Conversation turns to Smores and Hot Cider, the campfire gets bigger, temps continue to drop and the snow piles up. Throw another log on the fire; this is the perfect time to begin our discussion about whether to run snow chains.

All snow might look alike but snow comes in many forms: wet and slushy, dry and powdery, deep, shallow, crystalline, large flakes, small pop-corn and all in between. Don’t let folks fool you into thinking there is only one way to drive in snow (actually there is – carefully – but that is a given).

Text and photos by Bill Burke

The red Moab dust blew into my eyes as I squinted to get a clear look at the worn U-joint on my Defender 90’s driveshaft. Changing a U-joint in the wind and sand will be a hassle, but that’s nothing compared to repairing it once it’s failed. I pulled into a less windblown wash and dug out my tools. I chocked the tires, unlocked the center diff and shifted into neutral in both gear boxes. Rummaging through the wrenches I wondered why I have to change this particular U-joint so often.

By Bill Burke
Getting stuck might be entertaining at a local rally, but it’s a serious problem when out in remote areas, alone. Last issue I reviewed the technical issues of winches. This time, I want you to join me at a training session on the recovery process. And because, knowledge is power, I’ve included some new vocabulary at the end of the column.

Recently in Arizona, I trained a company’s drivers on winch safety. We had a Ford F450 stuck in a sandy wash with about half the tire depth in the soft sand spinning away digging to oblivion it seemed. This truck had a 500 gallon tank full of propane mounted on its flatbed. Yep, these guys deliver propane to remote microwave and communications tower sites via roads that make Elephant Hill and the Khyber Pass look like an autobahn!

By Bill Burke Bill Burke is an internationally recognized professional 4WD trainer. In 1991, Bill and a team mate represented the USA in the Camel Trophy. The event traversed Africa in a 1200-mile grueling off-road adventure competition. Through his company, Bill Burke’s 4-Wheeling America, he teaches off-road and back country driving techniques, vehicle maintenance, recovery, [...]