SAND, SNOW AND MUD
Deflate your tires a bit to increase your tire footprint for better traction.
Use steady momentum all the way through.
In sand and snow, if your wheels start to spin, ease off the gas a little to let the tires slow down and regain traction. In mud, maintain some wheel spin to help clear mud from the drive tires.
ROCKS, LOGS AND DITCHES
Approach obstacles at an angle, so that only one tire engages, leaving the other three tires on solid ground for traction.
To protect the fragile components on the underside of your vehicle, it’s best to drive over an obstacle by placing one tire on it, then gently driving over it.
Hills
Approach the hill straight on, so the weight is distributed equally, providing equal traction to all four tires.
Use as high a gear as the vehicle will handle comfortably on the hill. If the gear is too low, you will spin the tires. If it’s too high, you won’t have enough power.
Always prepare for a failed climb and have an escape plan.
Related pages
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ROAD TRIPS
Luggage is packed. Gas tank’s full. GPS is set. Sunglasses and seatbelt are on. You’re ready to roll, right? Wrong. You still need to check your tires. After all, they’re the only thing between you and the open road. Just follow this simple checklist and you’ll know your tires are fully prepped for your road trip:View more -
WET DRIVING
There’s a trick to driving in wet conditions. You ready? Here it is. SLOW DOWN. Seriously, if more drivers would heed this advice in the rain, accidents would dramatically decrease. Wet weather doesn’t get the same attention as snow and ice, but it should. Wet roads present similar dangers—like less grip and longer stopping distance.View more -
WINTER DRIVING
You don’t have to live at the North Pole to benefit from winter tires. If you frequently encounter snow or ice, or if the temperature is consistently below freezing, well, you may want to think about moving. However, if you like that kind of weather, your tires are going to need the extra grip and turning capabilities that only winter tires can deliver. Even if you have 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, you still need winter tires on the front and back to combat the elements and stay safe.View more -
GAS MILEAGE AND TIRES
Some tires grip better. Some last longer. But did you know some tires are actually designed to give you better gas mileage? Now, there’s a bonus. The most important gas mileage features in a tire are:View more