LEVERAGE IS the cornerstone of everything we do off-road. We fit larger tyres to provide a mechanical advantage in the rocks and ruts. Dropping tyre pressures also gives us a mechanical advantage in soft sand and mud, by spreading the same weight over a larger area. Even selecting low-range is making use of mechanical advantage, as we’re halving the speed but giving the motor double the time to do the same job. Think of it like taking two swings of the hammer to drive in a tent peg, rather than one. That’s the basics of mechanical advantage, and it’s why we’re always in pursuit of lower gearing, bigger tyres and slower winches.
It should be clear by now how important mechanical advantage is in a 4x4, but what mightn’t yet be…
You're reading a preview of
4x4 Magazine Australia (Digital) - 1 Issue, June 2016