93Ranger
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- November 25, 2001
- Messages
- 276
- Reaction score
- 1
- City, State
- Gaithersburg, MD
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- Ford Ranger, 1993 XLT
first of all, i would like to tell all you beginners out there that are just starting to off-road, dont bite off more than you can chew. and NEVER over-estimate the performance and limitations of your vehicle.
now onto my story.
i decided on my way home that was feeling like off-roading. i found a little trail near the shopingcenter in Germantown. an old abandoned house and vast ammounts of fields.
i was so pumped to do it. I had run on some muddy and rutty roads and the Ranger did fine, never got stuck.
that was my first mistake, going alone (dont yell at me guys, i know i shouldnt do that).
i got off the road and started down the field. got to where other trucks had beaten a path, and started on my way.
it was a bit muddy, and i couldnt wait to get the BFG AT KO's on, so i ran in the Wilderness HT treads. mistake #2
there was a fairly mediocre decent that i was sure i could get back up. got to the bottom of the hill and it was an up-hill pull after that. i missed the turn for 2wd trucks (im serious, i didnt see it and it was much less steep than the path i had chosen).
at the bottom of the hill, there was a bit of mud, but nothing very bad. went through it. the treads were now wet.
half way up the other side, i hit a small rock covered by some brush. back right was on it, and spun for quite some time, started to smoke.
i tried to coast back down, knowing i couldnt make it up.
i hit a rock wrong and the back end broke sideways a bit. less tha 10 feet from a stream, and about 1 foot infront of a 1foot deep hole.
i was soooo upset.
i tried to rock free, but to no avail, it just inchedme closer to the stream.
so im thinking about what to do. i dont have a winch or anything, just me, and my 2wd, open diff, 93 Ranger.
so i hunt around for some wood and some rocks. i figure, make a land bridge and back out.
i find an old disgarded bench and take the strongest board from it. place it under the rearwheel and fill thehole up wit rocks. takes me about 1/2 hour or so.
i air down the tires and begin to back up, stopping and pulling foward a bit out of fear of it not holding.
i finally go for it andback up and my front wheel tracked perfectly (finally some good luck).
i begin my turn around and i get stuck again sideways on the trail.
i just rocked my way free.
i started up the hill in 1st gear. the wheels slip some, so i put it in 2nd. i lost count of how many mistakes so far, so add one.
the truck still slips, only now, i have smoke coming from the tires and under the truck (coudnt tell if it was clutch or the right rear tire smoking). i stop and wait for the smoke to die down.
it stops and i reverse back into the turn for the 2wd path, go in about 10 feet.
nice and smooth, nothing loose, great traction. i put it in first and go, pull out of the section and go up the hill with some momentum. crest the hill with very little wheel slippage.
coast down the hill, and when i get to the bottom, what is coming my way? a truck from the company that owns the land (i had known the people that used to own the land, and didnt know it got sold). but when i got out of the truck to talkto him, what do i see?
a 20 (arox.) year old guy driving a powerstroke diesel F250 (or 350) 4x4. mud all over the sides. i talk to him and I promise (a promise that i will keep, no bullshit, but an honest promise) that i will never do it again. he says that he is supposed to call the cops, but because im a kid and i need to learn some things, and i need to have fun, espicially in something he likes to do, he would let me off.
i thanked him, and got back in my truck, and went out the long flat way out of the field.
thats my story. I definately need some schoolin on how to 4-wheel, and im giving everyone advice. learn from my mistake, wheel only where you are positive it's ok (like i said i knew the people that lived there before, and they always let me drive in the field). and never go alone, and when you do go with someone, make sure that they have a rig more than capable for the land.
my mistake, and spare me the whole "your dumb" stuff because ive been telling my self that the whole way home. i hope my parents dont get to mad, im ok, and everything is fine, and im not going to do it again (there anyway), (im not the kind that can just keep something like this to myself, it will kill me inside, plus my mom always knows how to help me out when im stressed out).
thats my rant, i hope everyone learned something.
now onto my story.
i decided on my way home that was feeling like off-roading. i found a little trail near the shopingcenter in Germantown. an old abandoned house and vast ammounts of fields.
i was so pumped to do it. I had run on some muddy and rutty roads and the Ranger did fine, never got stuck.
that was my first mistake, going alone (dont yell at me guys, i know i shouldnt do that).
i got off the road and started down the field. got to where other trucks had beaten a path, and started on my way.
it was a bit muddy, and i couldnt wait to get the BFG AT KO's on, so i ran in the Wilderness HT treads. mistake #2
there was a fairly mediocre decent that i was sure i could get back up. got to the bottom of the hill and it was an up-hill pull after that. i missed the turn for 2wd trucks (im serious, i didnt see it and it was much less steep than the path i had chosen).
at the bottom of the hill, there was a bit of mud, but nothing very bad. went through it. the treads were now wet.
half way up the other side, i hit a small rock covered by some brush. back right was on it, and spun for quite some time, started to smoke.
i tried to coast back down, knowing i couldnt make it up.
i hit a rock wrong and the back end broke sideways a bit. less tha 10 feet from a stream, and about 1 foot infront of a 1foot deep hole.
i was soooo upset.
i tried to rock free, but to no avail, it just inchedme closer to the stream.
so im thinking about what to do. i dont have a winch or anything, just me, and my 2wd, open diff, 93 Ranger.
so i hunt around for some wood and some rocks. i figure, make a land bridge and back out.
i find an old disgarded bench and take the strongest board from it. place it under the rearwheel and fill thehole up wit rocks. takes me about 1/2 hour or so.
i air down the tires and begin to back up, stopping and pulling foward a bit out of fear of it not holding.
i finally go for it andback up and my front wheel tracked perfectly (finally some good luck).
i begin my turn around and i get stuck again sideways on the trail.
i just rocked my way free.
i started up the hill in 1st gear. the wheels slip some, so i put it in 2nd. i lost count of how many mistakes so far, so add one.
the truck still slips, only now, i have smoke coming from the tires and under the truck (coudnt tell if it was clutch or the right rear tire smoking). i stop and wait for the smoke to die down.
it stops and i reverse back into the turn for the 2wd path, go in about 10 feet.
nice and smooth, nothing loose, great traction. i put it in first and go, pull out of the section and go up the hill with some momentum. crest the hill with very little wheel slippage.
coast down the hill, and when i get to the bottom, what is coming my way? a truck from the company that owns the land (i had known the people that used to own the land, and didnt know it got sold). but when i got out of the truck to talkto him, what do i see?
a 20 (arox.) year old guy driving a powerstroke diesel F250 (or 350) 4x4. mud all over the sides. i talk to him and I promise (a promise that i will keep, no bullshit, but an honest promise) that i will never do it again. he says that he is supposed to call the cops, but because im a kid and i need to learn some things, and i need to have fun, espicially in something he likes to do, he would let me off.
i thanked him, and got back in my truck, and went out the long flat way out of the field.
thats my story. I definately need some schoolin on how to 4-wheel, and im giving everyone advice. learn from my mistake, wheel only where you are positive it's ok (like i said i knew the people that lived there before, and they always let me drive in the field). and never go alone, and when you do go with someone, make sure that they have a rig more than capable for the land.
my mistake, and spare me the whole "your dumb" stuff because ive been telling my self that the whole way home. i hope my parents dont get to mad, im ok, and everything is fine, and im not going to do it again (there anyway), (im not the kind that can just keep something like this to myself, it will kill me inside, plus my mom always knows how to help me out when im stressed out).
thats my rant, i hope everyone learned something.
