You should either know the terrain or
examine maps of the area before driving.
Map out your route before driving in the
area. To maintain steering and braking
control of your vehicle, you must have all
four wheels on the ground and they must
be rolling, not sliding or spinning.
Driving Off-Road With Truck and
Utility Vehicles
Note:
On some models, the initial shift from
two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive while
your vehicle is moving can cause some
momentary clunk and ratcheting sounds.
This is the front drivetrain coming up to
speed and the automatic locking hubs
engaging and is not cause for concern.
Note: Your vehicle may have a front air
dam. Due to low ground clearance, you can
damage it when taking your vehicle off-road.
You can take the air dam off by removing
the bolts that secure it.
Note: Your vehicle may have an underbody
transmission shield and brackets. Due to
low ground clearance, you can damage
them when taking your vehicle off-road.
Remove the shield by disengaging the
fasteners at each corner of the shield. Then,
remove the shield's rear brackets by
removing the bracket to frame bolts.
Four-wheel drive vehicles are specially
equipped for driving on sand, snow, mud
and rough terrain and have operating
characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional vehicles, both
on and off the road. The transfer case supplies power to all four
wheels. On four-wheel drive vehicles, the
transfer case allows you to select different
4WD modes when necessary. You can find
information on transfer case operation and
shifting procedures in this chapter. You can
find information on transfer case
maintenance in the Maintenance chapter.
You should become thoroughly familiar
with this information before you operate
your vehicle.
Four-wheel drive (when you select a 4WD
mode) uses all four wheels to power your
vehicle. This increases traction, enabling
you to drive over terrain and road
conditions that a conventional two-wheel
drive vehicle cannot.
Basic Operating Principles
•
Drive slower in strong crosswinds which
can affect the normal steering
characteristics of your vehicle.
• When driving your vehicle on surfaces
made slippery by loose sand, water,
gravel, snow or ice proceed with care.
• Do not use 4H or 4L on dry, hard
surfaced roads. Doing so can produce
excessive noise, increase tire wear and
may damage drive components. 4H or
4L modes are only for consistently
slippery or loose surfaces.
If Your Vehicle leaves the Road
If your vehicle leaves the road, reduce your
vehicle speed and avoid severe braking.
When your vehicle speed decreases, ease
your vehicle back onto the road. Do not
turn the steering wheel sharply while
returning your vehicle to the road.
It may be safer to stay on the shoulder of
the road and slow down gradually before
returning to the road. You may lose control
if you do not slow down or if you turn the
steering wheel too sharply or abruptly.
217
F-150 (TFC) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201709, Fifth-Printing Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
