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$12. LE MAY 18 2017 | ISSUE 114 | ON SA
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CREEK Crossing MASTERCLASS
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TACKLE YOUR NEXT 4WD ADVENTURE HEAD ON WITH OUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO OFFROAD RIVER CROSSINGS.
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othing says “offroad adventure” like dipping your tyres into a majestic water crossing. It gets the heart racing, and gives you the ultimate feeling of satisfaction as you climb out the other side; that’s IF you make it across, however! There’s a bit of an art in successfully crossing a river or a creek, and it’s an art worth mastering when you consider what’s at stake. Getting stuck could a quick recovery, a soggy story to tell, or an all-out nightmare! When you think about it, how you handle a water crossing really comes down to two things – knowledge and judgement! But every river crossing is different, and with things like current flow, water levels and bank erosion constantly changing the game, you pretty much have to approach every crossing like it’s the first time, no matter how many times you’ve actually driven it in the past. But not to worry; over the next few pages we’ll give you the info you need to become a river crossing guru!
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REGULARS
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G ET PREPARED TRICKS OF THE TRADE THAT COULD SAVE YOUR SET-UP. SEAL IT UP It should go without saying, anything you can do to protect against water penetration is time and money well spent! You can start by sealing up any gaps that let water get to where it shouldn’t. There are often little holes under the carpet of the vehicle’s cabin, and on the firewall, that should be sealed up. You’ll never get it 100 per cent watertight but it’ll help buy you time, which is exactly what you need when you’re stuck in the middle of a bloody river! In the engine bay, look for anywhere water might be able to enter the engine. The engine oil dipstick should be nice and snug, the engine’s breather setup is worth checking out, and the air intake should definitely be 100 per cent watertight, preferably with a snorkel fitted (see next page for details). If you’ve got an old petrol engine, you’ll want to keep water out of the engine’s electrical components, namely the distributer, coil and high tension leads. A high quality sealant will usually goes a long way, but it’s worth carrying a can of water displacement (like WD-40) to give it a spray with before diving in to it. Also, store your parts like air and fuel filters in sealed plastic bags – the last thing you want is your spare parts getting wetter than the originals!
Make sure your oil dipstick is nice and tight to prevent water ingress.
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Creating a gentle bow wave can lower the water level in your engine bay.
Ensure your engine's air intake is watertight.
HNIQUES C E T D N A S TIP
Must
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S N O R K EL IF YOU haven’t got a snorkel, get one! This will raise your engine’s air intake point to the top of the vehicle, which minimises the chance of the engine inhaling a mouthful of water and having a catastrophic melt-down, or more specifically, a hydraulic lock.
E X T E N D ED B R
EATHERS
YOUR VEHICLE’S main drivetrain components (gearbox, differential and so on) have a breather tube fitted, which helps prevent any pressure from building up inside the housing. It’s usually quite short in length and provides the perfect entry point for water to enter and mix with the lubricating fluids and cause all sorts of costly problems. Hence, using an extended breather hose kit to raise the height of these breathers is a basic, yet extremely important upgrade to make.
WHEEL BEARIN
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WATER AND WHEEL bearings just don’t mix. Even a brand new set of bearings won’t last long if water gets tangled with the grease. So it makes sense to do what you can to avoid the two getting together. One of the simplest and cheapest upgrades you can do is fit marine grade wheel bearing/ hub seals. Unlike your average hub seal, these are designed to handle the pressure of being submerged in water, for a bit longer than a typical seal anyway. This helps seal up the rear of the hub assembly a bit better, but the front bearing cap is still very much the weak link. That’s where aftermarket upgrades like “Bearing Buddies” can help keep your hub assembly water tight. They do this by slightly pressuring the hub (around 3psi). If you’ve done any water crossings while you’ve been out gallivanting around the countryside, it’s definitely worth at least checking the bearing grease for signs of water penetration. The warning signs can range from little white dots to a hub caked up with sludge!
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E R O F E B LOOK Y OU L E A P CROSSING WATER CAN BE A BIT TRICKY, SO YOU NEED A REAL PLAN. Do It on foot first Walking the crossing first is usually a pretty smart option, providing it’s safe to do so. Remember, saltwater crocs up north are always up for a snack, so if you can’t explicitly see a safe line to cross from the shore, don’t do it! Same goes for causeways too, who’s to say it hasn’t collapsed mid-way through? Fast flowing rivers can become a real danger. The problem is, it's easy to underestimate how powerful the water is, and a strong undercurrent can sweep the best of us away. Here’s a tip – If you can’t walk it with ease, you shouldn’t drive it! Plain and simple! It makes sense for whoever gets to be the human water depth gauge to be an experienced 4WDer, too – you know, so they know what to look for. The obvious observation is the water’s depth, with a keen and thorough eye for any dips, low spots and holes. Rocks and boulders should be inspected with plenty of care, and the same goes for the amount of traction available. After scouring the crossing by foot, pick the safest line to tackle and stick to it. Make sure the line allows for the increased turning circle with a trailer in tow, and has enough room to cater for a floating trailer if things get a little too aquatic! Oh, and make sure you’ve had a good look at the entry and exit point. These can change dramatically over time. In fact, up north you’ll find some crossings are unrecognisable after the wet season.
Keep your cool Dipping hot metal in cool water is just a recipe for disaster, so before you dive into
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TIPs For peace of mind in an emergency, carry a glass breaker in your kit
Water crossings can be tricky bloody things. Little holes can turn out to be much deeper than you first thought, and the obstacles are forever changing. Chuck in a bit of murky water where you literally can’t tell what dangers lurk beneath and it’s easy to see why so many 4WDers get into trouble! So it really does pay to be prepared and carry extra safety gear.
You're not on TV, mate! Control your speed for a better chance of success.
the deep end, it’s a good idea to stop and let your vehicle cool down a bit. There are a few reasons for this, the first being to reduce the likelihood of things like your brake assembly steaming up or, even worse, getting distorted, warped, brittle or damaged! Also, the rapid change in temperature affects how well your hub seals can do their job, too. Your engine’s coolant temperature is another one to watch. If a cooling fan is active when it’s submerged in water, it can bend the fins to the point it impacts the radiator. For viscouscoupled fans, make sure it’s cool enough to rotate it freely by hand – they’re designed to lock up to the engine when it’s hot. If your vehicle has a thermostatic electric fan, make sure it’s not active when you cross either. In fact, it’s a good idea to keep you’re airconditioning system switched off, too, as it can activate the cooling fan when the air-con condenser gets hot.
HNIQUES C E T D N A S TIP RA THE WATER B No, you don’t pick these ones up from Victoria's Secret! These are specifically designed to push water away, create a bow wave in front of your vehicle, and lower the water level within the engine bay. Most good ones are thick and durable, so they double up as a ground sheet, too. In fact, even a good quality tarp can make an effective makeshift water bra; just make sure it stretches right across the front of the vehicle and hangs down enough to tuck under the engine bay as you cross. And ensure it’s nice and secure – the last thing you want is a tarp getting too loose and getting tangled under there!
N OR OFF ? SEATBELTS: O One question that often gets thrown around the traps is whether you should leave your seatbelt on or off during a water crossing. For most, it’s a personal choice, but one thing’s for sure – the last thing you want is to be trapped or restricted in the seat if things end up going pear-shaped. If the mud hits the fan and you wind up floating downstream, there’s a good chance your vehicle will be rocking around on all sorts of angles, which is exactly when seatbelts are pretty well designed to keep you locked-in your seat. The other big question is whether or not to leave the window up or down. Think of it like this, it is practically impossible to open a car door while it’s fully submerged. The resistance is through the roof! While winding down the window could be an option, all it takes is for the battery to earth out in the water and it’s game over. Remember, you always want a quick, easy and reliable escape route!
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T IM E T O G ET W ET WATER CROSSINGS ARE ALWAYS RISKY, BUT YOU CAN INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESS WITH THE RIGHT TECHNIQUE. OKAY, SO YOU’VE walked the crossing and planned the best possible line to take. The engine’s nice and cool, your water bra is secured in place and it’s time to get stuck into it! Guess what? It’s all up to you now! It goes without saying; you’ll want to select 4WD and low-range gears. Why low range? It’ll give you maximum engine torque to push through the water, and give you more control over engine rpm and vehicle speed. If you’ve got lockers, use them – you just can’t have too much traction! Despite what you see on TV and in photos, you’ll want to avoid having water spraying all over the place. Instead, go for a speed that allows a nice and gentle bow-wave to form in front, which helps lower the water level in the engine bay. Another tip is to avoid changing gear while you’re in the water; water can get between the clutch assemblies components, which rely heavily on friction to work properly.
Gear selection The last thing you want is for the engine to stall mid-way through a water crossing. Not only will you stop moving and allow water to enter inside, your engine also risks sucking water back up through the exhaust pipe, especially for low clearance vehicles. If you do get stuck, try and keep the engine running with enough revs to
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Keep your recovery gear nice and handy – you never know when you'll need it!
push the water out the exhaust. The correct gear selection goes a long way to preventing the engine from stalling. You’ll want a gear that offers enough speed to create a nice little bow wave, yet enough torque to push through the water without relying on pure vehicle speed, especially if it’s a bouncy, rocky river bottom. If the engine does stall, try and start it up instantly, unless you think there could be
water in the engine. In which case is would be advised not to restart the engine to avoid internal damage.
That floating feeling! When a 4WD starts to float, it’s always a cause for concern. If wheels don’t touch the ground, you lose control and traction, and that’s when anything can happen – after all, a 4WD is not a boat. Sure, a floating 4WD can actually come in pretty useful at times but, make no mistake, it’s a dicey situation to be in. There’s always the risk of tipping over, or getting carried away downstream. Obviously, weight plays a bit of a role here; the heavier you are the less buoyant your setup is. For us camper trailer owners, it’s usually the trailer that begins to float first, which can wind up dragging the whole vehicle downstream if there’s a decent current. Believe it or not, some trailers (like box trailers) can be better off being submerged if the water crossing is deep and there’s nothing valuable inside the tub – purely to add weight! But that’s up to you.
HNIQUES C E T D N A S TIP EST PRAY FOR B R B U T PL A N F O ! T HE WO R S T As a rule of thumb, treat every water crossing like you’re going to get stuck. That means having your recovery gear out and ready. In fact, have it hooked up and ready to go with a solid plan B if it’s fairly deep! When you’re stuck in water there’s usually a small window of time in which you can get recovered and back on dry land before water gets in and damages everything, so the last thing you want is to be mucking around trying to find the bloody snatch strap! While you’re at it, get any bits and pieces you don’t want to get wet up nice and high, too, that means any paper work/maps, clothes, bags, you name it! It’s also worth switching any electrical power accessories off to avoid the possibility of circuit damage – fridges and inverters are the two big ones here!
BORGY’S P U T ER F L O O D ED C O M I remember years ago, I was out on the tracks at night on the way into camp when I thought it would be a good idea to plunge my petrol-powered Nissan Patrol into a, let’s say questionable, waterhole. Yep, you guessed it; I got bogged, the engine stalled and it wouldn’t restart, plus I’d lost all the lights on the dash – it was dead! Luckily, we had two vehicles and were able to get it recovered fairly quickly; the hard part was working out why it wouldn’t start again. The engine would turn over nice and easily, so there was no water in there. But I had no spark, and no fuel was getting to the engine either. It turns out the electronic control model (ECU – or the engine’s computer) was mounted on the passenger side foot well, and got well and truly flooded. How’d we fix it? Well, we ended up getting a fire going, pulling the ECU into a million pieces and standing around like pork chops holding bits of computer until it dried. But you know what? It worked! Once the circuit mumbo-jumbo inside dried up, it was all systems go – except for both headlights, apparently they don’t work under water!
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S G N I H T N WH E G N O R W GO GINE WATER IN EN CK HYDRAULIC LO If water gets inside the engine's cylinders, it can cause what’s known as a hydraulic lock. This is when the piston tries to push upwards, but the water won’t allow it to complete its stroke. The problem is, we’re playing with some pretty extreme forces here. Something’s got to give, and it’s usually a costly internal engine component! So, what do you do if you suspect there’s water in your engine? Well, you definitely don’t start it! Instead, you need to find a way to allow the water to easily escape as the piston rises. For petrol engines, you can remove the spark plugs (all of them) and crank the engine over. If there’s water in there it’ll start to spray out as the engine cycles. For diesel donks, it’s a little more involved. You may get away with simply removing the glow plugs to let the water out. However, you don’t want the engine to start just yet, so you’ll need to disable the fuel system. For modern common rail diesel engines, you’re better off getting it to a professional, especially if you’re not familiar with how these fuel system works; there are some extremely high fuel pressures involved here making it potentially dangerous. It’s worth noting if the engine’s air filter is wet or damp, it could indicate water has passed through the air intake into the engine, which warrants further investigation before attempting to start it up again. The filter should definitely be replaced before starting if it is wet too. Oh, and don’t forget to check the engine oil for water along with the fuel before you kick it in the guts.
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HNIQUES C E T D N A S TIP
B U S T ED S COOLING FAN The biggest problem with a cooling fan getting damaged is it can end up out of balance, which is never good for anything that rotates. An out-of-whack cooling fan can cause vibrations from the engine, and end up causing more damage to things like the water pump (for viscous couplings). If you really need to have the fan installed to get home, your best bet is to trim the fan's fins down so that they are all equal in size/ weight, or find a way to add weight to a completely broken fin. If your thermo fans aren’t working, a little trick is to try and turn the airconditioning on, which can often activate the fans from a separate electrical circuit, or activate another electric fan altogether.
B U S T ED R A D
IATOR
It’s fairly common for a fan to hit the radiator and slice a nice big gash through it. This can usually be avoided if you let the engine cool down so the fan isn’t active while it’s submerged. But if you end up with a busted radiator, all is not lost. The idea here is to simply fix the leaking radiator tubes. How you do it will depend on how bad it is and what bush mechanic supplies you have with you. For minor punctures, a bit of metal epoxy could do the job, as will the old trick of cracking an egg in the radiator – yep you heard that right. But if the tubes are completely sliced in half, you’ll need to roll or fold the open ends up nice and tight, and then seal them up with whatever you can – Don’t worry too much about damaging the little cooling fins during this process either, the main objective is to stop the leaking tubes.
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KEEP THE WHOLE SQUAD HAPPY AND ENTERTAINED WITH OUR PICK OF THE BEST DIY RIVERSIDE HACKS, GADGETS AND FAMILYFRIENDLY GAMES ON THE PLANET.
p a e h c e d i r e Riv
S L L I THR
Words MICHAEL BORG Pics matt FEHLBERG AND CAMPER TRAILER AUSTRALIA
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R
emember the good old days when kids made their own fun? When it wasn’t all about having the latest and greatest equipment available and you weren’t afraid to get a little creative on a shoestring budget? Well, that’s what this little yarn is all about. Yep, nothing says riverside camping like a bit of home-grown fun, and we reckon there’s enough amusement in the next few pages to keep the whole tribe happy for years. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not about to go and reinvent the wheel here. In fact, we’re doing quite the opposite! Yep, it’s time to get back to basics and really make the most out of your next camping experience by the water. So ladies and gentlemen hold onto your hats – things are about to get a little bit more imaginative and a whole lot more fun!
A few old tyre tubes can take your average camping trip from great to flaming fantastic
HRAILRSLS CHEAP DRIYEGTUL
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d on toys, It's not about how much you spen dial your on e smil a ing putt ut abo it's
A GOLDEN OLDIE – THE ROPE SWING
Start'em young and you'll have more fun
PVC PIPES
plastic pipe - your new best friend!
You would be astounded at just how much cool stuff you can make using a few bits of PVC and a little cognitive function – but the best part is it costs bugger-all! Fishing rod holder Okay, so we’re not here to tell you how to run your life, but if you haven’t jimmied up a home-made fishing rod holder, complete with a beer can bracket and a bait box, you’re missing out! There are a bunch of different designs out there, so let your imagination run wild!
Underwater viewing Scope Grab yourself a length of fairly wide diameter PVC pipe, cover one end with a clear waterproof seal, like cling wrap or plastic and watch the kids enjoy premium underwater viewing for hours and hours on end.
PVC raft PVC pipes float like absolute champions, which have made them a popular option for DIY water rafts, kayaks and the like. A few bits of PVC pipe tied to an old pallet or plastic chair for rigidity can be a great source of budget fun. In fact, we’ve seen these sorts of home-made rafts help anglers catch some incredible fish over the years.
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Who can resist a good rope swing? There’s no shortage of them getting around the place, but not all are created equal. There are a few little tricks of the trade that can make your rope swinging efforts a little less strenuous and a whole lot more graceful. The first is to tie plenty of knots along the rope so it’s nice and easy to hang on as you glide through the air. But to go one step further, you can add a bit of solid wood for a nice and sturdy grab handle – use a slip-knot so it tightens up as you put your weight on it. Another idea is to add a platform to stand on as you swing. Once again, make sure it’s nice and stable, and capable of taking your weight. Slide the rope through a hole in the centre of it and tie a nice big, strong knot so it can’t come off. One thing’s for sure; get this one right and you’ll be swinging like Tarzan – when he finally got it right that is!
MAKESHIFT FISHING LURES Forgot your fishing gear? No worries! You can turn just about anything into a lure these days. Bottle tops works a charm, as do those old shiny teaspoons. Heck, a bit of bloody rope with a hook threaded through the guts of it has caught many-a-fish over the years. We’ve even seen a decent sized Barramundi caught off an improvised lure using aluminium foil!
Finally, an excuse to drink more beer, eh?
HRAILRSLS CHEAP DRIYEGTUL
MAKESHIFT FISH TRAP For a bit of fun for the kids, you just can’t go past a cheap and easy bait trap. An old plastic bottle or two and a pair of scissors or razor blade are all you need to get the job done. Just cut the top off a large soft drink bottle, and insert it backwards into the bottom half of the bottle. Either duct tape it in place, or poke a few holes and use a bit of string as lashing to stitch it up. Tie a retrieval rope to it, then simply add a bit of bait into the bigger half and submerge it in water. The idea is the improvised end will funnel or guide the fish in as they go for the bait, and makes it very hard to escape once they’re done due to the small exit hole.
TOY BOAT RACES Now this one can be fun for everyone – the kids can build rafts, and the adults can gamble, responsibly! All you need is a bit of moving water and plenty of imagination to create the ultimate toy boat race! The best part is you can pretty much turn anything that floats into a lean, mean, racing machine! An old thong, a few bits of wood (old paddle pop sticks work great), kitchen sponges, bottles and cans – you name it! You can make things super interesting by adding a slide in entry ramp using a few lengths of PVC pipe too.
You won't catch a monster, but a few tadpoles will keep the kids happy... for a while!
A couple of home-made toy boats can provide hours of entertainment
T Y RE TU B ES
Possibly the handiest bit of kit to carry in your offroad arsenal are a couple of spare tyres tubes. Not only are they good for those “just in case” emergency tyres repairs, but they come in mighty useful when you stumble across a beaut spot by the river too. You’ll need an air compressor to inflate them with air, and carry a valve remover tool for quick and easy deflation. If you’ve got a few tubes handy and some light rapids available, a cool idea is to link the tubes together and creating a floating train effect! While you’re at it, get the kids to split into teams and have each train-team paddle it out in the ultimate riverside race! 17
S THRILLS FCEHAETAUPRDEIY
TOP RIVERSIDE
GAM E
SPONGE WORTHY
Bring two buckets and a sponge and you can keep the kids occupied for hours! The idea is simple, quarter fill one bucket of water up and let the kids battle it out as they rush to transfer the water to the other bucket using only the sponge provided. The winner goes on to defend his prestigious winner’s crown! Make the stakes high enough and you’ll find kids practicing on their own against the clock!
Echoes of children laughing as they splash around in the water make it all worth while
Create the kind of memories that last forever
Don't forget the fishing rods
HAPPY DAYS Well, all that’s left now is to get out there and have a little riverside fun of your own. Remember, it’s not about how much money you spend, or having the latest and greatest equipment. A riverside escape is the perfect opportunity to break free of the hustle and bustle and really get back to the more primitive side of things, and let’s face it – isn’t that what draws us to give up four brick walls and a TV for a few sheets of canvas and a campfire? CTA
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Avan has a product that meets every recreational need 20
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Come visit our entire range and find your nearest dealer at www.avan.com.au