Shifting into 4WD: The SUV Owner's 4WD Handbook [Paperback]

Harry Lewellyn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2002

This handbook is designed to be a constant trailside companion regardless of your experience level. It presents field-tested, experience-based methods and techniques for using your 4WD SUV, truck or Jeep off highway. With safety in mind, and Mother Nature never forgotten, SHIFTING INTO 4WD covers how 4WD works, driving different terrain, making field repairs and getting unstuck. It offers numerous lists and, with an incredible index that conforms to your style of thinking, it steers you to the exact concept you're looking for. And if all else fails, it offers basic survival hints that will help you enjoy waiting for help to arrive.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...it's definitely a Handbook...you will find at least one great tip that you haven't tried before. -- Jim Walczak, About, Inc., 4-Wheel Drive/SUVs, February 28, 2002

From basics to advanced, this 4WD handbook provides a witty, informative look at leaving the pavement for a backcountry experience. -- Rick Russell, Sidekick Off Road, December 2001

This book contains all the basic things you really should know before going four wheeling, and then some. -- Jimmy Nylund, FOUR WHEELER magazine, December 2001

From the Publisher

Harry Lewellyn, dubbed by the 4WD industry as the "Professor of Off-Road," is a quantitative, analytical engineer by training and a teacher to the core. He thoroughly investigates before presenting only fact-based information and strives to share his 4WD experience. Better known as the "Silver Coyote," Harry uses his canine cunning to separate fact from fiction and exposes untested hype and myths. He dispels what he calls, "Old Husbands' Tales:" Old regime techniques and methods that are potentially damaging to modern SUVs.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 342 pages
• Publisher: Glovebox Pubns (January 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0944781020
• ISBN-13: 978-0944781029
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,142,374 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Missing Large Sections, December 11, 2002

By 

Webwench "The Lazywench" (Florida) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shifting into 4WD: The SUV Owner's 4WD Handbook (Paperback)

The book says it's for beginner to advanced, but I felt it was more beginner to intermediate. He does not cover using a winch at all, just tow hooks and straps/chains- sort of. If I got stuck in the back country and this book was the only reference I had, I might stay stuck. The author expects me to shell out an additional twenty-five dollars for Volume II which contains the recovery section along with more advanced techniques. I felt like an someone was telling me the first half of a set of directions. That's not helpful if the directions run out long before the job is done.

The book contains some tips that an advanced 4wheeler might use, but perhaps not enough of them to justify the cost of Volume I for an advanced user. Beginners might also become frustrated at the lack of sketches of some pieces of equipment that are listed as necessary. I got bogged down with the chatty, disordered style of information sharing. I had to take notes to sort out the decision trees, because I couldn't track them otherwise.

If you want a good description with lots of clear diagrams on how differentials and transfer cases work, this is a good book. If you want excellent information on airing down your tires for improved traction, this is the book to get. Other references quote this author on tire pressure.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good Information, April 20, 2002

By 

Ronald Fuest "ronaldwf" (Newtown, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shifting into 4WD: The SUV Owner's 4WD Handbook (Paperback)

This book contains a lot of good commonsense information for the new or experienced 4X4'er. The author covers many aspects of driving off-road in all kinds of terrain. There's also advice on emergency repairs and getting "unstuck."
However, once you start reading through the book,the author keeps referring to a mysterious "Volume 2" of this work for more detailed information. Volume 2 seems to be available only directly from the publisher for another $[money].
This seemed to be an unfair catch to an otherwise excellent book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Lots of pitfalls here, June 11, 2007

By 

E. Kroeger (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shifting into 4WD: The SUV Owner's 4WD Handbook (Paperback)

This is written by a colorful guy, who seems to have a lot of experience. It makes a good entertaining read, but the reality is that it comes up short with technical info. Probably the best part of the book is that there are good, if not excessive, equipment lists provided. These lists make me wonder how I ever got home with the junk I used to bring (some pliers, a flashlight, a can of beanieweenies...). The down sides, though, are numerous: There's a lot of ink wasted in the telling of stories where the lessons are fairly obvious. Much of the recommendations are based on personal experience, rather than actual data. The author's experience is restricted to Southern California and Mexico (hot, dry, sandy stuff). Other environments/terrain are glossed over so badly that they're useless (his treatment of snow, for example). The most dissapointing thing is that in an effort to cut down on the length, they decided to create "Volume II" which was never published. It leaves the reader feeling ripped off, because the more difficult and technical topics were moved there (e.g. winching). The book is entertaining to read, and I did learn a few things, but overall it's very basic. It's written for folks who bought an SUV, but have never been anywhere an ambitious driver couldn't go in a honda civic. If you don't understand what kind of differential your car has, this book's for you. If you think a winch might be in your future, then move along.