Best Setup for Mud on 5th Gen

[KY 4Runner]

I am fairly new here and see a quite a few awesome builds here, but they seem to be more in line with rocks. I have a 2015 SR5P and it is my first vehicle to have traction control. My last truck was a 2002 1500 with locker and 285 TrXus tires.

Where I live and hunt is where the Ohio and Mississippi River converge. Lots of silty mud, with disc corn and bean fields. No rock climbing, there is some hills but it is still all mud.

My question is what is the best setup, tire sizes, lift, and traction control setting for handling the slick mud and sometimes without a bottom.

My last truck handled it perfectly fine, just have to keep on the throttle in some of the larger fields.

Thank you for your help.

 

[1engineer]

Don't put in in low range.
Get some mud tires.
Air down.
Turn VSC off.
ATRAC will be your friend.

That's pretty much it. A lift won't help. Different wheels won't help. You don't put it in low range because that only gives you more torque. If you already have traction problems then more torque won't help. ATRAC will help get you through the slick stuff but if you become stuck, you are stuck.

 

[KY 4Runner]

Only time I use low range is for pulling duck blinds and huge trailers around the farm, when the extra torque is needed.
I will probably get KM2's. The TrXus are great and I get about 40-45K out of set (on set #3) right now, but they are just so damn heavy.
I have had many other full-size trucks without TC and it was more manual throttle and break manipulation to keep moving.
I just didn't know if ATRAC would try to keep breaking the spinning wheels and prematurely wear the brake pads

 

[4runnin4mylife]

I will probably get the KM2's.

Have you ever looked at the Goodyear Wrangler MTR's? They have been an awesome mud tire for me in the past. They are pricey, but worth every penny in my opinion!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[tutawted]

get a locker or two...

 

[KY 4Runner]

My only experience with the MTR's is in an F-350 and they did good except on such a heavy truck only had about a 20k life expectancy. How long did yours last?

 

[KY 4Runner]

I wish I could right now. Hopefully one day when my kid gets out of daycare.

 

[1engineer]

I wish I could right now. Hopefully one day when my kid gets out of daycare.

Haha expenses don't really start til your children get out of daycare!

 

[Antman]

Haha expenses don't really start til your children get out of daycare!

HA! I remember when you told me that about 5 years ago and I really didn't believe you.

Yeah. You were definitely correct- as usual.:yield:

 

[KY 4Runner]

HA! I remember when you told me that about 5 years ago and I really didn't believe you.

Yeah. You were definitely correct- as usual.:yield:

Damn don't say that, my truck will never get built. Haha. One piece at a time I guess.

 

[4runnin4mylife]

My only experience with the MTR's is in an F-350 and they did good except on such a heavy truck only had about a 20k life expectancy. How long did yours last?

I ran MTR's on a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 crew cab and got 45,000 miles out of them. I kept buying them until I got my new 4Runner. 2 friends run them on their 4Runner's and they both got 40,000 and 45,000 miles on their first set. They both said they will keep buying them because they love em!

I do know where you are coming from on the weight issue of an F-350. My dad's friend had F-250 and bought some since I had praised them so much and his ran to 30,000 miles. Weight is definitely an issue with tire wear but seem to be more so on the MTR's.

As far as a 4Runner with MTR's you definitely won't be disappointed!

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[KY 4Runner]

I ran MTR's on a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 crew cab and got 45,000 miles out of them. I kept buying them until I got my new 4Runner. 2 friends run them on their 4Runner's and they both got 40,000 and 45,000 miles on their first set. They both said they will keep buying them because they love em!

I do know where you are coming from on the weight issue of an F-350. My dad's friend had F-250 and bought some since I had praised them so much and his ran to 30,000 miles. Weight is definitely an issue with tire wear but seem to be more so on the MTR's.

As far as a 4Runner with MTR's you definitely won't be disappointed!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

Thanks for the info. I may give those a try when the stock ones wear out.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Don't put in in low range.
Get some mud tires.
Air down.
Turn VSC off.
ATRAC will be your friend.

That's pretty much it. A lift won't help. Different wheels won't help. You don't put it in low range because that only gives you more torque. If you already have traction problems then more torque won't help. ATRAC will help get you through the slick stuff but if you become stuck, you are stuck.

Hey now!

I was just bout to suggest a 6" bracket lift, some 9" wide wheels, 37~39" heavy duty mud slogger tires, and of course some good 'ol Pam to coat the underside of that extra low-friction coefficient!

Thanks for ruining my suggestion party pooper!:jump:

 

[Jono.ful]

Don't put in in low range.
Get some mud tires.
Air down.
Turn VSC off.
ATRAC will be your friend.

That's pretty much it. A lift won't help. Different wheels won't help. You don't put it in low range because that only gives you more torque. If you already have traction problems then more torque won't help. ATRAC will help get you through the slick stuff but if you become stuck, you are stuck.

A-Trac doesn't work in 4-Hi without cutting wires, and, speaking from experience, it overheats surprisingly quickly in thick mud.

@op - you've seen mud trucks before. increase your ground clearance as much as you can afford and get some tall tires with a proper pattern(*). this thing will never be as capable in the mud as a properly built bogger. there is no replacement for displacement.



(*) I have MTR's as well, they're a good tire, and haven't let me down with the mostly cross country wheeling we do around here, but they do not compare to super swampers in the thick and sticky

 

[KY 4Runner]

A-Trac doesn't work in 4-Hi without cutting wires, and, speaking from experience, it overheats surprisingly quickly in thick mud.

@op - you've seen mud trucks before. increase your ground clearance as much as you can afford and get some tall tires with a proper pattern(*). this thing will never be as capable in the mud as a properly built bogger. there is no replacement for displacement.



(*) I have MTR's as well, they're a good tire, and haven't let me down with the mostly cross country wheeling we do around here, but they do not compare to super swampers in the thick and sticky

So I wouldn't be using A-Trac. If I just put it in 4wd it wont let the tires spin and cuts the power. So I should hit the button once or hold it to turn everything off?
I wish I had a dedicated bogger. I do have a Grizzly 550 and Polaris Ranger 700 when it gets so bad that we can't get the trucks down the roads.

 

[Jetboy]

I would take a good look at the IROK ND's or even some small size TSLs for a 2nd set of wheels/tires and then put highway tires on the rest of the year. There is a 33 / 9.5 / 17 size of TSL SXII that would be about as aggressive as you can buy for a mud tire that fits. You're going to be limited in tire width due to the front body mounts unless you're willing to chop them.

I tend to like 4 low for mud - in part because I have a rear locker that only works in 4 low, but also the throttle response is different and the more instant tire spin can be useful at times. The gear reduction isn't necessary. It's the electronic stuff that changes.

If you want to spend the $, locking differentials are going to be the best performance for your dollar after a good set of mud tires. And a winch would be a close second in my book.

The other things you can do is shed weight. Remove the rear seats, get rid of all the unnecessary stuff you can. You could probably strip 500lbs or more if you really go crazy. It kinda depends on how extreme you want to go.

 

[Ron4RNevada]

A-trac is always on in 2h or 4h - you have to switch it on in 4l.

 

[jtc44]

So I should hit the button once or hold it to turn everything off?

Push the button ONCE to turn off ONLY the traction control (tires can spin in a straight line, but VSC will intervene when sideways slipping is detected.)

Hold the button for THREE SECONDS to turn off ALL VSC features. Let's call it OSDM (Old School Doughnut Mode.) [emoji106]

 

[KY 4Runner]

I wish some could make a custom OSDM (Old School Doughnut Mode) switch to replace the traction control button. I would buy that.

 

[3wbdriver]

So I wouldn't be using A-Trac. If I just put it in 4wd it wont let the tires spin and cuts the power. So I should hit the button once or hold it to turn everything off?

To disengage VSC you want to press and hold the button for 10 seconds IIRC. VSC uses a form of A-trac braking as well as choking the engine down if it detects wheel spin or high side G loading. One way to verify the difference for yourself is to go to a flat dry dirt area like a dirt parking lot, preferably with a little dusting of light gravel. Try to do a donut from a standing stop. The VSC might allow you to do about a 1/2 turn before it noticeably shuts you down. Then do it with the VSC shut off. You can do donuts for days or until you get uncomfortable.

I personally do use 4lo when driving in mud. But I hit it in high gear and try to use momentum to keep me moving. I've hit too many things that want to go bump in the mud to want to drive through it very fast. Of course I've posted more stuck pictures than anyone else I've seen in the past couple years, so your mileage may vary.....