4-Wheel Freedom : The Art Of Off-Road Driving

Rating:
Summary: Stating the obvious that isn't so obvious to the user
Review: Dr. De Long has made the perfect book for those of us who have to learn things the hard way, on our own. With 4-Wheel Freedom we are taken step by step not only through the basics, but through some advanced techniques as well. His advice is good no matter where you live or what rig you own. Read once for pleasure and then give it a careful second going over, extracting the nuggets of wisdom that only come to us after making lots of mistakes and asking lots of questions to so-called "experts" who don't always know what they are talking about.Don't let my beginner's gratefullness fool you, I have friends who know a lot about 4x4 and have had to take back their initial comments about the book. One piece of advice has saved me wear and tear on my rig and an expensive repair job. I hope the author writes more on the subject.

Rating:
Summary: Simplistic, but then it's meant for beginners
Review: I expected something different, so I don't blame the author, who has written a nice little treatise on 4 wheel driving for beginners. Absolute beginners. This book is a response to the recent popularity of SUV's, and to the fact that many folks have not a clue about what 4 wheel drive is or how to use it. It starts off at ground zero with the heartwarming little tale of a corporate lawyer and his management/executive wife buying their first SUV (awww...) and then taking it out for progressively friskier adventures until they get to really test themselves. Made me want to throw up, but then it's just not my style. If this is your style, if you honestly don't know which wheels get the power when one is stuck, if you have never used a high-lift jack, if you think a Land Rover is the functional equivalent of a Honda CR-V, then this is the book for you. The nutty title should have tipped me off, but I had my guard down and it slipped past me. It's foolish to think you can learn this stuff from a book, anyway...that right there is the BIG fallacy. Get out, get muddy and bust your knuckles and write your own book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I learned a lot from this book, especially about driving in inclement weather. I was impressed with the easy tricks that I can use to get through common problems while driving in 4-wheel drive.

Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful
Review: I like this book and I think it is worth the money. I learned a lot from it, and really enjoyed the stories that are spread throughout the book. It mainly covers Sport Utility vehicles, but I recommend it for anyone with a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

Rating:
Summary: Choosing, using SUVs & pickups.All-weather & off-road.
Review: I was looking for a good current book on off-road recreation and all-weather driving. I discovered there wasn't one. This was the birth of "4-Wheel Freedom: The Art of Off-Road Driving." I saw a real need for a book like this, especially considering that 4x4s accounted for about 40% of new vehicle sales last year. People buy 4x4s for the feeling of freedom they get from owning one, but how do they learn to use it to its full potential? That's real freedom! This book not only gets the new 4by owner off the highway safely and ecologically - it also teaches even the most experienced 'wheelers new ways of looking at off-road driving. The chapter about driving on snow and ice can benefit any driver, 4WD, 2WD, or AWD. I had a lot of fun writing "4-Wheel Freedom," and I'm proud of this book. It's getting great reviews: "With 14 chapers and four appendices, it is the most modern, up-to-date, comprehensive book available." Harry Lewellyn, "The Professor of Off-Road," Ecological 4-Wheeling Adventures Newsletter. "Brad DeLong has hit a home run with this book. '4-Wheel Freedom: The Art of Off-Road Driving" leads the reader step by step through all aspects of off-road travel, with a wealth of pertinent information for beginners and seasoned off-road adventurers alike." Mark Cox, Director, The Bridgestone Winter Driving School, Steamboat Springs. "...an excellent job of simplifying complicated topics. The book has all the information anyone would ever need or want to know about utility vehicles. An excellent book!" Anthony J. Scotti, President, Scotti School of Executive Protection and Evasive Driving. "I grew up in 4-wheel drive country and have driven and sold 4x4s for over 20 years...Brad's book introduced me to many aspects of 4-wheeling I had never even heard of. The book is easy to read and understand and there is something for everyone, whether you are a beginner or have been around 4x4s all your all your life." Keith Hanson, Owner, Hanson Garage - "Dependable Service since 1917" - Jeep, Eagle, Chryser Dealer for the Inland Northwest. I hope you enjoy reading and using this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Brad DeLong

Rating:
Summary: A good book for the ladies
Review: If you just bought someting like a Ford Explorer, this might be good for you. This is a basic, basic treatment of the subject. The subject has been covered much better in other books that are now out of print. If I had seen this book in a store, I would not have bought it.

Rating:
Summary: This is a very informative book.
Review: It goes from the very basic concepts of 4 wheel drive vehicles, to the more advanced techniques and tips for safe driving on and off road. Also discussed are safe vehicle recovery techniques and gear required to snatch your or a buddies rig out of trouble. A great book for this first time buyer of a 4x4 rig. I am much more knowledgable for having read it. I imagine that it will save me and or my truck if I must recover a stuck vehicle.

Rating:
Summary: New rave reviews of the book.
Review: More of the top 4-wheel drive experts in the country have checked in and are callings 4-Wheel Freedom the best new book on the topic to come out in years. Bill Burke of 4-Wheeling America says, "4-Wheel Freedom is a well-thought out and researched book that is highly readable. Brad's personal stories are thoroughly enjoyable! There are lots of hints and tricks that Brad passes on to help the reader become more self-reliant while using his or her vehicle. I am recommending this book to my students." Del Albright of the Blue Ribbon Coalition writes, "If there ever was a handbook or a 'bible' for off road/four-wheel drive enthusiasts, 4-Wheel Freedom is it. A must reference for everyone who enjoys four wheelin'."

Rating:
Summary: Where was this book when I REALLY needed it?
Review: Once upon a time (and for several years) I spent many less-than-happy hours (and sometimes days) slogging from one mud puddle to another in a Land Rover in Tanzania. We didn't have winches or high-lift jacks. I also didn't have the benefit of the expertise Brad's book provides. After swearing off off-roading in general and Land Rovers in particular, I find myself drawn once again to the places you just can't usually get to from here. 4-Wheel Freedom has done more than refresh my memory; it has saved me from my own ignorance and folly as I attempt to outfit and use my "new" 6X6 Pinzgauer. The book is extremely readable, is sensitive to environmental issues, and thorougly enjoyable. I also find it interesting that a neurosurgical spinal surgeon would find such joy in bone-crunching off-roading...

Rating:
Summary: Where was this book when I REALLY needed it?
Review: Once upon a time (and for several years) I spent many less-than-happy hours (and sometimes days) slogging from one mud puddle to another in a Land Rover in Tanzania. We didn't have winches or high-lift jacks. I also didn't have the benefit of the expertise Brad's book provides. After swearing off off-roading in general and Land Rovers in particular, I find myself drawn once again to the places you just can't usually get to from here. 4-Wheel Freedom has done more than refresh my memory; it has saved me from my own ignorance and folly as I attempt to outfit and use my "new" 6X6 Pinzgauer. The book is extremely readable, is sensitive to environmental issues, and thorougly enjoyable. I also find it interesting that a neurosurgical spinal surgeon would find such joy in bone-crunching off-roading...