How to wheel properly...i'm not saying i dont know how...but here in milford, ct i dont know many people who do...and i would like to find out if the way i wheel is correct or if there is a better way to do it. For example...shallow mud pits...if someone goes in front of me, should i drive in his tire tracks or move over a foot and make my own...and dirt hill climbing...crawl up or gain momentum and float up? Descending down dirt hills...e-brake at all or just lock up front and rears?? All these questions arrose last night when i went wheeling the first time w/ a dusting of snow on the trails...what a difference...never had a problem w/ any of these hills but all of a sudden it took me 4 tries to get up this one hill that had less than an inch of snow on it...any advice greatly appreciated as i feel like enough of a retard for not knowing. lol
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Where can one learn....
- Thread starter JeepXJ93
- Start date
old_man
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Loveland, Colorado
The correct way is what ever way gets you up the hill and ideally with no damage either to your rig or the trail. We tend to take it slow so as to have control and not break, but if the traction is limited, the only alternative sometimes is a bit of momentum. The real answer is that every situation is different and learning to wheel can't really be done from a book. It is best learned in a stock vehicle. Most of the old timers will tell you that they had more fun back when they were running stock and trying everything.
The basic rule is to keep the tires from spinning if you can. Once they start to spin or conversely, lock up on a downhill, you lose most of your control. Use your brain and the seat of your pants.
There is no substitute for seat time.
The basic rule is to keep the tires from spinning if you can. Once they start to spin or conversely, lock up on a downhill, you lose most of your control. Use your brain and the seat of your pants.
There is no substitute for seat time.
Rev Den
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Plainfield, IL
The best way to learn to wheel is actual seat time with people who wheel. I would suggest you spend a weekend with the best off-highway driving folks in the world, at Winterfest.
Rev
Rev
MaXJohnson
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- The Kansas Rockies
Hook up with a local club. 
's North Atlantic Chapter would be a good starting point. Most of the NAC members are ugly and a bit slow with math and spellin', but deep down inside, they're good people.
's North Atlantic Chapter would be a good starting point. Most of the NAC members are ugly and a bit slow with math and spellin', but deep down inside, they're good people.
OT
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Jensen, UT
The Colorado folks are gonna be there? Sweet! :laugh3:Rev Den said:
- Location
- Indiana-Missouri
Rev Den said:
oh my gawd, now that was funny!
see? you can do it!
xxxj-va
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Richmond, VA
United four wheel drive has awareness clinics. Our local all jeeps club was trying to host one down here in 2004 but it didn't happen, maybe this year. Anyway maybe contact them?
http://www.ufwda.org/4wdawareness.htm
http://www.ufwda.org/4wdawareness.htm
Darky
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- 29 Palms, CA
When I was first getting my start wheeling (in a stock Geo Tracker) I used to have my friends with more experience drive it over the more difficult obstacles and watch them and what lines they picked, what they did and such. When I started hitting some of these obstacles myself, as well as other new obstacles when we hit different trails, they were all surprised at how well I was doing picking lines. Just find some people with more experience and watch them. Be a sponge and absorb whatever they have to teach you. And get plenty of seat time. You can only learn so much watching kickboxing tapes, to really understand you gotta spar with someone...
BrettM
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- michifornia
there's 2 good ways;
1) wheel something very mild for a good long while, stock XJ, open diffs, etc. learn with that and you will be a much better driver when you upgrade. just be sure to have the appropriate recovery gear for the inevitable stucks.
or
2) get lockers and bigger tires and axles until you can drive through the same stuff as everybody else without actually having to learn anything.
1) wheel something very mild for a good long while, stock XJ, open diffs, etc. learn with that and you will be a much better driver when you upgrade. just be sure to have the appropriate recovery gear for the inevitable stucks.
or
2) get lockers and bigger tires and axles until you can drive through the same stuff as everybody else without actually having to learn anything.
Darky
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- 29 Palms, CA
#1 is a very good method... Once you can make a "humble" vehicle go through something, you'll be that much better off when you move onto a better vehicle or upgrade your current one.
Once you can make a "humble" vehicle go through something, you'll be that much better off when you move onto a better vehicle or upgrade your current one.
RichP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Effort, Pa
I'm suprised no one suggested the jeep sponsored Jeep 101 courses. Our local club, Blue mountain jeep alliance, has them usually 2x a year at paragon, they are free and only require you to bring your own lunch and munchies. It's usually followed by a jeep 201 course in vehicle recovery.
For more info check out http://www.bmja.org site for the scheduling...
For more info check out http://www.bmja.org site for the scheduling...
BajaXJ92
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Prescott, AZ
XJ_MAC
NAXJA Member #184
- Location
- Cleveland Hts, OH
Try here
http://www.4x4now.com/4wht.htm
http://4wheeldrive.about.com/od/booksabout4x4/
http://www.off-road.com/products/showcase/4x4free_show.htm
and remember the 4 wheeling mantra "as slow as you can, as fast as you have to"
http://www.4x4now.com/4wht.htm
http://4wheeldrive.about.com/od/booksabout4x4/
http://www.off-road.com/products/showcase/4x4free_show.htm
and remember the 4 wheeling mantra "as slow as you can, as fast as you have to"
