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Mud
comes in many different consistencies as a function of the type of dirt
that was mixed with water. It can range from something like chocolate
pudding to the time-feared quicksand. The end result is that mud sticks
to tires, sucking them in and in general, can hopelessly paralyze a vehicle.
In mud, the help of another vehicle is almost always the only way out.
Contrary to sand, where you need tires to “float above the surface” mud
requires tires that dig in deep to find a hard surface underneath, hence
the wide grooves in mud tires.
There are no hard and fast
rules for driving through mud but the best advice is don’t. Getting out
of a muddy situation is a messy, highly frustrating job.
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The dos:
- Negotiate as little as possible of the stuff by skirting a mud bog instead
of driving through it.
- Before driving into mud, if you really cannot avoid it, climb out of
the car and take a close look at the terrain. Your own footprints will
give you an idea of the depth and consistency of the mud. If it sticks
to your shoes making them feel like lead-soled boots, then back off and
drive back home in a hurry.
- Shift into low range and drive slowly, avoid spinning the wheels and
keep a steady pace.
The don’ts:
- Do not splash into mud at high-speed thinking you will make it on the
car’s momentum.
- If you are stuck, do not attempt to air down tires or spin the wheels
unnecessarily, rather stop completely and find someone to tow you out.
- If the vehicle is tilted to one side, tow it by pulling at a slight
angle towards the higher side.
- Don’t wait too long before towing out a vehicle from mud, the more you
wait the more it will have sunk in.
This chapter is a bit short
you will notice, the reason is that of all types of offroad terrain, mud
is the least fun, the messiest and the most physically challenging (not
to mention ruining your nice hiking boots). Therefore, as mentioned before,
the best thing to do is to avoid it altogether.
After you’ve been in mud, and a soon as possible, clean the car thoroughly;
caked mud has a dry surface but can be damp underneath, promoting rust
and corrosion.
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