Mud - Driving Tips

[tpb4x4]

Mud -

There’s mud and there’s mud: it comes in countless varieties. There’s
heavy clay, soft peat and gritty loam - and mixtures of all three. It could
be wet and slippery or sticky and claggy.

It depends on what you encounter... And sometimes you’ll encounter
several different types in a matter of just a few hundred yards.

So, if you’re driving a new area, check your route on foot. After all, a five
minute walk is better than getting stuck for hours in a remote area. Go
prepared: always carry recovery equipment and always travel with
another vehicle if possible.

Select low ratio, engage the centre diff lock and close the windows,
because mud flies absolutely everywhere. Its is important to maintain
forward speed for momentum, so select a gear high enough to achieve
this - second, third or fourth in low box are good, flexible gears.

Once underway, do not attempt to change gear, as this will cause you to
lose forward momentum and possibly get stuck. Stay in your selected
gear until you reach a firmer surface.

Do not fight against the vehicle chosen path, as it will find the path of
least resistance. If you steer too much in the opposite direction, there’s a
risk that the vehicle will veer off course when the wheels find better
traction and grip.

Avoid harsh acceleration and steering. If your wheels begin to spin, ease
off the throttle a little to allow them to regain traction.

My usual mantra applies: you should drive as fast as necessary and as
slow as possible. Deeply rutted, muddy tracks require a higher speed
than shallow mud, which has a lower resistance.

If your vehicle has electronic traction control, it is important to maintain
engine revs and wheel speed, as the sensors rely on the wheels rotating
at certain speeds to operate.

[kev]

thanks for that Tim.  I was going to go to bed but you have just re-activated my brain ! Thx 4 that !   

See u at Borden,     Happy days eh !    cheers LOL    Kev (who's pizzzzzzzzzzzzt)   

[tpb4x4]

Njoy the read

[stevo]

nice one

[S100MDB]

thanks for that i need that for this afternoon!

[landroger]

I have to say that the series of off road driving tips from TBP4X4 are the best i have come across on ANY forum
WELL DONE that man,

[Mudlark]

Mud -


Do not fight against the vehicle chosen path, as it will find the path of
least resistance.

I agree with that statement - I normally find that the path of least resistance is towards the nearest tree

[TinyTim]

S'funny I try telling people that all the time

If the ruts run next to a tree and are deep enough - YOU'RE GONNA HIT THE TREE !   

Mind you - round here we have sunken lanes to make sure of it ! 

[Chastiser]

i have just been looking at Tim's mac website and its well worth a look.

Mike