Tips on 4x4 driving? (renters, insurance, dangerous)

[pagetrip29]

Hello,


Happy New Year 2020 to all.


We rented a 4x4 vehicle on Turo and the owner does not have any restrictions on usage of the vehicle. We ended up paying a high premium for not having any restrictions. We also have premium insurance that would cover any damage to the car, if it were to occur. Hoping we wont damage the car but its good to be prepared none the less.


We have experience driving on dirt roads, unpaved roads, gravel roads, and also have experience driving in pretty harsh weather conditions along mountain passes (8% to 10% grades). However, we never drove on roads that have extremely steep grades.



What are some of the tips on driving up/down roads with steep grades? I am specifically looking forward to driving on Mauna Kea summit (provided access is open), down to Waipi'o Black Sand Beach, and possible down to Waipi'o Valley. The 2 main tips I read are not to drive down using breaks and to drive in 4x4 Low. Any other tips/suggestions?


In addition, we are also planning to drive to Humuhumu Point, South Point, Ooma Beach, and Makalawena Beach (might hike to hear though). Drive to these beaches seem to require careful driving to avoid boulders and lava rock. Any other things that we should be aware of?



Thank you in advance for your time.

[Open-D]

Originally Posted by pagetrip29

Hello,


Happy New Year 2020 to all.


We rented a 4x4 vehicle on Turo and the owner does not have any restrictions on usage of the vehicle. We ended up paying a high premium for not having any restrictions. We also have premium insurance that would cover any damage to the car, if it were to occur. Hoping we wont damage the car but its good to be prepared none the less.


We have experience driving on dirt roads, unpaved roads, gravel roads, and also have experience driving in pretty harsh weather conditions along mountain passes (8% to 10% grades). However, we never drove on roads that have extremely steep grades.



What are some of the tips on driving up/down roads with steep grades? I am specifically looking forward to driving on Mauna Kea summit (provided access is open), down to Waipi'o Black Sand Beach, and possible down to Waipi'o Valley. The 2 main tips I read are not to drive down using breaks and to drive in 4x4 Low. Any other tips/suggestions?


In addition, we are also planning to drive to Humuhumu Point, South Point, Ooma Beach, and Makalawena Beach (might hike to hear though). Drive to these beaches seem to require careful driving to avoid boulders and lava rock. Any other things that we should be aware of?



Thank you in advance for your time.

In our 4x4 (Tacoma with V-6 3.4L), 4x4 Low Range is very low. Almost walking speed. More like something you'd use to drag a heavy object. When the transmission shirts gears, it is very abrupt. I would reserve that for only the most difficult terrain.

However, you might mean 4x4 High Range (which is just regular gearing) with the transmission is a lower gear, which is something entirely different.

Also, if your have locking hubs, lock them once you are off-highway, and engage the 4x4 when necessary (but not on dry pavement).

AWD is entirely different, too.

[grantw]

You might want to revisit your insurance coverage. A look at the FAQs on Turo.com clearly state:

Prohibited vehicle uses and activities include:
other than on paved roads (whether "off-roading," driving on unimproved roads or parking areas,” or otherwise).

The off-road 4WD driving on Big Island is very hard on vehicles. The tow charges are incredible.

Much safer to book a trip to the hard to get to places and pay to have someone take you there.

[whtviper1]

Only on the Big Island do people solicit clearly dangerous driving in a rental vehicle

[pagetrip29]

Originally Posted by grantw

You might want to revisit your insurance coverage. A look at the FAQs on Turo.com clearly state:

Prohibited vehicle uses and activities include:
other than on paved roads (whether "off-roading," driving on unimproved roads or parking areas,” or otherwise).

The off-road 4WD driving on Big Island is very hard on vehicles. The tow charges are incredible.

Much safer to book a trip to the hard to get to places and pay to have someone take you there.

Thank you for looking up the FAQ on Turo. I communicated with the owner of the vehicle before making the booking and he assured that there are no restrictions. There is no point in paying 60% premium on a vehicle if it is prohibited on unpaved roads same as other rental agencies. I might as well use that money to book a tour. I will inquire with the owner again. It is surprising because many of the Turo renters I spoke to allowed driving on unpaved roads in some form or the other. Many of them said that driving is allowed everywhere except Waipo Valley. I am curious if they are blatantly lying and scamming tourists?

[pagetrip29]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Only on the Big Island do people solicit clearly dangerous driving in a rental vehicle

If the people on Big Island who are owning and renting the vehicles say that they don't have any restrictions and charging a lot more money than the usual chain rental agencies, what is a tourist to do other than ask on forums like this to make sure we are following the rules? I am in no way soliciting dangerous driving. If I wouldn't have asked this question I wouldn't have gotten useful answers provided by helpful people like grantw and Open-D.

[echo7tango]

Going “wheeling”, or 4x4 driving, is fun and very enjoyable. Here are some basic rules that will keep the focus on fun and enjoyable and safe.

(1) Passing on a narrow road
One general 4x4 rule is that when driving on a steep hill, if you encounter another vehicle in front and coming towards you and the road isn’t wide enough for you to pass each other, then one of you will have to back up — the general rule is that the downhill-going vehicle is the one that is supposed to back up, to a point where the road is wide enough for you to pass each other.

This is for safety:
- It is safer for the downhill-going vehicle to reverse up the hill, because it is easier for this vehicle to remain under control.
- It is less safe for the uphill-going vehicle to reverse down the hill, and much less so if the hill is very steep, because gravity and a loose road surface could lead to that vehicle sliding downhill, out of control.

(2) Passing alongside a cliff or drop-off
And if the road is alongside a cliff, then when passing I highly recommend that the vehicle beside the cliff stop fully (I’ll call this one the “outboard” vehicle, because it’s next to the drop-off, or cliff) and let the other vehicle do the moving and passing (I’ll call that one the “inboard” vehicle, because it’s next to the wall or otherwise, land). Again, this is for safety. I have seen the results when the outboard vehicle was moving and that driver thought the road was wide enough for him to get by, but the road turned out to be not wide enough and he rolled down the cliff! The vehicle rolled over several times, down a cliff side (heavy shrubbery helped to slow the rolling vehicle), but fortunately he and his wife and child were safe and protected, but the vehicle was heavily damaged. For obvious reasons it is preferable to be the inboard vehicle.

Having the outboard vehicle fully stopped while the inboard vehicle slowly drives past helps to ensure that outboard vehicle, next to the cliff, remains firmly planted on the road during the pass.

(3) Airing down for traction
Another general rule is that, if you are on loose sand or dirt, lower the tire pressures to about 15 PSI each. This will give you better traction. Put another way, I’ve driven on loose beach sand on an empty beach in Mexico, with nobody around for miles, and gotten stuck and could not continue — I immediately stopped spinning my wheels, and then lowered my tire pressures and then I was able to drive right out (that was east of La Ribera, in Baja; very remote).

But it’s best to lower your air pressure before you get onto the loose surface. Otherwise the tires with high pressure (e.g., normal pressure) can spin and cut, digging their way down into the surface, and then your vehicle is too buried to be able to drive out even after lowering tire pressures. Don’t ask me how I know this (that was on Pismo Beach, CA, up and back in the dunes).

You possibly can lower the PSI down to 12 or maybe 10 and this would give you even more traction, but you also increase the risk of separating the tire (the rubber part) from the wheel (the steel part).

In any case, when tire pressures have been lowered, drive slowly and do not make sudden turns — for this same reason, because you don’t want to separate the tire from the wheel.

Once out of the loose terrain, keep driving slowly until you find a service station and can air the tires back up

(4) Speed: slower is better; stay in control
Another general rule when off-roading: go as slow as you need to, and as fast as you have to. Slower is generally better. Always maintain absolute control of your vehicle speed and momentum.

Some SUV commercials glorify the fast bumpy driving, with occupants smiling while bouncing around inside, because it might look more exciting for the viewer. But if one is the person inside such a vehicle, especially if one is a passenger and not the driver, bouncing around is decidedly not fun and not enjoyable. Go slooooow.

(5) Speed, and your sightlines (e.g., how far you can see)
Also, do not “outdrive your sight lines” — if you cannot see around a bend or over a hump then slow down to a speed where you can stop in time if you suddenly see an obstacle around that bend or on the other side of that hump. Keep your eyes focused on the surface of the road or trail.

(6) Water
Generally when you’re out wheeling, you may be in more remote areas. Carry a little water for each passenger. If going to very remote areas then consider bringing 1-2 gallons of water per person per day that you might be stuck. One can survive for weeks without food, but one can only survive for days without water.

In the end — I don’t intend to frighten you. Wheeling is fun and enjoyable, and you get to see and appreciate some remote and natural beauty. Following a few basic rules will help to keep it that way.

Some pictures on imgur >> https://imgur.com/gallery/oiwJj1H

I love to travel and explore this way, and I hope you do, too!

Enjoy!

[Howleeboy]

If you drive down the hill into Waipi’o Valley, it is a single lane with only a few places that allow opposing vehicles to pass. If you are going downhill and can see someone coming up, pull over and wait at the FIRST opportunity. There probably isn’t another spot around the bend. You may have to wait five or ten minutes if there’s a string of vehicles, but just chill out and enjoy the view.

[echo7tango]

And then the road to south point is paved all the way from the highway, and wide enough for vehicles to pass.

[Grassyknoll]

When driving out to Ka Lae (Southpoint/Green Sand Beach) I would suggest you follow one of the "tour" operators. There are a number of different roads on the way out there, some are narrower and in worse condition. And since the roads are all worn in below grade, you often can't tell how bad it is until your already in it.
On the positive side for these guys, they were almost there, you can see the bluffs of the beach are in the background.