Four-wheel drive vehicles are considered to be the best for off-road adventure. This specific group of cars are designed with advanced key systems, which makes it easy for the car to drive through rough terrains. If you are looking forward to an off-road driving challenge, then you need to make sure that your vehicle is prepared for such a trip.
Understand How Off-road Vehicles Work
Four-wheel vehicles are considered to be more powerful compared to regular saloon cars. That is because four-wheelers have traction control, which monitors and distributes power to all spinning wheels of the car.
Four Wheel Driving Mode
Low Range 4WD
When driving a four-wheel drive vehicle in this mode, it means that you are using a lower gear ratio. Driving on this mode makes it easy to overcome various off-road challenges such as rock crawling and hill climbing. Low range 4WD causes the traction control to add extra torque to the wheels , which makes it easy to drive through rough terrains at a lower speed.
High Range 4WD
High range 4WD is considered to be the best mode to drive in when riding on rough terrain. That is because this mode engages all four wheels without changing the gear ratio. Furthermore, the powertrain powers all the four wheels making it easy to drive it even on a muddy road.
Diff Lock
Diff lock also referred to as locking differential determines the turning speed of the wheels. For most 4WD vehicles, the wheels do not turn at the same speed, so that it can be easy to drive through uneven terrain. However, when the diff lock is turned on, all the four wheels spin at the same time and at the same speed.
Wheel Travel
Wheel travel is the maximum speed and distance that the wheels experience when moving up and down. Furthermore, you also need to be aware of the fact that the greater the distance the more effective the suspension system becomes.
Other Essentials Needed For An Off-road Four Wheel Driving
Tow Rope
Even though off-road vehicles can make it through different rough terrains, sometimes it becomes difficult to drive on a stiff slope. That is why most 4WD cars have a tow rope placed at the front of the vehicle. All you have to do is find a strong object to tie the tow rope to and use it to pull it. However, make sure that the tow rope you use is strong enough to pull the one.
Spare Tyre
Off-road vehicles are also equipped with a spare tyre so that you do not get stranded when you have a flat tyre. Furthermore, before you start off your off-road adventure, make sure that the spare tyre, whether it’s located underneath the vehicle or in the ute tray, is in good condition. You also need a high lift jack, which is easy to use compared to a low hydraulic jack. For a nifty off-road set up to store your spare tyre check out the ute trays and canopies offered by Norweld.
Conclusion
Off-road four-wheel driving can be challenging, especially if you do not have the skills and knowledge to operate a four-wheel drive vehicle. However, with the help of this tutorial, you can make sure that you have everything you need for your next off-road adventure.