Hi,
With the fall gathering talk ramping up and spring on its way we will be out wheeling and I thought it would be good to come up with some loose, agreed upon definitions for:
Your truck must be in good running order to run any trail. Please keep in mind that damage can happen on any trail. Even on "stock" trails your truck will most likely have branches sliding the sides giving it some new "pinstripes". You will hit your axles, frame, undercarriage on rocks and sometimes encounter water deeper than your average puddle. If you dont want any of this to occur, you should not bring your truck into the woods, rather, ride shotgun with someone the first few times to see what it is like. Moving along to trail descriptions...
Stock Trails
Intermediate Trails
Hardcore
With the fall gathering talk ramping up and spring on its way we will be out wheeling and I thought it would be good to come up with some loose, agreed upon definitions for:
- Stock Trails
- Intermediate Trails
- Hardcore Trails
Your truck must be in good running order to run any trail. Please keep in mind that damage can happen on any trail. Even on "stock" trails your truck will most likely have branches sliding the sides giving it some new "pinstripes". You will hit your axles, frame, undercarriage on rocks and sometimes encounter water deeper than your average puddle. If you dont want any of this to occur, you should not bring your truck into the woods, rather, ride shotgun with someone the first few times to see what it is like. Moving along to trail descriptions...
Stock Trails
- The purpose of running a trail like this would be to learn the ways of your vehicle offroad, enjoy the outdoors, learn to work vehicle recovery and have lots of fun
- Stock trails will most likely be class 4 roads, wide logger roads or trails cut very wide.
- These trails should be suitable for all size rigs from the big 60/62s and 80s down to the 40s and the occasional 25.
- These trails should not require a lift of larger tires but your vehicle suspension should not be sagging too much or you could be hitting your undercarriage more than you would like
- Body damage is not eminent but as always, it could occur
- Deep water crossing not likely but could happen and will always be scouted properly
- Breakage not likely to occur if your vehicle is sound
- Decent All Terrain tires are about the only requirement
- 1 - All weather dirt or gravel road. Can be passed in a 2WD car.
- 1.5 - Graded road. Usually passable in a 2WD vehicle but 4WD may be required in poor weather.
- 2 - Unimproved or rarely graded road. 4WD or extra clearance needed at times, with no special driving skills required.
- 2.5 - Road rarely maintained. 4WD, extra clearance, and low gear often needed. A bit of driving experience useful.
- 3 - Road in difficult terrain, rarely maintained or repaired. 4WD, good clearance, and low transfer case gears essential. Some driving skill required.
Intermediate Trails
- can be done in a stock vehicle. you will be pushing its limits!
- 33" tires and a lift strongly suggested
- rear locker suggested
- Winch would be ideal but not required
- Body damage likely to occur, especially for wagons
- Breakage will most likely occur on someone's rig so patience while it gets fixed is required (last time out i popped my birf.)
- Riding these trails will be challenging for the truck and the driver... pucker factor will be high
- There will most likely be no place to turn out and exit early. When these trails are embarked upon there are few options once you get started
- 3.5 - Road in difficult terrain, probably maintained only by occasional users. Excellent stock truck or utility vehicle required, with considerable driving skill needed.
- 3.5+ - Not quite a 4 but usually too much for many stock vehicles.
- 4 - Trail in difficult terrain or badly eroded, only repaired enough to get well equipped vehicles through. Modifications for improved off-road performance and top driving skills needed.
- 4+ - Like a 4 but worse. Low gears, large tires and limber suspensions required. Limited-slip or Locking differentials strongly recommended. It's common to have as many as 10 percent of the vehicles to experience catastrophic damage (gears, axles, driveshafts) on these trails.
Hardcore
- Not to sound like a tough guy but if you have to ask dont run with this group
- Rear locker required
- 33" tires at a minimum - 35" tires recommended
- Winch
- Body armor
- Body damage will occur
- Breakage very likely
- Rolling is a possibility
- Hell of a good time though!
- 5 - Locking differentials necessary. Winch urgently recommended. If only 10 of the vehicles suffer catastrophic damage you're lucky. Rolling your vehicle on these trails is a very real possibility.
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