Why is torque important in off-roading?
You’ve probably heard the term “torque” used to describe the power of SUVs and trucks. Like horsepower, it’s a force that’s vital to the movement and performance of all vehicles — but especially to the four-wheel drive vehicles used in off-roading. Torque is a force that creates rotation. For example, when you’re tightening the lug nuts on your wheels, you’re providing torque when you rotate the nuts with a wrench. Similarly, your vehicle’s engine applies torque to the axles so that your wheels will rotate. Horsepower, on the other hand, is energy that pushes a vehicle in the same direction as the applied force. Both horsepower and torque influence acceleration. Horsepower affects acceleration at high speeds, whereas torque aids acceleration from a stopping point. Because of this, torque is known as low-end power. Since off-road driving isn’t performed at the high speeds of highway driving, low-end power is crucial in pushing your vehicle through the many slow-downs and speed-ups you
