How To Wheel In Mud
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Photography: Harry Wagner

Mud can easily be one of the most treacherous types of terrain you encounter and is definitely the messiest. We would not advise traveling through anything but the shallowest of mud puddles in a stock vehicle, especially if it is shod with all-season tires. Doing so could result in tow truck fees high enough to feed a third world country for a year. But if you wanted easy you would just stick to the pavement, right?

There is a lot to consider when building a vehicle to take on mud. A suspension that can handle a lot of power without axle wrap is more critical than articulation. Ground clearance is a factor, as you want to keep anything under the vehicle from pushing mud, if at all possible. If your rig is not sky high, make sure that at least your air intake is. Ingesting dirty water or mud into your engine will inevitably cause it an untimely death. A snorkel or pre-filter are cheap insurance when it comes to feeding your engine clean air.

Mud actually comes in a variety of consistencies that will require different techniques to conquer. It can be sticky, soupy, gooey or a combination of all three. Even if you know the consistency, it is difficult to gauge precisely how deep the mud is or know what is lurking beneath the surface. Mud is one situation where it may not be beneficial to let someone else go first particularly if they have larger tires than you. Often times the vehicle will dig holes and if those holes are big enough, you will find yourself resting on the frame or axles when your tires enter them. If you are the one with the large tires, you can often stay in the ruts and dig to the bottom of the hole to continue all the way through. Otherwise, it is wise to try and hug the edge of the ruts to maintain traction and forward momentum.

Regardless whether you are the first through the bog or not, it is necessary to keep your momentum up to get to the other side. This means being prepared. Once you start into the mud, it isn't the time to think about whether you have locked the hubs or not or whether you have a tow strap with you in case you do not make it. Locking differentials are a huge benefit in the mud where traction is always at a premium. If you have selectable lockers, consider locking the rear differential for added traction, but leave the front differential open to aid steering input.

Even with the front differential unlocked, if the ruts are too deep your vehicle is going to take you wherever those ruts point, so make sure to keep your thumbs outside of the steering wheel. The key to maintaining forward progress in the mud is for the tires to keep biting and flinging the mud backward while your vehicle moves forward. If you don't have the most aggressive tires, saw the wheel back and forth slightly as you progress through the bog. This has a dual effect as it helps to clean out the tread on the outside edges of your tires and it will allow those lugs to bite into the sides of ruts. With a few choice upgrades like a suspension lift, aggressive tires, and locking differentials you will be the one pulling other people other of the mud instead of the one getting stuck.

Having a strap hooked up to your vehicle before entering the mud will make a recovery easier. You still might have to wade through the mud to hook the strap up, but sometimes you can just toss the other end of the strap to the person making the recovery. Whether you put the strap in front or in the back of your rig will depend on who is in front of you or behind you.
Debeading a tire in the mud is no fun. Use water and a rag to clean out as much of the mud as possible before trying to reseat the bead. Also, note how Jordan is wearing coveralls in this photo. They come in handy even on dry ground when you are working on a muddy rig. Be prepared for you and your vehicle to both get seriously dirty.

Recovery gear is more important in the mud than anywhere else. You can stack rocks or dig in the sand and snow, but in the mud you need to have very stout recovery points front and rear on your vehicle, a recovery strap rated for the weight of your rig, and good friends. A very reliable winch, like this Warn, is helpful as well.

The attributes that make a good mud tire are 180 degrees out of phase with what you want on the street. In mud the more aggressive the tire, the better. The tradeoff with aggressive mud tires is that they are very loud on the pavement and can wear quickly. Skinnier tires offer a higher contact pressure and are best suited to relatively shallow mud with a firm bottom. Deeper mud calls for a wider tire that will float over the surface of the mud without sinking to the bottom.
How much momentum you need varies widely and is dependent on factors including not only how deep the mud, but also how thick it is, how long the mud hole is, and what is lurking beneath the surface. Pay attention to the vehicle in front of you to get a feel for how much speed you need when entering the mud. Hitting the mud too hard can break parts and swamp your engine. Not having enough momentum can leave you stranded.
While downsized Jeeps have an advantage in the rocks, full-size trucks are right at home in the mud. They come with V8 engines and heavy-duty running gear that can withstand the stresses of tall, aggressive tires. Body damage on a larger rig isn't nearly as common in the mud as it is in rocky canyons.
After your mud romping excursion, it is wise to thoroughly clean your vehicle before the mud has a chance to harden and dry. A lawn sprinkler placed under the vehicle for an extended amount of time will loosen large chunks and takes minimal effort. Dried mud inside the back of your rims can also affect your tire balance. When it dries, mud can also help trap in heat in items like catalytic converters and transmissions. Make sure to wash it off before it dries.
If you plan to play in the mud, you definitely want inner fenders to keep as much out of the engine bay as possible. Some people even spray their vehicles down with baby oil before driving through mud pits to keep it from sticking. After going through the mud pay particular attention to brake components, starter motors, and alternators as they can become lodged with mud that will severely shorten their lifespan.
When it comes time to travel through the mud, use a stick to check the depth and consistency before entering the pit. Probe for obstacles hidden beneath the surface such as logs, rocks, or other trail debris that could cut a tire or impede progress. You can also get an idea if the bottom of the bog is soft and deep or firm and relatively shallow. Hip waders can be useful for this purpose, and they can keep you from getting dirty when the time comes to do an extraction.
For the ultimate in traction Interco Super Swamper Boggers reign supreme followed by their TSL brethren. These tires use a tread design with deep lugs and large, open voids. They also use thick, bias-ply sidewalls that can withstand massive abuse from tree roots, rocks, and other sharp objects that might be lurking beneath the surface of the mud. Some even cut every other lug out of a Bogger for a huge void area to shed the gnarliest of mud.

Products We Used In This Article

Warn Zeon Platinum 12-S Winch
Super Swamper Bogger
Bubba Rope Recovery Rope