Offroading - Glossary & Terms

A few generic terms used in off roading which have been compiled / collated for everyone’s benefit.

Off Roading – An Adventure Sport in which specialized vehicles are driven over unpaved surfaces.

Off Roader – A Specialized vehicle with 2 speed transfer case & part / full time 4x4, extra ground clearance, sturdy tires, lockable / limited slip differentials etc.

4x4 / 4WD – A mechanism which allows all the 4 wheels of the vehicle to receive torque from the engine simultaneously.

Ground Clearance / Ride Height – The measurement from the ground to the lowest point on the underside of the vehicle. This amount would represent the clearance the vehicle has without scraping the underside of the vehicle.

Angle of Approach - The angle measured by drawing a straight line from the front of the front tire to the bottom of the front bumper. It represents the angle of inclination that a vehicle can tackle while climbing a slope without hitting or scraping the front bumper.

Angle of Departure - The angle measured by drawing a straight line from the back of the rear tire to the bottom of the rear bumper. It represents the angle of declination that a vehicle can tackle while descending a slope without scraping the rear bumper.

Wheelbase - The distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.

Ramp Over Angle - The ramp over angle is the largest peak / inverted “V” that a vehicle can drive over without touching the underbody. A short wheelbase vehicle invariably has a better ramp over angle than a long wheelbase vehicle. The larger the angle the steeper peak the vehicle can travel over.

Transfer Case - Part of a four wheel drive system found in four wheel drive and all wheel drive vehicles. The transfer case is connected to the transmission and also to the front and rear axles by means of driveshafts. The transfer case receives power from the transmission and sends it to both the front and rear axles. It may contain one or more sets of "low range gears". Low range gears are engaged with a shifter or electronic switch. On many transfer cases this shifter is the same as the one that selects 2WD or 4WD operation. Low range gears slow down the vehicle and increase the torque available at the axles. Low-range gears are used during slow-speed or extreme off road maneuvers.

 More to come………