First time off-road ?

[Joe98]

Do I keep my automatic on drive or park when I switch? And if I feel to put in 4x4 what option would be good. It was little bumpy ? And ty for your reply!

Read the manual. You need to be moving.

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[blnewt]

Read the manual. You need to be moving.

Yep, two distinct ways to shift depending on going 4hi or 4lo. 4hi can be when the vehicle is driving down the road but best to do this on a dirt road or a road w/ snow or mud as using 4hi on dry pavement can put stress on the drivetrain.

4lo once your Jeep is broken in can usually be shifted when still (in neutral), but having it in neutral slightly moving like 1-3 mph usually makes it easier to engage. Also it takes a bit of extra force (especially when new) to fully engage 4lo, you will get the 4wd light on your dash but this doesn't always mean it's fully engaged, sometimes it can pop out of 4lo so you need to get used to really pulling (sometimes even slamming) that shifter all the way down. It's just something you need to work with a bit and it should get easier the more you do it. It's a good idea about once a month to go to some loose gravel area and shift it into 4lo to keep it operating smoothly.

 

[eureka]

@eureka nice that you're wanting to get out there and get your JL some time in the dirt & rocks.
Here's some pics of us at Rocky Gap trail that starts or ends (depending on your direction of travel) in the Red Rock Canyon area just west on Charleston. This is a Jeep Badge of Honor trail and you can also start in the Red Rock side and go up to the summit and turn back if you don't want to hit this rock garden, it's not bad at all on that side. The Rock garden area is best w/ 33" or taller tires so you can save that for later

Nice, I’m beginner ? I took my Jeep to Utah this weekend. Wanted to test how much fuel I will need for a road trip.

 

[oceanblue2019]

Find a local off road club and do a few trail rides with them. Great way to learn about your Jeep, about going off-road, and perhaps meeting some new people.

 

[Wolfy]

eureka said:

What is pucker factor?

It's when you leave brown kiss marks in your seat.

 

[blnewt]

Nice, I’m beginner ? I took my Jeep to Utah this weekend. Wanted to test how much fuel I will need for a road trip.

I didn't mean to post that up as something you need to try right away. It's a cool trail and if you start on the Red Rock side and just go up to the summit it's a nice intro into getting it into 4Lo without putting you or your Jeep in danger. You can turn around at the summit and just go back into Red Rock park. In that section there's a short "mini" rock garden w/ much smaller rocks and some nice views/terrain. It's close to Las Vegas and is a nice scenic getaway. You don't need to air down your tires if you just go that route, although it can be a bit jarring at full air.
Would be a good next step in your off roading adventures IMO.

 

[eureka]

I didn't mean to post that up as something you need to try right away. It's a cool trail and if you start on the Red Rock side and just go up to the summit it's a nice intro into getting it into 4Lo without putting you or your Jeep in danger. You can turn around at the summit and just go back into Red Rock park. In that section there's a short "mini" rock garden w/ much smaller rocks and some nice views/terrain. It's close to Las Vegas and is a nice scenic getaway. You don't need to air down your tires if you just go that route, although it can be a bit jarring at full air.
Would be a good next step in your off roading adventures IMO.

 

[eureka]

Nothing there is going to give you a flat tire. You would be surprised how much your tires can take. 4WD doesn’t help with speed or braking. A little air out of your tires will go a long ways too when you get onto bigger rocks, sand or slippery conditions.

Find a local off road club and do a few trail rides with them. Great way to learn about your Jeep, about going off-road, and perhaps meeting some new people.

 

[entropy]

Sounds to me like you are having a lot of fun with your Jeep. That's what matters.

We usually turn 4x4 when we feel we need the traction. If you are on a dirt road with a steep hill you can turn 4x4.

 

[eureka]

Sounds to me like you are having a lot of fun with your Jeep. That's what matters.

We usually turn 4x4 when we feel we need the traction. If you are on a dirt road with a steep hill you can turn 4x4.

 

[Cajun21]

Went for a mini off-road trail today. Lots of rocks on the ground. What do you guys switch to when 4x4 or just going regular way? I want to come back as I discovered bunch of trails! Pics attached. I am first timer ?

Continue to enjoy-from your photo's you're pretty safe to continue in 2WD-those tires are pretty good and I believe they are the kevlar material. Until you find your pitch going to 32 on an incline and slippage in mud, snow or bigger rocks then you can go to 4WD High or 4WD Low.

 

[Speed331]

Find a local off road club and do a few trail rides with them. Great way to learn about your Jeep, about going off-road, and perhaps meeting some new people.

There are some good groups on FB - Las Vegas Jeep Life and others - that do all kinds of local runs.
Most have regular groups that do Wheeler's Pass- a great run for a beginner- and many others of all skill levels.
Also, I would suggest a subscription to Trails OffRoad, they have a great interface that shows lot's of trails in the area with full write up's.
Combine that Gaia gps or Onx offraod -for directions right on your uconnect- and you'll really be able to explore.
There are lot's of hidden gems out here that take some searching to find. And many of them are on simple old dirt roads that go deep into the desert. (I like Gaia GPS best for this - their maps show lot's of stuff you can't see on basic map apps)
Last summer we took the back way to the China Ranch date farm going out Kingston road through Sandy Valley and it was just a fun day on the back roads.

 

[qnet]

OP, I took my Jeep off road for the first time a little over a year ago on my birthday. It was a little more than I bargained for (especially being by myself). It wasn't a hard trail, just climbing up in the mountains in north Georgia, and it was my first time. In the pick below, I pulled over to take the pick and got stuck when I turned around to get back on the road. I put it in 4Hi and it pulled right out pretty easy. I put it in 4Hi when I staring climbing, and it did make it easier. At the time I didn't air down, so the ride was a little rough.

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