Using low-range gears is obviously a mystery to many people

[Wes]

I'm amazed at the amount of 4X4 videos on YouTube of people tackling modestly steep and uneven hills that you could easily crawl up in low range first or second without much discomfort at all.

But instead of that, they're obviously in high-range, revving the s**t out of their poor engine while slipping and deepening ruts everywhere and eventually rocketing up the hill in what must feel like the worlds roughest roller coaster ride.

[pete1]

Yeh there seems to be a assumption that speed if everything.

[Gwion]

Some idiots just have no clue and others just like to make a mess...
I'm in the other camp. I put it into 4WD low at the slightest sign of moderately rough terrain. That's what the vehicle is for, making life easier.

Keep your "hard core" (or plain dumb antics) 4WD'ing for designated areas, i say. Some of us actually use tracks to get places to do things like fish or hunt, not just tear around making a mess and a whole bunch of noise!

[Bigjobss]

Yep L4 is great but how about the L4 and correct tyre pressure combo?
IMO the average weekend warrior would be better off with a $150 4x4 air compressor than a $2000 set of tyres.

[Die Judicii]

Ha Ha, and its only gonna get worse.
What with, Hill descent, Park assist, Traction control, Collision avoidance,,

A lot of people simply don't know how to drive these days.

My Son and I came across a convoy of (6) four wheel drives a number of years ago, that seemed to be in trouble.

They had travelled down a gravel road to the drop off down onto the beach.
The first two were on the sand and bogged to the springs, while the rest were inline behind, but up on the gravel.
They were bristling with accessories,, some of the drivers had Hi Vis vests on, and were running around like mad maggots.
Some were digging sand out with shovels, the rest stayed in their vehicles and were talking to each other on the CBs and Walkies.

We walked to the front vehicle and asked what was wrong.
We were told that the beach was too soft to drive on and they couldnt get back up onto the road.

My son said "Did you let your tires down ?"
The driver looked at him and said, We aren't stupid mate, we let em down to 35 psi

Rather than start an idiot discussion, I just said,,,, Well mate, you've got six four wheel drives in line here, and in essence, a 24 wheel drive vehicle.
If you can't hook em all together with your chains and snatch straps, and simply reverse out, you'd be better off not to try four wheel driving.

We got back in our vehicle, drove past them and off up the beach towards our favorite fishing spot.

[happyhunter]

Watching the road while driving is a mystery to some people.

[AusTac]

4wd as soon as i'm on the dirt, but yeah i chuck it in 4L as soon as it gets down hill steep or up hill rocky, but no point up hill if its flat and can motor up without issue/slip

Mud is a bit of a judgment call between power/momentum get it wrong and your fu#ked

[brett1868]

Watching the road while driving is a mystery to some people.

Why watch when I have lane keeping assist? So cool, it keeps me between the lines and even brakes if required. Sit back relax and post selfies on Facebook.

It can be that easy but driving is something I take very seriously cause essentially I'm in control of a 1500kg killing machine. Ask the average punter if they know how to drive a gay-matic box manually and when would they do it, I guarantee many have no idea.
I learnt to drive when I was tall enough to reach the pedals (7) out in the bush in a home made buggy with 3 on the floor, dirt roads, ploughed paddocks and wet grass gave me a great education on vehicle handling characteristics. The automotive industry has essentially dumbed down driving skills or I'm inclined to believe they improved technology to meet the increasing retardation of drivers, sort of a catch22. Whilst I appreciate all the modern safety tech on the new Ranger I trust my own experience more then the tech.

[bigfellascott]

Mines an auto so I often use 4wd Low and put it in 1st gear, saves having to stand on the breaks etc whilst descending and has plenty of power to pull trailers etc out of some rough country when needed and ya not getting belted in the cab so much as its reasonably low and a lot more comfortable to drive like that I've found.

[Mitch]

Watching the road while driving is a mystery to some people.

Why watch when I have lane keeping assist? So cool, it keeps me between the lines and even brakes if required. Sit back relax and post selfies on Facebook.

It can be that easy but driving is something I take very seriously cause essentially I'm in control of a 1500kg killing machine. Ask the average punter if they know how to drive a gay-matic box manually and when would they do it.

Mate even trucks are heading that way slowly. So many are auto these days that I'm finding it less and less common to find someone who can drive a crash box.

[Bills Shed]

My sister-in -law can not understand why we would drive a manual. She lives in a city and seldom lt comes over to see us where things grow out of the ground. Tried to teach her daughter the use of a clutch. It seemed the whole idea of a clutch eluded her.
I love the solid feel of power under control of a manual, not so the coasting, foot on the brake autos. Low range with a solid drive train makes for excellent control.

Bill

[bigfellascott]

Diesels and autos are a match made in heaven, I used to be a manual driver for years and years but I've got to say I love the auto these days, haven't missed the manual and quite frankly can't see myself wanting another one, it's just so much easier and less farting around having an auto, ****** of torque, don't have to worry about the poxy clutches they use in them these days which have a habit of crapping out and cost a small bloody fortune to replace, only thing mine doesn't have and I will fit is cruise control, love cruise control too, great on the country roads.

[AusTac]

I'll be a manual man till i'm to old and decrepid to drive one!

That said auto's have come along way

[happyhunter]

Watching the road while driving is a mystery to some people.

Why watch when I have lane keeping assist? So cool, it keeps me between the lines and even brakes if required. Sit back relax and post selfies on Facebook.

.

New cars sure have plenty of distracting features..

There was a story in the local paper where a lady reported the auto emergency braking activated when a bird landed on the road in front of her car. If the claim is true then I hope it's a feature than can be switched off for driving on country roads. Imagine sitting on 100km/h with a truck tail gating.

[Lorgar]

I think most of it boils down to impatience and bad info/misunderstanding of using it.

I've heard more than a few people who are adamant you can't go higher than 1st or 2nd gear while in low-range, as some catastrophic failure will surely occur if you do.

So instead of crawling around in 2nd at 10km an hour like they think they have to, they go through in high-range then can't be bothered changing down when they get to a hill that requires it so just gas it instead.

I'm yet to have the transfer case fall out of the bottom of my truck while cruising in 4th on easier sections of track in low-range

[Gwion]

My ute must be due to explode, then.

[tom604]

Watching the road while driving is a mystery to some people.

Why watch when I have lane keeping assist? So cool, it keeps me between the lines and even brakes if required. Sit back relax and post selfies on Facebook.

It can be that easy but driving is something I take very seriously cause essentially I'm in control of a 1500kg killing machine. Ask the average punter if they know how to drive a gay-matic box manually and when would they do it.

Mate even trucks are heading that way slowly. So many are auto these days that I'm finding it less and less common to find someone who can drive a crash box.

shiny teeth are happy teeth , some of the work trucks are that worn out that no amount of double clutching works

[happyhunter]

There are a lot people buying 4WDs that have no clue how to use them. Lucky most never see terrain anything close to what the vehicles are capable of handling. Well before kids get there drivers license the best we you can do for them is get them behind the wheel off road and teach them how to safely stall and recover of really steep inclines/declines, and how to snatch and winch. Blokes that have a clue will know exactly the techniques I'm talking about.

[sandgroperbill]

I've heard more than a few people who are adamant you can't go higher than 1st or 2nd gear while in low-range, as some catastrophic failure will surely occur if you do

What? So I've been doing it wrong all this time? I must have missed the explosion...

Seriously, though, flogging it through everything and then having to constantly winch yourself out of things that could easily have been craeled through... Well, that's not 4wding, but that seems to be all the videos these days.

As for auto v man, gimme man every day of the week, at least off road. I can see the hills, dunes, inclines and such so I want to be the one choosing when to change gears and controlling the power.

Granted, though, autos have come a long way, but I still like the control of a manual

[franc]

Well before kids get there drivers license the best we you can do for them is get them behind the wheel off road and teach them how to safely stall and recover of really steep inclines/declines, and how to snatch and winch.

Watching half the cowboys snatch a bogged truck makes me cringe.

Strap over the tow ball as often as not, foot to the floor, just bounce back and forth as fast as they can until it comes out.

All just waiting for the day that 'comes out' changes to 'kills someone' with a flying tow ball.

[puffnstuff]

What? So I've been doing it wrong all this time? I must have missed the explosion...

Check your driveway, maybe your transfer case has been laying out there for the past few months and you never noticed you were parking on top of it

[Tomek]

Even my little Yaris can achieve a lot on the lowest gear. Using those gearing options should be mandatory when learning to drive. Imagine going downhill for too long in normal gear!