5 essential dos and don'ts of off-roading in a 4×4

When do you select low-range? What’s the right time to switch from two- to four-wheel-drive? What shouldn’t you do if you get stuck? The answers are all here.

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Engineering Explained is back at it again, this time taking on the dos and don’ts of driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Beyond pointing out some common sense rules, the video goes into the how and why in its usual white-board-enhanced fashion.


You shouldn’t select low range at anything above a crawl. But why? It’s in the video. Why do you get axle hop at low speeds in four-high in a part-time 4×4? It’s in the video. But beyond simply explaining the mechanical reasons for avoiding two of the most common forms of four-wheel-drive abuse,
Engineering Explained gives out a couple of genuinely good tips for driving off road.


The most obvious, of course, is not nailing the throttle when you get stuck, and how low-range can help in that tricky situation. There is also a clear explanation of when traction control can actually help when you’re traveling off road. Whether you’re a grizzled rock-crawling veteran or if you’re pondering your first trip off road, it’s worth a watch.


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