Our team organized a season starter 4×4 drive in the wadis of Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. What started off as a simple plan with about 5-6 SUVs soon ended up as a 20 car event. We’re excited and keen on doing more of these drives looking at the great response we’ve received for our first drive. Keep an eye on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Ironman4x4ME for our upcoming drive announcements.

Given our popular our first Wadi drive was, we were quick to act on customer feedback and organise a second Wadi drive through some very interesting canyons and dried up riverbeds around the mountains if RAK.

A winch can be one of the most viable options when it comes to recovering a vehicle out of strife during off-roading, particularly when you’re travelling without any other vehicles. What is a winch? A winch is a mechanical device that consists of a rope, chain or wire cable that is wound around a rotating spool called a winch drum. The rope spins rapidly with the help of the car’s battery or a power steering pump that helps in pulling out one’s car from being bogged or stranded. What kind of a winch? The three main types of winch that are sold in the market include the power take-off winch, hydraulic winch and an electric winch. However, these winches might be a wise choice for frequent off-roaders. The ones who do not take their 4x4s on tough terrains often can opt for a mechanical one. This not only saves the driver from unnecessary expenses of getting an electric one installed but also reduces the weight of the fixated equipment on the vehicle. A mechanical winch is favourable under several circumstances as it can be carried anytime and does not need to be mounted on the vehicle. The option to use the winch at the rear should not be understated, as the easiest way out of a stuck predicament is going back the way you came in. However, even mechanical winches have their own disadvantages. This includes its availability during unprecedented situations and needless to say, the physical efforts required to operate it. On the other hand, being a frequent 4×4 driver, using a mechanical winch might become exhausting. Hence, one can use an electric winch which is connected to the car’s power system that provides with the required amount of power to extract the vehicle. Setting up the mount One of the most common ways to mount a winch is to do so on to a bull bar. However, one must make sure to have a winch-compatible bull-bar to ease the mounting. At Ironman 4×4 we have a wide range of bullbars available for a host of 4x4s. Most of all the winch-compatible bull-bars come with a winch cradle with standardised mounting holes to accept many winch brands of varying capacities. Steel cable or synthetic rope? Occasional 4×4 drivers with a mechanical winch do not possess the option to have synthetic ropes. However, when it comes to electric winches, synthetic ropes are now been considered as a viable option. Until a few decades back no synthetic ropes were developed which was strong enough to safely pull out the vehicle. However, they are one of the most widely used options majorly because of its weight which can make the equipment 10 to 15kgs lighter. Winch accessories Mounting your winch and choosing the right rope is, however, not the end of the job. In order to successfully carry out winching one might need several accessories including rated shackles, winch extension strap, tree trunk protector, snatch blocks, cable damper and gloves. These additions not only helps in successful winching of the vehicles but also helps keep the ones indulging in the recovery safe. Ironman 4×4 has a wide option of winches to choose from. You can visit our dealers across the Middle East to learn more about our products.

Our team organized a season starter 4×4 drive in the wadis of Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. What started off as a simple plan with about 5-6 SUVs soon ended up as a 20 car event. We’re excited and keen on doing more of these drives looking at the great response we’ve received for our first drive. Keep an eye on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Ironman4x4ME for our upcoming drive announcements.

One might often fail to understand the importance of air filters in their vehicle. However, it is crucial for all the vehicle owners to know that air filters are one of the most important parts of the vehicle and that one should not wait until the mechanic asks it to be changed to be upgraded.

Hence, upping your air intake system at the right time can have jaw-dropping improvements in the performance of your vehicle. An upgraded air filter system comes with a thicker hose that helps in better filtering and improved cooling box so that the vehicle can breathe easily.

Thus, a snorkel…

A snorkel is an additional equipment that can be attached to your 4×4 to keep your air intake system healthy. Special care has to be taken before one takes his/her vehicle on to rough terrains. Dust can really have an adverse effect on your drive if not tackle properly.

Air filters being at a much lower height are vulnerable to concentrated dust due to which they tend to get clogged. However, a snorkel will help you overcome that. Being higher than a stock air filter, a snorkel stays away from the concentrated dust. This will lead to a significant amount of fuel saving, keep the air filter clean and achieve a bigger airflow.

Taking a vehicle off-road is a real challenge. While taking your vehicle off road, you have to think about all the possible terrains that might come in the way. One of the toughest parts of rough-terrain is deep waters. A snorkel which stands tall at the same height as that of the truck’s roof will keep the intake dry even when most of the vehicle is submerged under water. This will avoid total breakage of the engine due to hydro-intake. A snorkel induces additional pressure increase in the air intake, obtaining an optimal flow for engine needs.

An Ironman 4×4 snorkel proves to be one of the most crucial accessories when it comes to frequent adventure trailing while improving the vehicle’s performance on normal roads as well. However, there are a bunch of measures that one should keep in mind before getting one installed. This depends on the type of 4×4 you own and the rating pertaining to the wading depth that it carries as well as buying a snorkel that is specially made for your vehicle.

A lift kit a crucial modification to SUVs that boosts their capabilities when it comes to taking them off-road. Simply put, lift kits provide those precious extra inches of ground clearance that might just help your SUV overcome big obstacles it couldn’t cross in stock form. However, lift kits are not plug-and-play accessories, as they tend to alter the driving dynamics of a truck.

If you have always dreamt of fording raging rivers, crawling up steep hillsides, and in general make your SUV work for what it was meant to do, a suspension lift is one of the most important modifications you can do to your truck. A suspension lift involves swapping out your stock springs and dampers with a set of elongated ones that raise the entire SUV, chassis and all, increasing ground clearance in the process.

One might argue that raising the frame of the truck also raises its centre of gravity, which tends to make the SUV unstable. Nowadays though, extensive research has been put into suspension lifts that takes into account the new ride height and related issues that might crop up. Modern suspension lift kits are rated to handle the forces that come into play when the centre of gravity is raised.

Suspension lifts have the clear advantage of imparting the truck increased ground clearance, the importance of which cannot be understated. Why go around obstacles if you can simply go above them? A smaller benefit with suspension lift is the ease with which you can now access your truck’s underbody. It makes inspecting and repairing your SUV’s drivetrain, differential, and chassis much simpler. Lastly, if you choose the right suspension lifts for your prised SUV, you can also benefit from improved ride quality over both smooth and broken surfaces.

This is not where the goodness of lift kits ends. In addition to the extra ground clearance, a lift kit also increases suspension travel. This results in some significant changes to the SUV’s dimensional specifications. For one, you get increased suspension travel, which automatically adds a few extra degrees of wheel articulation. Secondly, approach and departure angles go up substantially, and so does ramp breakover angle. With the right suspension lift installed, you can safely take your prized SUV dune-bashing without having to worry about being bogged down in sand

A third and mostly overlooked advantage of lifting your SUV is the massive road presence it acquires. People tend to automatically clear the way for a big vehicle as soon as they notice it hurtling towards them in the rear-view mirror. This is another advantage of a suspension lift: not having to worry about other drivers coming too close to your truck, or having to squeeze into tight gaps in traffic. Those gaps usually widen for you.

So there you have it. Not only does a suspension lift make it easy for you to pilot your truck through harsh off-road trails as well as spirited dune bashing, it can also clear the road for you if you are in a hurry. With a lift kit installed, you will finally see the true capabilities of your SUV!

We are proud to announce that our facility in Jafza, Dubai is now completely ready for business. The team’s hard work and dedication has finally paid off and we are one of the first 4×4 components and accessories manufacturers in the Middle East to have such a facility. This state of the art facility in Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, UAE, serves not only as a warehouse but also as a flagship dealership demonstration centre where customers, business partners and potential dealers can come and experience all our products under one roof.  

Everyone knows one of the first off-road modifications is suspension, but it’s tough to figure out which of the many designs is the best for 4WD touring. TWIN-TUBE, MONO, REMOTE…there’s so many shock absorber options it’s hard to know which way to look. Each of these designs have pros and cons, but what we’re talking about here is not circuit racing, not rally, not desert racing buggies and definitely not your nan’s Camry. We’re talking about Australian 4WD touring, the harshest proving ground in the world. Let’s back up a bit and take a look at why high-performance off-road shocks exist and how they work, then you can see how the different designs stack up. In short, suspension has two main components; a spring, and a damper which is also known as a shock. The spring is usually a leaf, coil or torsion bar. It sets the ride height, carries the weight of the vehicle and does a fair bit of absorbing some of the shock when a car goes over anything other than flat ground, or when there’s weight shift as the cars is cornering, braking or accelerating. But when a spring extends after compression it oscillates like a rubber ball bouncing on concrete. That’s where the shock comes in, to damp down that oscillation and quickly return the vehicle back the spring’s normal state of extension. Shocks are filled with oil and have a piston rod which goes down into the shock under compression. That rod takes up room, and as the oil is incompressible – so a shock needs something compressible inside it to account for the difference in volume between the rod fully inside the shock and fully outside. In some cases, that’s high-pressure nitrogen gas – hence the term “gas shocks”, in other cases it’s a foam cell, hence the term “foam cell shock”. Gas shocks can be twin-tube or mono-tube, with the difference being whether the shock has a single tube or an inner and outer tube. Regardless of design, all 4WD shocks face significant durability challenges. When the vehicle bounces up or down it generates kinetic energy, and that energy cannot just disappear, it has to go somewhere or transform as per the laws of physics. In the case of shocks, the energy is transformed into heat, same as when a car is braked its kinetic energy is converted to heat by the brakes. So just as brakes overheat and fail, so too can shocks. A good offroad shock is not only robust enough to handle abuse, and tuned appropriately for the vehicle and it’s use, but is also able to get rid of heat faster than it generates heat. If it doesn’t, then the shock heats up to failure point and then all sorts of bad things happen; for example, seals blow, or perhaps the oil inside the shock mixes with the gas which means the shock can’t damp effectively and that is bad news for handling and your safety. So, you really, really want to avoid your shocks overheating. Unfortunately, Aussie off-road tourers operate in about the worst possible environment for shock heating. First, we drive heavy cars with lots of accessories, often upgrading the GVM. Secondly, we do this in hot environments. And third, we drive over corrugations, which involve lots of high-speed up-and-down movements for the damper, generating heat. Oh, and we do all this for long periods of time in remote locations where you really don’t want any equipment failures. So, a shock that can get rid of lots of heat is pretty well essential, and this one reason why everyone is told to swap out the factory suspension for some aftermarket gear which is designed for this sort of work. So if we need heavy-duty shocks, why not look to motorsport, and maybe high-speed off-road buggies? These specialist off-road racers run flat out over extremely rough roads, so might have around 800mm of wheel travel compared to say 260mm for a Hilux. And they typically run something called remote-reservoir shocks in order to handle the massive amount of heat generated by the suspension. The concept behind a remote reservoir shock is simple. Remote reservoirs create an additional oil storage unit, the ‘remote reservoir’, so there’s more oil than could otherwise be the case, and therefore more of a heat sink. All these design features mean the remote-reservoir shock is better able to dissipate heat than one without a remote reservoir, so what works on a buggy must work on a touring 4X4, right? Wrong. Just because something works in motorsport doesn’t mean it works elsewhere, and one example is race brakes which don’t work effectively until very hot, not something you could live with on the street. In the same way, the remote reservoir shock design doesn’t translate to recreational work. Here’s why. In order for the extra oil in the remote reservoir to do any good then heat actually needs to get to the reservoir. There’s two aspects to that; location and pumping. With race trucks the reservoir is typically mounted very close to the shock itself, often actually on top of the main shock in a piggyback configuration. In touring 4X4s, there’s less space so the reservoir is typically mounted up inside the wheel arch, connected by a relatively long tube. High up in the wheel arch is a really poor place for cooling because there is little or no airflow, plus the fact that the front shocks are also close to the hot engine, unlike the open-air mount on a mid-engined race buggy. You wouldn’t mount a radiator away from a cooling airflow, and the same applies to shocks. Then there is the issue of pumping, oil actually flowing to and from the reservoir. You know how a radiator works in a car – cool fluid is pumped into and around the engine, hot fluid comes back into the radiator where it’s cooled and the cycle continues. That’s also how remote reservoir shocks work, but the pump is the up and down action of the shock. In the case of your average touring 4WD suspension there’s not usually enough pumping action to cycle the oil into the remote reservoir because of the limited suspension travel, and because that range of travel isn’t always used – compare that to a race buggy which has far greater travel and uses more of it. In short, remote reservoir shocks mean you end up paying a lot of money for marketing hype and theoretical benefits that apply to specialised race vehicles, not your touring 4WD. So what can be done to handle this problem of heat dissipation?  There are designs more suited to the real-world needs of touring off-roaders, such as Ironman 4×4’s big-bore Foam Cell Pro shock. A big-bore shock simply means the diameter of the shock body is as large as it can be, and the reason for that is so it can hold more oil. The greater the volume of oil, the greater the ability of the shock to absorb heat, just like boiling a cupful of water in a kettle is a lot quicker than boiling a full kettle. But that’s only part of the solution. No shock can absorb all the heat generated by a 4WD, it’s got to be dissipated and here again the foam cell design has an advantage. Earlier on we described the issue every shock has when the piston moves into the body – the oil is incompressible, so something has to compress and expand to account for the piston rod taking up space in the shock. In the case of the foam cell design that’s a layer of Nitrile foam with tiny gas-filled cells in it. When the rod enters the shock body those cells are compressed, when the rod exits the cells expand. The advantage of the foam cell design compared to a conventional gas shock, either twin or monotube, is better heat dissipation. That’s because the foam layer floats in the shock’s outer chamber, so there’s lots of oil in contact with the entire surface of the outer tube which is ideal for heat dissipation, unlike the gas shock approach which has to sacrifice some oil surface area for the gas. The big-bore design also means a lot of outer surface area as well plenty of oil for a heat sink, and both features are ideal for heat dissipation. Robustness is taken care of too; the twin-tube design of the foam-cell shock means that if there’s an impact to the outer tube, the inner tube is unaffected so the piston can still move up and down, unlike a relatively vulnerable monotube. The foam cell is also low-pressure, in contrast to the high-pressure monotube or remote reservoir, so there’s less stress on the seals, and less need to hand over more coin for regular shock servicing. Unlike the remote reservoir, there’s just one part to the foam cell, so it’s not as complicated, less expensive to buy and easier to install than the remote reservoir design. Kristian Ristell, Ironman 4×4`s Suspension Product Director says that “when conceiving the Foam Cell Pro shocks our objective was to make the best 4WD touring shock we could, not to make a specific type of shock.  It was only after we evaluated a range of potential designs we chose foam cell technology. We actually make mono-tube remote reservoir shocks for some of our private label customers, so we are not unfamiliar with nor against the concept, it’s just not the right approach for off-road touring in everyday 4X4 vehicles – and we’ve got over 20 years of worldwide suspension experience to back that statement up.” The foam cell design is proven to work. Ironman 4×4 stress-tested various shocks by subjecting them to increasing loads until they failed through overheating, then went out to the Australian deserts and ran tests to see what temperatures were generated in real-world conditions by a variety of 4WD touring vehicles. The Foam Cell Pro ran appreciably cooler than other designs of shocks, never approaching its stress load limit. Refer to the Ironman 4×4 Foam Cell Pro Torture Test – Click Here. It’s not just touring 4WDs that have proven foam cell technology. Kristian says that “the foundation of the Foam Cell Pro design concept is proven through our involvement with in the military armouring industry. What many people don’t know is Ironman 4×4 supplies thousands of suspensions used in heavily armoured vehicles operating in conflict regions around the world such as the Middle East and Africa.  That’s a serious business which has no regard for marketing hype or anything which underperforms.” Ultimately, every shock design is good for a specific purpose. High-pressure monotubes are great for highly-strung circuit race cars, expensive and bulky remote-reservoirs work on specialist desert racing buggies, and twin-tube gas shocks can be made cheaply which is why you find them on most passenger cars. But the question for most 4WD owners is what’s the best combination of performance, practicality, reliability and robustness for a touring 4WD in real-world off-road touring conditions – and that would be a big-bore Foam Cell Pro shock.

Off-roading, a thrilling, rough and wild adventure. From driving up rock infested trails, through dunes that lead to some of the coolest views in Dubai, everyday is different when you go on an off-road adventure. Due to the inherent unpredictability of off-roading, your 4×4 needs to be prepared and well-equipped to avoid unexpected mishaps that may occur. Ironman 4WD Off-Road center offers the best off-road preparation for your next off-roading adventure. We perform routine services and maintenance in our 4WD off road centre. Apart from our expertise, we guarantee quality and reliability of our products. We believe in transparency, hence we deal in equipment that provides maximum durability to your 4×4. Ironman 4×4 Middle East in Jebel Ali Free Zone Area is in a joint venture with Ironman 4×4 based in Melbourne, Australia. Our team of expert technicians are trained and experienced in equipping 4×4’s to hit the rugged off-roads! In this blog, we’ll talk about the custom built products and equipment from Ironman 4×4 that enhance your off-road journey! TRENDING EQUIPMENTS TO TAKE YOUR 4X4 OFF-ROAD! Roof Racks Roof racks are the ideal solution to carry your gear in style! An essential item for off-road vehicles. Mainly used for carrying bulky items out of the vehicle’s cabin, allowing you to carry more items than you normally could. Ironman 4×4 Middle East has a vast range of steel and alloy roof racks available. Our Range of Roof Racks include:

• Alloy Cage Racks
• Mounting Kits
• Steel Cage Racks
• Steel Roof Top Tent Racks
• Steel Trade Track
• Alloy Trade Racks

For more information, you may visit the direct link to the above mentioned products on our website.

Suspensions

When your load changes, so should your springs. The Ironman 4×4 Suspension-kit is built to support your 4×4 for on-road and off-road conditions with a substantial amount of weight. The handling capability of suspension kits differ according to various add-ons! A trailer or caravan attachment may add a massive load, thus decreasing the handling capacity of the suspension. Your springs must change as per your load. Hence, our range of suspension kits for 4x4s have got you covered. For more information on Suspension Kits, you may visit the direct link on our website.

Bull Bars

Bull bars are one of the first accessories to be added to any 4×4, improving your approach angle and significantly enhancing your frontal protection. Ironman 4×4 bull bars help protect your vehicle from rocks and shrubs when driving on remote off-roads, and provide convenient locations to mount other 4×4 accessories such as winches and driving lights. Designed, engineered and tested in Australia. Every Ironman 4×4 bull bar is carefully crafted from premium grade materials and components to deliver the most comprehensive frontal protection and styling available. Carefully modeled using precision 3D vehicle scanning techniques to achieve optimal cosmetic design whilst providing maximum vehicle collision protection. All Ironman 4×4 bull bars are winch, airbag and ADR compatible to ensure you and your family’s safety isn’t compromised. Our Range of Bull Bars include:

• Aluminium
• Commercial
• Commercial Deluxe
• Protector
• Premium Deluxe
• Proguard

For more information, you may visit the direct link to the above mentioned products on our website.

Underbody Protection Kit

Ironman 4×4 underbody protection plates perfectly integrate to your vehicle’s design with carefully positioned venting and water dispersion holes. The underbody protection kit safeguards the main elements of your vehicle without compromising airflow and durability. Off-road driving exposes your vehicle to damage from various obstacles such as rocks, logs, bumps and scrapes, particularly prevalent in vehicles with low ride height or an independant suspension. By using the latest CAD & FEA analysis software, Ironman 4WD off road centre has engineered a solution which protects vulnerable underbody components by safely absorbing impact energy when in heavy contact with a solid object. Ironman 4×4 plates are made from either 2.5mm pressed or 3mm folded steel construction. Pressed ribs and folded reinforcements provide significant strength without adding unnecessary weight to your vehicle. At Ironman 4WD Middle East, we provide underbody protection products for Trailblazer, Fortuner, Hilux and much more!! For more information on our Underbody Protection Kits, you may visit the direct link on our website.

Snorkels

Installing a snorkel on your 4×4 before an off-road journey is a smart way to protect your vehicle’s engine. The higher air intake gives you the combined benefits of cooler & cleaner air intake and increased airflow for improved performance. The Ironman 4×4 equipment is designed to fit neatly and snugly to the contours and air box configuration of individual vehicles, with hassle free installation. The installation instructions and template is included too! Available for a wide range of vehicles, 4WDs fitted with Ironman 4×4 Snorkels benefit from increased airflow to the engine and a raised air intake to minimise the chances of water intake. These snorkels are manufactured from high quality materials which are UV resistant to increase longevity, plus a built-in rain deflector to stop water inflow during heavy downpours. All built to Australian standards. For further information on our Snorkels, you may visit the direct link on our website.

A few more products and equipments that we offer:

• 12V Fridges
• Bullbars
• Camping Gears
• Fishing Equipments
• Dual Battery Systems
• Exhaust Systems
• Long Range Fuel Tanks
• Fleet & Mining Solutions
• Recovery Equipment
• Roof Racks
• Snorkels
• Side Protection & Steps
• Storage
• Underbody Protection
• Rear Sports Bars
• Canopies
• Towing and Electric Equipment and much more!

Ironman 4WD Off Road centre has witnessed the automotive industry in-depth during 30 years of business. Get your 4×4 well prepared and well-equipped for any off-road adventure!

We give a warranty for the 4×4 parts and accessories that will be installed onto your vehicle. We can help you design the 4×4 vehicle of your dreams that is fitted with quality and durable equipment. Most of our parts can be installed hassle free!

Off-roading is extravagant, and we want you to have an unforgettable off-road journey, but we also want you and your 4×4 to be safe and sound! To ensure that it stays that way for you by helping you prepare your 4×4 vehicle in our 4×4 shop. Visit the Ironman 4WD off-road center today!

For more information, visit our website.

Light up your tent and cool down on hot summer nights with the newly updated Ironman 4×4 Tent Fan with LED Light.

Introducing Ironman 4×4’s new LED light range, providing a variety of lighting options to suit all your driving light needs. Ironman 4×4 lights are designed and engineered to meet the demanding conditions of off road and on road travel. Using the latest technology, featuring Osram LED’s these lights are brighter and more efficient than ever before, increasing visibility and reaction time – keeping you and your passengers safer. Manufactured from diecast alloy housing built to withstand hours of corrugations and extreme conditions, featuring shockproof polycarbonate lenses and high-quality reflectors for ultimate performance.

7″ AND 9″  METEOR LED DRIVING LIGHT WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT

  Introducing Ironman 4×4’s 7″ and 9″ meteor LED driving lights with daytime running lights.   The integrated daytime running light strip can be configured to automatically switch on when you start your vehicle ignition, increasing your vehicles visibility in any daylight condition.   For more information on the 7″ click here, for more information on the 9″ click here

 BLAST PHASE II SPOT AND COMBO LED DRIVING LIGHT 7”

  Ironman 4×4’s 7″ Blast Phase II Combo and Spot LED lights have been upgraded to an enhanced driving beam. Changed reflectors increasing overall distance whilst improving spread.   For more information on the 7″ blast combo click here, for more information on the 7″ blast spot click here.

UNIVERSAL LED DRIVING LIGHT 3” and 5”

  Much more than just a traditional worklight with the addition of side shooters. These illuminate dead area, providing 140 degrees of light. An ideal universal light for night time camp illumination or vehicle reverse assistance (where state laws allow).   For more information on the 3″ Universal click here, for more information on the 5″ click here  

COSMO LED DUAL LIGHT

  Offering a dual function, 20W high beam LED spotlight and low beam floodlight with three light settings, high beam spot, low beam flood or combination.   For more information on the Cosmo Dual Light click here  

STAR BRITE LED RECHARGEABLE FLOOD LIGHT

  Ironman 4×4’s Star Brite Light is a rechargeable and lightweight portable LED floodlight that can be easily transported and stored.Ideal for camping, fishing, boating, outdoor entertaining, as a worklight or for emergencies.   For more information on the Star Brite click here  

Owning a 4×4 in the UAE and not taking it on desert safari is equivalent to storing candies in the refrigerator only to have a good look. The dunes are literally begging to be climbed upon. But how far do you think things will be the way you imagined?

Dunes are one of the most challenging terrains to cover, majorly because of the texture of the land that lies beneath the vehicle. Minute sand particles that make up the dune can easily swallow your tires provided you do it properly.

Dry dunes pose a greater challenge than the damp ones. Simply because damp dunes harden the sand, giving your vehicle a significant amount of traction to plunge through. On the other hand, you’ll be a busy spinning wheel on a dry dune due to the varying and unstable texture.

Setting Up Your Vehicle

Begin with the part of your vehicle that is in constant contact with the sand. Your control over the vehicle is primarily dependent on the state of your tire. Hence, it is wise to deflate your tire to an extent which will give you a wider tire track, allowing to better float over the surface of the sand rather than cut through it.

Despite driving at careful speeds, you might be surprised just how much damage and can do to the underside of your vehicle. Hence, if the underside of your 4×4 is equipped with little more than plastic splash guards, you’ll really want to avoid hitting the base of sand dunes too quickly. This can, however, be avoided if your vehicle is fitted with some comprehensive under-body protection plates, covering vital components such as the lower edge of the radiator, the sump, the gearbox and the transfer case.

Going Up

Momentum is everything. Before taking on the big slope make sure your vehicle is ready for it. Hence begin with putting our vehicle in the right gear that will give you enough torque to cross the slope at once. It is important to cover the slop at one go, so trying out the second and third gear would be wise.

Before starting the dune, make sure you trace out the high points on the slope by avoiding previous tracks and heavy contours. This will offer the hardest surface for better traction.

Once you reach the top it is important to back off a little as the other side would not be immediately visible. Getting caught off-guard by another sudden drop can be another one of your misery tales for later.

Rollovers are easy if you do not drive your vehicle straight up the dune. And in time when your vehicle stops, the wisest thing to do is to put it in reverse and come straight down. 

Going Down

While you might think that gravity could make things easier for you, it will not. You still need to keep an eye out for dips and contours and stick to higher points where the sand is firmer. A leashed car on a lower gear will let you have complete control over the car, further improving the traction.

If there’s another dune in front of you, start to accelerate just before you reach the base of the dune you’re currently descending, as the sand between dunes can be very soft and you’ll need momentum to get through. Be careful, however, to check for drop-offs or step-ups that could cause the front of the vehicle to dig into the sand if you’re going too fast