4WD Tips for Off-roading on the Sunshine Coast

Before embarking on your first off-road adventure in your new vehicle, make sure you get to really know your four-wheel-drive capabilities inside and out by carefully reading the owner manual. This will give you a better understanding of the various functions and assisting technologies available and how correctly maximise their usage. Remember, an all-wheel-drive is not a four-wheel-drive so understanding when tracks will be too difficult for your vehicle is extremely important.

The importance of good quality tyres 

After ensuring you understand your vehicles capabilities the next and probably the most obvious is to make sure your tyres are ready for the track ahead. No matter how good of 4WD you have, if you are going to do some serious four-wheel-driving you should always invest in some good off-road tyres before you go, that even goes for those lucky LandCruiser owners. Yes, good 4WDs have traction control along with an endless list of assisting technologies, but the only thing connecting your vehicle to the ground is your tyres, so make sure they are as good as you can get. And always have one or two spare. Keep in mind that low tyre pressure equal’s low vehicle speed.

Some tyre tips for different conditions include:

For general trails, deflate your tyres to about 25-28psi to prevent tyre damage as even basic trails can damage your tyres due to punctures from sharp rocks and exposed roots. Also, keeping your speed to 80km/h can also reduces the chance of damaging tyres.

Off-roading adventures to Glass House Mountains

For muddy conditions use tyres with an open tread pattern and aggressive lugs for maximum grip. Low tyre pressures prevent getting stuck when driving in muddy conditions so reduce your pressure to about 15psi and try not to change gear during the manoeuvre.

Trips up to Double Island Point

Driving on sand out to Fraser Island or Double Island Point requires a similar psi to mud, roughly 15-18psi, but for very soft sand you may need to drop down to 10-15. To reduce the chances of rolling a tyre off the rim, avoid making fast and sharp turns of the steering wheel, instead pay attention to the track ahead and make gentle turns and keep up the vehicle's momentum. However, in a situation where your vehicle is starting to struggle in the soft sand, move your steering wheel from side to side so your tyres find new ground and don’t become bogged.

When it’s time to head home

After a day of off-roading and you are ready to start the drive home, make sure you re-inflate your tyres to your vehicles appropriate psi before you drive on fast dirt tracks or bitumen. This will prevent sluggish steering response and the risk of blowing a tyre.

Four-wheel-drives on the Sunshine Coast

It can be confusing to find the perfect vehicle for four-wheel-driving on the Sunshine Coast! But, at Sunshine Toyota our team is dedicated to finding the perfect vehicle for all of our guests. If you would like to chat to one of our team about becoming a 4WD owner simply follow this link to test-drive today. If you would like to check out Sunshine Toyota’s current 4WD stock, click here.