4WD Tips and Advice

So you have finally decided to take that trip and do some motoring around! Whether it be in your own vehicle, or a in a Campervan Rental or hire, or a Motor home rental or hire, whether it will be in Australia, New Zealand, the United States or Europe, before you go, you need to decide if you will need a 4WD or ATV type of vehicle. There is really only one consideration when it comes to choosing this type of vehicle over the basic vehicle with only front or rear wheel drive. That consideration is: Will most of your driving, and parking be on hard surfaces or black-top or concrete roads, or will it be on possibly soft and unstable surfaces?

Now that you have decided, if it will be on soft, your best bet is a 4WD or ATV, for safety and ease of driving and parking. Since you will need a 4WD or ATV, first some advice and information.

There are three different types of 4 wheel drive systems and they are:

1. Part time, where the vehicle under normal road conditions is a 2 wheel drive vehicle and 4wd is selected for off road conditions.
2. Full time, where the vehicle has a full time 4wd capability for normal operating conditions and has a lockable centre differential that needs to be operated when in an off road situation.
3. Hybrid. This system combines the above two in one drive train.

In 4wd High Range you can technically drive your vehicle at the same speed as in 2wd. However, on an unsealed road surface - for safety reasons - you shouldn’t be exceeding 60-80 km /per hour. As for 4wd Low Range - depending on the vehicle you wouldn’t be able to exceed -25 -30 km /per hour. Fastest it will let you go. In either selection - you should never engage the 5th gear as this is an overdrive gear and when in 4wd you are working the drive train.

Something else to think about is that you need to be familiar with they type of hubs associated with your 4WD vehicle. How do you engage and disengage them. If you are not sure, be sure to get some instructions and practical demonstrations, and then try it yourself a few times. Also, it might be a good idea to write down the procedure and keep it posted in an easy to access place in the vehicle.

Now, with that out of the way, consider the following: The best 4×4 depends on many variables such as your driving habits, skills, environment, and even your physical size just to name a few. I doubt that a person standing 6′ 6″ tall would consider a Suzuki Samurai the best 4×4, regardless of its off-highway prowess. Similarly, a vehicle set up to be the “best” snow and ice runner in Alaska would not necessarily be worth owning in Uganda where the environment is drastically different.

So, in order to really enjoy that traveling vacation, you need to consider all the options and weigh them carefully before making your decision. If it is your vehicle, consider availability of parts and repair facilities along the way, and if it is a rental, basically the same advice. If it is a rental, you will need to not only know where their repair facilities are, but what the hours of operation and distances they will travel are. You don’t want to have to wait for someone to come along to assist you to the nearest repair facility.

Another consideration when using a 4WD or ATV is the winch. If you don’t have one on your vehicle, consider adding it before your next trip, and if it will be a rental, or hire vehicle, then try to insure that there is one already on the vehicle, or one can be added for a nominal charge. They are worth the peace of mind they will give, as well as their ability to get you out of a lot of jams you might get yourself into.

Don’t forget, if you are driving in 4WD mode, you will be using more gas, so only use that option when absolutely necessary, in order to insure sufficient fuel and hold down on fuel costs.

Another thing to remember is that those water tanks only hold so much water, and the waste tanks are the same. So plan ahead for places to empty out the tanks and top-off your water supply.

And a big consideration is load weight limits. Every vehicle has them. Find out what the limits of both internal load, and towed load are. In many places you will be checked to see that you comply with their regulations and laws, and if you are found to be over the limits, you may not only be fined, but delayed until you can comply with the laws in the area. Some places may have limits which are less than your vehicle allows, so checking ahead on this can save you time, money, and misery!

Although you will be traveling in a self-contained home of sorts, there may be times when you will want to get out of the rather cramped quarters, have a little more privacy, or just be pampered. For those times, it might be a good thought to plan for some stops along your travel route, to give you the chance to book into a hotel, inn, or bed and breakfast. They will help to restore you for the next leg of your trip.

Well, with the above tips and advice, I think you are well on your way to enjoying your motoring holiday, be it a Campervan Rental or Hire in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, or the United States, or a Motor Home hire or rental in any of those locations. Just follow the tips and use a little bit of thought, and you will have a trip that will provide you with memories to last a lifetime! Happy Traveling!