Offroad Driving Tips

paffoh

paffoh

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Sep 3, 2008
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Canberra, A.C.T
Wise ORS Members,

Hoping we can build up some sort of database of Subaru Offroad Driving tips here. While there are many tips and techniques available online pertaining to the 4wd market I have found it difficult to source 'Good oil' relating to the AWD market. Automatic transmission is known to be better in sand but a shudder to think how much more we can get out of our cars rather than just chuck it in drive and amble along. Some key benefits of each transmission would nice, Including when to select higher revs in an auto ( Eg : Dropping to third, second or first ) and when to use the Hold and Power buttons. All information provided will help new and old members ( Stock, lifted, general mods etc etc ) and hopefully create AWD awareness off the beaten track ( Talk of standard recovery gear etc etc ).

Just need someone to get the ball rolling please! :cool:
 
I think many newbies to offroad driving assume they just point and squirt as though they are driving on bitumen. The concepts of lifting wheels, open diffs and no traction are alien to them. The need to keep the vehicle as flat as possible without wheel lifting is most important.

In water, the most critical thing is to get out and determine how deep it is and what the surface underneath is. Grabbing a stick to use as a dipstick works well- as does walking throught it. Having a snorkel can be advantagous- as long as it is a sealed syetem. The last thing you want is it letting in water and/or falling off, but let's not go there! Maintaining momentum is critical, not too fast water goes everywhere but not too slow you get stuck. Joining up with experienced people will be a real benefit.

I recently had some pretty serious 4WD ing in NZ, where despite mud tyres it was a real battle- and this was just the access road to the farmhouse. The owner insisted on maximum attack, and we were literally bouncing off the scenery almost down an embankment. I found a slower approach, but still with some momentum, got me through- and unlike him, I did not get bogged.

I have not driven on sand so I will leave that to someone who has.

But in the main, it is about keeping all the wheels on the ground, which means finding the flattest ground, and maintaining some momentum. When we do a drive day or weekend away, come along and share the experience, because on all the trips I have been on, people have been very helpful in this regard. Ultimately, if you really do not want to attempt something that you feel is beyond you- don't do it.

That is not an exhaustive list by any means- others will no doubt add to it.
 
Rally said:
In water, the most critical thing is to get out and determine how deep it is and what the surface underneath is. Grabbing a stick to use as a dipstick works well- as does walking thought it. Having a snorkel can be advantageous- as long as it is a sealed system. The last thing you want is it letting in water and/or falling off, but let's not go there! Maintaining momentum is critical, not too fast water goes everywhere but not too slow you get stuck. Joining up with experienced people will be a real benefit.
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Can not stress how important this is,$1500.00 lesson for me.:cry:

As for sand I've done a bit of it and steady on the gas and try not to stop in the real soft stuff and you'll be alright.
 
I am no expert in 4WDing.....but the more you do offroad the more experience you will have on your belt and learning from your own mistakes....the only thing that is important to me is being reasonable what Fory can do and cannot do and be prepared all the time, so get out there and have fun:monkeydance:
 
For offroad tracks the most thing is wheel placement. Picking the right line, especially in an AWD, is the best way to get past a challenging track without damage. Take your time.

Last time we where on sand we attempted a large dune, but failed to make the top on the fist 2 go's. The gearbox (AT) would change gears near the top and we would lose all momentum. Put the gearbox in 1st and made it up no problems........
 
somebody told me a while back to keep your thumbs next to your index fingers while driving in really rough terrain. Reason being that if your wheel hits a rock or catches a rutt and tweaks your steering wheel really hard one way your thumbs won't get caught in the steering wheel and get jacked up..I don't know? I've never had my wheels turn suddenly really fast...anyone hear of this tip? sounds like it would make sense a little..
dan
 
^ that's correct. It is recommended that you do not wrap your thumbs around the steering wheel because, if you do experience backlash, the spokes could break your thumbs.
 
Rally said:
I have not driven on sand so I will leave that to someone who has.
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Briefly:

Go with others until you gain experience.
Lower tyres to 18 psi to begin - lower if the sand is very soft (but no lower than 10 psi)
No sharp turns - you could roll the softened tyre off the rim or even worse, roll the car (fairly common for the inexperienced).
No sharp braking - this will bog you; just let the car roll to a stop.
Better to stop when level or facing downhill; restarting uphill can be difficult.
No heavy acceleration from a standstill.
Have a sump guard or take the plastic guard off. Also take off those little wing things in front of the front wheels.
Make sure your vehicle is in excellent condition as sand can be the hardest strain your vehicle may face.
Keep an eye on your temp gauge - stop if necessary to cool down.
Make sure you carry a lump of wood or a board that you can stand the jack on if it needs to be used.
Never transverse a dune or hill; always straight up or down.
If stuck uphill, drive the vehicle down in reverse; as little braking as possible.
AND - no thumbs around the steering wheel - you never know what is concealed under the sand!
 
Kevin said:
^ that's correct. It is recommended that you do not wrap your thumbs around the steering wheel because, if you do experience backlash, the spokes could break your thumbs.
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It is less of an issue today with power steering, but a genuine problem in earlier years.
My Uncle had his thumb broken when driving a Blitz (WW2 4x4 truck, very popular with graziers after the war). And in talking to a friend who drove one in the war, he said keeping ones thumbs out was... well, if you didn't, you soon learnt to.
 
i find when driving me foz im sand and around sandy tracks, my car goes best if i keep it in low range the whole time and try and keep the revs at around 3500rpm. when i go up big sand dunes try and get a big run up, i usually try and hit the dune at about 45km/h (about 3rd gear in low rang) just before i hit the dune change back to 1st and put me foot flat to the floor, the revs usually hit about 5000rpm+ but driving this way has got me to the top of some BIG sand dunes.
when driving in tracks with big ruts try and avoid them by driving with one tyer in the middle, this is because if the rutts are big and subaru's dont have massive ground clearance it can resut in big problems.
thats about all i have driven in so all i can coment on....
(by the way 1st post on offroadsuabrus.com)
 
Sigmund said:
What pressures do folk run on outback gravel and bulldust?
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When I air down I usually drop to 28psi for bush tracks (normal driving is 36-38psi), but for sand driving I tent to drop a little more though.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
mr turbo said:
When I air down I usually drop to 28psi for bush tracks (normal driving is 36-38psi)
Click to expand...

I did a bit of bush track driving this Easter in the Grampians NP. I still have my original XT tyres, 215/55/R17 so I was a bit hesitant to drop the pressure that much. Ended up dropping it to 32psi (from 36psi) in fear that anything lower than that could result in a tyre coming off the rim... As the gravel there can get a bit chunky, the ride was very bumpy.

2 Questions:

1) Does anyone know when low pressure is too low? Specially when the tyres in question are low profile already, so not much wall to flex... This would come in handy as I would like to do a bit of sand driving next (following Kevin's suggestions and taking a shovel).

2) In large/chunky gravel, is it better for the car to go real slow (30kmh) and wear the bumps out or power along (50-60kmh) and get a slightly better ride?

Just points for further discussion I guess...

Cheers,
Pedro.
 
I have done almost no sand driving but would prefer a high profile tyre with reduced pressures.

As for gravel roads, I prefer to have a reasonable amount of pressure, but below highway pressures. As for how fast, that is a very broad question because it varies a lot, and corurrugations are a further issue. The problem you will face by going too fast is that there will be at soome stage a washaway or something that is just too big to handle and then you are in real trouble. So while I give the car heaps on tarmac, on gravel I knock off a lot of speed.

I have even been caught out at on relatively benign roads, when I found a jump at 60km/h and got quite airborne. While it was fun it also goes to show that unexpected things can come from nowhere, and it could have been worse.

With corrugations, you just have to find a speed that does not shake the car apart, and there will be times when it does not matter what speed you do, the car feels like it is being shaken to death. I have found the bigger the corrugation, the harder it is to find that speed. Best thing is try and find a part of the road with less severe or no corrugations, which is in itself a never ending search. A badly corrugated road is one you are only too pleased to have behind you. The worst corrugated roads I have been on are in WA and western Queensland, with the Buchanan Hwy in WA being the worst.
 
Unless you are cornering hard, your tyre will not come off the rim, even at 10psi. Modern passenger car vehicles with tubeless tyres have what is called a safety rim - a small recess for the tyre bead - designed to hold the bead in place when there is zero pressure in the tyre.

Lower tyre pressures produce a smoother ride on any rough surface. The traps or negatives are higher rolling resistance, tyre overheating with sustained high speed driving, and danger of bending/breaking the rim or damaging the sidewall if you hit something big and hard. I like to use 40psi on sealed roads and 20psi on corrugations. Rocky roads require a LOT of care with low pressure and low profile tyres - not a good mix.

If you venture off road much, a tyre pressure gauge and pump are essential items.

As has been said many times, always drive sensibly according to the road conditions, the vehicle limitations, and your skills. Never be pressured into travelling at a speed which is beyond YOUR comfort zone.
 
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