one sugestion, leave the 45' of chain at home and pick up a couple heavy duty ****** ropes for when you do get stuck (it will happen) but thats half the fun, right? when chains break the become deadly projectiles!

 

For farm travel I would be concerned about not having trees close by to tie a winch to.

I actually do more sailing in NJ than 4wd but I have a F350 srw crew diesel.

I would get a boat anchor to dig in the ground where ever you get stuck. Instant tree. I would recommend a 'Plow' type anchor. It doesn't have the flat 'flukes' to have to dig out when your done. The blade looks like a snow plow and the shaft should swing side to side to keep the force straight as you wiggle out.

I would also consider a trailer hitch mountable winch. You don't always want to pull yourself further into the mess you have already gotten into. Retreat can be an honorable option in 4wd.

 

my friend is gonna mount a 12k lbs winch behind my rear hitch enclosed by 1/4 inch steel plate so it wont rust. he has done many of them and has had no problems

 

Nobody has talked about lockers. Get some lockers, that will help you not get stuck.

 

I've been in the mud on a few farms, luckly I'm not the one that did this, my friend with a lifted 350 psd with 38" Super Swampers thought he could go through anything so he tried a drainage ditch. Thing about a ditch is that is where all the water goes so even when the mud isn't bad anywhere else, there might not be a bottom. He had it to the axles in no time and it took two tractors and him still driving to get him out, don't expect to just jump on a tractor and pull your truck out.

 

hey man i have a 99 4x4 f350 srw but youll love the truck theyre not the greatest for wheelin (too heavy as you have heard ) BUT YOU WILL LOVE THE TRUCK HOW COULD YOU NOT ITS A FORD

 

Sit down, put 'er in gear, put your foot on the floor if youre goin through mud. If you want to make it real fun, go as far as you can in 2WD, then put in in 4x4 and see if you can get out

 

Two words. HIT IT!

 

Let out a loud battle cry grit your teeth and floor it. Then begin to scream the whole way through until its over. Then when your stuck make like a dying Rhino. Momentum is your friend

 

First off, it is a nice farm and towing truck.

You did not mention engine, so I am going to assume it is a diesel. Unless it has changed in the last year years since I drove a diesel 4x4 drw cc (Dodge), the problem is you can not rev the engine fast enough to clear the treads. Basically what I do is rev the (gas) engine to sling the mud, then roll back and preceded slowly out of my rut.

Or I just say the heck with it, get a good head start for the hill, floor it, saw the wheel back and forth, head slightly sideways out of the rut, and send 500 pounds of mud airborne

I have gotten my 4x4 van stuck just in my back yard hauling my trailer around in the mud. All I can say is more launching speed and distance is always needed and if you leave pavement expect to get stuck, even in your own backyard if you have mud.

You have to deal with ice. What I would recommend is a set of steel rims and tires just for winter time and keep the off roading adventures to summer time as sinking a dually in mud/ice/snow/slush and getting it unstuck will not be fun (for most people). 12K winch will be okay with a block as long as you do not frame sink it.

I would suggest a very sturdy rear mount and forget the front mount. Because what will happen is with a dually you will start to snowplow the rear tires. They will not have a path cleared and flatten by the front tires.

With a dually you want to pull yourself out backwards in the lowest gear, not dig the pizza cutters up front in further with. I would box in the winch with 1/4" C channel and plate so if someone slides into the rear bumper during winter at a stop sign it does not destroy the winch.

I am planning on making my van, DRW, and the tires I decided would be best would be Intercos, 34s in back, 33x14.50 up front, as someone mentioned.

At least on the Dodge DRW, you can ditch the DRW adapter for the front and just run a regular rim on the 8x6.50 pattern to get the wide tire.

Dealing with ice and a drw in WI I would suggest running green diamond retreads in the winter or studs on all six tires. Though you have to be VERY careful not to slide it through intersections in 2x4 by driving slowly and allow for slow long braking when using studs. You slam on the brakes with studs on a DRW and it is going to be a long sideways slide.

That being said, I think 4x4 DRW trucks are great for on the road traction in adverse conditions! With a load of snow in the bed you might not need to put it in 4x4 during a storm except starting on a steep hill.

In winter I would not do wheeling with it off road because unless you spend a fortune on upgrading it, you will not have the angles or tire height (38s min) to make it over obstacles and if you sink it, it will be a hassle getting unstuck. You are talking a 170+ WB and 8K pounds of truck. Stuck to the frame in slush/mud, 12K winch will not self recover without blocks, a lot of 1/2" cable, and some pretty hefty trees.

You forgot one vital piece of equipment, a hi-lift jack!

If I was going to do any upgrade, before suspension, tires, winch, etc. I would put selectable lockers (since you tow) front and back or at least a LSD in the back. It will make a big difference.

My first vehicle was a 69 Olds I bought for $100. I could only have wished for an awesome truck like yours! I owned pieces of GM junk until I was 21. I would say you are doing awesome

 

It seems, ive finally found a candidate for a signature.

 

Just floor it through the mud bro, you don't want to sink I would just punch the throttle and it will fly bye. Unless someone get's in the way therefore I would slow down and get stuck in my F250 V10 6 in lift 35 in bfg's

 

I thought recovery straps were way more likely to become "deadly projectiles". That's because they stretch, and that energy is suddenly released. Chains have little stretch, so they don't have as much "fling" when they break. Chains suck for recovery though, since there is NO give.

 

yea....I mean sometimes flooring it doesn't work...I mean I've gotten military hummers stuck to a ways up the doors(BTW, those are REALLY heavy).....3 full size trucks couldn't even budge it. Now the fun begins right?.....just grab a Skidder!.....it's already got a winch on it, for winchin' trees.....and it pulled her right out.....so I bet a BIG tractor would work fine too!

 

One thing people don't understand about chains is that you can't use them to jerk. You take up the slack and then go. I have always used chains and have never broken one, but I take up the slack first and then go. The disadvantage here is that if you are in a situation where you need momentum, you don't get it. In that case, a strap is better. I avoid this problem with a little trail judgement