We talk to Jason Lock to talk about all of the things that can go wrong when you head offroad.
Before we get started, we talk a little about 4WD insurance and the work that Kalen is doing at Club 4x4. He is providing the insurance for 4x4earth members. If you are looking for insurance for your 4x4,check out the Inusrance page on 4x4earth. We get a commission from each one sold which helps keep 4x4earth free and independent. We also talk about The Day I killed my Jeep.
Getting stuck and being unable to recover.
We talk about my first trip out,everything that went wrong from a really simple trip out and how it went pear shaped really quickly. I relied on the kindness and smarts of a passing motorbike rider who helped me get out of the situation I was in.
Getting bogged in mud
The situation gets a little more serious when you are bogged in mud.
Getting bogged in sand
I love driving on sand, but there are some basics that everyone needs to think about. Tyre pressure is the most importantly thing to think about. Don't turn too sharply, keep your momentum up.
Getting bogged in sand below the high water tide mark at the beach
This makes it a lot more serious, because you are now fighting against time to get your vehicle free.
Creek Crossings
Lots can go wrong with creek crossings. We talk about my Jeep creek crossing gone wrong.If the river is flowing too fast, you can find you vehicle actually floating down the stream. Also, watch out for water in the engine. That is bad!
Fires in long grass
This happens every now and then, with either spinifex building up under the engine as you drive through the desert, or brakes, transmission and running gear getting hot and setting the grass on fire after you park.
Rollovers
Rolling your car can happen at very low speeds. There are a few videos on Facebook that show just how easily it can happen. Try to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible and take you time. Keep the car front on to the slope.
Tow Ball injuries
Common misconceptions have the tow ball as being a good place to recovery off. This is not the case and all too often people are struck in the head (and sometimes killed!) but tow balls flying off during a recovery.
Major mechanical damage
Damaging your car can be a big problem when you are offroad.
Getting Lost
Navigation embarrassment can be a big issue, especially if out by yourself (don't) or only have a GPS which stops working. The tracks databases can be wrong as well. I think it is important to take a paper map so you have a back up.
Have a listen and please share, especially with people new to heading out offroad.
