Offroading with a 2WD tips
 

I was reading a different thread and some guys were talking about offroading with a 2WD. I thought that I would just see what are some of the lessons yall have learned that makes offroading with a 2WD easier and more fun(meaning less time getting stuck). Some bring on the tips and stories!!!

momentum.

dont do burnouts in sand. :smirk:

wheel with someone that has 4wd.

keep your wheels moving, ideally youd want 2 4wd so that if the one 4wd gets stuck someone can help them easier...good recovery gear, good tires

good tires and prepare for getting stuck. When I had 2wd I would always carry extra 2x4's and stuff so I would have stuff to go under the wheels. When I would get stuck, it was usually because I was flexed out and one tire was off the ground. Most times I just needed to get enough stuff to get some weight in the back, so bring a fat friend:)

:stupid:

that is the best advise for wheeling with 2wd.... :sgrin:

Always carry a strap, and if you got a l/s rear-end you can push in the e-brake half way or so and that will help both tires to spin. I dug down to the diff. in sand one day and this trick got me out without even spinning the tires and hardly any gas.

x2 on that.

I have a hi-lift, 6ft chain (for the hi lift), 30ft rope, 15ft rope, FULL tool set (for everything on the truck), extra bolts, nuts.

Always wheel with at least 1 other person. Make sure you have a CB, esp if it reaches far out (thats nice) you can CB to another person.

I always wheel with someone else...I ALWAYS get stuck.

Next mod is tires/winch, so we'll see where it goes from there...

That ebrake trick seriously works! I use it when i pull my boat out of the lake

I don't understand.

the slight pressure on the brakes make the L/S engage when you have 1 tire off the ground.....or you are in some deep stuff....

Only had one outing really where I didn't get stuck and it was in Wharton and I don't know how that happened, lol.

1. Large, big lugged tires.
2. Rear locker.
3. Extra ground clearance.
4. Good throttle control.
5. Proper momentum.

Now, number 4 means ENOUGH throttle but not too much. One is as bad as the other. Not enough and you bog down, too much and you break traction rather than just "clean" your tires. This is only learned by experience.

Number 5 is important: you can have too much momentum or too little. Too little the danger is a stuck. Too much and the danger is loss of control or breakage. Once again, it's learned by experience.

I second the motion on recovery points fore and aft -- they are a MUST.

Also I think it's a good idea always to wheel buddy-system with straps and even a winch if you can. I have a permanently mounted winch now and quite frankly I don't ever want to wheel without one again, lol.

Go to my cardomain site (link in my signature) if you want to see how my truck is configured.

so i assume this will do nothing for an open diff

I wish I still had my locker.....

Momentum is everything!!! I know it was dumb of me but a while back i had bald tires and i saw some guys with 4x4 offroading in this stretch of sand and i couldnt help my self i had to get some muddy sand mixture on my truck!Momentum was everything!Luckly everything was flatt!If there was an up hill id be in some trouble!

Sraps!
extra 2x6 in the back
extra jack(ive seen guys dig them selves in the sand so deep that there shock were completly stretched and had no weight on the wheels)
cell phone
extra friends
someone with a 4x4
cominsense there are some things you just cant do with a 2wd!

Yes, his post is not quite accurate: braking makes any diff improve -- it's just more dramatic and requires less pressure with a LS than with an open.

I used to go out alone in my 2wd, which was pretty stupid, but I was very prepared.

I took two tow straps, two tow cables, and a cumalong every time I went out! The many, many times I got stuck, I was able to get myself out with some patience and a lot of cranking on the cumalong.

what are tow straps going to do if you're by yourself?

how do 2x4's and a jack help?

I got stuck...and I had a good amount of hand tools and a 2x12x7, and still couldn't figure out how to get out:

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=39122

going off-road w' 2wd truck won't be any better than a lifted civic...unless you're just driving down a gravel road or in flat mud, 2wd trucks aren't very capable for serious off-roading just because the rear wheels with little weight on them won't do much when they lose traction on an awkward angle,mud, or snow

Push really hard on that pedal on the right.

take the jack, lift up the truck by the axle, put the 2x4s under the wheels, set it down, and try to get out.

Im suprised no one has said it yet, but air pressure. When I wheel I put my PSI at about 8 and I get out of everything. I also have a tire inflator so it helps so I can run on 35PSI on the way home. I need much better tires but on my street tires I have gotten out of many bad spots on my own. I also have a recovery strap and very very very basic tool kit in my truck, I need more!

dont go throw goopy 3.5ft of water with a cold air kit = hydrolock, ask me how i know?

and get a locker best investment i have ever made lol and the cold air kit is the worst idea for a trcuk that sees some water. ask l2en

sorry sir but you were not suck you where just playing dumb for the day... that is the most pathic stuck i have ever seen...

the worste situation to get into is trying to reverse up hill with an empty bed , watch out for this on dead end roads with no turn around. . I've been stuck alot of times in the old truck with this situation.

Get a high lift jack with all the accessories and you can free yourself most the time. The high lift is really cheap too . I have never used it for myself but I've helped so many other stuck people i've already paid it off in reward money.Also a shovel , pick, wood , crow bar, saw, machete and other road building tools.

air down

be cautious , investigate whats ahead before you go down an unknown trail or really rough section.

Never expect to be back to work monday if your hitting the trail for the weekend in your 2wd :knockedou

that about sums it up :biggthump

I've been looking into the hi-lift lately but havent really been able to see how it would be superbeneficial. Is it worth able to get you unstuck? Using it correctly and following all other recovery options of course (digging out, etc...)