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79T/A · 03-05-2009, 10:51 PM

Ah, one of my favorite topics!

Had to use the ole Google to figure out where Marlton was. I'm assuming said trails are in the Pines. Lots of sand, water and good ole south Jersey stinky-azz black mud! Treats! This WILL beat the heel out of your rig, but you can still go out and play in the goo and survive.

In the Pines, you generally don't need four low. Four low is where you put the most torque to the ground. It's used for activities like rock crawling and serious hill climbs. You may need it to power out of a stuck, but don't go crazy. Four low and high RPMs...not a great combination for drivetrain longevity. Four low is magnificent for compression braking. Say you're descending a serious hill. Riding the brakes all the way down can cause the truck to slide down despite the wheels being locked up, especially on a slick surface. If you are in four low and first gear, the truck will only roll as fast as the gears are turning. Oftentimes, you don't even have to have your foot on the gas or the brake. Keep in mind that this works a little better with a manual trans with a lower first gear than an auto.

Here are a few tips:
1. Keep your thumbs outside of or along the steering wheel. Should you hit a deep enough rut that jerks the wheel one way or the other and your thumbs are inside the wheel, they can be injured when the wheel goes where it's going to go.

2. Don't wheel alone! Always wheel with a buddy and carry recovery gear (Tow strap, high lift jack or equivalent, a winch if someone can afford one, a shovel, maybe a block of wood or two to aid in traction getting out of a hole). Think worst case scenario: Bring along water and some grub in case you REEEEEALLY get stuck.

3. Wheel responsibly and pack out what you pack in! Stay on the marked trails, don't make your own. That kind of crap is what causes the liberal, tree-hugging, sandal wearing, beard-growing, granola eating hippies to get their tye-dyed panties in a bunch and start petitioning for our trails to be closed. Same thing with litter. Don't be "that guy." Not a bad idea to have a sealable container to catch spills should any occur.

4. Should you find yourself powering through one of those lovely water crossings, take it slow! If you power through it and have water splashing all over the place, there's a good chance it will get into your engine via the intake and you'll flood the enging and stall. If you do stall, DON'T TRY TO START THE TRUCK!!! You can (And probably will) hydrolock the engine. You'll most likely have to pull the spark plugs first and bump the starter to eject the water from the top of the pistons (Those in the know, please elaborate here...I'm not entirely sure how this works). You'll also probably want to drain and replace the oil. Bottom line, don't try to cross any water that you don't think you'll make it through. Test it first with a stick or branch and avoid the situation in the first place.

5. Don't let your ego write checks your rig can't cash. If you don't think you can do it, DON'T. It will probably save you a lot of heartache and money!

Now, I'm not a mud guy anymore. I've already lost a transmission and a radiator to the slime. Cost me quite a bundle. But for those who are, you can do this every weekend if you want, just make sure you earmark some time to maintain your vehicle afterwards. When you get home from a good romp in the mud, powerwash the truck from top to bottom. If left unchecked, that black mud WILL stain your paint. Also, jack the truck up and spend a good amount of time powerwashing the undercarriage and the axles and suspension. When you're done, grease everything with a grease fitting. If you're submerging your differentials, be sure to change the gear lubricant once in awhile (The more time you spend in the mud, the more often you should be doing this). This also applies to your transmission fluid, transfer case fluid, and of course, engine oil and coolant. Periodically inspect your drive shafts, especially if they are double cardans or CVs. Mud can destroy universal joints if they aren't maintained (Greased).

Going off road is a blast. Just use your head. Never go alone and don't be an idiot. Welcome to the club!

03-05-2009, 10:51 PM	#7
79T/A Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wantage, NJ Posts: 693 iTrader: (0)	Ah, one of my favorite topics! Had to use the ole Google to figure out where Marlton was. I'm assuming said trails are in the Pines. Lots of sand, water and good ole south Jersey stinky-azz black mud! Treats! This WILL beat the heel out of your rig, but you can still go out and play in the goo and survive. In the Pines, you generally don't need four low. Four low is where you put the most torque to the ground. It's used for activities like rock crawling and serious hill climbs. You may need it to power out of a stuck, but don't go crazy. Four low and high RPMs...not a great combination for drivetrain longevity. Four low is magnificent for compression braking. Say you're descending a serious hill. Riding the brakes all the way down can cause the truck to slide down despite the wheels being locked up, especially on a slick surface. If you are in four low and first gear, the truck will only roll as fast as the gears are turning. Oftentimes, you don't even have to have your foot on the gas or the brake. Keep in mind that this works a little better with a manual trans with a lower first gear than an auto. Here are a few tips: 1. Keep your thumbs outside of or along the steering wheel. Should you hit a deep enough rut that jerks the wheel one way or the other and your thumbs are inside the wheel, they can be injured when the wheel goes where it's going to go. 2. Don't wheel alone! Always wheel with a buddy and carry recovery gear (Tow strap, high lift jack or equivalent, a winch if someone can afford one, a shovel, maybe a block of wood or two to aid in traction getting out of a hole). Think worst case scenario: Bring along water and some grub in case you REEEEEALLY get stuck. 3. Wheel responsibly and pack out what you pack in! Stay on the marked trails, don't make your own. That kind of crap is what causes the liberal, tree-hugging, sandal wearing, beard-growing, granola eating hippies to get their tye-dyed panties in a bunch and start petitioning for our trails to be closed. Same thing with litter. Don't be "that guy." Not a bad idea to have a sealable container to catch spills should any occur. 4. Should you find yourself powering through one of those lovely water crossings, take it slow! If you power through it and have water splashing all over the place, there's a good chance it will get into your engine via the intake and you'll flood the enging and stall. If you do stall, DON'T TRY TO START THE TRUCK!!! You can (And probably will) hydrolock the engine. You'll most likely have to pull the spark plugs first and bump the starter to eject the water from the top of the pistons (Those in the know, please elaborate here...I'm not entirely sure how this works). You'll also probably want to drain and replace the oil. Bottom line, don't try to cross any water that you don't think you'll make it through. Test it first with a stick or branch and avoid the situation in the first place. 5. Don't let your ego write checks your rig can't cash. If you don't think you can do it, DON'T. It will probably save you a lot of heartache and money! Now, I'm not a mud guy anymore. I've already lost a transmission and a radiator to the slime. Cost me quite a bundle. But for those who are, you can do this every weekend if you want, just make sure you earmark some time to maintain your vehicle afterwards. When you get home from a good romp in the mud, powerwash the truck from top to bottom. If left unchecked, that black mud WILL stain your paint. Also, jack the truck up and spend a good amount of time powerwashing the undercarriage and the axles and suspension. When you're done, grease everything with a grease fitting. If you're submerging your differentials, be sure to change the gear lubricant once in awhile (The more time you spend in the mud, the more often you should be doing this). This also applies to your transmission fluid, transfer case fluid, and of course, engine oil and coolant. Periodically inspect your drive shafts, especially if they are double cardans or CVs. Mud can destroy universal joints if they aren't maintained (Greased). Going off road is a blast. Just use your head. Never go alone and don't be an idiot. Welcome to the club!