Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Tell us about your favorite 4x4 trail. Tell us how easy or difficult it was, is there escape routes for the faint hearted? Please add some photographs if you can.
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Jingo73
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Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Post by Jingo73 »

How does the grading of an obstacle work and who decide the grading?
We’ve been on one of the 4x4 trails over the weekend and after finishing most of the trail saw that each obstacle was marked on the map with a grading. We drove down a grade 5 which wasn’t that challenging, the biggest danger was the, I think black mamba, that was of course laying at the most difficult part of the decent. It moved away quickly, but I was not willing to go closer to inspect the rocks better, decided on my line from far away.

Some of the obstacles was a grade 2 but you needed at least 4” lift to clear the rocks. Reading the map was a grading 7, because any resemblance between the map and the track was pure coincidence.

So does the grading means it’s dangerous and you’re gone die? Or
Its technically difficult and you need lots of experience? Or
You need high ground clearance? Or
You going to damage your vechile? Or
All of the above.
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Re: Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Post by ThysdJ »

There is no standardised grading system, leaving it up to trail owners to grade their own trails according to their own criteria. That leaves the grading of trails open to misinterpretation. We dont have many grade5 trails around although most trail owners would indicate that their trails are indeed Gr5 (or at least contains some obstacles that are that).
:shock: :shock:
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Re: Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Post by Mud Dog »

Most gradings AFAIK are made 'loosely' by trail owners, sometimes in collaboration with experienced drivers. I think the criteria is taken as a general degree of difficulty for a standard off-road vehicle with a driver of moderate experience. I don't pay too much mind to gradings and at best regard it as a general indication.

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Re: Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Post by Jingo73 »

Thanks
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Re: Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Post by Mr_B »

Just be aware that too much grading will flatten the obstacles all together!

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:twisted:
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Re: Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Post by ThysdJ »

Mr_B wrote:Just be aware that too much grading will flatten the obstacles all together!

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:twisted:
making them accessable for Fords, Tata's, land Rovers and the likes... :silent: :silent: :silent:
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Re: Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Post by Mr_B »

No use gagging yourself... you already said it!
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Re: Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Post by Mud Dog »

ThysdJ wrote:
Mr_B wrote:Just be aware that too much grading will flatten the obstacles all together!

Image

:twisted:
making them accessable for Fords, Tata's, land Rovers and the likes... :silent: :silent: :silent:
Now that's just plain degrading! :D:
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Re: Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Post by Hoppy »

If you have no body damage, it's not a grade 5

Grading is more of a warning than a yardstick
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Re: Grading of obstacles on a trail.

Post by Bushwacker »

I googled this:-
http://www.minwater.co.za/4x4.php


1: Very easy. Suitable for inexperienced drivers in 4x4's without low range and 4x2's with diff lock.
2: Easy to moderate. Some experience and a 4x4 recommended.
3: Moderate. Experience and low range recommended.
4: Difficult. Experience and low range imperative; recovery equipment and diff lock recommended.
5: Very difficult. Loads of experience, a serious 4x4 and recovery equipment imperative; diff locks strongly recommended.
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