A GUIDE TO OFF-ROADING

DESERT EDITION

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
A GUIDE TO OFF-ROADING – DESERT EDITION
Venturing into the charming Arabian desert, where less is more,
hovering in the silence of nights, gazing into the starry skies, and
discovering new terrain where the sand slips between your
fingers, and tire treads, is what visiting the Arabian gulf is all about.
Knowing how to get the most out of your 4X4 and yourself is an
experience of a lifetime.

This guide is geared towards all desert riders in the different

desert terrains.

WHAT WE’LL BE COVERING

Identifying the necessary gear needed in your toolbox before
hitting the trail, we start with essentials, all the way up to the
complete list.
Basic desert driving and survival techniques, do’s, and don’ts.
Different desert terrains, locations, directions and Qatar National
Reserves.
Learn about vehicle dynamics and the dynamics of each terrain.
Detailed explanation videos are available on our social media
@thewolfpack_4x4.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
RECOVERY GEAR
We tried in this list to group what we’ve learned is necessary over
the course of our time off-the-grid, in one comprehensive list of
items that might be handy in the good and fun times of need. If you
had a popped-out tire, a snapped brake line, ran low on any of your
fluids, your rig fluids, that is, or if you are one of those guys who
does not know when to stop… digging yourself in, that is, we’ve got
you covered mate! This is a guide for quick bush-fix tools to get you
back on the road as fast and safe as possible with minimum
damage to whatever the Aliens did to your rig.

The list includes items of varying importance, but you can never be
too prepared for any situation on the trails. It will help if you judge
for yourself based on your budget, risk assessment, and how kind
the people around you are.

As a start: we recommend all desert riders to mount sand safety

flag rising 3.5 m from ground up, and a long-range CB radio for
communication.

BASIC REQUIRED ITEMS

The items below are strongly recommended for each vehicle to
have for themselves. These items ensure that you and your
passengers will have a safe off-roading experience and take care
of any basic trail repairs on your vehicle. Being self-sufficient is
empowering and shows a certain amount of respect to other
teammates.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
BASIC REQUIRED ITEMS

Jack and Tire Iron Basic Tool Kit: Complete Socket Set, Deep and Spare Tire, Fill Size (?)
Standard Sockets, Standard Philips Screwdrivers,
Pliers, Hammer, Crescent Wrenches

First Aid Kit Recovery Snatch Straps Gloves

Portable Air Compressor Adequate Tow Points on Front and Rear of Vehicle Fire Extinguisher

Shovel Air Pressure Gauge Tire Valve (X4)

Deflating Screw Driver and Wood Block Rated Soft Shackles

Stem Core/pins

RECOMMENDED PERSONAL & SAFETY ITEMS BASIC PERSONAL ESSENTIALS

These items are recommended but not necessary. Use them as a guide to Water
properly pack your vehicle with things that will make your off-roading Food
experience enjoyable. Please keep in mind that different weather conditions Power Inverter
Trash Bags
require additional personal items. Compass or Gps
Safety Goggles Face Mask Wearable Head Light Fire Starter Fire Gloves
Water Spray Brush

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
ADDITIONAL VEHICLE RECOVERY & TOOLS
These items are recommended but not necessary; it is highly recommended that at least one vehicle in the group has its recovery
items and tools to ensure that the team can handle any situation they encounter safely and with minimal impact to the vehicle and
surrounding environment.

Hi-lift Jack Winch Kit: Winch, Snatch Block, Shackles and Gloves Bungee Cords

Needle Nose Pliers Sand Anchor Vice Grips

Large Channel-lock Pliers Utility Knife or Razor Blades Allen Wrenches

Crescent, Open-end Combination Box Wrenches Super Glue Torx Sockets (for Jeepers)

Bailing Wire Tie Wraps Rags

Jumper Cables Electric Tape Duct Tape

Engine Oil Gear Oil Brake Oil

Water Sprayer Brush

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
THEWOLFPACK_4X4
BEFORE YOU HIT THE TRAIL
ON A PERSONAL LEVEL
For long desert trips, log your trip with someone to report you in case
of emergencies, make sure you report entry point, destination, and ETA.
Make sure you have a local Mobile phone with internet connectivity.
Please check appendix for Arab peninsula emergency services contacts.
Keep individual emergency contact numbers and WhatsApp numbers
(i.e., Hotel).
Enough drinking fluids for the planned duration of the trip.
1 L of water + piece of rag for personal cooling in case you had to go out
in the sun.

PREPARING YOUR VEHICLE

Take the time to locate your car’s essential tools, especially tools
needed to replace tires, and more importantly, if you are running
non-OEM RIMs, make sure that your tools fit the new RIMs nuts.
Conduct the regular fluids check (Radiator coolant, engine oil,
transmission oil, brake oil, washer fluid); a 15 min stop by any service
station can be sufficient.

Makes sure you have the contacts of a breakdown service in the

nearest inhabited area.
Ensure your vehicle (owned or leased) is 360 insured to cover off-road
accidents; take the time to understand the details of your insurance
contract and coverage plan.

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 Id
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CHECKING WEATHER ar ci
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Check the weather forecast (observe Wind, Heat and Humidity) m
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Check tide forecast (mainly coastal areas).

(A) The average temperature in Qatar\ heat index

QATAR DESERT TERRAIN
• North, Ruwais City/Zubara fort: mainly flat gravel with scattered water pits.
• West, Dukhan/Umbab anticline and hoodoo rocks in Zekreet.
• East, Ghariyah, Purple Island mainly has open beaches, low rocks, and deep mud.
• South, Mesaieed/Inland Sea, blown sand and shifting dunes.

QATAR DESERT DIRECTIONS TIPS

The predominant wind pattern in Qatar is north-west (B), and all
Barchans (crescent-shaped dunes) point in that direction; use them
to locate your north (C).

In the Sealine area, Mesaieed industrial area is visible at night,

mainly from the seaside, for almost 35 KM to the south. Look for the
light aura to locate north, and head towards it to return to inhabited
areas.

The Sealine coastal line is to the east; use the sun to locate the
beach. (B) The predominant wind pattern (C) Barchan Dunes

Sources: Weather-Atlas.com
Iowa Environmental Mesonet
Research gate

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PREDOMINANT WIND DIRECTION IN MIDDLE EAST CITIES

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
WHAT IS A DUNE?
A dune is a mound of sand formed by the wind, usually along the
desert or beach. dunes are formed when the blown sand from wind
is trapped in a shelter behind an obstacle. a collection of dunes is
called a dune belt or dune field.

TYPES OF DUNES
Depending on wind patterns, and sand types, dunes are formed over
time, below are the most common types of dunes in all deserts, it is
worth mentioning that Barchan dunes, star dunes and transverse
dunes are the most common types for off-roading activities.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
TO START DRIVING
The Sealine coastal line is to the east; use the sun to locate the beach.
Make yourself familiar with safely engaging and
disengaging your 4X4 system.
Make yourself familiar with disengaging your electronics
to get the maximum performance out of your vehicle,
these setting can vary from vehicle to the other (i.e.
remove Fuse 14 in Jeeps, 5-7 sec press on traction
control in Ford till it start flashing).
Air down your tires: this gives your vehicle more traction from a
bigger tire footprint, enhances ride quality as tires have more room to
stretch, and increases safety as the increased tire elasticity makes it
act like a cushion absorbing bumps and reducing bounciness:
o All desert terrains, aside from sand, 18-20 psi (1.2-1.3 BAR).
o Sand, 12-15 psi (0.8-1 BAR)
o Extreme dune bashing deep sand, 10 psi RR, 12 psi FR (0.68-0.8 BAR)
Place your belongings in a safe location, and within reach, this
prevent you getting distracted from flying objects in the vehicle when
off-roading, mount your action cameras in position.
All passengers, front and back, have to be wearing seatbelts all the times
Roll up your car windows, mainly driver’s side, to prevent getting
distracted by flying sand from tires, especially while bashing, same
applies to the sunroof (if any).
Follow known tracks.
The effect of deflating
tire on tire footprint
40 PSI 12 PSI
GENERAL TIPS
Never go alone; safety is always in the group.
First-timers avoid driving at night; desert terrain lacks objects
reflecting car lights, reducing visibility and increasing risk.
Avoid water crossings, as much as possible, and even wet sand,
dark brown to black sand in particular; take the long route around
but try not to cross.
Mind the sharp limestone rocks; select your route carefully as
these rocks can easily damage the sidewall of your vehicle tire.
Try not to get dragged into a cowboy standoff. Testosterone-
driven dune bashing challenges can turn disastrous in a blink of
an eye, keep calm, and enjoy the ride.
Each car and driver are built differently, if someone else takes an
obstacle, it does not mean it is automatically doable or easy for you.
There is no shame in repeating and no glory in passing; take your
time assessing every obstacle, either visual or via a test run.
When driving in convoy, keep a safe distance from the car ahead,
have a visual of the car behind, and always communicate with
your mates, visually and verbally.
When driving in convoy, keep a safe distance from the car ahead,
have a visual of the car behind, and always communicate with
your mates, visually and verbally.
THEWOLFPACK_4X4
GENERAL TIPS
Keep an eye on engine temp and transmission temp, let the car rest
if any of them rise up.
While resting, park your vehicle against the wind with your engine
bonnet open, especially when temps are on the rise.
Never open your vehicle radiator cap while your engine is hot, or
overheating.
If the overheating is caused by continuous pressure during driving, it
is recommended to keep the engine running while resting and the
bonnet open till the temp comes down to normal operation.
Convoy lead is advised to alternate track difficulties to avoid over-
heating engines and transmissions.
4WD is your stabilization control off the road, even if the track is easy,
keep it engaged for better control.
Electronics can work against you while off-roading: ABS, Traction
control, stability control and other systems are designed to stabilize
the vehicle, and protect both engine and transmission from excess
use, this might go against what the driver wants while off-roading,
killing the engine half the way while cresting summons “the brown
pants” instantly, you need to be the sole decision maker while
off-roading, make sure you disengage all your electronics before you
start, we cannot emphasis on this tip enough.
Clean your air filter after each drive if possible.
Pro Tip: try to balance between gear shifting and your engine
power band to keep your engine revs within this power band to
sustain engine highest output.
HOW NOT TO GET STUCK
Awareness is the answer, try not to be overwhelmed, you need to
feel your car response to your throttle, and stop pushing hard on
the throttle if you are not moving, at the end, your car is not your
problems; pushing it hard would not keep you going, our source,
trust me bro, we tried.
So, stopping at the right time is an essential part to lots of
problems (*wink*), and it helps in preventing you getting stuck
too, on the other hand, stopping too early would get you stuck too.
So now what, well, don’t be driven, rather you be the driver, take
control and stay alert, you need to reach a point where you are the
knight, and the car is your horse.
TO SUMMARIZE
When trying to get yourself out, don’t be hard on throttle, or you
will dig more.
Deflate your tires more, to get yourself out, even if you go down to 5psi.
After deflating, try again by increasing throttle gradually, while
rocking your steering in full turns, throttle as slow as possible,
till you reach the moment when you have motion.
Don’t be afraid of using 4L.
If you have a diff lock, probably it is a good time to use it.
Don’t push too much, if your car is moving steadily, let it take
itself out.
THEWOLFPACK_4X4
 Try not to stop on an incline.
Don’t stop with tires on different levels, you will most likely lose
traction, even if you have diff locks, don’t ask for trouble.
Pro Tip: don’t be a hard head, accept that you are stuck.
GETTING STUCK SIDEWAYS
Sometime, while bashing, the driver is late in realizing he lost speed
and momentum, so he ends up stuck half the way between earth and
the sky, sideways, well, don’t worry dear driver, we have an easy
technique to get you out, we usually refer to it as the Gecko position:
Switch your 4X4 from 4H to 4L.
Steer down the hill.
Put on reverse R
Throttle slow and easy.
The vehicle tail should start sliding slowly while front is still steady.
Continue till the vehicle is pointing upwards.
Continue reversing slowly as you are lined up with the slope.
WHY NOT TRY FORWARD?
Well, if the vehicle is capable of going forward, it would have moved
before it lost momentum, this technique is safe, it depends on fixing
the front of the vehicle as an anchor using front wheels and engine
weight to rotate the lighter tails.
COMMENT
There is no doubt you can try moving forward using 4L, just try not
to make it worst, if you are not able to steer due to sand, try
backwards.
GROUND
ANCHOR
Any snatching from this situation should be using a
rated snatch strap, snatching should be extremely DAMPENER
slow, and in the direction of the slope, both vehicles
GOES OVER
BOTH LINES SNATCH
BLOCK
should be disconnected immediately, the snatching
vehicle should be vertical to the position of the
rescued vehicle, and as close as it can be to the
direction of the rescued vehicle.
BOW
SHACKLE
Winches are considered the safest way of non-self-
recovery.
When winching, rev your engine to 3K RPM, get the
best our of your winch power, extend the rope fully, and
use a winch block to duplicate your winching power.
Pro Tip: when approaching the dune edge at the bottom, hit the brakes in
pulses to push the sand ahead of your vehicle, this helps in smoothing
the edge of the dune to prevent any damage to your bumpers.
THEWOLFPACK_4X4
IF YOU GET STUCK Pro Tip: it is very important to have a spotter outside the vehicle
to keep assessing the situation, it is recommended to offload
Despite that we have just told you how not to get stuck, you managed to get yourself stuck, some weight.
Good job!
On a more serious note, even the most experienced drivers get stuck, and it’s not the end of
the world, rather a survival experience in a contained environment, try to enjoy it as much
as possible; remember, unless it is mud, a shovel can take you out of most deep or
dangerous stuck positions. Here we want to share a couple of helpful tips:

Your wellbeing is more important than your car; maintain it, drink fluids, take breaks, and
keep your morale high.
When a car loses traction and starts digging itself down, the longer it takes for you to
realize that you are stuck, the longer it will take to dig yourself out. In the end, if you lost
momentum when you had kinetic/motion energy, don’t expect to be able to regain it from
a stationary position unless you have a rocket underneath the bonnet.
Step out of the vehicle, assess the situation, and put a plan.
Start by deflating your tires; keep in mind that you can go down to 5 psi if you are really
stuck. With such low pressure, you will gain more traction on the wheels.
Switch to 4L to deliver max torque output.
When using 4L, be easy on the throttle, or else you will make it worst.
Pair the steady acceleration with continues rocking of the steering, full right to left if possible.
If your car is sitting on its chassis (you cannot see from one side to the other underneath
the car, in that case, stop attempting to spin the wheels, as you will dig yourself more.
Split the recovery effort amongst the team (i.e., passengers and other riders) and work in
batches, especially when working under the sun's heat.
Dig under the vehicle till you have a visual on the other side; make sure you clear the
track where your tires will be heading. Try not to make deep holes around the tires when
digging; make sure your diffs are not submerged and clear off the sand.
Do the job once, so you won’t need to repeat it; if the car does not gain traction immediately, Pro Tip: don’t get over excited when the vehicle starts moving,
stop before you dig yourself again. just continue with a steady slow pace, till your tires float again.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
SNATCHING YOUR CAR
If all recovery attempts failed, or you are just not in the mood to dig, well, don’t worry, if
you have mates, there has to be someone out there willing to help, we all inevitably need
a snatch; it is ok:

Make sure you have a plan that includes the escape route direction.
Get the car with the biggest engine to pull.
Safeguard the area from oncoming traffic.
Deflate both car’s tires as much as possible (down to 5 psi if needed).
Make sure you are using a rated snatch strap
Clear all vehicles from your escape route.
All individuals to clear as far as possible away from both vehicles.
Attach the snatch strap to both cars’ recovery points, don’t tie to a moving part, or the
bumper, unless it has a built-in recovery point.
User-rated shackles between recovery point and snatch strap.
Ensure the snatch strap is free to stretch and not twisted on itself.
Snatch gently and allow the stored energy in the snatch strap to release the stuck car.
Make sure you apply enough force to get the car out and stop after, this helps in reducing
load on chassis and diffs.
Pull towards gravity whenever possible.
Both cars need to participate in the recovery unless you have a dead engine, it is advised
to roll down the windows in both cars, use radio to coordinate, or a sound to orchestrate
the effort.
Snatch straps are easy on diffs and chassis. Tow ropes are hard and not recommended
for snatching.
Inflate tires back up once recovery is completed if an air compressor is available.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
The local telco covers the entire country, you are reachable anywhere, with internet too, if you don’t have coverage at the bottom of a dune or
inside a cave, just climb up.
Just to be clear, we are not doctors, nor trained medics, so please make your own research to cover that area. With that being said, we are
trying here to share our experience in case of emergency, If you found yourself in an emergency situation, that affect your wellbeing (stranded,
involved in an accident/rollover, bitten by a reptile, etc.) don’t worry, emergency services are highly trained and ready for help, they will walk
you through the steps to keep you safe, locate you on the map, send an Air ambulance if needed, and they have well-trained medical staff with
off-road capable vehicles; here are some tips we picked up that might be handy in the case of a rolled over vehicle:
Monitor your vitals using your smart watch, if any, this is of course not an accurate measure, but it gives you an idea.
Make sure the car engine is switched off, and everyone is out of harm’s way.
It is normal for smoke to come out of rolled over vehicle exhaust, after it is rolled back, that would be due to burning misplaced engine oil,
this might take around 15 min to stop.
Share location using WhatsApp and advise a close person of your need of help too.
Try to stay hydrated, relax, sit down.
Take the time to realize what just happened.
If you are ok, and reported the car accident to police, arrange a breakdown if the vehicle was not drivable.
If the car is drivable, try to drive it back to tarmac, if not, try reaching out to the many voluntary teams out there, don’t call us, we will list
some of them at the end of this document.
Take your car directly to the police station for inspection and generating a fix order.
Go to the nearest medical center or hospital to have your, and your passengers’, health checked for possible concussions, whiplash or
internal bleeding

4X4_KCAPFLOWEHT THEWOLFPACK_4X4
UNLEASH

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
UNDERSTANDING SAND
Tire manufacturers build and test off-road tires around 5 types of First: Lets define digging, AKA, getting stuck: simply it is forward
terrains; street, rocks, mud, ice and sand. In all of these terrains, force transformed into downforce, you throttle your car, but it is not
traction is everything, hence All-Terrain AT and Mud-Terrain MT tires moving forward, rather it is going downward, and the more you
have a thicker print and enforced structure to be able to stick to throttle, the deeper you will go down, until the chassis sits on the
anything and support such harsh environments. sand, and two tires min (one front and other back) dig to the max
articulation of the suspension making your vehicle lose motion
Sand terrain is a very unique one, sand particles comes in all
completely.
different sizes, sand cohesion nature differs according to weather
conditions (humidity, heat, wind) and to top that up, the amount of
force applied on sand, makes it a shape shifting terrain obtaining the
nature of all other terrains; reacting like gravel sometimes, hard like ROLLOVER ANGLE
a rock sometimes, and deep like mud others. Aside of that, and due
to wind, dunes are in continuous motion, which makes those sand Sand offers you cohesion abilities makes your car exceed max slope
trails are as alive as a water way, there is always something new, steepness as recommended by manufacturer; however, this comes
despite the motionless view. with a price, reduced maneuverability. This is not necessarily a bad
thing, and actually the gain in defying gravity is incredible, you just
Pro Tip: Traction on sand is a combination of three elements: tire: need to redefine some basics, U-turning, accelerating, taking off,
footprint, driver: throttle, and finally sand: cohesion, find harmony throttle response, turning radius, max slope angle where you can
between those three elements, and you will float over dunes like take off, all needs to be redeveloped; and the more you hit the trail,
Aladdin on a magic carpet. the more experienced you become, unfortunately, there is no
magical wand for this, we tried.
Pro Tip: when applying excess throttle on going up an incline, the tire
slips, then start digging till it reaches a point where it has enough
traction to generate motion, energy gets released, vehicle moves,
tire climbs the hole, jumps up to be pushed back down by the damper,
so dig again due to the continuous application of excess throttling; if
you leave waves behind your vehicle rear tires, know that you need to
work on your throttle application to control your drive.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
UNDERSTANDING GRAVEL
Unlike sand, gravel is easier to handle, it is just a bit slippery, most of the Qatari peninsula is covered with gravel and small rocks, try
avoiding sharp rocks and sudden moves and you will be just fine. The only thing worth mentioning, is that most of the hoodoo rocks are
covered with a layer of fine sand and gravel, which makes climbing them a bit challenging. You may drive without deflating, just keep in mind
you won’t have the best ride quality, and you will lose traction with the smaller footprint.

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CAR MODS
To make your car more desert capable, we put out a list of the mods some of which, in our
opinion, should be standard in any vehicle used for desert driving. Now, before we get into
that, we have to list those advises:
Have a plan, a vision how the vehicle should look like before you start the build.
When increasing vehicle weight with constant weight i.e. lights, roof rack, winch, auxiliary
batteries, (exclude passengers and luggage), it is highly recommended to increase engine
HP to compensate this loss, you can calculate the extra HP by following this:
HP increase=additional weight*HP/net weight

Always consider weight distribution to maintain vehicle’s geometry right, we don’t

recommend exceeding the max weight capacity of your vehicle.
Any additional weight effect on vehicle chassis is paired with torque i.e. a 40 KG winch on
the front bumper affects with 40KG multiplied by the distance between the winch and the
axle center.
Any lifting of the vehicle center of gravity, should be paired with widening of the wheel base.
Vehicle are purpose built; however, we don’t recommend installing wheel spacers wider
than 2”.
Weight rating should be considered, when selecting an off-road suspension.
There is not actual gain from upgrading your air intake alone without upgrading your full air
flow (high flow throttle, throttle spacer, headers, catalytic converter, muffler), and then
program the engine to process this extra input, or maybe the vehicle might sound better.
Any lift beyond 2” requires upgraded drive shaft, upper and lower control arms, bump stops
and diff drop.
The real benefit of long travel set up in sandy deserts is to widen the wheelbase so you can
go beyond 4” lift.
It is important when upgrading suspension system is to upgrade all its components, not only
struts.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
List of Essential Modifications

HEAT AIR DRIVE TRAIN

High Grade Engine Coolant Raised Air Intake AT Tires

High Grade Engine Oil Cold Air Intake Negative Offset Light Weight
Rims With Bead Grip

Additional or Bigger Radiator Fan Air Scoop Suspension Lift Kit (2” Min)

High Performance Radiator Heat Insulation Wrap for Pipe and Box

Hood Louvers

Hood Scoops

Hood Scoops

Fan Speed Calibration

High Performance Water Pump

Transmission Coolant

High Performance Thermostat

Heat Insolation

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
TIRE PARAMETERS
A side from tire tread and type, there are other parameters in the tire that can affect the
vehicle torque, which will consequently affect the entire off-road experience, tire weight is
one of those parameters.
Tire weight plays an important role in affecting the vehicle torque, usually vehicles are
tuned as a whole to deliver a specific performance using specific tires, and within specific
temperatures and oxygen levels. Simply the heavier the tire, the more torque is needed to
turn it, and as the engine torque is predefined, you will inevitably lose torque when using
heavier tires.

But how?
Torque = weight*radius
So it is very clear there is direct proportion between weight and torque, which is negative
torque to be subtracted from engine torque. You can refer to the below formula to
understand the effect of weight increase:
Torque loss=((new weight*new radius)-(old weight*old radius))*4/torque*100
Let’s put that in action with the below parameters:
First tire (old): 32X11.5X15 weighs 48.9 lbs (W1=217.5N, R1=0.4M)
Second tire (new): 33X12.5X15 weighs 56.8 lbs (W2=252.6N, R2=0.41M)
Vehicle torque 319NM

Torque loss=((252.6*0.41)-(217.5*0.4))*4/319*100=20.6%

To put things in perspective, changing your headers/catalytic converter/muffler might

grant you 5-8% more torque. We need to highlight that we did not consider the below
factors:
Increase traction due to tire size
Speed
Moment of inertia

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
DARE

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
NAVIGATION
Choosing the doable, safe, route is one of the top skills you need to master while navigating
the desert. In many cases it makes all the difference between getting stuck for hours or
passing through with ease. Below is a list of techniques to follow when addressing routes:

VERTICAL CLIMB
In general, split the ramp up to three stages:
Stage one: build up speed on a flat runway.
APPROACH ANGLE DEPARTURE

Stage two: maintain speed on the ramp. ANGLE

Stage three: reduce speed for landing by the crest. BREAK-OVER ANGLE

STAGE ONE
Point your vehicle vertically with the dune, remember, the shortest way up is the steepest.
Leave enough room for you to take off (runway) to allow your vehicle to reach the needed
speed to reach all the way up.
Your speed at the dune point of climb (impact edge) is your highest speed, from this point
upwards you will be slowing down.

Each vehicle has a different formula, transmission ratios, diffs ratio, tire size, engine
inertia and total weight, hence, each vehicle requires a different length for runway to take
off. It is even more important to consider this when driving in a convoy.

Each vehicle has a different formula, transmission ratios, diffs ratio, tire size, engine inertia
and total weight, hence, each vehicle requires a different length for runway to take off. It is
even more important to consider this when driving in a convoy.
Chose a runway with less bumps, so you can achieve high speed.
There is nothing wrong in repeating, if you felt like you did not hit the right speed, each
attempt builds up experience about the dune in hand.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
STAGE TWO
While going up, engine revs needs to stay within the power band, in stage one you use high
gears to reach top speed, in this stage you use lower gears to sustain it.

In general, we advise dropping the gear (e.g. from 3rd to 2nd) half to three quarters of the
way up than the one you used at the start of the dune.

Stage Three
Pro Tip: To delay the inevitable drop in engine revs, we recommend slightly rocking your
steering in a fast pace, this helps extending the runway, and alternate the vehicle weight
between right and left sides to create more traction and pulling force.

Stage Two

STAGE THREE
We recommend decelerate before reaching the top, maybe when completing 90%, the
momentum should help you finish the remaining 10% depending on your approach speed.

If your climb is dead vertical with the edge, we advise you to apply the brakes if necessary
not to take off into orbit.

If you have room, when reaching the edge, try turning 90 degrees, right or left, to avoid
flying off the edge, this would give you visual if you were not so sure.

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BASHING AND CRESTING:
Use the same techniques of vertical climbs, in all stages with some minor tweaks:
It is recommended to select an exit point at the crest of a dune, lower than the approach point.
We recommend aligning your car with the edge before executing the crest.
You have to have the right momentum when reaching a crest, if not, try again, to avoid
getting sucked into the edge:

ANALYSIS
If a vehicle is struggling to reach the crest, and the driver decides to proceed with the crest,
it is very likely that the vehicle will slide on the edge, especially if the vehicle is not equipped
with front diff lockers, so what exactly happens?
Well, as the first tire crosses, and as you don’t have enough power to complete, it passes
alone, which forwards the power to that tire alone through the front diff, which means you
lost your 4X4 on the crest, the rear two tires will keep pushing; however, with most of the
vehicle mass still did not cross, the vehicle will start turning sideways, which will push the
second tire over the crest, and without having enough power to move the mass over the crest,
you will start sliding sideways on the crest, with two front tires in air, you have no steering,
and with rear tires and vehicle mass in the back, the car will get stuck, or maybe rollover.
If you could not find a low point to cross, you should have enough momentum, low gear,
speed.
Crest in one rapid move, and then regain control.

The wheels with no This wheel is getting

power, moving the All four wheels are
traction are getting
vehicle forward. getting equal power.
all the power.

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE, OPEN DIFFERENTIAL FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE, LOCKED REAR DIFFERENTIAL FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE, LOCKED FRONT
AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL

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DESCENDING
Despite that this sounds simple, and somehow it is, however, there are some considerations to make:

As in going uphill, your car should be vertical with the dune.

IS IT SAFE
Use your transmission to control your descend i.e. stay on 1st gear. TO CROSS?
Try not to be too hard, that’s what she said, on brakes, what you are looking for is a continuous
slow braking, as hard braking forces the nose of your vehicle into the sand, or cause sideway
drifting according to the structure of the sand, this might destabilize the vehicle.
Avoid if possible : BOTTOM OF HEADLIGHTS

Your vehicle might slide sideways on the dune as mentioned earlier due to sand different nature Proceed with caution : BUMPER DEPTH

on the same dune, the slower you descend, regaining control is easier. You’re probably OK : UP TO THE AXLES

And as highlighted before, if the dune exit edge is too steep, you can apply brakes in pulses to
push some sand in front of the vehicle to ease the way out.

WATER CROSSING
We always advise against water crossing in desert areas, with no rock flooring to have any grip,
it is extremely risky, however, if it is inevitable, here are some tips to consider :
Avoid crossing torrents, especially if it was flowing strong, remember, your floating car mass
cannot face the force of a torrent.
Make up your mind before you reach the edge of the water way.
If passing is safe, and you are not sure of the water level, well, connect with the fish in you and
check the water level yourself, never exceed the max recommended water level by the
manufacturer.
Approach in an angle not straight up.
If you are not sure of how firm the waterway floor is, engage your 4L.
Don’t hesitate on the edge, maintain acceleration when crossing the edge to avoid getting
stuck at the edge due to open differentials.
Drive slow and steady in water, don’t push too hard otherwise you submerge the nose of your
vehicle.
In a convoy, organize passing water one by one, don’t go swimming together please.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
TIRES
The first and most important mod to be carried out
on your vehicle are the tires, for a more reliable
desert drive, so let’s talk briefly about the most
common tire types:
Balloon Tire:
Soft, long sidewall, parallel tread, specially
designed for desert and low-pressure drives.

All Terrain AT Tire:

All Terrain AT Tire
Harder enforced tire, medium tread, medium
weight, enforced sidewall, medium street noise,
designed for all terrains, as the name implies.

Mud terrain MT Tire:

Balloon Tire
Deep tread, reinforced sidewall, heavy weight,
high street noise, specially designed for Mud
terrain.

Street Tire:
Relatively lighter than previous tires, light tread,
medium weight, low street noise, designed for all
terrains.

OPINION Street Tire

If you don’t have a dedicated sand vehicle, it is a
clear that the comparison is between Street and
AT tire, and considering reinforcement attributes,
and tread design, we recommend using AT tire for
desert drives.
Mud terrain MT Tire

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
 WHEN SELECTING A TIRE
Tire Type
Consider load capacity Fuel consumption, degrade rate, street noise.
Tread Width
Special attributes like enforced sidewalls. Tire weight
(mm) Speed rating Tire size according to diffs ration.

EVALUATION
Aspect Ratio
We will not assess street tire, as it is the tire of choice for most companies, we assure you they did their
(height/width) homework very well; however, we will take a dive into the three other tires. It is worth mentioning here
that there are hybrid types between those three main categories which we will not go through for now,
with that being said:

Radial BALLOON TIRE

(construction)
Pros:
Relatively good in handling desert and gravel.
Diameter
Tire thickness creates a cushion which increases ride comfort.
(inches)
High sidewall means you can deflate to low psi safely, even down to 5psi, which increases the tire
footprint, which will lead to better traction.
Load High sidewall lifts the car, increases the clearance, actually it is considered one of the cheapest ways
Rating to increase diff clearance without much affecting torque.
It looks cool.
Speed When inflated, with the low grip, it is considered convenient for burnouts in designated areas (wink).
Rating
Cons:
With a technology dated to the dawn of cars, the modern-day suspension and steering assembly are
not built to handle this tire.
In absence of lateral balance, this tire causes continuous vibration in the vehicle, even on street.
Considering it is built for sand, it has high street noise.
The parallel tread decreases stability on wet roads, increasing pressure on brakes and increases
possibility of losing traction.
It has a low reliability record.
Verdict:
We believe cons supersedes pros and hence we don’t recommend using it. THEWOLFPACK_4X4
AT TIRE
Pros:
Durable and reliable tire which makes it convenient for overlanding.
Enforced structure makes the tire strong enough for pulling and
extra load.
The medium tread makes the tire a perfect performance combination
between street and off-road. The medium tread also helps in
shoveling enough sand to create traction, without causing the tire to
sink.
Sidewall lugs increases traction in both sand and snow.
Lighter weight than MT tires, which means less pressure on the
drivetrain.
Cons:
Higher street noise compared to street tires of course, so if you are
one of those picky people about every noise in the car, well, bad news
for you.
Higher weight, at the end, this enforced structure is not for free.
Multiply the increased weight to the number of tires to learn of
torque reduction, this was already mentioned in car mods section.
Verdict:
We strongly recommend using this tire for sand.
MT TIRE
Pros:
Deep tread creates traction like little paddles shoveling sand, which
creates traction in soft sand areas.
Deep tread also works like little fists on solid sand creating traction.
Great for rocky uneven roads.
Enforced structure, makes them more convenient even more for
harsh environments.
Cons:
Increased weight is on top of the list again, as mentioned earlier, it
has huge impact on vehicle torque.
Noise, you can hear them coming for a distance, and after deep
thought, maybe it is a plus.
Grip, this tire does not have a great traction on street roads, if your
car is not specially built for sand, this might be an issue.
Vibration, due to the deep and wide tread, you can feel it in the cabin.
Verdict:
We recommend using it for what it is built for, mud.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
SUSPENSION
Talking about suspension components requires a full book by itself,
which we are not going to do here, however, the most common
upgrade for suspension parts are ( dampers & shocks, Springs,
Upper control arms UCA, Lower Control arms LCA, bump stops,
bushes, ball joints), and depending on the setup (Vehicle, lift,
performance) you might also need to go for (spindles, tie rod
extension, axle extension, HD axles, limit strap, diff drops, brake
lines extension, ABS sensor protection, external bypass shocks,
Crossmembers, U bolt, component relocators etc.). with that being
said, we will only mention the most important factors to consider for
desert off-roading suspension requirements:
Based on the vehicle use, put a plan, decide which suspension level
you will upgrade to, and the target lift, spending more and going
higher, is not always the answer for your driving needs, its like when
someone says, Ferraris are fast as supercars, well, off course they
are, you spend a fortune buying it, but do you really need it?
Upgrading springs is essential for your suspension, as they carry
the load, take the hit, and respond to terrain, dampers on the other
hand, control the spring reaction to the terrain, it is like springs
brings the bad news, and dampers makes it feel nice.
TYPICAL INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION IFS
Shocks with reservoir are mainly for long extreme off-roading, they
don’t make you a better driver nor give your car wings, and there is
nothing wrong in being a bad driver, comfortably.
Go monotube not dual tube shocks, Mono tubes are faster to
respond, and handle pressure longer, dual tubes are old tech, cause
bobbles in their oil faster, which means they lose damping faster.
When lifting, get a full kit, or at least read in details about it.
Don’t forget bump stops, they are as important as other components.
For most desert drivers a stage one setup (shocks and springs) can
fulfill all your desert driving needs.
Manufacturers use fancy names to describe their kits, stage 1,2,3..
those are just a combination of the above-mentioned components.
Suspension and tires are extremely important to be of good quality,
don’t go cheap.
Someone should know something about your project car, it should be
either you or the technician, don’t just go with the flow and install
whatever.
Sometimes upgrading ball joints can replace upgrading UCA, LCA as
a cheap yet reliable alternative that can fulfill your driving needs.
If you don’t know what internal bypass or external bypass is, maybe
you don’t need them, again, don’t be driven to spend more on stuff you
won’t actually use.
TYPICAL SOLID AXLE SUSPENSION
THEWOLFPACK_4X4
RECOVERY TOOLS
SHOVELS:
Shovels are the most important recovery tools, you should not drive in
the desert without it, how do you pick one, well, don’t warry, we got you
covered:
Length, the longer the arm is, the more torque you have against the
same force, which means it is easier to move sand.
The scoop of the shovel, you want it to be flat, rectangle with curved
tilted edges to keep sand inside.
Weight, go for aluminum, it is lighter, which means more sand to
carry against the same weight.
Stackable, to be able to store it easily.
Handle, a handle with a grip is easier to “handle”, try it before you buy it.

FLAG POLES:
Below are the most common thing to consider when getting a flag pole:
Hight of the pole, 3.5 m from ground to the tip of the pole.
Quick release base, easier to handle and install.
Spring base to release pressure from bouncing on the dunes.
Stackable is preferable for storage
Thickness of the pole, thinner means it can bend, thicker means it
should be stackable.
Flag color, it should have reflective material, just like any safety flag.
Flash light, either on top or full illuminate.

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
APPENDIX
Here we are listing our favorite off-roading spots and interesting locations to
visit in Qatar:

Name Coordinates
Al Ezairiq 24.947480581624635, 51.43534024401403
Jabal Marmi 24.908522294746618, 51.46763925137235
Shambiya 24.85522557147925, 51.43771891331678
Hot Water Spring 24.60127287412654, 51.32968216682435
Wall Of Death 24.657929992597477, 51.392223177188455
APPENDIX
Bier Aamra 24.731835261287397, 51.366950248129854 Emergency Numbers In Arab Peninsula
Sheeb Al Attiya 24.69057008835902, 51.345461501365854
Afjat Wadi Abal Gherban 24.735410882299334, 51.31937243246562 State Police Ambulance Fire Dept
Taas (Dune) Umm Jarra Al-shamaliya (North) 24.770401945833775, 51.081588218804846 Qatar 999 999 999
Taas (Dune) Umm Jarra Al-januoubia (South) 24.751528573454316, 51.078228324187364
Saudi 999 997 998
Umm Al Jaratheem (Al Karaana Lagoon) 24.989456119921858, 51.034119212962835
UAE 999 998 997
Geezan Al Kharayej (Cement Factory) 25.050144679959136, 50.8572316617615
Broog- Zekreet 25.51686499061287, 50.87025181241951 Oman 9999 9999 9999
Nega Bu Birka (Signing Dune) 25.037479534329247, 51.40490224300607 Kuwait 112 112 112
Dahl Al Misfar Cave 25.17496202612593, 51.21174208434591
Yemen 199 199 199
Galactic Core Bay 25.88014501211741, 50.972787440337505
Al Areesh - Fishermens Villages 26.05111965927673, 51.05633988241755 Bahrain 999 999 999

Purple Island Beach 25.694348860401128, 51.54749123605837

Fuwairit Beach – Rocky Trail 26.032011856748735, 51.36863117541825
Hawksbill Turtle Nesting 26.03164499483468, 51.37417487758468

Important Apps Voluneteer Resuce Team - Qatar Voluneteer Resuce Team - UAE Voluneteer Resuce Team - Saudi

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GAIA

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
 TO
DREAM

THEWOLFPACK_4X4
 About the Auther
Aamer Zarzar, Computer Engineer,
Husband and father during the week,
Car enthusiest during weekends, top
that up with passion for food... a lots of it

Aamer is an organizor and judge in Qatar Custom

Show 2022, and Papa Wolf of The Wolf Pack

THEWOLFPACK_4X4