You have just recently purchased your first 4WD, its Sunday morning, the sun is shining and your kids have just decided its time you went out and tested the go anywhere abilities of your 4WD. Being wiser, and hopefully older, than your kids you have already read a few articles on what to do, and not to do, when 4WDriving. You have also seen the long list of recovery equipment your vehicle should have before you dare to venture off the bitumen. Items like HiLift jacks, snatchem straps, winches, air compressors, shackles, chains, shovels, axes, snatch blocks, tree trunk protectors, air jacks etc, etc, etc.

How does a first timer afford half of this 'essential' equipment, never mind how to actually use it. Or, is all the equipment that essential if you travelling to a comparatively popular spot not far from home? The amount of recovery equipment you need is all relative to how far off the beaten track, and how beaten the track is, that your going on.

If your first venture is on some fire trails just out of the metro area, then I dare say that you won't need any recovery equipment. More than likely, the trail will be a regularly maintained fire break that will probably not even really require 4WD, but what the heck, you will use it anyway just to be able to say "yep, I've been 4WDriving" to your workmates come Monday. Bear in mind that common sense must prevail and if the track deteriorates then turn around while you can. Even when the track appears o.k., a slight downhill section on clay may become almost impossible to climb back up with only a trace of rain. You may find yourself faced with a long walk for assistance if you misjudge the conditions.

If you become a little more adventurous and decide to try some beach driving, now is the time to buy some equipment. The first two items on your shopping list should be a tyre pressure gauge and a pump (either manual or electric, the choice is yours). Why? Well lowering your tyre pressures on sand will make all the difference between getting home tonight or having to use that mobile phone you bought along "just in case".

Also, toss in a shovel from your garden shed. But what about snatchem straps, shackles, winches etc that were mentioned earlier? These are still necessary items eventually, but remember that at this stage I'm talking about driving close to the metro area (where your mobile phone works!), probably with other 4WDrivers in your vicinity. Also, you must use plenty of common sense such as only drive on firm sand and not go down any sandhills before you have driven up them (remember - you can always drive down what you have just driven up).

"What's firm sand" you say. If you can see the tread of your tyres in your tracks then its firm. If you have no tread imprint and leave a small depression then its getting soft, but if your tracks look like a deep "V" groove, then it may already be too late to turn around easily.

Its at this point most novice 4WDrivers come unstuck, as they fail to read the changes in sand conditions or become too adventurous on their first sand outing. You feel the vehicle start to bog down so you plant your right foot and, before you know it, you are bogged to your axles. The most common catchcry I've heard is "but I was going along just fine over there" as they point to the firm area they have just left, while now standing in white powder next to the base of a dune. Hopefully the tides not coming in !!!

The shovel and tyre pressure gauge you have got in the vehicle now come into play. First of all, dig the sand away from behind your wheels so you don't have to drive up the small hill you have just created before you back out. Now, with your new pressure gauge, lower your tyre pressures. Try 20 psi all round to start with and then reverse out carefully in low range. Always reverse out as you have already compacted the sand in your tyre tracks behind you. If that doesn't work, keep lowering your tyre pressures and clearing away the sand until it does, or a good samaritan comes along with a snatchem strap. Its important not to dig yourself in, so don't rev the motor if you are going nowhere.

Even if you do have your own snatchem strap, its still no good to you unless there's another vehicle around to pull you out. Also, when you had that shiny new bullbar or towbar put on, did the installer put back the recovery hooks? If he didn't, now's a good time to put that mobile phone to use and ask him why not.

NEVER put a snatchem strap over a towball, people have died that way. Hopefully, your recovery hooks are still there and the good samaritan 4WDriver pulls out his snatchem strap and rescues you. Getting to be an experienced 4WDriver takes time and being bogged plenty of times, I can assure you.

Becoming a competent 4WDriver is not easy to do by yourself as you tend to learn the most from your mistakes. And when you make mistakes you need recovery equipment to get out of them. That's okay if you can afford to lash out on all sorts of recovery and communication equipment, but how do you get the experience in the first place without all the expense? There are several ways such as having a good friend who will show you the ropes, keep practising by yourself (and rely on good samaritans if you do get stuck), or go on a 4WDriver Training Course.

If you don't have recovery equipment it doesn't mean you cannot go 4WDriving, it simply means that you shouldn't be too adventurous, but drive within your limits and slowly build up your experience. The problem is, what are your limits if you never get stuck and how do you know what recovery equipment you need when you do?

Even experienced 4WDrivers don't carry all their recovery equipment all the time, because when the terrain gets too rough they know before they get stuck to turn around. Another words, play it safe. Being a competent 4WDriver doesn't mean having every piece of recovery equipment ever made, but knowing your limits given the equipment you do have. Many people enjoy 4WDriving with a minimum of recovery equipment and never get stuck yet some individuals manage to actually lose their vehicles, recovery equipment and all.

Remember, its not what you've got, but how you use it that counts!             (c) 4WD Encounter 1998

 These pages were last updated on 16th September 1998.
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