Off-roading with SM465 for first time: what gears should I use??

[MannyDantyla]

I just bought a 83 K10 with a sm465 tranny and np205 transfer case (4H, 2H, N, 4L).

I've never been off-roading/mudding/4-wheeling. But I'm going to a ORV area in a few days to scout it out and do some mild stuff and test the 4wd. So I have no experienced, and what I really need to know is - with this tranny, what gears and range should I be using? In what situations? Uphill, downhill, rocky terrain, mud, etc.

 

[Chevy305]

The gears you'll be in really depends on your axle gears, tire size, and greatly varies with terrain. To keep a long story short, start off using 4LO and 2nd and 3rd gear (1,2,3,4 pattern). If you need something in between 2nd and 3rd use 4HI with 1st and 2nd.

 

[Stomis]

4Lo is your friend. Especially being yours is 2:1 in that case.

More than likely you could throw it in 4LO and leave it there all day and just vary your transmission gear based your obstacle. When in 4LO you need to cast aside all preconceived notions of what the trans gears mean to you lol. Start out in 2nd or even 3rd. Cruise around in fourth. Do technical stuff like rocks in 1st. You'll get the hang of it.

O and always put it in LO for any serious water crossing or deep hole with a lot of water. People often underestimate the force displacing the water takes and if you get half way through 3 feet of water and realize its going to die you wont have time to downshift into low and it can make for a bad day.