Facing dust out on the tracks? Find clarity with Borgy and forge your way through

If you’re going on a real adventure, dealing with dust is just inevitable. The problem is, it can be a nightmare to deal with out on the tracks. Yep, from dangerous patches of bull dust to that annoying feeling of having dust scattered throughout your setup, learning how to deal with dusty conditions can be a lifesaver. 

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few of the best techniques to help conquer the dusty stuff and come out the other side unscathed. 

Safe speeds

A lack of traction is the one thing that catches a lot of unsuspecting drivers out on dirt roads, especially when there’s bull dust around. 

Chuck in a few unexpected corrugations, bull dust patches, clips or wandering stock and you’ve literally got a recipe for disaster. So, what can you do? Well, keeping your speed to a more than manageable pace is a heck of a start. 

It might feel like you’ve got complete control, but if it all goes pear-shaped, you’ll get the pointy end of the stick in a hurry. In saying that, you’ll need to know when to give it the berries, and when to get off the throttle. 

Driving blind

Ever tried driving with your eyes shut? Of course not, you wouldn’t see a bloody thing! The funny thing is you’ve got about the same amount of vision if you’re sitting up old mate’s backside sucking in all the dust and enjoying next to no visibility. Sounds a little silly when it’s put like that, eh?

While we’re on the point of safe driving, make sure you flick your lights on so other drivers can spot you coming a mile away. Oh, and try to avoid driving on the outer cushion of the track; there’s a good chance you’ll find the combination of bull dust and off-camber road surface there, which is just plain bad news!

Beating Bulldust

Hitting a patch of unexpected soft stuff. But, bull dust can be tricky to negotiate and bloody scary if you’re not expecting it. The problem is when your tyres hit the soft stuff, the amount of resistance encountered intensifies acting a bit like a brake. 

And with all that momentum still pushing you forward the back of the vehicle tends to step out sideways off course, and rocketing towards a tree.

So, if your vehicle jolts a bit, avoid aggressively swinging on the wheel. Instead, ease off the throttle slowly and it should guide itself back into shape. 

Happy Days

When it’s all said and done, bull dust is just as much a part of the classic Australian landscape as Skippy the bush kangaroo. 

And let’s face it, nothing looks cooler than punching your 4WD through clouds of bull dust in the middle of the outback. So strap yourself in and embrace it and enjoy the ride!

Read more towing tips at:Top five towing tips