Off Road Driving Basics: Fundamental Skills for Trail Driving

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Join us for this quick look at basic off road driving skills. This overview covers the fundamental skills and mindset every driver should have when venturing off the beaten path onto some beginner and intermediate level terrain.

The first step to set yourself for success off road is to quickly establish your own capabilities and the capabilities of your vehicle, so that you know what terrain you will be able to drive and for how long without getting stuck, damaging equipment, or blindly getting into dangerous situations. Any off road or overland trip should start with a quick vehicle walkaround / assessment and a mental appraisal of your own skills and preparedness.

Once you have a fundamental understanding of yourself and your vehicle and decide to set off on a trail drive into the backcountry, take a good look at how you are operating the vehicle controls, giving it inputs, feeling and hearing feedback from the tires and suspension, and generally interacting with the piece of machinery that you are relying on to get you to your destination. A proper upright seating position ensures good visibility of the terrain ahead and positive control of the steering. Operating the vehicle in 4WD low range and using the transmission and drive modes properly will allow you to drive very rough terrain smoothly at very low speeds. Applying throttle smoothly helps you maintain traction and avoid excessive bouncing which can lead to unnecessary vehicle damage, driver fatigue, damaged cargo, and frustrated passengers.

With the proper techniques and mindset behind the wheel, the next things to worry about are the variety of terrain features that you are likely to encounter while on an off road or overland excursion. The first factor to get used to is that there will be much steeper slopes than on any paved or engineered roads, meaning you'll be driving steep uphills, downhills, and potentially across side tilts. Uphills should be driven at a crawling speed when possible, but may require some momentum and the use of higher gears to ascend successfully. Steep descents require the use of low gears to take advantage of engine braking and facilitate smooth and safe descents. Some brake pressure may also be used on descents when appropriate. Driving across side tilts requires very slow travel, smooth inputs, and the driver must be prepared to turn downhill and accelerate if the vehicle starts to roll.

Many other terrain features exist off road and will vary greatly depending on the region and season you are operating in. The most common off road features globally include ruts, bumps and/or holes that cause articulation of the suspension, ditch and log crossings, and many more. How to tackle these features properly? You'll have to watch the video to find out. Thanks for being a part of TrailCraft and we hope to see you here for a course and in future videos.