Fill up with fuel and check all fluids levels.
Study your route well
Protect vulnerable mechanical parts
Choose the correct tyre pressures for the terrain
Prepare a complete tool box appropriate to your vehicle
In case of difficulties along the way, take a jack, winch, spade and gloves
Take a mobile phone or communication equipment
Take a first aid kit
Following this safety advice will enable you to get the best out of your 4x4 safely... and quench your thirst for adventure!
In the following pages there are a few subjects which might interest you………

• Check out the path in a number of places to avoid surprises like holes, large stones, submerged tree trunks etc, and decide on a line to take and a place to emerge.
• Check the vehicle’s water tightness.
• Deflate the tyres to about 22 psi.
• Go gently into the water to avoid thermal shocks and damaging the radiator.
• Drive at a constant speed, maximum 20 kmph @ 22 psi, pushing through the wave that will form in front of the vehicle.
• Once it has been crossed, look under the vehicle and remove any plants or branches that might be caught under chassis.
• Re – Inflate the tyres to the correct pressure for the terrain.

• Stop before the vehicle gets into the mud and study the terrain.
• Attach emergency hooks at the front and rear, to avoid having to do it when the vehicle is stuck in the mud.
• Decrease the tyre pressure if necessary.
• Move forward in low gear ration, 2nd or 3rd gear.
• If there are deep ruts, approach it at an angle so that the wheels straddle them and do not go into the ruts. If un-avoidable, put the minimum number of wheels into the ruts.
• Use central and rear wheel differential locking, if the vehicle has it.
• Keep the vehicle / wheel straight.
• Maintain constant acceleration.
• Try not to stop, but if it gets stuck, change immediately into reverse gear and go back.

• It is essential to change into low ratio 1st gear, before tackling a descent.
• Lock the central differential and rear differential if the vehicle has one.
• Go down slowly using engine braking, without touching the pedals.
• Never use the clutch.
• If the vehicle starts sliding, accelerate carefully to regain traction.
• On very steep hills, brake lightly as well as using engine braking, and progress inch by inch.

• Lock the differentials.
• Approach the climb in low ratio 1st or 2nd gear.
• Accelerate steadily and stay in the ratio selected initially.
• Don’t accelerate too hard, or the wheels will slide.
• If the vehicle fails to climb the slope or the engine is struggling – do the following. Secure the vehicle by pushing firmly on the brakes, without touching the accelerator or the clutch, until the engine stalls. While pushing on the brakes, use the clutch pedal to aid selection of reverse gear and gently release all pedals.
• Turn over the starter motor and let the vehicle descend on engine braking.

• Small steps (25 cms or 10 Inches) are taken head on.
• High steps (>25 cms 0r 10 Inches) are taken at an angle of 45 degrees.
• In all cases the steps are climbed in low ratio, 1st gear.
• Bring the front wheels right up against the step and apply power.
• Lift off the accelerator to bring the rear wheels against the step.
• Apply sufficient power to bring the rear wheels up.
• To go down, all steps are taken head on.
• Control the descent inch by inch, using the brake.

• Survey the slope area on foot.
• Don’t deflate the tyres too far, to avoid the risk of seating the beads.
• Never trust an inclinometer.
• Never use differential locking.
• Tackle the slope in low ratio – 1st gear.
• Turn the front wheels slightly into the slope, so as to progress crabwise.
• If the vehicle starts to slide backwards, immediately turn the front wheel towards the base of the slope.

Cross axle situations and ditches

• Study the terrain where the cross axle situation might occur.
• Lock the central differential and rear axle differential where possible.
• On a flat or up a hill, change into low ratio 2nd or 3rd gear, and into low ratio, 1st when going downhill.
• On a flat or up a hill, accelerate lightly just before the cross axle point.
• When going downhill, brake lightly if necessary but never lock the wheels.
• Should they lock, change into reverse and go back, then choose another line or speed.

• Set the vehicle up in front of the ditch, angled at approximately 45 degrees.
• Provide a sufficiently wide exit zone.
• Lock the central differential and the rear axle differential where possible.
• Cross the ditch very slowly in low ratio, 1st gear using a very light throttle.
• If the vehicle is stopped by excess articulation between axles, reverse.
• Start again, taking a different line.
• Accelerate hard to give you momentum to cross the ditch.
• Ease off on the accelerator and let the rear wheels cross. .

4 x 4 tyres designed primarily for on road use are now more popular than ever. Vehicles such as BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne, Mercedes M Class to name but a few are demanding performance from a tyre previously only required for high performance road cars. These tyres need to deliver car like performance whilst fitted to heavy 4 x 4 vehicles. Tyres for vehicles such as these now include features like high performance tread compound and many others. An example for a road use tyre is as below :

Luxury 4 x 4 tyres are, as are the performance tyres, designed to be used predominantly on road. The main difference is that, due to the type of vehicle to which they are fitted, they need to offer a higher degree of performance whilst offering a similarly high degree of comfort, low noise and vibration. Tyres for this sector of the market will tend to have a less aggressive tread pattern, usually with smaller tread blocks designed to reduce noise and vibration and provide a quitter, more comfortable ride. An example for these types of tyres is as below :

Although on road terrain may seem to be something of a contradiction, these tyres are designed for vehicles that, although used predominantly on road do have the occasional off road experience. They are a tyre that will give a relatively quiet, comfortable ride whilst used on road but also posses a better off road ability that the two previous categories don’t have. . An example for these types of tyres is as below :

Performance requirements for an off road tyre will, obviously, differ greatly than those for an on road. Comfort and noise, whilst still being relevant, are not the number one priority. Whereas an on road tyres main requirement is good dry surface for performance. But an off road tyre range may vary from dry, dusty surfaces, to deep mud and anything in between. Most major tyre manufacturers will produce a range of tyres suitable for these different conditions. Tyres for off road use will include features as heavy, rugged tread patterns, stronger carcass construction (to resist the heavy impact and deflection associated with off road use) and cut resistant compounds. An example for these types of tyres is as below :