Mudding or Rock Crawling?
11-14-2012, 06:50 AM
#1
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Mudding or Rock Crawling?
had a discussion with some friends, which type of wheeling is harder on your vehicle, Mudding or rock crawling?
Since I am in Colorado, not much mud to deal with, certainly not the type of mudding that you see in the southern states.
I would think that mudding, with its possibility of mud and water intrusion into parts and pieces would have a greater potential for damage than dry rock crawling.
Thoughts?
Since I am in Colorado, not much mud to deal with, certainly not the type of mudding that you see in the southern states.
I would think that mudding, with its possibility of mud and water intrusion into parts and pieces would have a greater potential for damage than dry rock crawling.
Thoughts?
11-14-2012, 07:18 AM
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I'll agree that Mudding seems rougher on your vehicle as well. With not knowing whats in the mud/how deep it goes, and the risk of hydro locking from splashing through so much water.
That being said maybe I'm only scared of mud because I've never truly gone mudding, only splashed thorough a few sections of it.
Give me rocks any day!
That being said maybe I'm only scared of mud because I've never truly gone mudding, only splashed thorough a few sections of it.
Give me rocks any day!
11-14-2012, 07:34 AM
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With a good snorkel and an Automatic, I would say mudding is much easier on the drivetrain and body of the Jeep.
True, you are at higher RPMs, but it's for relatively short distances.
You have to be smart when playing around with any of these subcultures. I'm not going to take my stock Jeep with 285/70/17 BFG A/T tires through the same areas we take our 40" swampers through. I'd never make it out the other side.
As too hard on the Jeep, you have higher RPMs when Mudding, mud caking on stuff, unknown stuff at bottom. Also a possibility of water damage on certain areas.
But with rock crawling, you are typically using lockers, which can make it much easier to snap an axle, driveshaft, or other component. More likely to slide off a rock, damaging control arm or shock mounts, and slamming the body into another boulder.
True, you are at higher RPMs, but it's for relatively short distances.
You have to be smart when playing around with any of these subcultures. I'm not going to take my stock Jeep with 285/70/17 BFG A/T tires through the same areas we take our 40" swampers through. I'd never make it out the other side.
As too hard on the Jeep, you have higher RPMs when Mudding, mud caking on stuff, unknown stuff at bottom. Also a possibility of water damage on certain areas.
But with rock crawling, you are typically using lockers, which can make it much easier to snap an axle, driveshaft, or other component. More likely to slide off a rock, damaging control arm or shock mounts, and slamming the body into another boulder.
11-14-2012, 10:27 AM
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Living in Florida we go mudding or "muddin" as we say it. 
THe only experience I have playing on Rocks is at our OHV park Hardrock. Personally, I enjoy crawling up hills/rocks more than muddin. Mainly because I do not like having to spend 2 hours after every trip muddin cleaning out the frame rails and under carriage of the Jeep.
I think Rock Crawling is more hazardous to your vehicle. When we go mudding, we don't just hammer down the throttle into the unknown. We creep into the hole until we find the bottom then move forward. And after the guinea pig goes then we start palaying and putting down the throttle. Our local area we frequent is the Withacochee State Forest aka Richloam/Green Swamp. It is true to it's name as the Green Swamp. During the raining season-Summer. We do not go there as the trails for someone with 35" tires and a couple inches of lift are nearly impassible. During the winter/early spring. The place is very fun. Most areas are no more than 3 feet deep but mainly about a foot and have thick mud.
I would say neither is my favorite over the other. They both have their positives and negatives. Just depends on what mood I am in at that given time.
On a side note: When you are in that crazy mood and all you want to do is donuts while slinging mud and blasting country music. I'll take the muddin any day over rock crawling.
Here is short video of the State Forest when it was really dry:
http://s92.beta.photobucket.com/user/saleens8/media/CJCrichloam.mp4.html And here is night photo of the rainy season. This is the main trail by the way.
And the dreaded cleaning process:
THe only experience I have playing on Rocks is at our OHV park Hardrock. Personally, I enjoy crawling up hills/rocks more than muddin. Mainly because I do not like having to spend 2 hours after every trip muddin cleaning out the frame rails and under carriage of the Jeep.
I think Rock Crawling is more hazardous to your vehicle. When we go mudding, we don't just hammer down the throttle into the unknown. We creep into the hole until we find the bottom then move forward. And after the guinea pig goes then we start palaying and putting down the throttle. Our local area we frequent is the Withacochee State Forest aka Richloam/Green Swamp. It is true to it's name as the Green Swamp. During the raining season-Summer. We do not go there as the trails for someone with 35" tires and a couple inches of lift are nearly impassible. During the winter/early spring. The place is very fun. Most areas are no more than 3 feet deep but mainly about a foot and have thick mud.
I would say neither is my favorite over the other. They both have their positives and negatives. Just depends on what mood I am in at that given time.
On a side note: When you are in that crazy mood and all you want to do is donuts while slinging mud and blasting country music. I'll take the muddin any day over rock crawling.
Here is short video of the State Forest when it was really dry:
http://s92.beta.photobucket.com/user/saleens8/media/CJCrichloam.mp4.html And here is night photo of the rainy season. This is the main trail by the way.
And the dreaded cleaning process:
11-14-2012, 11:05 AM
#6
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Mudding may not always be harder on the vehicle, but it's definitely worse in the long run on the vehicle than rock crawling. Bushings wear out faster, chance of water ruining your diff fluid before its time to change out is very high. It just ages the vehicle before its time. Mudding gets old really fast, Rock crawling is more challenging.
11-14-2012, 12:24 PM
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Living in Florida we go mudding or "muddin" as we say it.
THe only experience I have playing on Rocks is at our OHV park Hardrock. Personally, I enjoy crawling up hills/rocks more than muddin. Mainly because I do not like having to spend 2 hours after every trip muddin cleaning out the frame rails and under carriage of the Jeep.
I think Rock Crawling is more hazardous to your vehicle. When we go mudding, we don't just hammer down the throttle into the unknown. We creep into the hole until we find the bottom then move forward. And after the guinea pig goes then we start palaying and putting down the throttle. Our local area we frequent is the Withacochee State Forest aka Richloam/Green Swamp. It is true to it's name as the Green Swamp. During the raining season-Summer. We do not go there as the trails for someone with 35" tires and a couple inches of lift are nearly impassible. During the winter/early spring. The place is very fun. Most areas are no more than 3 feet deep but mainly about a foot and have thick mud.
I would say neither is my favorite over the other. They both have their positives and negatives. Just depends on what mood I am in at that given time.
On a side note: When you are in that crazy mood and all you want to do is donuts while slinging mud and blasting country music. I'll take the muddin any day over rock crawling.
Here is short video of the State Forest when it was really dry:
http://s92.beta.photobucket.com/user/saleens8/media/CJCrichloam.mp4.html And here is night photo of the rainy season. This is the main trail by the way.
And the dreaded cleaning process:
THe only experience I have playing on Rocks is at our OHV park Hardrock. Personally, I enjoy crawling up hills/rocks more than muddin. Mainly because I do not like having to spend 2 hours after every trip muddin cleaning out the frame rails and under carriage of the Jeep.
I think Rock Crawling is more hazardous to your vehicle. When we go mudding, we don't just hammer down the throttle into the unknown. We creep into the hole until we find the bottom then move forward. And after the guinea pig goes then we start palaying and putting down the throttle. Our local area we frequent is the Withacochee State Forest aka Richloam/Green Swamp. It is true to it's name as the Green Swamp. During the raining season-Summer. We do not go there as the trails for someone with 35" tires and a couple inches of lift are nearly impassible. During the winter/early spring. The place is very fun. Most areas are no more than 3 feet deep but mainly about a foot and have thick mud.
I would say neither is my favorite over the other. They both have their positives and negatives. Just depends on what mood I am in at that given time.
On a side note: When you are in that crazy mood and all you want to do is donuts while slinging mud and blasting country music. I'll take the muddin any day over rock crawling.
Here is short video of the State Forest when it was really dry:
http://s92.beta.photobucket.com/user/saleens8/media/CJCrichloam.mp4.html And here is night photo of the rainy season. This is the main trail by the way.
And the dreaded cleaning process:
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11-19-2012, 04:33 AM
#10
JK Freak
I have been "mudding" very few times but my Jeep paid the price. My electric fan Motor broke my Jeep kept over heating even after spending 1.5 hours cleaning the radiator only