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Off Roading is a term for driving a specialized vehicle on unpaved roads, such as Sand , Gravel , riverbeds, Mud , Snow , Rocks and other natural terrain. OFF-ROAD VEHICLE These terrains can sometimes only be traveled by vehicles designed specifically for off-road driving (such as heavy-duty Truck s and Equipment , SUV s, ATVs , Snowmobile s, Motorcycles , Mountain Bicycle s) or vehicles that have extra ground clearance, sturdy tires, and in some cases, front and rear Locking Differential . Examples of vehicle manufacturers notable for producing types of Off-road Vehicle (ORV) include AM General , Land Rover , Jeep and Toyota , although most vehicle manufacturers have some sort of off-road vehicle in their current range. These are usually rather expensive cars, but there are exceptions, like the Citroën 2CV , which is actually a budget car (for farmers). Truck s are often fitted with these extras by default. Furthermore, the Military usually design their vehicles with off-roading in mind, such as a Jeep or HMMWV . DIFFERENT USES OF THE TERM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD In some parts of the world, especially in Africa , off-roading is the normal form of transport. In tropical countries, unpaved roads can attain 'off-road' aspects during the rainy season, when extra Gear s and Four Wheel Drive can become desirable or even necessary. In Western countries the term is frequently used usually more specifically for recreational pursuits. TYPES OF RECREATIONAL OFF-ROADING Recreational off-roading is popular among a sub-section of the owners of Four Wheel Drive or All-terrain Vehicles . There are numerous categories of off roading, with something suitable for all levels of experience and equipment. Some of the major categories of recreational off-roading are listed below. Dune bashing See Also: Dune bashing Dune bashing involves driving over sand dunes, frequently associated with tourism in the Middle-East. There are also many state parks in the United States that allow ORV's to drive on them, including the Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Michigan and the Glamis Sand Dunes in California . "Greenlaning" Greenlaning or "Two-tracking" is one of the least 'extreme' categories. It is generally suitable for any four wheel drive vehicle, even with factory Tire s and equipment. The term greenlane refers to the fact that the routes are predominantly along unpaved tracks, forest tracks, or older roadways that may have fallen into disuse. For a lot of greenlaners, the main emphasis is on enjoying the countryside, and accessing areas that may be seldom traveled by motor vehicles, rather than exploring the performance envelope of their vehicle. Mudding ( or Mud Bogging ) Mudding involves finding a large area of wet mud or clay and attempting to drive as far through it as possible without becoming stuck. Usually, the stock tires supplied with four by four vehicles are completely inadequate for this type of off roading, and Mud-terrain Tyre s are required. Strongly attached recovery points are also recommended to enable the vehicle to be towed out when it becomes bogged down. Next to Traction , Momentum is a big factor in success. This activity has a competitive form known as Mud Bogging . Rock Crawling See Also: Rock crawling Rock Crawling is a highly technical category of off roading. Vehicles are typically modified with larger than stock Tires , suspension components that allow greater axle Articulation , and changes in the Differential (mechanics) gear ratio in order to provide the ideal high Torque /low speed operation for rock crawling to traverse obstacles. It is quite common for a rock crawler to have a ''spotter'' - an assistant who will go on foot alongside or in front of the vehicle to provide information to the driver on obstacles or areas of terrain that the driver may be unable to see. Rock Racing Rock Racing is very similar to Rock crawling in the fact that the vehicles are driven over rocks, the difference is that there are no penalties for hitting cones, backing up or winching as is done in rock crawling. Formula Off Road Formula Off Road is a high power and octane version of off-road competition. Vehicles are highly modified or specially built using sand drag Tires , suspension components that allow jumps and rough handling and long axle Articulation . Tuned 8 cylinder engines with nitro-injection systems and a secure roll cage for the driver. High Torque /high speed operation is needed for Formula Off Road tracks. Formula Off Road originated in Iceland and has since spread to the other Nordic countries. Trials Trials are probably the safest form of motorsport. All progress is made at low speed, and the emphasis is on skill rather than finishing first. However, trialling can be highly competitive. Trials take many forms, but the most common in the UK is the club trial. An area of land (often farmland or woodland - with permission - or a disused quarry) is set out with pairs of garden canes. Each pair of canes is placed just wide enough to get a standard vehicle (usually a Land Rover) through without touching. Ten pairs of these canes are set out, and the competitors drive through them one at a time. The person setting out the course will normally attempt to make driving between and through the gates very difficult, by including side-slopes, steep hills, water and mud holes, rocks and strategically-placed trees in the course. The object is to drive through the canes without touching them, or allowing the vehicle to stop. Ten gates make a "section", and a day's sport might include six or seven sections, driven by between five and fifteen vehicles. The object, obviously, is to end the day with as few points as possible. Vehicles vary from standard road-going 4x4s to wild and highly modified vehicles which can seemingly go anywhere. Driver skill is at a premium, as old Series Land Rovers can often be seen beating modified and specialised vehicles costing thousands of pounds. Winch Events Winch events often involve attempting to access areas that would be impassable without the use of a Winch - this can include traversing deep gullies, steep slopes and so on. Most off road vehicles that have been prepared for this type of event will typically have two winches, one at the front and one at the rear of the vehicle, each with a rated pull of over 9,000 lb. OFF-ROADING EVENTS In some countries, off-road activities are strictly regulated, while others promote cross country Off-road Endurance Events like the Dakar Rally and Baja 500 & 1000 that are considered a test of navigation skills and machine durability. Off Road Park s also host a number of events as it might be the only legal place to off-road in the area. Some different events include Jamborees, Rock Crawling competitions, Mud Bog races, Top Truck Challenges, Sand racing as well as many other events. OFF-ROADING ORGANIZATIONS See Also: List of off-roading organizations Due to the extreme criticism of the sport of off-roading, many organizations and associations have been formed to show a united front in the battle to keep public lands open to off-roaders. Some organizations such as the Blue Ribbon Coalition and Tread Lightly! are not off road clubs at all and are solely set up to fight land closures and to promote environmentally friending off-roading. VEHICLE MODIFICATION While many off-road vehicles can greenland or "two track" most unpaved roads. The desire of many off-roading enthusiasts is to attempt much more challenging terrain. The following listings show the modifications that are done and why: Vehicle lifts A vehicle lift is when the normal height of a vehicle is lifted to increase the amount of clearance between the ground and the bottom of the body or frame of the vehicle. There are numerous types of vehicle lifts: Body lift: A simple and cheap way to lift a vehicle that has a body on frame design such as a Pickup Truck or some SUV s. A body lift consists of larger spacers that replace the normal mounting points of the vehicle's body on its frame. These typically are between 1 - 4 inches. Any more than four inches will create a less sturdy set up. Body lifts are not possible on vehicles with a "Uni-body" construction. Uni-body vehicles have the frame formed into the body, such as on a Jeep Cherokee . Suspension lift: A Suspension Lift is when modifications are done to the vehicle's springs, shocks, controlling arms and steering linkage. In this case small or short pieces of the suspension are replaced with longer or larger items of similar construction. Lifting a vehicle changes its driving dynamics and a suspension lift adds to the vehicle's handling capabilities in relation to the increased height (see lifting concerns below). Some examples of this are:
Large tires A quick and easy way to gain ground clearance is to increase the size of the tires on a vehicle. One advantage over body and suspension lifts is that larger tires will improve ground clearance under all parts of the vehicle, including the axles and differentials - typically the next lowest points after the tires. While some vehicles can have larger tires added without a lift kit, such as a Ford F-250/F-350 pick-up truck (they can usually take 33 inch tires before lifting is required), most will require a lift kit in addition to larger tires, and in some cases bodywork modification (cut back wheel arches) may also be necessary. Many off-roaders will combine different aspects of each of these vehicle lifting techniques, with the more experienced combining all of these items for a vehicle that could be lifted over 12 inches from its normal ride height Traction control One of the main aspects of off-roading is to be able to keep traction on different obstacles. This can be done with more aggressive tread on tires as well as with help from traction control devices in drivetrain. Some traction control devices used are:
DANGERS OF VEHICLE LIFTING While lifting a vehicle to gain ground clearance is helpful to off-roaders it can also make a vehicle dangerous because when a vehicle has been lifted its Center Of Gravity rises making the vehicle more likely to tip over in certain situations. Other dangers are loss of visibility of smaller objects and bumper height as compared to other vehicles on the road. In the United States bumper and frame height laws are in effect in most states to make sure that the vehicles on the road are not too much higher than their car counterparts. OFF-ROADING IN POPULAR CULTURE Music
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CRITICISM OF ORV USE Environmental impact Off-road vehicle use on and The Wilderness Society {Link without Title} {Link without Title} . The U.S. government and other organizations have noted several consequences of illegal ORV use such as Pollution , Trail damage, Erosion and Land Degradation , which can leave hiking trails impassable {Link without Title} . Legal OHV use taking place under planned access along with the multiple environment and trail conservation efforts by ORV and non ORV groups is a solid step in avoiding these issues. According to the U.S. Forest Service , the use of the Two-stroke Engine (common in vehicles designed specifically for off-road use) also causes concerns about Pollution and Contamination , because "two-stroke engines engines emit about 20 to 33 percent of the consumed fuel through the exhaust" and "discharge from two-stroke snowmobile engines can lead to indirect pollutant deposition into the top layer of snow and subsequently into the associated surface and ground water." {Link without Title} . , California State University , University Of Florida , and others, have cited negative behavioral changes in wildlife as the result of some ORV use {Link without Title} . Some U.S. states have laws to reduce noise pollution generated by off-road and non-highway vehicles. Washington State is one example: "State law requires off-road and other non-highway vehicles to use specified noise-muffling devices (RCW 46.09.120(1) (e) maximum limits and test procedures). State agencies and local governments may adopt regulations governing the operation of non-highway vehicles on property, streets, or highways within their jurisdiction, provided they are not less stringent than state law (RCW 46.09.180 regulation by local political subdivisions)" {Link without Title} . Roadless area conservation Many U.S. National Parks have discussed or enacted Roadless Rule s and partial or total bans on ORVs. To accommodate enthusiasts, some parks like Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida , were created specifically for ORVs and related purposes. However, such designations have not prevented damage or abuse of the policy [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Geological_Survey . Public statements In 2004 , several environmental organizations sent a letter to Dale Bosworth , Chief of the United States Forest Service , and described the extent of damage caused by ORV use, including health threats to other people: It is well-established that the proliferation of off-road vehicle and snowmobile use places soil, vegetation, air and water quality, and wildlife at risk through pollution, erosion, sedimentation of streams, habitat fragmentation and disturbance, and other adverse impacts to resources. These impacts cause severe and lasting damage to the natural environment on which human-powered and equestrian recreation depends and alter the remote and wild character of the backcountry. Motorized recreation monopolizes forest areas by denying other users the quiet, pristine, backcountry experience they seek. It also presents safety and health threats to other recreationists {Link without Title} . In 2004, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia listed several problems that result from ORV use in natural areas. From the Environmental News Service article: "Scalia noted that off-road vehicle use on federal land has 'negative environmental consequences including soil disruption and compaction, harassment of animals, and annoyance of wilderness lovers.'" {Link without Title} SEE ALSO |
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