Don't laugh...I need advice. Field chewed up by vehicles and mud/ruts 6 inches deep. Cars stuck and 4x4's on road tyres (Freelanders etc) are struggling. What's the best way to get across in my Defender (no traction control on it) I put it in first gear high range difflock on and went for it wheels spinning made it OK but was that the right method?
How to drive in mud
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Pikey
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Nah try it in 2nd high difflock engaged. treat it like driving on Snow or Ice. set off in an high gear to avoid spinning the wheels.
wiltshire landyman
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2nd gear low range gives you far more control,you should only engage difflock in extreme circumstances you should get thru most stuff in 2nd low range,tyres also play a very big part i have been on a pay and play site today and only engaged difflock once when using a kinetic rope to tow a discovery out of a very deep bog hole,most of the day we were using low range and no diff lock
Pikey
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Sorry but on wet grassy/muudy fields you treat it like snow and ice, and the best way to drive that is highest gear possible and engage difflock.
rafa_surf
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i agree with difflock, rekon theres no harm in engagin it cos in mud u aint gonna risk windin up transmission, its gonna be fookin used!!
but on the point of treatin it like ice, wouldnt bein in low, and so allowin ya to go much slower make more sense?or would ya be more likely to get bogged down?is bein in 2nd high advised cos it allows ya to accelerate through the mud wivout bein sucked into it!?
but on the point of treatin it like ice, wouldnt bein in low, and so allowin ya to go much slower make more sense?or would ya be more likely to get bogged down?is bein in 2nd high advised cos it allows ya to accelerate through the mud wivout bein sucked into it!?
Pikey
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Nah Low is too slow and you apply to much torque to the wheels yer just spin yer wheels 2nd high and go for it. I pulled a loaded trailer up a sloping field at Frickley Market 2nd low difflock on just sat in the same spot spinning the wheels. So I reversed down the hill a bit stuck it in High range and went for it and it shot up the hill. wheels spinning and mudd flying everywhere but it did the trick.
Pikey
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I think the extra speed helps to increase the centrifugal force and throws more of the mud off the wheels as well But that's just my opinion 
Trewey
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wot pikey says.
ratty
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first or second high high (depending on how thick the mud is) with difflock engaged.
hughesy
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I drive across muddy fields several times a week sometimes with a heavy trailer. If it's wet and slippy high range and only slap it into difflock if I'm close to stuck. I use low if it's drier and rutty just to give a bit more control if I've got a weight on the trailer. There are times when you just can't find any traction no matter what you do usually when it's just wet grass on a slope. Trying to fool the diffs into thinking there's grip by lightly pressing the brakes is a good trick to try.
Oddie
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Finally Pikey i am inclined to agree
discomania
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Nah, I disagree, as soon as you hit anything like wet grass you can engage diff, it does get you out of extreme situations but it would be perfectly suited to the sort of ground he is trying to cross.
The problem is a lack of basic understanding regarding diff lock, I blame the stealers, I remember a stealer explaining diff lock once and made it sound like rocket science and would scare many school run mum types into thinking it would seriously damage their vehicles unless it was used in exceptional circumstances.
So Difflock - as soon as you hit any ground you might loose traction (i.e. not good dry surfaces offering good traction) bang it in, it’s easy to do so, you can slide it across while you go, you don't need to stop to engage it.
Not with a disco tho, need to stop furst??
ratty
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I agree. But you should never engage difflock when your wheels are already spinning. i.e. if you have lost traction.
Always engage difflock BEFORE traction is lost.
Pikey
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Not fur Difflock yer dint/ At Least I never does.. For Low to High & High to low yer has ta stop or be going reely reely slow. But fer Difflock as long as yer wheels int spinning at diffurent speeds yer can just engage/disengage at any speed yer want.
TheVengefulElephant
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Wot trewy says
hughesy
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You can go in or out of difflock at any speed no need to stop. As above though you shouldn't do it when your wheels are spinning. You can also change from low to high while moving and vice versa though it's easier going into low if you've stopped.
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