FFR vs GS

[Trigger82]

Hi all,

Currently in the process of researching to buy a Perentie.
I've purchased David's buyers guide and been running through it.

As much as id love a 6x6 with the gates and canvas canopy as I would find them rather useful occasionally especially for shifting a grey Fergie I'm getting my hands on, the budget definitely doesn't extend that far :) and a tiny turn off is it has more dedicated military only parts, aka body panels.

It will be used as a typical semi everyday driver as the wife has her car and will only be doing longer distance runs in it if I'm heading out fossicking or maybe start camping again (if I can convince the wife :p )
will be semi used as a bit of a trayback for smaller furniture etc till a 3/4 tonne trailer can be purchased.

SO here lies my confusion, the FFR will be good for getting away in due to the battery ability and without pulling rear seats out seems to have more room in the back for slightly larger gear, plus a couple of extra storage areas

The GS good points are the higher gate and the floor tie down points.

as ive only ever seen a GS in person before, what points does one use to tie down larger items in the back and what is the height from the rear floor to the lower section on the rear entry?

lol, I guess I kinda asking why did you guys choose one model over another,

many thanks
Nathan

[Phil B]

It basically a choice between a tail gate (GS) or a 24 charging system (FFR)
The side lockers on the FFR are the best feature IMO

[gooloo]

I went through a similar thought process and ended up with a 6x6....

Before you rule out the 6x6 consider this....

2k for power steering + 2k for turbo on the ffr /gs.... The turbo is optional but I'd suggest the power steering isn't

Very good condition 6x6's can go as low as 15k

Yes I love my 6x6 so am biased - take my opinion for what it's worth

Happy hunting

[87County]

I think that 6X6s are getting cheaper in the AFM auctions (for quite good examples), some resellers do have high expectations.

As Phil B posts above, they are the basic choices for 4X4.

We use the 24v for fridges and camping light (while it is very good for that it is really not necessary).

In the FFR if you take out some or all of the 24v system the extra storage areas are handy.

The rear canopy in the FFR is lined (ie. double skinned) as well and it also has a roll-up curtain behind the driver & passenger seats which keeps the drivers compartment a little warmer and makes the back very dark for a snooze.

There is an extra 12v internal red/white light in the back of the FFR as well.

[Mick_Marsh]

Transporting a Furgie, get a 6x6.
For the little extra cost, you get so much more vehicle.

[Dervish]

I'll stick up for the GS; and hopefully not ruffle too many feathers.

A 6x6 is great for lugging things, but limited to 80km/h (or thereabouts). A GS will do 110km/h all day long. Also, forget going to the shops in a 6x6, or parking in anything other than a quiet street - you just won't fit anywhere. If you want to lug a Furgie around, get a trailer and you can still do 110 - on flat ground at least.

The FFR has a bunch of batteries, but you'll never use them and they'll cost you a fortune. One battery and one alternator works just fine, or two batteries if you feel the need. It also has no tailgate and the storage thing in the front of the tub eats up valuable space. I would find it much more difficult to carry furniture in a FFR, not enough length in the tub. The tie downs in the GS are fantastic, I use little ratchet straps on them.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/07/355.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/07/356.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/07/357.jpg

You get the idea.

[Trigger82]

Definitely have a max of 15 grand so it kinda rules out the 6x6 regardless how much id love one as we still have a normal car for shopping duties etc, besides Id also like to have left over coin to help with the rebuild of the fergie :)
lol, plus with the luck i have, if ill wait till towards the end of the auctions trying to grab stuff cheap then every man and his dog will also be bidding on things.

and thanks Dervish, shows what i'm a tad worried about regarding the FFR

[weeds]

Lots of choices.......

I rarely drove the 110, I did drive 6x6's all over the country.

Power steering is nice
They sit on 105 all day.....this is foot flat to the floor and cabin noise at 100 decibels
We took it to the shops all the time to buy goffa's for the brew club....just takes a bit of planning

For a 6x6 to be more civil than a diff ratio change would be a good option.

110's do need power steering at least, than rear disc, than turbo and a hardtop conversion......hated the ragtop.

[Trigger82]

Dam, just looked on Ebay there's one seller that i found with 5 6x6's for sale, definitely cheaper sourcing through the auctions directly

[gooloo]

Dervish does make some good points... when I was trying to decide between a 4x4 GS and a 6x6 some of his previous posts had me leaning towards a 4x4 rather than the 6x6. But ultimately for me and my intended usage the 6x6 was a better choice....

if you have any aspirations of a daily driver then forget the 6x6. it's loud, slow, and not suited to any kind of car parking scenario.

but it's got a huge tray, can carry several tonnes, legally (and comfortably) seats 3, has a sunroof, and gives you bragging rights over the hairdressers driving those cute little 4x4's :twisted::twisted:

[Trigger82]

Ive read the auctions are held monthly, do they have a set day their listed or are they variable?

fingers crossed there's a good choice to be had in Queensland this time coming due to it only been 3hrs away instead of 9. but i have noticed usually there's more listed in Minto.

If i purchase from Minto it will most likely be purchased site unseen :(

[Chris078]

If you're funds limited, do not get the 6x6. They are great, but when they break, they can be very expensive to fix due to all the custom parts.

Get a GS if you are going to be carrying stuff regularly. an FFR with it's lack of tailgate would be a pain.
I kinda disagree on Power Steering being a must.
Replace the (normally) flogged out tie rod ends with some quality greaseable ones, do the same with the pitman arm, put some decent tyres on it and I've found the steering fine (and I am by no means a big guy).
If anything, I'd want (and am looking into) getting a clutch booster plumbed in.

Just a general warning, you do run a risk with these trucks regarding their condition. even the best look over won't reveal any driveline faults that may be lurking and those can be very expensive to fix.
The " roadworthy" that they come with from the auctions are not worth the paper they are written on and have been downright criminal in some cases.

Not to put you off buying one, but do keep some money aside. At the least expect the clutch master/slave to go within 2 years and the brake master not far after (this is simply due to the cars sitting for a long time between drives)

You should also do a full oil change (engine gearbox transfer case/diffs) as well as all other fluids (brake/clutch/coolant) when you get it. again due to the cars sitting for a while, many people have reported some very used fluids in newly purchased cars. Don't forget your air filters while you're at it.

<edit> if you go to australianfrontlinemachinery.com you can sign up to get notifications of upcoming auctions.
do keep an eye on Gumtree as well. you often see some that people have spent over $10k on fixing up, have got sick of and are selling off, so you can get a bit of a bargain if you check reciepts (plus the roadworthy might be a little bit more accurate that the ones from the auctions)

[The Beast]

I bought my GS in Nov 13. It has had regular usage since then but low mileage overall. Other than a complete headlight failure it has given me no problems at all. Maybe I was just lucky with the purchase; it seems quite a few have caused grief for the new owners, or maybe I haven't had my turn yet!

Re-wiring the headlights (I used the traxide kit) was a good opportunity to learn lots about the electrical system and how to play around with auto electrics - I was coming from close to a zero knowledge base.

I put in power steering, or more accurately had KLR do it for me. Great decision.

I put in 4 seat belts in the back, also a great decision.

I love the absolute simplicity of my GS, and like Dervish says, it's load carrying ability has been hugely useful for me. I can see the FFR being a great base for a camping vehicle, and that was part of my plan for getting mine, but it just hasn't turned out that way, so the GS has been just fine. That said, I have also added a second battery (also the traxide kit) but that was largely for the fun of doing it and learning a bit more, rather than a real need.

I'd say have a really good think about what you will use it for and buy accordingly, but you can't really go too far wrong either way.

Last bit of advice: go and look at the vehicle yourself, or get someone you trust to do it. Plenty of them can look good in the photos but can be pretty rough when you eyeball them. 300 or 400 in travel costs could save you thousands in the longer term. Good luck.

[isuzutoo-eh]

I bought an FFR for camping purposes and daily driving.
My reasons for FFR over GS are that the battery bays give significant storage space over a GS (I still haven't built the stove box I intended for one bay), the 24V system allows more efficient use of power for fridges and radios-plus with a step down converter I have 12V from the secondary system to run phone chargers etc, so only the regular vehicle systems are reliant on the starter battery.
If I was buying one without a mechanical winch, and wished to fit an electric winch, i'd definitely go the FFR and get a 24V winch. Can't flatten your starter battery even accidently...
The lack of tailgate can be a pain, but really only when hosing filth out of the back or loading bulky items. I have used mine for moving house twice and helping others move a few times too-it is still far superior to a station wagon.

If I was buying again, i'd still go with the FFR for a camping and general purpose vehicle.

[Trigger82]

isuzutoo-eh, i am leaning towards the ffr as i dont often carry loads but i'll be happy with either. My main want though is to find one with a winch.
Although i wont be playing as hard as i used to with the wrangler occasionally what looks to be a simple mud run etc tends to be the ones that grab you.

for the times you have carried gear, where have you strapped it down to? unless im blind i cant really see anything in pics.


Does anyone have the lengths of the floorpan of the GS compared to the length from behind the interior box of the FFR to the back please

[isuzutoo-eh]

The roll cage, both front and rear, extends through the tub sides to the base, so a ratchet strap around them usually works well. The tub capping also has various cut outs that'll do for moderate loads.
Lashing points in the floor would be nice but not crucial to me.

[Aussie Jeepster]

I've owned both - a Series 3 FFR and now a Perentie GS. Also owned a 4 door JK diesel Wrangler!!
Both landies are fine for camping. The lack of access into the back of an FFR is sometimes a hassle, but you get used to it.
Now, with the GS, it is way easier to load/unload than the FFR. I slept in the back of my FFR and it was ok - I'm 6'.
I've slept in the back of the GS with the tailgate down, and it is heaven!
Yes, the extra storage in the FFR was good, but with good packing, a GS is fine too.
Either way, the Wrangler would not take anything like the amount of gear I can put in my GS! And I have more faith in my Perentie getting me there and back than I ever did in the Wrangler!!!

[Barefoot Dave]

Trigger, mudmouse has the solution for you;
Can't link for some reason, search here for "tailgate for ffr"
Do that and remove the'table' storage locker from inside, and you have the best of both worlds.
Cheers

[Bytemrk]

Is this what you were trying to link to Dave?

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/coil-sprung-military-land-rovers/230882-ffr-tailgate-swap.html

[Trigger82]

Thanks Dave and Bytemrk,
this is brilliant, gives another perspective while searching now.