Page Topics: Tips and Techniques Tips and Techniques (Top) 4-wheeling can be one of the most exhilarating things to do outdoors. You have your 4x4 machine, whether it be a truck, SUV or other and you want to put it to the test. Here are some basics to get you started: Safety Remember, you are in a machine. The human body was built to withstand an impact equal to that of a person running and smacking into something. It was not intended to be strapped into a plummeting machine dropped from 200 feet or the same machine propelled at 20+ miles per hour into a tree, rock, or other stationary object. Be aware of your surroundings, your capabilities, and your vehicles capabilities to avoid injury or death. Also, take care of your vehicle. They are intended to be used for certain purposes and can withstand only certain abuse.  General 4-wheeling As a general rule of thumb use 4-wheel drive only as necessary and the lower gear as a "get me unstuck" tool. Don't start out in 4 low and get stuck in it. The low range should be used only as needed and not as the gears of choice. Advanced enthusiasts may have rock crawlers, etc. that are intended to function consistently in the low range but they also have vehicles with rolebars, winches, groups of people in their party that can help them out of a sticky situation, and much experience to know what to do.  Find areas that are approved for offroading and have at it. Be thinking about 2 moves ahead because you will want to be able to stop in a place where you can turn around or back out if you are not able to handle the spot.  Drive at a moderate speed - fast enough to keep your momentum going and slow enough to "read" the spot you are about to take on. You will need to judge how to take each slope, corner, or bump. Keep in mind the physics of a run. How is the corner banked? How many bumps are in a row? What is on the other side of the hill's crown? How wet is the grass? Could there be ice there? Is that mud-hole "eternal"? Will the tires want to slide into that rut? etc.  Know what your engine, suspension, and tires can handle. Not all offroad vehicles are created equal. A Rav4, Tacoma, and Tundra will all handle differently and be capable of different outcomes. If possible, start your adventures going uphill so that if you get stuck you can always go back DOWN to the main road instead of getting stuck in a situation where you have to climb to get back. Hill Climbing Most often you will want to get a good run at a steeper hill. You will want to be prepared to downshift. As you make the ascent the engine will begin to slow in RPMs. Make sure you know what the crown of the hill looks like. As you get to the top you will want to know where to go. If you feel the engine loosing power, which is common if you are in a higher gear trying to get a run at it, then you will want to shift down smoothly so you don't loose momentum. If you are in an automatic you will want to use the manual options of 1 and 2. If you get stuck on the climb because your vehicle can't handle the full hill or because of a missed shift, hold the brakes and assess your situation. If you are sure you can get your vehicle started again, which is a tough challenge if you are in a manual transmission vehicle, then put it in granny gear and inch up the remainder of the hill. If you won't be able to have enough power or the confidence to get your foot from the brake to the throttle then ease down the hill backwards to the nearest safe turning point. Turn around and go back down the rest of the hill. If there is no turn around point then back down the hill the whole way. One tip to backing down the hill is to put the vehicle in reverse and use the engine gears as brakes along with foot brakes. There is no greater feeling than reaching the top of a tough climb. The Down Hills The key here is to use the engine for partial braking. Ease down the hill in 1st or 2nd gear and use the brakes sparingly as needed. If you are in a truck be sure not to let the bed slide down faster than the front. Keep it slowly moving. The Side Hills This is the most challenging, awkward, and dangerous situation to be in. It is best to remain as level as possible from side to side. If you absolutely must, inch around a tilting spot. Don't punch it or any bump could send you rolling down the hill. Be very careful to keep your sides horizontally level. Water It is very exhilarating to see a mud or water wall smashing down on the windshield as the wipers slide back and forth fervently. You hit a puddle or small body of water causing it to spray into the air and cover the vehicle. You'll want to keep a couple of things in mind. Remember, vehicles need air to breathe. If you flood a vehicle with water you will not likely get it going again. The engine isn't the only thing that must remain water free. From the air filter box under the hood to the exhaust in the back of the vehicle there is a pathway that allows air to travel through the whole power generating system.  When you enter water make sure you judge the spot correctly. Some vehicle designs can handle water much better than others. Some can temporarily deal with water up to the top of the hood. Some sputter and fail if water gets to radiator level. It is key to get in and out of the water as fast as possible.  Some vehicle designs almost serve as boats if the water is deep enough. They get very poor traction and get stuck easily. Getting stuck in a body of water is certain doom for a vehicle. Water can do a lot of damage to an interior or to the engine if the situation is prolonged. Make sure you know what is under the surface as well. Big rocks or wire can make a mess of the drive train. Mud or water holes that aren't too deep are quite OK and can be very fun. Splashing around is a blast. Snow The adrenaline runs high when the powder is high and you are plowing through it. The key: Keep the momentum going. Don't let a drift slow you down.  Chain up if needed. Your vehicle manufacture will likely have a recommended chain to use. Make sure they fit your tires and that you don't use them anywhere without snow, ice, gravel, etc. Don't get high centered. If the tires can't touch the ground you obviously can't get traction and then the hand digging process begins (unless you have someone who can tow you out). Snow can be like a lubricant if you are not careful. Careful not to get on a hill where you could slide into danger. Stay in a gear such that your RPMs are fairly high.  Be aware of the area and possible pitfalls. Make sure you are quick at hand because if you are moving at a fairly quick clip you will need to judge and deal with situations quickly.  Make sure you are very comfortable driving in snow before getting too daring. It takes practice to stay out of trouble and it only takes getting stuck once and having to walk for 5 miles to be reminded.  Keep some type of long distance open communication with another vehicle so you can have aid if needed. Ice Imagine you are an ice skater who ways 2000 pounds, skates on all fours, and you can move your legs as fast as you want. If you understand the physics of ice very well you will probably be able to handle the maneuverings of a vehicle OK. Otherwise you should begin practicing at a slow pace and practice a ton. Ice is the trickiest of elements for beginners to deal with.  The key is to keep control. The best way to remain in control is to keep the tires moving in the right direction and at the correct speed without locking them up or spinning them.  It can be a blast to plant the front tire, gun the throttle and spin a tight 360. You also need to know how to do something like that before attempting. Try finding an open field in the cold. Often, if a spring runs through the field it will freeze up in the winter. The water will overflow the banks and run into the field creating a huge ice patch. Powdered snow sits on top and provides the perfect lubricant to an already slick surface. Start out slow and be careful. As you get better at it you will find that there are a lot of variables that can create quite an exciting ride.  Be careful of snow drifts and always know where the edge of the ice patch is. Be very very leery of lake tops. We have seen more than one vehicle lost through the ice. When encountering an ice patch other than a large field you will likely not want to be playing. The best way to keep traction is to never lock up the brakes. Sometimes, in fact, acceleration can help you out of a situation. Always keep the tires rotating and turn slowly to guide the vehicle. If you spin the tires, lock them up, or turn to sharply all you do is cause two slick surfaces to slide together. If you use the rotating tires then you get a fresh set of tread every square inch that roles over snow and finds the friction of the ice. Use slow movements to correct and guide the vehicle.  If you need you may attempt to throw a good deal of sand on the ice or use boards to improve the friction before making a run. Don't use pine bows because they are very slippery as well.  Mud Mud can be the most fun of any of the 4 wheeling elements. Rooster tails, waves over the hood and roof, spins and slides define a 4x4.  Start in 2-wheel drive and gun it (obviously in an open area). Gain momentum in 4-wheel and then shift into 2-wheel again and gun it. What a blast. The best time to offroad in mud is after a good healthy rain has sat for about 2 days. That way there is solid ground a couple of inches below a sloppy surface. You don't get stuck yet you get all sorts of dirty.  The only warnings here are to make sure that you are in a safe area. Sliding's good when you aren't about to barrel down a steep embankment into the trees. Also, scout out deep mud pits before entering. We have seen 4 inches of mud within the cab of a truck because it was stuck for too long. Also make sure to clean out the engine compartment shortly after the adventure just to prolong the life of the engine. Gravel Gravel, mud and ice all have similar physics. You can spin, slide and get plenty dirty. 2-wheel drive is usually best for gravel but sometimes a shift from 4 to 2 with some increased throttle makes for a cool move. Be prepared for extra tire wear and rock chips. The wrong moves can wreak havoc on your vehicle. Banked Corners A 4-wheeler's best friend can be a well banked corner. A banked corner is one that causes the car to lean the opposite direction of the turn. If a driver is making a right hand turn a banked corner would have a higher left side throughout the turn.  Banked corners allow a driver to use centrifugal to his/her advantage. You can take a banked corner much faster and much more aggressively than one that is not. They can also help you gain momentum on a climb if used right. Be careful not to over estimate the corner. Don't get too gutsy. They can help you but they can be deceptive if there are washouts or large rocks or if the bank isn't as sharp as needed.  Also make sure you don't forget which way a banked corner should lean. If you make a turn with the bank facing the wrong way you will have an exact disadvantage to that of a correct bank. Spinning This section should be titled "Coming out of a Spin". We all know how to get into a spin: make the rear end of the vehicle go faster than the front. We don't all know how to get out of it. Most of the time this refers to ice or mud or something similar (i.e. hydroplane).  The key is actually counter intuitive. Usually you need to turn into the spin to gain control before redirecting the vehicle. Turning into a spin means you have to face the steering wheels the same direction you are spinning. Your wheels begin to spin instead of sliding allowing the tread to stick and pull you in the right direction. Trouble Spots OK, so you have been having a blast spinning, and climbing and making a mess...and now you're stuck. If you are lucky enough at the time to have a winch you are more than likely set but if you have a winch you are likely not reading this. For those of us who get stuck and need some ideas you may consider the following: A hefty tow rope and a buddy truck are the best aids. Hook up and both slowly ease into the pull to not yank off a part of the vehicles. Don't attach a tow rope to the bumper. Make sure it is on the frame if you can. If you are high centered look to raise the ground under the tires. Use wood, rock, hay bales, etc. You may even carefully jack up the vehicle to set it higher than the center stick point. Fill holes where the tires are with rocks like gravel or smaller rocks. Don't add a boulder to have to climb over. Make a path way after the hole with the same high friction material you use to fill the hole so you can keep up your momentum. In the end you may have to dig out whatever is holding you up. You have to be very creative at times. If you are not high centered but just stopped up by the some obstacle or hole keep the tires facing forward if possible and rock them back and forth to gain traction. Try not to spin. If you have momentum and start to spin the tires you may accelerate even more so they spin rapidly as long as you have momentum. A more advanced option is to rock the vehicle. This works best in a manual and you have to be good. Start in reverse. Spin the tires. As you rock back down into the hole quickly shift into 1st and gun it. You will rock up the other side. As you rock back down shift to reverse and use the momentum going back to get higher up the hole wall. Do this back and forth until you get out or until you see you can't make it out. The toughest parts are getting from gear to gear without grinding and in time to take advantage of the directional momentum.