Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
Fascination satisfied with learned understanding!, 9 April 2001
By A Customer
How often is there a subject you really are interested in and dare to dip your toe in to find that in the baby pool your not only out of your depth, but drowning and generally up the swanee without a paddle in every way shape and form! Well I asked for this book for my birthday last year and its something which every time you read it you learn something new. The book is really well layed out, clear to see and understand. On each page at the top there is a synopsis of what is on that page, often complimented by a picture or diagram. Then you can go into the thick of the text if you want to, this allows you to access the information on each page briefly and decide whether "nows the time" or after a hot bath and a long draught you might be better equipped! The book is beautifully crafted with full colour photos accurately guiding you through each procedure on virtually every page. Hand drawn diagrams are simple and precise and guide you through the stages of manouvres, recoverys and so on. The book is split into chapters one on diff locks one on auto transmission one on quadra drive, split beam axle suspension and so on. Every 4x4 currently on sale in Britain is detailed with its stats abilities et cetera. It is the kind of book you can dip in and out of once a week or once a day or a month and understand how something works. I gained the knowledge of differential locks and how they worked in about 15 minutes. The book has broken down cutaway diagrams of gearboxes, engines, cam shafts and gets into what you need to see. It comes with comprehensive guidance through individual chapters on "Rain, Mud, Water, Snow, Ice". And tells you what your vehicle can and cannot do, why derv, why petrol, torque, low range, Hi range, double clutches, soft clutches, bi-clutches and so on. Where the trade offs in 4x4 ownership are. Which models are good for specific kinds of off road work. It details how to steeply ascend, descend, what speed gear, when to click into low range through pictures not words the words merely annotate the picture. This is a case where a picture truly does tell a thousand words. My only criticism of the book hence four not five stars is the lack of large colour pictures, this is because I enjoy looking at pictures of huge open canyons or antarctic snows with a 4x4 clinging to a huge open rock space. This WOW factor photos are not in this book and I think that between each chapter one would be nice. Tom Sheppard knows what he is on about and does make the information which is very technical very understandable and very accesible to all. From the budding romanticist who dreams nightly (I know how you feel) to the trained and learned professional there is something for all to see, learn or understand better on each page. A great book, well worth the money, great easy descriptions, nicely binded in a hardback package with a dustjacket... Having searched far and wide before making my purchase this is the best price and the best book on this truly fascinating subject, bang up to date, go for it!
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
Sums it all up nicely, 14 Feb 2002
It is obvious that Tom has an enormous experience and he shares it generously.
The book teaches you how to get the most from your four wheel drive.
Everything from what all the levers on the floor do to expedition preparation. Of course the more specialist and experienced readers will need to seek elsewhere for more info but the general descriptions in this book is useful for novice as well as experienced off roader. No macho but careful and vehicle preserving driving style is tought.
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