Getting Down & Dirty

First, plan for your safety. Nothing can screw up offroading like an injury. Take a first aid kit, and know how to use it. Keep it stocked. I am not going to list my stock, as it is the kit of a trauma trained nurse. Probably overkill in most cases.

Go offroading with a buddy in another vehicle. Try not to let both vehicles get stuck at the same time. It sure makes walking back out a bit more tolerable if you have a friend to complain to when you are up to your frame in gumbo. Also, if you have a cell phone, toss it in. Maybe you can get your significant other to pick you up in an air conditioned or heated vehicle when you hit the blacktop again.

Get a dry chemical fire extinguisher. Know how to use that too. When your Rover is burning is no time to be reading directions.

I take enough food and water to last me until I can get myself back to civilization. It's tough to be humping chains and gear when you are hungry.

Take a spare pair of shoes, or better yet, rubber boots. Take some towels, bug spray, and waterless handcleaner. And of course take a selection of tools, the ones you use most often. Take along a magnet on a string to retrieve bolts and such dropped in muddy water. Inevitably, something will break when you are out there. Knowing which spares to carry is part science, part ESP and part luck. I think the key here is knowing your vehicle, it's weaknesses, and how to make backwoods engineering work for you.

GOOD OLD MUD

Down here we have as many names for mud as eskimos have for snow. It ranges from the consistency of wet grits to cold peanut butter. Each type has it's own demands, and the driver must be able to visualize the hard contour that lies below the mud surface as well. When in doubt, get out and check depth and consistency with a stick or hip boots.

I usually choose high range so I can develop enough tire RPM to sling the tire tread clean of mud. I always lock my hubs as soon as I'm off the blacktop. Momentum plays as important a role as traction most of the time.

If possible, pick a straight line across. Turning the wheels increases drag on the vehicle. It can also cause the differential to transfer power to the outside wheels, losing what traction you have. With the wheels dead ahead often power is transmitted equally to the wheels, even with open diffs.

If you start to bog down, try increasing throttle until you get a bit of wheel spin. If that does not do it, try rocking the steering wheel back and forth so the outer tread lugs get a chance to bite into the sides of the ruts.

If you come to a halt, stop spinning the wheels. No need to dig a deeper hole. Make sure you are not dragging a log or something with your chassis. Be willing to break out the winch for a few feet. Or you could pull out the floor mats, if you have the rubber link type, and slip them under the wheels. No sense in blowing a clutch or an engine. If you have fallen into ruts and are high centered, you can use a high lift jack to lift each end clear, pushing it to one side while elevated. A piece of wood will help keep the jack from burying itself in the mud.

My gestalt of mudding is similar to flying. There is a giving up of energy, ie. loss of momentum when suddenly hitting deeper mud, when turning, when climbing out of ruts, and doing other manuvers. If you do not have enough grunt left in reserve, it is better to keep going straight and count on luck than to give up momentum. When you are out of traction and momentum you will be stuck everytime.

CROSSING WATER

We all see those pictures of Rovers crossing deep water. If you have a desire to do this then you MUST know your fording depth. Fortunately, the ignition on a 2.25 petrol will drown out before water goes down the carb. Water down the carb is very bad juju, resulting in bent connecting rods rods more often than not. If the water suddenly gets over the hood, shut off the engine. Pull the vehicle out, remove all the spark plugs and crank the engine over. The water will come shooting out of the plug holes. Change the oil once, get home then change it again. And again if it turns to mayonaise.

To successfully cross water you must keep it out of the ignition and the carb. The fan will often spray it everywhere. Many people loosen the fan belt for water crossings. Electric fans that have a manual shutoff switch are popular as well. Flex fans have been known to flex into the radiator. You want to keep a small bow wave going, enough to keep the water level in the engine compartment low. Seal off your ignition with silicone or dielectric grease. If you get water inside the distributor cap, dry it out with a rag and spray with WD-40. Some people hang a floor mat over the grill, and even let it dangle below the vehicle to keep water out of the engine compartment. Be careful not to spin your tires. Wet tires cut like butter. Be sure to give yourself plenty of braking room. Once out, squeeze the brakes several times at a stop. Wet brake shoes wear down fast. I left the seals out of my door bottoms to let the water run out.

You should raise the axle breathers before you dive in, as well. I tapped the holes they fit in, installed a brass fitting, ran 1/4 inch fuel line way up into the fenderwells, above danger, then capped the hose off with cheap fuel filters to keep the dirt out. Be sure to leave some slack in the hose for axle travel. I have since heard that the Rover rubber brake lines have the same threads as the axle breathers. They could be adapted instead perhaps.

The fording plug on a Series Land Rover is used to prevent water, mud or other contaminants from getting into the clutch and bell housing area when submerged. When not in use, the plug is stored in a bracket mounted to the bell housing. It is important to remove the plug from the bell housing when you are not fording because the hole acts as a drain hole for any oil leaks. If the plug is left in place the backed up oil could contaminate the clutch disc.

UPS & DOWNS OF HILLS

The one rule of hill climbing is to know what is on the other side. Scrambling up a hill only to smash into a tree will make a person feel pretty stupid. I usually go to low range, first gear on hills to get the most torque with the least wheel spin.

If you cannot make it up, shift into reverse ASAP, and back down using the engine for braking. Remember that the steering will be extra sensitive. If the engine has quit, use it anyway for compression braking.

To go down hill, pick your line, put the Rover in low range first gear, and ease over the top to get as little momentum as possible. Go straight down. Avoid turning if at all possible. If the back end of the Rover tries to take the lead, steer into the skid and apply a bit of throttle to bring her back around. Above all, don't hit the brakes.

Try to avoid side hills. If you cannot, unload the top of the vehicle, and be aware that a sudden hole can cause a roll. If you have any doubts, walk it first. Sit upright in the vehicle to better gauge the angle of the hill.

Now for the fun stuff. Winches...... I use a 4000 pound dead lift rated hand winch that I got from Avenir Corp. in Newark, Ohio. It is more versatile than an electric winch, I think, because I can hook to either end of the Rover, I can winch underwater, and I don't need to worry about my battery while using it. I have never needed anything more. Avenir is apparently out of business now, but you can still get this heavy duty hand winch from Bailey's Woodsman Supply. You can also find it at The Wyeth~Scott Company.

Many people like to complement their Series Rover with a period winch. Series Rovers came with PTO winches, hydraulic winches, and capstan winches. From watching them on ebay over the past couple of years, I can state that they usually go for as much as a new electric winch. I can't say how effective the various period winches are. You can click each picture to go to more specific information.

If you want an electric winch, the rule of thumb for rated line pull is 1.5 to 2x the vehicle gross weight. An 88" Series IIA/III weighs roughly between 3000 and 3600 lbs. minimum (depending on body configuration and added equipment), and the max weight is rated at 4500 lbs, which is closer to what a fully loaded truck on a trip is likely to weigh. Based on that, 9,000 lbs. is a good starting point. For a 109, add another 1,000 lbs. capacity. Remember to take into account a 12% drop in pulling power for every extra wrap of cable on the drum - a 9000lb winch has a line pull of approx. 7000lbs on the third wrap.

Good winches in this range are the Warn XD9000, Warn 8274, Ramsey Pro 9000, Ramsey RE8000, and RE 10,000, Superwinch X9000, and the Husky 8500 or 10,000. These should be considered your minimums. Remember you will be pulling through mud and dragging your chassis over dirt. An electric winch will work with a drowned out motor. That is a huge advantage. Hydraulic and PTO winches depend on the engine to be running for power. None of the powered winches can be easily moved to the rear to pull you backwards. Unless you buy two winches, you have to keep moving forward with them, into potentially deeper goo. Warn does make a winch that mounts to a reciever hitch, that can be moved from front to back. I've never used one, so I cannot speak for it's effectiveness, and consider that a class 3 reciever is only rated at 5000 lbs. If you need to know more about winches in general, click here.

A snatch block will allow you to double line your winch, doubling it's pulling power, but costing you half your available line length and half your speed. A snatch block will also allow you to pull someone out from the side, and around trees.

I carry two 40 foot logging chains with chain hooks on each end and one chain hook in the middle. These can be shortened quickly by taking up slack with the hooks. I also use a tree saver. I do not like snatch straps. They put a lot of uncontrolled strain on a vehicle, and are known to tear things off.

A Pull Pal type ground anchor is nice to have, but a bit expensive. I carry a shapshooter shovel instead, and beat it solidly into the ground at an angle with a small sledge that I also carry. Once I'm unstuck, I pull it up with the vehicle itself. I have seen people use boat anchors as well, and in a pinch, you can bury your spare and use that.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to mudhogging. There are those who try to stay on top of the mud and use tire spinning to get through, then there are those who try to dig down to terra firma. Sucessful mudding is usually a combination of the two.

To stay on top of the slop, you need wide tires. To dig down, more narrow tires get the nod. Digging down with wide tires means you have that much more surface area to bulldoze through. Staying on top with narrow tires takes momentum and a lot of RPMs. You can never really predict the quality of the mud, the viscosity and stickiness of it, nor the depth beforehand. I try to get a moderate width tire, with a tread that has sufficient space between the lugs to sling the sticky mud free and grab another bite. That is the key to tire choice for the mud. All terrain tires rarely work well. A separated, aggressive tread pattern is superior by far, although they are significantly louder on the road.

The ONLY way to gain ground clearance at the axles is to fit a taller tire. You will gain half of the added tire height in axle clearance. That is why so many people lift their off road vehicles, to fit taller tires in the fenders. Then they toss in a large V8 for gobs of RPMs to sling the mud free. Suddenly the redneck boys with the jacked up trucks look a bit more intelligent, huh?

The general concensus is on a standard Series Land Rover, a 32 inch tire is about maximum. If you get a bit of lift with parabolic springs or military shackles, you could go up to a 33 or 34 inch tire. Remember that as the axle articulates, the tires will lean in at the top, and rub. Larger tires decrease your turning radius. They also require more torque to get rolling. Once rolling however, they keep momentum easier, requiring top notch brakes on the road.

Remember, that if you go to a taller tire you alter the final drive ratio. (Series trucks were equipped with 4:70 axle ratios, and US V8's have 3:55's.) To calculate the effect on the final drive ratio, use the following formula: effective ratio= old tire diameter (divided by) new tire diameter, multiplied by the original axle ratio. Too tall a tire will kill acceleration, too short a tire will kill top speed. Changing the tire height will affect the speedometer at the very least.

I don't like using offset rims to fit wider tires. Doing this stresses out parts. Even with the full floating axles of a Series Rover, the wheel studs still carry an additional load. Also, forget about axle over conversions on a Series Rover to gain lift. Unless you are into seriously reworking everything, it just isn't worth it. Remember that as you add lift, you must add width to maintain stability. In my opinion the best way to get a bit of lift is to invest in parabolic springs. Lastly, I use inner tubes in all my tires. Not only can you patch a tube, but the chance of loosing air from dirt between the tire and rim is eliminated. Get the tubes with the short valve stems. They are less likely to get torn off.

Going offroad in a vehicle that is not ready is not only likely to have you fixing something under the worst of conditions, it is dangerous. Before you leave, check the usual, oil, water, brake fluid, and tires. If your clutch is marginal, take care of it first. If your vehicle likes to jump out of gear, don't try climbing hills, or going down them. Take care of the problem first. Make sure your parking brake works. You might need it.

To protect your ignition, coat the insides of you spark plug wire boots with dielectric grease. Put some around the base of your distributor cap as well, and around the plastic plug where the low tension lead enters the distributor. I have seen folks use silicone caulk, but that is a bit to messy for me.

As I stated above, I have raised my axle breathers. That is necessary, unless you enjoy replacing 90wt all the time. I tapped the holes they fit in, installed a brass fitting, ran 1/4 inch fuel line way up into the fenderwells, above danger, then capped the hose off with cheap fuel filters to keep the dirt out. Be sure to leave some slack in the hose for axle travel. I have since heard that the Rover rubber brake lines have the same threads as the axle breathers. They could be adapted instead perhaps.

I have not done it, but if you have a diesel and want to get serious, you can build a snorkel out of PVC pipe and a bit of ingenuity.

I took my dimmer switch out of the wheelwell. My wiring page describes many modifications I have done to my wiring to make submersion less of a problem. I have seen people use rubber gloves over their distributors, use tupperware type containers to seal off voltage regulators (mounting the lid between the regulator and vehicle, then popping on the container), and a host of other little tricks.

Remember that anywhere oil or grease can get out, water and grit can get in.

Roadless Traction Limited built this Land Rover at the request of the Canadian Forestry Service in 1963 and 1964. This high clearance 109 was capable of crossing ditches, drains, boulders, logs or whatever. It was shod in 10 X 28 inch tractor tires and had a mechanical winch for recovery and handling timber.

Notice how this Land Rover has different width axles. The wider front axle allows it to steer, and the rear wheels, on a normal width axle, do not follow in the front wheels tracks, improving traction. There are only eight of these vehicles still known to survive.

Built for Shell Oil Company in 1963 for use in Alaska during exploration of possible pipeline routes, this Land Rover was fitted with special wheels and tires that would enable it to cross the vast Tundra. Under the rear floor was a PTO driven air compressor, allowing the driver to inflate the tires from 2PSI to 20PSI. To steer the enormous tires, a Garrison power-steering system was fitted. In front was a Koenig PTO winch. The cost of the tires and wheels alone was more than the then current retail price of the Land Rover!

Cleaning your Land Rover after a trip into the mud is necessary to prevent a slow deterioration. A Rover can bring home a lot of real estate. If you do not have a pressure washer, a do it yourself car wash is the ticket. I put on a scuba mask so I can really get down there and go for it.

Unless you have a galvanized frame, flush out the frame rails with a water hose. Spray the underside well to get out all the mud. Pay attention to the areas around the fuel tank, bulkhead, transmission and rear crossmember. Really wash out the fenderwells good. Wash off the area where the front fenders attach to the bulkhead. Clean off the springs, especially if you have originals. Dirt gets between them and grinds away. Spray off the swivel balls. If you went in water, spray through the radiator from the rear. Check your light lenses for water, it seems to get in there, and then rusts the sockets. Next check your lights for operation. If you have the original Lucas wiring, let it dry first.

Once you have things cleaned up, if you have been axle deep in water, pull the plugs on the bottom of the differential casings and transmission to see if water runs out. If it does, let it out until pure 90 weight comes out. Then quickly replug the drain and top up the diffs. Check your dipstick for mayonaise. Grease your steering joints and U-joints if you have grease zerks. Take out your fording plug. If you have ferrous wheel cylinders check to make sure the boots have not let water past them. This will require removing the drum of course, but it is better than having a frozen cylinder later. Give the frame a good once over for bends and cracks if you whacked it. Check the general operation of everything. Finally, take a shower yourself, you will need it!

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