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Before you even leave the road, knowing every aspect about your vehicle and how it operates is vital.
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A well-seasoned veteran can help you learn the ropes with less costly mistakes.
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Get out there is and play, start to explore how your 4WD reacts to easy terrain.
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David Dewhurst
On-board systems can be a great advantage in tough terrain; just don’t completely rely on them.
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Taking an off-road driving course is a great way to sharpen the learning curve.
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Remember why we started this hobby, for the joy of driving off-road.
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Maps or GPS systems allow you to know where you are and find alternative exits
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Drive as slowly as possible, as fast as required.
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Prepare for the worst-case scenario, so when that time comes, it doesn’t seem so bad.
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Nick Dimbleby
Don’t be scared to get out and look over oncoming obstacles, before its too late.
Story and photos by Budd Stanley, additional photos courtesy of Land Rover
If there is one thing I’ve learned in life (don’t worry, I’m not going too deep with this), it is that no one is ever so good at anything that he or she can’t learn something new. On top of that, it never hurts to look back at the basics and get familiarized with the core skills of any discipline. As a result, we wanted to put together a list of basic off-road tips that novices should take to heart and that we seasoned veterans should reacquaint ourselves with.
We could have given you our own tips, or those from highly skilled acquaintances, however we thought we should take it a level higher, to someone that is fully immersed in the field and works as an off-road instructor. Land Rover has a reputation when it comes to taking their vehicles into the wilds, and no other manufacturer works as hard as they do to give their owners the skills needed to operate a 4WD beyond asphalt. When I asked Land Rover Canada to give some of their best tips, they said they have the perfect man for the job, their very own off-road driving “Guru,” as they call him.
The off-roading master in question is Robert Burns, (no, not the dead Scottish poet). Burns is the director of the Land Rover Experience Driver Training programs in North America and Land Rovers Events Manager. All told, he has been piloting a Land Rover in extreme environments for over 28-years. So, we got in touch with Mr. Burns and had him give us the rundown of his top tips for driving off-road.
Get to Know Your Vehicle Operations
It’s almost insultingly simple, but everything starts with knowing your 4WD better than the back of your hand. It is essential to know how to put the vehicle into 4WD in either high or low speed, how to lock the differentials, where the jack is, where the spare tire is and how all these items operate. For the majority of us that drive older vehicles, this may seem like child’s play, however for a novice in a modern 4WD, many of these systems and items may need some familiarization. It is also worth noting where the lowest and highest ground clearances are on the vehicle, and what’s going to cost a lot of money if something goes wrong?
Have a Mentor
As with any discipline, skills and confidence come with experience, and ownership of a supremely capable vehicle doesn’t mean driving skills were included with the purchase price. If you are new to the lifestyle, find a friend with experience to sample some trails. If experienced friends are not available, find a local 4WD club, these are full of experienced wheelers that are happy to help anyone come to grips with the art of driving off-road. You don’t even have to be driving, take a ride-along with an experienced member, and observe first hand how easily trouble can happen, and what these people do to remedy the situation.
Practice Makes Perfect
So, you’re well acquainted with your vehicle, and you’ve had some tutelage to get you on your feet, now it’s time to experiment. Find some easy trails and just play with the vehicle to see how it responds to different situations and surfaces. Understand how Traction Controls and ABS work with terrain Management systems. Discover when it might be best to lock up a differential or use low gear. All these systems make odd and unfamiliar sounds to a novice, so get comfortable with hearing all the different noises so they don’t cause concern. Gain these skills in simple terrain, then when faced with challenging terrain and metal-bending consequences, there is no need to panic. It’s all about building on that knowledge and turning it into experience.
Learn to Use On-Board Systems
As mentioned, many modern vehicles make use of off-road oriented systems such as Terrain Management or Terrain Response, Hill Descent, or Crawl Control. Understand what these systems do and how to utilize them to the benefit of both the driver and vehicle. It is just as important to not view these systems as a crutch, as it is to not use them at all. Off-Road systems do not provide invincibility, giving the license to tackle the Rubicon with zero experience. At the same time, these systems are designed to prevent getting stuck rather than recover from a stuck situation. So, do not have so much pride that you think you can do everything in 2WD. Learn the systems, become comfortable with them, use them to get the most out of your driving skills and the vehicles abilities.
Training Sharpens the Learning Curve
As Burns comments, “it is very, very rare that the vehicle makes a mistake, its up to the driver to make the vehicle inadequate.” By this he means 4WD’s today are very capable of driving through obstacles their owners couldn’t imagine possible. In most cases, the driver is the weakest link in the chain, so building skills as a driver is one of the most important modifications you can make to your vehicle.
Local Knowledge is All-Important
While you may think there is nowhere you can’t take your 4WD, it is important to know what type of terrain you are getting yourself into. When you see that river crossing, you want to see what is on the bottom of it, or even where the bottom is. If it’s winter, how thick is the ice, surprise - these vehicles don’t float. With a steep break-over hill, you will not know what’s on the other side until you are already in the thick of it. Dismount and reconnaissance the area and gather information about what might happen before driving through it. Also, don’t have too much pride to make use of a spotter. The more eyes helping to get through a tight situation, the better the chances of getting out without a bad case of bush rash. Finally, if you are uncomfortable in challenging the terrain that is in front of you, chances are you don’t need to be there.
Where are You Heading
Driving off-road is adventurous, but not knowing where you are, will make your drive a much more unsettling adventure. Having the proper maps or GPS devices on-board is always important, obviously for new terrain that you have not driven before, but this preparation is also true even in well-known terrain. The ability to find a second way out if a washout destroys a favourite route is never a bad thing. It’s also good to also know the weather and forecast for the area you will be traveling to be better prepared for adverse conditions. Cold wet clothes end more trail drives than impassable terrain.
It’s Not a Race, It’s an Adventure
Take your time, don’t be in a rush and understand the terrain you are in. Burns comments “Go as slowly as possible, as fast as necessary.” None of our vehicles are built to run the Baja 1000, so why subject them to a similar kind of punishment. That is unless you like that sort of thing, and have a full service team at the ready. Speed blinds the driving to all the little dangers lurking just out of sight; bumps in the road or changes in the consistency of the surface can do damage to the vital components of your vehicle and change your trajectory in a hurry. When things start going wrong at speed, getting your vehicle to stop before a dangerous situation is less likely. If you are trying to climb a hill, try to climb it as slowly as possible. If that doesn’t work, try again with more speed until you find the perfect momentum. Slow careful momentum saves your equipment and can make the most of the torque from your engine.
Like the Scouts Say, “Be Prepared”
If you are prepared for the worst-case scenario, the worst-case scenario won’t seem that bad. If there is going to be rain and mud, proper clothing and recovery equipment will make your life easier. If the trail is extremely rough, make sure you’re prepared to make fixes in the field. If there is snow and ice, carry a shovel and a towrope; sliding off the road can be a momentary delay or a trip ending hardship, which would you rather have?
Enjoy Your Vehicle
Finally, enjoy the off-road lifestyle, that’s the whole reason why we do this. Don’t take advice as criticism, learning new skills allow you to be a better driver, which allows you to conquer ever more challenging terrain. Learning should be fun and you’re never to old or experienced that you can’t learn something new about driving your vehicle that will help you down the road. Don’t be scared to learn and enjoy the journey.