Deleted Member D
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2007
- Messages
- 1,296
GO SLOW
Many times newbies think hitting the gas hard will get you out of trouble. While gas can help in some situations, it can also get you into a lot of trouble fast. It is also easier on your truck to go slow and take your time. When you go slow it helps to keep traction. Traction is your friend. When you're spinning your tires, you have decreased traction. Let the tires work for you and go slow.
ALONG WITH THAT IS MOMENTUM
Momentum will help you get up some ledges, hills, and mud holes. This means starting farther back from an obstacle. This comes with experience. Knowing how much momentum you need without going too fast depends on the obstacle. When in doubt watch someone else and learn from their mistakes or experience. Try hitting it with a little momentum and then decide if you need a little more if that doesn't work.
KNOW YOUR LIMITS
Especially when alone and/or you decide to do some hardcore 4wding before you are due at work! Best to only test your limits when 4wding with another rig or more. If your truck won't clear an obstacle, hitting it harder is just going to damage the truck and give other people something to laugh about. Don't try to bite off more then you can chew. It could just cost you your rig.
MUD
Test the mud first if you have never crossed the hole. Get a stick or something to see if the bottom is 2' down or 6' down, or if the bottom feels soft or hard. Mud holes can be deceiving. A soft base can swallow your truck. When entering a mud hole get a little momentum. As you enter the hole if you feel yourself getting stuck, start turning the front wheel left to right. This can help gain you some traction. Go as far as you can forward if you can't get out. Once forward momentum is stopped try reverse, also moving the front tires left to right. Sometimes you can back out of a hole. Of course your friends will still want to see you hit it again... NOTE: Keep your windows up when mud boggin'. Its sucks getting sprayed in the face or having to clean the inside of your windshield, dash etc.
HILLS
After guessing on how much momentum you need, try to hit a hill straight on as much as possible. Keeping all wheels on the ground will increase traction. Keep on the gas and keep forward momentum unless you sense your truck getting sideways or going over backwards. If so, let off the gas and regain some control. If you ever feel you are going over backwards, let off the brakes to allow the front end to come down and the truck to slowly roll down till you can stop again. Sometimes putting the truck in reverse and letting out the clutch can help keep things under control.
STUCK
When you get stuck try letting your tire pressure down. This will give your tires more surface area for better traction and will help make the ride more smoothly over bumps. But don't let them down to much. And don't drive fast with them deflated you could break a bead. When you return to the pavement air them back up so your tires don't wear abnormally. NOTE: About 18psi. min. Some tires require different pressure to get the tire to bulge. You can air down by holding the bleed pin down but it can take a while. There are yire deflator that let out air automatically. They take the guesswork out and keep you from messing up taking out an air valve. (cost about $50.00)
STALLED WHEN DIVING
If you stall with your tailpipe under water, don't crank it. Get a tug out of the water and pull the spark plugs before turning the engine over. Unlike air, water doesn't compress very well and a cylinder full will result in a destroyed engine if you try to crank it back up. With the plugs out, turn the engine over a few times and the water will be ejected without bending rods and pistons.
GOING SLOW WITHOUT GEARS
When going over obstacles when you want to go slow and you don't have crawler gears and can't go slow enough without burning the clutch and stalling a lot. So put the parking brake on a bit to put some tension on the driveline. This helps slow the vehicle a bit and gives you better ability to work the gas.
STALLED IN A SITUATION
When you're going over big obstacles you don't want to roll back if you stall. Turn the key and allow the starter gear to move the truck a bit while the engine starts again. Then you're off again moving over the obstacle without having to engage the clutch.
WINCHING
When using a power winch, or a hand winch, throw an old jacket, towel, or other loose object over the line. This way, if the cable breaks, the object on the line will help slow the loose end so it does not whip back and hurt someone. NOTE: When buying your winch make sure it has a min. of 9000 lb. capability. This should have close to 12,000 lb. pulling weight. Winches usually have twice the pulling capability than lifting.
TOW STRAPS
A good tow strap that is rated for at least twice the weight of your vehicle. Chains can break and when they do it is very dangerous. Straps work really well. I would recommend buying one with loops on both ends and not hooks.
NEVER USE CHAINS
Chains can be a huge no-no! If it's the only thing you've got at the moment don't hit the end of it hard when pulling out a stuck rig. Never use any type of recovery strap with hard parts such as hooks, which can become projectiles.
STEERING
When 4wding, hold the steering wheel with your THUMBS OUT. That is, do not grab the wheel like a baseball bat. Why? If you rig hits a rut, rock, or other obstacle just the right way, your wheel could spin too fast for you to react, possibly hurting your thumbs. By keeping them on the outside of the wheel, you reduce the risk of injury from the steering wheel spokes.
KEEP YOUR HANDS IN THE TRUCK!
Don't try pushing off to keep your truck from touching a rock or dirt wall. I've done it and I've seen people do it. Its dumb and you could loose an arm.
LEAVE THE TRACKS CLEAN
What you pack in, make sure you pack out. When you leave a track, take out more than you brought in. If you see trash, pick it up. It only takes a few seconds. A clean track is an open track. Don't give 4wd a bad name by trashing the tracks.
TOOLS
Keep a small tool set on hand that has all the essentials. Something like a 42 or 60 pc. set. I always leave it in my truck just incase.
A Hi-lift jack is a very good tool and not just for lifting your rig when needed. They can be attached to the front or back of a rig and used like a hand winch. Also when I still had the old stock steering setup I bent the U-arm down about 1 1/2"-2". I used the Hi-lift to re-bend it so I could get home.
Steel wire is also a good thing to have. You never know when use need to tie something up. Back to the old steering setup.....I used the wire to tie the drag link to the U-arm. It looked pretty iffy, but it worked.
Always carry WD-40 or Lonolin spray for dispersing water from distributor, etc. $5.00 spent can mean the difference between walking and driving.
A good use of imagination when fixing something. If you need a 12v tester and don't have one, take out one of your taillights and some speaker wire and rig up one of your own.
EXTRA PARTS
Any spare parts that you can bring along are always good to have. Not just for what your rig either. A lot of 4wd's are also willing to help out others. If you help someone with parts that your rig doesn't need they're more likely to remember that when they see you need help with something on or off the track.
DEAD TIRE
It's always good to carry a spare tire and tire plug kit when out on the tracks. You may never need it, but that time that you don't take you probably will.
RESPECT
Whether it's the ground you're on, your rig, buddy's rig, wives, children, pets...It's all about RESPECT on the track. We're all out there for one goal: to HAVE FUN!! To me, brand names...don't matter on the track. It's all about the 4wding!!!
Copied from - http://www.extremelimitsoffroad.com.au/webcontent15.htm
-boxing2-
Many times newbies think hitting the gas hard will get you out of trouble. While gas can help in some situations, it can also get you into a lot of trouble fast. It is also easier on your truck to go slow and take your time. When you go slow it helps to keep traction. Traction is your friend. When you're spinning your tires, you have decreased traction. Let the tires work for you and go slow.
ALONG WITH THAT IS MOMENTUM
Momentum will help you get up some ledges, hills, and mud holes. This means starting farther back from an obstacle. This comes with experience. Knowing how much momentum you need without going too fast depends on the obstacle. When in doubt watch someone else and learn from their mistakes or experience. Try hitting it with a little momentum and then decide if you need a little more if that doesn't work.
KNOW YOUR LIMITS
Especially when alone and/or you decide to do some hardcore 4wding before you are due at work! Best to only test your limits when 4wding with another rig or more. If your truck won't clear an obstacle, hitting it harder is just going to damage the truck and give other people something to laugh about. Don't try to bite off more then you can chew. It could just cost you your rig.
MUD
Test the mud first if you have never crossed the hole. Get a stick or something to see if the bottom is 2' down or 6' down, or if the bottom feels soft or hard. Mud holes can be deceiving. A soft base can swallow your truck. When entering a mud hole get a little momentum. As you enter the hole if you feel yourself getting stuck, start turning the front wheel left to right. This can help gain you some traction. Go as far as you can forward if you can't get out. Once forward momentum is stopped try reverse, also moving the front tires left to right. Sometimes you can back out of a hole. Of course your friends will still want to see you hit it again... NOTE: Keep your windows up when mud boggin'. Its sucks getting sprayed in the face or having to clean the inside of your windshield, dash etc.
HILLS
After guessing on how much momentum you need, try to hit a hill straight on as much as possible. Keeping all wheels on the ground will increase traction. Keep on the gas and keep forward momentum unless you sense your truck getting sideways or going over backwards. If so, let off the gas and regain some control. If you ever feel you are going over backwards, let off the brakes to allow the front end to come down and the truck to slowly roll down till you can stop again. Sometimes putting the truck in reverse and letting out the clutch can help keep things under control.
STUCK
When you get stuck try letting your tire pressure down. This will give your tires more surface area for better traction and will help make the ride more smoothly over bumps. But don't let them down to much. And don't drive fast with them deflated you could break a bead. When you return to the pavement air them back up so your tires don't wear abnormally. NOTE: About 18psi. min. Some tires require different pressure to get the tire to bulge. You can air down by holding the bleed pin down but it can take a while. There are yire deflator that let out air automatically. They take the guesswork out and keep you from messing up taking out an air valve. (cost about $50.00)
STALLED WHEN DIVING
If you stall with your tailpipe under water, don't crank it. Get a tug out of the water and pull the spark plugs before turning the engine over. Unlike air, water doesn't compress very well and a cylinder full will result in a destroyed engine if you try to crank it back up. With the plugs out, turn the engine over a few times and the water will be ejected without bending rods and pistons.
GOING SLOW WITHOUT GEARS
When going over obstacles when you want to go slow and you don't have crawler gears and can't go slow enough without burning the clutch and stalling a lot. So put the parking brake on a bit to put some tension on the driveline. This helps slow the vehicle a bit and gives you better ability to work the gas.
STALLED IN A SITUATION
When you're going over big obstacles you don't want to roll back if you stall. Turn the key and allow the starter gear to move the truck a bit while the engine starts again. Then you're off again moving over the obstacle without having to engage the clutch.
WINCHING
When using a power winch, or a hand winch, throw an old jacket, towel, or other loose object over the line. This way, if the cable breaks, the object on the line will help slow the loose end so it does not whip back and hurt someone. NOTE: When buying your winch make sure it has a min. of 9000 lb. capability. This should have close to 12,000 lb. pulling weight. Winches usually have twice the pulling capability than lifting.
TOW STRAPS
A good tow strap that is rated for at least twice the weight of your vehicle. Chains can break and when they do it is very dangerous. Straps work really well. I would recommend buying one with loops on both ends and not hooks.
NEVER USE CHAINS
Chains can be a huge no-no! If it's the only thing you've got at the moment don't hit the end of it hard when pulling out a stuck rig. Never use any type of recovery strap with hard parts such as hooks, which can become projectiles.
STEERING
When 4wding, hold the steering wheel with your THUMBS OUT. That is, do not grab the wheel like a baseball bat. Why? If you rig hits a rut, rock, or other obstacle just the right way, your wheel could spin too fast for you to react, possibly hurting your thumbs. By keeping them on the outside of the wheel, you reduce the risk of injury from the steering wheel spokes.
KEEP YOUR HANDS IN THE TRUCK!
Don't try pushing off to keep your truck from touching a rock or dirt wall. I've done it and I've seen people do it. Its dumb and you could loose an arm.
LEAVE THE TRACKS CLEAN
What you pack in, make sure you pack out. When you leave a track, take out more than you brought in. If you see trash, pick it up. It only takes a few seconds. A clean track is an open track. Don't give 4wd a bad name by trashing the tracks.
TOOLS
Keep a small tool set on hand that has all the essentials. Something like a 42 or 60 pc. set. I always leave it in my truck just incase.
A Hi-lift jack is a very good tool and not just for lifting your rig when needed. They can be attached to the front or back of a rig and used like a hand winch. Also when I still had the old stock steering setup I bent the U-arm down about 1 1/2"-2". I used the Hi-lift to re-bend it so I could get home.
Steel wire is also a good thing to have. You never know when use need to tie something up. Back to the old steering setup.....I used the wire to tie the drag link to the U-arm. It looked pretty iffy, but it worked.
Always carry WD-40 or Lonolin spray for dispersing water from distributor, etc. $5.00 spent can mean the difference between walking and driving.
A good use of imagination when fixing something. If you need a 12v tester and don't have one, take out one of your taillights and some speaker wire and rig up one of your own.
EXTRA PARTS
Any spare parts that you can bring along are always good to have. Not just for what your rig either. A lot of 4wd's are also willing to help out others. If you help someone with parts that your rig doesn't need they're more likely to remember that when they see you need help with something on or off the track.
DEAD TIRE
It's always good to carry a spare tire and tire plug kit when out on the tracks. You may never need it, but that time that you don't take you probably will.
RESPECT
Whether it's the ground you're on, your rig, buddy's rig, wives, children, pets...It's all about RESPECT on the track. We're all out there for one goal: to HAVE FUN!! To me, brand names...don't matter on the track. It's all about the 4wding!!!
Copied from - http://www.extremelimitsoffroad.com.au/webcontent15.htm
-boxing2-
