Off-road driving is a thrilling experience, there’s no doubt about that. When else are you ever going to get the chance to drive over some of the toughest terrain without damaging your vehicle or causing other problems? When you’re in your own 4×4, and you follow the tips we’re going to lay out for you, you can have all the fun you want in a safe, expert way. Read on to find out more.
Read The Terrain
Being caught off guard by a difficult or perhaps hazardous stretch of terrain is never a good idea. Educate yourself about the situation in advance. As a last resort, you might wish to step out of the vehicle and have a look at things on foot to get a sense of what lies ahead. It’s possible that a simple glance – or even seeing another car travel by the same spot – will reveal something useful.
Let’s face it: four-wheeling is all about driving. Rather than doing a full trail reconnaissance, you should practice terrain reading. Elevate your sight to see how the path changes further ahead, precisely like elite off-road racers do. You’ll soon be able to predict what’s going to happen next, especially if you have the right vehicle.
If you see a point where the track vanishes or slopes to one side on the path’s horizon, this might indicate an impending severe descent. You should also plan the route you want to follow before attempting a steep climb, including which rocks you intend to drive on and which ones you intend to avoid.
Use The Right 4×4 Gear
As soon as the tires come into contact with the ground, change into four-wheel drive or lock the middle differential in all-wheel-drive cars. There is an important reason for changing so quickly; it’s possible that you’ll forget to do it later when you really need to. Plus, it is possible to become trapped if the back tires begin to spin. And putting the car in 4WD won’t always release it at that point.
Choosing the correct gear for the track is also critical. The general rule is that you should drive as slowly as feasible and quickly as required on an off-road trail. Crawling over boulders in a 4×4 with a manual gearbox often necessitates first gear. However, on sandy or soft terrain, the tires need a little more momentum and wheel speed to keep them going. The unpredictable nature of muddy paths cannot be overstated. You won’t be able to maintain traction if the mud is too thick and sticky. Centrifugal force and increased wheel speed are two advantages of shifting up a gear.
Lower Your Tire Pressure
In almost every off-road situation, lower tire pressures lead to better grip. If you lower your tire pressure, the sidewall and tread of your tire will bend and conform to the shape of a rock or other path obstacle. The vehicle’s grip and ride quality improve when the tire encircles large boulders beneath its tread. Lower tire pressures are also needed for running on sand dunes or in thick snow, but the wider tire footprint prevents the tires from sinking into the sand or snow and becoming stuck.
Typical air pressures for rock-crawling vehicles are as low as 8psi. But keep in mind that the lower the air pressure, the more probable it is that the tire bead may burst off the rim, and you’ll end up with a flat tire if it does. Use care while lowering tire pressure since the lower the pressure, the lower the vehicle’s ground clearance.
There is room for higher air pressures as well. Increasing the tire’s pressure will make it more resistant to punctures, sidewall damage, and heat-related failures at greater speeds. Because of this, if you want to race your car over the rocky desert at high speed, you’ll need significantly higher air pressure. In the event that you can’t find a nearby gas station with compressed air, it’s a good idea to bring your own.
Check The Depth
If you’re going four-wheeling, you never know what the day will bring. You could have to cross a creek or river. As a result, be careful to verify your 4WD vehicle’s fording depth. The owner’s manual will normally provide this information, and if you have a custom build, you should already know the answer. Make sure you know the depth of the water before driving into it. It just takes a few steps for the water to climb from the hub to the level of the headlights in that apparently calm brook or stream.
While driving across a little creek, it’s so easy for a vehicle to suddenly slide down an underwater cliff you just couldn’t see, for example. At that point, the water will rise quickly, and not only will your engine become flooded, but so will the interior of the 4×4. It would be better to check the water depth with a long stick prior to crossing, just to be sure.
Follow these tips, and your off-road adventure should be fun and – ideally – safe.
