going off-road / 4WD

Introduction

going off-road is very popular in Australia however it does require the right gear, preparation and technical training
buying “automatic” electronic features may allow you to get further off-road but unless you also have spent time learning the technical side of off-road driving, they are likely to just leave you getting stuck in more remote places!
If you hope to take full advantage of your vehicle’s angles, then you’re going to want to protect the bodywork. Off-road bumpers offer protection from bumps and scrapes while giving you the ability to mount accessories like winches, lights, and tire carriers. Rock sliders mount to the frame under your doors, protecting your vehicle’s body.
roof racks need to be a much higher rating if you plan to load them for off-road use

if you drive off-road without recovery gear, you may not get much sympathy or help from others!
- see 4WD off road recovery gear

driving across the inland deserts of Australia
- according to https://birdsvillehotel.com.au/simpson-desert-recovery-assurance/, the main reasons for need for vehicle recovery were:
  - mechanical failure
    - eg. blown up or failed axles, failed and collapsed wheel bearings, broken steering systems, failed fuel systems, broken and failed water pumps or radiators (a stick through the radiator is a major issue)
  - snapped chassis - usually from too heavy loads
  - electrical faults
  - flood
  - alternator failure
  - much less frequently: rollover, fuel issues, other issues

if you drive towing a trailer or caravan, your chances of mishaps increase substantially and you may lose everything if this occurs in a remote setting - not to mention delays to medical care
- 4WD and trailer/caravan roll overs can occur unexpectedly such as a rear tyre blowout, even on relatively flat roads and will likely end your trip!
  - examples:
    - Youtube: BIRDSVILLE FROM BAD TO WORSE and Part 2
- Risk of trailer sway and roll over
  - Youtube: footage of overtaking vehicle losing control with excessive van sway and then rolling the caravan at speed on bitumen
  - addressing causes of trailer sway:
    - ensure trailer is not too long - choose the shortest trailer possible
    - ensure optimum mass distribution - mass should be mainly low down over the trailer wheels - not at the front or rear of trailer
    - tandem wheels should have same road grip and hence same load - and thus trailer must be LEVEL
    - avoid long distance from rear wheel of vehicle to hitch point (avoid tow bar extensions) and avoid rear overhang loads over hitch point
    - ensure low centre of gravity for both tow vehicle and trailer
    - ensure correct tow ball mass of 5-10%
      - too heavy and trailer will be too stable and not turn with tow vehicle plus less load and hence grip on the vehicle's front wheels
      - inadequate tow ball mass although making trailer easier to maneuver, makes the trailer unstable
    - ensure correct tyre pressures as determined by load on each wheel
      - too low - increases risk of trailer sway, squirm and float
      - too high - increases trailer bounce and loss of grip
    - SLOW DOWN
      - reduce speed and thus reduce trailer momentum (momentum = mass x velocity) and shorten your braking distance
      - take care downhill as trailer momentum and gravity forces tend to have trailer “overtaking” tow vehicle which increases sway - ensure you reduce speed at start of downhill parts and increase the proportion of braking to the trailer brakes!
      - take extra care in wet weather or with gusty winds (eg. passing a truck)
      - take extra care on bumpy roads that bounce the trailer around
- ensure your vehicle is appropriate for the towing and braking needs and the tow ball load is appropriate and you learn to drive appropriately towing a van
- driving after sunset dramatically increases risk of hitting a camel or similar large animal, if you swerve suddenly you may end up with a rollover or into a tree
- motorhomes and caravans occasionally catch fire due to faulty inverters etc
- 4WDs can catch fire due to dry grass and spinifex seeds becoming trapped in the hot underbelly of vehicles - oils in the spinifex seeds are highly combustible and they catch fire really quickly ¹⁾
  - mainly an issue driving though Simpson Desert and similar areas after heavy rains with lush vegetation in April and May
  - Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) may increase risk as they reduce air pollutants by capturing and burning built-up soot at temperatures of up to 600degC - may need manual DPFs or a heat shield

the cardinal rule for off-roading is never go alone - you will eventually get stuck and need help from another vehicle
it then also means having a two way radio to enable a spotter or a recovery vehicle to communicate with the driver is pretty much a necessity.

you are probably NOT insured OFF-ROAD use or REMOTE 4WD for vehicle damage or recovery - check the fine print!
- non-gazetted roads may not be covered
- beaches may be covered unless the tide / waves damages car
- river crossings may be covered by some insurers but they may insist on water less than manufacturer's specifications for the car or perhaps the snorkel, or they may have a very high excess of $6000 or more
- 4WD training may not be covered or on a 4WD park
- if you damaged your vehicle while recovering another vehicle you are unlikely to be covered
- if you had pre-existing damage then this may impact your cover
- your accessories may not be covered or it may be capped, and once your vehicle gets to the panel beaters under insurance, it becomes property of insurer and you may not be able to access or remove the accessories
- you may not be covered for remote travel as this is expensive to retrieve the vehicle from the middle of a desert (exception may be if it burnt down in which case that may be a statutory write off) - the onus may be on you to get a 4WD recovery vehicle to retrieve at your cost of $400/hr for 24hrs as they may refuse to assess it until it is in a workshop (you can get special insurance to help cover for off-road recoveries through Club4x4 insurance) - the insurer may have a distance limit as well for recovery. In general, at the least, you may need to get it to where a flat top tow truck can get to - not much help if you are stuck on the beach in water or on a 4WD only track!
MORAL of story - don't take excessive risks and when possible, travel in a convoy as you can't rely on strangers or insurers to help you recover your vehicle otherwise

Determining factors in choice of vehicle

perhaps the most important factor for remote touring is reliability / ease of repair
- modern cars are less reliable in the remote Outback of Australia:
  - less easy to repair
  - less robust build quality
  - a major issue in modern vehicles is water intrusion impacting electronic components - this is an issue with nearly all modern cars from all manufacturers
  - rubber bushes on CV joints are prone to puncture from sticks
  - common rail diesel engines introduced in 2006 to most 4WDs although stated to enhance engine durability through cleaner running, are much more expensive to repair and appears to some to have reduced longevity compared to older mechanical diesel injection systems perhaps as they have more electronics which can fail and be complex to diagnose and they demand ultra-clean diesel - even tiny micron-sized contaminants clog injectors or score the high-pressure pump (2,000+ bar), leading to frequent failures in dusty Australian outback conditions or poor fuel quality, while water in fuel (which is prevalent in remote AU) accelerates wear on seals and rails
  - “catastrophic engine failures” are not uncommon
- a 70 series Toyota Land Cruiser may be a better option for remote travel than more modern vehicles as long as it is well maintained and not abused or rusty
  - 79 models are ute style
  - 76 style and some modern upgrade mods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEVSfsex9Qk
- avoid unnecessary modifications as these may impact reliability or parts availability - an upgraded suspension though may be important if towing, etc

bull bars and rollover bars (ROPS) do NOT make your vehicle safer (except for minor kangaroo impacts) but do make it HEAVIER and LESS SAFE in more serious crashes or for pedestrians
- at 64kph frontal crashes in a Toyota HiLux, a steel bull bar caused much more cabin intrusion especially at feet - you may not be walking very well for the rest of your life and you may need a new hip joint!
- internal ROPS demonstrated no real reduction to potential serious head and spinal injuries to front seat occupants in the crash configurations
- ROPS designed to accommodate deployment of side curtain air bags would potentially represent a significant increase in the risk of serious head or brain injuries to rear seat occupants in a frontal crash
- The ROPS structure appeared to increase propensity for vehicle rollover by increasing the centre of gravity height;
- “Fitting aftermarket safety equipment may have adverse consequences”
- BHP banned these modifications as they made their Toyota HiLux utes more dangerous!²⁾

many 4WD offroad vehicles have VERY POOR visibility which can severely impact your safety and the safety of those around you
- the wide front windscreen strut of a Ford Ranger can easily hide a car at a round about!
- rear visibility is critical when reversing - many children are killed in this manner, including at camp grounds!
- the Subaru Outback is superb in terms of visibility!
- choose wisely and also ensure they have an ANCAP safety rating of at least 5!

4WD vs AWD

AWD vehicles are great on bitumen and gravel roads as an additional safety feature but have very limited off-road utility at slow speeds in terms of:
- no true 4WD modes of 4H or 4L as no transfer case to achieve these
- no ability to add diff lockers which can be critical for getting out of situations where a wheel in spinning freely
- drive trains are not as robust
- under vehicle protection is not usually as strong
- approach angles may be an issue going up steeper embankments

ruggedness and power

4WDs with truck chassis are generally built more ruggedly and are better suited to most serious off-road work and towing but do need an engine with higher power specs and will have poorer fuel economy
roof rack rating is important off-road
the ability to get to and maintain momentum is important
- momentum = mass x velocity
- the ability to get to a given velocity is determined by:
  - power of vehicle to overcome the mass of the vehicle as acceleration = force / mass
  - force here is determined by the power from the engine less the effects of gravity (eg. going uphill against gravity)
    - high torque at low RPM is important for such off-road work
    - if you have a heavy vehicle then large tyres, twin lockers and a turbo V8 can get you up very slippery tracks where other vehicles may struggle
  - traction

rated recovery points

trying to pull a vehicle out using the vehicle's tie down or tow ball is dangerous, you need to have a rated recovery point at both front and rear before you head out
this recovery point on a 4WD should generally be bolted into the chassis with at least two M12 (12mm) bolts and the strength should be sufficient - the hex head should read 8.8 tensile strength and they should be tightened to the correct torque (over-tightening them may strip them)
the recovery point should be engraved with a rating such as 10000lb (this equates to 4535kg)
the only vehicle that comes from the factory with rated recovery points is the Isuzu MUX, which has two rated recovery points on the front rated at 2000kg each. That is 4000kg when used with an equaliser strap, and no where near the 8,000kg rated snatch straps that most people use.
you can generally have rated recovery points installed onto your chassis if there are none
in older vehicles, regularly remove and check the bolts to ensure they have not rusted out

capacity

shorter wheel base offers better angles but less passenger and cargo capacity
tare weight = weight of an empty standard vehicle with all of its fluids (oils, coolants) but with only 10 litres of fuel in the tank
kerb weight = same as Tare Mass, but with a full tank of fuel and without any accessories fitted (bull bars, tow bars, roof racks etc).
Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) or Weight (GVW) = maximum your vehicle can weigh when fully loaded as specified by the manufacturer
Payload = maximum load (including accessories, passengers, etc) your vehicle can carry as specified by the manufacturer = GVW - Kerb weight
- a Toyota Landcruiser 200 has a payload of only 600kg!
Gross Vehicle Axle Mass or Weight = maximum load that your vehicle's front and rear axles can carry as specified by the manufacturer
Gross Combination Mass (GCM) or Weight (GCW) = maximum weight allowed for your vehicle and trailer combined, as specified by the tow vehicle's manufacturer

adequate traction

inadequate traction is the cause of perhaps 90% of failures off-road
vehicle drive chain design can be critical to gaining traction
- ability to lock both front and rear diffs
- “AWD” vehicles generally are not able to lock both front and rear diffs and may send most of the engine's torque to the spinning wheel that has lost traction instead of sending it to the other wheel which has traction
the 1st upgrade you need to do is get a good set of all-terrain tires
appropriately adjusting tire pressure for the surface is critical
- Lowering the air pressure of your tires increases traction because it allows more of your tire surface to grab onto whatever you're driving over and will also reduce risk of punctures
the heavier the vehicle, the greater the traction is needed

adequate clearance

a vehicle with very short front and rear overhangs will inherently have superior approach and departure angles to one with longer overhangs
a short wheelbase, will inherently achieve a better breakover angle than a vehicle with a longer wheelbase but you will have a less comfortable ride over poor road conditions
lifting a vehicle up to gain improved clearance or angles by increasing the size of the tire will increase the height of obstacles it can roll over, but will reduce your effective gear ratio while adding unsprung weight which generally will just result in a poorer ride, worse handling, poorer braking, higher centre of gravity and rollover risk, and worse fuel economy without much benefit.
- If you fit larger tires, you will need to change your differential gears in order to return performance, fuel economy, and control and you’ll need to fit taller suspension in order to clear them.
parameters to consider:
- ground clearance
  - perhaps the least important of these parameters as you can usually drive your wheel over the highest point, but it still may be a factor
  - AWDs can sometimes have higher ground clearance than 4WD trucks with solid axles
  - clearance is important when driving through deep wheel ruts and it is here that the centre diffs of 4WDs may be the limiting factor
- approach angle
  - the angle between your front tires and the lowest point on your vehicle in front of them
- breakover angle or rampover angle
  - the angle from the bottom of either your front or rear tires to where the opposite tire meets the lowest point on your vehicle
  - this is related to the wheelbase - the shorter the wheelbase the better the angle
  - If you don't understand the break-over angle of your car, you can wind up balancing on a rock with all your wheels off the ground.
- departure angle
  - the angle from the bottom of your rear tire to the lowest point behind it

low gear for steep obstacles

the ability to switch to a very low gearing is critical in delivering control to safely ascend and descend steep tracks

articulation

this is the ability for one wheel to be at a much different height distance from the vehicle body compared to the other wheel when one wheel is at a different height ground
in reality, this is only important for extreme 4WDers as most 4WDs usage can be performed if the driver is careful and controlled in their approaches.

ease of repairs while on the tracks

this also requires spare parts to be carried, tools, jacks, and knowledge of how to detect damage and repair it
a CV joint cage is likely to be damaged due to the shock loading when a spinning wheel lifts off the ground and then lands hard (eg. bouncing or hopping up a rocky incline) as this puts massive amounts of pressure on the driveline, and CV joints are usually the weakest link.
The CV joint (Constant Velocity joint) is more vulnerable:
- if the car has been lifted as the angle is greater
- on full steering lock under power
- wheels are spinning for more than 3 seconds and not moving forward
the boot of the CV joint may also get punctured by a stick which allows the grease to escape and the CV joint will run dry and self-destruct
fortunately the CV joint can generally be replaced on the track with the right know-how and tools (and a spare!)
water or mud in your engine bay can cause a lot of issues
- electrical contacts may need cleaning
- alternator may need removing, taking apart and cleaning out as it is very vulnerable to water and mud
- if water gets into the air intake then you are in lots of trouble - water inside the engine may destroy it!

extras you may need to buy

is it a purpose built off-road only vehicle or a work vehicle as well?

you need to decide if you need the rear for your work or whether you can afford to always have that vehicle kitted out for off-road use and camping
try to keep it simple and avoid over purchasing accessories which will only empty your pocket and weight your car down and cost you in fuel
- do you really need all that cooking ware?
- are you really going to go to extreme tracks or just going on easy gravel tracks camping?
  - maybe you don't need mud tyres, bull bars, winches, roof racks, suspension mods, etc

tyres and suspension upgrades

all-terrain tyres (although mud tyres are fine on sand)
improved suspension to manage the weight of bull bar, winches, etc
- balancing weight distribution from front to back and left to right is an important consideration
ensure tyres are not worn or too old and brittle
- tyres are marked with manufacture date xxyy where xx is the week of year and yy is last 2 digits of year - replace tyres if older than 5 yrs and planning on a remote trip

tools and repair kits

air pump for tyres
spare tyre
car jack - the one that came with the car may not work if you have done mods such as a lift
tyre repair kit - most can be repaired without taking wheel off
- see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmiBFaZ6Z5U on how to repair a leaking valve, tyre puncture, gravel between rim and tyre causing a leak, and a dent in steel wheel rim (can't fix alloy wheel though)
general repair tools
if you are going to extreme tracks or remote places then:
- engine oil
- diff oil
- transmission oil
- coolant
- brake fluid
- spare parts such as fan belts, CV joint or whatever the weakness is for your vehicle

towing gear

brake system such as Redarc electronic control

vehicle protection if going to extreme tracks

Off-road bumpers
Rock sliders mount to the frame under your doors, protecting your vehicle’s body.

river crossing options

air intake snorkel

auxiliary battery system

LiFePO4 battery with DC-DC charger
optionally add AC inverter
see camping off-grid - power, batteries, solar, fridges

recovery gear

see 4WD off road recovery gear

camping gear

car fridge
cooking
awning eg. ARB
swag or roof tent
off-road rated roof rack
camp fire gear
chairs
drinking water
etc

taking spares

when you are relatively close to towns

repair manual for your vehicle
torque wrench and torque the wheel nut before and after hitting the dirt road
spare tyre same size and condition as the others
4 spare tyre valve cores, stems
tyre repair kit
6 wheel studs and 6 wheel nuts
snorkel sock if you have a snorkel for gravel roads or dusty conditions to reduce air filter issues
one cup spare nuts and bolts
- NB. many of those which mount to the chassis have thread pitch 125 rather than the most common 150 you find at ironmongers
duct tape
cable ties
selection of fuses
circuit breaker
electrical repair gear - heat shrink, connectors, conduit, wires, Anderson plugs, crimper
Self vulcanising tape for repairing pressure hoses

more remote driving

as above plus
front and rear brake pads
can of brake cleaner
whole wheel bearings kits with every component needed, including front and rear kits and a kit for a trailer as these tend to go first
wheel bearing removal tool
wheel bearing grease for the hub
spare air filter
diesel filters
two cups spare nuts and bolts
Metal Epoxy, in case of fuel tank damage/leak
+/- serpentine belt
+/- Universal joints, silicon tape and metal putty for filling holes

very remote driving

most of Western Australia, Northern Territory, Central Australia (at a distance from Alice Springs)
requires careful planning
- have wheel hubs re-done before the trip
as above plus:
at least two spare tyres (or perhaps a carcass)
G-clamps to clamp a broken brake line
brake fluid (must be a sealed bottle else absorbs moisture)
3-4 cups spare nuts and bolts
spare coolant hoses
concentrated coolant
engine oil
+/- diff oil but you could temporarily use 10w 30 engine oil which is the similar to 75-weight gear oil,just without the additives
serpentine belt
most disasters can be welded back together - take the few bits required - shield, holder, rods, jumper leads - for battery welding.
consider based on known problems with vehicle model:
- alternator eg. 70s series are prone to problems
- CV
- rear axle
- pulley bearings
- water pump
- starter motor
- carry your old factory shocks as spares

technical aspects

load balancing your vehicle

most vehicles have a payload of 500-1000kg including driver, passenger, accessories
it it important to balance the weight distribution on each axle
keep heavy gear as low as possible to lower centre of gravity
roof racks need to be managed with care to avoid exceeding weight limits for off-road use
consider permanent heavy gear such as auxiliary battery and fridge in the rear passenger side to counterbalance the weight of the driver
if possible place spare tyres and extra water between the axles rather than to the rear to reduce risk of front wheels lifting up in ascents

highways

on dry highways, ensure you are not in 4WD mode (and particularly with locked diffs!) as this will create stress on your drive chain and bind it up
- if you accidentally find you have forgotten to disengage 4WD mode, then slow down and drive for a bit with at least one side of the car on softer roadside to release some of the bound up state, then disengage 4WD mode
ensure your tires are pumped up again to highway pressures

gravel roads

lower tire psi a little (perhaps 30-35psi) to give more control and a nicer ride over corrugations
travel at the best speed for the conditions and no more than 80kph
- going faster may cause damage due to vibrations causing screws to fall out or stress to vehicle not to mention risk of accidents at unexpected curves or animals
use AWD or 4WD (and lock your wheel hubs) to give the safest drive especially around bends where rollovers are a high risk if only in 2WD

green laning

relatively low risk driving on off-road tracks but may risk damaging the environment or the tracks if they are used mainly for horse riding
approach ditches or obstacles to cross at an angle not front on to avoid more than one tire losing traction at a time

rock crawling

driving slowly (less than 5kph) over rocky usually mountainous tracks
lower your psi to give more traction, better control and less bouncing which is likely to cause loss of control, rollovers or damage to CV joints
pick your line and plan your path out
consider using a spotter on difficult areas
sidewalls of your tires are the weakest part, so you need to be careful where they come into contact with rocks to avoid puncturing them
when ruts are dry, it's usually best to stay out of them and to straddle them instead and wider tires help give more purchase
avoid straddling large rocks because there's always a chance they could damage the underside of your vehicle - the best option is usually to drive over the rock with your tire or you may need to build a ramp of some sort on each side to get you over it and the departure angle managed
if you're moving too fast:
- the side-to-side rocking motion of your car as the tires move over rocks can build up and cause your vehicle to tip, particularly if it has a high centre of gravity
- you won't have time to assess the size of obstacles and your angles
if you plan on doing more extreme tracks, you will run the risk of damage to CV joints, axles, panels and more, so using your 4WDs as toys could be a costly venture
- see YouTube 4WD 24-7 Queensland 4WDers - replacing a CV on the track in the Glass House Mountains

mudding

driving through deep mud is tricky as:
- there may be hidden objects including deep bog holes which may result in CV joint damage or sinking into water
- each type of mud consistency requires different approach speeds for a given vehicle
- going too slow will end up with you being stuck and trying to gain traction may just result in spinning the wheels and making a deeper hole and thus you almost certainly need to be winched or towed out
- going too fast will risk losing ability to negotiate objects and maintain control - hitting something hard not only may damage your vehicle but may set off your airbags!
- specially designed mud terrain tires are the best, these have extra large lugs which keeps mud from getting stuck in between the lugs, allowing you to maintain traction
- longer distances in deep thick mud or wet salt pans will slow the engine down as friction from the accumulated mud increases and is a major risk for getting too slow then bogged as above or tyres coming off their rims or both
driving up very slippery clay tracks
- big mud tyres with aggressive side wall grooves and at low air pressure help
- twin diff lockers can be really useful
- adequate speed for momentum

sand dunes and beaches

dropping tire psi increases the length of tire in contact with sand and improves forward traction and this outweighs the effect of widening the tire
wider tires may actually be worse in sand as they create more resistance as sand is pushed in front but in reality wide mud tires will work just find if they are deflated to around 14psi
knowing your off-roading angles is important
like any hill, you have to gain enough momentum to reach the top without stopping
- if you start too slow, you'll have to either back down the dune or make a wide arc to turn around
- turning around on any hill is extremely dangerous because you're at greater risk of rolling your car over and ending up upside down.
the wider the tire (eg. as on dune buggies), the less you will sink into whatever you're driving through - lower your tire pressures for sand driving
heavier vehicles especially towing vans are more likely to get stuck in soft sand and an option for recovery is for another vehicle to use a snatch strap which will allow the towing vehicle to get some speed up without itself getting bogged
risk of catastrophic low ball joint (LBJ) failure which will need tow truck if you are on the beach - if the tide doesn't get you first
- often occurs at low - mod speed on full steering lock, particularly with certain vehicles such as Toyota 4Runner, Prado, Jeep Cherokee
- can take out the cv shaft, UBJ, LBJ, steering rack, inner tie rod and brake line

river crossings

these are potentially very dangerous
- vehicles can easily get swept down the river
- the lighter the vehicle, the shallower the water needs to be to float the vehicle and sweep it down the river
- this is further compounded if the river if infested with crocodiles as they often are in the tropics of Australia
- hidden obstacles or deep holes are a major risk
where possible, walk the path first and assess current, depth, obstacles, presence of deep holes, exit route accessibility and a recovery strategy in case of failure
crossing rivers you need to be ready with a recovery strategy such as a snatch strap to apply as soon as possible as getting stuck in a river with soft sand will rapidly result in the water eroding around the wheels and digging the wheels in deeper
salt water crossings:
- cross at low tide which may differ to the beach low tide
- drive slowly to minimise water splash which will risk corrosion
- when home, thoroughly wash under carriage with fresh water

understand why you are bogged

bottomed out
- wheel rut channels are deeper than your clearance, or a branch or tree stump pokes up
- check your tire inflation is correct for that surface
- try to shovel dirt/sand to reduce centre height
- use MaxTracks as this will elevate the vehicle
- consider a recovery vehicle winch or as last resort a snap strap
not enough traction
- wheels spin and no movement - STOP as your wheels will only get deeper making it harder to recover and may also result in you bottoming out!
- check your tire inflation is correct for that surface, in sand lower them to 6psi then when out put them back to 15psi
- check your 4WD mode
- use a shovel and MaxTrack
- consider a recovery vehicle winch or as last resort a snap strap
something has broken
- broken axle or CV - usually there is a noise before you get stuck and you were doing serious 4WD with a lot of stress on the axle

example vehicles

vehicle	power	torque	kerb mass	max. payload	approach	departure	breakover	clearance	turn circle
Suzuki Jimny 3 door 1.5L petrol 4WD $41K	75kW @6000rpm	130Nm @4000rpm	1100kg	300kg	37deg	49deg	28deg	210mm	4.9m
Suzuki Jimny 5 door 1.5L petrol 4WD	77kW @6000rpm	134Nm @4000rpm	kg	kg	36deg	50deg	24deg	210mm	m
Subaru Outback 6cyl 3.6L petrol 2016 AWD	191kW @6000rpm	350Nm @4400rpm	1626kg	430kg	18.5deg	22.7deg	20deg	213mm	11m
Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 2 door 3.6L petrol 8sp auto 4WD $87K	209kW @6400rpm	347Nm @4100rpm	1917kg	500kg?	41.9deg w steel bumper	31.5deg	26.6deg	225mm	10.5m
Ford Ranger 4×4 XLT Double Cab PickUp 5cyl 3.2L diesel 2021³⁾	147kW @3000rpm	500Nm @1750-2000rpm	2135kg	1065kg	29deg	21deg	25deg	237mm	12.7m
Isuzu D-Max 4×4 3L 4cyl turbo diesel⁴⁾	140kW @3600 rpm	450Nm @1600→2600rpm	2030kg	1070kg	30deg	24-28.9deg	23.9deg	235mm	12.5m
Toyota Prado 2.8L Turbo diesel⁵⁾	150kW @3400rpm	500Nm @1600-2800rpm	2285kg	700kg	30.4deg	23.5deg	21.1deg	219mm	11.6m
Toyota Landcruiser 4.5L Twin Turbo V8 diesel	200kW @3600rpm	650Nm @1600-2600rpm	2740kg	600kg	32deg	24deg		230mm	11.8m

¹⁾

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-29/outback-car-fire-risk-increased-after-wet-season/102378446

²⁾

https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/EgT3jbKlzU

³⁾

https://www.ford.com.au/content/dam/Ford/website-assets/ap/au/nameplate/ranger-2019/overview/brochure/2021.25MY-Ranger-Specifications.pdf

⁴⁾

https://www.isuzuute.com.au/-/media/d-max/documents/isuzu-21my-d-max_specification-sheet.pdf

⁵⁾

https://www.toyota.com.au/-/media/toyota/main-site/vehicle-hubs/prado/files/prado_spec_data_2021.pdf

Table of Contents

going off-road / 4WD

Introduction

Determining factors in choice of vehicle

4WD vs AWD

ruggedness and power

rated recovery points

capacity

adequate traction

adequate clearance

low gear for steep obstacles

articulation

ease of repairs while on the tracks

extras you may need to buy

is it a purpose built off-road only vehicle or a work vehicle as well?

tyres and suspension upgrades

tools and repair kits

towing gear

vehicle protection if going to extreme tracks

river crossing options

auxiliary battery system

recovery gear

camping gear

taking spares

when you are relatively close to towns

more remote driving

very remote driving

technical aspects

load balancing your vehicle

highways

gravel roads

green laning

rock crawling

mudding

sand dunes and beaches

river crossings

understand why you are bogged

example vehicles