Five things I learned from my first big 4x4 off-road trip

Proper off-road four-wheel driving can be an intimidating prospect for the uninitiated.

More often than not, you’re tackling difficult terrain – mud, sand, bog holes, red dust, water crossings and rocky outcrops – all with the promise of reaching majestic lands seen only by those brave enough to come before you.

There’s a lot to learn and the safest way to get off the grid as a beginner is with expert guidance and, to make the whole experience more enjoyable, taking a bunch of mates along with you.

Enter the Isuzu I-Venture Club…

Sprinkled across picturesque locations nationwide, the I-Venture Club off-road events are open exclusively to Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X owners, and aside from being an owner, there are no prerequisites to get in

You can even rock up with a showroom-spec vehicle, as we did in a recent trip to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia.

Our chariot was the recently updated 2024 Isuzu D-MAX X-Terrain 4x4 dual-cab ute, priced from $70,500 plus on-road costs. And unless you count the tow bar, electronic brake controller, rubber floor mats and Sunstone Orange paint job, there’s not a single modification in sight.

Our D-MAX isn’t the only freshy here. And while I’m not strictly an off-road first-timer, I certainly wouldn’t call myself an experienced four-wheel drive operator.

So, how did the D-MAX go, and what were the five biggest things I learned on the trip?

Rugged ladder-frame 4WD utes and SUVs are built to go off-road and handle other forms of hard yakka, yet so many are restricted to shopping centres, Bunnings car parks and school kiss-and-ride lanes.

For many, big 4x4 rigs are seen as a status symbol or, at the very least, their height and size tend to make people feel safer. By isolating them to regular family duties – things you could do with a sedan or station wagon – people often forget off-roaders are designed to cover ground much more challenging than the school run.

Truth is, you can get pretty far off the beaten track if you have a capable 4x4, even in stock form with road tyres.

As we found on the trip, that’s in part due to the D-MAX’s two-speed transfer case and rear diff lock, 240mm ground clearance, as well as lowered tyre pressures – which we’ll touch more on later – which saw us venture over sharp, rocky terrain and through deep sand dunes, all in a day’s work.

Most of us have heard some iteration of the ‘six Ps’ at some point in our lives: prior preparation prevents piss-poor performance. And oh, how true it is.

On a trip like this, months of behind-the-scenes preparation by the I-Venture Club crew (including a recce) mean that you and I can just rock up and enjoy.

But if you’re considering your own trip, there’s a lot to think about.

Have you got an appropriate vehicle and is its service history up to date? Are the tyres (including the spare) a suitable specification for Outback travel and are they in good condition? Do you have an air pump, recovery kit and camping supplies (or booked accommodation)? If you’re heading to unfamiliar and remote territory, do you have a map and have you considered communications when you’re out of mobile phone range?

It’s a good idea to start a load list well in advance, which will come in handy when packing. You might also like to write up an itinerary if you’re feeling extra-organised.

You don’t always need a strict plan but a rough idea of where you’re going and how long it’ll take to get there will help you stay on track. Make sure there’s enough time for refuelling and rest stops, too.

One of the golden rules when it comes to off-roading is that you should never go alone, for more than a few good reasons.

Off-roading can often mean long hours behind the wheel, so having company can help you stay alert. They can also feed you snacks and help guide you around tricky ruts or sharp objects when you reach particularly difficult terrain.

Even better is having some mates with four-wheel drives to tag along. That way, if one of you gets bogged, there’s another vehicle on standby to recover you.

Momentum is your BF when it comes to anything particularly challenging or soft, be it slippery mud or sand.

Going too slow could get you bogged, while too much speed will not only be uncomfortable for vehicle occupants but potentially damaging to your 4WD. Not to mention it’ll cause unnecessary wear and tear.

Keep a slow, constant speed, making sure to avoid any sudden accelerator or brake inputs, which will upset momentum.

Those four rubber donuts are the only connection between you and the road (or dirt, sand, mud, etc), so not only is it imperative they’re in good condition – and the right specification for off-road travel – but having the correct tyre pressures is essential and could mean the difference between getting home or getting stuck.

Unlike regular road driving, where the correct tyre pressures (as per the tyre placard) will ensure longevity, fuel efficiency and safety, you need to drop your pressures considerably before off-road four-wheel driving.

For regular road use, most vehicle tyre pressures are around 30-35psi, but it’s common to go as low as 15psi before off-roading. This improves traction because there’s more surface area hitting the ground.

It’ll also help avoid punctures from sticks or sharp rocks, because a softer tyre will find it easier to roll off sharp objects, as opposed to a firm tyre that’s easier to pierce.

Checking your pressures should be done with a tyre pressure gauge and you should never hit the bitumen before pumping up your tyres to the recommended pressure when you’ve finished traversing the rough stuff.