At the time I was pretty convinced I wanted a endless air system for my Tourer GU Patrol. It just made sense.., it would never overheat, pump up the tyres super quick, and even let me run air tools if I ever wanted to. Perfect!…..right ?

Well, it seems that the people that make the endless air system havent really updated their brackets etc in a while. You see, my Gu is a 2003 model 4.2 Diesel, which means it has a extra cross member at the front of the engine for some reason. So if I was to buy a endless air compressor and the brackets for a TD42 (my engine), it would foul on the cross member…. The advised solution ? Bash it with a big hammer until it fits….. Im sorry but I dont really feel like bashing in a cross member on the newest car ive ever owned!

So my solution ? Get a smaller electric compressor for now. I already have one of those 100% duty cycle BOSS air compressors in the Ute, and it works great….but again WAY to big for the space i had spare.

So what did I go for ? Well the new compressor from ARB. I have had the older style ones in a previous car, and althought they werent exactly fast, they always did the job. I ended up installing it under the washer bottle, seems to be a perfect fit. I have to say….geez they are quiet compared to the older style / boss compressor. I haven’t really had a chance to really ‘use’ it yet, but from what i have seen…it does give me confidence that it will do the job just fine.

I still think that eventually once there is either a bracket or compressor that fits my car without having to bash anything…I will go endless air for sure!

Well….after a LONG drawn out process of trying to figure out what suspension I wanted to put in the GU, I ended up with the following options…

Springs.

EFS
King
Dobisons

Shocks

Bilstiens
Koni
Tough Dogs
Airbags ??

Well, as far as springs go, I ended up not bothering with airbags…after talking with a couple of people that supply airbags, and they basicly admited it was reasonably easy for a stick etc to puncture an one… I didnt really think they were ‘bushable’ enough for a tourer, nor did I feel that just getting some super heavy duty springs was going to suit me because it would ride way to hard when unladen.

The solution ? Helper bags… So I ended up choosing some medium rate king springs, and putting some Polyairs in them…so far its worked a treat…and the worst that happens if a bag blows ? The Patrol doesnt sit level…I can handle that…

Now Shocks…I was ‘very’ tempted by the bilsteins until I relised they are mono tube design…sure great for disapating heat and such….but what happens when they cop a dent from a rock etc ? Well…they stop working…. Not something I want to have happen in the middle of the desert!

So….Koni’s was the choice….but which Koni ? there was 3 models to choose from… 82, 88 or the BIG 90′s….

We obviously my first thought was the bigger the better …..Right ? …Well seems i was wrong…After chatting to few ppl, the 90 series is a race shock, so might have been to harse for want I wanted…..So i ended up with the 88 series… Saying that, I still have a nagging doubt in my mind that the 90 series would have been better suited….oh well, time will tell!

Went to the Springs 4×4 Park for Easter…I must say… I had a ball!

A bunch of us left from Brisbane and drive up there on the Friday, and then left on the Sunday morning. Apart from a few ppl having cold showers the camp grounds were excellent.

Friday and Sat morning was nice and dry, with the rain starting on Sat arvo…made for some interesting driving

Anyway…heres some pics…

The rest of the pics are HERE