Off-roading for Beginners

Agreed. People on motorcycles do this all the time. No different in the truck

 

1. Always be prepared to spend at least one night if not two in your truck. water food clothing basic survival gear.
2. Then be ready to walk out if it is a MUST but don't put yourself in any more danger by doing this.
3. like stated above if unsure of terrain walk the line and make sure you have a place to turn around.
4. keep your ego in check. If your unsure turn around. Don't compare yourself to others and make sure you are comfortable. You can push the limits and get uncomfortable once you don't feel like a rookie have the proper gear and are with other good people and good vehicles.
5. know where your going and inform somebody even if your in a group. always have somebody to call search and rescue if you don't return pick a time

 

When traveling in a convoy, KEEP YOUR DISTANCE. When getting over certain obstacles or climbing hills, it's important to give your friends some space, both to maneuver if they need to back up and take a different line, or in case they roll back. There's no reason why you need to be 2 feet away from the next rig's rear bumper.

In dusty areas, turn on your lights, especially if the area is heavily occupied. Helps with visibility and prevents unnecessary accidents. and of course, WATCH YOUR SPEED.

When stuck in sand, do not step on the accelerator. You'll bury yourself deeper. What you might want to try instead is rocking the truck forwards and backwards, and using that momentum to wiggle you out. Takes some quick shift work, but even a little bit helps a lot better than spinning your tires and burying it to the frame.

When stuck in mud, you can try gunning it to see if your wheels will grab. The high rotational speed will fling the mud from the tread/sipes and provide traction (sometimes)

When spotting, or using a spotter, use "driver" or "passenger" to indicate direction of turn/travel. Rights and Lefts are confusing. Your left, or my left?!

Make sure you know where your recovery points are. Sometimes you might be buried in mud and won't be able to locate it at a glance. It's useful to know where you can hook a strap or a winch line without having to dig around for it. It may be beneficial to attach shackles or hitch mounts beforehand as well.

Understand that your differential is the lowest point on the truck. When traveling through rocky terrain, pick a line that does not have very many high points in the center.

 

IT'S GONNA GET SCRATCHED/PIN-STRIPED by (weeds, bushes, sticks, rocks, mud...etc)

so harden up well before you take it offroad. it's a truck not a Rolls Royce


AND

all those people you see in videos mashing through mud holes and rivers...above axle height...you can do that too, but at the end of it all you have to commit to popping all 4 wheels off and cleaning up all the crap, or else it will erode bearings, brakes, and whatever else if you just ignore the fact you've been dipping wheels and axles in wet mud w/o that added cleaning and maintenance.

 

Great thread OP.

A lot of common sense stuff that we hopefully know, but airing down is something I haven't done yet. What PSI? I'm assuming this thread is aimed at those of us driving a stock Taco so how low do we go with the stock tires and not risk damaging them?

As for airing back up, I do have a compressor but it's more for work around the house. I assume I could toss that in the back and run it of the inverter unless it pulls more than 400 watts.

 

I always think about this when I go off road.

 

You should be in 4lo pretty much the entire time you're on the trail.

 

I'd argue it depends on what type of trail and/or obstacle.

Example, I'll sometimes be in 2WD when just going through some dirt, or a fire road. No reason to go 4WD if there isn't a need for it. Same for 4L, I only engage low-range if I need the extra torque and response, just like I'll only lock the diff if my wheels are spinning.

 

yea but i think what should be said is be in either 4 hi low locked whatever before the obstacle not in the middle of it. I would much rather be in 4lo and not need it that halfway up a hill need to stop put in N and shift. can make an ok climb into a nerve racking one.

 

Around here, that will just end up with you being stuck ASAP. In the sand/mud of FL, you gotta keep moving.

 

2nd tip...off-roading changes depending on where you are, not all tools/techniques are universal.

 

Annnnd.... Most important!


-------Make sure to bring plenty of good craft beer and some TP-------

 

Best tip of them all, lol!

 

A tow strap was the first think I bought for my truck. During the weekend after I got my truck I was heading to a local snowshoeing trail, its all gravel roads and steep grades to get there. I got stuck in snow, but i worked myself out of it after about an hour. On the way down and out I pulled 2 other cars and a jeep Cherokees out of the ditch.

It really should be one of everyones first purchases, you can get stuck in any situation. It can be hard to get out of if you don't have a strap to get towed with...

 

The tree? What was he Popeye?

 

After that l bet he wishes he was, lol

 

I can't begin to imagine how bad that life lesson hurt!!!!!

 

Awesome thread so far. Thanks to everyone for the contributions.

This is something I would like to learn more about.

Maybe a "Sticky"??

G.

 

Im gonna have to try to search for that video to see if I can find it, his arm breaks so easily.

 

Must be this guy, and its a 4runner (close enough)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am_qEIvCoGw