Off Road Guide

[dirtydog]

How to determine tire size! First you need to understand what determines the size of a tire. There are several marking on the sidewall of your tires. There are a series of numbers in a confusing order if you aren't aware of what to look for. A typical size on a sidewall would appear like this P275/60R20. P=passenger car R=radial belted. Now lets start with the 275. This is the width of the tire. The footprint as some call it or rather the tread surface. 60 is the aspect ratio. The aspect ratio is a percentage of the tread width. Finally 20 is the rim diameter. 20" wheels. Okay, now what is 275 or 60? It's a metric measurement. 275mm wide. Most of us are unfamiliar with metric. We don't say that we have 889mm Tires. We say we have 35" tires. 275/60/20 Break down 275mm wide = 10.83" 60 is the aspect ratio. 60% of 275mm= 165mm (rim to road) In order to get the overall dimension you need to calculate as follows. There are 2 aspect ratio's on a wheel, the top and bottom. We know they are the same obviously so we take: 165mm X 2= 330mm 330mm =12.99" 12.99" of sidewall height + 20" for the rim =32.99" overall height. 305/55/20 305mm x 55%=167.75mm x 2 = 335.5mm 335.5mm = 13.21" + 20" for the rim = 33.21" Not much of a difference from the stock size although the numbers appear really different. This is because it has a wider tread pattern, but a smaller percentage of sidewall in relationship to the width. A quick quide is for every 30mm in width, you must drop down 5% in aspect ratio from 60-55 to maintain the same overall diameter. That is a quick guide not an exact guide. All tire manufacturers sizes could be off more than .25" from another. Or shall i say 6.35mm off in diameter Now to find a tire for heavy hauling or high puncture resistance, you need to find letters and numbers on your sidewall which are separate from tire size. There is usually a number/letter combo on truck tires, for ex. 119T just after the size of the tire. This number would provide the weight limits of a tire. The other letter next to it being T is the speed limit of the tire. Then if you wander around the tire you will find something similar of Load Range E. This is the weight limit and ply rating. Quick quide: C load tire = 4ply/ D Load tire=6ply/ E load tire =8 ply. Bias Ply has no radial belts and aren't recommended for heavy hauling or highway use. Should be used for offroad only. Most Larger size Offroad specific tires are given an actual inch measurement and are very easy to identify and read. For ex. 35x12.5R17 This is rather easy. 35" is the height and 12.5" is the width and 17" being the rim size. All tires are rated using the metric scale up to 34" and then after that, the US measuring takes over! So anytime you see metric, the tire is smaller than 35" even if you are looking at a set of 26" rims. 305/35/26 is only 34.9" tall just for giggles and for those guys that want to run extra large rims offroad??? 20's is still to big. I could go on and on, but there are plenty of sites that provide with the conversions of speed ratings and load ratings. This quick guide shall get you on your way a bit faster hopefully.

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[HammerZ71]

The new Dick Cepek Crusher delivers aggressive off-road performance combined with on road reliability. Featuring a unique tread pattern, the patented PowerPly 3-Ply sidewalls, and Skull and Cross Bone SideBiters for extreme off-road traction, new Dick Cepek Crusher tires are as dependable for everyday use as they are fiercely intimidating in rough terrain.
The advanced tire composition features a tread pattern that is both versatile and aggressive to maximize functionality. High-void tread lugs and deep shoulder lugs give these tires a bold and aggressive look that also produces the utmost traction in mud and snow with optimum self-cleaning. A 6-ply tread and 3-ply sidewalls make the Dick Cepek Crusher one of the toughest and long-lasting tires for street driving or off-road terrain. The extra wide footprint and non-directional tread pattern make performance in off-road conditions a given, but are also optimized for a smooth ride and noise control on the street.



Founded in 1963 by off-road enthusiast Dick Cepek and acquired in 2000 by Mickey Thompson Performance Tires and Wheels, the Dick Cepek Brand has always provided quality on and off-road products for truck, S.U.V., and 4x4 owners.

[HammerZ71]

With it’s Unique “Hybrid” design between an All-Terrain and Mud Terrain, the F-C II has proven to be one tough tire in any terrain!
The tire has most of the features found in both A/T and M/T tires such as:

• Advanced Radial Construction for High Mileage and Smooth Ride
• Self Cleaning Tread with “Stone Kickers” for Off Road Traction
• High Load Ratings Great Towing Capabilities
• Extra Wide Footprint for Better Traction and Even Wear
• Sidebiters® for Added Traction & Sidewall Protection
• Siped Tread Lugs for Better Grip on Smooth Surfaces and Ice

The radial tire features a unique multi-terrain pattern derived from the legendary Dick Cepek Fun Country bias ply tire that has dominated off road competitions for years. It is one of the few tires available today which gives true off-road performance while providing a smooth, quiet highway ride, and this combination will appeal to drivers of 4WD trucks who use their vehicle as a daily driver but also has a desire to "play hard" on the weekends.




A recent review by an Australian Off Road magazine stated:
“It is a true, every terrain 4WD tyre.”
“It has a rugged, deep tread, a stepped shoulder design and Mickey Thompson's customary side-biters styled in the famous Dick Cepek ‘DC' logo.”
“It will offer fantastic traction in tough, outback conditions, on muddy and rocky mountain tracks and on the sand ridges of the outback and our beaches. At the same time offering a superior ride on pavement all the while displaying what seems to be well above average wear characteristics. We're very impressed with its performance.”



Off road and performance tire specialists, legendary Mickey Thompson bought out the Dick Cepek Tire Company in 1999. They have used the combined technology of both companies to produce the Dick Cepek F-C II in a radial construction for improved on-road use, while retaining its proven and popular 4WD tread pattern that made Dick Cepek the top name in off-road competition for decades.

[meanwhitemopar]

well i had posted on for the off road ection before but it never showed up here, and this is a few things to help when off roading...

all trucks are good, but some if not most do get stuck, always remeber that is alot eisier to stay warm then it is to get warm. always bring an extra jacket and or a blanket or two that dont get wet. it sucks when your stuck, sucks even more when your stuck and cold.

another thing to remeber being a dodge guy, i will drive nothing but a small block and some big blocks, alot of use if not all of us in the off road section have small blocks for motors. they burn alot more fuel then those jap trucks (nothing against them), bring extra fuel. it is bad wehn your bout 10 miles or more from a gas station and run out of fuel. at least enough for a half a tanks worth in gas cans, which isnt that hard, just bring two 5 gallon cans, and your good.

one thing to remember aout offroad driving is your limits, yes if ya dont get stuck the night wasnt complete, but know your truck, if you find a hole or a trail or some hills you dont think youll make, dont try them, have someone with a buggy more equipt do it before you to let you know how bad it is, this goes double for mud. not to mention if you find a hill, underestimate, and you wind up flipping your truck, you just got into a really bad night

[sprueitt]

When you are deep off road you never know what might happen. It is always good to be prepared with tools, water, fluids, blankets, food, signal devices, fire extingusher, extraction tools(winch, jack, shovel, straps), first-aid kit, etc....

We have helped many people out of tough situations either by pulling them out of a stuck place, or helped with tools and fluids. The Dodge T-Rex is the perfect rescue / recovery vehicle because it can get in places where most trucks can't, and it can carry and pull alot of stuff. ( we have extracted 4 H1 Hummers, rock buggys, and about every make and model of off road rig).

But one day even I was surprised at what we had to do:

Kane Creek Trail Moab Utah.
We were out on the trail with Rob in his Ramcharger, Matt and his narrowed Dodge Ram, Art in his H1 Hummer, Steve and John in Steve’s built Cherokee, Andy and Jeff in Andy’s built Cherokee, my daughter who just got her license in her modified Cherokee, and my wife and I in our Dodge T-Rex 6x6. It was a great day to be out on the trail. Kane Creek Trail is rated as a 4 but recent floods had washed some parts of the trail out. Kane Creek Trail runs down in a steep canyon, called of course Kane Creek Canyon, and there is a creek that runs through it. The trail crossed the creek dozens. On the first rock obstacle on the trail Rob picked a difficult line and in the process of trying to climb his Ramcharger up the rock, he snaped a rear u-joint and yoke from his transfer case. We removed the drive shaft and he turned around and headed back in to town. After a lunch by the stream we started out back on the trail. Just when the trail starts to climb out of the canyon we came upon some other traffic. It was one of the official Jeep Safari Trail groups. About 40 off-road rigs slowly trying to make their way out of the canyon. We stopped at the back of the line of rigs and walked up to watch the fun. Several vehicles were having difficulty trying to get over the rock obstacles, and to make it more challenging, the trail was only wide enough for one vehicle with steep cliffs off to the driver’s side. There was also a JP magazine crew with that safari group taking pictures of the jeeps working their way up the obstacles. The obstacles consisted of large rock steps and boulders, with loose rock and sand covering the trail with the added bonus thrill of cliffs on the left side. It was slow going. Now Kelsey, my daughter had just gotten her license days before this, but her driving skills where excellent. The day before this she showed up some more experienced drives on some obstacles even though her Jeep Cherokee was unlocked in the rear, with just swaybar-disconnects up front. So far she had really shined on this trip. But when she saw the obstacles ahead, with the steep cliff, she got nervous. I told her that I would go first with the T-Rex and I could strap her Jeep up and over any obstacles. As we sat there watching the action my son came running up to me. He said there was a injured Motorcycle rider by our truck. I ran back to see a man lying on the ground next to the T-Rex next to his motorcycle. He was in pain, coughing up blood, and in shock. His name was Scott *******. He is a Dakkar Motor cycle racer who was out here in Moab practicing alone for his race. He crashed his bike somewhere in the canyon and was knocked out. He was unconcienous for about 15-20 minutes. When he came too he knew he was in bad shape. He was alone in the bottom of a canyon and injured. He was able to get back on his bike and ride until he saw our truck. There he collapsed and yelled out for help. It was obvious that he had probably broken his sternum, collapsed a lung, and banged himself up pretty bad. I administered some aid and talked to him abut his injuries. He had no complaints about his back or neck, just his knee and his lungs. It was very difficult for him to breath. There was no way to get a helicopter into this tight canyon and cell phones did not work. Scott asked me to get him out of there and up to the top where we could call for EMS. He said that he knew we were the only ones that could get him out. I ran back up to the Jeep safari group and told them the situation. They sprang into action. Everywhere there was a spot to make room they parked their rigs. It was a miracle that there was room on that narrow shelf of a road. I ran back to the truck, and with some help we got Scott into the T-Rex. I asked him how fast I could drive, I was worried about the bumps, but he was more worried about his lungs. He was slowly loosing the ability to breath as the filled up with blood. He was worried that he would soon suffocate. I told him to keep coughing and hang on. We blasted up the trail. The T-Rex was by far the only vehicle that could make such a fast exit out of that canyon. It leaped over the rock obstacles and headed towards the top. Further up the trail we encountered another safari group. An H1 Hummer was attempting to go up an obstacle, called the Water Fall when we approached, he was stuck and about to winch up the rock face. I called out to one of the officials of this safari group and told him that we had a medical emergency and we needed to get by. His response was not nearly as nice as the last group. In fact I was appalled. He looked in my truck and upon seeing the motorcycle rider said: “That’s that guy who went blasting by us earlier down the canyon, serves him right!” I was ready to let this “official” bozo know what I thought of him, but luckily another Jeeper piped up and said:” An injured person is an injured person, doesn’t matter who, lets just help him out.” Thank goodness for good people. The H1 backed down the obstacle, and all the jeeps pulled aside. We launched the T-Rex up the waterfall and out. It was fun to see everyone's jaw drop as we effortlessly blew right up the obstacle. I was just hoping that we would make it in time. We got to the top of the canyon in 18 minutes. It took the rest of our crew 3.5 hours. I felt bad that I had to abandon my daughter on that steep trail with all of those dangerous obstacles. But Everyone in our party steeped up to help out. Some of the JP magazine crew helped to spot my family and friends. Matt, Andy, John, Jeff, and my son loaded the injured mans motor cycle in the back of Matt’s truck and Matt not only drove his truck, but he would run back and drive my daughter’s jeep, since she was afraid of the heights and cliffs. At the Waterfall, Art got his hummer up it and then turned around and winched Kelsey’s jeep up the obstacle. It is great to see such wonderful people all pull together to help others out.

Meanwhile, up on top of the canyon I asked Scott if we should call for a helicopter, or ambulance. He was impressed about how fast we got out of there. He said, that it was the smoothes ride he had ever had coming out of that canyon. Scott asked us to keep going and drive him to the ER. It would take too long to wait for an ambulance. We called 911 and began relaying information. I got on the highway, and put the pedal down on the T-Rex. with only 10 psi in each tire, it was a little exciting on the highway. We got up to about 60mph on the highway back to Moab. In between coughs Scott commented, “ This is not your daily driver is it….” It was good to see that ever through his pain and choking, he had a sense of humor. We got to the ER and they were waiting for us. They put him in a c-collar and put him on a stretcher. We met his family there, and we were glad that he was in good hands now. I later heard that he was life flight flown to Salt Lake City. He had some lower back injury also, but it was not apparent at the time.

We headed back to camp to check out the damage to the truck. We bent two rims, cracked one rim, broke the protector ring off the Rockwell front axle, bent the tie rod, and bent the hydraulic steering ram, and put some nice scratches in the truck, but it did its job. We beat on it to get out of there in time. That was tougher, and more punishing to the truck then any competition we had ever been in. It was like Baja Racing and Rock crawling combined. I am so glad that we were there to help out, because even as Scott said at the ER, “ I don’t think that there was any truck that could have gotten me out that quick”. My thanks goes to the heroes who got the rest of my family out of that canyon. They were prepared to jump into action to save a mans life.

[brickdog]

most of my off roading is done in mud pits here are a couple cheap tricks
bolt a couple of mud flaps onto your front bumper just make sure they won't hit your tires when folded back when going though the mud they will fold back acting as a skid plate and keep most of the mud out of your engine compartment
you can also use the flexible air intake tubing from autozone to hook to your breather then route it into the cab and hook on a aftermarket cone style air filter if you silicone the breather shut along with this you wont suck water and mud into your fuel

[Forkliftech74]

Well I've whelin the Piss outa my '94 ram 1500, since it was new. The main reason I go it was the solid front axle, and the front coils, in a HALF-TON. A great platform in my opinion! Joining a 4x4 club is always a good idea, That way you'll always have a buddy to pull you out. And like mentioned above, If you never get stuck in your dodge , your either a) not trying ard enough , or B) don't know what yer rig can actually do, ( which is quite alot in stock trim) . I'll be happy to susbscribe to this forum . I am a Licenced Heavy Duty Mechanic , and would be happy to help any and all you guys/gals out re garding any Wrenchin questions you may have, Cheers to all

Fork

[tsparr]

One thing that my group and I do is first, we all have a C/B radio in our 4x4's. You can use hand-held radios also. Since I'm the most experienced mechanic in the group, I carry all of the tools and since my truck is the biggest and heaviest, I also carry a 15,000 lbs. cable that I had made for $60 at an industrial shop as well as two more tow straps. Two of the people in our group are actually medics in the Army, so they have aid-bags and all of the medical equipment because believe it or not, people DO get hurt in this sport. One of our members has a dry-suit for scuba diving that we use for those recovery operations that involve deep mud or water. We have a Jeep with a winch for helping with tough recovery operations and one of our members has a quad so we use him for scouting out new places before we decide to move our convoy there. Just about everyone in our group also carries spare parts for their rig such as u-joints, spare tires, axleshafts, belts ect. A GPS unit that gives latitude and longitude is a good thing to have too because number one, if you find a really good spot and you cant find your way back to it, get a map, plot the coordinates, and you can easily find your way back to the spot. You can reverse this to also find your way back to civilization. Number two reason is that if someone gets seriously injured, you can call for help on a cell phone, and give your coordinates to the rescue crew so they can find you. Bring a sleeping bag or at least some blankets if you have to spend the night outdoors. If you get stranded in your vehicle, do NOT abandon your vehicle unless you are SURE of the way out and can find help. ALWAYS let someone know where you are going and what time you intend to return home. Some of this may seem a bit extreme to some of you, but here in WA there is a lot of REMOTE terrain that we wheel in, so its good to have these things if you travel into the middle of nowhere like we do. I hope this post helps you and from experience, dont ever wheel alone. Also, dont get into this sport if you think you wont break parts. You WILL break your 4x4, and you WILL find yourself needing help getting unstuck. I've been wheeling for 5 years now and this all comes from experience. Dont take my last few sentences wrong, this sport can be the most fun you've ever had. Just be smart and you WILL have tons of fun.

[tsparr]

Hey all, I'll try to list as many "redneck it" tips that can help you on the trails as I can think of. Feel free to PM me with more if you know some.
- Use duct tape as a serpentine belt in a pinch. Just cut the desired lenght and stick two strips sticky side together then put the two ends together and wrap 2 or 3 times on the inside and outside of the 'belt' for strength.
- For coolant leaks that you cant detect, let your radiator cool down, open the cap, and crack an egg into it. NO SHELLS THOUGH! Start your 4x4 up and look for egg boiling out of the system. Patch up the leak with Waterweld (available at autozone for a few bucks) then flush the coolant system to get rid of the egg.
- For a cheap spool in a differential, weld the spider gears together. (Research this on Google) Dont do this unless your 4x4 is your play toy that only sees offroading. Do not do this if you drive your 4x4 on the street.
- If its the summertime or you live somewhere where your temperature doesnt get below freezing and you need coolant, just use water from a pond, lake, creek, stream, whatever until you can get somewhere for a proper flush and coolant. Try and filter the water through a cotton t-shirt or sock first so you dont end up with debris in your coolant system. Debris could destroy your water pump or block passageways in the engine block.
- Keep Waterweld and JB Weld in your toolbox at all times. You can fix just about anything with that stuff.
- Duct Tape... and lots of it. You can hold a taillight, headlight, blinker, whatever back onto the vehicle so its still street legal. Secure a battery if you break the hold-down mount. Make a serpentine belt... the uses are endless...
- Use a can of hairspray and a lighter to pop a tire back on a rim. Spray hairspray or some aerosol flammable liquid around the inside of the wheel, seat the tire best you can, and light it. The pressure and gas created by the rapid burning will sometimes re-seat the tire so you can fill it up. Be careful...
- If you have an aftermarket air filter like a K&N, use a sock stretched over the filter to keep mud off the filter. Or you can buy a pre-filter, but a sock works just as well and its cheap or free.
- Don't buy a snorkel for your 4x4. Go to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy dryer vent and clamps. Make your own for $20! Be creative.
- Shove sticks and twigs under your tires for extra traction if your stuck in the mud.
- Moss from trees or bark from a birch tree make excellent fire starters.
- No toilet paper and have to go? Cut your underwear into strips and enjoy the freedom of going 'commando' for the rest of the trip.
- Break something and are on a budget? One word... Junkyards.
- If you dont use your A/C and you want an onboard air compressor, Google how to turn your A/C compressor into an air compressor.
- Go to your local Army surplus store and buy a spool of 550 cord. (also called parachute cord). This stuff is worth its weight in gold. Its the 'other' duct tape.
- Need a tiny low-pressure washer for cleaning off parts or your windows? Take a water bottle, poke a small hole in the removeable top, fill with water and squeeze.
- Go online or if your Army surplus store has them, buy a case of MRE's for food in an emergency. Just make sure you have drinkable water with you.
- Buy a good quality, sharp knife. 'Nuff said.
- Cook a can of food on your exhaust manifold.
- Bend back a bumper by putting your 4x4 into 4lo and creep up to a big tree. Once you make contact, slowly give it gas and bend your bumper back into position. I did this last weekend but I used my friend's rear bumper to bend my front one back. He owed me cause I bent mine pulling him out.
- WD40 sprayed on the inside of a distributor will displace water so you can start your 4x4 if you get water in there.
- A bead of silicone ran around the base of your distributor will prevent you from doing the above.
- Spark plug fouled? Use an abrasive surface like steel wool or a small file to clean the fouling off until you can get new plugs.
- Rusted on bolt or nut? Get a can of PB Blaster from your parts store. This stuff will unstick anything. Follow up by beating the nut or bolt with a brass hammer.
- Body damage that you want to fix? Rubber mallet my friends.
- Tire rubbing a plastic fenderwell? Use a heat gun or a hair dryer on full blast to heat up the plastic, then gently push the plastic back with a block of wood.

I've used more than 90% of these tricks and they do work. I wouldnt recommend some of them on a 4x4 that you intend to keep looking pretty, but hey, it works in a pinch or on a budget. Just be creative! I'm sure I'll remember more later on, but for now, my wrist is hurting from typing. Just remember when you beat up your rig... It's not body damage, they're scars. :-)