Shifting
into 4WD, by Harry Lewellyn
Harry "Silver Coyote" Lewellyn's
new handbook Shifting into 4WD
is chock full of ideas, suggestions and safety tips that will
enrich and entertain anyone who has ever yearned to leave the
pavement and follow a dirt road to the horizon. This handbook
should be in the center console of every SUV in the country.
Often referred to as "Professor Off-Road," Lewellyn
has been leading 4-WD tours and teaching back-country driving
skills in the southwest for over seventeen years. The guide
is written in easy-to-understand English, and it's enhanced
by well-conceived drawings and diagrams.
Over the course of my driving
career, I have "jump-started" the batteries of scores
of stranded motorists in some very challenging locations.
On more than a few occasions I approached the final connection
(negative cable lead to negative battery terminal on the "dead"
battery) with a keen sense of trepidation. In one sentence,
this handbook shares a technique that I wish I had known twenty
years ago: connect the cable lead to a ground away from the
battery, thereby keeping any errant sparks from causing an
electrical fire. Another tip is to drive a flat tire up on
a rock to make sure a jack will fit under the vehicle. These
are only two of the dozens of common sense, immediately useful
techniques outlined in Lewellyn's manual.
Shifting into 4WD - The
SUV Owner's 4WD Handbook sets a new standard with its
well-organized and comprehensive index. Since handbooks are
by nature rarely read while seated comfortably in front of
a fireplace, it's fantastic when a book is designed to provide
the information you need when you're in a precarious spot.
Lewellyn's user-friendly index will actually help you get
home (or at least back to pavement) the next time you feel
an odd vibration in your rear tires after hitting a rock during
a stream crossing.
Anyone who has ever slipped
an SUV into 4-WD will recognize his own experiences in the
often humorous war stories the Silver Coyote shares in this
book-you won't want to miss his "dust management"
techniques and secrets for driving on washboard. I can't wait
to get back in my rig and try some of the tips on power management
and driving in tough conditions. The section on "How
it Works" was one of the best explanations I have ever
read about transmissions and limited-slip differentials. Llewellyn
also provides expedition-tested lists of items to bring on
off-highway adventures.
In addition to teaching techniques
and procedures for traveling safely off-highway, Lewellyn
presents an eloquent case for environmentally responsible
behavior and trail etiquette for all users of back-country
roads and trails. The only criticism I have of the book is
that there may be too many references to advanced techniques
to be found in the not-yet-published Volume 2. This complaint
should be remedied by late fall, when Volume 2 should be available.
I am really looking forward to reading it.
"Knowledge is power,"
and when you read this book, be sure to complete the lessons
tailored to your particular SUV. If you do, you'll be ready
to leave the pavement with confidence. With Shifting into
4WD riding shotgun, you'll know more than 90% of the folks
you may meet out there.
Mark
04/02
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