 |
 |
| Picture Gallery |
| Guest Pics |
 |
| Vehicle : Kia Retona 4x4 Submitted By : Jo Smets (Belgium) Heres one I've never seen before; certainly not available here in Australia though I've heard of the Retona in overseas markets. Looks very 'Jeep' based ! Apparently they're used by the Korean military and were available in both 4 cylinder petrol and diesel versions. Judging by the graphic showing the maximum angles its a very capable 4WD. Want to know more ? Contact John Smets at smets_jo@hotmail.com |
| Odds'n'Ends |
 |
| This is probably one of the wildest Sportages I've seen to date ! Awesome flares, polished alloys, nudge bar and sidesteps make for a mean looking fourby.... It is displayed on the www.4x4x4.com website for a UK based supplier of 4x4 accessories though they ship internationally. Might be worth a look. They list various spare wheel covers, side steps & nudge bars to name but a few. |
 |
| Heres a couple of Sportages that seem to crop up a fair bit on various Kia related web pages. Probably the most radical off-road privately owned Sportages you'll see anywhere. Just goes to show that big tyres can be stuffed in those guards if you've got a big enough lift kit. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Vehicle : 1998 Kia Sportage 4x4 2.0i (manual) Owner : Micah, Gippsland, Victoria (Australia) Modifications 235x75/15 Eldorado tyres, nudgebar, towbar, roof rack, +2" King springs, tinted windsows, stereo |
 |
| Pics : Playtime in the Kia; Sportage is well set up for water crossings. High mount air intake above headlight level and electrics well up in the engine bay keep the important bits dry. Care still needs to be taken with any water crossing but I'd say Micah knows this area well judging by pictures. Things to look out for is water current and to take care that water doesn't drive the flexible engine fan into the back of the radiator. A recent 4WD comparison in a national 4x4 magazine saw a new V6 Hilux with a fan put through the radiator in only 60cm of water. Other potential problems include water being sucked into differential and transmission housings through the breather holes or seals. This occurs when the sudden cooling by the water draws the outside air back into the housings pulling water in with it. This can be largely prevented by fitting breather hose extension kits available from any 4x4 accessory place and are simple to fit. If you're not a regular water warrior then simply letting the vehicle cool down before crossing may help especially after heavy going. Changing fluids more regularly will also help prevent any long term damage as these are only scheduled for changing every 40000km. Not a bad idea to regrease wheel bearings and suspension components on a regular basis either. |
 |
| Says it all really; road tyres belong on the road and not off it with the exception of sand perhaps. The small grooves only serve to accumlate mud and its not long before theres 'zero' happening in the traction department. Micah has since fitted larger 235x75/15" mud tyres which is only 1 size down from the 30" BFG's I've fitted. I prefer All-Terrain tyres since they're far better than muddies on the road and only slightly disadvantaged in the mud off-road. I'd say that the muddies are well justified having seen this pic. |
| Vehicle : 2002 Kia Sportage 4x4 2.0i (manual) Owner : Gary Campbell, Victoria (Australia) Modifications : nothing as yet though judging by the pictures below this hasn't slowed him up much. Plans in the very near future include some suspension and body lifting, 31x10.5x15" tyres, bash plates and more. |
 |
 |
 |
| Gary came up for a visit during his holidays on the Gold Coast; he followed me up to Bribie Island for a brief trip up the beach which was a new experience for him. Unfortunately the weather wasn't ideal with a bit of wind about and the tide coming in quite quickly so it limited our stay to about 2 hours. We did get a couple of kilometers along the beach and had a bit of a BBQ and a yarn before the advancing tide prompted the early trip home. Ironically it was me who was temporarily bogged trying to get off the beach; moving off from a standstill in soft sand with fully inflated relatively chunky tyres (they dig in quickly) is always a drama especially with the better half, 3 kids and a heap of gear in the back. We were underway within a few minutes though after letting a bit of air out of the tyres and a push. Gary is hoping to return next year and perhaps organise a bit a week out in the rough stuff; Gary's Kia should have its tyres & suspension work. |
| Gary's Kia is still currently standard but is only 6 months old and with 7000km on the clock. He did comment on the relative performance of both of our vehicles. Despite having 3 kids and the better half on board, all the gear for the day trip (ie loaded right up !), bigger chunkier tyres and the extra weight incurred by the various additions and modifications (probably 400+kg all up) Gary couldn't keep up with 20KIA out accelerating the standard Sportage without much effort, despite the massive weight penalty. Although it certainly wasn't a race its the first time there's been any sort of comparison between a standard and modified Sportage. It shows that relatively little engine work (chip, exhaust, filter) can make a significant boost to power/torque, testament to the potential 'tunability' of the Mazda-sourced engine. However don't expect to win too many sprints in the first 50 metres; the 2.0 takes time to overcome the Sportage's bulky weight off the mark but once moving really hauls ! |