Essential Things You’ll Learn on a 4WD Course
4WD Training in soft Sandy terrain
Learning how to drive a 4×4 off-road can be a thrilling experience. It is an essential skill for anyone to gain, who wants to get off road and into more challenging terrain.
“If you’re like most people, you probably think of a 4WD course as something only inexperienced drivers need to attend. But the truth is, there are plenty of things that even experienced drivers can learn on a 4WD course,” says Olivia Jones, associate editor at 8News.
A 4WD course can provide an education in the basics of off-road driving and teach you some essential tips and tricks. Here are five necessary things that you’ll learn on a 4WD course:
1. Learn How to Read the Terrain and Plan Your Route
A 4WD course will teach you how to navigate rugged terrain, learn about wheel placement to help you avoid obstacles which minimises damage to your tyres & vehicle and plan the best route to negotiate the tracks with your vehicle. This can involve and understanding factors like driving in steep terrain (inclines & declines), crossing side slopes and considering elevation when choosing where to drive. You’ll also learn about how to successfully get through soft Sandy terrain, negotiate wash outs and through Water crossings safely, driving through Muddy terrain and driving on Unsealed roads properly.
4WD Training in Muddy terrain.
2. Get Expert Tips on Driving Safely and Effectively
A good quality 4WD course will also provide instruction on driving safely off-road, including tips on maintaining traction in slippery conditions, avoiding potential hazards like rocks or wash outs and navigating tricky situations like shallow and deep water crossings or steep inclines and declines. With all the new technologies available in modern four-wheel drive vehicles, learning how to use all of the special dials and buttons in your 4WD correctly, how they actually work when you activate them, when to use them and sometimes when to turn them off, should be an essential part of any good 4WD course.
Checking the air filter as part of the under bonnet inspections.
3. Practice Proper Techniques for Handling Common Problems
Part of learning how to drive off-road is knowing what to do if something goes wrong. A 4WD course will teach you techniques for common problems like getting stuck in mud or sand, changing flat tyres, basic vehicle maintenance and overcoming some engine failure problems. Learning about the different recovery equipment that’s available, what might suit you and how to use it to recover your bogged 4WD safely and correctly are essential skills, especially if you travel remotely or on your own.
4WD Kinetic Energy Rope Recoveries (KERR’s) done safely & correctly.
4. Gain Hands-On Experience by Practicing Your Skills
The most important part of a good 4WD course is getting practical experience behind the wheel. By practicing your skills on challenging terrain, you’ll gain confidence and become better prepared to handle difficult situations independently. Whether you’re an experienced driver or a beginner, taking a 4WD course can be a fun and rewarding experience that will build up your confidence to help you become a better off road 4WDriver.
Choose Wisely – Make sure the company you choose to take you for your 4WD training is certified and has qualified and experienced 4WD Trainers and Assessors who will train you to the Nationally Recognised Standards and doesn’t just do lots of demonstrations for you to see, but that you actually get to do those skills yourself, because that is the best way to learn!
There are many new companies that have popped up in recent years who ‘talk the talk’ but haven’t ‘walked the walk!’
Check their Training credentials, are they actually qualified to train you and will you get a quality outcome?
Low Range 4WD Training in Steep Rocky terrain.
5. Gain a New Sense of Adventure and Freedom
Driving off-road can be an exhilarating experience and taking a 4WD course can help you explore new places and discover new adventures and photo opportunities on tracks that you may not have dared to take before your training. Whether planning your next camping trip, exploring rugged outback tracks, or just having fun in the great outdoors, learning to drive a 4WD will open up a world of possibilities for adventure and exploration. So, if you’re ready for an exciting new challenge, consider signing up for a 4WD course today!
Start Your New Adventure with Pindan Tours and 4WD Training!
Are you looking for an exciting new adventure? Want to explore new places and see stunning scenery? If so, then one of our 4WD courses will be right for you! Whether it’s a Basic 4WD course, to get a better understanding of how your vehicle works and how to recover it, should you get stuck. Or, if you’re looking for something more Advanced, because you’ve already got some 4WDrive experience behind you but want to learn more about winching techniques and the more complex recovery operations and more technically challenging driving in very difficult terrain. Perhaps you need 4WD Training for your work role because it’s a requirement before taking vehicles on site or off-road – we have a course for you!
What about something really unique? – you can even gift a 4WD Training course or 4WD Tour to a family member or friend. We provide ‘Gift Vouchers‘ personalised with the people’s names on it, but with no monetary value showing, which you can give as a unique present or gift and something that will last them a lifetime, teaching them new skills and making them safer 4WDriving Off Road and they’ll be having a whole lot of fun while learning too!
At Pindan Tours and 4WD Training, we offer a variety of comprehensive 4WD training programs that will teach you everything you need to know about how to 4WDrive safely off-road. Our expert instructors are Nationally Accredited 4WD Trainers & Assessors who have been delivering 4WD training for over 25 years and are very experienced 4WDrivers who deeply understand and are passionate about all aspects of 4WDriviing, from navigating challenging terrain to handling common mechanical problems off road.
With over 40 years of Outback 4WD touring experience, we also offer a variety of 4WD Tag along Tours all over Australia (specialising in remote area touring), for you to enjoy!
Contact us to start your new 4WD Training or Touring adventure today!