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[300bhp/ton]

First off I want to say great set of threads and a lot of good info

I do have some comments. First a generic proposal to be added to all of the off roading and driving technique threads. As all these guides are based on personal experience and advise maybe having a disclaimer at the top of the post would be a good idea. Something along the lines of:


Disclaimer – The information contained herein is an account of personal experiences and advise and should be taken as nothing more. Each individual is responsible for their own actions and interpretation of the information.

Each situation is different and it is the responsibility of the individual to assess the situation and act accordingly. Motor sport and off roading can be dangerous so suitable safety precautions should always be undertaken.



I also have some comments about the “mud” thread. Not sure whether they could be an addition or an amendment to the original.

[Off Road Driving] Mud

Originally Posted by Disco

When you get to 'MUD' here's what you need to do:-

If the mud can be walked over without breaking through, you’re in with a chance.

This is a new one on me, I guess it all depends on the type of mud you are talking about, some of the worst situations I’ve witnessed have been from driving over what appeared to be dry solid ground only to find it was a thin crust that the weight of the vehicle penetrated to very wet, sticky and boggy conditions just below the surface.

In the midlands and SE of Britain this is often common in the summer, especially after very wet conditions leading to a couple of hot dry days.

If you are unsure or don’t have suitable backup or recovery equipment you do need to thoroughly investigate before driving across any suspicious areas. And yes this does come from experience only a few years back we had a disaster with a tractor and corn cart (trailer full of wheat) all up weight was in the region of 16-18 metric tonnes the ground appeared dry and stable and not more than 15 feet away had been driven on most of the morning, however straying slightly to the right meant the tractor and trailer broke thru the dry top surface and sunk the best part of 18” into boggy mud. It took 3 tractors and 1 Land Rover plus a broken rope and several hours to extract the trailer.

Originally Posted by Disco

If you stand on the mud and sink in your boots or ‘welllingtons’ there’s no chance for the vehicle (install chains)!

I have no knowledge of using chains in the mud and I’m uncertain how they could help as there is no hard under surface for them to grip/bite into like on snow or ice which is where they are more commonly used.

I would have thought high wheel speeds and chains could also prove quite dangerous if the chain decided to detach itself from the wheel.

But as I said I have no knowledge of using chains under these conditions, I would however be interested on any further information that could be supplied on using chains in the mud however.

Originally Posted by Disco

Basically, “If you can’t walk it – You can’t drive it”, unless your highly modified.

Reducing tyre pressure can help in ‘bottomless’ mud whereas it can make things worse when a hard surface is below the mud

I think this is where a separation needs to be made. Mud is a very generic term and in all honesty the very vast majority of my off roading is on mud, however very little involves mud holes or bog holes.

A muddy hole on the level, surrounded by dry firm ground requires a totally different approach to driving on muddy slippery conditions in a forest, woods, hilly terrain or at a recreational 4x4 site (an old quarry or similar).

Originally Posted by Disco

Check on foot, the depth of mud or water in the bog hole. Use a wading stick. It can be left in the mud to indicate danger spots such as, unseen large rocks, tree trunks, deep holes etc. Walk down one intended wheel track prodding the ground for depth, and then return down the other track.

Originally Posted by Disco

Set up recovery gear before hand. Attach winch cable to a point on the bumper that’s going to be easily accessible.

As this is generic advice then maybe stating something more along the lines of “ensure you recovery line or rope is securely attached to your front recovery point”.

Not everyone has a winch and unless they are using a suitable bumper you shouldn’t be attaching a recovery line to it.

Originally Posted by Disco

There’s nothing worse than groping around under the mud looking for your winch cable or ‘D’ shackles.
Engage diff lock, and lockers (if fitted).

Originally Posted by Disco

Select appropriate gear, usually 2nd or 3rd high range depending on the depth of the mud. Too low a gear will dig the tires into the mud.

I agree too low a gear will not have sufficient wheel speed, but this is primarily talking in terms of mud holes on a level gradient. If you are driving in very muddy conditions but with other obstacles low range would be essential as high range would be almost impossible to use without stalling (manual transmission) and could also prove very dangerous and lack control of the vehicle.

Here are some examples of where low range would be essential but still be muddy:-

These pictures are all taken from the same site, as you can see some parts of it where very very muddy in a slurry sense, while there where also water holes and steep inclines and descents. The ground was also very rutted, rough and uneven making progress bumpy and difficult, walking speed was as fast you could go on some sections due to the roughness of the terrain, low range was essential 100% of the time:







These are from a different site and again can be very wet and muddy. However again there are deep ruts and holes and the inclines are far too steep to even contemplate using high range with out the risk of rolling, also in the trees there is a distinct lack of space making it very tight, so low speed is advisable:

Originally Posted by Disco

If forward travel is a must and the mud is over a long stretch, deflate the tyres to around 20 psi, otherwise, fit chains. Do not fit chains to deflated tyres.
Turning on the windshield wipers before plowing through a big mud puddle does help.

Only comment would be about the chains.

Originally Posted by Disco

As you get underway, STEADY POWER and MOMENTUM must not be lost.
Keep wheels in tracks of previous vehicles. If no previous tracks, travel on the crown of the road if possible. If the ruts become too deep, dig away one of the sides to help the wheel to drive out where straddling is a reasonable alternative. If beginning to get stuck, swing the wheel from side to side, this works just as well in reverse.

If the wheels begin to spin, ease off the throttle.
If stuck, try reversing immediately and stay in your own tyre ruts as these will be already somewhat compacted.
If there is an incline ahead, approach with more speed.

If the wheels on one side are higher, the lower wheels will generally have better traction, as they have more weight.

Originally Posted by Disco

Descending very steep muddy inclines use:- low range, 2nd gear, chains on (if carried).

Originally Posted by Disco

Ascending steep muddy inclines use:- low range, 1st gear, diff lock on, lockers engaged (if fitted), chains on.

Are the advised gears the correct way round?

I would have thought (and have always been taught) to use as low a gear as possible on descents and as high a gear as possible on inclines.

This does not apply to all situations, as 2nd low may be used on a decent and even 3rd low on an ascent.

Originally Posted by Disco

Do not attempt these except in an emergency unless you have aggressive tyres.

Much off roading involves such activities and is in many ways a mainstay of what off roading is, so they are usually a conscious intent and not an emergency. And under the correct conditions and driving styles lesser tyres can work very well.

In addition steep descents can also include the use of modern hill descent control systems such as equipped on the Discovery 3 and the Freelander.

Originally Posted by Disco

Use gentle steering inputs, as a heavy correction can cause the vehicle to slide.

When you have cleared the mud, check if any mud is caked onto the driveshaft or radiator. If there is, clean it off before driving home as it could throw the drive shaft out of balance causing damage or overheat the engine.

Additional information:

Vehicle Preparation

Mud driving can be full of hazards and suitable vehicle preparation can not only allow greater and safer progress but can also prolong vehicle life and durability.

Breathing - Deep wet mud or bogs can be as bad or worse than simple water crossings. Mud also has the knack of getting almost anywhere but does not drain out or run off the same as water. You could simply ensure that all the breather plugs are in while attempting such off roading but you will need to remove them afterwards, for this reason diff, tranny & axle breathers are advisable. Combine this with a suitable snorkel and it will certainly help.




Vehicle Protection – Mud or specifically the water contained within the mud can be very corrosive to Land Rovers. Under body preparation can ensure that this isn’t an issue. It is very advisable to firstly ensure all inner wheel arch spats are attached and located correctly as this will help prevent mud ingress between the inner and outer panels where it will sit and rot through the bodywork and/or chassis components.

In addition treating the whole underside of the vehicle to a protective coating is advised, there are many coatings available either commercially or for self application. Waxoly is popular and readily available (especially in the UK). Ensuring all of the underside of the vehicle has a good even coating of Waxoly will not only protect the vehicle from corrosion but will also make it easier to wash the mud off afterwards as well.





General Maintenance – Ensure that the wipers work, the wiper blades are good and there is plenty of washer fluid in the washer bottle. Being able to see is a great benefit when off roading, having a brush or cleaning cloth/rag in the vehicle may well be advisable as well. Remember mud dries hard and the wipers may not be able to shift dried on mud on the windscreen/shield which can cause either a linkage failure or the fuse to blow. So cleaning the mud off by hand may be the only option.


Engine – If the mud/water is deep then suitable precautions should be taken to ensure the engine electrics and air intakes are protected, petrol (gas) and diesel engines all have different requirements so ensure you bear this in mind during preparation. Radiators and intercoolers will also need to be kept clean as their efficiency will be dramatically reduced otherwise.


Tyres – Suitable tyres will need to be used for the conditions. Depending on taste, vehicle and intent, that may be big wide tyres or smaller narrow tyres. Both are proven to work and to work well. The basic theory follows:

“Thin tyres cut through the top surface and have greater pressure per square inch, while wider tyres spread the weight over a wider area and allow the tyre to float on the surface more.”

It is up to the individual to decide how and why to use which type of setup.

If you are running road biased tyres and want to navigate across a bog then even with modern traction control systems expect to struggle and probably get stuck. Mud terrains or an aggressive off road tyre would generally be advised for most mud situations, however if driven correctly general purpose all terrains can be put to good use in many situations.

Examples of aggressive off road tyres:

Interco TSL Bogger


Interco TSL Super Swamper


Simex Jungle Trekker II


Simex Extreme Trekker


Bronco4x4 Grizzly Claw (remould)



Examples of normal mud terrains:

BFT M/T


Dunlop MT2


Greenway Macho (remould)