Anyone Into Off-Roading/4-Wheeling ?

Over the last month or so, I've been spending a bunch of weekend time with my new (not new, but new to me) 2001 Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 Off-Road truck in Wharton State Forest. The wife and I haven't gotten into anything seriously yet, but we do enjoy the outdoors and traveling those roads that you'd never get to see in an automobile. We decided on a pre-owned truck, so I wouldn't be as bummed-out when getting scratches of tree limbs running down the side of the truck. This happens when you attempt to navigate a 5-foot wide truck on a road that's only 4-foot wide, covered by brush and trees on both sides.

Great post! Four-wheeling is a means to an end (namely, my flashaholism). It started when I took my dad two-wheeling in my pre-runner Chevy van hahaha. He loved it so much he dumped his Mustang and bought a 4Runner, which is surprisingly capable in stock form. We've been using it to hunt for mineshafts in the Mojave. But unlike you, go 'wheeling in a brand-new truck, so yes we do cringe when plowing through the tumbleweeds and hearing that hair-raising "SCREEEEE!" on the paint job!


Me next to dad's 4Runner near Red Rover Mine, it's very easy to find but you have to persevere because the road is extremely rough. Passable in a stock four-by with low-range gearbox though!!


One of the downward mineshafts of the Mojave. See that ladder? A kitten would break it. I didn't bring rappel gear on this trip otherwise I'd have gone down. Dad's a great belayer!


Me using the Thor Cyclops to peer down a bottomless pit prior to crossing the termite-infested "bridge." BTW, we go triple-redundant with the lights. In addition to the Cyclops, I got a Surefire M4 in my back pocket and a PentagonLight on my belt. (Not shown is my backpack, which has cave survival supplies and a ton of batteries.)


Another long, straight tunnel... I think this was called Circle T Mine, it's not on any maps that I know of, but someone in the park service has marked it. Another rough ride... low range needed to reach it.

Just tried a little tonight. Of course I got stuck on the way back because the back end fell down a slope.

We try to go out to the desert and shoot, and explore old mines. But it is way too hot in the summer time, so I have to hang around home now.

We use our stock 96 4Runner for small stuff, when we go out the the desert we usually bring our suburban because we need the space.

Both of my current vehicles are 4WD. (sold my ATV ~ a year and a half ago)

I've done nearly every Pass road/ATV permissable trail in the southern half of Colorado; Off Road in the San Juan Mountains or the Mosquito Range is my idea of Heaven.

Been all over (but nowhere special) in New Mexico and Arizona.

Haven't been able to get away for over a year though and I really miss it.

Last trip of significance was all over Southern to Central Utah: Escalante/ Grand Staircase, Moab, La Sals, Glen Canyon Recreation area, Cathederal Valley, etc.

Still haven't processed half the photos from that trip. I guess I'd better get around to that pretty soon while the arches are still standing and before the canyons get much deeper.

Great posts guys. We're really liking it. I'm still in the process of getting the needed equipment. I tend not to be too daring, since we travel alone, not wiht packs of other vechicles. I just got my recovery points installed and a 2x30 recovery strap. I think I'm going to get a 2x20 strap as well, along with a Hi-Lift jack. I think that jack is even more important, since we wheel alone. I can use it as a winch, if need be. I'm not prepared right now to drop in excess of $500 for a winch.

Yeah, I'm mostly a lone voyager too... Which I admit is pretty dumb, especially the WAY remote and lonely places I prefer. Been lucky though, and haven't needed any recovery aids beyond muscle, sweat, shovel, jack, 'come-a-long' and 'found objects' yet. (pulled quite a few other guys out though).

High Lift Jacks are a great tool, especially in terms of 'bang for the buck', since they can pull hard as well as lift high.

Have had a winch for the Samurai sitting in the garage for two years, still haven't gotten around to building a mount for it. I had to backtrack about 40 miles and just give up on one destination in Utah last trip. I would have tried it with the winch mounted, but other than that, haven't needed it, since I do my best to completely avoid mud and driving into crevases (crevasses? crevices?) ... uh.... steep sided holes.

My truck is just too big to do any SERIOUS offroading in it though, so it is going to stay pretty much stock and stay on the easy trails.... I really only bought it to haul the ATV in the first place.

My 'dream trip' is to leave from here (Southern NM) and drive up (backroads all the way) until I hit the AlCan highway, Drive through western Canada and then as far north and west in Alaska as is possible by wheeled vehicle. Time it to arrive for the fall colors in the nether reaches of Alaska, then slowly just follow the autumn colors back down south.

Cornkid used to take us offroading. As did my other brother, but he wrecked it, and now we cant offroad anymore

here is what we used:

http://www.avonhill.com/thumbnails/sport_utility/1998_Jeep_Cherokee.jpeg

the jeep could master the trails i tell you.... the best offroading imho is offroading through the woods, and having to dodge trees and stumps.

-David

I love to off-road.

I did alot of it in my 93 Toyota pickup over the years,


I took it many places it never should have went,
not that I didnt get it stuck a few times, but it never really let me down.
I have put it through quite a bit, and nothing major has ever failed on it.
You simply cant beat Toyota reliablity.

Now, I do most all my off-roading with my new love,
My new 2005 Honda Rubicon ATV


Its amazing the places this thing can go, and the ground that you can cover.
I have had zero problems with it, and it runs like a champ, cant beat Honda ATV reliability

And as you can see, I am not too easy on it.



Not that you cant get it stuck


Off-Road exploring has always been one of my favorite hobbies, and I hope it is for years to come.
Just try to stay safe out there, it can get dangerous

~John

We've had a Jeep Wrangler since the 80's and still have a 2002. We've taken it many places it shouldn't have been like others have said.

Around here in Michigan it's mostly through trees and two tracks and sand dunes. The Jeep has made one particular sand hill around us when 7 other 4x4s like blazers, toyota pckups, explorers failed.

The best time I remember was once on a NARROW trail that I used to take on my motorcycle. We weren't lost, but I wasn't sure the best (shortest) trail to take when we got to a fork in the trail. About then, some motorcyles came up and after looking incredulous at us, came over and asked us what we were doing. I asked which fork takes us to the old railroad grade? He said that I shouldn't be there and the shortest way back to a main road was to the left. I didn't want a main road! We went right. :lolsign:

One very capable SUV
Jim's 1994 Grand Cherokee
Armor: Mopar front skid plate, Mopar gas tank skid plate, Overkill Fabrication custom transmission/transfer case skid plate, Skid Row control arm skid plates, Off Road General Store super nerf bars, Rocky Road differential guards, ARB Bull Bar (front bumper), ZJilla rear bumper with hitch
Suspension/Traction 31 x 10.5 x 15 BFG AT KO Tires, ARB air lockers - front & rear, Rubicon Express 4.5 inch long arm lift,
Power 4L inline 6 with Borla header, 4.11:1 ring and pinion gear, NP242 transfer case, Tom Woods drive shaft and SYE, Off Road Engineering Electronic idle control
Other Power Tank CO2 tire inflator, Lightforce RMDL 170 driving/fog lights, Lightforce RMDL 140 Backup lights, Garmin Streetpilot Colormap GPS, Yaesu FT-90R VHF/UHF transceiver, Texas Ranger CB, Garvin Wilderness Rack, Rancho steering stabilizer, Warn XD9000 winch with plastic cable, More flashlights than you can shake a stick at

Hat trick

That's some series climbing/decending going on there. Much too much for me and my rig at this point in time.

this_is_nascar said:

Much too much for me and my rig at this point in time.

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Be careful - it's just as addicting as flashlights but more expensive.

I'm not into 'wheeling yet--but give me some time. I have a '94 4.0 ZJ like Jim's, only no mods yet. When I get a little more time I'm throwing on a 2" lift and bigger rubber. Other fun stuff will follow as time allows.

About then, some motorcyles came up and after looking incredulous at us ... He said that I shouldn't be there and the shortest way back to a main road was to the left.

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What is it with motorcycle guys off road? I've had a similar experience, it was the first time dad and I went 'wheeling in his 4Runner. Some guys on bikes were giving us a hard time even though it was a 4x4-approved trail. (We were in the Gorman off-road recreation area where the trails are plainly marked.) At first I thought I wasn't supposed to be there, but later realized the guy just didn't LIKE us there.

ABTOMAT said:

I'm not into 'wheeling yet--but give me some time. I have a '94 4.0 ZJ like Jim's, only no mods yet. When I get a little more time I'm throwing on a 2" lift and bigger rubber. Other fun stuff will follow as time allows.

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actually, our jeep does very well at offroading, and it is still stock. I wouldnt take it on rocky stuff though, but mud and grass, and logs.... bring it on.

-David

scott.cr said:

...bought a 4Runner, which is surprisingly capable in stock form.

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You can say that again... Toyota trucks are amazing. We drove a Toyota truck across a river once, with water over the hood, and made it safely across. (A friend of my dad died in a similar situation; a flash flood hit them while they were crossing the river...).

I did a stretch of this MTB race in an old Isuzu Trooper a couple of years ago. I swear, it wasn't on purpose. My navigator made me take the wrong "right" turn and we ended in the bottom of a canyon, with no way to get out but to keep on going. I almost tipped the truck once, and finally got stuck on a slippery, muddy slope. Fortunately, there were 6 of us and we slooooooowly pushed the rig up. I can laugh about it now, but it wasn't pretty back then.

For us, it isn't a sport, though, sometimes it's the only way to get in and out of some of our field sites. Either that, or you hike for hours and hours with loads of gear on your back. :green:

I got a 2005 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon at the end of last year and have been going anyplace and everyplace I can come up with in the last 6 months. Lovin it! I mostly go alone but take a GPS and try to stay in cell phone range in case. Got stuck once and spent $75 on a tow (the tow place brought a big ATV with a winch and went up into the woods I was in) but felt lucky it wasn't worse than it was. Didn't even have a shovel (that won't happen again). Don't go out there without some backup plan or tools or friends!

With a 7 acre lot on a hillside I've been working a bit on a trail and now have the most challenging Jeep trial I've been on - right in my own back yard! My wife thought I was crazy with my flashlights, now....

One of the cardinal rules of 4 wheeling is don't do it alone. That being said, if you feel you must do it alone, at least carry the means to extricate yourself from a stuck and the means to reach out and touch somebody if you have to.

The bare minimum "get you unstuck" stuff is the equipment to change a tire and a shovel. I once winched a Hummer out of a mud hole. The idiot turned right around and went back into the mud hole figuring he could make it if he was going the oposite direction. Needless to say he got stuck worse than before. He didn't have a shovel, and, after that idiocy, none of us would loan him one. It was pretty funny watching him try to dig out of the mud with a hand full of twigs.

I once got stuck in the snow so bad that I stalled my 9000 lb winch. The only way I got out was with the use of my shovel. The pen might be mightier than the sword, but somtimes the shovel is mightier than the winch.

As far as reaching out and touching someone, I carry a cell phone and a satellite phone, and I have a ham radio mounted in my rig. Probably one of the best sources for commuication out in the boonies is a ham radio. You can usually reach a repeater station from just about anywhere, even if you are many miles out of cell phone range. I got my ham license strictly for my 4 wheeling hobby. I once vectored a guy, starting hundreds of miles away, right up to our camp site and never lost contact once.

toyota FJ-60 landcruiser has been my main ride for last 15 years. pretty much go anywhere, anytime vehicle.

have not taken it in situations like Jim. And yes Jim drives like a bat out of hell!

only time I got stuck hard was when I high center FJ60 in deep mud. here I was stuck with all four tires up in the air. called my buddy with a FJ-40 to pull me out.

kinda of embarrassing needing to get pulled out...
I'm usually pulling other folks out.

I've wheeled for years in my 98 Ranger (sold now ) and I'll reiterate the first rule of wheeling:

NEVER WHEEL ALONE!

However, as most of us can't help but do this sometimes (rules are meant to be broken,right ) u need, at a minimum:

High Lift jack - first thing a wheeler should have, IMHO

flat board/plate for staging said jack (recommend thick piece of aluminum/steel)

Multiple tow straps, enough to reach at least 100' away (you never know, and heres a story: while wheeling in the Imperial Sand Dunes (also known as Glamis) in California, we came across a guy in a sand rail stuck at the bottom of a bowl. If you don't know what a bowl is in the desert, think of a deep hole in the sand, kind of like that place in Star Wars that has the monster in it). Then imagine being at the bottom, trying to get out of the STEEP sides. Doesn't work. What we did is string about 200' of tow straps together (cause that sucker was steep and deep) and then tug him a few feet up the bowl. Then stop, unhook a section of tow strap, and repeat about a dozen times. That is why you need a 100' of tow straps.

Gas - mostly to keep the truck running while you are waiting all night for your buddies to get their trucks fixed/gassed up/sober etc.... and then come find you and pull you out. Gets cold most nights.

Tools - amazed at what will break on a truck as soon as you are at least 10 miles from any main road. I've held a pack of leaf springs together with tie wraps, duct tape, and prayer. Also I've held the front coil of a Bronco II in the mount when the retaining ring snapped with tie wraps.......very important, tie wraps. Seriously, every tool you think you will need to fix anything that could break that is essential to your truck running (hoses, exhaust, tires (TIRES), suspension, alternators, starters, skid plates, TIRES, etc...), you will prob need some type of tool to fix it. A full toolbox is in order.

Spare parts - see above section, but at a minimum bring a spare set of belts/hoses, a spare alternator/starter, spare hubs (you do have the manual type right? if not switch them....automatics suck and like to pop as soon as you are on the other side of the mud hole from home), gas, food, water, plugs/wires, a spare coil, solenoids, fuel pump......prob leaving something out. Point is: anything that is essential to your vehicle running (can't run without xxxxxxx), make sure you have a spare xxxxxxx with you.

Since you go along (refer to first section) a winch is also a must. You should have one that can pull at least twice your vehicles' weight. Also you must have a tree-strap, as trees are often willing to hold your strap but a metal cable will quickly cut them down and they get mad and fall on you. A ground anchor is also nice when you are without friendly trees around. This will allow you to pound the anchor into the ground and use the ground to pull you out. At least the ground can't fall on you.

Spare tire - no brainer, but should be a full size tire on a good rim

Can of ether/lighter fluid - useful for re-setting beads on tires and if that doesn't work at least you will feel good until you are rescued

CB radio - absolute must when you are wheeling. Cell phones are finicky, but every sherrif in the country monitors good old channel 9

Lights - u seem to have that covered

Battery - would recommend a dual battery setup, especially if you have off-road lights on the truck. Reminds me of a funny story when my battery was dead and had to push-start the truck (in total darkness) down a rock strewn hill and pop the clutch....fun If no dual battery, be aware of running the lights without the truck running (see above for essential things to keep truck running....battery is one)

Lets see, what else.....

Camera - nothing is so great about a funny off-road story (Hey man, you would't believe how high the mud was in my truck!) without pictures/video

Since you are going alone (see first section) I also would recommend some sort of traction aiding differential. In other words you should have at least a limited-slip rear end, and most ideally a locker. This allows you to provide power to both wheels at ths same time, even when one is off the ground. Nothing is sillier than a bad-*** off road truck stuck because both the front and rear drive wheels are off the ground and can't move (very likely when navigating deep ruts/rocks)

That's all I can think of right now.....I love off-roading, and soon plan to acquire a nother truck. Be safe, plan ahead, and you won't be walking home 10 miles in a rainstorm because your alternator quit after you forded that stream at 15mph (yes, I've done this also)

Be safe and have fun!

dragoman