All You Need to Know About Dirt Road Towing

Damage done by gravel roads

There are quite a few very important safety tips to remember when you travel on unsealed dirt and gravel roads as this form of travel places additional load both on the driver and vehicle. The photo above shows yet another "hidden" danger - that of damage to your van due to rocks being thrown up. The actual van above was not even 12 months old and had "tried" to travel to Weipa.
The best advice is slow down as traction often decreases and braking distances increase even if you have a vehicle fitted with ABS brakes. Beware of hidden dangers such as bulldust filled potholes and ruts, as well as soft and sloping edges. Take extra care on outback tracks when overtaking or passing as the dust cloud often obscures vision and could hide other dangers. Slowing right down before making a turn minimises sliding or drifting. The condition of unsealed roads varies mainly according to the weather, usage and how often they are graded. Unsealed roads can be really excellent just after grading and feel better than bitumen, but deteriorate to very poor just before the next grading. Some minor roads, particularly in forests, are rarely graded. It is most important to check road conditions before travelling, and to slow down on corrugated roads - known as washboard in the States. Corrugated roads are very common in Australia and can destroy a van or camper if they have not been designed for off road use. Travelling too slowly can be worse than travelling too quickly. Experiment with the best speed. We have seen all the structural welds on a van fail. Corrugations in fact have the same effect as hooking your van up to a jack hammer. Now you would never dream of doing that would you? Think about getting some sort of protection on the front of your van and at the very least put a stone deflector right across the back of your towing vehicle. If you don't do this you run the risk of breaking the rear window of your tow vehicle and damaging your van and gas set up. There are several suggestions in the archives in A-Clinic and Show and Tell.

You are more likely to encounter animals on dirt roads. The most dangerous times are at night, dusk - particularly when driving into the sun, and dawn. If you are driving a 4WD, it is recommended you engage 4WD when travelling on unsealed roads. As the larger 4WD's have a high centre of gravity, control can be affected by strong winds particularly if you are carrying extra gear on the roof.

Some unsealed roads are totally unsuitable for caravans and many motoring club maps do note this.
If unsure of anything ahead it is a good idea to check on road conditions by asking at the nearest Visitor Information Centre - not always reliable as some are manned by volunteers who have never towed, Parks and Wildlife offices, where you are staying, the local Police, but the best source is usually that States Automobile Club. Nowadays most have a phone help line, so a quick ring on the mobile is a good move. If you have CB try using it and canvas all approaching vehicles.