Emerson Geek

When faced with a deeply rutted trail, Steffens advises, “Ride the ridges:’ Ruts can be caused naturally—by erosion—or deliberately—by drivers who run the trails after wet weather. Either way, a trail that’s been chewed up will be pockmarked with deep gullies, any one of which can snag a 4×4. Most commonly you’ll high-center the vehicle, but sometimes the gully will trap the nose or the rear instead.
“If you can stay on top of the ridges, you’fl ride above the ruts,” Steffens says. This is demanding driving; if the vehicle slips off the ridge and into the rut, chances are you’ll be there awhile.

Many drivers believe that the faster the vehicle goes through a rough section, the better not so. If the vehicle builds up too much speed when it hits a deep hole or rock, the resulting loss of control can send the 4×4 bouncing off the trail or wedge the nose or rear tight into a rut. Either way, it’s bad news.
Steffens prefers momentum to speed. “Momentum implies control—because the vehicle moves just 6st enough to overcome an obstacle while remaining in the driver’s complete control. To me, momentum also means staying off the brake as much as possible,” he says.
“Wheel spin [the result of a heavy foot on the throttle usually means that you’re not in control of the situation,” he says. “So slow down. Remember, you want enough momentum to carry you through the sand or over the boulders, but not enough so you can’t control the vehicle. Easy does it.”
Stefitns also advises that you use the engine braking created by low-range four-wheel-drive rather than the brakes to help slow the vehicle during a steep descent. This way you can avoid locking the brakes—which leads to a loss of steering and, ultimately, trouble.

From the top of the hill, I could see for miles. The rugged mountain terrain was dotted with ponderosa pine and manzanita, and the pungent smell of sage was in the air. “Keep your
eyes open,” my host said. “We’ve got mule deer, bears, bobcats, turkeys, mountain lions, and coyotes up here?’
“Up here” was Calilbrnia’s San Bernardino National Forest, where at 8,500 feet I was getting a lesson in 4×4 driving tactics from Gary Steffens, a reserve deputy sheriff for the San Bernardino county Sheriff’s Department. For more than 25 years Steffens and his search-and- rescue team have been called upon to find hunters and fishermen who have gotten stranded in this huge expanse of desert and alpine forest. As a lifelong outdoorsman, Steffens knows all about the lure of remote hunting and fishing locations; as a trained offroad driving and survival expert, he is also well acquainted with what can go wrong when you venture deep into the wilderness. So pay attention; his tips have been honed by years of experience. They’ll help you get out there . . and back.

Sam Anderson is a young touring pro on the walleye circuit. Between his fishing and promotion work, he drives through 17 states a year, iiiainly the northern half of the country. He tows in all kinds of weather and terrain, and his tips are worth a listen. • “First, do a walk-around inspection of the truck and trailer. Make sure everything is stowed properly on the boat.You’d be amazed how many fishing rods are lost each year because someone forgets to secure them properly with a tie-down or put them in a rod locker.”
• “One of the accessories I regularly inspect—and almost never see anyone even look at—is windshield wipers.This is critical. Try driving 5 or 6 hours in bad weather with worn-out wipers. It’s bad enough during the thy; at night, when you’re tired, forget it.You’re an accident waiting to happen?’
• “check the air pressure on the vehicle and trailer tires. A lot of people check the tires on their truck but forget the trailer. Make sure that the tire pressure is in the recommended range because of the extra weight you’re hauling. Properly inflated tires will also help the tow vehicle deliver maximum fuel economy, and when you tow, every gallon counts?’
• “check the wiring harness regularly for signs of corrosion that could cause the trailer running lights and brake lights to fail. Northern drivers take note: Road salt is a certified killer of electrical connections?’
• “check the trailer wheel hubs regularly. Most people check the hubs once a year. I do it every time I stop for fuel. Why? Because of the heat that towing generates. You want to make sure the hubs still have adequate grease, arid it’s a whole lot better to stop at a service station and get it fixed than have the hubs lock up in the middle of nowhere. And let me tell you, you don’t want to deal with a hub failure at highway speed; it’s nasty business. I know some guys who won’t even go on the road without spare bearings packed in grease and stored in sealed plastic bags in case of emergencies.”

Outdoorsmen want a rugged wheel, but they also want to improve the appearance of their 4×4. An advantage of the fbrged aluminum wheel is that its bright chromelike appearance requires little maintenance. There is no paint to chip or flake off, and the wheel won’t rust—definitely a problem with steel.
“Although many companies use a conventional clear coating to help protect the appearance of the wheel, Alcoa does notT says Simpson. Why? “Because the coating can be damaged in certain applications, which degrades the overall look of the wheel.With our wheels, all you need to do to keep them looking good is a seasonal wash and polish.
“The wheels may not help you catch more fish,” Simpson said before signing off. “But they’ll look good. And they certainly will get you where you want to go—and get you home again.”

I next asked Simpson to give me an example of how tough forged wheels really were.
“Easy,” she said. “The Ford Rough Rider offroad racing team has been on Alcoa forged wheels for the past four years. They’ve had more than 30,000 miles of desert racing without a single wheel failure. In the past, it’s been common to change a wheel three or four times in one eventT
“What has desert racing got to do with hunting and fishing?” I asked.
“Actually, a great deal. Offroad racing teaches us what can go wrong in extreme situations, which gives us the opportunity to make a good lightweight product for guys who hunt and fish in tough terrain.
“Most people don’t think weight savings is important, but it is,” Simpson said. “Lighter wheels improve handling, especially when you’re offroad. The less weight you have bouncing up and down underneath that spring, the easier the vehicle is to control.
“And as long as we’re talking ride, keep in mind that forged wheels ride better with less vibration. The design helps eliminate brake shudder and excess tire wear
To put the matter totally to rest, I called the owner of a truck conversion center, who said, “In all the years I’ve been installing forged wheels, not one has been returned because of breakage. J think a major reason is the one-piece design. Two-piece wheels, which are also known as fabricated wheels, regardless of construction, don’t seem to fare as weil over the long run in 4×4 applications.” As for my tobacco-squirting friend, he no doubt recalls the debate that raged among hunters and fishermen a generation ago when aluminum wheels first made large inroads in the aftermarket offroad wheel market. There were some quality issues, but those were put to bed a long time ago. In fact, many trucks come out of the factory with stock aluminum wheels.
So, the big question: Should you buy cast, billet, or forged wheels? Forged wheels are the best overall choice, but however you decide to go, buy the best wheels you can afford. Cheap wheels, like cheap tackle, won’t cut it.