Off-roading newbie. Looking for some advise
 

Im an off roading newbie and recently purchased a 4runner 2019 SR5.

What are the basic do's and dont's?

If you are familiar with the Bay Area, CA what are some good place to go 4 wheeling? Ive been to Hollister once and thats about it. Looking for fun and easy places.

Thanks, Brian

Congratulations, Brian! Rule one, you have to post at least one pic. I’ll let some more experienced folk educate you on the other stuff - lol.

Enjoy!

How do I post a picture. I tried using a google like with a shareable link but it just shows the link. Im such a newb haha

Hey Brian, congrats on the new ride! I'm also a newb but here's a screenshot of what to do from a "Reply" standpoint.

Anywho, click the attachments, and attach an image :D.

What are your plans for the new ride?

Thanks for the replay with the screenshot. As far as plans go, Ive added TRD wheels and a step. Eventually I would like to purchase a roof rack with an Awning. Now I need to figure out how to shrink the file size haha

Brian,
Congratulations on an excellent vehicle choice.

As for DO's:
Familiarize yourself with your vehicle (know how to go in and out of 4WD Hi and Low, plus activate lockers and KDSS if you have them.
Carry basic safety equipment, including tools, gloves, yank strap, fuses, cable ties and misc. fasteners, flashlight
Carry the "10 essentials" as appropriate for your area of travel (look these up if you are unfamiliar with the term). Most especially carry water!
Let someone know where you are going and when you will will return, and give them instruction on whom to notify if you don't return. Remember to notify them when you do return.
Make sure your vehicle is in top mechanical shape for the expected conditions, and then some.

DONT'S:
Don't travel alone in backcountry areas--always travel with another vehicle.
Don't overextend or overestimate your capabilities, or those of your vehicle.
Unless absolutely necessary, don't leave your vehicle if you become stranded. Vehicles are easier to find then people.

I think there are lots of threads on the subject.

I will address two issues here: the "don't travel alone" rule and where to begin.

It is true that difficult rated trails should ideally be driven with others. This is especially true of consistently difficult trails (as opposed to such where the difficulty comes from 1-2 spots). But on the whole, the always-have-company rule is extremely limiting. We have been solo-ing it for 10 years now, from a Subaru Tribeca to Outback to modified Outback to 4Runner. We are closing on 400 runs, almost all of which solo. Fins and Things, Black Bear Pass, Backaway to CK, the most remote trail in the Maze district, super remote trails in AZ, the White Rim Road in an Outback, etc are all examples of trails we did solo. There are HUGE disadvantages in traveling with others. People even do solo runs in Australia. So be your own judge. But start slowly, with easy trails. Have good tires and basic tools at least. Plenty of water. Some food. Folding shovel. Buy a satellite communicator and ideally have someone know your plans when on a remote trail. That someone should know when to worry and what to do. Alternatively, know how to contact an offroad service via said satellite communicator and understand prices are steep from what I hear. I had none of that when I started, which was pushing it but I was always super careful.

Above all, buy a quality and up-to-date guide book, such as the Charlie Wells one, including the route maps, and stick to it. He will tell you all the basics in terms of driving techniques and the things he carries. Do not rely on the Massey books as they are far too old now and a hit and miss when it comes to current conditions (they are more reliable for the maintained roads and trails and less so for the harder ones; plus many trails have since been closed or altered). Start from the easy/green trails in Wells and then get to the blue/moderate ones. Bear in mind that the range within a rating is huge. For moderate, he says things like "any 4x4 with moderate clearance can make it" vs "aggressive SUVs only" which allows you to understand which ones are harder. Don't drive difficult rated trails as a new to offroading driver.

There's a saying in aviation, "Superior pilots use their superior judgement to avoid having to use their superior skills." Same thing applies to offroading. As a newbie, you need to develop skills, but more importantly, judgement. Going with other more experienced drivers that you trust trust and respect is a good way to develop both. Watch how they drive, how they care for their vehicle, how they care for the land, but most importantly, how they make decisions.

Always have a plan B in case plan A falls apart. Can I walk out if necessary? Can I communicate from the backcountry? Does someone know where I am and when to expect me back? Can I self-rescue if I get stuck? Do I have the tools and know-how to fix my vehicle safely if it breaks down? The answers to all of those questions don't have to be yes, but at least one of them should have a "yes" answer.

Start slow and easy and grow into it. Always be ready to turn around if things look dicey.

It's a great hobby, and gets you into some gorgeous country that few people get a chance to experience.

Years ago when I first got into this hobby, I began learning things and amassing a bit of knowledge, which I then used as a opportunity to start a similar thread. Bodie took the ball and ran with it hard -- you can see it here:

Newbie Guidance

(You can stop at the first page, in fact after Bodie's response -- the following pages are just folks rightfully thanking him for his insights.)

A couple more things I've learned since:
-- This can be a VERY expensive hobby. Be mindful of that, especially if your rig is your daily driver as well.
-- Skid plates are the most important mod I've done to my ride.
-- Do you really need that RTT?
-- It doesn't take much of a hit to the rear axle for there to result in an insane cost for what seems like virtually invisible damage.
-- If you're trying to surmount a sketchy obstacle, don't be too arrogant to ask your passenger to get out and help you navigate. (Also better to not have your wife in the car should you flip over.)
-- The console safe is a great investment.
-- So is the tow hitch hide-a-key.
-- Spend less time on this site than on the trail. Some people seem to post so much, so often, and so instantly respond, I wonder how in the world they find time to drive around the block, much less parts unknown.
-- Don't underestimate nature. Learn about it. Igneous rock and sedimentary rock behave very differently; understanding that may save your life. Frazil ice is scary and kills lots of people every year. NEVER trust sand, snow, nor mud just by the looks of it.
-- Nature changes very fast, especially in the mountains. One time in the Tetons, we went down what seemed like a simple, largely flat, beautiful fire road off the highway for a short, impromptu jaunt. The weather was perfect, sunny, not a cloud in the sky. Literally five minutes down this bucolic road, it started dumping rain. The bucolic fire road instantly turned into mudslide. Thankfully we were able to turn around and very tenderly make a terror struck retreat.
-- Do you really need that snorkel?
-- Once you get your roof rack, and eventually that RTT (you know you will), don't take your car to the automated car wash. The machines have been known to rip the rack right off many a rig.
-- Bears are everywhere. They're really smart. And always hungry. Use bear bags. Even if your food is in your rig, inside of a fridge or cooler, bears will tear your car open and feast. Nothing to make you wet your bed, when you're sleeping in that RTT like the sound of your car getting smashed open by a bear lured by your strawberry scented chapstick.
-- Do you really need an auxiliary battery? YES. As well as a trie deflator kit and an air compressor. Airing down tires will get you through most of the basic obstacles. But don't air down too much, so make sure you have a digital tire pressure meter so you know when you're at the limit.
-- Go SLOW. Like real slow.
-- Wheeling while hungry is dangerous.
-- Do you really need that winch?
-- Make sure you learn how to use your hi-lift jack, winch (yeah, you might need it at some point), CB radio/sat phone, etc. when you're at home -- not at some dire moment in the middle of nowhere.
-- When you ignore, neglect or just plain forget all of these bits of advice, just have fun.

I could probably list a hundred more things. But so much of the glory of adventure is figuring it out on your own. No amount of other people's insights will help you figure out how to not slide off that mud bank or avoid rolling over on that cliff or when you should just turn around and not trying to crawl over that rock.

I agree, you can go wheeling by yourself. Lots of people do it and they make it home, it's about knowing your limitations and skill level. All the public trails in my area are not super difficult so I have zero issues with wheeling alone. Having a good plan in place is also a good idea. Going alone will also force you to learn things for yourself when you get stuck and let's you get out there when you have time. I'd rather go when I can and not be stuck waiting for someone else's life to have free time.
If you do plan on going solo I highly recommend a winch. In fact I recommend getting a winch before getting anything else, possibly a big industrial come-a-long instead. I've seen many people spend thousands and thousands of dollars on upgrades they didn't really need. There was just an assumption those upgrades would be needed, if you get a winch and go out there into the real world the truck will tell you what it needs. I personally took my stock truck out many times before I got a simple leveling lift and better tires. Why? Because the trails I ride had fairly deep ruts, I drove said trails and the truck slipped and bottomed out. So I clearly needed a bit more room under the truck and better tires. I didn't have to spend a fortune to make my driving and off roading situation exponentially better. I also didn't have to overthink, overspend and over engineer my rig. Keep your thought process based in reality and don't worry about what other people have on their rigs or what they are doing, more than likely what they do and what you do are going to be different just due to geography.
Get out there and get dirty!!

Lots of good info here. I too am learning offroading, on my own. But this is how all my hobbies have gone.
I'm fortunate that I have mild to wild trails within miles of my home. Shorter to walk home than to the highway.
Decide the type of offroading you want to do. I did visit a club meeting and noticed two groups within the club. Some looked for obstacles along the trail. They had to veer from the trail to conqur said obstacles. And those that watched them, sometimes rescuing them.
Use common sense and listen to your inner voice. Push your comfort level in small increments. Walk that section that makes you go "ummm" when you first see it. Look for alternative lines.
There's one section of a road near me where I got stuck (it crosses a wash at an angle) I couldn't go forward, but I was able to back up. Tried different approaches, nope. Went around. A few days later discovered that i incorrectly used (didn't use) ATRAC. Went back and effortlessly putted through that spot.
This is just how I've been learning. Slowly, taking baby steps.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Congrats Brain and welcome to letting this hobbie consume you. lol
I Think that there have been some seriously good point being made.
Yes carry the essentials. I am a huge proponent of carrying one to two fire extinguishers. We carry a lot of fuel topped off and it is an expensive rig without any modes. And a extinguisher is such a cheap insurance policy. Plus if you see someone on the side of the road on your way out that parked in tall dry grass and have to stop and put the fire under their car out as 4 "mechanics" watch there car burn you still have one for your truck once the trail running starts.
I see both aspects of soloing and not soloing. If you have a sat phone and a winch then I would say you do you boo boo. But being new and what i am gathering is with zero to little experience in offroading take it slow and easy. I would try to find someone to go with to get some experience in what your vehicle will and can do. These trucks are Very capable rigs.

My biggest advice is if you don't feel comfortable DON'T DO IT!!!

If someone that's with you is hassling you then let them go be big bad mfer and make sure you turn your phone landscape so we can all see the rear axle fall out from underneath the other truck.
There is no shame in not feeling comfortable and not wanting to roll a 40-50 thousand dollar toy.
My last advise/rant is #leavenotrace. If it goes out to the trail with you make sure it come back with you.
There is a tremendous amount of pressure lately from groups that dont want us out in public land. And when trails get trashed if gives them assault group alpha quantities of ammo for getting those trails closed down.
Don't get me wrong i complain and make noises when I show up to a trail and have to stop pretty frequently to pick up after someone but i look at it as if i don't then forest service will and they have the final say of open/closed.
I would take a look at leavenotrace and tradlightly pages just for some public lands stewardship.
Congrats and welcome.
Cheers

Thanks for all the advise. Much appreciated.

-- Do you really need that snorkel?

That was the best one.

Hello Bryan,
I’m a newbie and from the South Bay. I’m also researching new trails to off-road other than hollister hills. I like to use hollister to get comfortable with my runner and see what I can and can’t do. Because I roll solo I go when there seems to be a few people incase I need assistance. Congratulations on your runner!