THE ULTIMATE 4X4 DRIVING GUIDE THE ULTIMATE 4X4 DRIVING GUIDE For more than 40 years, our never-satisfied approach to tire making has built our reputation as an off-road leader. After years of industry firsts, creating a desert racing dynasty and countless overlanding adventures, we’ve learned this: If you’re not pushing yourself to do it better, then there’s no point in doing it at all. THE ORIGINAL OFF-ROADER Whoever coined the phrase “those who can’t do, teach” clearly never met Mark A. Smith. A trailblazer, pioneer and all-around badass, Mark was affectionately known as the father of modern four-wheeling, and for good reason. DEDICATION his impact on As the founder of Jeep Jamboree, Mark the world’s most intense overlanding adventure. popularized the sport of recreational off-roading Competitors from around the world traversed the sport was in the western United States and turned the the entire island of Madagascar, the first ever bound by no Rubicon Trail from exotic foothill into one of north-to-south crossing of its kind. the most respected off-road trails in the world. border. Mark dedicated his life to learning and teaching But his impact on the sport was bound by no safe and practical off-road driving techniques to border. In search of the ultimate off-road conquest, all who would listen. Many of the techniques Mark led the Expedicion de las Americas, a depicted in this book were developed and 20,000-mile trek from the southernmost tip of continually shared by Mark himself. Sadly, South America near Tierra del Fuego to Prudhoe Mark passed in 2014, but his impact on the Bay, Alaska, above the Arctic Circle. This was the sport of off-roading will be felt forever. first nonmilitary expedition to cross the Darien Gap, an impossible landscape that took the only On behalf of BFGoodrich® Tires and the entire successful army detachment an excruciating off-roading community, we dedicate this book to 100 days to traverse. But in typical Mark fashion, the life’s work of off-roading legend Mark A. Smith. his team did it in only 30. His passion and leadership have paved the way for us all. While he could have retired right then and there, with nothing left to prove and a new Jeep tattoo on his rear, he helped scout and brief contestants at the 1987 Camel Trophy event, quite possibly 4 There was a time in the not-so-distant Until the late 1970s, the recreational light truck past when off-roading wasn’t accessible market ran solely on bias tires. For those who to many. While there have been aren’t tire nerds like us, driving on bias tires was basically the equivalent of driving on old tractor many advancements to vehicles and tires. Sure, they were tough, but also incredibly OUR STORY suspension systems over the years, stiff, prone to tire slip and designed to bulldoze BEGINS OFF-ROAD none have been more impactful than rather than grip. Since this design absorbed little those made to tires. Something we to no shock, you literally felt every bump along the at BFGoodrich® Tires hold near and way. Even a short off-road drive was taxing to both dear to our hearts. vehicle and driver. You could say the entire industry was stuck between a rock and a hard tire. Passionate off-road drivers of the time just accepted the tire torment as a necessary evil, but our engineers were determined to find a better way. 1980 1984 1977 1990 1991 1986 1976 DEBUT OF THE RADIAL BFGOODRICH® BAJA T/A® DEBUTS ® MUD-TERRAIN T/A BFGoodrich® Tires releases FIRST SCORE First radial light truck 35" RADIAL SCORE BAJA 500: their first tire designed ® BAJA 1000 1ST OVERALL WINNING performance mud tire BFGOODRICH specifically for off-road racing. FRANK VESSELS MUD-TERRAIN T/A® OVERALL WIN STREAK REACHES 11 DEBUT OF THE RADIAL in the world. RELEASED BFGOODRICH® SWEEPS BAJA 500 Mark McMillin and Robby Gordon takes ALL-TERRAIN T/A® AND 1000 (CLASS 8) FIRST SCORE BAJA 500 Becoming the tallest Ralph Paxton start OVERALL WIN home the checkered flag. 10TH CONSECUTIVE First radial light truck On the Radial light truck radial tire another winning streak. OVERALL BAJA 1000 ® Bob Gordon starts the performance tire in BFGoodrich in the world. VICTORY ® Baja 500 winning streak. the world. All-Terrain T/A. Larry Ragland takes home the trophy. 5 They began toying with the radical idea of So, we did the unthinkable. We entered our radial developing a radial tire that could withstand the all-terrain tires in the Baja 1000, the toughest HISTORY rigors of off-road driving while remaining suitable off-road endurance race in North America. And like for highway use. But if we were going to convince every great underdog story of the 20th century, we the world these tires were up to the task, we were shocked the world by not only surviving but going to have to prove it – because no one out winning. In that moment we created a category there was listening. that we still dominate today. To honor that triumph, many new BFGoodrich® the entire tire prototypes are tested at Baja, the place where industry was it all began. Our flagship tires in both the all-terrain and mud-terrain categories have special sidewall stuck between markings to designate their victorious runs in the a rock and a desert. And when it’s tough enough to win Baja, it’s tough enough for you. hard tire. 2018 2009 2014 2003 2005 2002 1999 BFGOODRICH® THE BFGOODRICH® THE BFGOODRICH® ® 20TH CONSECUTIVE TIRES DOMINATES BFGOODRICH AT KING OF ALL-TERRAIN T/A® MUD-TERRAIN T/A® KRAWLER™ T/A® KX BAJA 1000 VICTORY BFGOODRICH® 20TH OVERALL THE HAMMERS KO2 TIRE IS RELEASED KM3 TIRE IS RELEASED TIRE IS RELEASED Troy Herbst and Larry TIRES WINS THE BAJA 500 WIN The brand wins the Becoming our toughest Providing serious off-road DAKAR RALLY The ultimate in off-road Roeseler take the With Troy Herbst top 9 positions. all-terrain tire to date. enthusiasts with extreme traction and toughness. overall win. With John-Louis and Larry Roeseler. toughness and traction. Schlesser. 6 SAFETY CHECK Let’s make this clear. What you see Make no mistake, venturing off the pavement WEAR YOUR SEATBELT depicted in video games and movies isn’t an easy task. Even the simplest trail rides By this point in your life, you should know to is far from a normal trail ride. The require much knowledge and technique. There always wear your seatbelt, UNLESS you are are inherent risks to taking your vehicle off-road. crossing a river or stream. This is the only majority of off-roading happens in The more aware you are of those risks, the exception, ensuring that you can quickly low gears and relatively low speeds. safer you’ll be. evacuate the vehicle. See page 43 for more. A common phrase from the legendary Camel Trophy events perfectly sums Being prepared and staying safe will gain you KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS up how you should approach the trail: credibility within the recreational 4X4 community. Survey the land before driving, and adhere As slowly as possible, as fast as Being stupid won’t. Like your mother always said, to all environmental regulations. “Don’t be the person who ruins it for everyone.” See page 32 for more. necessary. Doing something dangerous or reckless for the sake of a few likes on social media has no place in this sport. Be courteous and respectful to all fellow drivers and the environment. 7 SAFETY NEVER STAND OR LET ANYONE THUMBS UP NO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL STAND IN YOUR VEHICLE Avoid steering with your thumbs inside the Keep it off the trail. Keep arms and legs inside the vehicle steering wheel. Obstacles may cause the steering at all times. wheel to spin out of your hands, and the spokes PROPERLY DISPOSE can injure or even break your thumbs. OF CIGARETTE BUTTS SOFT-TOP VEHICLES Beyond the fact that littering is completely uncool, MUST HAVE A ROLL BAR BE AWARE DURING RECOVERY cigarette butts can start a brush or forest fire. This is imperative for your safety in Stay clear of winches, tow straps or any recovery If you’re going to smoke, submerge the cigarette the event that your vehicle flips. equipment used on the trail. These may break in water for 3 seconds before disposing of it in a and can cause severe injury. proper receptacle. NEVER TRAVEL ALONE See page 50 for more. If you must go solo, let someone know where you’ll be. GEAR UP According to Jim Allen, author of the critically-acclaimed Front and rear towing points Portable air Tow strap compressor BEFORE Four-Wheeler’s Bible, there are basic vehicle supplies that should be packed before embarking on any Full-sized spare tire Duct tape Trusted tool kit Jumper cables YOU GO four-wheel adventure. More-capable-than-stock jack WD-40 Spare vehicle parts Bailing wire Basic first aid kit Zip ties 8 TIRE SELECTION TIRES ALL-TERRAIN vs. MUD-TERRAIN the tire s ability Choosing the right tire is a crucial part of ’ preparing your vehicle for off-road. Unless you to perform should are into racing or extreme rock crawling, you’ll always outweigh probably be looking at either an all-terrain or mud-terrain tire. Don’t be fooled into thinking its aesthetics. the tougher-looking mud-terrain tire is always the better option – the tire’s ability to perform should always outweigh its aesthetics.