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atvbbs

Well I've been around this discussion forum long enough to know that there are a lot of people who enjoy four wheeling for the same reason I do. MUD!!! Now in all of the post I've read since I joined I've come to realize that everyone has there own ideal setup for mud riding. What I mean is that some may prefer Honda over Polaris or vise/versa. I think most everyone prefers the Super Swamper Vampire tires, but there are others who think the Mud Machine Tri-Claw/ Bi-Claw combination is more effective.

Although equipment plays a great deal in getting across the Swamp without getting stuck it also takes a great deal of riding skill. I think that in the forum there is a considerable amount of riding knowledge that could be shared by all. You never know where you can pick up a good tip or technique, and I for one would be glad to share and learn new things.

Well with all of that said I have a few tips of my own that some of you may already know but others may find useful so they don't have to get off of their machine and sink to there hips in mud next time they get "stuck"!

1) For you Honda 4x4 owners that don't have locked front ends when going through mud and your forward momentum stops and you notice one wheel spinning wildly, let off of the gas and apply the front brake. With the front brake still on slowly apply the gas again and most of the time the brake will fool the differential enough to transfer some power back the the wheel not moving.

2) If you're trying the previous method with the wheel turned and it doesn't seem to work just stop, turn the wheel the other way and try again. Alot of times by doing this you can find a little traction to pull you forward enough so you can turn the wheel back the way you originally wanted to go.

3) After a whole weekend of trying different techniques I have found that with Vampires it is NOT necessary to "spin them a gear higher". I've had a lot of people ask me if I can spin the 27x12x12 Vamps on my Foreman in 2nd gear. Yes it will do it, but you'll sink like a brick. With the very aggressive lugs on the Vamps they will tear all of your traction providing mud out from under you leaving you high and stuck! I found out by hours of riding that if your machine has enough torque to move the tires in deep mud all you have to do is keep them moving at a very slow rate of speed and they will find the traction to pull you forward and you don't dig ruts that will stop you.


These are a few tips that I've picked up over the years and am glad to share them with others who enjoy the mud! I hope this thread goes a long way because I'm sure that I'm not the all knowing authority on mud slinging!


"LOCK 'EM AND LEAVE 'EM!!!"
SwampMonster

1999 Foreman 450S
lifted with 27x12x12 Vampires
soon to be locked forever!

[This message has been edited by atvbbs (edited 11-21-1999).]

 

I have found that there is a fine line between to much and not enough wheel spin when going through the goo. Without enough wheel spin the tire lugs will fill up with mud and not get any traction. Too much spin and you just dig a hole. Wheel spin should be just enough to sling the mud out of the lugs. Keeping up a good momentum is important too. If you enter a real sticky mud hole too slow you are in trouble. Im no expert in muddin but that is what works for me.
Andy G
98 400 Xplorer... with Bearclaws

 

Swamp,
And body english is crutial. It helps alot to get off the seat and position yourself in a neutral stance (between front and rear) When the machine wants to slip the back end a little.. don't fight it unless its excessive or detrimental to your forward momentum. Just make small little "tweaks" to the machine as youre pushing dirt.
If you've already stopped in the mud, try rocking side to side, or if you want to get really agressive, stand up and put your feet on the very back of the rear rack and " bounce" the rear suspension to try and get the tires to grab. ( WARNING: on auto transmission machines with lots of power be careful... Scramblers WILL suddenly bite and stand right up on their rear racks using this manuver...hehehehehe..)
Another trick that can be done if you have good acelleration is to let off the gas right before you reach the mud, then, as your front tires just touch the edge, pin the throttle and pull up on the handlebars. That will keep your front end "light" and lots of power going to the rear-end. This works on relatively narrow mudholes.
One more... If there are several sets of "lines" thru the same hole, put your back tires in one set, and get your front tires one track over, then you can grab on the sides of ALL the ruts... This HELPS ALOT on smaller tired machines.

 

I have the 99 AWD Sportsman with 26 inch mud runners,so Im allready at an advantage with 4 wheels spinning instead of three like on limited slip diffs.When the muck gets REALLY bad and you drastically start losing momentum, get up,put one foot each on the rear corner of the rear rack,both hands on the steering,than turn the front wheels back and forth while rocking the 4x4 with your body weight and feet .As long as you get your momentum back,this trick will usually get you out.BILL

 

Great! I'm glad to see responses already! Hey mudmachine, just wanted to agree about the ruts. I find it easier if I know where the ruts are ( sometimes in the Swamp I can't see the ruts through the water). Most times if they get bad I'll back up and try to ride with at least one tire in the middle of the rut. I have had a couple of holes that we had to start riding through the hole perpindicular to the way we originally did just to be able to fill the ruts back in so we could continue to ride through the hole!

I also wanted to comment on rocking the machine side to side. I personally think this technique works well on 2 wheel drive quads and 4x4 quads with stock tires. I've used this trick ever since I first started riding in the mud. But like I stated previously it doesn't work for me with the aggressive lugs of the Vampires. The first day I had them I went riding and happened to ride up on a stump under water and thought that I was just on a log, so I did as usual and begun rocking. After a second I realized I was going nowhere and got off the machine only to step in a hole that put me in muddy swamp water half way up my thigh and I'm 6' tall! I was by myself and I had a time getting it off that stump with no ground underneath the tires. So since then if I stop going forward I try to back up first thing. Most times I can back up enough to reevaluate where I'm going. I might alter my course by a foot or so and find a good path to take.

Also as far as putting your feet on the rear racks I agree sometimes it's nescessary but I tried it on my machine and I have to be real careful because when that big sucker catches I better be holding on 'cause I'm going for a swim otherwise!

Keep on posting guys!

"LOCK 'EM AND LEAVE 'EM!!!"
SwampMonster

 

I personally use the rocking technique.

I tried to apply the front brake technique and it worked!! thanks!!

Hey!! Mudders get a winch!! LOL

 

Swamp Monster,

It sounds like you are a fun kind of rider...where do you ride at? You talk of swamps so where are they? Do you ever drown out in some of the really deep ones? And how do you know how deep it is? I once rode upon a really swampy area, but it had no trees to winch to and at the time I didnt have my vampires. If I ever go back you can bet your money I'll give it a go. Also I have a tip about water riding, it may work in swampy places but dont be stuck before you try. Idle the atv up to where it will spin the tires in first gear really slowly. get off and walk the atv across the river. With the big vampires it will paddle. I'm pretty sure it would work but I havent tested it. I plan to though the next time I go to the river in mississippi. Let me know about where you ride at!

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Matt Sibley

1999 Honda 300 4x4 Vampires and 2500 lb. winch

 

Oh YEAH.... anytime your butt leaves the seat, you better be paying attention to what CAN happen...hehehehe.. I know when my Scrambler stood up on the rear rack on me I quickly let go and stepped off the rack, only to sink into a HUGE mudhole ... (HHHMMM so THATS why I was stuck!!... hahahaa)
Anyway, Sometmes backing up is the best course of action, sometimes you can't back up cause your drunk buddy plowed into the hole behind ya to help " KNOCK ya free" So there you are, stuck, with the only person with a winch stuck behind ya who also refuses to let off the gas and give up.. Just about that time, you notice a snake sitting on a log near the edge of the water, you look over to see what the others drunken retards are doing, then look back and notice that the snake is gone!!!!... HHMM.... THATS when you get on the rack, and HAMMER the trusty Scrambler until it comes out.. Somewhere, over the roar of a tached out engine, you here... "STAND ON IT!! ROBERT!!!!" and " HEY, Brent.. Gimme' anuther beer, then I'm going thru next!!!" Yeah.. been there, done that....
Buncha' Rednecks!!...

 

Mudmachine, I can relate to that 100%
Nothin like a bunch of drunk rednecks tryin to pull ya out of a mudhole.

As for technique.. Keep it wide open :-)

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Jeremy Cross

1993 Yamaha *turbo* T-wolf

 

It's not the snakes you got to worry about in the water, since they can't bit when they are in the water, it's the gators.

Arctic Cat 500, In Breaux Bridge, La.