Couple questions about wheeling...

[Jeep24MA]

First timer here. I live in Massachusetts. Never done any off-roading before, but I really want to. There’s no good trails that I can find out here so my 2 questions are:

1. I wanna road trip to go wheeling and see some beautiful scenery. Any places within driving distance that are worth it? Nothing super difficult.

2. What are the basics to remember when off-roading?I have a sport S with all terrains. Is my spare full size? If not, I assume I need a full size spare just in case. Also, tire pressure monitor I’ll need to bring? What’s a good psi when I’m out there? 4WD in what situations? Thanks for all the help!

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[Jeep24MA]

Anyone?? Thanks!

 

[BLK HOLE]

First off I wouldn't go offroading alone as a rookie. Thats a bad idea...I recommend you join a local club that wheels and go with them for a while. They'll teach you a lot. I'll leave it to people who live closer to you to suggest wheeling spots near you tho.

As for pointers...again, wheel with experienced people first. You do have a full size spare, but you only have 31s and those are somewhat limited, if not just bouncy and rough offroad. If you're to go alone I'd stay on clear paths and not try any real obstacles. You don't have the safety experience, recovery experience (if stuck) and you don't have the recovery gear anyway. If you want to go at it alone I'd stick to very easy trails.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

How are you defining? Dont worry this is not one of those douch bag youre a noob forum questions.

A stock base jeep on all terrains can do gravel roads, dirt roads, grass ,sand and your typical forest floor. May not dominate and stomp a mud hole in the trail but it'll be fun.

As for venturing, best not to go alone the first times out, not knowing what or how can make a bad situation into a horrible one or worse.

Depending on where in mass you are there are trails around. For good journeys PA has it locked down with Rousch Creek among others. Rousch has a two man rule though, need two vehicles minimum for trail safety. But Im always game to go.

So, whats your idea of wheeling?

 

[Weasel Caesar]

1. No idea, I live in the desert.

2. Watch your line -- the path your tires will take over any given obstacle-- choosing your line is probably the most important aspect of off-roading. Choose the right mode for what you're doing. 2 wheel drive can actually get you pretty far off roading. Switch to 4-hi when you start losing forward momentum/grip, usually in softer terrain. Go to 4-lo when 4-hi isn't cutting it. Probably won't need it much unless/until you start hitting heavier obstacles. Bring a first aid kit and basic recovery gear and, as someone else mentioned, don't go alone. If you get stuck in the mud, you're gonna want to have someone available to pull you out. As Blk Hole said, you have a full size spare. Your Jeep has tire pressure monitors built into the tires, I believe... at least, my Rubicon does, but I still carry a good ol' fashioned pressure gauge in the glove box, just in case. Probably won't need to air down unless you decide to hit some rocks or tree roots, but remember you'll need a way to air up after-- don't drive on highways with aired down tires, you're gonna have a bad time.

And remember... most important of all... HAVE FUN!

 

[Klutch]

- You can air down your factory tires to 20 or 18 PSI. That will help with traction and give you a smoother ride. Likely, you could go a little lower with the PSI and be fine, but I would be a bit concerned about popping a bead.

- Of course, if you air down, you'll need a good compressor to air up again. The cheaper compressors that plug into a lighter will take a long time and won't last very long. I bought an ARB compressor that's really spiffy. It's installed in a box, which is basically a tackle box, and I can fit hoses and fittings in there as well. It clips to the truck battery. It's not super fast, but it's much better than the typical Walmart compressor. (Run the engine while using such a compessor. It pulls a lot of juice and you don't want to drain the battery.)

- A stock Gladiator is a very capable off road truck. However, as stated above, it's not a good idea to go it alone. Especially if you're new to off-roading. Find some local wheeling buddies.

- For basic gear you should have:

* Fire extinguisher
* Recovery strap with bow shackles or soft shackles
* Good first aid kit
* Bottle jack
* Radio; CB or HF/HAM. Use whatever your fellow wheelers are using. (HF/HAM has a much longer range, so it's typically better)
* Maxtracks, or something similar, would be a good idea
* Plenty of drinking water
* Some basic tools (Harbor Freight tools are pretty inexpensive and they work fine as trail tools)
* A good GPS app on your phone, on an iPad or something similar. (Most people really like Gaia.)

That should get you going. Have fun!

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