It’s an obvious statement to make that 4WD vehicles needs to be serviced. Most of us do get our vehicles serviced, but not all servicing is of equal quality. We asked the experts at APB Trading Ltd. for a few quick and simple tips to keep your 4WD in good repair and motoring along.

When you get yourself a new pride and joy, the first thing you should do is read the manual in detail. This will give you lots of useful and important information about your vehicle including the correct timing/scheduling of service intervals.


Knowing and setting the correct service schedule for your vehicle is important, and it is also important to set a schedule that suits your own requirements and the type of use you put your own vehicle to. Most 4WD manufacturers recommend a service schedule of 10-15,000KM, but most also suggest that you make it more frequent if you are hard on your vehicle or do a lot of towing etc. It is also a good idea to get a service if you have spent time in a dusty environment. It goes without saying that you should also regularly be checking your engine oil, brake fluid, clutch fluid, transmission oil, radiator overflow and power steering system.

Tyre Pressure

Having the correct air pressure in your tyres is very important and affects the longevity of the tyre as well as traction. If you have the wrong pressure for your environment the tyre will wear more quickly or unevenly and you wont have the optimal traction.
When off road driving tough corrugated and rocky roads are a very tough environment for 4WDs and if you dont reduce the air pressure when driving on such surfaces the wear on your tyres and vehicle is amplified. Overall picking the right tyre pressure for your terrain will massively improve fuel economy, reduce wear and damage to your tyres and your vehicle and will also give you a more comfortable ride.

Dont overload your vehicle

The more weight your vehicle has to carry, the harder it has to work. Obviously we do need to load up our 4WDs with lots of gear, but you should really strive to not overload the vehicle.More weight means more wear, more fuel used and ultimately a shorter vehicle lifespan. Look in the manual to see what the vehicle payload is and dont exceed it. If you are towing a traile, make sure it too is not overweight and that it is safely packed and balanced.

Things that are bad for your 4WD

It can be great fun driving across slippy, wet and deep mud.. It’s can be challenging and also very enjoyable. But you should know that driving your 4WD through mud is one of the worst things you can do for it. The Mud can gets into all parts of your vehicle , and it’s abrasive, corrosive and extremely hard to fully get rid of.

Mud can block radiators and can clog up everything from bearings to and alternators. There’s nothing mechanical (or electrical) that does not react adversely to mud, so keep this in mind. Similarly, you should ‘never’ drive through salt water unless you have no other options, because no matter how much you attempt to clean your vehicle afterwards, you will still have shortened its lifespan.


APB’s workshops are fully equipped with the latest Autologic diagnostic equipment to carry out 4×4 servicing and maintenance on the full Land Rover range without affecting your manufacturer’s warranty. Performance tuning and power upgrades are available for most Land Rover vehicles.Not only do APB service and repair Land Rover, Range Rover, Freelander and Discovery but also most makes of off-road 4×4 vehicles to include Toyota, Mitsubishi, Daihatsu, Nissan, Pajero and Isuzu.

APB’s experienced 4×4 mechanics can handle minor or major repairs, MOT preparation, and arrange MOT testing by appointment. The bodyshop can rectify anything from a slight scratch to serious damage. Chassis change and re-builds also available.