26 - Boggings,roll overs, fires, creek crossings gone wrong and everything else that can go wrong offroad.
4x4 Earth - The 4WD, Camping, Fishing and Outdoors podcast.Show Notes
We talk to Jason Lock to talk about all of the things that can go wrong when you head offroad.
Before we get started, we talk a little about 4WD insurance and the work that Kalen is doing at Club 4x4. He is providing the insurance for 4x4earth members. If you are looking for insurance for your 4x4,check out the Inusrance page on 4x4earth. We get a commission from each one sold which helps keep 4x4earth free and independent. We also talk about The Day I killed my Jeep. Getting stuck and being unable to recover. We talk about my first trip out,everything that went wrong from a really simple trip out and how it went pear shaped really quickly. I relied on the kindness and smarts of a passing motorbike rider who helped me get out of the situation I was in. Getting bogged in mud The situation gets a little more serious when you are bogged in mud. Getting bogged in sand I love driving on sand, but there are some basics that everyone needs to think about. Tyre pressure is the most importantly thing to think about. Don't turn too sharply, keep your momentum up. Getting bogged in sand below the high water tide mark at the beach This makes it a lot more serious, because you are now fighting against time to get your vehicle free. Creek Crossings Lots can go wrong with creek crossings. We talk about my Jeep creek crossing gone wrong.If the river is flowing too fast, you can find you vehicle actually floating down the stream. Also, watch out for water in the engine. That is bad! Fires in long grass This happens every now and then, with either spinifex building up under the engine as you drive through the desert, or brakes, transmission and running gear getting hot and setting the grass on fire after you park. Rollovers Rolling your car can happen at very low speeds. There are a few videos on Facebook that show just how easily it can happen. Try to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible and take you time. Keep the car front on to the slope. Tow Ball injuries Common misconceptions have the tow ball as being a good place to recovery off. This is not the case and all too often people are struck in the head (and sometimes killed!) but tow balls flying off during a recovery. Major mechanical damage Damaging your car can be a big problem when you are offroad. Getting Lost Navigation embarrassment can be a big issue, especially if out by yourself (don't) or only have a GPS which stops working. The tracks databases can be wrong as well. I think it is important to take a paper map so you have a back up. Have a listen and please share, especially with people new to heading out offroad.
More from 4x4 Earth - The 4WD, Camping, Fishing and Outdoors podcast.
We continue our conversation with Matt from MadMatt 4WD after the tragic death of Ryan Woods. This episode looks at correct techniques and alternatives to snatch strap recoveries. Here is the link to the original post on 4x4earth. WARNING - graphic images. Check out MaddMatt's video. Robert Pepper's video looking at forces generated by these kinds of dynamic rescues. Check out the show notes on 4x4earth.com for more details and links to the sites we've mentioned in the podcast.
Ryan Woods died in tragic circumstances while 4 wheel driving in Arizona last week. We talk to Matt from MadMatt 4WD about what happened and what lessons we can all learn. Here is the link to the original post on 4x4earth. WARNING - graphic images. Check out MaddMatt's video. Robert Pepper's video looking at forces generated by these kinds of dynamic rescues. Check out the show notes on 4x4earth.com for more details and links to the sites we've mentioned in the podcast.
We talk to Jason Lock, one of the Judges for the 4x4 Australia 4x4 of the year competition. Which vehicles won and why? What vehicles should be in the running next year. There are some pretty exciting vehicles coming out that will make the competition very interesting. Check out the show notes on 4x4earth.com for more details and links to the sites we've mentioned in the podcast. Join the conversation about the 4x4earth podcast on the 4x4earth forum. www.4x4earth.com is Australia's largest free and independent 4 wheel driving website with over 200,000 visits per month. If you are loving 4x4earth.com, check out the 4x4earth Merch. The sales help to keep Australia's largest free and independent 4 wheel drive website and the largest Australian 4x4 Podcast! It helps us to keep on doing the work to keep tracks open.
We talk to Jason Lock, one of the Judges for the 4x4 Australia 4x4 of the year competition. Jason scored a dream job, heading out with the 4x4 Australia team to judge the 4x4 Australia 4x4 of the year. What vehicles where on the long list and how did they narrow the field done to the short list? Jason talks about the entrants and the judging process. All of the vehicles were stock, so there were no after market mods, including tyres! This obviously makes a big difference because some of the vehicles would really struggle with roadies on. Which 4x4s where on the long list? Which 4WDs made it to the short list? How did they run their tests? A really interesting story about determining the best 4WDs in Australia. The 4x4 Australia 4x4 of the year is a major milestone for vehicle manufacturers, so it is great to get an insiders view of the judging process and what makes the grade and what doesn't. Join the conversation about the 4x4earth podcast on the 4x4earth forum. www.4x4earth.com is Australia's largest free and independent 4 wheel driving website with over 200,000 visits per month. If you are loving 4x4earth.com, check out the 4x4earth Merch. The sales help to keep Australia's largest free and independent 4 wheel drive website and the largest Australian 4x4 Podcast! It helps us to keep on doing the work to keep tracks open.
What will EV 4WDs be like in 5 or 10 years time? Whether climate change is real or not (it is!), there is an undeniable trend away from fossil fuel vehicles, so what will EV 4WDs look like? We talk to Robert Pepper about the EV 4WD myths and possibilities. Obviously range is going to be an issue. How will long-range trips be managed where there is nowhere to recharge? Can a 4WD recharge with panels on the roof? Will improvements in efficiency and battery power to create vehicles with 1000km range? What about hydrogen fuel cells for 4x4s? Will the technology enable this cheap, but dangerous, fuel to provide the kind of range and power required to go offroad? Hydrogen's energy density. Diesel has an energy density of 45.5 megajoules per kilogram (MJ/kg), slightly lower than gasoline, which has an energy density of 45.8 MJ/kg. Hydrogen has an energy density of approximately 120 MJ/kg, almost three times more than diesel or gasoline. Will Hydrogen be the answer for everyone heading offroad? This is a big opportunity as we look for a solution that provides the range we need before filling up / refuelling. I've still got an oiler, which every time I see what comes out the exhaust when I hit the accelerator, I think there has to be a better long term solution. Join the conversation about the 4x4earth podcast on the 4x4earth forum. www.4x4earth.com is Australia's largest free and independent 4 wheel driving website with over 200,000 visits per month. If you are loving 4x4earth.com, check out the 4x4earth Merch. The sales help to keep Australia's largest free and independent 4 wheel drive website and the largest Australian 4x4 Podcast! It helps us to keep on doing the work to keep tracks open. For more information on Robert Pepper, check out L2SFBC.