If you hit a soft spot, be it mud, sand, or dirt, use low gearing and just enough throttle to maintain forward movement. If you sense a loss of traction, turn the steering wheel rapidly from side to side. Don't just gun the engine because you'll only end up spinning the tires and digging deeper. Forward momentum is the answer, so feather-foot it to allow the tires to get a fresh grip.If you hit a soft spot, be it mud, sand, or dirt, use low gearing and just enough throttle Fourth Period: Rock On When approaching a large rock, put a tire on it rather than trying to straddle it, or you might high-center the truck. Drive slowly in 4-Lo but with enough throttle to maintain momentum. You'd be surprised at how much suspension travel your 4x4 actually has--most people panic about rolling without giving the suspension a chance to articulate. Extra Credit Remember, don't try to drive over an obstacle or trail that makes you uncomfortable. And don't feel embarrased about asking someone to spot for you. Even those with many four-wheeling notches in their belts need help once and a while. If you feel like you need a helping hand or just a refresher course, sign up for an off-road class such as EVOC's. The best way to gain experience is to learn from the experienced. Be in the habit of looking over the hood and memorizing the trail--in every direction. Try visualizing where low components of your truck, such as the diffs, will be when you go over a rock or bump. If you're not sure what's ahead, get out and check for difficulties on foot.Be in the habit of looking over the hood and memorizing the trail--in every direction. Try Driving off-road isn't about going fast--the slower you drive, the safer the journey, the less dust you'll kick up, and the better control you'll have of your vehicle around blind curves and hills. And keep in mind that uphill traffic has the right of way.Driving off-road isn't about going fast--the slower you drive, the safer the journey, the Drive with your thumbs up and out of the wheel so you don't get hurt if the wheel spins when you hit an obstacle. Also, we all learned in driver's ed to put our hands in the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions on the wheel, but if your truck has airbags, place your hands at 4 o'clock and 7 o'clock to reduce the chance of injury if the bag deploys.Drive with your thumbs up and out of the wheel so you don't get hurt if the wheel spins wh SOURCES Emergency Vehicle Operations Center (EVOC) « | 1 | 2 | 3 | View Full Article Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
