FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The UBA DECK will not only make this possible, but satisfy other needs too. All 4x4 and 2x4 station wagons used for over landing, camping and daily use have either tie down points or jump seat mounts in the rear.

The UBA DECK utilizes these mounting holes to be secured in place. The UBA DECK also has two cargo rails embedded into the top surface to secure your camping gear or any other items that may be in the rear of your vehicle. The UBA DECK is ideal to bolt a fridge slider to as well. This will allow you to access your fridge/freezer by pulling it rearwards. An added bonus is you can mount the UBA ADJUSTABLE FRIDGE CAGE to the UBA DECK. This will cover your fridge/freezer preventing any loose items from falling in behind it when pulled out, or chafing against it.

If you have a portable dual battery system, this too can be secured to the UBA DECK.

This is truly a multi-functional accessory that every station wagon owner should have.

The UBA ADJUSTABLE FRIDGE CAGE is the perfect solution. Fully adjustable to fit most popular fridge/freezer sizes, it simply bolts to any flat surface, whether in the rear of your 4x4 pick-up, overlanding station wagon or off-road trailer. Now your F/F is protected and there is sufficient space for air circulation around the unit. There is a slotted top edge on the CAGE offering more storage and securing options for small, light items. 

The UBA ADJUSTABLE FRIDGE CAGE works perfectly with the UBA DECK. A match made in heaven.

The UBA CANOPY SPOILER was designed with this in mind. When installed to the rear top edge of a canopy, it forces moving air downwards behind the vehicle and thus equalizes the natural low pressure created at the rear of your 4x4. It is this low pressure that causes dust to get sucked into the canopy and load body and also settle on the rear door. The UBA CANOPY SPOILER will greatly reduce dust levels, making for a more pleasant camping experience. Dust penetrates everything and if you like to crunch crunch on it because it’s in the biscuits and snacks, well enjoy.

When overlanding and camping, a table is a necessity. But level, even ground is never to be found. But don’t lose hope as the UBA LEVEL GUY will come to the rescue.  Shorten one leg of your camping table and attach the LEVEL GUY. This has an adjustable foot which will overcome any uneven campsite giving you a sturdy, safe working surface.

If you own a pick-up, then you are in luck as most 4x4 pick-ups have a hollow tailgate just waiting to be filled with gear.

Whether you are a city slicker or love the outdoors and travel, the UBA TAILGATE INSERT is the perfect accessory for you. Designed to fit into a tailgate (for most popular pick-ups) there is now a lockable storage compartment to stow almost anything. From recovery gear, kitchen items or the stash of your choice.  The UBA TAILGATE INSERT is light and out of the way. When you are on your next adventure out in the wild, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it. 

If you like hunting and fishing, the UBA TAILGATE INSERT is just for you. It will comfortably hold most rifles and definitely hand guns. Your fishing tackle and small collapsible rods now have a home away from home.  

Camping and over landing in Africa is unlike any other place on earth. Here you become dinner very quickly if you are not prepared and well-equipped. It is imperative that you are geared up for every eventuality. Roof top tents are the way to go when roughing it in the bush. But less is more in my world. The idea of taking two hours to set up camp is out like biscuits in an orphanage. From the time you stop at the campsite to when seated in your comfortable camping chair, shouldn’t top more than 10 minutes. Seriously. Camping should be relaxing, enjoyable and pleasant. The UBA range of roof top tents (BUSH CRUISER and DESERT CRUISER) will offer you just that. Quick and easy to use, they take the fuss out of camping. Light and strong, these tents will not increase body roll and wind resistance by too much. A factor often overlooked.  They are great looking and have a whole new design which is new to the market.

Load bars can be installed onto these roof tents to carry anything from solar panels, to bicycles, surfboards and the likes. 

The obvious answer is that a good set of spots will do. After many hours of product testing the result is simple, fit a set of UBA/REDEYE7 LED spot lights. These babies will blow you away. Overlanding in the dark isn’t for sissies. Good lighting is a must, otherwise you may find yourself nose to nose with an animal, I kid you not. And it’s not a pretty ending. Not only are the UBA/REDEYE7 spots insanely bright, but they look damn good too. Guaranteed to hold their own against any brand on the market today at a third of the price. You will not find more light at this price and awesome quality. 

Yes, there finally is. The UBA/GS (gas strut) will do just that. Simply pop rivet this little gas strut to the lid and body of your F/F and voila, you can now use both hands to access that cold one or whatever it is that you need from inside your fridge. The gas strut will keep the lid open for as long as you need. Inexpensive, innovative and simple, just some of UBA’s key values to keep you satisfied and a happy camper.

UBA is all about solutions. Years of experience has taught us exactly what is needed to make your camping weekends and long overland trips hassle free and enjoyable. The UBA/BATTCLAMP is just another beauty for you. Cam lever operated, it tightens and loosens in seconds, no tools required. Both positive and negative terminals have four connection points for your accessories, like fridge cable, LED lighting, spot lights, solar input, dual battery requirements, DC charger etc. etc. 

UBA take tyre deflation/pressures very seriously. It is an extremely interesting topic to say the least. The fact of the matter is that most people get it wrong. So here are some tips that will help you. Rule number one, learn what speed and weight ratings your tyres are approved for. Number two, ask your fitment center what the lowest recommended pressures are allowed as this varies from brand to brand.  Now the big one. Did you know that your front and rear tyre pressures should not be the same? Why? Because the front and rear axle weights differ, meaning the downward force created by your load affects the tyre footprint size. It’s simple physics. You need to achieve a tyre footprint size which is the same front and rear as this translates into traction. Loss of traction means loss of control. Whether off-road or high speed tar driving, traction is king. The UBA/MYTRED was designed with traction in mind. By measuring the tyre footprint at different pressures 0.8, 0.9, 1, 1.1, 1.2 and so forth, you will be able to chart a series of measurements. You will now be able to set your front and rear pressures to achieve desired footprint. Example: front pressure 2.2 bar = 250mm footprint. Rear pressure 2.5 bar = 250mm footprint.  Now you have even traction all round preventing wind up of the propshafts and side shafts, improved cornering, better breaking, increased tyre life due to improved tyre wear. #UBResponsible. 

A very good question to ask which has some really logical answers, but as always, no situation is the same so to begin with, take it slow and observe.

Here are few pointers to take note of, but I stress, this is not a time for an ego trip because water is something to be respected. So if you do not feel comfortable making the crossing, don’t. Find another route if possible.

When you have reached the river or dam you need to cross, observe the following.

- Is the water level higher or lower than normal? Is the water flowing through fresh green shrubs, grass and or trees or is the level below the normal water mark?

- How well used is the track you are on? Can you see relatively fresh tyre tracks?

- Can you see an exit track on the opposite bank?

- Has it been used recently?

- Is the exit directly opposite you or slightly diagonal?

- How steep are the banks, both the entry and exit?

- How fast is the water flowing?

- Is it safe to walk the crossing? In other words, are there crocodiles or hippos or any other dangerous animals in the vicinity?

- What is the wading depth of your vehicle?

- Are you visiting a place in or out of the rainy season?

- Are there locals around to ask whether or not a crossing can be made safely?

I have to mention that every 4x4 driving instructor will tell you to walk a water crossing first, however that is plain stupidity in some instances. There is no way a person in their right mind should exit a vehicle and walk through a body of water in a national park in Botswana for example. Or a river in flood for that matter. Common sense must prevail at all times.

It is very important to do some homework on the route you wish to take prior to departing on your adventure. There are books and maps as well as travel websites that are full of information that will assist you in your decision making. Tracks 4 Africa for example have wonderfully informative books and maps to help you reach your destination safely. Always plan.

Now back to the observation points above. By simple deduction you will be able to ascertain whether you can proceed or not. A low water level and fresh tracks on the opposite side is good news. Gently sloping banks make for an easy entry and exit. Slow flowing and still standing water is best as driving into a fast flowing river is asking for trouble. There are countless videos doing the rounds showing vehicles being washed off causeways in seconds.

If you are confident that the crossing is doable, and it’s one you can’t walk through for safety reasons, you can always use recovery ropes etc. to link the first and second vehicle. Again this is dependent on how wide the body of water is and if the ropes etc. are long enough. But you can never be too safe. By having two vehicles tethered, this means that should the vehicle making the crossing run into difficulty, the “recovery” vehicle can quickly assist with an extraction.

Many folks have come unstuck when driving into a furrow on the river bed made by hippos. One minute all is going well and the next thing the nose of your vehicle disappears into the water as the front tyres drop into the furrow. This is Africa after all so be prepared and be careful.

When entering the water, go slowly but at a consistent speed. Too fast and you may damage your front bumper or radiator fan. I have seen some radiators completely dislodged and one or two broken completely by an over enthusiastic entry. Plastic front bumpers offer much resistance and too, can be damaged by the force of water being exerted against it.

A little trick to stop any potential water ingress, close all the windows and put the fan on maximum. This will create a positive pressure inside the cab and help in stopping or slowing down seepage. It’s not a bad idea to replace your door rubbers etc. before embarking on your trip, if you own an old 4x4.

If you have had electrical work done on your vehicle, like a dual battery system or extra plug points etc. make sure the fitment center has sealed all the holes thoroughly, especially those in the front fire wall and floor pan. I’ve seen this movie many times before with vehicles leaking like a sieve due to poor workmanship by service providers.

When driving through the water, try and maintain a speed that creates a nice little bow wave. This will in turn create a low pressure in the engine bay meaning that this area stays relatively dry believe it or not. If you do not have a snorkel fitted be sure that you are aware of where the air intake is. It’s pretty low so be warned. If you do have a snorkel, this does not mean you now own a submarine. There are still electrical connections and boxes in the engine bay that may be susceptible to water ingress.

This should help you with your next watery adventure. But remember, observe and use common sense and you’ll do just fine. 

If ever there was a can of worms to be opened, this is it. Roof rack companies and sales persons will tell you that a roof rack is a necessity because it’s a sale for them. However, let’s look at the pro’s and cons’ as well as practical aspects.

When you fit a roof rack you automatically get an accompanying free noise. It is what it is because there is now something on the roof that is creating drag and causing resistance. If the rack is on the canopy you’re lucky because you won’t hear it that far back. But for SUV drivers and pick-up (cab mounted rack) drivers you’ll hear the wind noise for sure. Some brands are quieter than others I must add.

I’ve always been blown away by customers who expect to hear nothing at all. That’s like walking on the beach and complaining about the sand.

The good news is that a roof rack is simply a trailer without an axle. You have a platform onto which you can stow and secure gear as well as mount accessories to. For example, a gas bottle, jerry cans, spade etc. The list goes on. It creates more packing space especially for items that you don’t want to store inside your vehicle, such as fuel.

There are amazing roof rack brackets these days which give the user a plethora of attachment offerings. And let’s be honest, a 4x4 looks really good with a roof rack with associated accessories. I’m a bit of a Kalahari Dutchman, looks are important to a point.

Fuel consumption by the most part, is negatively affected due to the increase in wind resistance, but the biggie is body roll. Because now we enter the world of safety. And this is where it often goes horribly wrong. A driver cannot expect the driving characteristics of the vehicle to remain the same now that there is roof weight. Cornering is affected, body roll increases and breaking takes longer, height restrictions now paly a roll, just to mention a few. Another important factor is roof weight capabilities. In other words, how much weight can my roof take before damage occurs? Most drivers are completely clueless as to their vehicle specifications. A Jimny for example has a roof weight allowance of just over 30kg, not because the roof isn’t strong enough but because of body roll. It’s a short, narrow vehicle which is highly susceptible to body roll when the center of gravity is increased and weight added. It’s that simple. And this applies to all vehicles. The moment weight and height are added to the roof, everything changes.

My favourite is roof tent fitments. Why on earth would you cover a 2m long roof rack with a 2m long roof tent? It’s crazy. Not only have you wasted money on the rack but there is unnecessary weight and height added to your vehicle when a set of load bars would have sufficed. Load bars will save you roughly 20kg in weight and around R8000 in price. You never ever need a roof rack for a roof tent, I’ll stake my life on it. Let me give an example. A 110 Defender (up to 2019) roof is 2.8m long. A 2.1m long roof tent leaves 600mm of usable space. Place the tent on 3 load bars and fit it as low as possible. Now install a 1400 x 600 roof rack in front of the tent for small items. The awning can still attach to the load bars, the spade and jack now mount to the rack and off you go. The same applies to foldable roof tents of 1400 x 1400 in size. Fit load bars. No roof rack is needed.

Always try to mount the tent as low and light as possible.

I’m a fan of a flat rack, in other words there is no lip or rail. This reduces drag and noise and also allows an item to hang over the edge without laying at an angle. Sliding a tyre on and off a rack with a lip is far more difficult than a flat surface etc.

Three different methods are used to mount racks. Gutter mount is the simplest of all however only a few vehicle manufacturers use gutter style rooves currently. The other method is to drill a hole in the roof in order to mount tracks or legs. These run parallel on the edge of the roof. This fitment requires the roof lining to be dropped in order to access the bolts coming through from the top. There are no negatives to this type of fitment as long as the technician seals the holes correctly with a good quality sealant and works carefully when stripping the lining so as not to break any plastic clips and moldings.

The third method uses factory holes of which some brands are already threaded which means no roof lining drop. It is an external fitment just like that of a gutter mount rack. However, sealant around the holes is still required to prevent water ingress. If the hole is not threaded, then the roof lining must still come down however no drilling is required.

In closing, a roof rack is a fantastic accessory and extremely versatile, however always keep in mind, weight and height.

You are more than welcome to contact me for advice.