To those with experience at Tuttle Creek, a question. Or several?
 

I have been thinking I'd like to take my truck up to Tuttle Creek this fall. I've never been out to go wheeling proper, and haven't been to the park either. I'm not a dummy though, which brings us to this conversation.

My truck is a 93 F250 Supercab long bed with a 460 and an auto. It has what appears to be a 4 inch lift, installed by the PO. It will have some new tires soon. Likely Interco SSRs in 285/75r16 (34.9 inches tall). It is basically stock. Besides wheels, a little lift, and no muffler (PO again), it's a 93 F250 as Ford intended. It's also my daily.

What I would like to know is how much of Tuttle Creek is accessible to my truck with its current setup. Can I get a full day of wheeling out of it? A weekend? I know I won't be the fastest guy with my skill level and not wanting to tear up the truck.

What should I take along? I already intend to have access to a winch and a safe method of attachment for it at least at the rear of the truck. I also plan to have tools, shovels, compressed air, recovery items, fuel, food/water, trash storage, multiple methods of communication, a sextant and highly accurate maps of the region, a sundial, at least a decent bottle jack, gloves, sun block, naked women, kiddie pool, baby oil, household plumbing.

I expect I won't have any other vehicles with me, and may or may not have a passenger/spotter. I do have a GoPro and suction mount and associated phone app, so I kinda have an extra angle on things still available.

Any information or advice would be well taken. Thanks to all.

Well having been to tuttle about a billion times I might be able to answer some of those questions for you!


First off NEVER WHEEL ALONE!!! You might get hung up on a rock or stuck in a ditch and need a slight tuck with a tow rope. Maybe you could post up a week or two in advance of when you would like to go and some of us might go along. Offroad Gang and the Wichita 4x4 club are two groups that wheel together and do other projects as well. You can contact me for info from either group!


Second--- Your truck will do fine if you take it slow-- but it will be tight- some of the turns and obstacles have trees and limbs sticking out so don't expect to get through without plenty of scratches.


Thirdly -- It might be cloudy so the sextant and sundial might not be of much use :-)


Fourthly--- I think you could get a good day out of it and never hit the same trail- a weekend if you hit a few of the trails a few times-- and if you get lost easy and have a poor sense of direction then you could stay out there a week and never know you've been on the same trail before :-)


Almost Lastly- There is nothing at the park besides a pit toilet- Nearest gas station is 5 miles or so. They have all things NEEDED (oil-brake fluid- power steering fluid) but there is no parts store for 30+ miles in any direction-- so if you need a brake line fitting or a tire valve you are out of luck or have to depend on the kindness of other wheelers if you see any at the park.


One thing you might think about is you are probably planning on driving it there and back I assume-- if that is the case it might be nice to have someone else go along with a truck and trailer just inn case something happens and you break something-- There are 5 people that I know of (on this forum) that wouldn't mind going if the weekend is right :-)


I live just down the road in Newton from you- making travel caravan pretty easy. Couple guys live in Wichita, Abilene, and a couple in Manhattan -- In fact Del Lives on Tuttle Creek Lake :-)


Hope that info is helpful!

Thanks for the info. I actually live on the other side of Great Bend now, but still would likely start my trip from Hutch, since that's where the winch I'd use lives, and where I have access to a lift and such until the planets align and I build my own shop.

I don't really want to beat the truck through obstacles if I can avoid it. I'm not against making it work, but I'm not looking to drag it over large rocks too much. I don't doubt I'll pick up a few scratches along the way, but I don't want to bend it if I can avoid it.

I appreciate the offer to go along with you or others and I certainly wouldn't mind having someone else along. I don't know how much advance notice I'll have, of how much ability I'd have to plan to go when others might ready be going. My work schedule is, let's say fluid. Always subject to change. I drive a truck and when the customer is ready to go, sometimes things get changed a bit.

As for parts, I'm guessing I ought to have u-joints, serp belts, valve stems, a couple pre flared brake line sections, tire plugs and patches, and a bunch of stuff I'm forgetting.

I don't know that I'll get time to go, but I'd like to before the season ends. I guess we'll see what happens. Thanks again.

You`re for sure going to get scratches. A vehicle that long will def, have issues on some of the tighter trails but I wouldn`t let that stop you from enjoying what `ol Henry built for you. I had a friend just this last weekend comment on the scratches on my truck, and I told him if you use it as it was meant to be used, expect some scratches. In 15 years of tuttle wheeling, I`ve broken 1 motor mount. That`s it.

I go out often, or at least as often as possible, and am always looking for someone to join me, so when you get to the point you are ready to go, hit me up and see if I am available, I live in Manhattan, and strive to get up there about once per month.

Lots of good replies. I might add ifin ya has nakid womin yer gonna have lots of folks joinin ya. }>


I might add a bit more though. Del (husker) used to take his SD out and shortly after bought an old FS Bronco to run out there. If you have running boards or mud flaps take them off before you go or there is a good chance they will come off not so nicely on the trail. Don't get in a hurry and take your time. The rocks can be hard on tires and expect some tire damage. Like paint scratches the tires will show scuffs and such.


Do you have open diff's front and rear? Do you have skid plates?


Do a search in the KS chapter for Camp, Shoot and Wheel. There were a bunch of outings in the past and some have some pics attached. You could wait for the next one and see if someone has an open seat and ride along to look things over before you take your daily driver out. You might decide to use your truck as your tow rig and get a smaller truck to drag out and drag back home. Folks have used Bronco's, Bronco II's, Jeeps, and other like stuff.


What kind of off roading have you done in the past?

The truck has the stock lsd in the rear and open diff up front.

As for my experience, it's effectively none. I've bombed down sand roads and driven in mud in a practical sense, just in the course of getting something done. I've had to work my semi through areas with a few inches of slop pick lines that aren't too soft that it'll sink. I've had my previous 2wd trucks in mud and deep snow just trying to get things done but never in a recreational sense.

I am an above average drive on the roads, but I'd assume I'm just another rookie off road. Dumb enough to try but smart enough to know when to quit.

I'd be happy to just run some trails and such, but I don't guess I have many options within a few hours drive.

Also, what's the tent camping situation near the park? I don't need a motel and a tents a lot cheaper than a rv. I haven't camped out since I was a kid.

Edit:

I'd love a more trail-friendly rig, but can't justify it right now. We have a 79 Cherokee, buts the wife's and I can't quite get her talked into letting me get a 1 ton donor truck and swap in the whole driveline, lift it a bit and stuff 37s or so under it. I love the idea of that rig. Good bumpers and a winch and that's a beast right there.

A limited slip has clutch disc's in the diff that put some resistance to axle that has little or no traction. You can help that out using the brake. The older the LS the less helpful it is as the clutches have worn and hold less. If your tires spin (as in snow) click the e-brake a few clicks. Not enough to hold it solid but enough to add resistance. Then hold the regular brake down and add a bit of skinny pedal power. Then ease off the foot brake a bit until the power overcomes the brake resistance. Not as good as a locker or biasing diff but it does help. Folks use this in the winter on 2wd open diff but don't used the foot brake as they have no power to the front. On 4wd this gives some power to all 4 wheels.


With mud a common practice is to spin the tires so they self clean and bite when the come back around into the mud.


Rocks need to be driven on if they are big enough to cause damage under the truck. Most folks roll the window down and look at the rock and put the tire on the rock or get out or use a spotter. Most times the spotter needs to be better than the driver as all the driver needs to do is what the spotter tells them to. And the spotter can see more.


There are two state parks near the off road area. One is Fancy Creek. The other is Randolph. FC is the closest and has 2 pit toilets and electric hookups. Randolph is a very short drive across the bridge and has water during the warm months. You can stay at FC and drive across to shower if you like. It is self pay and they do check. If you have a KS state park pass it is honored.

One other thing. I have not been to Tuttle in a few years but rain or snow is a bad thing while you are in the ORV park. It dry's out pretty fast so if it rained yester day chances are it's not too bad today if it's not rained since yesterday. If it starts raining you need to get out if you can. Some of the trails are so steep and off camber and slick you cannot stop your truck and you can get into big trouble fast if you are new to the park and don't know which trails to avoid.

Techically the park rules frown on driving in the park in the rain-- but I have never heard of that rule being enforced (and have been there in the rain and snow several times)

I concur with what the other guys have said. You will be able to do a lot of wheeling with your truck and have fun as is. The down side is the trails are narrow and the brush will scratch it. There really isn't much area to wheel on without going through brush. The park changes all the time due to weather and how people wheel on the trails. One trail might be relatively easy one time and more difficult the next due to how rocks and ledges have been cut out or stuff moved around by rigs with big tires and lots of power.

In most areas there are choices over moderate trails and difficult trails. You will want to take it easy with your truck. Especially if you want to drive it home. Also, wheeling will really bring out weak points on a vehicle whether they are in the drive train, electrical or fuel system. Don't let this scare you away. Just plan on having fun and taking it easy until you get comfortable.

Welcome! :-jammin

If it were me I'd use the truck to tow out the 79' Cherokee. Throw in some cheap lockers in the stock axles, don't get bigger than 35" tires, and avoid the skinny pedal. You'll be amazed how well that old Jeep can perform on the trails with some light upgrades and sensible wheeling.

I'm more of a Jeep guy than :oval, but I still hang out here nonetheless. I only get out to wheel a couple times a year with the guys but I typically make it the spring and fall CS&W's (Camp, Shoot, and Wheel) out at Tuttle. As of right now I have the 5-speed tore down on my daily driver 93' Wrangler, but hope to have it back together for the Fall CS&W.

Speaking of which, when we gonna do this thing fellas? :D