by Bill Burke of
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| Remember to breathe frequently and sit back and enjoy the ride. All too often, I find my student and client stressing out and clutching the wheel hunched over with the back and shoulder muscles tensed. Relax. That is what you are in the woods for, right? The Zen of the destination is the journey! |  |
6 - Get to know your vehicle and its performance
potential. SQUEEZE the accelerator gently to avoid wheelspin, backing off
the pedal when spin does occur, then gaining traction again.
A
spinning wheel/tire combo, no matter how large, does not give traction. That
dirt pile doesn't know the difference from a Mud T/A or a Pirelli Red Line
if it is spinning at 80 mph. You still won't get traction. You can't steer,
brake or go with a spinning tire! Feel the point where the vehicle is about
to stall, squeeze the throttle lightly, then back off the throttle,
especially during rock crawling, up hill and snowed-in trails. With
automatics you may have to use the left foot on the brake sometimes. Usually
when you take your foot off the accelerator, the vehicle seems to
"stall," so you put your foot back on the gas pedal and then the
vehicle goes too fast. This "herky-jerky" method can be avoided by
using finesse with left foot braking and proper throttle modulation. Know
your vehicle and the actions and noises of the engine and suspension as you
go over the trail.
7 - Avoid lengthy wheelspin; digging into the track only
gets you more stuck 
and ruins the environment. If stuck into the track, use a jack to lift the
vehicle. Build up the ground under the tires. Placing brushwood and
blankets, etc. under the tires will sometimes help with clearance.
On the other hand, once in a while, you will have to let the tires
"dig" a little to help forward momentum. If you feel the vehicle
starting to lose traction or forward motion, try backing off the throttle
then giving a short "blip" on the throttle. Try this a few times
in quick succession. If this fails, back up and get another look at the
obstacle and try a different approach.
When you think you are getting stuck and the driving tricks don't seem to be
helping, immediately back out of the obstacle. Use the winch to get through
or go somewhere else. Don't drive off the trail and around the challenge
unless there is a legitimate by-pass.
Rocking the vehicle back and forth only serves to dig you in deeper.
Sometimes it helps to rock back and forth, then to back out of the obstacle,
but usually I don't like to dig deeper. Check under the vehicle to see what
is holding it; a rock? a stump? or other grabber thing? Make sure those
things are clear before winching or using the recovery strap. In soft sand,
I carry 4 long (about 4 feet), thin (tire width) rolls of carpet. They help
to get the vehicle rolling out of the sand traps. And, of course, always
carry a well-stocked recovery kit!
8 - Keep the use of the brakes to an absolute minimum to
keep the wheels from locking up on wet, muddy, loose rock Descend steep
slopes in low range and first gear. Rely on engine compression to slow the
vehicle. 
If
sliding occurs, drive the vehicle forward to gain traction once again, then
back off the throttle.
Sometimes when in extreme rocky descents with ledges and shelf steps, the
clutch must be pushed in and the brakes used to allow the vehicle to creep
forward ever so slowly. This should only be done in those cases. Usually
engine control through throttle modulation is best served by engine
compression on descents. A locked sliding tire gets no traction.
BEWARE of the LURCH and SURGE! Unless you have lockers engaged on both
axles, the lurch and surge will scare the heck out of you until you have
experienced it many times. When in gear, no brakes, and open diffs, the
vehicle has traction from only one tire on an axle--you know what happens
when going uphill and getting traction to only one tire per axle. Well, when
going downhill, if the tire that has contact to the transmission gets air or
slides, the vehicle will lurch forward because the non-tractive tire has no
resistance from the gear box. Usually it is a short surge, and control is
gained when the tire contacts good terrain. When that is likely, a light
foot pressure on the brake pedal will help to prevent the next lurch. The
vehicle will actually "shoot" forward fast for a short distance.
If not controlled or anticipated, you could gain momentum and quickly get
out of control, especially on long descents.
The same happens when backing down off an ascent as well. When backing down,
always be in reverse gear. The same procedure pertains as in the descent.
This is especially important when backing down, as the front end becomes
light and the steering tires won't give the afforded traction for steering,
traction and braking.
9 - Do not oversteer - especially while in ruts or deep
tracks. The steering wheel may look centered, but the tires may be at full
turn. Murphy's law says-when traction is gained, there will be a big tree or
rock at that point.
Driving on a trail, many obstacles will be encountered that will move the
steering wheel all around. The tire gets lifted up or drops down in a hole
and causes the steering wheel to move as if it were turning on a curve. This
"wallowing" of the front end and "bump steering" creates
the false impression that you must correct the original steering course. Get
used to the feeling of the front end articulating over the trail, and hold
the steering wheel on-center. Just hold the wheel firmly and "aim"
the rig over the trail in those rough sections.
What happens is the steering wheel gets tugged to one side, you correct to
the other side, then the next minute the wheel comes right back and you have
to correct it again, or actually re-correct it. Now, all you are doing is
over-correcting and turning the steering wheel back and forth, wearing out
your arms! You do have to steer on the trail and keep the rig centered, but
don't oversteer! When in mud or deep ruts, sometimes quickly turning the
steering wheel so that with your hands at the "3 and 9" position,
you move it halfway round and back almost touching your wrists in a cross
over position. This will make the front tires turn back and forth, causing
the sidewall edges to help claw their way through.
10 - Make slow, steady progress through deep water to
create a "bow wave" and an air pocket in and around the engine
compartment and front wheels. This minimizes risk of water drowning the
engine. Water does not compress as well as air. Don't let hydrostatic lock
ruin your day. Check the brakes after coming out.
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Having a plastic sheet or poncho to cover the front of the
vehicle, especially around the radiator grill, will help keep most of the
water out of the engine bay. Ensure that the distributor and ignition system
are tightly sealed and water proofed to some extent. Smooth progress through
deep water or mud will keep the air pocket stable. A big rock or drop-off
will affect the steady progress and "burst your bubble," so be
careful! Generally speaking, a deep crossing should be no more than just
over the tires. Mud that deep will stick you before the front axle gets
half-way. Carry an extra air filter element in case you do drown the engine.
Get the vehicle out of the creek, then work on it.
If the engine does swallow some water pull the spark plugs, air filter, coil
wire, and dry the distributor cap out using a clean cloth and WD-40.. Crank
the engine over and blow the water out of the cylinders. Check the engine
oil before cranking! I have seen the engine completely fill with water. You
might have to drain the engine, so do it for the environment and use water
jugs or coolers to collect the watered oil.
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