By
EWAN KENNEDY
18 December 2006
Holiday driving should be a pleasant experience, one that’s
trouble free and gives you insights into the wonderful land we call
Australia. But there are some things you should keep in mind to make
that holiday trip trouble free and safe.
The first thing to remember is that your car will be
travelling with a heavier load than normal, at considerably higher
speeds, for much longer distances and probably in hotter conditions. All
things that put a lot extra strain on it.
Have the car serviced before a holiday trip, ideally by
a qualified mechanic, though you may feel confident in doing the work
yourself. If you do it yourself we suggest you don’t carry out any
safety related work, and you have a workshop manual to help guide you
through the processes.
Also have the air conditioner serviced, it works much
harder on a country trip than at any other time.
Carry a tool kit and a workshop manual. There’s no
need to go overboard with a full-on kit. Half a dozen spanners (make
sure they suit the car: metric, SAE, or whatever), a small adjustable
spanner, a pair of pliers and two or three screwdrivers will get you out
of most emergency spots.
Assemble a small collection of spare parts, such as
drivebelts (fanbelts), radiator cap, spark plug and a set of plug leads,
engine oil, some light globes, electrical tape and de-watering fluid.
Again, keep the kit small and light unless you are going deep into
uninhabited areas.
A first aid kit is a sensible addition to the car’s
standard equipment. Even more useful is a recognised first aid
certificate to go with it…
Make sure the car’s jack is working and that the wheel
nuts aren’t too tight. Many garages use power equipment to fit wheel
nuts and this can make them too tight to undo using a hand wheel brace.
Though it’s good to be able to rely on your own
resources, it is also smart to belong to your State motorists’
organisation. They have reciprocal agreements to look after interstate
cars following breakdowns and other problems.
Check the condition of the tyres - all five of them,
because there is more chance of getting a flat in the bush than in the
city. If the trip is to be a long one be sure there is enough tread to
last the distance.
Inflate the tyres to the recommended pressure for
high-speed driving. Put them up to around 10 per cent more than that if
you want to firm them up for better handling and reduced fuel
consumption. Ride comfort will suffer slightly at the higher pressure
but I am prepared to tolerate that for the greater precision of feel
through the wheel and the seat of my pants.
Set the pressures when the tyres are stone cold, and don’t
bleed any air out when they are hot. The pressure will rise when the
tyres warm up, due to friction, but that rise is built into the
pressures recommended. Too low a tyre pressure will cause extra heat
buildup, resulting in extra wear and increased risk of a blowout.
It makes sense to buy your own tyre pressure gauge.
Those at service stations get a lot of ill-treatment from uncaring
customers and are often inaccurate.
Avoid carrying too much luggage. It is tempting to load
up everything that you might conceivably need in every circumstance.
Experienced travellers soon learn to cut their gear to a comfortable
minimum. Not only is that easier on the car but it also simplifies
unpacking and packing if you are on a nomadic trip.
If you can avoid using a roof rack or trailer, so much
the better. Both decrease aerodynamic efficiency and upset the balance
of the car and add quite a bit to the fuel bill.
When possible, load the heaviest items towards the back
of the boot (i.e. the front of the car) to improve the weight
distribution. If yours is a hatchback, a station wagon, or a sedan with
a folding rear-seat backrest, make sure the restraining catches on the
seat are correctly set and tie the load down with straps to stop it
being thrown forward in a crash.
Do not put any heavy items inside the cabin if this can
be avoided, in particular, never place heavy objects on the rear parcel
shelf. They can fly forward in a crash, or even under heavy braking.
Pillows and blankets are all that should be loaded on the parcel shelf.
Before setting out each day check the tyre pressures;
look at the fluid levels of the engine, transmission, brakes, cooling
system and battery. Use the car owner’s handbook for the information
on the correct fluid levels and how to check them.
Then drive safely and have a great time!
