4wd Tour & 4 Wheel Driver Training

The Spread of Weeds

The opportunity to travel off road brings with it responsibility, apart from the your passengers, your self and other road users your action can have a lasting effect on the environment as well.


Grasses often grow on some tracks and along of most.  We collect and carry this seed with us when we move about. Consider how far you have traveled in one day and then consider how you could have carried known weeds or using DPI (Department of Primary Industries) lingo – “Declared Pests”.


Apart from transferring a weed to an area that the pest hasn’t reached yet. You will also suffer from a reduced air flow to the radiator from the fine grass seeds clogging your radiator.

This in turn reduces the airflow through your radiator, which in time will allow overheating of the engine. 

To eliminate the intrusion of seeds apply a cover on the out side of the grill and make sure that it fits all of the way to the bottom of the radiator.

Some 60% of the air flow comes in below the grill. 

Fly screen can be used and secured with zip ties. 

The process takes about 15-30 minutes and keeps all seeds, bugs and insects out of the cooling devices, i.e. radiator, AC condenser, intercooler and transmission oil cooler. 

All seeds and bugs etc are then easily removed by using the normal hose pressure and most will just fall off when the engine is turned off.

Washing your 4WD or physically removing any grasses stuck up under the vehicle is a good next step in being a responsible 4Wder. 

Particular care should be taken around the belly plate, spring leaves, leaf springs mainly the front suspension of independent suspension and the shock absorbers lower mount points all of which easily pick up grass and weeds.

 

Enjoy the Environment

Don’t Destroy our Heritage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 Environmental Impact

Four Wheel Driving

  • Keep your vehicle in top mechanical condition.               
  • Educate yourself
  • Recognise your limitations and your vehicle’s limitations.
  • Plan and prepare for each outing.
  • Respect the rights of other users of the bush.
  • Apply the Australian 4WD Environmental Code of Conduct.
  • Remember Enjoy, Don’t Destroy.

Rules for Safe 4WDING

  1. Ask yourself the 1st question of off-road travel, “Do I really need to drive down this track?”.
  2. Have I engaged 4WD, locked-in the hubs, or locked the centre diff?
  3. Seat belts on.
  4. Keep your thumbs out of the steering wheel and use push-pull steering.
  5. Keep your wheels turning at the same speed as your vehicle moving over the ground.
  6. One vehicle to one obstacle at one time.
  7. Don’t drive where you cannot see (Look for obstacles on foot).
  8. Avoid side slopes (Keep the lateral axis of your vehicle as horizontal as possible).                           
  9. Avoid riding the clutch
  10. Don’t change gears in the middle of an obstacle.
  11. Appoint one person to be in charge of a recovery operation.
  12. Follow the safety precautions and operating procedures of any recovery equipment
  13. Don’t travel too fast  (Allow time for the tyres and suspension to do their thing).
  14. Use momentum only where necessary.                  
  15. Avoid stop-start driving (Keep the vehicle moving smoothly through an obstacle).
  16. Keep your wheels on high ground.
  17. Modify your tyre pressures to suit conditions.
  18. Keep the centre of gravity as low as possible
  19. Use your steering to keep equal load on all wheels
  20. Avoid dropping both front wheels, or both rear wheels, off an obstacle at the same time.
  21. Ensure loads are secured.                                                   

Australian 4WD Environmental Code of Conduct

  1. Seek permission before entering land and using tracks.
  2. Adhere to landholders’ guidelines and advice.
  3. Avoid soft or slippery ground in wet weather (Look for an alternative route or wait for tracks to dry before proceeding).
  4. Avoid prolonged use of 2WD in soft of slippery conditions (Engage 4WD).
  5. Avoid spinning wheels (Keep wheels turning at the same speed as the vehicle moving over the ground).
  6. Avoid high tyre pressures (lower pressures in tyres minimises impact and maximises grip).
  7. Leave tread prints, not wheel tracks.
  8. Stay on existing tracks rather than making new tracks.
  9. Use all of the track surface where possible (Don’t just drive in the    heel tracks of preceding vehicles.  (This gives grasses a chance to recover).
  10. Leave gates as found.
  11. Leave stock and native animals alone (Keep away).
  12. Animals on or next to tracks should be approached slowly.
  13. Avoid stock watering points.
  14. Drive slowly past houses and stationary cars to minimise dust and noise.
  15. Leave your pets at home.
  16. Don’t carry firearms.
  17. Observe fire restrictions.
  18. Ensure surrounding ground is cleared of fuel before lighting a fire (Gas stoves are preferable).
  19. Don’t light fires in strong winds.
  20. Don’t pollute water supplies or watercourses with soap, rubbish, or wastes.
  21. Keep toilet holes at least 50m away from watercourses and cover them well with soil.
  22. Take all rubbish with you (Take out what you bring in).
  23. Thoroughly clean your vehicle after a trip to remove trapped grass and weed seeds.

Enjoy the Environment Don’t Destroy our Heritage

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