Western4WD will run a specific off road training course to suit clients of Allstar 4WD Camper Hire. We envisage this course would take a half day, and cover the essential skills an inexperienced 4WD user should understand when using one of Allstar’s vehicles. This is different from our usual training, in that we first educate 4WD owners in what 4WD equipment is used for and what they need to go off road, and then train them how to set up their vehicles for off road use, learn how to get the best settings for the terrain they are on, and perform a variety of recovery actions.
In this case, the vehicles come pre-equipped, so the task would be focused on how to correctly and safely use the vehicle and the equipment that comes with it. The course outline envisaged would include:
- General experience of the client in using a 4WD vehicle
- What the intended journey is likely to encounter
- The essential steps required to use a 4WD vehicle off road
- Using a UHF radio if supplied
- Correct use of tyre deflation devices to obtain the right tyre pressure
- How to correctly hold the steering wheel
- Things to look out for when driving off road
- Engagement of the 4WD system provided by the vehicle
- Drive it experimenting with options provided, eg. 4H, 4L, traction settings
- If a couple, have both do some driving
- Review what they noticed and found
- Set up various bogging and extraction scenarios
- Self extraction using traction boards
- Snatch strap extraction
- Extracting another vehicle
- Emphasis will be on safely rigging snatch recovery where used, and how to safely execute the recovery
- How to safely change a tyre
- Reinflation of tyres and returning vehicle to correct on road setting
- Situations when it is advisable and acceptable to use PLB
- Daily vehicle checks, and things to monitor when you stop
The general aim will be to ensure clients know how to safely and correctly use the vehicle on their journey, and deal with any issues that might arise.
