The First Of Two Parts On The Ins And Outs Of Owning A 4x4. By Kevin Franklin LET ME BEGIN this story on four-wheel-drive trucks by saying most folks don't really need one. If you're willing to hike an extra mile or two and not go out when the roads are soggy, a high-clearance, two-wheel drive vehicle can take you to 95 percent of the places I write about in this column. If that vehicle is a truck with decent-sized tires and low gearing, I'd boost that figure by a couple percentage points. Two-wheel drives are less expensive to buy, get better gas mileage and are cheaper and easier to maintain. Nevertheless, they'll have to pry my cold, dead fingers from the steering wheel before I give up driving 4x4s. On the face of things, it may seem a dubious effort to invest all this time, energy and money into gaining those last few percentage points. But we're talking about real places; like the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, where a 4x4 is legally required, or the vast stretches along the Sea of Cortez, where the beach and the road are one and the same. I want to continue visiting those places and I want them to stay "unimproved," remote and difficult to get to. I want them limited to only the folks willing to make a big commitment to get there. The same philosophy applies to wilderness where the only way in is by foot, like most of the Cabeza; and I think that kind of setting defends our wild areas far better than a platoon of land managers ever could. So I concluded I needed a 4x4. Maybe you have too. If so, here's an abbreviated run-down of what to look for in a good one. First things first. An off-highway vehicle (OHV) does not mean off-road. I've always hated the term off-road; it implies that driving a motor vehicle through vegetation, land formations and even wildlife is somehow acceptable. An old mine road is one thing; a pristine meadow, on the other hand, should never be raped by BF Goodrich. Once you have your environmental credo in order, you have a major choice to make: old or new? New trucks have a lot of advantages. The big one is that you spend less time thinking about the truck, and more time enjoying your trip. If money is no object and you have a general distaste or inability to turn a wrench, a mint condition 4x4 may be the critter for you. On the other hand, older vehicles are cheaper, easier to work on and, when you receive that inevitable dent or scratch, it's easier to accept. Having seen a number of new trucks crap out, and being something of a gear head, my heart lies with old, ugly trucks. In either case, the following advice applies: Let's start from the bottom up, beginning with the great chest inflater/penis extender of all 4x4 equipment--tires. If you do decide to increase tire size, determine where you drive and what will work best on your vehicle. A CJ-7 has a short wheel base, meaning its front and rear tires are close together. It can get away with modest tires and still scramble over rough terrain. Saddling these smaller four- or six-cylinder engines with monster truck tires can kill their performance, so don't. On the other hand, a Ford F-350 crew cab with an extra long bed is 23 feet long and requires very large tires to get over a modest hill, or it will ground itself like a beached whale. Just keep in mind the taller the tire, the higher your center of gravity and the more your truck becomes prone to rolling. The type of tire is at least as important as its size. A tire with lots of burly lugs close together might work wonders defending itself from rocks while gaining good traction, but that same tire in cold country might clog up with snow. Pick a tire for your usual terrain and driving. Be sure to get the road hazard warranty--it's saved me hundreds of dollars. Before slapping on those new tires, be warned that all the driveline systems work synchronically. By increasing your tire size, you directly affect the truck's gearing. Having giant tires with tall gearing is the same as trying to start a bicycle in 18th gear. You have no power until you're doing 25 m.p.h. or more. Since in most places you need four-wheel drive you only want to go 5 m.p.h., you will have effectively rendered your truck useless. Before changing the tire size, find out what kind of transmission and differential gearing you have. Then ask a reputable tire dealer what an appropriate size might be. If you want to go larger, you're going to have to modify some portion of the driveline and acquire some lower gearing. I'll have more on this subject next week.

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