Mud Tires & Mud Driving
It has been said that driving through mud is a cross between ice skating and walking through quicksand. Though that may be true with some types of mud, the truth is mud varies greatly depending on where you are in the world.
From thick, goopy slop with a disappearing bottom to the slick clay-like mud that has the stickiness of fly paper several feet deep, you can't classify mud as just mud since it varies as much as the 4 wheelers that are trying to get through it.
The variety of mud found everywhere requires a variety of driving techniques and equipment applied to negotiating through the the mud one might encounter. Suspension, mud tires, traction aid devices all play a factor and demands vary dependent on the mud terrain.
Reviews of Mud Tires
Mud Tires, Mud Terrain and All Terrain Tire Reviews and Information
The one general common principle of mud is that it is a combination of liquid and solid; that is water and Earth. The Earth may be sandy soil, topsoil, clay, ice and snow, rocks and gravel, bog and peat moss, all kinds of Earth material and/or a combination of all of that and more. The common factor in all of this is that your tires are trying to find traction through all of this. So how can to "read the mud" and know what's the best approach with the right equipment?
As mud varies, some tips help to address certain conditions. For instance slick mud with a hard bottom layer is best attacked with a narrow mud tires since a narrow mud terrain tire can cut through the top layer to find traction on the hard surface below. When a wide mud terrain tires encounters the same mud in this situation, it tend to float or "hydroplane" on the slick top layer without reaching the hard surface below.
A wider mud tire tends to do better in the thicker, cement-like mud especially when the terrain varies below the surface. It is this mud that wider mud tires will provide some flotation, much like driving in sand. Wider tires also benefit from lowering the tire pressures providing a larger contact patch and conforming over the uneven terrain. How much you air down depends on the size of the tire and the stiffness of your sidewall. Common air-down recommendations for mud and the average mud tires is to lower tire pressures down to about 15 to 20 PSI.
Another mud tire mud tip deals with the tread pattern of your tire. Mud tires by definition are tires that have a larger lug and wider and deeper space (voids) between lugs. In mud, these wider, deeper voids should be designed to channel mud out of the tread and self-clean the lugs so that as they spin through the mud, the lugs come down clear of mud giving them better traction for the next rotation. With good mud characteristics mud tires generally grab onto anything it can hook one of its lug edges around, especially when aired down and channel the mud away from the center. Tread designs typically are what make or break a mud tire and vary widely from manufacturer to manufacturer. If a tire is not well designed for mud, it may not self clean and will become clogged and packed with mud in the voids, essentially making them a slick, flat tire with next to zero traction. Tires that are more designed for street rather than mud are usually designed to place a larger patch of rubber on the road and a quieter ride at highway speeds with closer spaces between lugs. These road specific characteristics are more prone to clogging and have a significant disadvantage in the mud but actually benefit in sand where they tend not to "dig". Mud tires that have been designed specifically to perform well in mud tend to handle worse and have a higher noise level on paved surfaces where there is less of a contact patch on the road and typically a lack of "sipes" that aid traction.
Mud Driving Techniques Mud Tires
One of the first things to do when offroaders encountering mud is to check it out first on foot. Not necessarily by walking though it but get close and try to find the bottom with a long stick or object. If vehicles have been driving through this mud hole before, check the tire ruts below. The key is to find solid bottom and determine if you have something to get traction on. Extremely soft mud or well abused mud may cause you to lose traction very quickly and become high centered on where tires have not been before, while the ruts go deep and sediment has created soft mud with little traction. You also want to look for objects like rocks, logs, sharp objects and anything that might damage or upset the vehicle or the tires.
As stated above, airing down is one of those basic tips that not only helps in mud but applies pretty much across the board as far as offroad driving goes. However when it comes to mud airing down can be a double sided sword. Airing down (reducing tire pressure) can help to gain traction when mud seems to be bottomless and traction is hard to find. But on the flip side airing down in mud that has a hard bottom can sometimes reduce the traction since a tire aired up to higher pressures will have a sawing effect on the bottom. Additionally reducing air pressure for mud means that hidden obstacles in the mud (tree roots, rocks, sticks, etc) can present the potential for more damage to your sidewalls. Airing down also means that attacking these same obstacles might provide better traction as the tire conforms over the obstacles. So it's a judgment call and more based on experience in specific situations tan anything else. But since the drawbacks to airing down primarily affect sidewall damage, a better mud tire with a stronger sidewall helps to make the decision.
When choosing your line through the mud, your going to have a better chance if your line follows the high spots such as the berm or peak between the tire tracks of previous attempts through the mud. It's usually these deeper mud tracks that have been worn down far enough that vehicles can become high centered. It's also these tracks that you want to check out before going through an unknown mud hole. On the flipside, it's these existing wheel tracks that may have been cut down through the soft top layer down to the firmer surface below where you find better traction.
Another tip that many times can be useful in mud is to move the steering wheel left to right from the center in a sawing action. Many times this can help the front wheels find traction when a direct ahead line isn't providing traction. When doing this, do not turn the wheel too far in either direction from your intended line as you can end up reducing any momentum. Also always be aware of the direction your tires are pointing. Your goal is to get through the mud so maintaining momentum is key. If your tires ultimately don't point the way you want to go, they will be working against you.
Choosing the the right gear is also important. With a manual transmission and low range, you have to choice of different gears to run in. One of the keys to getting through mud is keeping the tread clear. To do that a mild to moderate amount of wheel spin is necessary. Sometimes the lower the gear the less likely you will spin the wheels fast enough to clear the voids of the mud and the last thing you want to do is damage your engine by over-revving it. So choose a high gear when you need wheel spin low range 2nd gear for instance.
Don't dig holes. When forward momentum stops, you should stop. The worst thing you can do is spin the tires and dig holes. Now you not only have to contend with the mud but holes in the bottom of the mud hole and clogged tread. When forward momentum stops, let off the gas. Put the vehicle into reverse and back up a little. Put it back into your forward gear of choice and give it another go. Rinse and repeat (do it again). You may find that each time you backup and go forward you gain a little distance. This is progress. When you spin your tires excessively it typically pulls hard packed mud off the bottom and embeds it in your tread. This mud is harder to remove with tire spin.
Mud driving is as unpredictable as the mud itself. Different seasons, different terrain, different types of mud all make even the seeming smallest mud hole a challenge. Having an understanding of techniques that help get you though mud as well as the right tires and the right equipment all help in each situation. In the end a good set of mud tires with self-cleaning lugs will make a world of difference but always have a backup plan with good recovery equipment.
Tire Chains, an alternative to Mud Tires
In many cases a good set of mud tires are not always an option. One way to overcome this shortfall is to use a set of tire chains on your existing tires. Tire chains dramatically improve your traction in many situations with mud being right up there with snow. However like anything else tire chains can have their bad points as well. For one you don't want to drive on paved roads with tire chains. Tire chains also do damage to trails that may otherwise be relatively smooth. That being said, it is best if tire chains are only used when you absolutely have to use them to get through a muddy section or as a last resort to getting out. Offroaders.com
Maintenance After the Mud Battle
Cleaning your vehicle is not just for aesthetics. Mud, especially fine particle mud like clay, tends to stick to everything above and below. Mud can build up under the wheel wells, on the frame, it can pack around the radiator, into the brake drums, on all the underside components, on the body in places where you never saw before. It's important to remove as much of the mud as possible before it turns into a permanent part of your vehicle and ultimately cause damage to your vehicle. Mud on the rims can act as a counter balance causing your vehicle to handle worse and causing vibration at the steering wheel and can lead to uneven tire wear. Mud also retains moisture. Moisture causes rust. Much your the underside of a vehicle is either unprotected from factory or loses it's protection of time and mud accelerates the rusting process. Mud is also very hard on paint, causing it to deteriorate due to moisture and can cause scratching and wear over time. So it is best remove as much of the mud as possible after each encounter with the sticky stuff. A good hose down to start with is good to get the large chunks off. For the underside, it can be helpful to let a yard sprinkler run under the vehicle for a little time to help soften and wash off under carriage mud. Pressure washing works great too for surface and underside washing. For a more through check examine items like differentials and gearbox oil for contamination and change if necessary. Also examine your differential and gearbox breathers to ensure they are functional and clear of mud and debris. Check your air filter box for mud and water that you might have inhaled and remove and clean the filter if necessary. Check your radiator and hose out any mud blocking the cooling fins of the radiator. Also check transmission coolers as well. Check all drain holes on the chassis and in the doors to be sure they are not blocked. Remove any caked on mud from brake drums, steering linkage, shifting linkage and anything else that can interfere with the mechanical operation of the vehicle. While your at it, clean your recovery straps. When you give your vehicle a good look for mud after a muddy day on the trails, you'd be surprised as to where you find mud. If there is a crack or crevice, you can be sure mud will find it's way in.
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