4x4 Mag - Readers Rides

Reader's Rides : May 1999

This month we take a look at a selection of Suzuki Jeep off-roaders ranging from the "Mad Professor" and his modified LJ80 to Jon Cass's practically bog-standard early SJ410. If you want to appear here please send in your photograph and some accompanying text and we'll do the rest.

It's a known thing that those who drive off-road are a little on the crazy side but consider this, Bob drive's a Volvo all week and at the weekend the alta ego comes out when he dons his "Mad Professor" hat and drives in an explosive fashion at various off-road driving events. His LJ80 is fitted with dumper tyres, a full roll cage with bucket seats and safety harnasses, rear mounted radiator and various body parts modified to prevent them fouling whilst negotiating difficult off-road terrain. Bob enjoys his off-roading and even when things go wrong such as CV joints disintegrating he always seems to have the spare part with him, and a mobile workshop to complete the job too !

Working six days a week in the electrical contracting industry you have to deserve a day off every now and again, and during such times of rest John Bradley trailers up and off he goes with "Bushpig", his modified-pickup SJ410. Springing is very soft for an SJ, a full roll cage, bucket seats and harnasses and a sense of humour propel this man and machine through some practically "impossible" sections. This SJ isn't far from standard specification, but it isn't a road going motor so John can enjoy the off-road challenges without the associated fears of paint work scratches and panel damage.

Many folk are quite worried about taking their 4x4 off-road, and such an approach is a sensible one, caution should always be exercised before venturing into the unknown. However, once you've started and the off-road bug has bitten it's possible to enjoy your time in a standard vehicle. Jon Cass has an early SJ410 and has the simple modification of a set of mud-biased tyres which really transform the performance of his vehicle whilst off-road. There's not many places he can't get to comfortably (was that the correct use of the word "comfortable" when describing travel in a Suzuki??) and there's always a smile on his face, since Jon believes that off-roading is as much fun to watch as to do, and enjoys the non-competitive ingredients of open-days.

Landscape Gardener Richard from Derbyshire has been steadily rebuilding his "G" reg SJ413 Samurai for road and off road use, and the final modification was a set of 215-15 Mud-Terrains on Vitara rims. These fitted with the standard suspension system and enables Richard to enjoy the rigours of off-road driving, whilst changing to the original 195-15 road biased tyres for day to day commuting. Again, it's the simple modification of tyre changing that can provide so much more traction and forward motion much to the embarassment of some of the Land Rover drivers using standard M&S pattern or Town and Country rubber.

That was our Suzuki round-up for May, let's hear from you Hilux, Patrol and Landcruiser owners.