GETTING OUT

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The material should be packed about 1/2 to 1 inch thick and extend (in front of the vehicle) for about ten feet. Once the vehicle gains momentum, don't stop until you reach solid ground. Keeping the machine moving is the answer to overcoming soft sand. And a smooth use of the throttle to limit wheelspin is the technique used to gain that needed momentum. Remember, once the day's sand blasting is over and you reach the highway, be sure to bring tire pressures back to a normal level.

Removing a stuck vehicle from deep mud is somewhat similar, with the exception that it is a much more messy, slimy, and all-around grubby operation. Face it, off-roading can be a dirty business. In most circumstances, you will not be able to raise the vehicle with a jack. Therefore, traction material must be forced or stuffed under each wheel in the best manner possible. Rocks, branches, pieces of wood, even chunks of cardboard make suitable traction material. Once the vehicle gains traction, keep a steady pace until clear and onto solid ground. Some off-road drivers use a method called "duck walking," in which the wheels are turned lock to lock while trying to gain traction. We prefer keeping the wheels straight and allowing the tires to follow the path of least resistance.

Becoming high-centered is another common and embarrassing predicament for the novice off-road driver. High-centering occurs when the breakover angle becomes too severe and two drive wheels (one front and one rear) lose traction. Subaru owners must remember that the Subaru four-wheel-drive vehicle averages about 6-1/2 inches of ground clearance. If an obstacle is traversed with a sharp breakover angle, the vehicle may then be caught on a portion of the undercarriage, causing a teeter-totter effect. To avoid high-centering, caution should be used when climbing over large rocks, topping steep embankments, or crawling over logs. If the vehicle becomes stranded, simply build up traction material under the wheels which have lost traction and ease the vehicle to solid ground.

Getting stuck in a deep water crossing can be troublesome from the standpoint of being forced to leave the vehicle and wade through the water, attempting to get the vehicle stable. Deep water problems usually occur when one of the wheels drops into an unseen hole or the skid-plate hangs up on a large boulder submerged from view. Manual labor is required to either fill the hole or remove the obstruction. This situation is one time an electric winch is a valuable tool. When the obstruction is minimal, rocking the vehicle, using first gear and reverse, will sometimes allow the drive wheels to gain traction. If the driver is unable to build a traction base for the vehicle, then the only alternative is to go for help. Care should be taken not to leave a vehicle stranded in deep water for long, as currents and swift flow will cause the water to build up around the machine and may cause leakage into the interior.

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