Mud Drags

[BlueCuda]

Has anyone ever done any of this with an XJ? Some friends of mine and myself were thinking of hitting one of the local events that has a "drove it in" class. This would be purely for fun and we know there is not much of a chance for us lol. I am normally not a fan of mud at all but I am a huge drag racing fan and my XJ would be less embarrassing at the mud drags than the real drags .

So any recommendations on technique? Four High? Four Low? My jeep has a stroker 4.56s and 35" MTRs and is locked front and rear. I haven't done any wheeling with the 35s yet as I just got them but I am assuming it won't have the nuts to stay on top of the wheel speed in four high if the mud is very thick. I am afraid 4low will be to low and I would need to be in about 3rd gear to have any kind of tire speed and thats not the best for planetaries. Plus the AW4 can't shift fast enough if I hammer it from a dead stop anyways. I have plenty of 231 parts I might just roll 4low . I don't know how much room there is to build speed before the pit, or do they start you in the pit?

I am just looking to get some opinions if we decide to go play around one night. I am sure it will be fun followed up by a 5 hour jeep bath the next day.

Thanks for any info!

 

[MoparManiac]

4L and leave it in 1.

Let it tach out, slam 2nd, and keep the RPMs around 4K.

I used to just let it bounce off the rev limiter in 4L in 2nd gear when I played in the mud.

 

[ktm racer 419]

ive been in overdrive in low range running 3500 rpms for 30 miles at a time before. a mud drag wont kill your planetaries

 

[tbburg]

Your XJ isn't your daily driver, is it?

 

[kastein]

get ready to buy some new seals!

 

[GSequoia]

Mud? No thanks.


PS, you'll find that the MT/Rs don't hook up at all. Contrary to what people assume they are not a mud tire (and not marketed as such either).

 

[JohnX]

4low and leave it in OD. Top speed is going to be about 45mph tached out in OD. Gun it and let the trans do the rest. I've done that several time in mine (virtually identical to yours) and never broken anything.

Post pics

 

[BlueCuda]

ive been in overdrive in low range running 3500 rpms for 30 miles at a time before. a mud drag wont kill your planetaries

I have done the same, its been to the limiter in overdrive in 4low before, but everytime I have done that for extended periods it turns the t-case fluid to brown stinky goo, but it hasn't stopped me yet lol.

Your XJ isn't your daily driver, is it?

It was for 7 years until I recently got a company truck. It wouldn't stop me either way I have spare parts .

get ready to buy some new seals!

This can't be any worse than headlight deep water

Mud? No thanks.


PS, you'll find that the MT/Rs don't hook up at all. Contrary to what people assume they are not a mud tire (and not marketed as such either).

I have the new kevlar MTRs, if they aren't marked as a mud tire I am confident they will do OK as they have nice large widely spaced lugs.

4low and leave it in OD. Top speed is going to be about 45mph tached out in OD. Gun it and let the trans do the rest. I've done that several time in mine (virtually identical to yours) and never broken anything.

Post pics

It should go faster than 45 if I remember correctly, usually on the wide open 4low blasts its on a trail and it feels like 110 and I don't look at the gauges :scared: makes me feel like a rally driver .

The trans sucks at shifting in 4-low, the motor revs to fast and it gets the limiter a few times before it makes the gear change. But that sounds like my best bet.

I will try and get pics and video, we missed the last one they had so one should be coming up soon.

I haven't been wheeling in so long this should be a good way to give the XJ a reality check and make sure its not getting to used to the pavement.

 

[ktm racer 419]

I have done the same, its been to the limiter in overdrive in 4low before, but everytime I have done that for extended periods it turns the t-case fluid to brown stinky goo, but it hasn't stopped me yet lol.

.

lol

did your shift fork melt too?

 

[BlueCuda]

Not yet

 

[JohnX]

In OD and low range, with our gears and tire size...speed is approximately one foot per minute per rpm. So, 5000 rpm in OD should be about 5000 feet per minute. Just under 60 mph, but I figure in some wheel spin and low tire pressure (shorter circumference) and figure 45 as a conservative guess.

Now wheres those pics!

 

[BlueCuda]

Give me time I have to figure out when the next one is

 

[LBC970]

I don't know how much room there is to build speed before the pit, or do they start you in the pit?

All of the mud drags I have been in they start you in the pit. My first time was in an '86 Chevy 1/2 ton with a 454, and 38" tires. I rolled up to the starting line, and sunk in 2/3ds of my tires. When the light went green, I stomped on it and pulled right out. I too was in an automatic, 4lo. The only thing I did different from everyone's suggestions was I started in 1st gear, and shifted when I felt the time was right. (1st, 2nd, 3rd, Drive) I took 3rd out of about 40 entrants.

Good luck!

 

[ktm racer 419]

Not yet

no. mine melted beforehand and caused it to get stuck in low range lol.