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With good preparation and a bit of practice, anyone can off road and get to places other vehicles simply can’t

OFF ROAD TECHNIQUE

DRIVING IN MUD

In deep mud, you need steady momentum to carry you through.

Driving through Muddy Soil
4x4 OffRoad Terrain

Only drive through shallow mud (the depth should not go above the center of the differential); remain on as solid a surface as possible.

Your tyres will cut through mud to find traction on firmer ground below. If your wheels do start to spin, ease off the throttle and slow the tyres to regain grip.

Muddy Ruts

A rut is a long, deep track created by the repeated passage of vehicles. Try to straddle deep ruts, as this keeps your environmental impact to a minimum.

If muddy conditions force you to drive in ruts, make sure you know where your front wheels are pointing. Check the Wheel Direction Indicator, if available.

Try to keep your lowest point clear of the ground at all times.

Muddy Hills

When climbing muddy hills, remember that you’ll need more momentum to balance the decrease in traction.

Always try to avoid wheel spin, as it results in loss of momentum and can cause environmental damage.

How to Drive in the Mud

Driving the mud can be challenging, but there are a number of ways that you can make the journey safer for you and your vehicle. Start by getting the right tires and keeping them properly inflated.

Check out the depth of any mud before you drive into it and keep your speed slow and steady.

  • Check the depth of the mud
  • Engage traction control
  • Switch to 4WD
  • Go to a lower gear
  • Go easy on the gas and brake pedals
  • Avoid any deep ruts
  • Correct a front wheel skid
  • Inspect your car for damage afterwards

Driving path:

Only drive through shallow mud (the depth should not go above the center of the differential); remain on as solid a surface as possible.

Gear selection:

Considering the strong resistance, a low-range (L4) gear like 2nd or 3rd is a good choice. If the vehicle is equipped with a differential lock system, activate it.

Steering and clutch operation:

Don’t turn suddenly.Stepping on the clutch could get the vehicle stuck. Therefore, use a gear which will take you through the entire trip without shifting. If you must shift, do it quickly so as not to lose momentum.
Automatic transmission is thus preferable over manual transmission as it doesn’t require the driver to use a clutch.
If the vehicle stops, turn the steering straight before restarting.

Stopping a vehicle:

Applying brakes will sink the vehicle. Therefore, let the vehicle stop by itself or, even better, stop the vehicle on a solid surface or at a high position so that restarting on a downhill slope is possible.

Getting Unstuck

Try to rock the vehicle

Turn your steering wheel so that your tires face straightforward. Apply just a slight amount of pressure to the gas pedal and switch gears between drive and reverse. Stop everything if you feel the tires spinning continually. Turn the wheel so that your tires are at an angle and try again.
For manual vehicles, this maneuver works best when in the highest gear. For automatics, go with the lowest gear possible.