A little help needed

[JK-Q8]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_mliGAH1-o&feature=related

I know this video is a bit long, but 3mins into the video the black jk with snorkels gets stuck and then puts it into revese in the middle of the mud. Iam assuming hes an auto, but if i do that with a 6speed, i cant press the clutch in rite because the water is too high? and if i wanted to get into reverse i should let the jeep stall and then switch it into reverse and then start it without the clutch? and i can do that numerous times if iam stuck? Another questioned topic is if i was gona cross that mud should i start in 4lo or 4hi? like the guy in video can someone tell in which gear he wwas or in 4hi or 4lo? Thanx for any help.

[Big D2]

First, you should know exactly how deep the mud is.

Second, always cross in 4lo. This gives the engine much needed toraue that is necessary for the extra resistance provided by the mud.

Three, yes, that is the correct procedure for changing gears in a water/mud.

[JK-Q8]

First, you should know exactly how deep the mud is.

Second, always cross in 4lo. This gives the engine much needed toraue that is necessary for the extra resistance provided by the mud.

Three, yes, that is the correct procedure for changing gears in a water/mud.

Thanx for the anwers, but which gear should i choose in 4lo if its that deep that this black jk passed? and if i have a snorkel (just dreaming for now) and i see a crossing that i passed already and want to pass it with alot of speed, is it harmful for the jeep? like if i hit that crossing with huge speed?

[Ryno]

I think huge speed is always potentially harmful when you're talking about Jeeps.

I, for one, don't like redlining my engine while I'm in 4-Lo. If speed and momentum are what you need to cross something, I would say 4-Hi would be a better choice than 4-Lo. I think you're more likely to break something in 4-Lo.

What do I know though... I hate mud. :yup:

[Northernmedic]

From my experience, I found that 4lo is best for mud. In 4h you loose alot of torque going through thick mud and therefore alot of momentum with the potential to stall. In mud you require power to propel yourself through. Myself I use 2nd gear to maintain a balance between maximum wheel spin and torque to the wheels. In first you won't get enough wheel spin to clear the lugs. In third you won't have the torque. Never approach a hole at a high speed as you never how deep it is or what may be hidden in the mud. Approach and enter slowly but power out of it.

[JK-Q8]

I think huge speed is always potentially harmful when you're talking about Jeeps.

I, for one, don't like redlining my engine while I'm in 4-Lo. If speed and momentum are what you need to cross something, I would say 4-Hi would be a better choice than 4-Lo. I think you're more likely to break something in 4-Lo.

What do I know though... I hate mud. :yup:

Thats why i dont use 4lo because i feeel that if any obstacle comes along il redline the engine and i don't like that, but i read everywhere on the forum that 4lo is better maybe i got to try it.

[JK-Q8]

From my experience, I found that 4lo is best for mud. In 4h you loose alot of torque going through thick mud and therefore alot of momentum with the potential to stall. In mud you require power to propel yourself through. Myself I use 2nd gear to maintain a balance between maximum wheel spin and torque to the wheels. In first you won't get enough wheel spin to clear the lugs. In third you won't have the torque. Never approach a hole at a high speed as you never how deep it is or what may be hidden in the mud. Approach and enter slowly but power out of it.

This way wont the engines rpms be sky high? isnt that bad for the engine?

[pearl-drum-man]

Thats why i dont use 4lo because i feeel that if any obstacle comes along il redline the engine and i don't like that, but i read everywhere on the forum that 4lo is better maybe i got to try it.

Just my opinion, but I think a lot of people under-utilize 4LO off-road. I think it's actually LESS wear and tear on the Jeep using it than trying to power through stuff in 4HI. My $.02.

[Ge99ne]

I have an auto, so the shifting thing is not a concern for me. That's why I almost always use 4-lo. You do run out of gear so much faster, but from the other side of the equation, it takes alot more to stop the wheels. There's the balancing point. You need to spin the wheels fast enough to clean the lugs. If you've installed big tires & did not regear, no real choice here. 4 lo and a medium gear all the way. If you regeared & went a little steeper than you had to for the extra acceleration, well you can get away with 4-hi more often.

The type of mud you are going through & surplus power are the 2 things that drive your choice. There's thick mud- the kind that will suck a boot off your foot. This is the scenario that requires more torque than our humble power plant puts out. The big tires that float so well on sand have to move more mud than a skinny tire.

Watery looking holes are usually loose enough to run 4-hi. The mud is so thin it does create as much parasitic drag on the tires passing through.

So the point I'm trying to get at is there's no one size fits all suggestion for high or low. with the auto tranny I'm not concerned about sucking water during shifts. That means I stay in 4- lo for the most part, since I don't generally get over 15 mph off road. With a manual it's a little more precise. And then there's the rubicon gearing angle to consider, where the ration is so low it takes 6th gear to spin the tires with any speed. Add to that the lockers are a nice boost to traction. So if you haven't bypassed the lo range only lock out, you really have to choose your gear right. Good luck wheel with a friend. Those stuck situations are the ones you talk about anyways. And we love seeing those pics & armchair quarterbacking what WE would have done differently.

[JK-Q8]

Just my opinion, but I think a lot of people under-utilize 4LO off-road. I think it's actually LESS wear and tear on the Jeep using it than trying to power through stuff in 4HI. My $.02.

Your rite especially in kuwait i dont think anyone uses 4lo thats why iam not that familiar. i tried 4lo a bit but havnt tried it in soft sand or mud, i guess i have to get stuck in each situation to see how i could act differently.

[JK-Q8]

I have an auto, so the shifting thing is not a concern for me. That's why I almost always use 4-lo. You do run out of gear so much faster, but from the other side of the equation, it takes alot more to stop the wheels. There's the balancing point. You need to spin the wheels fast enough to clean the lugs. If you've installed big tires & did not regear, no real choice here. 4 lo and a medium gear all the way. If you regeared & went a little steeper than you had to for the extra acceleration, well you can get away with 4-hi more often.

The type of mud you are going through & surplus power are the 2 things that drive your choice. There's thick mud- the kind that will suck a boot off your foot. This is the scenario that requires more torque than our humble power plant puts out. The big tires that float so well on sand have to move more mud than a skinny tire.

Watery looking holes are usually loose enough to run 4-hi. The mud is so thin it does create as much parasitic drag on the tires passing through.

So the point I'm trying to get at is there's no one size fits all suggestion for high or low. with the auto tranny I'm not concerned about sucking water during shifts. That means I stay in 4- lo for the most part, since I don't generally get over 15 mph off road. With a manual it's a little more precise. And then there's the rubicon gearing angle to consider, where the ration is so low it takes 6th gear to spin the tires with any speed. Add to that the lockers are a nice boost to traction. So if you haven't bypassed the lo range only lock out, you really have to choose your gear right. Good luck wheel with a friend. Those stuck situations are the ones you talk about anyways. And we love seeing those pics & armchair quarterbacking what WE would have done differently.


Thanx for the description. I guess i have to try, but iam always afraid of getting stuck. hehe. especially in mud. Plus mud season is a few months away so i have some time. I just want to know how to start an approach to something. Always when i approach an obstacle i dont know on what gear to be or on 4hi and 4lo, i hope i can figure it out. And if i get pics for sure il post them.

[JK-Q8]

I have another question, if i get stuck in mud and i stall the jeep to switch into reverse withouth the clutch won't mud get into the exhaust? and that will enable me to restart?

[JK-Q8]

it wont matter if you get anything in the exhaust it will just blow it out.

And as far as what gear to pick...simply pick the gear that will allow you to get through at the speed you want BUT still have tome left up top for when you feel yourself starting to get stuck you can give it a little more gas.

It really depends on the thickness of the mud and also whether youre in an x or rubi. In the X 1st gear 4 lo is 3rd gear 4 lo in a rubi....

so i run mud in 3 or 4 usually in my rubi...but that equates to 1 or 2 in an X...
If the mud is thick go for the lower gear, as you need the extra torque that the lower gear gives you to spin your tires, but if its watery go higher you will be able to go a little faster.....

its all about the seed you want to go through at...the higher the speed the higher potential for damage but the less potential for getting stuck, you just have to establish YOUR compromise between the two...id rather get stuck than break an axle or pop a tire on a submerged log personally, so i tend to take it slow and gas it once im int he mud, some people (pine barrens anyone lol) hit it fast and use momentum to get through (hydrolock :eek:


Thanx for the reply. Atleast know i have a bit more confidence going through water or mud. First i thought i didnt want to mess up the clutch so i got that figured out, and then it hit me that i mite not be able to restart if the water gets in the exuast. But thatnks all cleared up.

[Pete799]

I always use 4lo when I offroad. The only time I use 4hi is on icy snowy roads on the way up to snowboard. The torque is much better and there is less stress put on your tranny. My good buddy has a big truck with a custom built tranny that he destroyed because his 8cyl had enough power to push him out so he never felt he should use 4lo because he didnt need it. He found that out the hard way.

[midnight rider]

i hate mud:mad: if you want to run mudholes remember to check them out first. also you should look for tracks out(meaning someone has at least made it thru). virgin mud is a bad thing..:eek2:

[chuck45]

If you are serious about going into and through mud you need to make sure you have good mud tires. An AT tire won't do it. I have to be out in the mud for my job and I run Cooper STT's on my work truck (05 Chev ExCab 4x4 Diesel). They work well and clean the tread well. From what I've seen so far the KM2's on my JK are good in mud too.

Where I see most people get in trouble in mud is that they are afraid to use enough throttle. I've had to go through a lot of mud ,10-15 miles at a sretch, and there are times I'm slithering along at about 5 mph, in low range with my speedo reading 30 mph. If I can't make it I have to call for a D8 or Cat wheeled loader to come pull me to location. So you quickly learn to drive in mud.

The other thing is to get a set of mud chains. They're like snow chains but beefier. They are expensive. I'm going to get a set for my JK's 35's and they are around 200-250 a pair. You won't believe where you can go witha set of mud chains.

We have all of our semi's set up to carry a set for all the driving wheels (four duals) and the steering axle.

[JK-Q8]

I love mud, i love the mud look, but unfortunetly we dont get that mud rain here, so i see mud just a month or 2 in a year.

[Ben]

Just my opinion, but I think a lot of people under-utilize 4LO off-road. I think it's actually LESS wear and tear on the Jeep using it than trying to power through stuff in 4HI. My $.02.

x2

There is nothing strange or magical about 4lo, it just gears the jeep down lower, nothing weird. Some of us have to use it exclusively off road, my x with 32's and 3.21 gears has to be in 4lo almost all the time offroad cuz otherwise I would be riding the clutch way too much, and it goes too fast just idling through a field.

I agree that there is usually less potential for wear/tear in 4lo! as for redlining, just don't do it, be in a higher gear in 4lo like 2nd, that is where I do the majority of my wheeling.

[JK-Q8]

x2

There is nothing strange or magical about 4lo, it just gears the jeep down lower, nothing weird. Some of us have to use it exclusively off road, my x with 32's and 3.21 gears has to be in 4lo almost all the time offroad cuz otherwise I would be riding the clutch way too much, and it goes too fast just idling through a field.

I agree that there is usually less potential for wear/tear in 4lo! as for redlining, just don't do it, be in a higher gear in 4lo like 2nd, that is where I do the majority of my wheeling.

But you guys have rocks and stuff, while i got sand i need a bit of momentum and i know in soft sand i shouldnt shift gears, so if i find myself too slow in 4lo my rpms would be sky high.

[Ben]

But you guys have rocks and stuff, while i got sand i need a bit of momentum and i know in soft sand i shouldnt shift gears, so if i find myself too slow in 4lo my rpms would be sky high.

fair enough, but I don't get rocks, I am mainly in mud/trails, I don't have experience in sand, but my 3.21 gears bog down in first gear in 4 hi, I can't spin my 32's! Sand seems fun, no trees to hit.

[JK-Q8]

fair enough, but I don't get rocks, I am mainly in mud/trails, I don't have experience in sand, but my 3.21 gears bog down in first gear in 4 hi, I can't spin my 32's! Sand seems fun, no trees to hit.

Yeah sand is fun, i love mud though. iam not a fan of rock crawling, but i love the dunes and love mud. I guess this time i got to try the 4lo, so its okay to be in 4lo and in 6th and the rpms at 3000 for a long time?>

[Ben]

Idk about that, if you are going fast, you are probably fine in four hi, if it is working for you , don't change it, especially on the advice of someone who doesn't know about sand and dunes.

[JK-Q8]

Idk about that, if you are going fast, you are probably fine in four hi, if it is working for you , don't change it, especially on the advice of someone who doesn't know about sand and dunes.

4hi works most of the time, but sometimes when there is an incline or something like that the jeep bogs down and stalls, and it looks as if the jeep doesnt have the power, thats the prob i have.