a couple of questions

[richardl]

Hi Guys
Am new to this type of driving so please be gentle with me! We have just bought a 3.0 diesel patrol ST 2008 model. All good so far, we use it to tow our camper trailer and go mainly to parks so only normally encounter muddy tracks. However we are now starting to think that as the car is more capable perhaps we should be more adventurous. I was reading an old mag that was recomending the Gawler Ranges as a destination.
My question is I keep reading that a snorkel is a must have for diesels but don't explain why, and also an air compressor, I know why but not what the most important features are. The car came with AT tyres and would like to keep them as it is the wifes day to day car.

We are looking into a training course of some sort but would at least like to sound like I have some sort of background knowledge first!!

Thanks in advance
Richard

[Winnie]

Hey mate sounds like you're really getting into it which is great.
A snorkel basically gives you a lot more air, and it's also cleaner as the intake is up higher. Makes your engine run a bit better and more efficiently. Also for deep water crossings, if you don't have a snorkel there is a possibility you can suck some water through your air intake which would be catastrophic! This is not just for diesels, same thing applies for petrol engines too.
Also remember to never use your towball for recoveries as it will result in injuries or even death!

Have fun out there mate.

[Ben-e-boy]

a snorkle is there to get your air intake higher so when you do water crossings your motor dosn't get a gutfull of water, Tyre pressures are important for offroadin to provide more traction and reduce the risk of a puncture.
a training course is a great idea for newbies, go for it!!

[Ben-e-boy]

Hey mate sounds like you're really getting into it which is great.
A snorkel basically gives you a lot more air, and it's also cleaner as the intake is up higher. Makes your engine run a bit better and more efficiently. Also for deep water crossings, if you don't have a snorkel there is a possibility you can suck some water through your air intake which would be catastrophic! This is not just for diesels, same thing applies for petrol engines too.
Also remember to never use your towball for recoveries as it will result in injuries or even death!

Have fun out there mate.

beaten by a second

[Bigrig]

Training course is the way to go mate - the snorkel is two fold mainly, to let the truck 'breath' cooler, cleaner air up high, and to avoid ingesting water into the engine for crossings. People talk about power increases and the like with snorkels, but I am yet to see any real conclusive evidence of that - fuel consumption can improve no doubt (not massively, but sometimes noticeable) through cooler cleaner air getting rammed down the trucks throat and subsequently getting more bang for your buck as it were.

Keep the all terrains mate, no need to swap up to a tyre that you'll use 2-3% of the time off road co pared to safety and drivability for the family on road.

You'll be surprised just how capable they are straight out of the box, so definitely look into some accredited driver training and you'll be playing harder with more confidence before you know it. Keep an eye on the Forum Meetups thread for your state also, as many from here venture out in groups so no doubt some fun to be had there in the safety of numbers.

All the best.

[MudRunnerTD]

Hey Richard, Welcome to the Forum bud.

Most of your Questions have been answered above, with the best being Kristoffa's comments on the use of a Towball and a Snatch strap in a Recovery. We take it pretty seriously here. Never Ever put your snatch strap over a tow ball, it could be the last thing you ever do. Plenty to read here on the subject.

I note you are in Anglesea. There is plenty of good quality easy driving just out the back of Anglesea that is mainly sandy clay and your All Terrains will handle it well. Venturing into the Otways on anything but the driest day will be a Whole other matter though mate. Dont get complacent. The Otways in the Wet is really not somewhere to go with All Terrains. It will end badly ;)

The Best advice i can give you beyond what is written is Join a Club! I can Highly recommend the Geelong 4WD Club which i have been a member of for 10 years and am a long standing Committee member. Yoiu will learn Plenty going out on day trips with like minded folks. Plenty

Here is there Web site = www.geelong4wdclub.org.au (http://www.geelong4wdclub.org.au/index.php)

I might see you around mate,

Cheers Darren

AKA MudRunnerTD

[daggy]

One advantage of a snorkel is the engine will pull smoother and a slightly better fuel consumption. I recently fitted a snorkel to 2006 GU and have achieved about 1/2 litre 100 kilometres better.

[BillsGU]

Hi Richard. Welcome to the forum. Totally agree with Muddie - join a reputable club. Most clubs have FREE driver training (it can be quite expensive to do driver training via a commercial provider) and you will meet like minded people. Make sure the club you are looking at is affilliated with a state organisation (in your case 4 Wheel Drive Victoria) and ensure they let you tag along on a couple of trips BEFORE YOU JOIN to ensure the club suits you.

[threedogs]

Hi and welcome,1 Driver training good
2 A/T tyres good
3 snorkel good
You'll need a compressor to re-inflate your tyres after off roading, lower pressures increases your foot print and allows tyres to grip terrain better
Gawler or anywhere in the Flinders is great

[richardl]

Thanks Darren
We don't go to far off the beaten track but will do some local tracks when the weather dries up a bit, hoping to go to Beech Forrest to a friends property for a bit of a camp soon
Was talking to one of your members last weekend, sounds like the desert trip went OK
Richard

[flemj]

Hi Richard,

Here is a link to 4 wheel drive Victoria.

http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au/default0.asp?First=

If you didn't want to join a club, 4 wheel drive victoria also runs driver training

John

[BillsGU]

.


If you didn't want to join a club, 4 wheel drive victoria also runs driver training

John

Which they charge money for. Most clubs provide it for free.

[dsmith]

As has been said, a snorkel is important especially if you are ever going to do water crossings. What hasn't been made clear is that a snorkel is actually more important for a diesel than a petrol engine. The reason for that in layman's terms is because a diesel engine works different to a petrol and it just so happens that water entering a running diesel engine will almost certainly result in it instantly suffering major damage. Specifically it is because of the high compression of a diesel motor and the fact that water being a liquid does not compress under pressure. If the cylinder fills with water, the piston is unable to compress the water and this results in the connecting rods bending most of the time, which basically means the motor is stuffed and requires a rebuild. A petrol motor on the other hand, is still able to suffer similar damage but because they generally run much less compression then there is a better chance of avoiding rod damage. Take a 4 stroke petrol off road motorbike engine for example, they regularly get swamped. Rarely however do they break and all that is required is to dry off the spark plug, kick them over a few times to get the water out and they are good to go.