New to 4wding

From memory the Rav doesn't have low range so your beach driving will be limited to accessing the beach to the medium too hard sand and back off again i wouldn't go to far into the soft sand alone if you have a friend with a 4WD that is willing to pull you out if or when you get stuck then it might be OK and as far as off road goes as long as you don't get too serious you should be fine, REALLY steep hills up and down are your main concern.

Baz.

Hi,

I would suggest you eiter join a club or do a course. However, if this isnt your scene try out some of the easier tracks in the trek section. Start with the Watagans for example.

Do the Rav 4s have low range. What model do you have.

I would recommend the books available on this page Sand Driving Book.

I found this very helpful.

Why not join up with a good club?

I could point you to the Nissan Club in Sydney, they take all cars, all driver levels, and provide one of the better driver training courses I have seen.

There is also the Toyota Landcruiser club, but didnt impress me when I went there but it was 4 yrs ago.

They will show you what your car is capable of, what mods and things you NEED (eg recovery points), recovery gear and more importantly how to use it correctly.

http://www.nissanpatrolclub.org/

Welcome to the world of dirt !
Its all been said above. I am a member of the Nissan club here in sydney. Definately worth it in many ways. But NOTHING comes close to this forum for advice and stuff. So stick around here and you will get good answers to your questions. The driver training that the Nissan club do is second to none in my opinion. I learned alot about the proper way to drive a 4b offroad doing the course, and i thought as most of us do that i knew it all....well, if one thing i have learned is...every time you go offroad with others, you learn something new, some better some worse, but we can share the knowledge between us and in the end we win.
Enjoy your new toy.
Angelo

The RAV does not have low range so many 4WD driver training courses aren't open to you.
The problem is that if you get stuck there doesn't appear to be any appropriate recovery points on the vehicle, so if you get someone to "snatch" you out you could do damage to your vehicle.
There is a group at Stockton that do training. They may be able to advise.
There's also a privately owned sand area at Kurnel. Costs about $15/day.
I am investigating this as one of my sons has a RAV. The tow bar looks ok foe simple recovery but I have found a suitable solution for the front.
Maybe some forumites can give us both some suggestions for recovery points on RAVs.

A friend of mine took his rav4 when we went to Straddie once. No serious stuff, just driving along the beaches. It only had problems when at high tide we had to drive in the soft sand. It would constatntly bottom out and get stuck when he drove in other people's tracks. When not in other's tracks it had no problems. Probably because it's so light, so it didn't sink into the sand.

So just have another 4wd with you and recovery gear and you should be fine on sand.

R.

Good little road / sand test here from the Courier Mail.

http://carsguide.news.com.au/news/story_page/0,8269,9732690%255E27286,00.html

pcj,

I loved my Rav. It died saving me from a car that jumped the traffic islands. The air bags work exceptional well. I have had mine on the beach at Inskip Point but kept out of the soft stuff. Hills are another issue as stated above because of no low range. They are very capable machines however just have those limitations as mentioned. Great on dirt roads, fire trails and in the wet.

I now own a Prado and very happy with it.

pcj, we have a mate that has a RAV4 that he has lifted with OME suspension and fitted larger (legal) tyres. Of all the vehicles we've been onto Stockton with the RAV4 has been the most capable. Even in the soft Stockton sand at the back of the sand dunes, the RAV's light weight and responsive motor means it can accelerate where other vehicles are bogging down.

He has also done a variety of medium tracks throughout the Watagans and Lithgow areas with us. You would be amazed where this (fake) 4WD has gone. The key is ground clearance. Although, without low range, steep decents should be considered very carefully.

If you want sand driving , dont stress. Most of it is in high range anyway. Its more tyre pressure than anything else . Only use 12 psi and you will fing the Rav will do really well beacuse it weigh's nothing. Make sure your first time is with someone experienced , this way you will get to know your cars capabilities with someone experienced to get you out of the poop if you get into it . I found low range gets you into more trouble than good in sand .

pcj....

Your Rav 4 is WAY MORE capable than my little Honda HRV, and I have had a ball in that!

Yes, you are limited, but when you know the limitations, and don't exceed them, you will have HEAPS of fun.

Don't worry about the soft roader tag....... it IS a soft roader...... simple....... but you WILL have fun!

Soft sand is a bugger, mud is okay, and I haven't had the pleasure / misfortune of driving in snow.

I do remember an article in a 4 x 4 mag which detailed a specific soft roader course. These are very rare, but maybe worthwhile chasing up.

Have fun, enjoy your vehicle.

Wolfie

Hi pcj, I would suggest joining a club, there are lots that will accomodate your Rav4. Once you learn how to drive it and what it can and can't do you will have a ball!!!!!

You mentioned Stockton, so I assume you're on the Central NSW Coast, try the Central Coast 4 Wheel Drive Club, there web page is here
Hope this helps

Getabout 4wd Adventures do an accredited AWD/4wd course close to sydney, have a look on the sponsors links on the left in topic search,driver skills/ training this is the same course over different terrain as the low range rigs.
Thay also run an accredited towing courses on and off road!

To All, Many thanks for all your positive responses. I will look into your suggestions (don't know about joining a nissan club though ha ha) & see what happens. I'm sure the kids will be pestering me over xmas to do some dirt / sand driving, so once again thankyou all for helping me start to enjoy the new 'toy'. pcj
p.s. excellent website

We have done a lot of trips rated from easy to hard in our Freelander while in New Zealand and latterly in Australia. Have a Troopy now but we have been on trips with RAV4's and they perfromed well (except where low range was reqd).

Good luck, do a training course, join a club and have fun

Great Divide Tours do a training course for all wheel drive vehicles. We run this course for all those vehicles that do not have low range and have specifically developed training and tracks for your vehicle. GDT has it's own 240 acre property at Braidwood and has put in tracks that will suit all typs of 4wd vehicles and off road camper trailers it is a purpose built training facility.
For more info check out the web site www.4wd.net.au

Wayne