So, you just bought a new Jeep and want to go hit the trail and see what it can do. That’s a great idea and one of the most fun things you can do but there are a few things I have seen after going out with some newbies that I think can help.
How to get it into 4-Hi or 4-all
You should be moving a little and it will be a lot easier. By a little, I mean 2-3 mph, then just pull it back to 4Hi. You can actually go into 4Hi at most speeds but don’t try it stopped it will feel like you are pulling a immovable object. To get to 4lo start drifting and pull it into 4 wheel neutral then into 4Lo. The first time will seem really hard.
⁃ Air down your tires
If someone tells you air down to 7 psi don’t listen!! Unless you have bead locks on your tires, which as a beginner I am sure you don’t, don’t go below 12 and for most trails you are on set to 17-18psi is perfect. Ask the leaders what they are setting to and they are happy to give you their range. You will find you often don’t need to air down at all but it’s a more comfortable ride through rocks. Now how do you do it? Either buy a pump that inflates and deflates or if you have the standard silver gas station tire pressure gauge, flip it over. The back side of the gauge is made to press into your tire stem and it will deflate a lot quicker.
⁃ SLOW DOWN!
It’s called crawling for a reason. While you are going on gravel it’s ok to pickup the speed but when you are climbing up or down rocks take your time, it’s not a race. This is especially important if you have a spotter, first for their safety but also if you are too fast they can’t tell you where to turn
⁃ Maybe leave the roof on
While normally we all want the openness and freedom that taking the roof and windows and doors off a jeep can provide, it’s not always good on the trail. If it’s a dry trail you might be ok but the sun can get rough after a long day concentrating. Make sure to ask people who have been on the trail, if it’s muddy you will want to play and cleaning the inside of the jeep is just not that fun.
⁃ Don’t stop in mud or a hill
All too often I see new off-roaders stop or slow down when they get partway into mud or while climbing a steep incline because it’s not normal for them. That’s the opposite of what you should do, in this case keep going or speed up
⁃ Don’t always follow the built rig
Maybe you have a few upgrades or maybe you are still stock, it doesn’t matter because you don’t know what your rig can do yet. Before you blindly take an obstacle it’s ok to ask if you should or say you need a spot. This is a good time to have a CB or 2-way radio.
⁃ Be on time
If you are riding to a trail with a convoy make sure you are early. You don’t want to delay a convoy it’s already hard with multiple Jeeps but often getting to a trail at a specific time is for a reason from the leaders
– It’s ok it’s just the skid plate
The first time you go over a rock just a little too close you are going to hear what you think is the most god awful sounds, don’t worry it’s most likely just you skid plate scraping. Don’t worry we all did the same thing. That’s why you have skid plates to protect all the important parts. Now this one comes with a caveat, if you hear a loud pop or crack stop and take a look, if you aren’t sure what you went over or what you scratched it’s also always ok to crawl under you rig and check. The key point of crawling under your rig, do it before the trail also so you know what it’s supposed to look like.
This is by no means a complete guide just a few things to think about. Number one thing to remember is that it’s a community and Jeepers love helping out other Jeepers. The second rule is “But Did You Die?” if not then the Jeep is working so go try more