4WD OFF ROAD ACTIVITY – 4X4 GENERAL TIPS & INFO DISCUSSION

Are you one of the four wheel drive off road extreme fans? In Malaysia, there are a few groups or team for off road challenge which really experts in bringing a 4 wheel adventure into life. Here we would like to give some space for off road fans to discuss about your experience in 4×4 and some general tips given by expertist.

4WD OFF ROAD ACTIVITY – 4X4 GENERAL TIPS & INFO DISCUSSION

Basically, for you to join the off road team activities, for sure you must have the SUV or any vehicle that can be converted into 4×4 and enough  equipment for you to survive on the tough terrain. So, below are the some of lists of 4wd equipments needed for upgarading your vehicle to 4×4 specification.
 Air Locker, Alternators, Batteries, Bedliners, Brake, Body Lift Kit, Bull, Camping Gears, Canopies, Compressors, Clutch, Exhaust, Fender Flares , Gear Ratios, Lights, Roof Racks, Side Steps, Snorkels, Sport Rim, Sport Lid, Styling Acc, Suspension, Tires, Tows Bars, Turbocharges, Winches, Winching Acc, Wheel Hubs.

Things to Always Carry on Trips
Basic recovery gear (snatch straps, ‘D’ sahckles, shovel, axe, jack and jacking plate; winch and chainsaw are optional).
First-aid kit (antiseptic, burn cream, scissors, eye drops, bandages, dressing).
Fire extinguisher.
Tools (ring and open spanners, hacksaw, file, wire cutter, tyre gauge, pump and repair kit, battery jumper leads, spray lubricant).
Spare parts (radiator hoses, fan belt, fuses, spark plugs, coil, condenser, tyre tube).
Extra water, map of area, compass, torch, knife, matches

General Offroad Driving Tips
Observe all rules and regulations pertaining to the use of public land.
Avoid areas which are easily damaged such as swamps and vegetated sand dunes.
Carry out all the rubbish you brought in.
Alwys ask permission before entering private land.
Leave gates as you find them.

Driving in Tricky Sections
Don’t change gear in the middle of a tricky section.
If in doubt, always use a lower gear.

 
A low second or third gear is generally best for going uphill, a low first gear is best for steep downhills. If your vehicle begins to slide sideways, a very slight acceleration and steering into the slide will normally straighten your descent. Use your footbrake sparingly and avoid touching the clutch.

 
Move the steering wheel rapidly from side to side to improve traction in mud; if you become stuck, rock the vehicle forwards or backwards by alternating between first and reverse gears.
To get through sand, lower the tyre pressure to 140 kpa (20 psi) and avoid sudden changes in direction or acceleration. Fitting specialist desert tyres may help.

 
When descending a dune, avoid braking, but don’t go so slowly that the wheels stop rolling.
Before entering a water section, loosen the fan belt, and spray electrical equipment with lubricant.
 In the water, use a low second gear, keep the speed down but fast enough to create a bow wave, and keep the engine running. Avoid changing gears or disengaging the clutch. If the engine stops, do not restart it but winch the vehicle out.

 OVERALL TIPS TO GO OFF ROAD

1) Read your owners manual thoroughly before going off-road, or on road for that matter. Learn your vehicle. 

2) Never go out alone. 

3) Always make sure your vehicle is prepared before departing. Read “Preparing & Maintaining”. 

4) Adopt a relaxed and upright driving position with a loose grip on the steering wheel, taking note to keep your thumbs out of the center section of the wheel, thus avoiding broken thumbs from steering wheel kick-back. This is a common problem on vehicles not equipped with power assisted steering.

 6) Know your minimum ground clearance.

 7) Suspension & Wheel Travel.
Since the time man first developed wheeled vehicles his thought must have been on smoothing the ride.

 8) Know your “Approach angle”, “Break-over” and “Departure angle”

 9) Know your vehicles height and width.

 10) Check the area(s) in which you plan to travel off-road.

 11) Be aware of changing weather conditions, the last thing you want is to get caught on the desert floor.

 12) Know your Four-wheel-drive system. Unlike days gone by, the systems of today vary in their modes of operations and capabilities.

 13) Engage Low-Range before you need it. Choose the correct gear for the situation

 14) Before entering a difficult section, make your choice of gear selection. Remember that you should ALWAYS use lst gear (First, Low-Range) on down-hills for maximum engine braking effect, and keep the use of brakes to an absolute minimum, the use of which could cause sliding and loss of control.

 15) If conditions are soft (marshy ground, sand, etc.) it may be advisable to lower tire pressures.

Soon, off road activities are going to be famous and few car manufacturer are getting to produce the best off road vehicle. Below are some of the off road vehicle used.

Mitsubishi triton, Landrover Defender, Toyota 80 series, and most common 4wd vehicle is Mitsubishi Pajero

Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Storm, Nissan Frontier, Nissan Navara, Ford Ranger

Or, would it be the SUV concept for off road, the Hummer HB? =D

Hummer HB Concept Car is an extreme off-road vehicle with almost no front or rear overhangs, and massive wheels and tires for tackling almost any surface.

 The concept is an attempt to shrink the footprint of the Hummer a little more than has already been done. Built as a green extreme off-roader (the car is intended to be powered by a V6 engine which will run on biodiesel), the HB features a body-on-frame format with aluminum and carbon fiber being used as the main materials for the construction. As with any Hummer, the wheels stand out thanks to their impressive size.

 Have any experience going off road? kindly share here =)

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