Get to Know your Mudders

What is Mudding?

Mudding, also referred to as mud bogging or mud racing, is an off-roading sport which involves taking a four-wheel-drive vehicle or ATV out into the mud, be it for fun or competition. Not to be confused with “mud running,” which removes the vehicle from the equation.

There is a range of activities covered under the term “mudding”, from hauling through deep mud pits and bogs to mud racing. Professional mudding events draw thousands of spectators and have been covered globally by venues such as the Travel Channel and Mud Truck TV – Android even features a Mud Bogging app with thousands of player reviews.

From the roots of an obscure recreational activity, mud racing as a competitive sport is rapidly growing in popularity, especially in Canada and the South-eastern United States. In the last decade, mudding has gone from a notoriously “redneck” activity to a legitimate sporting industry. “It used to be a good ol’ boy thing, out in the fields. Now it’s a full-blown spectator-viewed competition with specialty-built vehicles,” says Steve Deitsch, internet content specialist with 4Wheel Parts.

Mudding can be difficult for even experienced off-roaders – facing challenges such as maneuvering in any of the plethora of mud varieties, from thick clay to dirt soup, and knowing how to prevent their rig from becoming stuck. Mudders must also know a lot about their vehicle, so they may develop the perfect “build” to meet their needs, adding on parts and accessories to a “stock” (fresh from the dealership) 4x4.

Common vehicle modifications include truck and Jeep lift kits, lockers, specialty tires and add-ons such as winches and distributor boots. The specifics of any build depend on the sort of mudding you will be doing, your personal preference and what type of stock vehicle you start with.

Competition Mudding

ATVs, 4x4 trucks and Jeeps can all be involved in professional, competition mud racing. Aside from the separation of professional ATV racing and truck and Jeep racing, there are two types of competition mudding:

Mud Racing: In this competition, specialty-built mudding vehicles take on a straight, frequently short, muddy strip to see who can finish with the fastest time. Key factors in the race are the truck builds, driver skill and experience, the length of the track and the depth/type of the mud.

Mud racers must construct the best vehicle for the track, taking into account its power and speed abilities to insure they do not lose traction and spin, dig themselves into the ground or even flip their vehicle. As a general rule, if your 4x4 can’t make it to the end of the track, you can’t win the race.

Mud Bogging: While racing usually involves a straight strip of relatively shallow mud, bogging challenges racers to push through a large pit or “bog” of mud and water. While this event is sometimes timed to determine a race winner, more often it is about endurance and style.

It is very common for a vehicle become completely stuck in a mud bog race, as the deep mud makes for difficult terrain no matter the vehicle build. Bogging is less about finishing the fastest than it is about finishing with the most flair and having the best build.

Once you’ve experienced mudding you quickly learn that there is more to mud than meets the eye.

Tips for Mudding

If you’re looking to go mudding, there are a few tricks of the trade which will help your experience be safe, make you look like a pro and insure you have a blast.

1. Use Cooking Spray or WD-40 for Easy Cleanup Later
   Many off-roaders avoid mud for two reasons: cleanup is time consuming and if you don’t do it thoroughly, you risk serious damage to your 4x4. Before you go, spray cooking spray or WD-40 onto your tires, undercarriage, etc. to make post-mudding cleanup much less of a headache.
2. Air Down
   Traction is the difference between a day spent loving the mud and a day lost pulling yourself out of it. Letting some air out of your tires before you get into the mud helps you stay on the ground, instead of in it. How much depends on your personal preference, what type of tires you’re on and which sort of mud you’re in. Make sure to air back up when you’re done or risk damage to you truck or Jeep wheels.
3. Grease Up
   Anything in your vehicle which normally needs grease needs to get greased before and after you play in the mud. This insures you’ll run smoothly and prevents damage by flushing out the grime when you’re done.
4. Once You’re In, Don’t Shift
   For this reason, automatic transmissions are preferred for mudders. Once you’re in the mud, not only can shifting gears risk damaging your clutch by letting mud inside, it can also cost you vital momentum. Speaking of which …
5. Maintain Momentum
   The rule of mudding is: if you’re still moving, do not stop. Once you have, it’s nearly impossible to pick up enough traction to get going again. A steady throttle is the best way to push through the muck. If you start to feel yourself slipping, try gently turning your tires back and forth to “dig” yourself out.
6. Take it Home and Hose it Down
   Make sure to take the time and get all of the mud off, plus change out all of your fluids so you know your engine will stay clean. There are many cleaning solutions offered to get all the mud off, but many mudders suggest placing an oscillating sprinkler beneath your vehicle for easier, hands-free cleanup.

Mudding Modifications

There is no “one size fits all” build for any off-road activity. When you’re looking to go mudding or know you’re likely to encounter it on the trail, you need to consider elements like the terrain, how much power your engine packs, your tires and your rescue equipment. The options for customizing your vehicle are endless, but there are a few modifications which are popular across the range of possibilities.

Lift Kits: Though some mudders choose to keep close to the ground, many opt for a lift kit to raise the bottom of their Jeep or truck farther up out of the muck. This way, they have more ground clearance and can tackle deeper bogs, as well as attach larger tires.

Mudding Tires: Specialized mudding tires have deep treads, allowing a powerful vehicle to dig into the mud and create more traction. Mudders need to be careful about which they choose, though. If your vehicle can’t generate enough “umph” to fling the mud out of them, your tires are just going to end up full of goo – guaranteeing zero traction.

Lockers, spools and slips: Wheels are made to be able to turn at different speeds to make for a smoother drive. In the mud this can result in one tire trying to dig to the center of the Earth while the others just sit atop their nice, firm ground. For this reason, mudders invest in lockers, spools and slips to ensure their wheels always work together.

Extraction Equipment: Truck and Jeep accessories are invaluable when it comes to mudding, because in the world of off-roading it is not if but when you will get stuck. Tow straps, snatch straps, grade-eight tow chains, winches and Hi-Lift jacks are all advised.

Waterproofing: You can’t have mud without water and water in your engine is bad news all around. WD-40, boat trailer grease, dielectric grease, distributor boots, extension hoses and snorkels all exist to help keep your ride dry.

The Legalities of Mudding

While mudding itself is not illegal, the damage which results from reckless mudding can be. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, mudding not only destroys turf and plants but it compacts soil, smothers fish, harms wildlife and creates expensive, unsightly damage.

The USDA states, “Under 36 Code of Federal Regulations 261.13, section h: ‘It is prohibited to operate any vehicle off Forest Development, State or County roads ... in a manner which damages or unreasonably disturbs the land, wildlife or vegetative resources.’”

This breaks down to mean that mudding is a sport reserved for private property and only with the permission of the landowner. So, if you’re thinking about going mudding, you should keep the following in mind:

• Mudding runs and tracks are growing in popularity and number. Check for any nearby to you before you plan a mudding trip, as they offer a completely legal, safe environment, perfectly tailored to your muddy needs.
• Get permission from the landowner before mudding on private property!
• A big part of the reason mudding is so much fun is the mess it makes, but if you rip up public land you could be in for a fine up to $5,000. Think about all the perfect-for-mud Jeep clothing you could buy with that dough!

Mudding is a lot of legal fun, but it needs to be done responsibly or it can be extremely damaging to the environment and your bank account.

Rachel Bowes is a copywriter with 4WD