Going downhill on brakes
This is a much debated topic between gypsy and jeep owners.
There are numerous threads on this if you do a search, i'm just writing down the gist here.
The ideal way to go down is to engage 4 low and slot the vehicle into 1st and let the vehicle crawl down the slope without any inputs from A, B or C (accelerator, brake or clutch).
Let the engine do all the work and use engine / gear braking.
What happens if you come down on brakes? On a steep incline, coming down on brakes, will lock your wheels and you will slide down rather than crawl down. In a slushy decline, if you slide uncontrollably, you will not be able to steer the vehicle and correct your descent. The crawl in first low gives you the ability to correct this. Sometimes, in the crawl, in extreme declines and slush, you may need to tap the accelerator a bit to get the vehicle back on course. Ofcourse, there's a huge debate raging on whether to use 2nd gear in such situations.
You can read about that here:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ex...port-card.html
Videos of going down on brakes:
No winch blanket
A must when using wire ropes and essential even when using a synthetic rope. The use of a good winch blanket ensures that if a wire rope breaks or a fixing point or shackle comes apart, there is a greatly reduced risk of severe damage. Without a winch blanket to deaden the ferocity of a catapulted flying rope the consequences could be disastrous.
Best thing is to use a proper winch blanket or use floor mats properly secured on stones stuffed in socks and slung over the blanket.
Ideal weight of a winch blanket should be 1kg minimum.
Here's what can happen if the winch cable snaps:
Not listening to spotters
Many times drivers don't listen to spotters. As a driver, however good you are, you cannot know exactly the position of your tyres, diff in relation to rocks, etc. A good spotter is your third eye. However, ego or adrenaline takes over and the driver doesn't listen to spotters and lands up being in a precarious situation either causing a danger to himself and people around him or getting himself stuck or breaking something of the vehicle.
Here's an example of what could happen if you do not listen to your spotter:
Having no idea where the steering is pointed
After a slush run, many times one has no clue if the steering is straight or the wheels are pointed in another direction. Thus, as soon as your front wheels get good traction, your vehicle may abruptly change direction. A good idea is to put your head out and see the direction of the wheels (if it is safe), listen to the spotters or as i read here (
Offroad Driving Mistakes: Braking | FunRover - A Land Rover Blog for Landy nuts), put a tape on the steering wheel which shows what direction is straight.
Here's a video:
Not carrying recovery gear
Been noticed many times. One must at least have a properly rated tow rope & rated D shackles. A winch is a luxury, but if not, at least invest in a shovel.
This is critical if you venture out alone. In this case a winch or shovel will be your life savers.
Thumb rule: your tow robe must be rated at least 3 times the fully laden weight of your vehicle.
Not carrying medications / food / water
You may have planned a short 1 hour offroad excursion but due to unforeseen circumstances, you may be stuck in the wilderness for a much longer time. In this case water and food, especially power bars would make a welcome treat. Always carry your medications, especially for diabetics (who also mud carry food). If you wear specs, it's always a good idea to carry a spare.
Entering water with a splash
Entering water with a splash makes for a great photograph, but that's all. The splash increases your chances of water being sucked into your intake, the splash will temporarily blind you and you may land up causing an accident. Always enter slowly and create a bow wave in front of you.
Not walking an obstacle
This is a cardinal mistake one makes. Many a times an obstacle would look simple from your car but land up being tricky. Always walk the obstacle first. As a thumb rule, if you can't walk the obstacle, 99% of the times your vehicle will not be able to cross it either.
Having no clue where the diff is located
Some vehicles have a diff (pumpkin) that is centrally located, some have it off center. At all times one needs to be aware the position of the same since this will be the lowest point of your car (along with the catalytic converter in some cars). So if you're trying to go over a rock, you need to make sure that you do not beach over it or worse crack the diff. A simple way is to put a tape over the bonnet where the diff is.
Not using gloves for wire ropes
Wire rope used for recovery or in winches is basically made up of multiple strands of wire tied into bundles and twisted to form a rope. Due to use, many times individual wires may break and fray and can cause severe injuries when handling the wire. Always use leather gloves when handling the ropes.
Here's an image of the same: