Whether you’re traveling on the road, up the coast, across a desert, down a mountain, the difference between an absolutely amazing experience and an offroad nightmare all comes down to preparation. Having the right 4WD spares and accessories on hand for your vehicle can make or break your trip, so we’ve devised a list of must have 4x4 spares to ensure your 4WD is prepared for action these holidays. 

With a wide range of 4WD spares and equipment available from bullbars, winches and driveshafts all accessible via the 4wheelhouse website, here comes our top 10 must have 4x4 spares and accessories you just can’t live without. 

CV Drive Shaft

A Constant Velocity Joint, or CV joint, is essentially a driveshaft running from the front differential to each wheel which is tasked with the job of providing drive to your front wheels. The shock your vehicle experiences whilst offroading can distribute destructive amounts of pressure to the drive shafts causing the CV Joint cage to crack or in extreme cases the actual shaft will break. Lifting your 4WD above stock height will also cause your CV’s to wear out much quicker as there is extra strain from the steeper operating angle due to the lift. 

However, this can be avoided completely by installing a DIFF DROP KIT. Oversized tyres are also a renowned CV Joint killer which you should definitely be aware of, having one of these bust on you over a weekend is certainly a nightmare and a half. 

Since offroading, lifting your vehicle and adding larger tyres all exponentially increases the risk of your CV Shafts failing. It is an absolute no-brainer to bring a pair or two with you as 4WD spares on your next offroad trip. Since the last thing you want is to be stranded somewhere in the middle of woop woop all because you didn’t purchase a set of spare CV Drive Shaft 4x4 spares via the 4wheelhouse website today!

Bullbar

A bull bar is a steel or aluminium bar typically attached to the front of 4WD vehicles which effectively protects them from minor collisions with other vehicles or animal strikes while driving off-road. Cars and trucks driving through rural areas need some form of protection from what might happen on the road. A bull bar is an absolutely necessary 4x4 spare & accessory for off-road vehicles in Australia with the constant threat of Kangaroos on and off road. Bullbars also offer an extremely easy and convenient place to mount a recovery winch as well as many other accessory/spares including LED Lights, Sand Flags, UHF Aerials etc. 

A Bullbar and a set of Brush Bars will make a world of difference with the frontal and side protection of your vehicle whilst off road, protecting your vehicle’s paint from scratches, knocks and dents. If you’re looking for a 4WD Spare/Accessory that will give your vehicle a whole new level of protection and accessory potential whilst making your car look even more badass, look no further! Treat your 4x4 to a brand new bullbar via the 4wheelhouse website today.

Spare Belt / Drive Belt

The absolute last thing you want on a weekend away is a snapped drive belt, bringing a spare belt is pretty much non-negotiable since if you’re stuck without a belt there goes your - water pump, alternator, power steering and/or aircon. This 4WD spare is an absolute no-brainer and you should always keep spare belts for your 4x4 on hand in case of emergency. You can pick up a drive belt on the 4wheelhouse website at any time.

Hose

Another no brainer absolutely essential set of 4WD spares you need to keep on hand whilst offroad unless you want to be stuck in a disastrous pickle in the middle of nowhere. If you bust a set of hoses while offroad and don’t have yourself a set of spares for your 4x4 the only way you’re going to be getting home is via a tow truck. Always ensure to carry spare top and bottom hoses and some self-amalgamating tape to prevent yourself getting stuck between a rock and a hard place. Automotive hose replacements are available for sale in the 4wheelhouse website.

Lighting

When touring in your 4x4 you’re going to be faced with plenty of long nights on the road, a great set of driving lights can make an absolutely massive difference in the drivers battle with fatigue, weariness and eye strain. Conquer and overcome the darkness with the brand new Supa 4x4 7" Laser LED driving light, featuring the latest cutting-edge technology from the off-road lighting industry! This hybrid Laser/LED tech makes these lights untouchable to other options in the market, with unparalleled long distance lighting performance (1Lux@1,076 metres).

Surrounded by 12 Osram chips with Optic Focus Tech, these killer spot lights deliver a combined 13,520lm, allowing you to adventure anywhere anytime safely and clearly. Supa 4x4 lights are made to survive in harsh Australian conditions with a virtually indestructible PC lens, IP-68 rating, powder coated die-cast aluminium housing as well as a 5-year warranty. 

Without a set of amazing driving lights, there are plenty of long distance obstacles/hazards that you could be missing with just your regular lights hence why these are an essential 4WD spare/accessory for your next offroad adventure. Purchase a set of LED or laser spot lights/light bars here.

Recovery Boards

Our range of Recovery Boards are a paramountly useful 4x4 spare/accessory to get you out of any and all pickles on your next adventure. These boards are a must have on any trip, no 4WD spare is as versatile, ultra reliable and super lightweight and easy to carry. Trax Boards have your fourbie’s back whenever it happens to get stuck by providing your vehicle extra traction, flotation and clearance to get you out of anysituation whether you’re in a desert, in the snow or in the mud. No 4WD spare/accessory is as useful, reliable and cheap as our range of recovery boards.

Winch

Whether you’re adventuring alone or with a group, having a winch installed into your vehicle can make the difference between driving home and walking home. Winches are an absolutely essential 4WD spare/accessory especially for more advanced and technical terrain.

As you take on rougher and more challenging tracks there are going to be times when a tow strap/recovery gear isn’t going to cut it and may in fact cause more damage to your beloved fourbie. Winches are capable of providing very controlled motions in small increments, this slow and steady approach almost certainly wins the recovery race over other recovery methods. As you can see Winches are an absolutely essential 4x4 spare/accessory for your next adventure to ensure yourself and your mates are safe in the event of any sticky situations. Grab yourself a remote control 9,500 pound synthetic rope winch today via the 4wheelhouse website!

Snorkel

Snorkels are much more than a cosmetic accessory to make you look the part for going offroad, it has the crucial role of keeping destructive water from your engine by increasing the height of your air intake to your roof. Thus allowing you to travel through usually dangerous water conditions with your precious 4WD completely unharmed. On top of this essential role, snorkels have many other benefits making them an extremely useful 4x4 spare for any trip.

Snorkels reduce dust intake and increase engine performance as the densest dust tends to remain lower to the ground meaning the Snorkel is taking inside cleaner air than it would have previously. It is highly recommended you get a Snorkel from a leading manufacturer such as Safari Snorkels as waters and engines certainly do not mix and a cheap snorkel could be doing your engine much more harm than good. Shop Safari Snorkels products via the 4WH website today and get your 4x4 ready for adventure with the greatest and latest 4WD spares.

Recovery Kit

One of the most important 4WD spares/equipment you must ensure to bring on your next offroad adventure is a complete recovery kit containing snatch straps, D Shackles, Recovery Points ect.

These kits are absolutely essential to getting you unstuck in tricky situations especially if you don’t have a recovery winch installed onto the vehicle as mentioned previously. Recovering your 4x4 using recovery gear can be very dangerous if the correct safety precautions are not followed, always ensure to use tree protectors, gloves etc. We strongly recommend using the Australia based RoadSafe suspension parts brand who are experts when it comes to high quality reliable recovery kits.

UHF Radio

For short range communication between other vehicles, a UHF radio for traveling in Australia is an essential tool to have with you. It’s the main protocol that offroad drivers, farmers, station workers, truck drivers, mining staff and emergency workers all use to keep in touch and cooperate with one another.

UHF radios are a crucial 4WD spare to ensure a safe and smooth adventure as they allow you to safely communicate with truck drivers, other offroaders, keep updated with accidents/road conditions and can be an absolute lifesaver in the case of getting assistance during an emergency. We strongly recommend both GME communication equipment and Oricom communication and monitoring branded UHF units as they are two very trusted brands who develop practical UHF mounted devices and aerials that are built to last the harshest of conditions.

Well there you have it, that is our list of the top 10 must have 4WD spares & equipment to bring on your next offroad adventure, ALL which can be purchased via the 4wheelhouse website, the home of 4WD. If navigating a website isn’t for you or you just want some old fashioned service, feel free to give us a call and speak to one of our friendly offroad experts on 1300 791 058.