Essential Safety Tips When Taking Your 4x4 On An Off Road Adventure



Posted: Wednesday, February 16, 2011

by Perry Manku

It is early morning and you are all geared up for your adventure. You start the car, select your gear and drive. Reality check! Your destination is straight into the city traffic not the mountains. As with most people who own a 4x4, it is used for daily commute for work and shopping. Our lack of 4x4 driving experience shows this. When the time comes to hit the open trails for some proper 4x4 driving, our level of skill is hindered by lack of practice as well as the level of fear – damage and getting stuck.

4x4 off roading is not about big trucks, torque and horsepower. The first skill to master is finesse. Once this is acquired the rest will fall into place. The following are safety tips when you go on your 4x4 adventure.

Certain situations call for moderate speeds – driving in soft sand like beaches. In these situations you need to be driving as slow as you can so you are almost gliding across the surface. If the surface is mud and snow then speed needs to be quicker. If trail driving taking your time will enable you to pick a smooth path giving you time to react and act to the terrain ahead – moving rocks or logs. Going slow is essential on this type of terrain as if you do hit a rock, it will usually stop the vehicle on impact or you will lightly scrape over it. Driving too fast and hitting a rock or other obstacle could cause damage to your 4x4.

If in doubt about what is ahead, always stop, get out and survey. Always make sure the trail goes beyond the obstacle and doesn’t lead into a swamp, river or ends. Survey the terrain and plan out where your tires will drive and follow through to beyond the obstacle.  Don’t under any circumstance get out of your 4x4 mid challenge to see where you are going. Get past the obstacle then get out and walk back to check how you overcame the obstacle.

Always know your approach and departure angles – bumper to tyre distance. Some trails you may go on will require off-camber driving so go slow, keeping the tyres in the tracks.  Be attentive when driving as vehicles will tend to slide sideways before rolling over. The tyres will slip sideways a little. Stop if the slide puts you off the edge of the track. If it is clear downhill and a rollover is imminent, immediately turn the vehicle into the slide and drive it down. If that is not an option, and you are going over, turn the vehicle off. Use enough momentum to get up and over the hill. Avoid high centring on the crest and use the engine brake method for the descent.

Following these tips will ensure that your 4x4 experience off road will always be enjoyable and a safe experience. Not only that travelling with your recovery gear will ensure you will be able to get out of any sticky situation that you get into.
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