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lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2749

Driving in muddy conditions

Three times recently l've found myself having to cross a muddy field towing our caravan and l have to say the standard Michelin Latitude tyres aren't great in these conditions.
ln fact l almost got stuck in the muddy car park field at Bakewell (not towing the 'van) all four wheels rotating helplessly. Although l did get out okay.
But they look to be essentially a road biased tyre.

l've just bought a set of new "take off" steel wheels with the Goodyear Wrangler Adventure tyres
The tread certainly looks more purposeful on these tyres.

I hope they do better towing our caravan out of a field. Has anyone had experience using these tyres in muddy off road conditions. Are they better? l hope so, having spent £550 on a set of five.

Although it's still a bargain for five new wheels with tyres, wheel nuts and centre caps.

7th Apr 2024 5:15pm

Clemmo

Member Since: 03 Aug 2012
Location: Mile Oak
Posts: 1217

2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey

Did you switch to low box with mud setting?

I have road based tyres and just recently have been amazed how the Defender pulls itself down muddy farm tracks…pulling trailer loads of logs.

I don’t “ do anything” other than point it in the correct direction and touch the throttle.
Even downhill it seems to have great control

Clemmo Make today a little better than yesterday but not so good as tomorrow....
Defender 90 HT............Pangea Green
BMW X3 Msport............Carbon Black
Mini Electric................Grey. (wow!)
MGB Roadster……..........Vermillion 17k miles
Honda Benly CD200....Maroon --------McLouis Fusio........7.4m of fun

7th Apr 2024 5:40pm

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2749

l didn't use low range

l have in the past selected "mud & ruts" and it did improve traction. l'll change the wheels over and see what difference it makes.

7th Apr 2024 6:54pm

Clemmo

Member Since: 03 Aug 2012
Location: Mile Oak
Posts: 1217

Low range makes a huge difference
It won’t allow the wheels to spin simultaneously
Tyres will help but once full of mud they take a lot to clear
Try the tech..it’s 👍

Clemmo Make today a little better than yesterday but not so good as tomorrow....
Defender 90 HT............Pangea Green
BMW X3 Msport............Carbon Black
Mini Electric................Grey. (wow!)
MGB Roadster……..........Vermillion 17k miles
Honda Benly CD200....Maroon --------McLouis Fusio........7.4m of fun

7th Apr 2024 7:37pm

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2749

Will do! Never tried low range tbh

Looks like l've been doing it incorrectly. Still, at least the new tyres will look more "tough" lol

7th Apr 2024 7:42pm

Clemmo

Member Since: 03 Aug 2012
Location: Mile Oak
Posts: 1217

As an aside..( and I know you are awaiting a new car) it pays to run in low once a month.
Doing this ensures all the actuators work and do not seize.

It’s the old use it or lose it syndrome Make today a little better than yesterday but not so good as tomorrow....
Defender 90 HT............Pangea Green
BMW X3 Msport............Carbon Black
Mini Electric................Grey. (wow!)
MGB Roadster……..........Vermillion 17k miles
Honda Benly CD200....Maroon --------McLouis Fusio........7.4m of fun

7th Apr 2024 7:50pm

Mrburt

Member Since: 04 Jan 2023
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 30

Muddy fields are an interesting challenge.
Most folk think the mud & ruts program is the solution, this program allows the wheels to spin in order to find better grip beneath. This however can be your downfall if there is no better surface below and you end up just digging a hole for all four wheels.
In this scenario grass gravel snow can be a better option. Muted throttle, moving off in second and a more proactive use of TC can provide a solution. Add in low range and tick over can get you moving without any throttle and minimal wheel speed.
If you are towing them low range is your best friend in moving forward with minimal fuss.
Of course all this is subject to tyre grip and the more specific off road tyres will be of benefit when it gets tough, but the cross climate tyres are very good and a fine compromise.
The gold rule
Tyres give you grip, drivetrain gives you traction.
Hope this helps folks.

7th Apr 2024 8:54pm

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2749

[quote="Clemmo"]

As an aside..( and I know you are awaiting a new car)

l did have a 110 Commercial on order but cancelled it due to the fact that the figures didn't work. l would get taxed on the sale price of my 90 and can't get the same deal on the new one.

There was a govt scheme running when l got my 90 that meant l could claim 130% of the cost against tax.

7th Apr 2024 9:45pm

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2749

Mrburt wrote:
Muddy fields are an interesting challenge.
Most folk think the mud & ruts program is the solution, this program allows the wheels to spin in order to find better grip beneath. This however can be your downfall if there is no better surface below and you end up just digging a hole for all four wheels.
In this scenario grass gravel snow can be a better option. Muted throttle, moving off in second and a more proactive use of TC can provide a solution. Add in low range and tick over can get you moving without any throttle and minimal wheel speed.
If you are towing them low range is your best friend in moving forward with minimal fuss.
Of course all this is subject to tyre grip and the more specific off road tyres will be of benefit when it gets tough, but the cross climate tyres are very good and a fine compromise.
The gold rule
Tyres give you grip, drivetrain gives you traction.
Hope this helps folks.

Thank you that's great advice. l still don't fully understand the various modes on the new one.

7th Apr 2024 9:47pm

Co1

Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3671

Did you get a landrover experience day when you made you purchase? They usually take you through all the features, and when you drive the course it is done on the latitude tyres and they cope well.

8th Apr 2024 5:20am

martinf

Member Since: 30 Nov 2020
Location: Sussex
Posts: 99

One of the features that I find frustrating is the inability to select low range whilst on the move.

I remember my P38 Range Rover allowed this at low speed and I found it useful if the conditions deteriorated and I wanted to select low range without losing momentum.

It would be easy to have the software prevent selection above a certain speed.

8th Apr 2024 6:38am

Mrburt

Member Since: 04 Jan 2023
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 30

lightning wrote:
Mrburt wrote:
Muddy fields are an interesting challenge.
Most folk think the mud & ruts program is the solution, this program allows the wheels to spin in order to find better grip beneath. This however can be your downfall if there is no better surface below and you end up just digging a hole for all four wheels.
In this scenario grass gravel snow can be a better option. Muted throttle, moving off in second and a more proactive use of TC can provide a solution. Add in low range and tick over can get you moving without any throttle and minimal wheel speed.
If you are towing them low range is your best friend in moving forward with minimal fuss.
Of course all this is subject to tyre grip and the more specific off road tyres will be of benefit when it gets tough, but the cross climate tyres are very good and a fine compromise.
The gold rule
Tyres give you grip, drivetrain gives you traction.
Hope this helps folks.

Thank you that's great advice. l still don't fully understand the various modes on the new one.

Shout up if you need further. Always happy to assist.

8th Apr 2024 7:37am

Chicken Drumstick

Member Since: 17 Aug 2020
Location: Near MK
Posts: 716

Clemmo wrote:
Low range makes a huge difference
It won’t allow the wheels to spin simultaneously
Tyres will help but once full of mud they take a lot to clear
Try the tech..it’s 👍

Clemmo

Low should let all 4 wheels spin else your 4wd system is broken.... But if you are spinning all 4 wheels at the same time, it is a lack of traction and fancy electronics are unlikely to solve it.

8th Apr 2024 8:15am

Chicken Drumstick

Member Since: 17 Aug 2020
Location: Near MK
Posts: 716

Co1 wrote:
Did you get a landrover experience day when you made you purchase? They usually take you through all the features, and when you drive the course it is done on the latitude tyres and they cope well.

Tyres will depend on the vehicle, they have lots of vehicles at the Experience centres. And when I went they most certainly didn't go through all the modes or explain how any of them worked.

8th Apr 2024 8:18am

Chicken Drumstick

Member Since: 17 Aug 2020
Location: Near MK
Posts: 716

lightning wrote:

Thank you that's great advice. l still don't fully understand the various modes on the new one.

This is one of the huge downfalls of the electronic system, it is hugely complicated and you need to be an expert on not only the conditions, but each and every mode and how it works to know if it is the right one or not to use at the time.

Even without the programmable TR2 you have what 15-20 different modes you could use. Old school vehicles are a lot easier to get it right as you'd only have a few setups to choose from.

There are some good Youtube videos that show the differences between the TR modes that might be worth watching. Remember you need to manually turn off stability control for some modes too.

As for your situation, low should help because you get more control and more wheel torque, I suspect the terrain system is also programmed slightly differently when in low vs the same mode in high. However if it is easily and freely spinning all the wheels on a relatively flat surface, it is more of a tyre issue.

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8th Apr 2024 8:33am

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