npk

never done it before. i could use some advice on things i need to be aware of, things not to do, etc....


at what degree of incline is it safe to operate an engine for several minutes? for example, lets say there is a 60 degree slope hill i want to climb that is 300 ft driving distance from bottom to top. if i have to creep up the hill it will take several minutes. will my engine still lubricate? at what degree incline would it start to be dangerous for the engine?

any advice would be appreciated. do you know of any websites that offer this kind of info in an orderly fashion?

thanks

FloydXJ

Any incline you can climb will not damage the engine. On that note, you will not be able to climb a constant 60 degree slope without extreeeeeeme traction. On most high traction surfaces, like rock, you can climb up to 45 to 50 degrees at the most on a constant basis and get up it with traction alone. But things that steep feel like 80 degrees

Your engine is only in trouble when you get on your side or upside down.

Caish

First tip,
DON"T DO THIS.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmV42SUqUmk[/youtube]

99rockies

Easy on the skinny pedal till u know what your doing your you'll end up breaking

npk

that video says a lot....

OverEasy

Bout the only things I can think of are :

-Know your vehicle, WELL.
-Gearing is your friend, if you don't have it, get it.
-Lockers (at least the rear) You don't have to, but it makes a WORLD of difference w/ just one.
-Good tires, pay the little extra and get something worth the $.
-Airing down. Less air pressure = more traction. (Bigger footprint)
-Skid plates, rocker protection, diff covers/ guards.
-A good spotter you TRUST and will LISTEN TO.
-A winch/ straps/ High-Lift type jack
-Knowing how to use the throttle to your advantage, not hammering through stuff. (unless it's needed. See gearing.)
-Caution to the wind. If you play enough on rock, something is bound to dent, break, bend, crush, gouge, scrape . . . Not that you want it to happen, it's just more likely.

Just know that rocks are unforgiving. They seem to pop up out of nowhere and bite when least expected. If you don't mind that, play till your hearts content! I happen to love Rock Wheeling, IMO you can't beat it. (REMEMBER, just my opinion.) Start small, choose the line that best suits your driver skill and spotters skill in spotting. You don't have to take the most aggressive line right out the box. Choose a line you are comfortable with, your Jeep will thank you in the end! Take a spotter with you that you trust, almost as much as if he/ she were driving (he kinda is, he's seeing what you cant). You, on the other hand have to trust him and what he's telling you. (spotters w/ experience are ideal but if you don't know anyone that you would trust try getting in the regional section and finding some good wheeling friends to go out with.) Don't let people / friends talk you into something you aren't willing to do. Being called names, talked about are better than you having to pay the tow bill, fix it when broken, while your friends just wanted a show.

That's all I can really suggest or say, it's really just a learn while doing kinda thing. Just lean with your vehicle and skills will come, just don't rush it and jump in over your head.

Hope my post helps, Get out there and wheel! Take pics and vids and post em up!!!

Desert Rat

Overeasy pretty much covered it, start with the easy lines and work up to the harder ones. The importance of a good spotter can not be over emphasized, notice I said spotter, not spotters. It gets hard if you have a large group, everyone wants to help, you need one spotter you trust and let everyone else know their the only one your listening to, so please, thank you but we got this. I wheel with a lot of guys, out of that bunch theres four or five I trust to spot me. Those guys have gotten me through stuff on a 3" lift that God and physics would declare undoable, and with minimal damage. Armor, good driving skills, a good spotter and knowing your limits in my opinion are the four basic food groups required for a good day of of crawling.

OverEasy

Also well put.

stomper27

Always travel with another vehicle (buddy). If that's not possible ALWAYS let someone know where you're going.

Pick up your trash, and trash left by others.

Seat belts!!

OverEasy

Not necessarily just for Rocks but good idea for wheeling in general!