Clarks Mud Bog

The weather was perfect, nice and sunny, but not too hot. The mud was even better, and with a crowd of people there all for the same reason, that is mudbogging, then who could ask for anything more.


The trucks ranged from mild street drivers to highly modified rigs built just for the mud. The pit was about 100 feet long, and early in the day, it was perfect for training and smaller tired trucks.

This Toyota had 38's or 40's and performed well, but when the mud got deeper, he was hindered by a stock motor.

After watching everyone make it through with relative ease, it was time to toughen up the pit a little. With the help of a backhoe, bog revision was done in no time, and the drivers were more than ready to go.

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Some of the big boys went through first to mix up the mud. Stage two of the bog was definitely more of a challenge, but nearly everyone was still able to make it through.

This guy said "You wont break this box tubing bumper.", and he was right, too bad he couldn't say the same for the bumper brackets. Later that day, the rear bumper suffered a similar plight.

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This jeep was an awesome performer, and a real crowd pleaser.

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This Nissan, to me, gets right to the heart of what this sport is all about. Build a truck you can afford, modify to the best of your abilities or wallet, and hit the pit. When someone who has a bogger like this, and beats it mercilessly to get through the pit, the cheers from the crowd are as loud as for the bigger trucks. Everybody loves an underdog.

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As the pit gets meaner, you have to try to pick a different line, especially if you have smaller tires or less power.

This guy was a hero,but he didn't make it through.

This Cherokee looked like a good performer, but the driver pussy footed at the beginning of the pit and didn't have the momentum to get through, so he got pulled out too.

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This Chevy has 2 1/2 ton axles and a custom lift. A modified 454 pushes it along, and it did perform.

This guy tried hard, and we all cheered hard for him, but it wasn't to be. When he got pulled out, his bumper folded up and put his brush guard through his radiator. A good lesson though.

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The bog shows no favorites. This cruiser belongs to the host and land owner. It has full size truck axles and a modified Chevy small block.

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It now seemed like the right thing to do would be to massage the pit again, so out came the backhoe, and things started to get interesting after this.

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This girl in the green jeep did great all day long. She got stuck right after this picture was taken, and she claimed it was only the second time she had ever been stuck.

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This truck is full of young girls no doubt driving dad's truck. It got really stuck. I hope her dad doesn't see this!

This picture should give a pretty good idea just how deep the mud was.

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This Toyota has 38 inch gumbo mudders and the motor has been beefed up. I have seen him pound this truck senseless for at least five years, but here it finally spun a bearing.

I know I'm a self professed ford man, but this truck is the only one that actually shook the ground under my feet, and he only has $500 into the build. I will be doing a feature post on this truck coming soon.

This Suzuki had amazing traction and would have been a great performer, but it just ran out of power and would not even turn the tires.

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Even the host had to hook his own chain.

Perfect weather, good people, and medbogging, what could be better. The only thing missing was our truck, which sits pathetically in the grass, just waiting for me to find the time to finish it. Maybe next time. Happy mudding.

Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge

This is an area where passions run deep, and near fist fights can be a result of an offhand remark about someones truck. I personally lean towards Ford products, but I also believe that if someone wants to run an Isuzu Trooper, then that is their right.
That being said, let me explain my own tendencies, before showing what I think are real world statistics. When I was in high school, muscle cars were all I ever thought about, when I wasn't thinking about girls that is, but you get the picture. Anyway, Camaros, Novas, Chevelles, etc. were the cars that I thought were best. I've owned a 1972 Nova, a 1973 Malibu, a 1976 Monte Carlo, a 1976 Malibu, and a 1973 Impala, not to mention various Buicks, Pontiacs, and Oldsmobiles. For a few years after graduation, about 10 to be exact, the Chevy bias stayed with me , and followed me into four wheeling. Then I started to see which trucks actually held up better in the rough stuff. Chevys with 10 bolt rear axles fared the worst, and when they are matched up against anything bigger than 35 inch all terrains, they give up, almost without a fight. The 12 bolt doesn't seem to be a lot more forgiving, although in the years that Chevy used a Dana 44 in the front, they did a little better than the 12 bolt.
Dodges, as far as I know, ran their own rear axle in 1/2 ton trucks, and they actually seem to hold together better than the 12 bolt in the Chevy. All three trucks ran Dana 44s in the front, and up until 1980, they were all plagued by weak long side axles. In 1980 Ford started running the TTB front axle, and I have seen them stand up to incredible abuse. To me, for the money, you can't find a tougher front axle from a 1/2 ton. Early to mid eighties Fords can be bought for a song, and if you happen to get one with the 8.8 inch rear, you can run it till it breaks, then upgrade to a 9 incher.
Don't get me wrong here, any truck you can afford and you are happy with, is the truck for you, but I think best bang for your buck comes from the Ford camp.
Ford 3/4 ton trucks made form 80 to 97, and this applies to some newer and older trucks, came with Sterling 10.25, Dana 60, or a Dana 70 rear axle, with some 1 ton trucks coming through with a Dana 80 rear axle, but the most common axle seems to be the sterling 10.25 and 10.5. These axles run cheaper than Dana 60s or a corporate 14 bolt axle. Now consider the sizes of these axles. The Dana 60 has a 9.75" ring gear, and the pinion shaft is 1.626" with 29 splines. The 14 bolt is bigger with a 10.5 inch ring gear and a 1.75 30 spline pinion shaft. A Sterling has either a 10.25 or 10.5 inch ring gear with a 1.94" 31 spline pinion shaft. Aftermarket gear sets run pretty close between all of the bigger axles. The king of cheap in aftermarket upgrades is by far the Ford 9 inch.
While even a Dana 44 can be made nearly bulletproof, the money you have to spend on axles, u-joints and fears, not to mention the cost of axle housing upgrades, and you still have the small brakes and a semi-floating axle. I don't think it to be out of line to take a junkyard axle, put it in your truck, change the oil, and go mudding. If it makes you feel better to rebuild the whole thing, then do it, but I'm going to save as much money as I can to buy other things I think are more important, like oil and gas... and beer.
While Chevy is certainly very simple in the motor swap areas, Ford, and Dodge for that matter, is only a little more complicated. Its true you can bolt a 454 to a transmission that once held a 4.3 litre v6, but will that tranny hold up to the abuse? So it seems harder on Ford because you can't put a 460 where a 302 came out of without changing to a different transmission, but really, the same could be said for Chevy or Dodge.
What a lot of people don't know is that even on Chevy, the differences in bell housing inside dimensions can be very frustrating. Another thing to consider is internal or external balancing, as this will affect what flywheel to use. The differences between exhaust manifolds, rear oil seals and alternator and power steering brackets, as well as different water pumps, can take away any engine swap advantage Chevy has. I really can't see where Chevy is better than any other truck.
Stock horsepower figures for Ford engines generally run higher for comparable engines, but it;s the torque that we are interested in. A 5.8 has about 310 lbs , and a 5.7 has about 300, but the 5.7 torque peak comes a lot higher in the power band. Other engines have similar comparisons. The hp specs for a Dodge can be a little hard to find, but early in the eighties, these trucks were known as dogs, but by the mid nineties, the small blocks started to make good power, in the area of 260 horse for a 5.9.
As far as my own observations, the 5.0 Ford is probably the toughest v8 engine I have ever seen. I have seen them run almost dry of oil, so much so that they squeaked, and all that was done to this particular engine was to put in 4 quarts of oil, and head on our merry way. That truck was still running when I sold it 2 years later, and had been run out of oil at least 4 times.
I know it would have been fairly easy to replace a valve cover gasket, but you know a mechanics rig is the most neglected.
To me a stock 350 is a slug, that has never lived up to the hype. A 305 is a tougher engine that makes only a little less power, and near the same torque. Sure a lot can be done to a sbc for cheaper than any other engine, but who wants to start at a disadvantage, when the point is to get mudding.
When it comes time to modify your engine, you are at a real advantage with a sbc, but a small Fords, or even a small Dodge for that matter can be built for only a little more. I guess if you are just going to throw money at your truck, then it really doesn't matter what brand you have. To me the point is to have fun without breaking the bank.
A friend of mine built his truck for 500.00 dollars, not counting tires that he already owned. It is a 1989 f250 with a 460 automatic. I will be doing a whole article on this truck soon.The point is that he built an extreme performing truck that has no trouble roasting 40 inch tires, for about the cost of one paycheck.
I am not trying to make Chevy owners feel defensive about their trucks, I am just putting forth my own 2 cents, and in my experience, the Ford just hold together longer, perform better, and can just stand up to more abuse than Dodge or Chevy.
Do I think that I can change any one's mind about their ride? About as much as I think someone could change mine.
The whole Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge thing is very important to our sport. Good natured ribbing is all part of the fun, and I think it would be less fun without it. The bottom line is that it is about the camaraderie and the chance to have real fun without hurting anyone.
Have fun and tell me what you think.
Happy Mudding.

Rookies

So you've never been mud bogging before? Well, if it is something that interests you, then by all means, buy an old beater four wheel drive truck, and head for the local mud hole. The shortcomings of a stock truck will quickly become evident, but the fun factor is still there.

I have decided to give some pointers, aimed at giving a rookie more bang for his buck.

Lets start with simple truck modification that can be done on a budget, and will match your experience level. I don't think that some one who has never been in a mud hole hole will be any better off in a truck with 44 inch tires and 400 horsepower, because the experience will not be there. Beside that point, if you start off small and build your truck yourself, you will be better equipped to troubleshoot and repair your rig when the inevitable breakdown happens.

The first thing you will want to do is to make sure that all of the trucks(or jeep or suv etc.) various systems are in decent shape. Namely the motor, transmission, transfer case, and front and rear axle. These includes peripherals like motor and tranny mounts and springs and shocks. Check the oil in every thing and make sure it is topped off with the recommended fluids. The cooling system is something that should never be overlooked or the importance of it underestimated. Some kind of working fan is a must, and make sure your belts and hoses are in good condition. If in doubt, replace them. It eats up alot of good time dealing with a blown radiator hose, when it could have been prevented.

Waterproofing is very important and can be a study in itself. Start with raising the axle and transmission vents to a higher position in the chassis. Make sure air intake hose clamps are tight on fuel injected rigs, and you should never ever run without an air cleaner. Consider snorkeling the air intake. Obviously if this is your daily driver then some of these suggestions you will have to pass on, but never ever run without your air cleaner.

A little grease around the distributor cap helps keep out water, but avoid silicone here, as it will make it almost impossible to remove your cap. Some kind of boot for the cap will also be beneficial. Cool water on a hot distributor cap will cause condensation inside the cap, even if the cap is sealed. This is where you should never be without wd-40. It is an excellent moisture displacer, and works wonders on a stalled engine.

On fuel injected engines, all sensor connectors should be sealed with dielectric grease, as well as any harness connectors. This step would not be wasted time on a non fuel injected vehicle either.

It might seem obvious, but a good sealing gas cap is also a must. Dirt in the fuel system can be devastating.

Enough can't be said about waterproofing, so take your time. and your efforts will be well rewarded.

Good tire are a must. Get the best you can afford, and will work well with your truck. 38 inch tires on a stock truck just don't work. For mild off roading and trail riding, 33 inchers will work great, but if they are all your budget will allow, then use them. Keep an eye on local classified ads, as well as online ads and auctions. Some super deals on used tires can be found there.

35 inch tires and larger simply will not fit on most stock vehicles, so if you want to go larger than that, it is time to consider a lift or fender cutting, or a combination of the two.

I personally think that fender hacking is the way to go, as this is the cheapest option, but it also retains the factory drive line geometry. The factory spent millions of dollars designing a truck, and the stock drive line angles work very well. When it is time to lift your truck, either buy from a reputable lift manufacturer,or do some homework. The time and money will save alot of heart break when your truck wont track straight, bump steers like crazy, and the u-joints bind in every hole.

Take your time, and pay attention to detail. Your efforts will repay you with a truck that is more reliable, and you can spend more time driving than fixing.

Steering components are another thing that should be checked on a regular basis, as they are under extreme stress from larger tires and aggressive driving. The same holds true for ball joints and wheel bearings. Wash your truck after a weekend in the mud, and do a visual inspection of all the things mentioned before. If you see a seal leaking, or a cv boot ripped,THEN FIX IT! A little effort spent now will pay back big time later.

Obviously, a pretty truck doesnt necesarily make it a hero in the mud. How good you want your truck to look is a personal thing, but not important to performance. Rust is not something to worry about, unless it becomes a safety issue. If your door wont stay on the vehicle, it could become a hazard. I generally repair rust holes with a sheetmetal patch welded or riveted on, and then spraypainted, because I like to keep the mud out of the inside of the truck as much as possible.

The point is it don't have to be pretty to perform, which is why money is better spent on the driveline, as this is the important part.

So get a truck, and start building. It can be an extremely expensive sport, but it doesn't have to be. I will continue with this next time.

Happy mudding.