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Reduce your tyre pressure a little before driving on gravel roads. This will give a more comfortable ride as well as give the tyres a better grip on the road. This will also assist to prevent punctures as the tyre can ride over the rocks, conforming to the shape of the rock without being punctured.
When in Convoy or behind another vehicle, slow down and keep plenty of space between vehicles to allow the dust to settle.
Watch for rising dust in the distance. This generally indicates another vehicle using the road too. Look especially for a dust cloud indicating a vehicle coming towards you.
Drive to the conditions at the time. Gravel roads and tracks have poorer traction than bitumen roads. By reducing your speed, you can improve vehicle handling. An excess of confidence and uncertain road conditions is a bad combination. You don’t want to end up losing control and getting your car stuck on the side of the road.
Keep a good watch for native and feral animals, as an animal strike can cause a major accident and even write off your vehicle. Do not swerve to avoid an animal as this makes it very easy to lose control in the dirt.
Enjoy your surroundings and do not speed. Slow down on bends and crests.
Corrugations can cause a vehicle to slide, especially on bends.
Stay off the edge of the road as much as possible. The edges are often soft and will drag your vehicle off the road.
When there is an oncoming vehicle, slow down to little more than walking speed and move to the left as far as practicable to reduce rock damage to your vehicle and to the oncoming vehicle.
When you see an oncoming truck or road train, pull over as far left as practicable and stop until the dust has settled. You may be surprised to find that another vehicle is following and trying to overtake the road train. Vehicles can be totally hidden by the dust kicked up by a truck or by a road train.
Look well ahead on the road for possible trouble spots. eg. water can pool on the road after heavy rain in some locations.
When a section of road is covered by water it is generally safest to pass through in the centre of the road as it is generally the hardest section of the road and you are less likely to get your vehicle bogged.
Most gravel roads are reasonably well-maintained, however, shortly after rain it's best to keep an eye out for wash-aways (when a large amount of water has travelled across or sometimes under the road causing large potholes and trenches), these can really catch the inexperienced by surprise.
Bull Dust is very light dust, which gets into your vehicle everywhere. The dust falls into holes in the road and makes the road look level, so do take care when hitting patches of bulldust as there could be hidden potholes and trenches, which at speed could really do some damage. You will know when you hit a big bull dust section, as it makes a soft powdery noise and will feel a bit like hitting a puddle of water.
When a road or track is built with jagged rocks you should reduce tyre pressures as it really doesn't take much to shred a tire with high PSI. Never expect these roads/tracks to be well maintained as some are only used now and again.
Corrugations are common on unsealed roads, this includes gravel roads, sand tracks, and dirt tracks. The only way to soften the vibrations is to lower the tire pressures and find the right speed to match. Sometimes going too slow is worse than going fast and vice versa. One road could require 30 PSI at 70 kph and another could be 20 PSI at just 40-50 kph, you won't know until you try. Firstly just get the speed right, if it's still too bad drop the tire pressures a little bit.
The roads can be so harsh that they break shock absorbers and UHF Radio Antennae, (on the Canning Stock Route, I broke 2 aerials due to some vicious corrugations within a 1/2 kilometre) and will also loosen bolts. If driving on really bone-rattling corrugation for lengthy distances it would be wise to stop now and then. Every 40-45 minutes would be a good idea, as this will give the shock absorbers a bit of a rest. With continued driving in these harsh conditions, tiny bubbles will form in the oil, inside the shock absorbers over time as this constant vibration will heat the shock absorbers. The excessive heat combined with the tiny bubbles can cause early fading and reduce the effectiveness of the 4 wheel drives suspension. Stopping now and then for 10 mins can reduce the impact caused and will give the tiny bubbles and heat time to disappear. Prolonged driving will also cause bolts and nuts to loosen, this is no problem as long as you or your mechanic check and retighten them. Plastic aftermarket hinges and locks are prone to breaking and anything metal screwed into plastic will more than likely loosen before anything else.
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