How many of you guys go off roading and "4-wheeling" in a 2wd pickup?

I ask cuz I'm going to do just that in the morning.
I'm headed out with my brother, cousin and some friends to a popular off road area north east of town. It's mostly all sand washes and a few hills to climb.

I think my truck will do ok. I've got 11.50 inch wide all terrains in the back and 10.50" all terrains in the front. And I'm gonna throw a few hundred pounds of gear in the back so I should have enough weight to get traction. I plan on airing the tires down to 20-15 psi. Or whatever feels good.

 

Momentum will be your friend, and try to stay off the churned up stuff if you're following somebody. Unmolested ground should provide more traction than the loose stuff that's been thrown around but that's obvious. You'll save yourself some heartache on any larger obstacles if you stop for a minute and decide what line you're going to take, whether it's following somebody else's or picking your own to suit your drivetrain.
Judicious throttle use will be helpful as well, you won't be able to go *****-out in some sections where your friends do as you'll just squat and dig.

I'd recommend something closer to the 18-20psi range up front and down around 12 in the back. Should keep enough air in the front to hold the beads and the right amount of bulge in the rear to widen your footprint for more traction - especially in the sand.

Growing up we had a '96 2wd Grand Cherokee and I got that thing places street tires should never, ever go. Much to my stepdads chagrin at that too.

You didn't mention if you had a locker or a posi out back, if you do it'll make a big difference. If not, I'd try to put a bit more of your cargo over the passenger side wheel as it's typically the one that'll peg-leg first. The extra weight bias may keep it planted a little better, but power always goes the way of least resistance.

And technically if none of your friends have lockers, they're all 2wd and you're rocking 1. I've done Jeeps for going on 12 years, and I still wheel in 2wd unless I absolutely need the front end pulling.

 

when you arrive on the wheeling grounds, AFTER youve aired down your tires......Turn off your stereo, and roll down your windows. Im not trying to sound like Yoda or Jedi Master, but use your sense of hearing, along with eyesight. Being able to hear engine RPM's, and whether or not your getting wheelspin without watching a tach really helps.....apply throttle gently, increase throttle even MORE gently. with a manual tranny, pick a gear at the bottom of the hill that will allow you to climb the hill without downshifting, because unless your exceptionally good at clutching and applying throttle, you will dig in upon engaging power in the lower gear, and thats assuming the lower gear is synchro'd or you know how to engage a non synchro gear without grinding it. with an auto, i typically would suggest manually shifting it into either L1, or L2 range, rather than D before attempting to climb a hill

 

Good advice. I do most of it as second nature. I've got experience driving, off roading in the area. Just never went in MY truck.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easily it went through the sand and impressed with some of the hills I was able to climb.

And get this,,, over the whole day of driving in the deep sand and climbing hills, I didn't hardly slip a wheel! I had AWESOME traction!

I started out with normal air in the tires. But once I hit the rocks I let all 4 down to ~22psi. That improved the ride immensely without getting them too soft to drive home or risk loosing a bead.

I kept it in 1st and 2nd gear all day and really didn't have to even touch the throttle cept when I needed to climb or power through a sand berm.

In short, I was VERY PLEASED with my and my trucks performance today. I am now more confident about where I can take it.

 

Glad it worked out.
If you're going to be doing this often I suggest making sure you:

• have good recovery points front and rear
• carry a good recovery strap
• carry a shovel
• carry some sort of matting/planks with ridges to put under the tires.
• take a good supply of drinking water with you

There are other things you can take just in case, but I'd consider that the basics. And not going further when alone than you're willing to walk.

My first off-roader was our '70 2WD IH Traveall.

 

Oh yea. The first thing I did to the truck when I got it was add some good tow-hooks to the front. I had a few shovels, a iron grate for traction, a bunch of chains and 2 straps. A couple if comalongs. I was prepared.

 

Used to "play off road" many times when I was in high school.........77 F100.

It was 2wd and got stuck many times.

 

I'm planning on adding 4.11 gears and a automatic locker in the near future.

 

Please don't use chains when recovering a stuck vehicle....

 

Yes I know the whole schpeel about how chains can break and are dangerous and whatnot.

 

Seen more than one break shattering the back glass nearly taking someones head off nylon is much more forgiving

 

I've seen them break like that too. But I ain't stupid about it either when I'm using them. Take up slack easy then pull. I use chains most of the time just cuz I've got so many. Good ones, not cheap ones. Grade 70 transport chains. And cuz they are a lot more durable and easier to attach than straps. But I've got my strap too.

 

Here's a video I took. This wasn't a planned trip. I was taking it easy. All alone a long way from home. Didn't want to mess anything up. It did good, I had fun. (Mild language)

 

I liked that you stopped and checked things out on foot before charging blindly ahead. Good thinking.

 

Yea, right at the top there was a little flat spot I was gonna turn around on. But I couldn't quite make it.