Winter is getting close again - seems to happen every year. Either you embrace it - or hide for a couple months. When it comes to wheeling there is no reason to stop - but its a totally different animal and many just get frustrated and feel like they spend all their time getting stuck and shoveling. Don't get me wrong doesn't matter what your tire size you are going to get stuck and be shoveling at some point.
Lets talk gear - what should you have with you?
If you go off road at all the first piece of gear you should have before big tires and lifts and light bars - a Winch. Or at the very lease make sure there is one in your group. A local recovery group goes out 95% of the time because people go out in the snow and have no way to recover themselves. Most of these recoveries would not be needed if the vehicle owner had a winch. Nothing is going to get you out of a stuck situation better than a winch (and the proper gear to go with it). Buy the best you can afford and it should be 1 1/2 times in rated pull power of the weight of your 4x4. A Jeep loaded down will hit 5000lbs easy more typically 6000lbs - that puts the average Jeep in a 8000-9000lb winch category. Get a tree strap - some good shackles, learn how to use it and give hand signals - I talked about that last blog.
- An air compressor, and low pressure tire gauge is almost as vital as a winch. with snow wheeling you are going to be changing air pressure constantly. As a rule - for every 1000ft of elevation you will gain or lose 1 psi of air pressure. Not a big deal with 35PSI - but your going to get to single digits air pressure to get anywhere so at that point it makes a big difference.
- A good snatch strap - not a tow strap, it needs to have recoil and spring to it. If you have a good snatch strap and know how to use it - you will use it 80% of the time someone is stuck.
- Tow hooks. A winch and a snatch strap mean nothing is there is no where safe on your rig to attach them.
Enough warm cloths and food to keep you happy all night. Nothing is worse than being out winter wheeling and not being able to get warm. I pack a full change of clothes with me so if I get wet - I can change into dry cloths, I call it my go bag.
Then the other essentials that you should have all the time, shovel, flashlights, tools for your vehicle etc...
Technique:
Don't spin, Don't spin, Don't spin. I know its fun, but spinning makes ice and holes. Sounds easy but it isn't, especially with most new vehicles being automatics. Easier with a stick shift. If you drive an auto, learn how to drive with both feet using the brake to control wheel spin while gas to keep moving. I know your driving instructor told you not to do that. He's wrong when it comes to off road and really wrong snow wheeling. If you drive a stick learn how to stay off the clutch as much as possible, and opposite to that, learn how to rock your vehicle in holes with the clutch to pop out of holes without spinning, that's a skill an auto driver can't take advantage of well.
No 18PSI is not going to cut it when you air down. I am not going to say a specific pressure as it's a variable due to tire size and quality of wheels and if you invested in Beadlocks. I can say I have ran good wheels and good tires at 5PSI with no beadlocks with no issues. Don't be afraid to air down because you have a Air Compressor right?
Chains are for ice - big tires and low pressure are for snow and we are talking snow wheeling. it just may be in your area you deal with a lot of low snow depth and very icy conditions like well traveled forest service roads. Chains are great for that. Once you get past those conditions and into deeper powder they dig holes and limit speed.
Wheel with friends. This should be a no brainer - but there isn't always a tree to reach to use your winch - you have a winch right? Plus its better when friends are there to heckle you when you get stuck.
And everyone will get stuck:
Last, communications. Radios are a great tool but don't always reach out to help. There are spot communication devices that work great as well, but always let someone know where your headed before you head out. Always plan to be out longer than you expected, and pack gear accordingly.
Start slow don't get over your head and get use to the different snow conditions - they can change all day with temperature and elevation. Don't be afraid to turn around and head back, that one more corner could take all night at times and have fun in the snow!
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