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4x4 Class 101 (Saving Broncos from Permanent Mall Crawler Duty)

Ryan3

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What’s some good advice for sand and a manual transmission? I plan on getting a 4 door manual, and have read/heard that manual in soft sand is tricky with manuals.

Obviously, other than airing down slightly. How do you guys keep momentum when shifting on softer sand.

Will these “GOAT” modes assist with this?
 

WillisC’onnors

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What’s some good advice for sand and a manual transmission? I plan on getting a 4 door manual, and have read/heard that manual in soft sand is tricky with manuals.

Obviously, other than airing down slightly. How do you guys keep momentum when shifting on softer sand.

Will these “GOAT” modes assist with this?

Air down, try to maintain speed. Get momentum by circling the “bowls” to get up over a dune if you can. Depending on how fine, you can air down super low, just remember to air back up. Manuals can be tricky but you get to keep it in the gear you want which can be beneficial. Sometimes autos can shift too soon. I like watching Matt’s off-road recovery on YouTube, he’s out of Utah, deals with super fine sand.
 

WillisC’onnors

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What’s some good advice for sand and a manual transmission? I plan on getting a 4 door manual, and have read/heard that manual in soft sand is tricky with manuals.

Obviously, other than airing down slightly. How do you guys keep momentum when shifting on softer sand.

Will these “GOAT” modes assist with this?
I’m assuming the Baja mode will help, adjusting throttle response/gear changes etc
 

BAUS67

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Well there is a lot of good info started here. When I started my off-roading adventures there was no internet and no cell phones the only thing I had to learn from was experience. Go out and do it see what I get myself into and then get myself out of those situations. Most of the time, I committed the cardinal sin, I went out alone and ended up most walking out from East Jabib ( the middle of nowhere). That said I could write a book about all kinds of things but to keep this kind of short I will start with this...........

Currently I have been taking my son off-roading on ATVs. His first trip he didn't see the large rock on the side of the trail covered by tall grass. When the front tire hit said rock it flipped the wheeler on it's side pinning his foot under the floorboard of the atv. I rushed back flipped the wheeler off him. he looked a little frazzled so I said take a break, walk it off, calm down and we will go back at it. He was fine, made it back to the truck. The following week I asked if he was up for some more, his eyes lit up and said "well, yeah" !!!!! Since then he has done much better, my point here is you must watch everywhere your tires go. He learned again a month later, While driving though some large boulders he tried to just drive though them and of course he got "high centered". This means the center of the vehicle got stuck on the rocks causing the wheels to not touch the ground. So I walked back to him and explained, " you must drive on top of the rocks not in straddle them" or maybe keep the tires on the big rocks and you will make it over the smaller ones. He took my advise and sailed right through. Not even in 4WD. And when I pointed that out, he just looked at me with his mouth open shaking his head back and forth, he couldn't believe how easy it seemed.


Now his thing is yelling at me to ask if he should use the locker. So while on lunch break I showed him what to use the locker for. The pic below shows the wheeler going up a rock pile which it would drive right over. When I was climbing the highest rock I said to my son "snap a pic" he shook his head no. So I drove off the pile and went over and asked why ?? His reply ....." I didn't want to take the picture because you don't have your helmet on, you shouldn't be doing that stuff without your helmet on" !!! Guess he does listen after all.

Ford Bronco 4x4 Class 101 (Saving Broncos from Permanent Mall Crawler Duty) 20200819_095228


I can type pages of this stuff but here is a starter. So for this installment let's review.


1. Never go alone
2. Keep your eyes open and always look for your "line" or path through the trail
3. Stay calm and enjoy. remember it is easier to fix the machine, not so easy to fix you.
 
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KAQ

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I'll start with these questions.
How do I know how difficult a trail is? is there a trail rating system? Is there a good website for finding trails across the US?
I believe Gaia GPS lists them but it’s a paid option. Just recently downloaded and I’m still figuring it all out.
 

Ryan3

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Air down, try to maintain speed. Get momentum by circling the “bowls” to get up over a dune if you can. Depending on how fine, you can air down super low, just remember to air back up. Manuals can be tricky but you get to keep it in the gear you want which can be beneficial. Sometimes autos can shift too soon. I like watching Matt’s off-road recovery on YouTube, he’s out of Utah, deals with super fine sand.

Ha! I’ve watched a few of those videos actually and saw his buddy with the white Tacoma struggle in a few sandy spots. Thanks for the info, this will be the first vehicle I take on the beach for sure
 

MallCrawlinBranco

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I can't recommend the channel "seek adventure" enough (at least for sand related info)
https://www.youtube.com/user/sandersmichael

Driving in sand:


DAMPEN YOUR WINCH LINE <- Could save your bacon


Airing down your tires: How low should you go? Can you go?
<-- Warning: sand specific, different rules likely apply in the rocks
 
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OK I have a question for the pro's. How big a deal is the crawler gear vs the low gear in the auto trans? I'm going on the premise that it's only going to benefit the hardcore crawlers. Am I right or is there something that light to medium users would get out of it vs the more rounded features you can have with the Auto? Please explain reasoning too.:)
 

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This is why I started carrying a Tirfor. Not going for deep mud or big obstacles but want a bit of extra insurance. It will test your fitness but to me that's part of the fun. It seems like a lot of the Landie guys in Africa, Aus and UK are pretty open to having a winch that runs on carbohydrates, less common here. If you can find a Tirfor used for a few hundred bucks, it will get you out, it won't weigh much out in front of the vehicle, it will pull in any direction. I think they're great but I like the challenge.
Never heard of it. So I had to watch some videos to check it out. Pretty cool!!
 
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GEP

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Never heard of it. So I had to watch some videos to check it out. Pretty cool!!
I've only used mine in anger once and it actually took more time to set it up than move the vehicle. I didn't have to go far though.
 

Bison

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OK I have a question for the pro's. How big a deal is the crawler gear vs the low gear in the auto trans? I'm going on the premise that it's only going to benefit the hardcore crawlers. Am I right or is there something that light to medium users would get out of it vs the more rounded features you can have with the Auto? Please explain reasoning too.:)
If you love driving manual I would get it. I do but the wife’s getting this bronco so it’s an auto. Auto with Sas will be low enough gearing for us.
 

BAUS67

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So I'm a "stick" guy. Fox body days my slogan was Kickin' and Stickin' :ROFLMAO:so i'm bias. That said, the Bronco I will end up with will be an auto. Sounds crazy but this is a joint venture and a long story, as always with me, ask @EvlNvrDys.

Wife and I have been together for 20+ yrs. I get my off-roader she gets something she can drive too. Back in '97 we bought a TJ (Jeep Wrangler) 4.0, stick. For all these guys I hear about taking a 40K truck out in the woods let me tell 'ya back in 97 I took said TJ, paid 20K for it, which I think is about 40K today, and had both sway bar end links broke within 500 miles from articulating them to far and replaced with upgraded "quick disconnects" allows me to flex better on the trails I rode. That's another topic, but my point is you bought it to use it, so use it and enjoy it. You can't take it with 'ya.

.... Back to your point about crawler gear. Allows you to maneuver forward at a very slow pace. You can let the clutch out and walk beside it it is that slow, in 4Low. If I could do it in my TJ you bet your bottom dollar that the Bronco will be the same way. Being directly below the R it makes maneuvering forward and backward very easy. Parallel parking ??? Three point turn ??? catch my drift.

since the video thing all the rage I won't rattle on any more just watch this. Turn the volume up and LISTEN to what he says it will explain gear reduction, very simply, he will also show the importance of lockers.





It's only 4 mins lots of info WATCH AND LISTEN.
 
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MaverickMan

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How often will I really us a winch if I'm out with other vehicles moderately off-roading?
On a brand new truck that you paid what you feel is alot of money for? Not very often, because you wont want to really push it out of fear of damage. However down the road as you get over the the dings and repairs of time, you will push it further and further. Then one day you see a big obstacle and you will go for it. Unfortunately your friend you always go wheeling with will be out of town. Then you will be stuck. Long story short, winches are very handy, but really only one of the people you offroad with NEEDS one. If thats you or you wheel alone, then maybe get one. Will you need it day one, well maybe, maybe not. I will likely get one as my wife and I will be buying ours before we embark on a cross country trip with plenty of offroading. So I will probably get mine with a winch ready bumper and hit the first harbor freight and pick up a $300 lifesaver. And probably spend another hundred on assorted straps, shackles, and snatch blocks. But if you are unsure if you really will need one maybe buy a come-along or a hi-lift. See how they treat ya and go from there.
 

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I like the idea of this thread. First I'm going to start off by saying I've been doing research about offroading/overlanding since the Bronco announced its release, but I don't have any experience yet. But I have found that there are websites and apps out there that help people find trails, and they usually include some rough difficulty ratings. The app All Trails is an example of this.

Follow on questions.

What does easy, moderate, and difficult mean to everyone?

How much difficulty variance (if any) should we prepare for due to wet or muddy trails?

What should a beginner have with them when attempting easy to moderate trails?
" What should a beginner have with them when attempting easy to moderate trails?"

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