There’s nothing quite like the freedom of driving off-road. Whether you’re exploring hidden trails or tackling a challenging four-wheel drive track, there’s something invigorating about getting away from the city and into nature. Challenging terrain is what makes 4WD driving so appealing, but it can also be extremely daunting for beginners. There are few things more frightening than discovering that your car is stuck on a slope with no way to get back down again! Fortunately, with the right information, anyone can start enjoying the thrills of 4WD driving in just a few hours.
Here are 10 essential tips for beginners interested in off-roading:
Be prepared and plan your route
If your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, there’s a good chance you’ll be stuck there for hours, if not days. Australia has some of the remotest tracks in the world. In an ideal situation, you’ll have someone to tow you out or a recovery service that can come to your aid. However, if you’re kilometres from civilisation, you’ll have to repair the problem yourself. And this is much more difficult if you don’t have the right tools and supplies with you. As a general rule, you’ll want to carry the following items:
- A full first aid kit. At the very least, you’ll need plasters, bandages, antiseptic cream and gloves to handle broken glass.
- A jack, wheel brace/lug wrench, tyre repair kit and a spare wheel. A jack isn’t essential if you have a modern vehicle, but a tyre repair kit will be indispensable for repairing punctures. You’ll need these to change a flat tyre.
- Extra fluids. Make sure you carry enough oil, coolant, and transmission fluid to get you back to civilisation.
- A shovel and recovery tracks. You might need these to fill in a section of the track or get out of a bog hole.
- A snatch strap. Even if you don’t have a winch, this comes in extremely handy for pulling other vehicles out of trouble.
Understand your vehicle’s gearing capabilities
H2 = High-range 2WD - City and highway driving
H4 = High-range 4WD - Dirt roads from 20-80kmph
L4 = Low-range 4WD - Techincal terrains and steep descents
High-range two-wheel drive is fine for driving on bitumen, but it’s not ideal for off-roading. Low gears will help you when tackling hills and driving at low speeds in muddy or rocky terrain. If you’re driving a manual transmission 4WD, you’ll generally have five forward gears to select from. If you’re driving an automatic transmission 4WD, you generally have four gears to select from. Automatic transmission vehicles are easier to drive, but they also have a lower maximum gear ratio than manual transmission vehicles. Get to know and understand your vehicle and where you can and can’t go off-road.
Go slow and keep your momentum
Unlike bitumen driving, where you need to accelerate quickly and brake at the last possible moment, you’ll need to approach off-road driving completely differently. Here, you should apply the accelerator slowly and steadily, always aiming to keep your vehicle at a constant speed. You should also avoid braking as much as possible. Instead, you should use your gears to maintain a constant speed and avoid stopping in challenging terrain. Even when you’re just driving along a bumpy bitumen road, you should aim to keep your vehicle at a constant speed and use your gears to avoid breaking. This will help prevent your car from becoming ‘nose heavy’ and help to reduce tyre wear.
Learn the terrain
The off-road driving route you select will have a significant impact on the type of terrain you’ll encounter. You’ll want to avoid areas that are prone to flooding, rockfalls and thunderstorms. Additionally, avoid areas that have been recently sprayed with pesticides. You should also avoid driving in areas with poisonous snakes and wild animals. If you’re unsure about a route, you can consult a map or ask an experienced 4WD driver for advice.
Know your tyre pressures
Controlling your tyre pressure is an important aspect of off-road driving. As a general rule, you should lower your tyre pressure in muddy or challenging terrain. This will help you to maintain traction and avoid getting stuck. Not all vehicles come with a pressure gauge, so you might want to buy one. Alternatively, you can purchase a foot pump that will allow you to control your tyre pressure with ease.
Check water levels and bog holes
Water levels in streams, rivers, and ponds will vary with the seasons. Never assume they’re shallow enough to simply drive through. Remember that the water may be deeper than it appears and drive slowly if you want to avoid getting stuck. Similarly, you should always inspect bog holes before attempting to drive through them. Identify the shallowest route through the bog and drive slowly to avoid getting stuck.
Learn to recognise signs of impending wheel slip
It’s important to know when one of your wheels is starting to slip. If a wheel starts to slip, you’ll notice significant changes in your vehicle’s handling and you’ll be unable to control your direction of travel. You should be able to recognise when one of your wheels is about to slip by observing your vehicle’s steering and suspension movements. If you see your steering wheel pulling towards a particular side of the car and the car’s suspension appears to be bouncing in an unusual manner, you’ll want to slow down. This will give your wheel enough time to regain traction.
Conclusion
Driving off-road is a completely different experience to driving on the road. Although it can be extremely exhilarating, it also comes with significant risks. To avoid getting stuck in challenging terrain, it’s important to understand your vehicle’s capabilities and to drive at a consistent speed. As a general rule, you should drive at a speed that’s slow enough to maintain control, but fast enough to remain ahead of the rising water levels.