JK-Q8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_mli...eature=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

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.

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

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

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

pearl-drum-man

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

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.