Off-roading is lots of fun. But, you know what’s not fun? Getting stuck in the mud. You’ve been there, and you don’t want to go through it again. And, if you haven’t been thought this kind of ordeal, you don’t want to. So, here’s how to avoid it.

Keep It Slow

You don’t need to drive fast through a muddy road or patch. In fact, doing so might cause you to get stuck. Keep it slow, and drive straight. This doesn’t mean you should drive at a snail’s pace. You do want some momentum to make it through, but you should never try to speed or power your way through.

Drive fast enough to maintain traction, but not faster.

Maintain Your Control Over The Vehicle

Keep the wheels straight when you enter a mud hole or muddy terrain. As long as you do this, you should be alright. Racking the wheel back and forth can also be useful when you feel yourself starting to bog down. Above all, never try to power through or speed through mud. It’s slippery and can cause you to lose control.

Lock In 4-Wheel Drive

If your truck has 4-wheel drive, use it. It will keep you out of trouble if you happen across a muddy spot or a patch of road where it’s uncertain whether you will lose traction. It’s always a good idea to engage it before you need it.

A 4-wheel drive lock will either lock the two front and two rear wheels or will lock all wheels together for added traction. Some of the more advanced systems transfer power from wheels that lose traction to wheels that have traction.

Test The Ground First

Before driving through unknown terrain, get out of your Ram pickup truck and walk around. What does the ground feel like? Is it soft and squishy? If so, then you probably don’t want to be walking around on it.

Stay Out Of A Rut
Getting stuck in a rut isn’t an inevitability. You can avoid it by just watching out for them and driving around them. Ruts created by other drivers can be seriously difficult to get out of. They create low spots in the ground, where water accumulates. When you try to drive through them, you end up trapping your wheels.

Let Air Out Of Your Tires

It might help to let some of the air out of your tires if you’re going to be driving across soft land. Most people do this if they’ll be driving across sand, since it makes it easier to get traction. By reducing the tire pressure, you create a wider contact patch – you allow more of the tire to come into contact with the ground. For most four-wheeling purposes, a tire pressure of between 18 and 20 makes the most sense. If the normal PSI for your tires is 30 or 40, you might reduce it to 25 or 30.

Maddison Dennis is a Mom who still loves seeking new adventures, whether that’s sky diving, off roading or getting the family out for a hike. Of an evening she writes articles for lifestyle, parenting and travel blogs based upon her adventures.