If you are new to the interesting world of 4×4 or off-road driving, there are a variety of ideas and guidelines that you have to remember before attempting to be the next 4×4 stunt driver and parking your newly obtained 4×4 on its roof in a ditch!

To begin with you need to understand and obey your individual limits. If you are battling to clear a hurdle hitting it faster or harder might be amusing to the passengers in your car or any onlookers next to the hurdle course, but it will most likely not help you in clearing the object successfully. Some obstacles are meant for skilled drivers, don’t feel frustrated if you are battling the first number of outings.

Do not put pedal to the metal the first time you are attempting to cross or clear an obstacle. Although speed is essential to a degree, it may also land you in trouble at an increased rate! Momentum in contrast is far more valuable than just charging an obstacle at full speed and hoping for the best. More often than not a bit of momentum will help to slowly but surely carry you over the obstacle in question.

Watch out for mud! What might seem like tiny mud splash might really be a hole deep enough to swallow your 4×4! Rather get out of your vehicle first and use a stick or other object to test how deep the mud hole actually is. Also inspect the bottom of the hole – a harder bottom will offer a bit more grip than a soft bottom. Once again a bit of momentum might be required to successfully cross the mud hole. If you feel that your vehicle is losing a bit of traction or momentum, do not freak out! Simply move your front wheels a bit to the left and then a bit to the right – this will usually be enough to gain some footing and move forward again.

In case your tires are too hard, you will have a decreased surface area which is not great for traction. If you get stuck you might want to let your tire pressure down a bit so that the greater surface area can help with grip. This will also ensure that the rest of your ride is less bumpy. It is however important not to drive with too flat tires as you can break a bead in the process. Once back on solid ground you have to inflate your tires again – don’t leave this until you’re at home as you can totally destroy your tires.

Never drive without tow straps. Eventually even the most knowledgeable 4×4 driver will get stuck and you will then need tow straps to get out of the problem. Spend money on high quality straps that won’t break the first time that you need to use them.

Being a competent 4×4 driver takes some time and practice. Don’t attempt to achieve the impossible on your initial few outings. Become familiar with your vehicle and your own limits, and then gradually experiment with more tricky obstacles and courses as you acquire experience.