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Gulf News
  • 11 months ago
Conquering the dunes. wheels magazine hits the desert for a crash course in dune bashing and gets driving tips from the experts at OffRoad-Zone. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv
Transcript
01:00hey welcome it's off-roading season so we thought best to take a day off and
01:04go into the desert with the guys from off-road zone in order for them to show
01:08us the basic tips and tricks of off-roading
01:16before you leave for the desert make sure your car is in good condition it'd
01:21be good to have it fully serviced before leaving if not do a quick inspection of
01:26the vehicle make sure the fluids are all topped up there are no leaks on the car
01:29and most importantly that you have a working spare with you as well as a jack
01:34before you enter the desert deflate your tire between 12 to 15 psi to give the
01:39tire more surface area if you over deflate you run the risk of the tire
01:43coming off the wheel the best thing you could do for performance in the desert
01:46for your 4x4 is a suspension lift. This car has a proper suspension lift including springs, shocks,
01:51shackles as well as a stabilizer bar. In order to actually get the right look you
01:57should also change the wheels and tires otherwise it's not gonna look as right.
02:00The proper suspension lift can cost you as much as 8,000 dirhams but there are
02:04cheaper options for about 2,000 dirhams. The proper suspension lift however drives
02:08better on-road as well as off-road.
02:18There's a few essential items you need to carry with you when off-roading. This
02:22list can go on and on so this is just a bare minimum of what you should have
02:26with you. Mobile phone, shovel, GPS, two shackles and a tow rope, a tire pressure gauge, and a lot of water, and a front map book.
02:38Make sure you're wearing your seat belt and so is everyone else and when driving always keep both
02:42hands on the wheel. Before you enter the desert you have to put it in 4 high by
02:47putting it into neutral and putting it in 4 high. 4 low on this car is not advisable as it gives
02:54too much torque and it'll make you sink in. You could use 4 low if stuck on
02:59sideways and on the dune and you need to move the sand in order to free yourself.
03:04Always keep both hands on the wheel and keep the steering moving especially if
03:08you're slowing down or you think you're gonna get stuck. The reason you should
03:12have both hands on the wheel in case you have to make an emergency maneuver. So if
03:16going up a hill and you realize you're slowing down getting stuck for example
03:21on this one, you're gonna start to just turn down right away and you're free.
03:27If you want to climb a large hill, it's usually a series of hills, you shouldn't
03:33take it straight up because A, it's unsafe, B, you're not gonna really make it. The best
03:40way is to slowly use the hills to your advantage. Go up a small hill and back
03:45down and snake up the hill slowly and if you have to go over a crest of a hill in
03:49an emergency situation, get momentum but right before clearing the hill, release
03:55the throttle. You need to get enough speed to clear it but not too much speed
03:59so you don't go over the hill too quickly and never go over a hill unless
04:04you know what's on the other side.
04:20When your vehicle is not moving, get out of the car and assess the situation. In
04:25this case, this wheel is stuck so you need to remove the sand and get the passengers
04:29to push you out.
04:42Start off slow. If you give it too much throttle, you will sink and the idea is
04:47not to get stuck so when driving on a hill, if you're slowing down, turn down
04:52away from the hill and give it throttle in order to avoid getting stuck. Use gravity to your
04:58advantage so never stop flat, stop in a decline or an incline in order for you
05:05to get going again much easier. When in the desert, always stay on the trail for two
05:10reasons. One, for safety and more importantly, to save the environment so
05:15that you're not destroying new shrubs. If you do get broken down, stay with your
05:19car. Help will come to you.
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