HiLux - Arctic Modifications
-
Body work
Flared wheelarches protect the balloon tyres and stronger running boards were added.
-
Wheels & Tyres
The standard HiLux Invincible 16inch wheels and 255/65 R16 tyres were replaced with bespoke Arctic Trucks aluminium wheels with two valves per wheel. These were shod with Arctic Trucks AT405 38-inch studded snow tyres, running at pressures as low as 4psi to give good flotation over snow.
-
Spotlight / Winch
Winch mounts were fitted front and rear together with electrical connectors so that the winch could be fixed or removed easily to either end of the vehicle. KC Xenon driving lights were added at the front.
-
Fuel Tank / Transmission
Arctic Trucks 4.88:1 ring and pinion differentials were used, with front and rear diff locks with cold weather preparation. The vehicle ran on specially blended diesel, with an auxiliary 90-litre fuel tank increasing total capacity to 170 litres.
-
Extra Equipment
The HiLux carried a wide range of kit designed to address the special risks of driving in such extreme conditions. These included the latest Garmin GPS navigation system, Iridium telephone, VHF two-wat radios and three bespoke on board cameras. An auxiliary electic system with a 220V inverter was added to provide adequate charging power for camera equipment.
A shotgun was also carried for protection should any polar bears get too close.
-
Reinforcements
The front bumper, front suspension, transmission and transfer case were protected by heavy duty skid plates, made of 5mm thick aluminium. The front suspension was lowered by 50mm, moved 40mm forwards and given an additional 40mm of lift. At the rear longer, more pliant leaf springs were fitted, with heavy duty long travel bump stops and specially tuned shock absorbers.