Mud driving issue...advice please

[Overwatch]

I wheel mostly in Southern Cal where rain is a myth. Usually it's more about how well you can get through sand or over big rocks. I took my son (9) out for his first official ride off-ride in my new JL. I'm running the stock KO2 33's. We were at the top of a big, but pretty easy trail at Hungry Valley ORV after a fun day. It started to rain, then rain a lot! I located the closest gate and we had to go all the way to the bottom of the dirt and small rock trail. Here's the issue: The Jeep was sliding down hill. I would slowly brake in a corner with the Jeep in low range and locked, and it would just keep going and even kick sideways. With a very steep drop to one side this pretty scary at the time. Someone with more mud experience please school me on how I should have driven down....what did I do wrong? Do you just not brake and keep it moving?

Sponsored

 

[Tool Guy]

Not much you can do on a muddy trail to avoid slipping and sliding. That's why there are very few muddy trails back east that are on shelf roads. All you can do is keep an eye on the weather and not be in those areas when rain is threatened.

 

[AcesandEights]

It's about the worst situation; however, in order to maintain steering control you need to limit lock up of the tires. Once they stop turning, they slide based on gravity, to the downhill side. So, I think you have to modulate your braking, but as much as possible, keep the wheels turning. That means, 4-wheel low, first gear and figuring out when to apply accelerator and brake to maintain control. Not easy, maybe one of the hardest (or more dangerous) situations.

 

[Roky]

I wheel mostly in Southern Cal where rain is a myth. Usually it's more about how well you can get through sand or over big rocks. I took my son (9) out for his first official ride off-ride in my new JL. I'm running the stock KO2 33's. We were at the top of a big, but pretty easy trail at Hungry Valley ORV after a fun day. It started to rain, then rain a lot! I located the closest gate and we had to go all the way to the bottom of the dirt and small rock trail. Here's the issue: The Jeep was sliding down hill. I would slowly brake in a corner with the Jeep in low range and locked, and it would just keep going and even kick sideways. With a very steep drop to one side this pretty scary at the time. Someone with more mud experience please school me on how I should have driven down....what did I do wrong? Do you just not brake and keep it moving?

Does the newer rigs have hill decent button…. My 2018 has it , and it really does work good. But in your situation, it sounds like you did all you could. It gets to a point where there is no controlling it……. As mentioned above, avoiding the situation is the best way to deal with it…….

 

[Reinen]

That thick, slick desert mud can easily become too much for AT tires. Not all that much you can do. There's trails in UT that a Honda Civic can do dry but are nearly impassible to a Jeep when it rains.

While it's best to avoid it entirely, the next time you need to go down a muddy desert hill try using Select Speed Control. It will crawl you down at 0.6 MPH and can apply brakes to individual wheels. It seems to do a better job of keeping you on track than applying brakes to all 4 wheels at once.

 

[Tethmes]

Horrible situation, glad you made it through okay. As others said, it's all about keeping the wheels turning. 4 low and try not to lock them up in a downhill situation. But the KO2 isn't the best mud tire out there either as it's self cleaning properties are pretty nonexistent. Only so much you can do on slicks.

 

[longfiredragon]

Just to reiterate one person. If your going to tackle it. I would have selected 4L, and select speed if you have it. Select speed had 5 settings but the first setting is around 0.5, to 0.6 mph and the jeep will brake for you.

You can also disengage real fast by touching the brake, or accelerator. I only tried it once for fun, didn't really need it, was just playing. When we did Hurricane creek in NC a few months back the hole trail was wet and muddy. So on this one down hill section I put it in 4L and hit the select speed button. Pretty fun, the jeep does everything for you except steer.

 

[Overwatch]

Thanks all. That select speed idea is fantastic. I know it’s on there but have never tried it. I’ll have to get to know it before going back out. The good news is it rains so rarely here I probably won’t be in the same situation for a while.

 

[Wabujitsu]

Just to reiterate one person. If your going to tackle it. I would have selected 4L, and select speed if you have it. Select speed had 5 settings but the first setting is around 0.5, to 0.6 mph and the jeep will brake for you.

You can also disengage real fast by touching the brake, or accelerator. I only tried it once for fun, didn't really need it, was just playing. When we did Hurricane creek in NC a few months back the hole trail was wet and muddy. So on this one down hill section I put it in 4L and hit the select speed button. Pretty fun, the jeep does everything for you except steer.

Great advice, just a small correction. It has eight settings for each of the eight gears (in manual shift mode) in an auto, and I believe it’s only found in the auto.

 

[Gaffer]

Does the Sahara have Select Speed Control?

 

[longfiredragon]

Great advice, just a small correction. It has eight settings for each of the eight gears (in manual shift mode) in an auto, and I believe it’s only found in the auto.

Thanks for the correction. You know for some reason I never noticed that it was for all 8 gears in the Auto. Trans. Owners manual even states states all the way up to 9th gear if equipped. Never heard of 9th gear either. Learn something new every day. Thanks.

 

[JT1]

Downhill I would have disengaged the lockers also.. with the lockers on, if one tire on an axle isn't turning, neither is the other one.. that why lockers in snow will land you in a ditch...

 

[2nd 392]

You mentioned “locked” , diffs?, locking the front in snow or mud reduces steering control and you can go straight ahead regardless of wheel direction. Don’t lock the front in either unless needed. Much experience with mechanical lockers on my CJ5 to the extent of sometimes winch assisted steering in precarious situations.(rear unlocked also unless needed).

 

[Apexcars]

I believe the only trim that gets select speed is the Rubicon. Other trims get Descent Control. I could be wrong about that though.

 

[Philly_]

Downhill I would have disengaged the lockers also.. with the lockers on, if one tire on an axle isn't turning, neither is the other one.. that why lockers in snow will land you in a ditch...

This is a good point. Lockers could help you get up hill, but could also be a problem headed downhill or into turns in slick mud.

I agree with everyone else that low range and first gear are the right move at a minimum. From there, Select Speed is a nice bonus if equipped, but I would use as much engine braking as possible. Off-road+ in low range should also help with engine braking. I find the 2.0L doesn’t like to brake on its own without off-road+.

Sponsored