murcod can you email them to me???

Cheers

[-Mick-]

Your feroza is too clean You need to dint it up and break some stuff

[murcod]

Your feroza is too clean You need to dint it up and break some stuff

I did score a new dent in the front bash plate after that hole.... does that count?

White doesn't show up the dirt either- it was actually very dusty in those shots.

[Kell]

I'll have to remember I have a tow bar for future reference, I would be the kinda person to forget it and mess the back bumper up

[murcod]

It won't actually ruin your bumper- the tow bar bolts directly to the chassis. I was left sitting there with one rear wheel off the ground as the weight was on the towbar ( it wouldn't have been so bad if I had an LSD.)

If your trailer plug is mounted under the bumper like mine then it may pay to move it before it gets ripped off.

[FEAROZA]

Your feroza is too clean You need to dint it up and break some stuff

Yeah - I just broke off the rear drivers side wheel flare - reversing backwards down a narrow ravine - the first stuff I've broken on my truck.

...Then the next day the driver's door handle fell off too... Makes it a pain trying to get in. But battlescars are still cool.

[SimplyPV]

lol screw that.. i broke tons of shit when i went to sand lake here in the u.s. paid $1500 jus to restore it back to the way it was. lol

[Kell]

It won't actually ruin your bumper- the tow bar bolts directly to the chassis. I was left sitting there with one rear wheel off the ground as the weight was on the towbar ( it wouldn't have been so bad if I had an LSD.)

If your trailer plug is mounted under the bumper like mine then it may pay to move it before it gets ripped off.

Are you mocking me????

[SimplyPV]

lol yes qld.. always! j/k he jus means that u need to fix ur exit angle a bit an u should be ok with ur hitch/trailer plug ins... it seems to happen to me alot... lol. when i get my suspension lift.. shouldnt be too bad! i've only gotten stuck once because of that. but i have managed to force the hitch into the ground as i tried to climb something. its pretty ineresting how the roza will muscle its way into something. lol

[philby]

I too did this the first time i went off road. It pissed me off a little but it means that i have another thing to fix. The only difference is i did it the opposite way dropping off a small bank. With my trailer plug i have mounted it into the bumper itself and it is out of the way.

[-Mick-]

I did score a new dent in the front bash plate after that hole.... does that count?

[murcod]

It won't actually ruin your bumper- the tow bar bolts directly to the chassis. I was left sitting there with one rear wheel off the ground as the weight was on the towbar ( it wouldn't have been so bad if I had an LSD.)

If your trailer plug is mounted under the bumper like mine then it may pay to move it before it gets ripped off.

Are you mocking me????

Ummmm..... No! Just trying to help with some suggestions before the same thing happens to someone else.

I think it was Murray who ripped his trailer plug off a while back and then had electrical problems because it was shorting out.

[murcod]

A pic of my new custom made towbar hitch, levitating mid air and coated with primer.

That should cure any clearance problems.

[BushBoy]

Hi Kent, that's the first time in 11 months of owning the Feroza that I've actually managed to find somewhere to get it stuck! .

If you're not getting it stuck you're not trying hard enough

[MJHsurfin]

A pic of my new custom made towbar hitch, levitating mid air and coated with primer.

That should cure any clearance problems.

G'Day Murcod,

Isn't this the same guy who concerned with fitting slightly larger tyres to stay legal
Hope you're gonna get that non-Australian Standards Towbar Point Engineered & Load Tested before you attach a Trailor to it

Personally, I feel your original design towbar did the job a lot better. Sure it was the 1st thing to ground - & that is exactly as it should be - it is doubtful you would have done any damage to it & it is an ideal indicator to when you have pushed your departure angles to far.
Now your flimsy rear bumpers, these you will rip off with no trouble at all - they are flimsy tin plate & will bend up at the mere hint of a rock. Looking at your orginal pic your towbar "saved" your rear bumpers -

No way I would have gone offroading without my original design towbar ON

[murcod]

Hi Mike, my old towbar wasn't a certified one anyway- I know all the new ones come with plaques on them.

The new one still hangs down lower than the bumper, so will provide protection- it was how far the old one stuck out the back that was the problem.

[FEAROZA]

It the first pic an OE or Daihatsu tow set up?

I couldnt find one so I got a bloke to weld one up for me for $100.

It had to be a little longer so the bike carrier/carry bar could clear the spare wheel. Pretty happy hpw it turned out.

Anyone else have a bike carrier/carry bar set-up on their feroza? how did you do it?

[murcod]

The first pic is the one that came on the Feroza when I bought it- no idea what brand??? I have seen other Ferozas with towbars that sit a lot higher- they probably have problems opening the tailgate with a trailer on though? With my old one the tailgate would open no probs.

The new one is a cut and shut version of the original. I know you can buy the towbars- found them on the internet once- but they weren't cheap from memory!

The good thing about the new one is I can use it as a recovery point too (something I was missing on the rear before.)

[rOd]

If your serious about improving your departure angle, then maybe you should remove the towbar and original bumper. Make a slim thick walled tube bar to replace the OE bar, then get the pre wide track aussie Rocky tailights to screw into where your current blanks are on the body.

Rod