Mopar Lift For Jeep KK Cherokee Now Available

Locally produced for Jeep in Australia owners of the latest Jeep Cherokee KK models can now fit genuine Mopar 50mm Lift Suspension Packs.

The kit includes heavy duty coil springs, front struts and rear shockers and will give the Cherokee that extra clearance and load carrying ability it really does need. Standard clearance on the Cherokee is poor and vulnerable to damage in 4WD terrain so will be most welcomed by Cherokee owners. The kits are now available from your local Jeep dealer and your warranty will not be effected if supplied and fitted by a Jeep dealer.

Bull Bars Here To Stay! Government Withdraws Bull Bar Ban Proposal

A Victory For Common Sense and the voice of the 'silent majority'. Our Four Wheel Drivers Campaign has been a  huge success in forcing the Government to abandon its planned compliance with European regulations. The Four Wheel Drive community can be proud of its effective campaign proving that the voice of the people can be heard, 'We Drive 4WD's And We Vote'.

The following statement was posted on the Four Wheel Drive Victoria website today stating that the federal Government has withdrawn its proposed Bull Bar Ban.

'The 4WD Council have been advised that the RIS has been withdrawn on the grounds that the regulation is not appropriate for Australian Conditions.
This is a significant win for the 4WD Industry and vehicle owners
If the recommendations of the RIS had been adopted into Regulation, they would have seriously impacted the fitment of ‘fit for purpose’ Bullbars on Australian vehicles, this spells the end of Government Regulations (GTR 09) in Australia and whilst we still may have some issues within some States, causing problems for the Industry and Users in the future, it would be unlikely that any State Minister would table GTR09 for adoption in their State
Thank you for your support
Grahame McCraw - Convenor
AUSTRALIAN 4WD INDUSTRY COUNCIL'
http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/ck/releases/2011/February/CK006_2011.htm

Rubicon Diesel Turbo JK Wrangler... Would You Buy It If Jeep Built It?

Lots of people say they want one of these. A JK Wrangler Rubicon with the 2.8L Turbo Diesel; it would be an awsome vehicle in four wheel drive terrain, especially when the going gets tough. We think with its front and rear diff locks, electric sway bar disconnects, Dana 44 Front and Rear Diffs and 4.1;1 ratios combined with the massive torque of the Jeep CRD Diesel Turbo engine it would be a real sales winner. It would also be a great outback touring vehicle for those long distances between fill ups.

Everyone knows the petrol powered Rubicon is an awsome vehicle off road but it is let down by its not so good fuel consumption and small fuel tank range.
The people at Jeep Australia seem to be ignorant to the demand for this version of the Wrangler so, complete our survey and lets see if we can put some pressure on Jeep Australia to plead our case to build the ultimate Wrangler.

70 Years of Jeep - WW2 Australian Jeeps In Action - New Guinea

In this the 70th Year of the Jeep we pay tribute to the work the little Jeep achieved with the Australian and Allied  Troops in the Second World War. Its worth taking the time to visit the Australian War Memorial Website and explore the many articles and photos in the archives, just use the search filter and insert Jeep Photo; you will find a huge collection of photos of the Jeep in action.
Check it out at Australian War Memorial

Aitape, New Guinea. 2 March 1945. Many rivers have to be forded by jeeps in the Aitape area. Private Don Garnar of Broken Hill, NSW, uses his ingenuity to wash a pair of pants from the jeep as it fords the river. Driving the jeep is Driver Alan Wilkie of Mildura, Vic.

Jeep Club Profile - ACT Jeep Traction

ACT JeepTrAction is based in Canberra ACT and started life as a way of enjoying Jeep ownership between a few local jeep owners.  There was no elected officials or committees, no AGMs, no treasurers etc. This was just a group of like-minded individuals whose sole interest was using their Jeeps in the company of others.

Over a short period of time interest had grown and the idea of forming a club was explored. Today, ACT JeepTrAction is a fully functioning non-profit organisation. Its structure allows the club to remain flexible and to ensure we are always working in our members' best interests.

The Club is mainly aimed at the beginner (newbie) up to intermediate level. We cater for the needs of those new to Jeep or 4-Wheel Drive ownership by helping with access to professional advice, tuition and support.
We are are a small club and as a result members are encouraged to contribute to the running of the club. The club's resources are available to all members to assist them in the organisation of events, whether social or off-road based.
We promote a safe and responsible attitude to off-road driving and exert no pressure on our members to tackle obstacles they do not feel comfortable with. Help and advice is available at every step and the key to the concept is the informal atmosphere.
We also arrange social events, proving that the club isn't just about the vehicles, it's about the people as well. Indeed, ACT JeepTrAction is a community in its own right. Check them out at ACT Jeep Traction

2011 Grand Cherokee Diesel To Debut at Geneva Motor Show

To be shown at the Geneva Motor Show, the all-new Jeep® Grand Cherokee will debut a new, optional 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine available for Europe and Australian markets. The new engine is more powerful, more fuel efficient and produces lower emissions than its predecessor.

Built by VM Motori and developed together with Fiat Powertrain, a company of Fiat S.p.a., the new 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine produces maximum horsepower of 177 kW (241 hp DIN) at 4,000 rpm and torque of 550 N•m (406 lb-ft) at 1,800-2,800 rpm. This translates to 10 percent more power and eight percent more torque than the engine it replaces.
Even with its improved performance, fuel economy for the new 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine is 8.3 L/100km on the combined cycle, an improvement of 17 percent over the prior diesel engine. CO2 emissions (combined cycle) are also reduced by 17 percent, now at 218 g/km.
The V-6 turbo diesel engine is fitted with new-generation, 1,800-bar injectors with new MultiJet II technology, developed and patented by Fiat Powertrain and which made its debut in 2009 on the 1.3-liter diesel engine equipped on the Punto Evo.
VM Motori have supplied Deisel engines to Jeep for many years and are currently used in 4 cylinder form in Cherokee, Wrangler and Chrysler Grand Voyager. The new Diesel Grand Cherokee variants are due in Australia mid year.

IMPORTANT 4WD NEWS National Code of Practice for 4WD Mods Released

The Federal Government has released the The National Code of Practice for Light Vehicle Construction and Modification.
Basically this means 4WD's with lifts up to 50mm including tyre size increases must not exceed 50mm in total and are not subject to engineer certification. Lifts exceeding 50mm do need certification and testing.
Interesting that NSW did not proceed with their propsed VSI50 regulations but the Federal Government has snuck in with their own changes that almost mirror the NSW's proposal.
It has been released for adoption by the various State Transport authorities. You can reference the document at: 
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/vsb_ncop.aspx  


Note: to include the Preface / Introduction in your reading of relevant sections. We draw your attention to references to modifying vehicles equipped with ESC (intro para 3.16/LS para 2.6). It is clear that each State Transport jurisdiction will apply the NCOP in conjunction with local interpretations, so check with your State Authority for definitive requirements.  

IMPACT
"Vehicles whose ride height is raised by more than 50mm must meet the requirements specified in Codes LS7 and LS8 and undergo a lane-change manoeuvre test in accordance with ISO 3888-1 Passenger Cars – Test Track for a Severe Lane-Change Manoeuvre – Part 1: Double Lane-Change to ensure its stability has not been compromised. The test procedures and requirements for the lane change test are detailed in Section LT Test Procedures Code LT4."
"Raising the height of the vehicle may be performed without certification providing the overall increase in vehicle height is not more than 50mm. This may be achieved as a single modification such as the installation of a 50mm lift kit, or by a combination of smaller lifts as described below: the fitting of body blocks or lift kits (50mm maximum if no other modifications resulting in a change of vehicle height are performed); 

• suspension modification, (50mm maximum if no other modifications resulting in a change of vehicle height are performed); 
• changes to tyre size (maximum change in tyre size diameter of 50mm);
• or a combination of the above that results in a change of vehicle height not exceeding 50mm."