4WD: Successful passage a matter of course
What's the key to coming home without panel damage after a big day off-road? Picking the right driving line: working out where to place your wheels before attempting to negotiate the tricky bit.
It's not rocket science and you don't need a highly modified vehicle. In fact, a stock vehicle with a smart driver can tackle tough obstacles with less grunt and groan and may leave off-road warriors wondering whether their mods were worth the cost.
Get familiar with the underside of your vehicle. Lie down and stare lovingly upward to memorise your diff location. Does your exhaust hang lower on the left? Will your towbar get caught? Do you need to slide out the hitch before playing on the rocks?
There are no hard and fast rules about picking driving lines as every vehicle and obstacle is different and a short wheelbase needs to be driven differently to a long wheelbase. But, there are some guidelines to keep in mind.
When driving on sand, follow the tyre tracks of others, where the sand should be compacted. If you need to pick your own line, look for harder sand. If tackling a sand dune, drive straight ahead - always avoid driving across a dune because the danger of rollover is very real.
Before tackling a rock climb, get out and walk your chosen line, planning where to place your wheels to minimise the chance of getting hung up underneath or ending up with two wheels grabbing air time together. Do some road building if necessary by filling a deeper hole with small rocks.
This is where understanding your departure and approach angles is critical to assess whether you can make the whole climb or descent and not get stuck at the final point. Backing out of a situation where you underestimated the severity of the angles is where trouble often strikes.
Try to plot a course that steers clear of large rocks or trees that will provide panel-crunching stops if you slide off your planned line. Keep your wheels straight and avoid turning sideways on a rocky ledge.
Whether you call them ruts, washouts or wombat holes - they will test your wheel articulation and suspension. Even lifted vehicles will stop dead if they don't drive the line and end up clawing at the air instead of the dirt.
Try to approach the trough of the rut at an angle so one wheel drops in at a time and you always have at least one wheel from each axle on terra firma. While a locked diff can be a winner here the right line will almost always see an unlocked vehicle safely through.
Your goal is to keep the vehicle as level as possible - not so impressive for the trip photos but a far safer option. Don't panic when you encounter the tough bits - take your time to plan your line and the thrill of a successful passage will remind you of just how much fun it can be in your fourby.
