It's been mentioned before several places that I'm going to be putting on a driving "clinic" on Friday of BB11. The idea is to get guys that are new to Moab a little extra guidance and trail experience on the trail. Here are some of the things I plan to cover:
Standard maintenance and vehicle checks
daily check over including steering, ubolts, fluid levels, leaks, etc.
routine on trail inspection
Setting the rig up for a trail day
securing gear
setting air pressures
disconnecting swaybars, etc
Assessing weak points on the vehicle
Clearances
Drivetrain strengths and weaknesses
Steering system
Technique
THE BUMP
driving with 2 feet
clutch use
and probably some other stuff like recovery gear, safety and techniques
I hope to just integrate the "course" into a real trailride so it stays fun.
Here are some things for everyone to work on before hand:
Practice driving with 2 feet. If you have an auto, your left foot goes on the brake, right on the gas. There is no way to drive smoothly offroad using your right foot for brake AND gas so get used to using both. Practice it on the street and in everyday life so that it becomes normal for you. You really don't need your left foot to be "dumb" when it's important. Try pressing the brake and load the engine and trans up with the gas. Just give it a few hundred extra RPMs to see what it feels like. Ease off the brake and let it ease forward just to see what it feels like. Try holding the brake and see how much gas you can give it until you overpower the brakes. All of this will help you get used to your brake pedal feel and how the engine and torque convertor work together.
With a manual trans, you have a little extra homework in that you have to make sure you have a clutch start safety disconnect switch. You have to be able to start the truck in gear before you show up. Don't stay home if you can't get it done but you need to get it done. Also with the manual, practice driving with your left foot on the brake and the right on the gas. You'll need to hold it back sometimes. Stall the engine with the brake. Drag the motor down to where it almost stalls and feather it back up with the gas.
Get used to stopping the truck by shutting off the key and leaving the clutch pedal alone. You don't want to be on a steep hill and have to push in the pedal to stop. Just kill it with the key and re-start with the key with trans in gear when it's time to go.
I'd like to have a list of who's going to be along and what you're driving with some details on the rig like lift, tires, axles, engine trans and T-case, etc. A lot of this is in sig. lines already so it's probably not a big deal to post up.
That's all for now, we'll for sure refine all this as we go.
Standard maintenance and vehicle checks
daily check over including steering, ubolts, fluid levels, leaks, etc.
routine on trail inspection
Setting the rig up for a trail day
securing gear
setting air pressures
disconnecting swaybars, etc
Assessing weak points on the vehicle
Clearances
Drivetrain strengths and weaknesses
Steering system
Technique
THE BUMP
driving with 2 feet
clutch use
and probably some other stuff like recovery gear, safety and techniques
I hope to just integrate the "course" into a real trailride so it stays fun.
Here are some things for everyone to work on before hand:
Practice driving with 2 feet. If you have an auto, your left foot goes on the brake, right on the gas. There is no way to drive smoothly offroad using your right foot for brake AND gas so get used to using both. Practice it on the street and in everyday life so that it becomes normal for you. You really don't need your left foot to be "dumb" when it's important. Try pressing the brake and load the engine and trans up with the gas. Just give it a few hundred extra RPMs to see what it feels like. Ease off the brake and let it ease forward just to see what it feels like. Try holding the brake and see how much gas you can give it until you overpower the brakes. All of this will help you get used to your brake pedal feel and how the engine and torque convertor work together.
With a manual trans, you have a little extra homework in that you have to make sure you have a clutch start safety disconnect switch. You have to be able to start the truck in gear before you show up. Don't stay home if you can't get it done but you need to get it done. Also with the manual, practice driving with your left foot on the brake and the right on the gas. You'll need to hold it back sometimes. Stall the engine with the brake. Drag the motor down to where it almost stalls and feather it back up with the gas.
Get used to stopping the truck by shutting off the key and leaving the clutch pedal alone. You don't want to be on a steep hill and have to push in the pedal to stop. Just kill it with the key and re-start with the key with trans in gear when it's time to go.
I'd like to have a list of who's going to be along and what you're driving with some details on the rig like lift, tires, axles, engine trans and T-case, etc. A lot of this is in sig. lines already so it's probably not a big deal to post up.
That's all for now, we'll for sure refine all this as we go.
I am hoping to leave without too much body damage if I can help it!
...so don't psych yourself out
