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Back to Subjects - Sports & Recreation

Going Off the Beaten Path

Going Off the Beaten Path In America today many people own a 4-wheel drive SUV or truck. Most of these people don’t know the fun they can have in these vehicles by going where few dare to venture. Driving a 4-wheel drive off road is one way you can have fun rather inexpensively, except for the cost of the vehicle itself. For the most part, people are afraid to take their expensive vehicles into the unknown. This fear may come from the fact that they simply don’t know how to drive them on non-paved and non-maintained roads or places where there is no road at all. It is relatively easy to tackle many obstacles in a 4-wheel drive such as overcoming steep hills, going though ditches, tackling deep snow and mud, driving on loose sand, and crossing rivers. I am an owner of a 4-wheel drive truck and I use it both for on-road and off-road applications. I’m originally from the small town of Ligonier, which is nestled in the mountains of Pennsylvania, and have spent countless hours running around on the mountains. The 4-wheel drive systems vary slightly, but for the most part they are equipped with 2-wheel drive, 2 high, 4-wheel drive high range, 4 high, and 4 wheel drive low range, 4 low. The high range has the same gearing as you have for road driving. The low range, however, has much lower gearing to allow you to get the extra slow speed and high torque needed for certain applications. In all off-road applications being gentle with the gas and maintaining momentum is essential. You should consult the owner’s manual of the vehicle to see how to engage the different features of your 4-wheel drive system, if so equipped. Also, I would recommend traveling in pairs of vehicles and investing in a good heavy-duty tow strap or chain so if you get stuck you have help right there. Steep hills are one of the easiest obstacles to overcome. Once the 4 low is engaged you proceed up the hill in the lowest possible gear. The average speed needed to climb a steep hill is only three to five miles per hour. Just maintain a constant gas pressure and let the vehicle do the work. Whatever you do don’t stop! You must keep the momentum or else you will stall the vehicle and risk sliding or crashing back down to the bottom. If you try to go up a hill to fast there is a possibility a wheel leaving the ground and causing you to loose control. Don’t “over drive” the vehicle. By this I mean don’t worry about every little rock you hit and try to correct for it. For the most part if the wheel is knocked one way by a rock or some other object let it ride and the vehicle will correct itself. Let the vehicle do the driving. Going though ditches is a little harder but definitely doable to even the most inexperienced driver. The number one thing you don’t want to do is line up to go though straight in ditch. You always want to go though at an angle making sure that only one wheel of the vehicle is in the ditch at anytime. The 4 low feature is a bonus for doing this but it can be accomplished using 4 high. Speed is the key here you want to tackle this feat. The slower the better but once again don’t slow down or stop. Maintaining your momentum is the key to not getting stuck in almost all 4-wheel drive situations. Tackling deep snow and mud differs a bit from climbing hills or crossing ditches. The key to this is a higher speed so if you hit a deep or sticky spot you have enough momentum to carry you out of trouble. However, when driving in snow or mud remember that your stopping distance is greatly increased. Gas pressure is the key here. When you feel that you are spinning the tires, don’t floor it in an attempt to get out fast. This will only dig you deeper in the mud or snow. Do the opposite and let about a quarter to a third of the way off the gas. This will slow the tries and allow them to regain traction then slowly press the gas back down to the original position to continue though the sticky spot. Driving though loose sand is hard to do and takes a little extra work and caution. Before driving on the beach or sand, deflate the tire pressure down to ten to fifteen pounds. This allows the sidewalls of the tire to expand out to the sides giving you a bigger footprint in the sand, thus greater distribution of weight on loose sand. The 4 low is must for driving though sand. You want to have a speed of between 15 and 20 miles per hour to maintain momentum but you must slow to 5 to 10 miles per hour for turning. Also, you must make wider turns so as not to pop the tire off the rim. If a turn is too sharp of a turn, with the decreased tire pressure, it is likely to pull the tire right off the rim. Maintaining speed is a must and never stop in a loose patch of sand. Stopping on ground that is not solid will get even the best 4-wheel drive stuck in sand to the axles. You must be aware of soft patches of sand and keep driving right though them. The best time to go out on the beaches is during low tide. This allows you to drive on the hard packed sand that is covered by water during high tide therefore lessening your chances of getting stuck. Crossing rivers is the most difficult thing to do by far. Doing this is best accomplished in 4 high. Enter the river slowly so as not to push water though the radiator and into the air intake. After entering the river, remember that the flow of the river will push the vehicle down river. The key to crossing is to turn up river upon entry and half way though turn back down river to the point of exiting. Cross the river in a “V-like” line. If done properly, crossing rivers is easy as driving though a puddle on a bike. The most important thing is to not let off the gas at any cost. Letting off the gas while crossing a river will allow water to back wash up your exhaust; this will flood the engine with water. A repair to a water-flooded engine is not light on the checkbook. Also, by letting off the gas it allows for water to flood the engine compartment. This will allow water to get sucked in by your air intake and flood the engine as well. Using these techniques, in a 4-wheel drive vehicle, will add a new bit of fun to your journeys. It is a rush to drive through a river, or go dashing though the snow or mud, and relaxing to take a cruise on your favorite beach or find a remote spot far away from the stresses of civilization. When driving off the beaten path remember if your gut doesn’t feel right about doing something don’t do it. I’ve spent many hours trying to get unstuck from stupid things I have done. It is a lot easier to get stuck than to get unstuck. Remember, that only certain roads and trails are open for such use and going on closed or posted roads can land you major fines and community service. Have respect for the trails, they are ours to share and enjoy. So, go ahead and enjoy the many things that 4-wheel drives have to offer, and take your diving to a whole new level. Bibliography:

Word Count: 1316