FOUR-WHEEL DRIVING IN AUSTRALIA
WHAT IS FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE? There was a time when the
description ‘four-wheel drive’ implied a vehicle designed
mainly for rural or military purposes—the Land Rover and the Jeep, for example — capable of handling off-road conditions. Since the mid-1980s this description alone is barely valid.
Modern technology and the need for even safer, better-handling
cars has made four-wheel drive an increasingly commonplace
feature in passenger cars not designed to leave the bitumen.`   
The technological advantage off our four wheel or all wheel drive
is simply that driving all the wheels provides better traction in all conditions but, most importantly, on road surfaces that are wet or greasy and therefore slippery.
Today, the essential differences between an all-wheel drive passenger saloon and a vehicle capable of tackling Australia’s outback are the latter’ mix of rugged construction, high ground clearance, large, lug-style tyres and, of course, a transmission transfer case that provides a low-range gearbox for crawling over and through difficult terrain.
if adventure is where your heart lies, remember the hazards of Australian motoring earlier this century: it is easy to emulate these journeys into day’s cars. Murray Aunger and H.H. Dutton, for instance, made the first serious motorised crossing of Australia in 1903 travelling from south to north — Adelaide to Darwin. They had attempted it the year before but their Talbot became bogged in the Northern Territory. Returning with a more powerful Talbot, they found and retrieved the first car and successfully arrived in Darwin after 4 days on the track Today you could do this trip in an easy 3 days.
Not all vehicles capable of off-road performance are permanently locked into four-wheel drive mode. Most require the engagement of the front hubs before the four-wheel drive transmission is effective. Some do this automatically as soon as four-wheel drive is selected at the gearbox but others require manual selection. With the vast range of four-wheel drive vehicles now available, you should choose the one best suited to your needs very carefully. Read the advice in ‘Choosing your Vehicle’ before committing yourself.

Handling YOUR FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE Let’s be clear about four-wheel drive vehicles. They are not indestructible or unbreakable, nor will they go anywhere. They need to be maintained properly and demand considerate ,realistic driving, especially when using them in difficult terrain.

 Vehicle setup and preparation are keys to successful outback touring, but driver confidence is as important, and that can be gained by taking an appropriate four-wheel driving advanced course before setting out anywhere. having a licence to drive a car and several years’ experience does not mean that the intricacies of four-wheel driving will come easily. Far better to bog your new vehicle in company of other
Learners on a course near to home than to be on your own.
.  Another easy way to learn is to buy the information-packed New South Wales has produced an easy-to-understand monthly or quarterly four-wheel driving magazines. Feature booklet, The Glove box Guide to 4-Wheel Driving by Bern- articles are included from lime to time on basic four-wheel-driving  R. Kestel, available from the Forestry Commission of driving skills and techniques for getting out of trouble the Right Way,  However, there really is nothing like getting out and doing it, talk the novice ‘four-wheel driver through hazardous driving so do consider a day or weekend course.  It covers many techniques including water crossing listed motoring organisations, private driver training companies, water crossings, .hill climbs, negotiating mud and sand and recovering and individuals as well as appropriate associations.
 

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4wd going on trips around Australia .This group's aim is to share trip information, pictures and tips
the combined knowledge of its members on places for 4WD's to explore in Australia.
This list is for people who love 4wd`ing and want to share and acquire knowledge about it. Information
on Trips, Tips and Tricks can hopefully be answered and discussed once we get a decent amount of subscribers,
so come on join up and lets share our experiences, photos etc. People with any type of 4x4 are welcome,
I run a 1978 4wd f100 .  4wd Australia Groups   

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