Off road driving technique

[the evil twin]

snip...

For the doubtful, take a 4wding course and you'll learn that the hand throttle is for one purpose and one only, and that's to gain immediate rpm at the turn of the ignition key to gain forward momentum up massive inclines.

Uuummmm... Bullshit, sorry, but it is... and any Instructor teaching that the "one and only purpose of a hand throttle is immediate high RPM on ign start for extreme hill starts" should be immediately stripped of accreditation assuming they hold some in the first place.

Sigh...

Firstly, I apologise for snips as they often change context, I didn't think so in this case, but maybe you read it that my snip changed the intent of your wording and reacted.

Secondly, I reiterate my view that there is no way any competent 4WD instructor should instruct a method as you posted.

So, Dude, take a chill pill, stop the petty name calling and reread what you posted and the many replies.

Purely as an offer to others who may not be aware of the technique under discussion and as per Emergency Management Australia manuals .
There is a use (not sole use) for hand throttle hill starts (Hill start and is NOT appropriate what I interpreted as 'massive inclines' but my bad if I'm wrong) involves setting the hand throttle with the engine running (not so it immediately leaps to high revs on IGN start)

The EMA technique for Hand Throttle Hill Start is paraphrased as follows.
Vehicle stationary,
Hand Brake applied
1st gear, L4, clutch depressed
Start engine and increase RPM to approx 1500 - 2000 RPM with hand throttle
Engage Clutch to friction point
Release Hand brake
Gently coordinate release of foot brake and clutch avoiding wheelspin.
DO NOT ride the clutch

Now, hopefully the above makes everybody happy but I doubt it and as I'm late for either my Advanced Clown Training (struggling) or next 4WD Course... can't remember which as dementia is a curse... I'll take my passive aggressive, disingenuous arse for a cuppa, a Bex and a Poppy Nap

[the evil twin]

Which vehicles [4x4s] have a hand throttle as standard equipemnent
Land rovers are I and 75s and 60s TOymotos because you can buy a PTO
that bolts to the tranfers case to run either a capstan or pto style winch.
Not 100% sure if early rangie had them as well.

Did early G60s have a PTO option or any M class patrol even the mighty Datsuns

5 of my 6 Patrols (MQ petty and diesel, GQ diesel and petty and GU 4.2) had/have a hand throttle.
Only the fly by wire ZD30 did not altho they do have a Fast Idle switch which is a different critter and application
All of the 6 cylinder 4.2 Tojo's for SES have them.
None of the above have provision for PTO, cept maybe my Diesel MQ but sooo long ago now I forget.
All of the 4X stuff in the military had hand throttles but not all had PTO and that was also a looong time ago for me

[threedogs]

Might be old school teachings as I cant recall any new 4x4
having a handthrottle as OE . I lot of my mates are instructors
and I must admit hand throttles dont come up often in any conversations
we have around a fire

[Bob]

My 98 4.5L GU does not have a Hand Throttle.
To answer the original question from Cuppa I jam my right leg and foot against the side wall to help control throttle movement by my foot.

[the evil twin]

Might be old school teachings as I cant recall any new 4x4
having a handthrottle as OE . I lot of my mates are intructors
and I must admit hand throttles dont come up often in any conversations
we have around a fire

Hiya TD

Yeah, wouldn't suprise me at all.

Each State and many of the Agencies within States will be different.

Currently in WA we present the same Techniques course to Fireys and Emergency Service members.
After the Techniques course SES continue with Recovery and ATU courses but the Fireys do not.
The Police training is different from the start and I haven't sat on one of their courses for a while now.
I think WA Ambos use outside providers... dunno... must find out actually

Nationally...
Whilst my mob don't have to align with the national competencies like the Training Providers whenever ours are the same as the basic civilian TLIC and RIIVEH packages attendees get the appropriate Statements of Attainments.
Hand Throttle starts have been long removed from the national competencies as well or at least the ones on our RTO scope.
Mainly because so few reccy vehicles have them now I guess plus all the newer stuff is getting Hill Start Assist and Descent Control

I still demonstrate Hand Throttle starts as part of non-assessable skills if a vehicle has one.
The technique also still appears in a lot of Booklets and Manuals such as EMA or at least the ones I have.

[Clunk]

So now im the one giving dangerous advice!! Sometimes decending backward isn't an option, and winches don't come in 100m+.
There seems to be a few class clowns here, or maybe just self designated smartarses who crave the attention.

I did my 4wdriving course with Peter Reynolds during my time in the emergency services. He has an OAM for his 4wd training services for his various training of government departments. He trains a lot of our ES departments. I think he's got a little more credibility than you, and anyone else who doesn't seem to know what the little stick that makes the engine rev is for other than being a bit of a novelty.
Maybe you'd like to google him, all you smartarses and expert keyboard jockeys. Im sure he'd even take the time to have a chat with you on the phone, that'd be 0428 623458

Wow, sounds like someone is in need of a hug.

[threedogs]

Its a shame all courses are not the same as I can be trained the same as someone in Tassie or Perth.
I do recall there was a push for it , as a mate was El Prezidante of 4wd Vic, but nothing became of it
and each state body wanted their model to be the one to use.
But hey jam your foot against the kick panel and rock your foot
Surely there are accredited courses or clubs in Ballarat you can join.
Keyboard offroad training Really lol

[Drewboyaus]

So now im the one giving dangerous advice!! Sometimes decending backward isn't an option, and winches don't come in 100m+. There seems to be a few class clowns here

Settle petal.
The advice you have given may be useful in the hands of an experienced 4wder in extreme circumstances but is entirely inappropriate to be potentially putting that technique in the hands of a novice. That has every chance of going seriously pear shaped.
There is such thing as a winch extension strap too that most people would have in their recovery kit. Rarely have I not been able to find something within its range to winch from.

Having completed the 4wd Vic advanced training a couple of years ago, the technique you describe was never once discussed.

And on the subject of class clowns:
Yes, yes there are, aren't there........

Anyway, life goes on.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[ova50]

A question to those more experienced than me.

When driving up bumpy & rutted hills I sometimes find that the throttle is ‘surging’ because of my foot bouncing a little on the accelerator pedal. I know some folk with narrower cars wedge their knee against the door to keep things more steady, but the Patrol is a bit too wide to do that (at least for me). Seems to be more of an issue when revs are a above about 2500rpm. What do you do?

Cuppa, I asked a similar question here about a year back after having a lot of trouble with the "pedal bounce" on the rough stuff.

The advice I got from Winnie, Threedogs, Nisshead & Ihurley was to try and wedge my foot against the kick panel.
What the guys suggested gave me a good starting point.

I tried a number of different positions with my foot and found that the one that suits me was to wedge my heal against the kick panel and floor and have the ball of my foot on the throttle pedal.
I can now control the throttle and have eliminate most of the bounce using this method.

[Clunk]

Settle petal.

Having completed the 4wd Vic advanced training a couple of years ago, the technique you describe was never once discussed.

And on the subject of class clowns:
Yes, yes there are, aren't there........

Anyway, life goes on.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Don't worry Drew, I won't hold it against you. It's nice to see a little comic relief amongst all the seriousness from some folk on here