The Basic Rules Of Off-Roading

The Basic Rules Of Off-Roading

These are the basic rules you should always follow.

The Tesla Cybertruck debuted in winter 2023, just in time to get in snowy patches across the USA. By now, we’ve seen several videos of the most infamous truck ever to exist not working in the snow and countless memes making fun of Tesla fanboys for buying an off-roader that doesn’t work.

As much as I enjoy making fun of Elon’s cult, it’s not their fault. The Cybertruck is equipped with specially made Goodyear Territory RT tires (285/65R20), which you can only get from Tesla. These tires had to be designed from scratch to give the electric truck a broad range of talents, including sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds. They’re also rated H for higher speeds, and as with every other tire out there, it’s a case of give and take.

In this case, you can’t have that kind of performance and expect the tires to work in deep snow. Obviously, most EV haters glossed right over this because it doesn’t fit the narrative.

But there’s more at play here than just a fundamental tire issue. Most Cybertruck owners have likely never owned a truck or off-roader. They’re not equipped with the proper off-roading knowledge and tools. Also, keep in mind that the off-road segment is expected to grow by 7.5% by 2032 as millennials and Gen-Z are keener to get in touch with nature. CarBuzz has explored this topic before in great detail, but we thought it would be a good idea to write something about the basics of off-roading, starting with the most important rule.

People who travel off the beaten path may find these tips obvious, but we’d like you to take your mind back to those early days when you started off-roading. Can you honestly say you never got stuck? You’re lucky you grew up in an era before social media; otherwise, your failures would be shared for all to see.

With that in mind, let’s explore the 10 basic rules of off-roading.

When you arrive at any obstacle, ask yourself this critical question: If I do this, is there a good chance I might damage myself, my car, or the environment?

If the answer is yes to any of the above, don’t do it. There’s no shame in taking the escape route, especially if you just forked out more than $50,000 on a new off-roader like a Toyota Land Cruiser. Yes, off-roading is easier in a much cheaper car because mechanical sympathy doesn’t apply. But you’re still left with the questions about whether you might harm yourself or the environment.

Now, self-preservation seems pretty obvious, but it’s not. There are loads of off-roaders out there who boast about not wearing a seatbelt. The only acceptable time not to wear a seatbelt is during a river crossing, and I’d argue that if there’s a possibility that you might wash away, you should not have been there in the first place.

Being kind to the environment also goes beyond respecting Mother Nature. If you’re on an obstacle, spinning your wheels for five minutes, you’re simply causing chaos for the next person in line. This brings us neatly to the next fundamental rule.

Off-roading is a blanket term that most people get wrong. You think off-roading, and it conjures images of a Land Rover Defender plugging away through a muddy bog. But off-roading is simply the act of driving a vehicle on unpaved surfaces. That’s all there is to the definition, so it covers everything from driving down a well-maintained gravel road to an agreeable lunch venue to driving up a dry riverbed in a heavily modified Jeep Wrangler.

We’re using the Wrangler as an example because it’s often purchased by people who think it looks fantastic. Yes, there’s no denying the Wrangler looks cool, but then you have to live with all of the off-road hardware that makes it a terrible daily car.

If you do not intend to drive on anything more challenging than a neat gravel road, don’t overdo it. The Wrangler in any guise is way more than you’ll ever need, and more comfortable yet funky alternatives are available. Rather buy a Ford Bronco Sport or a Honda CR-V.

This gives us a nice segue into the next important piece of advice.

The first thing you need to understand is that all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are not the same thing. To add to the confusion, electric trucks and SUVs are coming out with eAWD, which means there is no physical connection between the front and rear axles.

Secondly, you need to understand your vehicle’s off-road-related figures. The Ford Bronco Raptor has 13 inches of ground clearance and a maximum wading depth of 37 inches. Finally, it has approach, breakover, and departure angles of 47.2, 30.8, and 40.5 degrees, respectively.

This is a set of impressive figures. On paper, it tells you roughly what the car is capable of. You will have a bad time if you go deeper than 37 inches. The angles tell you how easily an off-roader can get over something. The Braptor has short overhangs and high ground clearance, meaning it can clamber over bigger stuff. Look at the difference between it and the Ford Explorer. While the Explorer is competent on gravel roads, those long overhangs (especially at the rear) mean that you can’t take it rock climbing.

So you delved into your bag of talent and found it emptier than you suspected. Not to worry because it happens to the best of us.

What you shouldn’t do is stand on the throttle, hoping that power is going to get you out of there. 99% of the time, you’re simply digging yourself in deeper, which means the recovery team will spend more time digging you out.

If you are in the fortunate position of getting out with too much effort, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to try again. Don’t make the same stupid mistake. Take a different line, or use the escape route. There’s no shame in choosing to take your car home in one piece.

We mentioned the recovery crew in the paragraph above because going alone is never a good idea.

At best, you’ll need a spotter outside the car to show you where to go. Off-roaders tend to be large and boxy with limited visibility, and once you start tackling some serious angles, you’ll have no idea what the wheels are doing. That’s when you need somebody outside the car you can trust, and you should only do what they show you to do. Remember, they’re getting the whole picture. You’re just sitting there, unable to see or feel anything through the vague steering feel.

You’re also going to need additional help and possibly an extra car to do a recovery.

If you’re looking at an off-road obstacle, find the right line. That’s the path of least resistance, or that will allow lead to maximum grip.

People are often too lazy to get out of their vehicle to inspect an obstacle, but it helps. Not only will it help you find the best line, but you’ll be able to see what happens afterward. The last thing you want is to climb a hill perfectly only to discover a gnarly section on the other side. Or a much steeper decline than you were expecting.

Once you’re more experienced, you can play a bit more with the lines. If it feels safe, you can start challenging yourself and the car more, but don’t ruin an obstacle in the process.

In addition to the items you should always have in any car, off-roaders must carry a recovery kit. We’ve covered this topic before in great detail, and the recovery method depends on the situation. Sometimes, it’s as simple as building a basic rock structure to provide additional grip; other times, you must use a strap.

It’s vitally important that you understand how to recover a car because doing it wrong can get you killed. If you’re brave enough, go to the darker side of YouTube and see what kind of damage a dislodged trailer hitch can do.

And for goodness’ sake, don’t stand near the strap when the recovery is taking place. If something comes dislodged or a tow strap snaps, it becomes a weapon that can break bones.

There’s only one kind of off-roading that requires speed and momentum, and it’s dune driving. Or soft sand. For everything else, you need some finesse. This is another reason why you need to understand your car. Let’s use the previous-generation Tacoma and the new model as examples.

Yes, many don’t like the idea of a turbocharged four-cylinder, but crawling will be so much easier in the new model. The old 2GR-FKS 3.5-liter V6 is one of the most reliable engines ever made, but it only started producing maximum torque (265 lb-ft) at 4,600 rpm. In base spec, the new four-pot produces 243 lb-ft at 1,600 rpm, increasing to 310 lb-ft at 2800 rpm if you opt for the TRD Pro off-road biased model.

The earlier the torque is produced, the slower you’ll be able to tackle the rough stuff. As long as the car is moving forward, you’re winning.

Yes, mud and water make for the best off-road photos, but if you can somehow avoid either, that’s the option to go for.

First, we’ll cover water. The dumbest thing this author has ever done in his life is a water crossing at 2AM. We couldn’t turn around because we were already six hours into the off-road venture, but we had no idea what to expect ahead. Instead of making the smart move and turning back, I pointed the Ford Ranger’s nose into a river crossing. We checked the depth for the first few feet, but we had no idea what the conditions were beyond that. The current picked the car up nicely, but I got lucky and found enough grip to get to the other side. Nothing makes you feel more insignificant than being a passenger in a 5,000-pound pickup floating on water.

Mud is a car killer. It gets way up into the oily bits, especially if you’re stuck in one place spinning like a fool. The mud will eventually fill the tire’s tread, and then you’re basically trying to power out of a bog on slicks. It’s also messy and tricky to recover an off-roader from mud. You’ll understand if you’ve ever had to dig 30 minutes to find a recovery point.

Once you’ve mastered off-roading basics, you might want to modify your car. Luckily, there are many OEM and aftermarket accessories to choose from. With newer models, you can add mods to the retail price and get your rig fitted and ready to go straight from the factory.

But modification brings us neatly back to the Cybertruck’s tire woes. Every significant change you make to a car impacts how it drives. We’ve covered off-road modification before in-depth, but adding something as simple as a lift kit raises a vehicle’s center of gravity. If you add larger tires, you’re messing with the gearing. Luckily, some modern cars can now handle 35-inch tires straight from the factory.

By all means, go ahead and personalize your car. It’s one of the things that makes ownership so unique. But it is worth keeping in mind that while you may be improving its off-road ability, you could be making it worse to live with daily.