How to Off-Road the Right Way
The first tip to be a good off road driver is to know your vehicle well.
Unless you get handy with your vehicle, you will not be able to deal with obstacles during the drive. Knowing the natural attributes of the vehicle will help you greatly during the drive. And this is why we encourage everyone to be as hands on as possible when in the pursuit of upgrades.
Be sure to consider...
You need to completely 'own' the angles so that you can drive your vehicle smoothly on a slope without causing any harm to it. You need to form an approach angle that is an imaginary line from the bottom of the tyre towards the bumper to understand when negotiating the degree of the slope. Also remember the rear of the car is the departure angle of the vehicle. Don't forget, there may also be certain accessories attached to your vehicle which might affect the approach angle.
Approach (a), ramp (b) and departure (c) angles
Things to watch out for...
You need to ensure that you are driving with enough ground clearance - especially useful when traversing watering holes. You wouldn't want your undercarriage to be caught on anything. The lowest point of the car should always be in mind while keeping the concept of ground clearance at the back of your head. Illustrated below:
Suspension travel is the trick where you can make sure that all the wheels of the car remain in contact with the ground as long as possible. With the help of suspension travel you can evaluate the maximum actuation handled by your vehicle. Not sure what we're talking about, see diagram image below:
Make sure you tread lightly so that you do not disturb the environment in a negative way. Do not litter, leaving behind trash will make your drive difficult spoiling the name of the trial leading to closure. Try to go for lighter vehicles as it will give you better floatation and traction.
Remember, do not take out your vehicle for even a trial run unless you deal with all the mechanical issues completely. Any kind of carelessness might cause unnecessary issues which often equals more money.
Offroad responsibly ;)
