Off Road Tips and Tricks

[postalsniper]

I have looked around and I haven't seen any guide on how to off road and off roading techniques. I have been playing GTA from the first day it came out and I've learned quite a few things about the game and how it reacts to the player input. But we will get into that in a little bit. I'd like to have this as a guide to anyone interested in doing something different in GTA online. A few things I would like to go into are Vehicles and Driving Technique.

 

Here are a few off road tips and trick that I have learned while off roading with other off road enthusiast. If you get stuck you can try a few things to get unstuck. First turn your front wheels left and right to see if they will grip. If that doesn't work you can use the burnout technique. This is just what it says. Do a burnout and turn your front wheels left or right to get the back end to swing around and if done right it can get you out of a lot of hairy situations. The next tip is kind of a simple one. Keep your tires on the ground unless you have to get some air. keeping the tires on the ground will help keep you moving forward. So unless it is really needed keep those puppies on the ground.

Another technique while off roading is using the forward and backward tilting motion with the left stick. Sometimes you just need to pop that front end up a bit to make it over. so before you attempt the climb hold back on the left stick and it will pop the front end up a bit more when you hit the climb. Same goes with pushing it forward. If you get a bit too much air on a climb you can push the left stick forward to get the front of the truck to tilt down. This goes back to keeping the tires on the ground. Now if you start to slide back on a climb you can attempt to stop your backward progress by letting go of the throttle and then squeeze the throttle again. What this will do is cause you vehicle to stop and allow you a moment to start forward motion again.

Of course input from others is always welcome and if you have a suggestion for this please feel free to post it.

First off I’d like to go into the the vehicles themselves. There are quite a few vehicles that can be used for a true off road experience. I'm not talking about racing your entity up the side of Mount Chiliad, anyone can do that. I'm talking about slow and steady. Trying not to roll it and keeping all four tires on the ground. I will narrow this down to two classes. SUV and Off Road. All the vehicles in these 2 classes can be used for off roading. Keep in mind some will be better than others. For instance the Sandking is one of the better ones to use. Just for the sheer fact of its high stance and its very good 4x4 makes it a very capable off roader. On the other hand the Bifta is useless for any serious off road course. So again... pick wisely. Also pay attention to the description on the course because most of the time, if the creator has put time into his creation, it will say what the course is made for. For instance I have a few tracks that a Sandking is a must, just due to the fact it has high water obstacles and you need that height to make it, and I label it as such.

So do most of the creators in my Crew. So if you're not sure what to use for the course go with the Sandking, it is almost guaranteed to make the course without major issues.

 

-Patriot: In GTA 5 I was kinda disappointed in this vehicle because it was a beast in GTA4. R* has seemed to have toned it down in this version. Its still a very good off roader and I know of players that will swear by it. It seems to be a bit heavy and just a little top heavy also. The 4x4 is very good also but it lacks the clearance to get over things that the sandking can with ease. Once fully upgraded it will match the Merryweather Mesa in performance.

 

-BeeJay XL: I have had very little experience driving this SUV. When I have driven it, it was stock. the 4x4 was good and I think if it were upgraded fully it would be just as good as the Patriot.

 

-Dubsta 1&2: I own a Dubsta 1 and I was very impressed with the way it handled off road. It has an amazing 4x4 and can climb like a mountain goat. The only two issues I see with the Dubsta are its clearance and its a bit top heavy.

 

-Marryweather Mesa: This off road vehicle is good but can be a little top heavy. The 4x4 isn't quite as good as the Sandking or the Kalahari but in the right hands it can perform very well.

 

-Rebel: This off road vehicle is pretty capable. I would say its right up there with the Patriot and Mesa.

 

-Bodhi: This compares to the Patriot also and shares the same issues with clearance.

 

-Kalahari: This is in my opinion the second best off roader once upgraded. Its literally a Mountain goat with wheels. This off roader requires a different technique with the accelerator. Its so light that if you give it full throttle it will break the tires loose and you’ll lose forward momentum. If you don't squeeze the trigger all the way and leave some space before getting to full throttle its will keep its grip and it will keep moving forward. You can also feather the throttle to achieve better grip.

 

-Sandking: This off road vehicle is a very capable off roader. Its stance puts it above all others. It has the best clearance out of all the vehicles in the game. Now that R* has updated the 4x4 it can take on the tallest of climbs and the deepest of water crossings. This truck comes in two versions and both have weaknesses. For instance the XL can get high centered easier than the SWB. On the other hand having a longer wheelbase can be a good thing is some situations also. so definitely keep that in mind.

 

These off road vehicles are the only ones that I have had experience off roading in. If you have suggestions for other vehicles please submit it.

[Jobbo]

You mention backing off if you start to slide when climbing; one step beyond that is to just touch the accelerator very gently so the engine is barely pulling. That may get you up a slope which you'd otherwise not be able to climb.

[muddeprived]

Hey I'm a member of your crew (muddeprived79). Let's go wheeling sometime. I'm always up for some trail riding.

[SileightyCyrus]

I almost never go offroading, but I've been trying to figure out what car to keep for offroad duty. This guide is excellent, and I think you helped me figure out my choice, thank you.

[erkwang]

Good stuff.

 

Some hill climbs can be ruined with an untimely shift. Most of the 4x4s need the revs up to make it all the way up and that shift just stopped you dead in your tracks. Feathering the throttle near the top of the revs can keep your vehicle chugging along without changing gears. If you cant get that to work for you, try changing your approach spot to alter the timing of the shift (get into 2nd gear sooner to get the revs up). If you have no room, try a slight weave/slalom up the hill. Taking a slightly diagonal approach reduces the gradient of the slope.

 

Always looking for more driving tips.

 

Happy 4x4ing amigos.

[JohnTaper]

Practice makes perfect. But situational awareness is key and you usually either have it or you don't. Love the write up.