Topic: 4WD technique

[99SENewbie]

I took my jeep out offroading today, or actually I took it badroading.

The only real source of offroad goodness we have here (that I know of) is mudding. Would rather go trail-riding, but since I'm new to 4WD, this is good for now.  I found some really nice old dirt roads. (which of course were in the middle of no where and I would have been screwed had I got stuck) I have a few questions for the veterans here about controlling the vehicle in situations like these.

I noticed that as I drove on many roads (some of which were physically slanted to one side) that I would continuously drift to one side. I also noticed that this was extremely hard to correct.  Most of the time I could barely control my steering at all until I stopped giving it gas. (once I stopped giving gas I would begin to turn the way I wanted to... except in one scary incident, the story of which I won't bore you here... unless asked)

Like I said in my introduction, I'm very new to 4WD. Done a lot of dirt biking, but that doesn't really compare. Can anyone help me?

[chardrc]

i have gone offroading on old loging trails whit mud since i was 7. as for mud / slippery side slops i haven't encountered them... but for regular mud ether you need speed or lots of traction. but ether way you need to make sure your motor doesn't get too bogged down. which is the problem with the old cj 4bangers but i found isn't quite as bad with the 2.5l. if you stat lossing traction turn the tires one way them the other to try to find traction... i'll stop now since i tend to be a bad teacher and make people more confused than help. 

 and ill always up for reading/ hearing a jeep story. 

[Bounty Hunter]

Gravity will often pull you to the side in the muddy off-camber situations you describe.  It takes a lot of throttle, and pointing the jeep uphill to drift across the slope.  It's more an art than a science, you'll get the hang of it with time.

Often it takes just letting up on the throttle for a split second for a steering correction and then getting back in the throttle.

[Shawn_c]

If you start to slide the best technique is to let off the gas and steer with the slide.  Soon as you feel you have control back go ahead resume your course.  You will always be pushed to the low side, so if it is a little rutted it is sometimes best to stay in the ruts if you have the clearence.  If not try and put one side in the ruts as long as they aren't deep enough to roll you.  You pretty much have to go with the flow on off camber stuff.  Def. keep your rpm's up 1st or 2nd gear in low range helps alot.