When Do <u>you</u> engage in low gear?
Should i engage when i get stuck?
should i engage before i think i may get stuck?

 

Well depends on how thick the mud is, what kind of quad you have, if you have oversize tires, and ETC. Personally I would have it in Low range before entering mud and in Second gear maybe. Now if the mud isnt real thick, maybe High First and second gear and NAIL it and watch the mud fly!!! But I have a Eiger with 26' Vampires so I try not to give it to much hell in mud, So I keep it in Low second gear

 

If its a Polaris, all the damn time.

 

haha!

 

Action 450 S
That was the funniest thing I ever read [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
It's sad but true!!!!!!!!!!
HilBilly

 

It depends on how fast you want to drive. If you're about to go up or down a steep hill, I'd switch it before you start to go up or down. If driving through mud, I usually pick a gear where I have the option to shift down if I need to (semi-auto). If you think that you might need a low gear to make it through then shift before you drive into the hole. If you wait and then stop, you've lost all you momentum and you may sit there and spin no matter what gear your in. I have a semi-auto but it's the same idea for an auto. I wouldn't wait until your stuck to shift into low.

 

I think the ATV you have will effect when you shift to low range too. A manual trans will go a lot farther and climb a lot moe using first gear in high range than a typical belt driven ATV. My friends owners manual for his belt ATV says any riding under 30 mph it should be in low range in rough terrain. It has too be pretty steep or quite rough before we ever shift to low range.

If you question the need for low, you should probably use it. Your ATV will thank you.

 

On my Forman 450 with 27" tires, I find 2nd gear optimal for most really technical terrain and deep bog/mud. Third will work for most as well, but will start to bog and reduce wheel speed if you find a deep hole.