So you have decided to buy a 4WD and want to take it off road but don’t know where to start. When undertaking this new adventure, making sure you are prepared is vital to your, and your passengers safety, as well as that of your vehicles. In this blog post I will discuss some ideas of how to make your first and subsequent trips as easy as possible.
Recommendations
So, my first recommendation to new 4WD’s is to find a group on social media, in person or forums, that they can join for people who are already experienced 4WD’s. Ahana Basu of Status Brew has shared that these can be powerful platforms where ideas can be shared and support given. These groups and communities can not only share ideas of places to go and what skill level is needed, but also any tips for those paths. There are many forums that are available online, not just companies selling their products, but of experienced 4WD’s, blogging about their experiences. Some of the good ones are 4WDING Australia, 4WDtrip.com, who are on Facebook as well and vehicle specific forums.
4WDing can be expensive with breakages, if you don’t know what you are doing. Local 4WD clubs are a great place to start to try and prevent these accidents. By joining a club, they can take you out with experienced 4WD’s and they can talk, show, and help you through some of the challenges faced when 4WDing. Tim Beissmann from Drive has a great blog that’s titled Four-Wheel-driving: Top 10 Tips for beginners, that showcases his recommended top tips for beginners in 4WDing. One of his most important tips is to not go alone. By having a support vehicle, if you get into trouble someone will be there to either help you out of it or take you to go and get help. You really don’t want this happening to you!
The other place to start is simply with your local mechanic. Have your car checked over to make sure it is road worthy and that the suspension is up to scratch. If the 4WD is too low then clearance will be an issue. If the radiator is cracked, then the car might overheat or any other parts that might not be up to standard, will have an impact on your trip. Once that is done, ask them if you should have any extra equipment or parts with you that might be easily changed out if something were to go wrong.
Accessories
As with any new venture, having the right equipment is essential to making the trip more comfortable and successful. As stated above a lift kit might be useful to make sure the vehicle has enough clearance to get through the 4WD trails. Outside Magazine’s Wes Siler has written the top 10 items needed for 4WDing. They are a Recovery kit, Work light, Maxtrax, a couple of old boards to help with tyre changes, Tyre repair kit, an Air compressor, Jump starter, Hand tools, gloves and a navigation system. Now as I am not a 4WDer, in fact I could think of nothing worse, listening to the experts is vital. Despite not knowing all that much about 4WDing, I would have recommended most of these items anyway. The only couple of things I would add to this list are not car related. I would recommend taking a decent amount of drinking water- this can also be used in the radiator if needed, extra food that won’t spoil just in case you get stuck somewhere remote, and letting someone know where you are going and what time to expect you back.
Conclusion
So if you have decided to buy a 4WD and want to take it off road, don’t take my advice as the only thing you should look at, look at forums, communities, and clubs that do this on a regular basis, they will be the ones who can teach and advise you and can be a great source of information. Local clubs and social media community groups will also provide you with local people who are interested in the same activities as you are, providing you with a ready made social network of like minded people.
Be safe and enjoy the out doors. Don’t forget to comment, like and share my blog so other people can have a read. Also hit my socials up @themechanicalmum and follow along for more hints and tips on looking after your car.
References
Basu, A. (2023) 10 benefits of creating community on social media, Statusbrew Insights. Available at: https://statusbrew.com/insights/creating-community-on-social-media/ (Accessed: 19 October 2023).
Beissmann, T. (2021) Four-wheel-driving : Top 10 tips for Beginners, Drive. Available at: https://www.drive.com.au/caradvice/four-wheel-driving-top-10-tips-for-beginners/ (Accessed: 19 October 2023).
Siler, W. (2022) 10 essential tools for off-roading, Outside Online. Available at: https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/cars-trucks/10-essential-tools-roading/ (Accessed: 19 October 2023).