Welcome back to our blog on beginning your off-road journey! Last time, we gave an overview of exactly what you need to take with you before you set off; we covered some of the basic techniques you’ll need when you encounter things which can startle any newcomer such as sliding, and we covered every off-roaders favourite subject, which was how to conquer any hills you encounter.
Of course, we weren’t going to leave you with just that sliver of information – we want your first time off road to be absolutely spot on, and we want you to feel like you’re ready for anything so let us share some more vital information with you.
Wading through the tide
Another terranean scenario most off-roaders are going to encounter early on is trying to cross water, and this can be more risky than you might think if you don’t know what you’re doing. For crossing water, there are several rules of thumb:
ü Checking your vehicle’s maximum wading depth
ü Experience the crossing by seeing what it’s like on foot
ü Consider the environmental impact
ü Select the best gear that’ll reduce the chances of you stalling
ü Keep moving and don’t let the engine stop
ü Avoid flowing water unless you really know what you’re doing
Wading depth is set by the manufacturer and is affected by a number of factors such as the location of sensitive electronics, the air intake, and other vulnerable areas. Most manufacturers build their vehicles with the idea you’ll only be wading through water for a couple of minutes so you might have to take extra precautions if you’re planning on regularly crossing rivers. For this, you want to contact the manufacturer directly.
To prepare your vehicle to make such a journey, you’ll need to:
ü Disconnect fans to prevent damage to the fan blades and reduce the amount of water that could potentially be thrown around in the engine.
ü Ensure you have no fluid leaks which could be potentially hazardous to any aquatic wildlife.
ü Pre-attach a tow rope to your recovery points if you think there’s a risk of you getting stuck.
Crossing Ditches
Crossing a ditch can be one of the hardest things on your car if you don’t use the right technique. For one, you have the risk of contact with the ground, and a loss of traction is quite likely depending on the size of the ditch. So what are the rules of thumb? Well:
ü Be in 1st gear
ü Raise the suspension
ü Engine tick over speed (unless you think it might stall the vehicle)
ü Cross at an angle, rather than straight on
The last point is the most important! Attempting to cross a ditch from head on will cause both front wheels to fall into the ditch at the same time, causing the front suspension to compress. This will cause hard contact with the ground, and puts you at risk of getting stuck.
That’s why the correct technique to cross a ditch is at an angle; this allows the wheels to enter the ditch one at a time. This maintains the best possible traction using three out of the four wheels. Ensure all those nifty traction add-ons are switched on and go at the ditch at a slow speed, but with enough momentum to drive the vehicle through. Lastly, if the wheel starts to spin, be prepared to increase the throttle.
With these tips, you’re ready to start your first off-road adventure – but of course, there’s always more to learn!
Of course, if you’re looking for some more advice, or perhaps you’re looking for some Range Rover parts, you can always contact us. Call us on 01458 834930 and one of our professional team members will be happy to help!