15 WORST to BEST OFF-ROAD MODS for Protection 

I believe the humble UHF deserved a spot on the list. While it's not a preventative measure, it can greatly increase chances of getting help when needed when phone signal is non existent.

I used to work in the wheel manufacturing industry and encountered wheels of all types and observed the tests to get a standard accreditation for them. I can tell you not all standards are equal and many forged after market dont even get accredited. Proper OEM cast and in some cases forged OEM are strong and often pass the gutter tests without loosing air at all. Lightweight after market wheels failed every test, Forged,Cast or even billet. Explosive Air release and very often if not huge cracks through the bead seat. Cornering loads are not so severe but after market Steel rims usually fail very quickly cracking in the hub, Alloy after market are better but depending on their design will also fail quite early. Multi drilled patterns should be illegal IMO as they crack a lot and keeping wheel nuts correctly tensioned required a lot of attention in every long duration test. After market Steel rims are almost always made from thinner steel and are frequently pressed without the dimples that allow a little flex between the mounting holes that allow for a little flex all wheels encounter during mounting and use. This is where they usually crack if they have been made properly. Wider than standard steel rims will also add increased load to the wheels hub mounting so a wide set of steels should use a hub that's thicker than even standard. In short if isn't OEM 90% of the time it's weaker in all aspects. Forged rims can often hide pinches due to the process if there has been a temp issue when being made and should be avoided unless x rayed 100%. Their strength VS weight benefits are good but unless it's for track use is a down grade durability wise. Steel rims are the toughest by a long way however material thickness, hub design and weld quality play a big part. Cold welds and or undercut will start cracks. Hoops can often have undersized bead seats that keep the tire mounted when it goes flat. Also on the majority of modern passenger stuff the bore for the hub should be made to fit very snugly around the pilot on the brake hub. Wheel studs are there on these types of mount to hold the rim against the hub and not locate it radially. If there is to much clearance it introduces extra loads on the wheel stud, nut and the contact point between the two.

I used to drive the Guatemala jungle and found that the… Rear bar = protection reversing in tight spaces i.e trees, rocks, and option for rear winch. Brush bar = also for tight spaces, lean overs, and protection in really deep ruts Big fan of snorkels but they do become a liability on the trail, getting caught up on branches. Need to turn the snorkel head around. I do enjoy Peace of mind! Good bar work also helps protect your vehicle from people who can’t park and I find it keeps other vehicles at a distance on the road. If they tailgate, sucks for them if they accidentally rear end you.

I have none of those, I don't even have a 4x4 yet but I am here to learn.

Good on yah Ronny for having the guts to say you might have been wrong previously. A trait not too many exhibit on youtube but a real element of improvement in real life.

Our bull bars have saved our trucks 12 times from deer strikes. One strike was so hard the buck flew over the fence after impact about 20 feet. None of these were deliberate but because of running deer. Your list is very comprehensive and exact. Thanks for sharing this knowledge.

When I was a youngster we called them ‘roobars’ not bull bars…no bull.

Offroad driving/driver training. Whilst not a strictly a vehicle mod, it certainly changes the risks, peace of mind, and reduces track damage.

Rock&tree sliders give protection for under the door sills. If damaged this is a costly body work repair. For me it proved to be one of the best investment

No mention of being able to jack from the rock sliders in crazy. Perfect for a Shepard's jack when you're in a touch situation

After watching shauno flop the dirty 30 over in the Rubicon, the brush bars have earned their place.

Another tick for the Grenadier. The number 1 mod, a pre-filter, isn’t a mod. It comes included from factory.

03:37 True! plus carrying the compressed air in that second spare (when you're already carrying a compressor) is another good couple of kilos. I believe in the 'carry the spare tyre, not the spare wheel approach'. That being said, it might then also be useful to carry a spare inner tube, in case the rim gets badly whacked, although this would be a terrain specific consideration.

First thing I did with my Defender was put HD steelies on it. They are heavy but I’d have other bigger issues if I did enough damage to the vehicle to damage them. Also put a raised air intake on it because I was heading to Morocco, the dust and sand it collected was an eye opener.

It's "PEACE of mind" not "piece of mind". As in "these brush bars bring peace to my mind about the issue of dents."

I'd push the rock sliders up the list a few pegs, if you get 'T Boned' in any accident, they transfer the impact to the chassis .. instead of the other vehicle crushing the cabin into the chassis. Confident that steel side steps saved a friend's children seated in the second row seats, in a side collision.

Brush rails help hold the bull bar forward with multiple animal strikes

I raced off road with steel rims, so many dented up rims and yes we hammered them back into shape, keep a tube of silicone to help reseal the tyre bead if really badly bruised

Numero uno. Fridge & Beer. Thanks anyway Ronny.

Hey Ronny, Kangaroos are often disorientated by bright lights. Dim your lights right down and move the car slowly and they will move out of your way much quicker, especially if they are just sitting on the road.

You missed nudge bars and 2 inch body lifts... these seem to be popular with the crowd that thinks that 22 inch rims with low profile muddies is a good idea.

I have all these mods in my Pajero. I completely agree with every single point raised, this is probably the most informative video around! Great work!

rear bumper and brush bars are a god send in victorian 4wding, remember not to count out states with different driving.

Rock sliders definitely saved my door sills, good protection.

I added the brush bars to my Grenadier because they were only a couple of hundred dollars and I felt they gave good protection against car doors in car parks and gave a bit of extra strength and support to the outside hoops of the standard bar. I also live in an area that is crowded with big roo's so if they add any extra protection I will take it. As you said, a little extra peace of mind.

I've actually had 2 tires blow out at the same time. Middle of nowhere no phone signal. Ended up driving around 15-20 miles to the nearest town with 1 still blown. Totally destroyed the rim. Almost nothing left of it. Luckily the little farm shop had an old tire on a rim that fit. So 2 spares for me when I'm way out there by myself.

World solo travellers I met (LR Discovery) recommended 'no winch'. Stops you thinking you're invincible. Same as the snorkel water argument.

That front side bar helped save a colleague and from a high speed accident. Oncoming car lost control on a corrugated bend and slammed into us and skid down the side.

Great vid mate as always and excellent editing. Agree with the listing obviously others might have a different view however you have provided it to us in an easy to watch and understand format. 💯🤙🏽🇦🇺

30 years of off roading and one time I destroyed two rims. We won't mention how fast I was going when the rock jumped out and took out the passenger side wheel. Or that I continued that speed after replacing the first bent rim until number two went by-by.

Very easy peace of mined task to do straight away is to make sure whatever style jack you have is actually going to fit and work to lift your car also just a bonus is a uhf even if it's just a hand held

The Snorkel has given me so much peace of mind before I had it I was out one day and I tried to cross a big mud and water hole driving in the shallow section I suddenly slipped into the really deep section and the water was just below the air box in that moment I decided to get a snorkel.

Nice 👍 I had a suspicion fuel wouldn't even make it on the list at all at first. I'll add an extra long fuel hose as a Mod too - direct to the tank, no dodgy joins anywhere, and wrapped in chafing points with that split plastic cable conduit stuff - cheap, effective. If the hose does still end up drawing air/losing fuel through a split/hole somewhere - then you can cut n' shut with a cheap connector.

Good video, Ronny. Thanks for sharing.

Nice work great episode thanks

Loved the list. Nice work. The only other thing that came to mind when you were talking about engine protection was a Provent. I would be curious where that fits on the list?

I was wondering about the on-board air compressor. So you can reinflate after flats or airing down.

thanks ronny - you knew this would incite all sorts of comments. Well on my 200 series - the rear bar with no attachments has otherwise saved my plastic rear bumper on just about every long trip. Gotta notch that up a few rungs on the list. Otherwise great session.

This is great! this is also the content i love to see :)

Ronny you need to open your mind a bit and realise that not everybody lives in WA . I’ve said this to you before when you told people that a winch isn’t important to have. Brush rails , nobody in history has ever bought one for animal strikes or branches! They are for if you slip sideways and lean agains a tree or a dirt bank or wall . I’ve seen many people on clay hills get off line and rear the bar directly agains the base of a tree . Other places exist other than WA outback . I thought you’d have leaned this on your trip to Victoria

Ronny, I have yet to realise my dream of the great lap, this episode is a real eye opener for a novice such as myself and where to set the priorities for the mods, thank you

Great info - thanks.

Brush bar, used by cattle farmers to reopen a gate that is closing due to wind or design wear as the vehicle is going through, A quick tap on gate and your through

Grenadier lookin awesome, Ronny!

I don't even have a rear bumper on my pickup. I built my own spare tire and jerry can swingout which I don't install unless I'm going offroading, as unless I'm going offroading I don't need a second spare or all that extra fuel. For protection I actually adapted a tow hitch meant for a vehicle with a much wider frame, cutting off the brackets meant for that other vehicle and constructing new brackets to weld them onto that hitch crosstube. It's still not _quite_ wide enough to protect the rockers behind the wheels but I can add more material on if I feel it's necessary.

Surprised at the rear bar position. I have probably done about a ten thousandth of the off-roading you’ve done - I’m basically a weekend warrior in a Troopy in the UAE and Oman, but I damaged my OEM rear bumper very quickly after getting the Troopy on some simple tracks. I’ve damaged my new rear bar as well, but only with minor scratches :) Plus my rear door doesn’t squeak any more now the spare wheel is on that rear bar!

Scrub bars for me are used mostly with cattle or gateways but when 4wding mine have been strong enough to support my vehicle against banks. I've been up on 3 wheels in massive ruts and my scrubbies have hit stumps and the bank itself saving me from panel damage alot. But when pushing cattle around it gives me alot of confidence not to have to worry. The only part of my ute that isn't protected is the doors but doors are easily replaced

When I had my 98 XJ Cherokee...the snorkel and a K&N filter improved my fuel mileage. While I was not as aggressive with my build as most...It brought my "modded" Jeep...it had a 4.5" lift, ARB front bumper and a custom rear bumper on 31" tires...at almost 300K in mileage...I was still getting 19-23 on the highway. While I didn't test the mileage on a trail...it is something to consider as a positive.

Forgot lager... a cooler and ice and lager. Absolutely a safety necessity!

I think the diff and gearbox breathers is the best mod you can do. So cheap but can save you a blown gearbox transfer or diff

I love my suspension upgrade. On unsealed roads it feels like the Ute is running on rails. A jump starter is also a good insurance if you can’t fit a second battery, like in the Navara D40. Tyre pressure monitors reduces the risk of losing a punctured tyre. 10 years ago I drove from Brisbane to Birdsville via Windorah with lots of traffic (Birdsville races) and back on the Strzelecki Track, no snorkel but also not extra dirt in the air filter. Though never encountered long stretches of bull dust.

awesome as always

Long range tank should be top 10

Did you realize the 1 GD already has 2 fuel filters? High pressure and low pressure

I have a rear bar for my LC200 for the second spare. Do I need it? Probably not but I have previously ruined three tyres on a 4WD trip. The tyre I run now would be better than they were back then but there is still that nervousness at the back of your mind. I could carry a carcass but I would not have the skills or tools to change it in the middle of no where. I am happy to sched the extra 30kg else where to carry the second spare on a rim even if it is overkill. Just a personal preference.

So what have we got on our 4wd out of this list.. rear bar.. tick (doubles as the tow bar too) brush rails: no 2nd spare: no suspension: not yet side steps: sadly only factory.. so useless bash plates: tick dual batteries: no diff breathers: not yet winch: no steel wheels: no hooped bull bar: tick offroad tyres: AT's tick snorkel: tick pre fuel filter: tick not bad so far.. work in progress :)

Is not the rear bar not worth the assurance of a rear end collision?

Interesting seeing the difference in concerns of where you are vs here in the Mohave Desert. For us, underbody protection is one of if not the most critical because of the sharp rocks that put holes in everything. Dual spares is also a very good idea for long trips due to the likelihood of sidewalls being taken out by sharp rocks, mesquite bushes, etc. I really like the idea of just carrying a 2nd tire instead of the whole wheel though!

Excellent video.

Hey , Thank you very much for these videosqui have taught me a lot and comforted me in some ideas. Did you make a video about the role of intercoolers are they really useful? Thank you and enjoy

This was some great info. I was expecting led spotlights in the top 5 and a higher rated bottle jack. Gearbox breathers are also a good investment if i didn't catch it. Im guilty of carrying a spare on the rear. Ive got two swing aways. One for an extra spare and the other has two 20L jerry cans with water and taps for weekend trips.

Personally, winch is always #1 and proper anchor points, I'm american y'all do it different down under. Burying the spare as an anchor, I never thought of that, thank you. Solid presentation 12/10

You might wince at 2 spare tyres but having experienced 2 punctures in Tanzania in open lion country I can assure you that we definitely needed both of them after crossing various creek beds and then promptly had the 2 punctured tyres repaired at the nearest camp station we could find.

Honestly, the rear bar is more for protection from other drivers in the city! In my case, a trailer hitch would sit low, but an integrated one to a rear bar would sit higher and look better on my older Pajero/ Montero IMO.

Brush bars come in handy when you have to park on tight streets too. I got a few peoples paint on mine from their sideswipes

Saving this wisdom for future reference! Very nice info esp here in Africa.

From my personal experience the brush bar (we used to call them side rails) has saved me twice. First from a roo that bounced into the side of my troopy and second from sliding into a large boulder on a narrow muddy track. Yet while I would not get rid of the bull bar, after 4 trips around OZ it hasn't saved me once. It is just how the dice roll.

Rear bars also provide the option of of bolting on some decent recovery points and an alternative jacking point for kangaroo and or trolley jacks. But as you say they do provide superior rear protection. Someone ploughed into mine at the lights and it destroyed their front and bonnet. I ended up with a rub mark that buffed out.

I love seeing ruffty tuffty FOUR WHEEL DRIVES cruising around Adelaide with the two - and now sometimes three if you look underneath - spare tyres, The little pull-out shelters on the roofline - those plastic sand tracks and four massive whip aerials all ready for yet Another bush crushing trip So Far into The Outback the locals have never even seen a car. They look So tough with the spotless wax and polish I have to speak with a growly voice. Most of these mods are for scared people looking to protect their investment. Mind you, I did extend my diff breathers probably 25 years ago and I recently put LED bulbs in the headlights and pretty much regret it given they are so harsh for anyone coming toward them. That said, I DO rate the diff lock and sensible stuff like a second fuel filter. Thanks for the insight into the things today's air conditioned adventurers worry about. ☺

I have all those mods (apart from the hoopless bar). I would agree with the rankings overall and it would be futile to argue a place or two up or down for a particular mod. I think the biggest takeaway here is to understand what a particularly mod can offer you and how that intersects with the type of travel that you undertake. I am 100% onboard with steel wheels and you did not mention the drawback of recessed wheel nuts on alloy wheels, that I know you had experience with.

Nice one Ronny. Seems I've FINALLY found an off-road channel that provides awesome value, although I'm sure there are others out there. One thing of note for me though - as I gather prep myself for mods to my S76 - is no mention of the larger fuel tank upgrade. I thought that was a given when it comes to considering extended miles in the Red Centre when you're miles from the nearest fuel station. Are you saying that rather than a larger fuel tank, simply stock up on 2x jerry cans for example? Interested to hear your thoughts and the thoughts of your followers. Cheers all!

Snorkel for water crossings … Don’t you need to upgrade the alternator to a water proof one as well?

Would be interested to see you run a Central Tire inflation system for a bit. Having used them on trucks I'd like to see how they go on a car.

Great video

Ronny. Best regards from Poland

Tirfor style hand winch beats electric winch hands down. You can pull sideways and backwards. You can pull a fallen tree off the track. The hard physical labour is also a psychological deterrent to getting stuck.

Winch … If you don’t have one drive as if you don’t have one.

Rear bar has been my best investment. Twice i have been rear ended driving through Dar es Salaam. Once I backed into a tree, which was my fault. Yet you would never know looking at the back of my 76. Context will determine much, as will the vehicle.

Hell Ronny That's one, Piss Poor Horn you have there🤣🤣🤣 sorry couldn't help myself

Brush bars make a difference depending on tyre and wheel offset. I've seen caved in guards on inbankments, but the same car with wider tyres and negative offset ran through with about 30mm to spare

Very good i have to agree with all those things

Make my own (weld) rear bar small in size but most rock protection i can get. My Rock skids are "weld in " protect underside and side i can even change a bolted L skid if it scratched it too much.My front bumper is "Pre runner" style even for best offroad angles and most protection.

This entire list suprised me, with the exceptions of winch and off-road tires. Many of the videos that rank offroad mods list rock rails at the top of the list. But this might depend on the type of offroading the person does. In my area, dust isnt a problem, so the snorkel might not be important. But rocky, uneven trails are the norm, so roackrails and skid plates might rank higher.

How about catch cans? Cheers bro good vid

Thank you 🫡

So #1 can be ignored for those of us on petrol engines? I hear of them used a lot in diesel engines, but not petrol engines.

We wrecked two tyres in 20 minutes on the Gibb River Road years ago. Had to hitchhike 100kms and would have killed for a second spare. But you’re right. It’s really not worth the weight, space and expense to carry 2 spares.

Good review. I'm a Landy guy, Defender driver. Discovery is great, but I wouldn't touch TD/SD V6

How do you know fuel pre-filter is well designed, what if it stores water and debris making it worse for the factory filter. BHP crash tests (N70 Hilux) show that crash with bullbar causes more damage to vehicle and driver, even at moderate speeds. I would expect similar with rock sliders. Underbody protection can cause dry grass to be stuck under the vehicle, starting a fire. It's not realistic to uninstall them every 10 minutes to clean out the dry grass/plants.

I run a FASS fuel pump on my 02 duramax but for a little extra peace of mind I bought an adapter for the factory fuel filter that allows me to put Caterpillar 1R-0750 2 micron filter. I do intend on adding bull bar later on.

Brush bars? No I slammed mine into walls countless times in extremely rutted sections that require speed.. I kept denting my fenders into the snorkel protrusion, haven't had a broken snorkel since... For Heavy Offroad use, Brush bars are a win.

Howdy Ronny, greetings from virginia in usa.

Lots of INCORRECT information.

Great list! Unfortunately the snorkel option for my 2004 Touareg is twice the cost! Two air boxes…

Having recently trying to remove a Mitchlen xzl tyre from a steel rim, I'd like to see a video on removing and putting on a carcass on a rim in the Bush, I found the belting too tough, had to take it to a garage. Thought the same when ASPW said take a carcass.

i have a rear bar on me 76 series mainly to get the 35” spare off the door and extra fuel. but in the vic high country the bar copped a hiding in and out of rivers, saved the back of me cruiser when a car rammed up me arse on the monash fwy and lastly when the engine blew up, was the only way to push it onto the 4 post hoist with the forklift. some excellent points on this vid tho mate, making me wanna take me arb side rails off! 😂

I spent a couple of months in Botswana, out in the Kalahari, where the locals carried no spare at all. I asked why, response was "why, we fix the puncture instead". Granted, that was sand country so sidewall damage is unlikely, oroblem was mainly thorns.

Great video. Although I reckon you would be worse off if you hit a cow with your bullbar at highway speeds.

Hey Ronny, I don't often Disagree with most of the points you make on these videos, but I just saw the first one, and I feel the rear bar is more than what you mentioned, because you can have a custom bar that includes Rear Side Wings that protect your rear quarters, which are SO very expensive to repair if you cave them in, and also smash your tailights. I have never seen rear quarter protection that wasn't attached to a rear bar, but it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I'm building my on rear bar and wings right now and its a massively slow process due to having to redesigning it on the fly, from one step to the next. So Maybe a point that was glossed over or ignored.

ive got two cars in my drivway now that have damaged fenders from roos and had a small bull take out the fender of a 45 series 40 years ago. i now have scrub bars