4x4 Parts & Accessories in Manawatū-Whanganui

Kren Bits sends 4x4 parts and accessories all over Manawatū-Whanganui, including Rockarmor bullbars, RAW 4x4 and Ultima 4x4 lift kits, rock sliders, winches and driving lights. The region covers about 22,200 square kilometres, from the Horowhenua coast and the Manawatū plains to the Ruahine and Tararua ranges, the Whanganui River and the volcanic plateau around Ruapehu. It is home to roughly 260,000 people and is one of the country's big pastoral farming regions. Kren Bits is an online New Zealand store with no shopfronts here: you order online, we send the parts to you, and you fit them yourself or take them to your local mechanic. Our bars and kits bolt on and come with fitting hardware.

Towns we deliver to in Manawatū-Whanganui

Each of these pages covers local vehicles, nearby tracks and clubs for that area:

We also deliver to the region's smaller towns and rural addresses:

  • Taumarunui: a King Country town where the Ongarue River meets the upper Whanganui, built on forestry and farming, and the eastern end of the Forgotten World Highway.
  • Dannevirke: the main centre of Tararua District, founded by Scandinavian settlers in 1872 and surrounded by dairy, beef and sheep farms.
  • Marton: a Rangitīkei town about 40km north-west of Palmerston North, serving the farms of the lower Rangitīkei River floodplain.
  • Foxton: on SH1 just north of Levin by the Manawatū River estuary, once the country's flax capital, with Foxton Beach about 6km west.
  • Ohakune: New Zealand's carrot capital, just south-west of Ruapehu, at the foot of the Ohakune Mountain Road to Tūroa.
  • Taihape: the self-styled Gumboot Capital on SH1, a rural supply town for the surrounding hill-country farms.
  • Pahiatua: a Tararua District service town on SH2 about 30km east of Palmerston North, in sheep, beef and dairy country.

Smaller parts go by courier and bullbars go by freight. Tell us your vehicle and we'll confirm the part number before anything is sent, or call 021 288 6816.

Bullbars for Manawatū-Whanganui utes

Our bullbars are made by Rockarmor, a powder-coated steel range built for the vehicles New Zealanders drive. The GT Hoop replaces the factory bumper, with hoops that protect the grille and headlights and mounts for a winch and driving lights. Bars that suit the farm and work utes common across the region:

For the back country, add a Rockarmor 12,000lb winch and Phantom 9-inch LED driving lights. DOC rates the 42 Traverse as advanced and expects you to carry recovery gear.

Lift kits for Manawatū-Whanganui 4x4s

RAW 4x4 2-inch kits come with coils, leaf springs and nitrogen-charged shocks, with load options for modern utes. Examples include the Hilux N80, LandCruiser 76/78/79, Triton MR/MV and D-Max 2012–2017 kits. Ultima 4x4 covers older and less common vehicles, such as the Hilux LN110/160/170, Navara D22 and Mazda Courier/B2600.

Kits around 2 inches are chosen to stay within normal road-legal limits for most vehicles. Bigger lifts, body lifts or oversized tyres may need LVV certification, so check with a certifier. Every lift needs a wheel alignment afterwards.

4x4 tracks and clubs across Manawatū-Whanganui

42 Traverse (Tongariro Forest). The best-known 4WD trip in the region starts near National Park Village and runs toward Ōwhango. DOC opens it to 4WDs from 1 December to 30 April only. A large landslip means you can drive either end but not the full 46km, and the track is graded advanced, so take recovery gear and a second vehicle.

Ruahine Forest Park. On the Manawatū side, Takapari Road climbs about 16km from the Pohangina Valley past A-Frame Hut to a road end on the range. DOC says it is open to vehicles but not maintained. Further north, DOC's western access roads reach the park via Kimbolton and Rangiwahia, Āpiti and Table Flat Road, while Mangakukeke Road north of Mangaweka needs prior landowner permission.

Whanganui River Road. The River Road runs about 64km between Whanganui and Pīpīriki past small river communities such as Koriniti and Hiruhārama (Jerusalem). It's narrow and winding rather than off-road, so drive slower than you would on the highway, and respect the marae and urupā along the way.

Horowhenua beaches. On the Horowhenua coast, including Foxton Beach and Waitārere, beaches with public vehicle access are treated as public roads. Vehicles must be registered and warranted, the speed limit is 30km/h, and the dunes are off limits.

Clubs. The NZ Four Wheel Drive Association lists four affiliated clubs in the region: the Manawatu 4WD Club, which meets at the Willowpark Tavern in Palmerston North; the Central Districts club in Feilding; the Wanganui 4WD Club, which meets at the St Johns Club on Glasgow Street; and the Levin 4WD Club. Most of the region's best hill country is private farmland, so a club is the way in.

Fitting your parts

Everything we sell is designed for DIY and comes with fitting hardware. A bullbar is a two-person bolt-on job. If you'd rather not fit parts yourself, take them to your local mechanic, 4x4 workshop or auto-electrician anywhere in the region. Book a wheel alignment after any suspension work.

Manawatū-Whanganui 4x4 FAQs

Do you deliver everywhere in Manawatū-Whanganui?

Yes. We deliver to cities, towns and rural addresses across the region, from Levin and Palmerston North to Whanganui, Dannevirke, Taihape, Ohakune and Taumarunui.

Do you have a store in Manawatū-Whanganui?

No. Kren Bits is online only. Order at krenbits.com or call 021 288 6816.

What's the most popular bullbar for Manawatū-Whanganui utes?

Across the store, the best-selling Rockarmor bars include the GT Hoop for the Ford Ranger PX2/PX3 and the Premium bar for the Navara D40, plus the GT Hoop range for the Hilux.

Can I fit a bullbar or lift kit myself?

Yes, if you're confident with tools. Otherwise your local mechanic can fit it. Lift kits need a wheel alignment afterwards.

When is the 42 Traverse open to 4WDs?

DOC allows 4WD vehicles from 1 December to 30 April. It's closed to them from 1 May to 30 November, and a landslip currently stops vehicles driving the full length.