Your worst 4wd experiences?

Man who changes gears halfway up large, soft sand dune soon has lots of time to reflect on his foolishness :))))))

We have been quite fortunate I think.. We only started 4wding in December when we bought the pajero. Trevor and Perry helped Mark go from nappies to boxers, plus the knowledge Mark did have himself and our constant 4wd off road territory exploring done in an XF panel van and an EL Ford (boy did we get looks from 4by drivers!!!!!) Mark has had the few failed attempts like his last one at Rover on the weekend. (He didn't let nearly enough air out of the tyres for the hill climb, hence after 4 odd tries still no go because by then he was just spinning on the loose dirt he dug up the attempt before). We have never yet gotten bogged and had to be snatched out...

Ohhhh I do have a story for you...
We were on Fraser Is, got the car serviced before we left. Mark and I packing the car to leave for Fraser.. Darl do you reckon we should check the fluid levels in the battery? nah, cars just been serviced, he would have checked it... YEH RIGHT!
Day 3 on Fraser battery is flat as a tack, got jump start, drove the car for a bit thinking it might help charge, nope, we ended up leaving Fraser early, got to the mainland, under body car wash.. smoke pouring from bonnet, drive to mechanics across the road, lift bonnet, all step back from the inhaled fumes of foul acid and look in disbelief at the smoke and smell coming from battery... Completely fried she was!!!!!! the mechanic says, I have seen some dead batteries in my time but My God you take the cake!!!!!!!!

Cheers
Jo

In a convoy of around 100 4wds in New Zealand and taking a shortcut through the long grass that hid a swamp. Took 3 vehicles to snatch us out with everyone watching - that was after we burnt our winch out trying to self recover.

Mind you it made for great entertainment as the whole trip was stalled by another truck at the lead of the convoy also being recovered so it filled in the time - well that is my excuse anyway..

So watch the long grass, you never know what it hides.

On the beach at Noosa northshore, got to the first cutting, and an x-trail is bogged about halfway up, which a cruiser behind him, snatch attached (and also bogged) there is about 15 cars waiting in a line on the beach. A decision was made by the driver (not me) that we could "Get around them"......

So now there's an Xtrail, a cruiser & a patrol with a trailer stuck in the first cut.

Sometime 'make'n your own road' isn't the best plan.

Back in 1987 two of us with my boss (who was driving) were doing a recce in the hills behind Lake Eildon. He was going to drop us off at the end of a track then drive about 30 km in a big circle and pick us up a the opposite end of a 5 km walk through the bush. We were walking through the area checking it out and choosing routes for military Leadership training.

We got to the top of a hill about 1km from where we had planned to drop off:

"Looks a bit steep boss, how about we walk from here?"

"No we will be fine." Drops it into low first and down we go.

We hop out at the end of the track and start out and the boss turns around and drives off. We head off walking enjoying the trees and the sounds of the bush while navigating independently and checking notes. About 20 minutes later we just hear the very distant sound of a horn. We stop and listen and figure it was coming from where we started! Back we go and there is the boss in the Yota at the bottom of the hill leaning on the horn.

We tried to get up that hill for the next 3 hours. It was:
1. On a knife edge ridge,
2. Nowhere to go either side except straight down a 45º+ slope covered in mountain ash.
3. Heavily rutted with big holes near the top.
4. Slippery dirt mixed with small round stones the size of ball bearings.

The closest we got to the top of the 500 metre climb was about 20 metres. At that point the holes in the track would stop all forward momentum and the Yota would bounce and loose traction.

It is now getting dark.

We now decide to walk back. Rudi and I are kitted out for walking with good boots, decent maps, compass, water etc. The boss was planning on driving all day and only has light boots on without decent socks.

Off we go on our long walk back to where we were camping in an old highways depot on the Jamieson Road. It took about 4 hours over very hilly country with the boss griping about his blisters.

The party of Vic coppers who were camped at the same site (Deer hunting out of season!) offered to go out right then and recover the Yota. They had been on the turps since sunset playing "burst the breathalyser" so we declined.

The next morning we head back with the coppers. The boss chucks me the keys while the coppers are laying out the Tirfor and says:

"You got it closest to the top last night, bring it up to where we can winch it."

I took a good run at the hill and drove out! DOH!

The coppers nearly died laughing. Rudi and I had to keep a straight face and the boss didn't see the funny side. We did laugh about it a with him a few weeks later (after his feet had healed up!)

Cheers

Pete

sunk my early modle diesel in a large salt water lagoon right up to my belly button while sitting in it wife and kids in there also forgot the tide comes in lol it was in there over 3 hours and yes it did start under water i stalled it and the water run up the exhaust and forced the oil out
i was pulled out by 3 small Suzuki's and drove it home only 5 ks but there was salt water where oil should have been flushed out the motor with diesel put in new oil and its still going after 15 years the body ?? well it lasted less than 12 months then mr rust took hold the truck is now a farm truck

They say cofession is good for the soul.....

Coming home on Fraser a few years back, incoming tide about half in, approaching Hook Point, will we get through now? asks the misses. Yeah, cause we will says I....

Bad move. Kept going and tide gets further up, to the point where there's not enough room left to turn around safely. End up pushed up against the dunes, driving through 2' of water, praying the electrics don't get swamped....

Made it through by the skin of me teeth! Stony silence from SWHMBO.....

Learnt my lesson. Will NEVER attempt Hook Point on a rising tide again.

To many worst experiences here !

Robe a good decade ago, first time on the beach run and with some friends.

Lotta fun, driving along the sand near the waters edge with wheels in and out
of salt water on occasion. Even the young baby seemed to sense the mood
from his cradle. Had been a bit windy though and sea was blowing up a
bit with mist drifting in. Heading for a dead whale which was in a sheltered
bay, cut off by two headlands.
As we approached the first headland there was a step up. A drift of sand about
a meter high angled across the beach. It required a change of direction up the face
which is never a good idea. First vehicle in convoy cleared it but cut it up.
I just cleared it but was so crossed up and down in rev's by the top that
I stalled just beyond ridge. I was now around the headland on edge of bay.

Struggled for a while and got car just of the main line, such that one following
vehicle had a clear run and came up to help. However it bogged next to me.
An hour of the usual techniques got cars free'd up enough to go back.
However it was noticed that the sea had closed in on the headland and was
beginning to cut off our retreat. Driving forward to headland on other
side of bay showed in was fully cut off now.
Beginning to feel trapped we explored the small bay but cliffs prevented
any option of placing the cars up high enough to avoid the tide.

The mood quickly changed and there was no way out but to attempt to
cross back via the headland behind us. The sand was water free still
between each wave for a few seconds.

To risky for family, friends took baby & wife and few things back thru sea
to saftey, leaving only my brother and I left with our repective cars.

Somehow sensing the imminent demise people and cars had gathered on safe side
to watch the attempt.

Watching and timing waves carefully my brother (the driver in our family)
kicked his chev V8 cruiser and did a beautiful timed run down into the sea as
a wave retreated, and powered up in front of the incoming wave to safety.

Alone now on the headland in was my turn.

Down into the sea following a receeding wave I headed. Swung around to go up
but a dirty cross wave was coming. The petrol engine screamed and valves bounced but it was short on power.
3/4 of way up the wave hit the car broadside on.

Onlookers said that the splash from wave went over the car.

Window was down and I tasted salt as water came in.

But the size and force of the hit actually pushed the car up onto the beach proper
leaving me beached as it receeded but where friends in position could help.

Will never own another underpowered car again.

Robin Miller
GU4800

Stuck out in the bush with a rolled suzuki . Managed to tip it back over and started ok but alas , broken powertrain . Aint going nowhere . Old man arrives hours later with tow rope . He gets in fiddles around a bit and moves the 4WD selector from neutral position . WOOPS .

I won't even tell you how I got the name boo boo, it would take too long to type.

Tell you over a beer

boo

Having owned 23 4x4x's over the years there have been quite a few 'mishaps'

Most of the 'mishaps' happened in my earlier years and most involve Suzukis.

1. Drowning the 2 stroke in the Fergusson River while on a mission to buy more beer at Pine Creek

2. Rolling over down an embankment into Barramundi Creek and nearly drowning the missus.

3. Bogging the last Zook down the powerline behind Winnellie(Darwin) and only having 30 metres of winch cable when the closest powerpole was 35 metres away

4. Jacknifing a tandem axle trailer on the Stuart Hwy whilst towing with a 2 stroke Suzi

5. Parking a Suzuki on a buffalo on the Marrakai Plains

6. Trying to tow a 3.5 ton caravan with a Landcruiser around the Hepburn Springs(Victoria) area.

7. Winching a tree on to the Landcruiser while in a mega bog behind Butterfly Gorge

8.Choosing the wrong travelling companions on quite a few occasions.

There are more but I have chosen to forget some of them....LOL

My first trip to The Cape I did a bit of the Creb Track and I stalled up a steep incline and had to do a stall start in reverse on sticky clay. I had NEVER done a stall start before, just read about it on here, trust me its not the blo^dy SAME lol easier to READ it.

I had the passenger get out just in case I screwed up and over the side I went. To say I was SH%^TING myself was an understatement. Let me say when I kicked it over the vehicle lost grip and started to slide for a few feet (which seemed like 20) it was heart in mouth stuff untill the vehicle gripped. The vehicle gripped and slide for about 80 feet till I found a place to do a 600 point turn lol.

The brain was in MAJOR control of foot not to touch the brake on this surface.

I have done plenty now just for practice. I am told the expression on my face was priceless when it started to slide lol. I sunk many a RUM that night.

Brian

How about looking for a campsite for the night at Old Halls Creek. Charged down onto creekbed, it looked pretty solid....ground to a halt in the Paj and CT right in front of a family group enjoying the evening with campfire.

Bemused onlookers gather. How embarrassing!! Then one guy says: "I see the ExplorOz sticker on your window: I'm Andrew B from Kununurra".

Look for large rock to hide under. Then laboriously drive car and CT to safety.

Enjoyed meeting you, Andrew:-) all the best, Ray and Jenny

Forgetting to lock the hubs in aint so major but the number of times I've forgotten....

the picture in the bottom right corner of my post shows it all!!!

very lucky to get out of it, thank god for the tray is all I can say.

in hindsight- took the wrong line, too far to one side, perhaps a little too much speed.

would I try again- you bet! I now know what not to do, and would aproach things very differently, especially after watching a little paj tackle the same section that "real 4wds" had issues with (along with myself)

Thanks to all for sharing. I'm sure that a few of us learned what NOT to do :))
Personally I feel much better now :) Thank goodness I didn't tell the story about not changing the engine oil in my HJ60 for almost a year and ended up using a blend of oil and kero to flush it out....engine went another 100K/km and was going fine when I sold it.
They do say that confession is good for the soul , and this post proves it.....bet you all feel better now....

my worst was going joyriding at the age of 15 in dads rig, friend driving (unlicensed).
we got bogged in the salt pans at the back of a creek, "buggar".
A friend goes past on his motorbike, he decides to have a go and what was bad became worse. So he decides to go for help "but don't get anyone who will tell dad" we plead.

Half hour later he comes back with the local gossip, my uncle!? and my friend (driver) dad!? who is also good mates with my dad. So now we're well and truly busted.

But it gets worse, uncles troopy gets bogged, no worries an F-truck comes to help.
the f-truck gets bogged. No worries our neighbour!? comes with his tractor pulls us all out.

In the end we counted over 100 hundred people were there all knowing each other and all knowing my dad.
I laugh at it now, but I tell you ol mate and his flappy gums was lucky I didn't kill him myself. On the upside dad thought it was really funny.

cackles

Well, I didn't exactly come to grief (thank goodness); I did a substantial trip from Perth, to Ninagaloo/Coral Bay, Newman, Rudall River NP, Carrawine Gorge, Nullagine, then back to Perth. When I got home, I found that I had left the key for the spare tyre padlock in the ashtray (as I normally do), but the ashtray had been removed to fit the HF radio control head. So the ashtray was sitting on the bench in the garage with the key inside.
Could have been embarrasing if I'd had a flat out at Rudall!
Gerry

I was camping out the Pines (Lake Eildon) with mates and the boy; and decided that as he was of age (12 years old), and could reach the pedals of the HiLux, it was time to learn to drive. The track around the lake perimiter was good, no real bumps or problems. Except for the bends. At the first bend he didn't realize he had to "turn" the steering wheel. Up the embankment and over we go onto roof.
It took 5 hours and $250.00 to get out of that one.
The only problem was insurance claim. No worries I say, we'll tell eveyone that I swerved to miss a mob of roos. The boy likes this, because he doesn't want anyone at home to know what happened. This was the official version until earlier this year when he got his licence, and I decided to let it out after 6 years of covering for him.
Turns out nobody had believed I would actually swerve for an animal; consensus was that I was most likely "inebriated" and that the boy had covered for me!!!!

Well I can fess up to the "newbie moment"....

Brand new Prado - near 60 grands worth of motor car and I had had it about a week. Decided to go and have a bit of a test drive in some Clay Pans north of Adelaide at Thompsons Beach. First time to get it dirty....

Having some tentative fun scooting around a nice big open area out the back of the beach. lots of hard tracks and stuff, even a few humps and things to play on. Having a ball I was.

Then disaster strikes. Hit a softish patch at about 60kph and suddenly the car slews off into the goo beside the track off a small embankment.

Can't move an inch in any direction and realisation sets in that I am 5km from any other person with no shovel, straps, ropes, gloves, winch. NOTHING!

The car is on about a 30 degre angle diagonally with the front drivers side deep in clay. Oh dear! An hour of ineffectual stuffing around with sticks and old tyres and stuff that were lying around proved fruitless.

Walked into town 5km thinking all the way how stupid I was and how much it was going to cost me to get it out and as i got to the edge of town a bloke walking his dog says hello and asks me what I was doing (walking around with mud all over me). Explained the situation and he came right out and said "No worries, let me take the dog home and get the 4by and we will see if we can get you fixed up"

He came out and spent over an hour helping me get out getting near bogged himself and getting his own clean vehicle mighty dirty in the process.

We headed back to his place for a cuppa afterwards and he gave me just a hint of a lecture about preparedness in off road driving and I drove the hour back to Adelaide reflecting on the situation I had been in.

Looking back now with a couple of years of experience and lots of club trips under the belt it seems pretty foolish what I did but the fellow that pulled me out assured me that it is near a weekly occurence in those parts and that most guys end up being helped by a bloke in town that enjoys charging $500 for the pleasure of driving his tractor.

I guess I was pretty lucky that day that all he wanted was a 'Thanks'.

Cheers
Muddy

The year I left school my mate bought his first car ,a quite new Pathy.

We had attempted some very lame dirt tracks and thought we had it sorted.

Driving along one day we found a beach that you could drive on so decided to give it a crack ,

" do you think we should be in 4wd ? " " nah the sands hard "

" someone told me you should let your tyres down " " that sounds like bullchitt "

All was well till we stopped to check the surf , decided to go futher, and sunk the back end to the diff .

"Ill just lock the hubs and we'll be straight out of here"

Soon we were so fully bogged it wasnt funny ( well actually it was ).

A couple of fishos drive up in their 40 series ask if we let the tyres down and then drive away bleep themselves when we ask if you have to .

We started digging out the whole car , this take a while by hand , we were given a hurry up by the incoming tide , and my mate who was now going ballistic cause he hadnt had the car long and could see insurance not covering stupidity.

We managed to get his car out with the water lapping very close.

Luckily I managed to snap off a few photos that still manage to get my mate mad .

Glenn.

Way back in my jackarooing days; having spent a day or more pumping out a water hole on to a large flat, my mate decided to make the most of the only mud we'd seen for six months and took the cruiser ute for a spin.

Circle work a plenty, until he drove pretty much along the path of the outlet hose . . right wheels hit the wet and sank. Left wheels stayed on firm land, but the right hand side had sunk so far, he had to climb out the window.

No winch (no trees anyway), no other vehicles.
A shovel, two hours, and two tray side panels for traction later, out she came.

-----

Last winter a team of foxers were going around the farm. Four utes bogged within a minute. The only still mobile vehicle = 600cc quad bike.

We rather optomistically joined two snatch straps & a chain (needed length to get to decent ground) and pulled all four utes out.

Mind you, in doing so I had visions of a bloke who tried a similar thing the year before - snatching a hilux out of a bog with a quad bike. He tried to pull it forward (rather than back out its own tracks), took off and when the snatch strap reached its limit, the quad bike came to a rather rapid stop. His nose kissed the speedo . . .