[79W-150]

Ok, here's the deal. One of the jerks at work (who doesn't four wheel but has "buddies" that do) is talkin smack about the huge hole up at Westvaco Papermill. Sayin there is no way in heck I'm gettin my truck thru the middle of that. He's dead serious and a jerk to boot.

The guys I know who've gone up there only go around the edges and a little towards the middle. One guy made it thru with his Chevy with 33's and no lift, and took some damage (blower motor, heater core, and his auto tranny because water/muck got down his dipstick). Being that I have 6" of lift plus the 3" blocks, and 35's I have alot more ground clearance (probably 7" more) than he did. And I have a manual tranny so no dipstick to worry about.

My question now is, what little stuff do you guys do before hitting a big mud/water hole?

I have to relocate my axle vent from my frame to inside the cabin, it wasn't high enough for the last hole I hit and I sucked water I'm sure. Gonna change that oil tommorow cause I'm off. I'm going to RTV the distributor cap to help waterproof it. I'm thining of making a snorkel for my carb. Other than that I'm really not sure what else needs to be protected / waterproofed. Any ideas?

Thanks,

-Chris

 

[JasonB]

I can only suggest that you have a tow strap already hooked up to at least one end of the truck if you are goign to run it. Keeps you from having to get out into the mud to hook up. Just throw the strap to someone on the side of the hole.

You need to keep the dist cap vented if you are going to RTV it. There is probably a small hole on the top that you can rig a hose to and then vent that somewhere.

 

[79W-150]

Why would I have to vent the dist. cap? I've never done that before on my chevy's that had distributors.

What other engine/tranny kinda things do I need to do prior to hittin the hole?

-Chris

 

[JasonB]

It might be a new moel thing, but both the dist cap in my old 91 S-10 and my 97 Ram have a tiny vent hole in the top of the cap. Figured it was on all dist caps.

 

[Yota]

Why don't you get one of your buddies with 35 inch M/T's swap with your A/T's before hitting the hole. There is nothing worse then almost getting through the hole and getting stuck becase your tires won't shed the mud.

 

[79W-150]

Easier said than done. I don't know anyone with boggers/swampers. Anyone wanna let me borrow a set? <IMG SRC="/board/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif">

-Chris

 

[big pa s]

ok things i will suggest.

1. try to keep the engine rpms within your peak powerband.

2. once you are in get your wheels spinning as fast as you can. This will help to keep you on top of it as much as possible.

3. try see-sawing the wheel back and forth if you start to bog down.

4.keep your thumbs and fingers out of the center of the wheel. you never know when you will hit something solid and have the wheel kick back hard enough to do some serious damgage to your fingers.

5. if you do get stuck you can try backing up and making a minor change in your line. if that doesn't work make sure you get a picture of your stuck and then have someone pull you out.

This has worked for me so far. <IMG SRC="/board/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif">
Let us know how you do.

Oh yeah don't forget to have your wipers going before you hjit the hole. lol

 

[79W-150]

Thanks for the pointers. I knew about see-sawin the wheel back and forth to try and get traction, but not the other stuff.

I'm definately bringing a camera with me no matter what. I wanna get pics of me takin the hole, if I get stuck I get stuck... but if not then I got proof to shove down that jerks throat <IMG SRC="/board/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif"> And I had a blast.

The thing is I just got all the mud OFF my truck... OH WELL thats the price you pay to play huh?

Thanks again guys.

-Chris

 

[79W-150]

One more question... What gear should I use? I have 4hi loc, 4 hi, 4 lo, and 4 lo loc. I was thinking 4-Hi Loc, and granny? Or would second gear work better? Only thing is if I throw it in granny I'll be slower, but it won't pop outta gear. I had it in second when I hit the moutain hole that ate my steering, and it popped outta gear 1/2 way thru it.

-Chris

 

[big pa s]

I'm not familiar with your setup but I would say 4hi (maybe loc not certain what that is on yours) You want the tires spinning fast they will self clean better and float better that way. Good luck and have fun.

Talking about flotation, I have seen video of a guy up at Silver Lakes sand dunes taking an ('66-'77) Bronco and driving it across a small lake that was about 6' deep in the middle. His wheels were spinnning so fast he literally hydroplaned his way across. Funny thing is he did it in two wheel drive so that the front tires wouldn't dig and sink him. I'll see if I can find the link again.

also swamp buggy racers do the same thing they just spin the tires so fast they float.

 

[Yota]

Hey Chris, Big Pa has a good idea, Nice truck Big Pa s, even though I am not a real big fan of Fords.

 

[79W-150]

Cool... Thanks bigpas and 'yota.

What air pressure do you guys recommend? if I run 23lbs the tires sit flat so would 12lbs be good enough to get floatation?

-Chris

 

[big pa s]

I would say that 12 or 13 psi would probably be good (i'm not certain on this one) The biggest thing is make sure you don't go too low cause losing a bead in the middle of that hole would really suck.

And Yota thanks. I am proud of my truck. Mainly because I really use it. It kills me when I see someone driving a jeep, rover, toy, ford, chevy, dodge, or whatever that is all decked out for trail use but they never take it off-road. They don't know what they are missing.

Or another good one is a pickup truck but they don't carry anything with it cause they don't want to scratch it.

You should see some of the looks I get when people see a somewhat newer ('97) truck coated in mud driving down the road. Or whe I talk to someone and tell them I have had the truck airborn.

Glad to see that the people on this site are willing to accept that people will drive what they like and respect each other for it. Besides no one truck really outperforms all other trucks in all terrains. What helps you on one trial can be the kiss of death on another.

 

[LUV24BY]

Hey Chris, I think some of the other things to consider is to wrap your electrical engine connections with electrical tape. Make it good and tight and up the wire and back down the other side, making sure not to leave an area that water can get into. Secondly, I recommend making some sort of rigging to make sure your oil dip stick doesn't come loose and allow mud into. Make sure you have enough clearance on the airfilter and about your ditributor cap, use vaseline around the inner boots of the wires and use black gorilla snot on the base of the distributor cap. If your distributor has a vent, pop it off and run a vent tube somewhere out of the way. Also, don't forget your Manual Tranny has a vent and needs to be done too!!!!!!!!
John

_________________
1997 Dodge Ram 1500 CC SB 4x4 "Sport"
360ci V-8, Auto, 3.55 Limited Slip
5.5" Fab-Tech Performance Lift w/ 4.5" rear leaf springs & Dual Shocks up front
35x12.50x15 Goodyear MT/R's on Centerline 15x10's

 

[WMIF]

Instead of Vaseline i would go to pepboys and get a little tube of dielectric grease. Same basic principal only this is designed to shield eletric current. double benefeit!!
I have to agree totally with big pa s. I laugh so hard when i see the looks i get when i cruise the local spots with mud caked up and down outside AND INSIDE. I like my windows down. <IMG SRC="/board/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif"> and the poor trucks that never get to experience the joy... oh well, their loss.

 

[79W-150]

Cool. I'll go get the dialectric grease tommorow. I didn't even think about the plug wires.

-Chris

 

[LUV24BY]

Don't forget about the coil!!!!! <IMG SRC="/board/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif">
John

 

[79W-150]

Here's a ? for ya... The coil wire is just a regular plug wire cept its shorter right? So COULD I use a actual plug wire, and then put the coil in the cabin with me by running that plug wire (now the coil wire) thru the firewall?

John, we should get online and chat or IM each other soon. Gotta fill you in on the truck and my UTI plans <IMG SRC="/board/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif">

-Chris

 

[LUV24BY]

I am all willing and able Chris! Hey Big pa S I totally understand, there are some many out here who don't use their trucks, it's realy pathetic. I go out,play hard & cover the truck in mud, leave it on for a week or two and then when it's aged and REAL NICE AND CRUSTY I try to wash it off. Hell, I consider it a form of UV protection from the sun! <IMG SRC="/board/images/smilies/icon_razz.gif"> And as far as the "desert pinstriping", let's not even go there, I have more scratches on my truck than I do anything else!!
Chris, I would see if you can even buy a sealer in a can that is sprayed on and then turns into a flexible film. Something possibly electritions use to water proof the connections. I wouldn't keep putting all this stuff in the cab, pretty soon you'll either have #1 A TRUE "CAB" FORWARD DESIGN - or #2 NOT HAVE ANY ROOM FOR THE WOMEN TO SEE YOUR BIG TRANNY STICK!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA <IMG SRC="/board/images/smilies/laugh.gif">
Anywho, just drop me a line or I will give ya my Cell # and you can call, either way!
Lemme Know! <IMG SRC="/board/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif">
John

 

[79W-150]

There is ALOT of room between the dashboard and the firewall. Its actually kinda scary because my brain is like "there should probably be something in that big gap". But there isn't LOL.

-Chris