Car Parts and Accessories

Snow is not a common occurence throughout most of Southern Africa, the only exceptions being the Maluti Mountains of Lesotho and parts of the Drakensberg, KwaZuluNatal. Off-road driving in snowy conditions requires the off-roader to make use of the same techniques as for driving on sand and mud.

As the road surface can be very slippery if snow has fallen, drive slowly in low range with the diff lock on, and deflate the tyres to the same pressure you would use for sand and mud driving. As is the case for mud, tyres with more aggressive (i.e., deeper) lugs are better suited for snow.

In snow, the vehicle will respond as it does in slippery mud, with the tail breaking away and the front wheels failing to respond to the direction of turning. If the vehicle starts to slide, turn the front wheels in the opposite direction to which the nose is moving; if they do not follow the turn, slow down immediately and stop, reverse two paces and then slowly accelerate. In very snowy conditions, it is advisable to have at least one set of snow chains around the back wheels. However, these are difficult to find on the Southern African market.

In sub-zero temperatures, special steps should be taken to ensure that the engine will start — especially diesel engines, as diesel fuel tends to become waxy in cold conditions. Gadgets are available from Europe for pre-heating the engine, but, if you do not have one of these, you could cover the bonnet with blankets and take turns to start the engine every hour to retain the heat, or you could drain the diesel into jerry cans and store these in a warmer place. Closely monitor your heat gauge and, if your engine remains cold, cover the front of the radiator with cardboard or anything that will lessen the flow of air. I have seen people removing the vehicle’sfan belt, but I do not advise doing this as you may unwittingly also remove the belt that drives the water pump. Fortunately, most 4×4s can handle extreme cold, provided that the thermostat is in good working order.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
African driving tips: Off-road in snowy conditions

• Vehicle Additional Equipments for Ridding on the off Road 2
• Auto Care: Auto Parts/ Auto Emergency Kit & Safety Tips
• Facing Fear
• All thumbs up guide to car Glossary continue...
• Auto Parts and Car check, what to check before going on a long Trip
• What if your Truck get Stuck at wild?
• 4x4 off-road drivers should know the proper performance off roading driving tyres
• Cart Parts that tend to break
• Basic Steps to keep your Car Serviceable
• Auto Emergency Guide: Car Overheats，Emergency Road Auto Radiator Temperature Cooling Down Step by Step (7-14)