You are charging down a muddy creek bed in your 4 x 4 lorry, jamming the petrol sand and digging the deep ruts when all of a sudden you are stuck! Hi-centred with your off-road tyres spinning and spraying mud into the dense foliage above, you would definitely pound the wheel out of frustration. Fortunately, you have a friend there to help you out but what if he wasn't? What is there was no one in the range to ring for help?
The scenario isn't fictitious but this is what happened to an off-road adventurer in Australia. The trucks are great for the off-road thrilling adventures but they also fraught with peril. Never go unprepared as an off-road accident could get your stranded or injured along with the big repair bill.
Mistake 1: No proper know-how of your route
An off-roader in Texas found him in a bind when he followed a friend without the knowledge of his route. He found himself plummeting a steep incline which caused some damage along the way until a collision with an unforgiving earth. It could have been worst but the driver was still pretty sheepish which resulted in the dented wing.
The driver notoriously said to the cameraman123, "taking it to the body shop tomorrow... we'll find out how many paychecks this is going to eat. Learn from my cocky mistake, don't get stupid!" Any type of body damage tin easily cost over a thousand dollars for fixing. Solution: if you know someone who is experienced regarding the route, talk to them about what to expect or give the area a thorough once over on foot from the area of safe advantage before you charge it. Don’t drive dangerously in the spots where you have no clue regarding what's coming up next. A hi-tech solution would be taking the aerial photos with the help of a drone beforehand or survey with Google earth.
Mistake 2: Going off-road taking no one with you
Due to the inherent danger associated with off-roading, attempting to get by you is really a bad idea. Taking a friend along in another 4 x 4 10 highly help you out of a bind or we tin go to get help in case of a no mobile phone range and require a professional tow.
Solution: if you are planning an off-roading adventure but you don't have any friends who share the mutual hobby then head straight to the internet. The website meetup.com as they have groups to entertain almost every activity just like Facebook moreover there are forums that are dedicated to this pursuit. If you simply cannot wait and decide takeaway on alone then make sure to share the details of your trip with somebody before leaving.
Mistake number 3: Not packing necessary stuff for travel
Off-roading is simply just not off-roading but it's all about survival. There are chances of endings up being frozen overnight, nursing an injury with no bandages or staring at an easy to fix engine problem without any tools to fix it. On the other hand, if you bring all the prerequisite material then you might end up having the solution to every problem that you may face. You will feel pretty good.
Solution: pack the first aid kit, tools, maps, tow chain, lantern, torch, overnight gear, warm clothes, and a spare pair of shoes, food, and water. There is no harm in taking along a long-range walkie-talkie.
Mistake number 4: Not using the appropriate set of tyres
Generally, it is very dangerous to drive with worn out tyres. In case of off-roading, they are absolutely hazardous. The definition of wrong tyres is not just with the ones with excessive wearing as the top causes of tyre failure or under inflation, irregular wear due to a mechanical issue or damage due to the road hazard. A blown-out tyre in the middle of an off-roading adventure definitely kills the party and the cheap design tyres are least likely to help. Solution: pick up a set of muddlers, off-road tyres that you tin throw on your lorry or SUV in case of extreme conditions. Bill your tyre inflation and make sure that it's up to spec.
Mistake number 5: Rallying mud and deep water
Standing water is least likely to determine the type of mud that will get you stuck and cross the river tin be highly disastrous if the water is deeper than your contemplation. There are about 1500 pounds of buoyant force for each foot of water. As soon as that force exceeds vehicle's weight, you start losing control. The breathers on your axles, manual gearbox, and transfer case will be stuck in the water upon contact and if your engines air intake is inefficient in the water then you are in the serious trouble.
Solution: identify the water's left before you rally it. Extend the low queue breathers such as differential breathers further higher into the chassis area with the flexible tubing. Find the air intake of your vehicle and make sure the water doesn't go high enough to hit it. To control the water entering the engine bay, place a trap over the front of the lorry.