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Driving off-road is very interesting and entertaining experience but there are few basic things you need to check first before heading for your first off-road drive with Carnity Off-road Club. Every driver should know when to join for an offroad drive and when to pass until all below things are checked. VEHICLE Ground clearance: Minimum 8-12 inches under front and rear bumper is must. If your vehicle has 8 inches then you should be careful while driving and slow down while descent and approach to avoid any minor bumper damage. If your 4x4 have EAS (electronic suspension), lift it to the max height and then measure it. Also read the manual to know what is the max speed you can drive with off-road height, as many manufacturer limit up to 60 Kmph with off-road height, which is plenty in most cases. Knowing that limit is better in case you go above that speed, so you can lift it again once you slow down. Tow hook: Your 4x4 should have at least 1 tow hook in the front and 1 tow hook at the back, more the better. Also you should check the integrity of all tow hooks and its appearance, if they are shaking or rusted or missing a bolt, then get them fix before joining any off-road drive. Engine: Your 4x4 engine should be in perfect working condition without any check engine light or any warning lights on dashboard or leaking oil or coolant. Engine takes more stress while offroading so well serviced 4x4 performs better on off-road. If you recently bought the car and have no idea of last service, then its highly advisable to get the engine service before your first off-road drive. Gear / Transmission: Your 4x4 should have LO and High gearing option. AWD or SUV without LO/HI gearing option, generally not advisable for sand off-roading. If you have extensive offroading experience to tackle such vehicles then discuss it on the forum with the trip leader and see if they can allow such exception. Suspension: Your 4x4 vehicle suspension should be in reasonable and drivable condition. You can drive with stock suspension perfectly fine and then you can decide to modify it, if really needed. Any suspension lifted up to 5-6 inches are accepted, anything above 5-6 inches lift need trip leader approval before joining any drive to make sure if you have widened the wheelbase to lower the center of gravity in an orderly manner. Tires: Your 4x4 tires should be in good condition with enough tread and more than half life left. Tires nearing their end usually fail while offroading, so check for date of manufacturing shouldn't be more than 3 years. No visible cuts or lost tread chunks or cracking sidewall should be there. Fuel Tank: You should always join the off-road drive with full fuel tank, as all vehicle consume double or triple the amount of fuel while off-roading. You don't need to change the fuel type from special to super for off-road purpose, continue with your fuel type as per manufacturers recommendation. Sign up: Once you have checked all these above points then RSVP the drive calendar and post an introductory message on the drive post - sharing your 4x4 details, previous off-road experience (if any), so that trip lead can acknowledge and plan the drive accordingly. OFF-ROAD GEAR You don't need any off-road gear or recovery gears for your first off-road drive, but if you have a shovel, flag and a radio (walkie talkie) then please carry it with you. Rest all the off-road gears and recovery tools will be shown to you once you attend the briefing and you can read more about them here: https://carnity.com/advice/offroad/most-comprehensive-list-of-off-road-gears-and-recovery-tools-r81 OFF-ROAD DRIVE Always wear long sleeve and closed shoes (no sleepers) to avoid any injury or sun burn. Carry hat/cap/scarf, in case you need to spend long time under the sun. Carry plenty of water and soft drinks of our choice to keep you hydrated. Carry your camera mounts if you like to record the drive (no hand held). No carrying or consumption of any type of alcoholic drinks on the drive.