5 Simple Methods to Recover your 4WD

Not less than often we see a 4WD bogged in the mud because the driver took the challenge to drive off-road – on unusual terrain.

A lot of times it cannot even go any farther and goes back following the track it has just made. Especially, when the 4WD is stuck in the mud, sand, or other such unfamiliar terrains, it becomes almost impossible to recover the 4WD.

Now, if you are one of those aspiring 4WD riders who are preparing to go off-road anytime sooner, you might need to go through this article. Here, we have cited 5 simple methods to recover your 4WD:

1. Lower your tyre pressure, it is your key to move forward

If you’ve ever seen a 4WD stuck on the road, the other thing you are most likely to see is the driver getting out of the car to lower the tyre pressure. That’s perhaps the first and often the best method to recover your 4WD. Wondering how this trick works?

Well, when you drop the tyre pressure, the contact patch becomes longer, which helps in traction and smoothens the otherwise rough ride.

The only catch here is that you need to be sure to not lower the pressure too much. It involves the risk of the tyre damaging itself when driving at speed. Also, the tyre may unseat itself from the wheel if the pressure is decreased excessively.

2. Spin your wheels – it is pretty simple

In most cases, moving the wheels excessively can win you the match! It is the first thing your instincts guide you to do when your 4×4 gets bogged.

No doubt, your instincts work properly fine when you encounter this issue. When you spin your wheels imprudently, the tyres often achieve the desired grip and momentum, making you ready to go.

3. Steer your way through

Steering back and forth continuously is yet another instance of how good our instincts work! When driving in soft terrain like mud or sand, the 4WD often gets bogged owing to the lack of grip.

However, when you steer back and forth without a halt, you are actually allowing the slick mud to drip down your tyres. Besides, this technique also helps in digging into either side of the track that you are driving on.

Not to mention, once you’ve found your way back on the rut, you achieve the much-sought grip to successfully move forward.

4. Don’t stop – drive back and forth

Driving back and forth is a good 4WD recovery method. If your 4WD gets stuck in the mud, not making any movement is not an option. You have to keep driving back and forth in order to allow the mud or the sand stuck in the tyres to fall off.

While most of the time it takes a lot of hard work and physical strength, there is absolutely no doubt that it works. When the mud or the sand slips down the tyres, you are able to get the desired grip and move ahead.

5. Find yourself some grip

One of the most common reasons why your 4WD gets stuck in slippery terrains is because your tyres don’t get enough grip to move forward. This reason is cited by most of the drivers who have been in such a situation.

The best way to recover your 4WD is to get the necessary amount of grip to get going. How can you do that? Track building is your answer. The easiest way to do so is by packing huge rocks where you want your wheels to run. If you’re stuck in mud or sand – sticks, rocks, or probably anything solid is your best friend. Jam these under your tyres and you’re good to go.

Over to you…

Recovering a 4WD is a tedious task that requires technical know-how. In this article, we provided you with 5 simple methods to recover your 4WD stuck in terrain.

Although there are other methods of recovering 4WD, the methods which require no additional tool or technical expertise are cited here. You might want to bookmark these methods, for the next time you go for a trip on your 4WD.