Off-Road
Driving
with
Your
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four-wheel drive.
Also,
see
“Anti-Lock Brakes” in the Index.
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive, you
shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re on a level,
solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does
have some definite hazards. The greatest
of
these is the
terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren’t
marked. Curves aren’t banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In
short, you’ve gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s
why it’s very important that you read this guide. You’ll
find many driving tips and suggestions. These will help
make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before
You
Go
Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example,
be
sure to have all necessary maintenance and
service work done. Check to make sure all underbody
shields (if
so
equipped) are properly attached. Be sure
you read all the information about your
four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual. Is there enough
fuel?
Is
the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels
up where they should be? What are the local laws that
apply to off-roading where you’ll be driving? If
you
don’t know, you should check with law enforcement
people in the area. Will you be on someone’s private
land? If
so,
be sure to get the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
0
The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward
of
your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly,
so
driving
on
the off-road terrain doesn’t toss things around.
4-14
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