Beginners guide to off roading

4th Feb 2022

Off roading can be an exciting and thrilling experience, but if you are planning to venture off-road for the first time read these essential tips to help keep you safe and get you prepared!

1) Know your ride

Off-roading can throw you around a fair bit and be quite challenging on your body, which is why it’s essential to get into a comfortable seating and steering wheel position. While you’re driving, ensure your back is pressed firmly into the seat, so you’re reducing the strain on your back by not leaning forward.

When driving in tough terrain, attempt to keep your thumbs outside the steering wheel to avoid something known as "whip." Whip occurs when your tyre awkwardly hits a piece of terrain and the wheel suddenly snaps in one direction or the other. This can injure your wrists or, worse, break your thumbs. Keep in mind that this is mostly a concern with vehicles that lack power steering.

You should also know where all the essentials are in your 4x4. So for instance you should blindly know where your handbrake is, or the shifter or transfer case shifter, so you don’t have to look down to find them and you can keep your eyes safely on the road.

2) Airing down

Airing down your vehicle's tyres is one of the most effective ways to improve off-road traction and can mean the difference between making it up and over and spinning your wheels. Off-road, whether in sand, snow, dirt, rocks, or mud, airing down will help with ride quality-especially with terrain where there’s lots of rocks and boulders as well as help with traction. It’s recommended to air down your tyres to around 20-25 PSI, but make sure you re-inflate them when you get back on normal roads!

3) Use 4WD Low

If you’re off roading, you’ll likely have a 4WD (four wheel drive), and without an auto setting, 4WD Low is what you’d use. 4WD Low is strictly for slow off-roading or places where torque multiplication would really help you out (like deep sand). However, when you need to travel fast and keep momentum, you need to be in 4WD High.

4) Have a plan and be prepared for the worst

You need to think ahead and prepare for any possible problems or worst case scenarios. The following equipment is essential to bring on your off-roading journeys:

First aid kit
Seat belt cutter & glass breaker - just in case you’re stuck and need to make an emergency exit from your vehicle
Fire extinguisher
Warm clothes - if you break down you could be exposed to the elements for a long time. Also stow a few blankets away in the boot just in case
Food & water
Recovery kit (winch, straps, shackles etc.)
Tyre repair kit
Jump starter cables

The team at Car Synergy knows everything there is to know about off-roading as a 4x4 and Range Rover Specialist, and can help you select the appropriate four wheel drive for you. You can browse our selection of used SUVs and 4x4s in Leeds and get in touch with us if you need help deciding which one is best for you.

You can also read some of our other articles on why you should buy a 4x4 if you're thinking about it, as well as which Range Rover is best for you.