This week I was on the road for the first two days and then in four-wheel drive training. Yesterday was pretty low key, quite a bit in the classroom with a power point, and then some videos of what NOT to do, including a nasty rollover. We also went out and checked our gear, and changed out a tire on our vehicles. Changing a tire on a Toyota Land Cruiser is a bit different than changing out a tire on the Toyota Corolla I used to own. Tires are MUCH heavier. As well, the terrain is much different here. We have to remember to use a tarp or blanket to get down on when putting the jack in place. It isn’t about getting dirty, it is about not getting burnt from the ground. Even with cooler temperatures of fall here at 28C or so, the ground temperature is well over 40C and in the summer, close to 60C or 70C, so to avoid burning any part of your body that might touch the ground, a tarp or blanket is highly recommended. We also might need a jack plate, particularly if jacking up the vehicle on a sandy desert, as it keeps the jack from just burrowing into the sand.
I did learn a real neat trick though, as I was a little concerned about having to hoist up the changed out tire to the back to slide it into its cubby, which is higher than my waist. I was envisioning a lot of grunting and groaning, and rotten back pains. Instead, I used a long handled shovel, putting the blade of the shovel up under the back cubby, curved side down, and the handle on the ground like a ramp. I then took the tire and rolled it up the shovel handle, with a leg on each side to guide it, and presto, it was up in the back with minimal effort. I was the first one done out of all 7 of us. Yayy, the Canadian did it! There were 5 Australians and one Sudanese fellow.
Interestingly enough, our instructor was a paraplegic. Yes, in a wheelchair, with limited use of his arms and hands. He had a gal helping him out with the tasks he couldn’t do anymore, and she was a full mechanic, as well as the one who showed me the shovel trick. The instructor had been a very active person until a bad car wreck several years ago, and despite being confined to a wheelchair, he was able to get it together to modify his vehicles and now off-roads all the time. He has a special glove with a spike thing attached to it and this spike goes into a slot in the steering wheel, allowing him to turn without needing to grip the wheel. He has something rigged up for his right hand to control speed, and I saw a breathing tube for some type of command. In any event, he is well equipped and has let nothing limit his fun.
Day two was where he really shined. We headed out into the desert to have some fun. First off, we had some basic training of running over some rocks to see if we knew where our tires were, and how to line them up. This was the easy part. Then we practiced stopping on rough terrain, which became easier as we went along. From there we headed to the dunes. Yeehaw…I lost sleep over this part, after chatting with someone from the main office who had failed the training last time by nearly rolling the vehicle over on a dune. Once we got going though, it turned out to be a whole lot less scary. We tried the dunes with high-range 4wd, in 1st gear, regular pressure tires. With the right amount of steady speed, it was no problem. I got bogged once in the deep sand, and then not again. Some of the others got bogged several times, as they backed off too quickly on the speed, and failed to keep the tires straight on the way up. So that meant we got some practice towing them out. At one point, one of the rigs was burrowed deep so they used two vehicles to pull him out, with one vehicle connected to another, and another connected to that one, so three in a row. It worked like a charm. We also got to use what is called a “snatch strap” which is kind of like a high tension rubber band, that will slingshot the vehicle out of the sand as the tension stretches out to the limit and then snaps back. These worked very well, and we were reminded to stand well clear, in the event that one lets go.
We then hit some dunes in low range 4wd, 2nd or 3rd gear, low pressure in the tires (15psi) and this was much easier to tackle any of the dunes, as the low tire pressure allows more of the tire to make contact at once. I burned up the dunes without getting stuck once! It was quite a thrill to be bouncing all over the dunes, ripping up the hills. From the dunes we headed to another spot where the hills were all rock, and it was then that I discovered that these manual transmission 4x4 rigs are different than anything I’ve owned in the past. I could be in 3rd gear, low-range 4wd and I could let the clutch out, and take my foot off the gas and it would self-propel up the hill without stalling. This was actually recommended for the rocky inclines we were driving over, given the sharp rocks and more dangerous landings. We also had to show that we could start the vehicle on a sharp incline if it happened to stall out. It looked scary at first, but turned out to be not that tricky at all, if you remembered the correct sequence in which to do things.
We didn’t get to do any water crossing as it was the wrong time of year and most of them have dried up. I did go through one on Tuesday while out in Hermansburg, but none on training, so that meant I didn’t get to drive one yet. The vehicle assigned to my team that I share with just my supervisor has been outfitted with a “snorkel”. What? Yes, a snorkel, and it means just that. When making water crossings, you can stall the engine by getting water in it, and choking out any air it needs. With a snorkel, as shown in the photo, is a long pipe with a grated top on it that allows air to be sucked away from the lower part of the vehicle, far from the water – just like a snorkel. While our vehicles are not boats, they can cross a fair depth of water.
We took our lunch in the shade of a big desert oak that is rather common in the red centre. Our instructor provided us with lots of cold water, Gatorade and iced tea. It doesn’t take long to sweat out a few litres of water in the mid-day sun. It wasn’t steaming hot today, but hot enough when standing on piping hot sand dunes trying to attach a tow or snatch strap. I was thankful for air conditioning in the rig, and blasted it all while I was driving. Once we finished low-range 4wd driving, we headed back to the driving club to reinflate our tires to normal. I was once again finished first.
So the training was awesome, and now I want a 4wd vehicle. They aren’t cheap to buy brand new, but I’ve been told about a few places to check for second hand vehicles. I rather like the Toyota Land Cruiser, and they are the most popular vehicle for 4wd world-wide for a reason. They can get through damn near anything. Initially I had my heart set on a Toyota Rav 4, but they are pretty small for outback driving, and might not have the ground clearance I’m looking for. It really depends on who is willing to loan me money to buy a vehicle – dealer financing for something brand new, or a bank loan for something second hand. Once I finally get a paycheck, I will have to see where that stands. At least with Toyota, I have a great credit rating, having paid off two vehicles without a single missed payment.
I overcame my fear of driving the desert. My father would be proud. I did it Dad. I really freaking did it.
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