PREPARE YOUR PAJERO FOR OFFROADING

Basic Off Road driving Hints:

This section is for those, who have yet to experience the joys of off road 4WD driving. It may serve as a 'refresher for the more experienced driver as well!

General

There is no great secret about being able to drive off road safely. Common sense comes very high up the list of requirements, together with total confidence in what you are doing!
We steer you in the right direction with a few basic hints, tips – or perhaps reminders! Reminders are needed from time to time, for it is so easy to get carried away once you are in control of a powerful motor that is capable of transporting you over the roughest of terrain. So, let’s add self-discipline to the list of requirements as well.

DO NOT attempt anything other than the basic muddy track, before you undergo some basic training with some experienced instructors such as those at True Grip.

A 4x4 vehicle is quite expensive. A life is precious!

First things first.

There are some basic checks to do with your 4x4 before attempting any off roads venture – even a seemingly simple green lane trek.

• Check your battery is properly fastened, and that the filler caps are also secure
• Basic things like water and fuel hoses need to be checked. They will undergo extra strain, and in any case, a ruptured hose a few miles from anywhere is to say the least, inconvenient!
• Following on from the hoses and pipes, even the best of them are pretty useless if they have nothing running through them! Check that all fluid and fuel levels are well topped up. Water, oils, brake/clutch fluid, fuel. In fact, every substance that can run through a pipe or hose.
• Successful off road drives depends upon good grip, so check over the tyres – including the spare. Incidentally, do you have a suitable Jack, and a base for the jack that will be suitable of supporting it in muddy conditions? Might be as well to make sure that you have the proper attachment for undoing ‘lock-nuts’ if needs be.
• Two vehicles are always better than one – so try not to travel alone. You can’t tow yourself!

Basic Driving Hints

As soon as you are off-road, slip into 4WD mode – preferably before you get stuck! Some 4x4s don’t engage into 4WD once you are stuck. Now that can be embarrassing. Keep a good lookout on all 4 corners of the vehicle – and at all points between.
My personal MUST for the novice (and many experienced drivers) is to keep your thumbs in the air – right off the steering wheel. Otherwise, if one of your front wheels hits a snag – and it will do of course – your steering wheel will rote at a heck of a lick, and if your thumb is in the way of a rotating spoke or wheel strut, it hurts!

Keep your head in the cab – that’s what it is there for. SAFETY!

(source from kent4x4offroading)

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PREPARE YOUR PAJERO FOR SERIOUS OFFROAD ADVENTURE

If you are thinking about some serious - and I mean SERIOUS off road work, you had better read this first!

Don't call us when you get stuck!

Body Lift Kits

Body lift kits are designed to raise the body height by 2 or 3 inches depending on the kit used. Reinforced nylon blocks are fixed between the body and the frame to raise the vehicle height without needing to replace the dampers or any part of the suspension. The vehicle’s ride quality will not be affected and lifting the body allows larger tyres to be fitted to the vehicle.

Suspension Kits/Lift Kits

Suspension lift kits usually include replacement coil or leaf springs, dampers, lower control arms, new bushes and new U-bolts. These kits are used to raise the vehicles’ ride height by up to 6 inches while still maintaining a comfortable on road ride. The kits come with all the bolts and brackets you need, and usually full instructions for fitting them. Fitting these kits allows for larger tyres to be fitted to the vehicle, but different kits allow for different size tyres so make sure you check the size allowance before fitting.

Snorkels

A snorkel moves the point of the engines air intake to above the engine compartment. This keeps the air that is drawn into the engine dry, cool and clean from sand, mud dust and water. Snorkels are usually made from Polyethylene Plastic for durability and long life use.

Wheel Spacers

Wheel spacers are used to add extra width to the front and rear axles of your vehicle. This means there is more space between the wheels for better ground clearance, mobility and vehicle performance. They also allow larger tyres to be fitted to the vehicle, but different kits allow for different sizes to be used so again, make sure you check the given allowance before fitting.

Winches

It is not a necessity to fit a winch to your off road vehicle unless you use it off road on a regular basis. They are very useful if you do as they allow you to get yourself out of tricky situations if you get stuck, and allow you to help recover other vehicles if they get into trouble on courses and tracks.
Hydraulic, Manual and Electric winches are available for most 4x4s. In my experience, hydraulic winches are the most reliable and definitely the most powerful; electric/battery powered winches cannot pull as much weight and will usually over heat in a matter of minutes.

CB Radios

CB radios can be very useful for off roading. For example, for a group of vehicles are visiting a course, CB radios are an ideal way of communication between drivers. They allow you to keep in touch with every member and vehicle in your group and call for assistance if you get stuck.

(source from kent4x4offroading)

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