Offroad Tips for newbie

[J3colt]

Welcome to the addiction!

As many have said, a local Jeep club is a great place to start. They offer different organized rides from scenic drives to more advanced adventures. A good recovery class is very helpful and worth the membership alone.

Regarding whether or not to use 4wd, an old timer and jeep builder back in the 80's once told me that "it's much cheaper to fix a broken transfer case rather than replace the entire jeep because you didn't pull the lever when you should've..." ?

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[Ole Cowboy]

All you need to know is in my signature

Tip of the hat to you Trucker...

There I was, side of the road, 2 am off the beaten path halfway to Indiana from Ft Benning Ga. My brand new car had thrown an Alternator belt. I am up a creek without a paddle. Have not seen a car in any direction for over an hour, when a pickup truck stops and a guy gets out. He asks what is wrong. I tell him and he notices my uniform the back and my combat patch, 1st Cav, catches his eye. He says were you in Nam? Yep! Met too, I was a Marine at Khe Son and remember when the 1st Cav came in to support us. I said I was there, Operation Pegasus.

He looks at me and says: Follow me, soldier, stay close with nothing but you running lights on and I will guide you till we get somewhere.

0530 and dawn is starting to break and he pulls into an all-night fuel stop. We go in and YES they have a belt this length and will lend us the tools to swap it out.

There is a Denny's across the street and I tell him come have breakfast I am buying. He says no, I am a long haul trucker an I left my rig Company HQ (again) to be repaired and was on the way home to see my wife and kids and still had about 75 mi to when I stopped. OK I understand but I need some food I take from here, can buy you gas or anything? No I will be on my way.

I finish my breakfast and walk over to the fuel stop and in the bay is my car, note on the window. I bought you the belt and put on and I want to thank you for Khe Son, brother! My guess is he did not get home till nearly noon...

This was in 1978 and to this day I am still paying it forward to any trucker I see on the why I offer assistance, cell fone, whatever I can do...

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Great story! I’m Army too. 88M out of Ft Sill, OK. 90-93. Desert Storm and Somalia. My son is active duty in Italy, out of harms way for now.

LOL Paid my dues in the Ft Sill school for boys. USA 67-94

 

[Mash5]

I think Toyota's have that.

Ya, maybe jeep calls it something else... off-road cause control or something... whatever... the brakey, slow, computer, fancy button, careful mode.

 

[Woodturner]

I've searched the forum but couldn't find any threads on this subject (I know they are there though!) Can someone address a safe PSI level for overlanding with stock 17" wheels? I have the Falken A/T3W 35" 12.5 R 17 and feel that taking it below 20 psi might put me at risk of losing the tire off the rim. Thoughts?

 

[Deadpool392]

I've searched the forum but couldn't find any threads on this subject (I know they are there though!) Can someone address a safe PSI level for overlanding with stock 17" wheels? I have the Falken A/T3W 35" 12.5 R 17 and feel that taking it below 20 psi might put me at risk of losing the tire off the rim. Thoughts?

While I have not had those tires specifically, I have taken both 35 and 37 inch KO2’s down to 10-12 PSI while off road and have never lost the bead. I routinely run them at about 15 PSI while off road and only take it lower if needed.

 

[Woodturner]

Thank you...are your wheels bead locks or stock?

 

[Deadpool392]

Thank you...are your wheels bead locks or stock?

Neither, I have aftermarket Warn Jackhammer wheels. Stock wheels are 7.5 inches wide, with a 12.50 inch wide tire on it you will be fine taking it down to 20 PSI, probably could even go below 10. The only time I would start to worry about being that low and losing the bead is if I was going to have rocks hitting the sides of the tires to get through obstacles. If you are just over landing and mostly running dirt roads/mild trails, you can do 15-20 PSI all day.

 

[Woodturner]

Thank you! Taking the Idaho BDR late this summer...I appreciate the information.

 

[Gvsukids]

I've searched the forum but couldn't find any threads on this subject (I know they are there though!) Can someone address a safe PSI level for overlanding with stock 17" wheels? I have the Falken A/T3W 35" 12.5 R 17 and feel that taking it below 20 psi might put me at risk of losing the tire off the rim. Thoughts?

I've been down to 10-12 psi for the dunes on stock Rubicon takeoffs and stock 32" tires.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/off-road-tire-pressure.31010/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/airing-down-tires-for-beach-driving.49140/

 

[Rusty PW]

Stock Rubi 7.5" rims, 37's air down to 15 psi in the rocks.

 

[cranbiz]

I have gone 12 PSI on stock wheels just fine. I wouldn't go any lower than that just to be safe.

My JK I go 6 PSI but I have bead locks.

 

[hjdca]

Note: The most important thing is to get an air compressor and let air out of your tires when you 4wheel. 16 psi is safe for stock tires. With my 37" tires on 17" rims, I run 12-13 psi normally.

Also, it depends where you 4wheel, but, it is better to be in 4Low then bogging down in 4High - especially when going up a mountain.

When backing up in tight spaces off-road, usually 4low is better because you have more precise control on speed and turning radius.

 

[Gvsukids]

Note: The most important thing is to get an air compressor and let air out of your tires when you 4wheel. 16 psi is safe for stock tires. With my 37" tires on 17" rims, I run 12-13 psi normally.

Disconnecting the sway bars can be easier than waiting to air down and back up.

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