T.T.O.R.A. Minnesota Chapter

I. Get waiver signed and explain the purpose.

II. Planning a Trail Ride

a. Pre run the trails!!! You and/or your trail leader(s) should prerun any trails where you're
planning on leading a group.
b. When planning a trail ride, publish a recommended equipment list. Should include CB
Radio, Tow Hooks, Tow Strap w/o metal hooks, Fire Extinguisher, Good Tread.
c. Also specify the difficulty rating and the rating base (1-10, 1-5)
d. Include whether technical sections have bypasses.
e. Restrictions (short wheel base, lockers)
f. Damage probability (pin striping, body damage)
g. General Terrain (Mud, Rocks, Hills, Deep Water)

III. Safety Issues

a. NO ALCOHOL WHILE ON THE TRAIL!!! Consumption of alcohol on the trail will result
in immediate revokation of membership privileges! There will be no second chances and
NO EXCEPTIONS! End of discussion.
b. Now is the time to consider whether any of your fluids are low. Got enough power
steering fluid? Enough oil? Enough coolant? How about windshield washer fluid? Have
your brakes been checked fairly recently, or might you need to replace the pads/shoes? If
you're traveling in a group at night, it's worth checking your taillights. Even alone at night you
want headlights and reversing lights that work.
c. First Aid Kit? Fire Extinguisher?
d. SEATBELTS!!! Encourage your people to always wear their seatbelts!
e. Make sure the Trail Leader always knows who has the back door. This can change during
the day, be sure the Trail Leader knows who his Tail Gunner is! Trail Leader and Tail Gunner
MUST be equipped with CB radios!!!

IV. Trail Ettiquete

a. Probality of encountering other traffic.
b. Right of way, generally whoever has the more difficult direction has the right of way,
meaning if you encounter traffic on a hill the up hill driver should get right of way.
c. Maintain the attitude that you will leave with MORE than you came with. NO
LITTERING. Please take you trash with you. Do not throw your cigarettes out of your
vehicle.

V. Before we hit the trails

a. Review Trail Etiquette
b. Review Difficulty Rating and optional bypass availability
c. Does everyone have off road experience, if not review driving techniques such as the
difference between 4lo and 4hi, compression braking and anything else relevant to the
terrain.
d. Review that there is no such thing as off road driving without risk.
e. Explain the purpose of NEVER losing site of the truck behind you, paying attention to
the trail guide, and not being afraid to ask for spotting help.

Ratings Used at Moab, Utah:

1: All weather road; 4WD not needed.

1-1/2: Graded road; 4WD may be needed in poor weather.

2: Unimproved or rarely graded road. 4WD or extra clearance needed at times, with
no special driving skills required.

2-1/2: Road rarely maintained, 4WD, good clearance, low gears often needed, with
some extra care and a bit of driving experience useful.

3: Road in difficult terrain, rarely maintained, 4WD, good clearance, and low gears
essential, with some driving skill and daring required.

3-1/2: Road in difficult terrain, probably maintained only by occasional users.
Excellent stock truck or utility vehicle required, with considerable driving skill and
daring needed.

4: Trail either never bladed or badly eroded. Stock vehicles are in jeopardy.
Modifications for improved off-road performance and top driving skills needed.

4 +: We can hardly improve on the original description written a few years ago by
Jack Bickers: "with driving by World Class Yahoo Jeepers not much concerned with
vehicle durability or personal safety." It is common to have as many as 10 percent of
the vehicles experience major mechanical failures (gears, axles, drive shafts) on
these trails.

Another Set of Trail Difficulty Ratings:

a. 2WD

1.0 All-weather high speed paved or graded dirt or gravel road, regularly
maintained, with excellent drainage. 4WD not needed, even in wet weather. Speeds
of over 40 mph can be achieved. Passenger cars acceptable.

1.5 Maintained graded dirt road. 4WD not needed except in wet weather. May have
potholes, dips, and sharp curves. May drain poorly in wet weather. Speeds of over 10
mph possible. Passenger cars can do, but will have to slow down considerably on
washouts, etc., due to lack of ground clearance. No grades over 10 degrees.

b. EASY 4WD:

2.0 Unimproved or rarely graded dirt road; 4WD and/or extra clearance occasionally
needed at times, with no special driving skills required. Passenger cars NOT
acceptable, due to insufficient ground clearance. 2WD & 4WD trucks with stock
clearance are acceptable. Street tires are acceptable. Day runs are typically 20 miles
in length.

2.5 Dirt road graded rarely, if ever. 4WD low range and good clearance often
needed, with some extra care and a bit of driving experience useful. Suitable for
novice drivers. Speeds often under 10 mph. Street tires are acceptable. 2WD trucks
NOT acceptable, due to lack of low range gears. No grades over 20 degrees.

c. MODERATE 4WD:

3.0 Ungraded road in difficult terrain, rarely maintained. 4WD low range and
clearance required, with some driving skill and daring useful. Challenges for novice
driver. Suitable for stock 4WD vehicles. Street tires are not recommended. No 2WD
vehicles due to lack of traction. Speeds often under 5 MPH.

3.5 Road or trail in difficult terrain, probably maintained only by occasional users.
Considerable driving skill and daring needed. Not recommended for the novice
driver. Surface may include wash beds, sand, cinders, lava rock, snow, mud, water,
etc. Vehicles with long front or rear overhang (beyond the axles) may scrape front or
rear bumpers on wash crossings, etc. Street tires not acceptable. Approaching the
limit of what a capable stock 4WD vehicle (with capable driver) can do. Stock 4WD
vehicles usually not recommended. Upgrade to 31" tires, mild lift (1" or 2"), and rear
locker or limited slip is highly desirable. Equipment failure is usually limited to flat
tires. Grades may exceed 20 degrees. Occasional off camber situation may exceed 20
degrees. Water crossings should be 2 feet or less in depth. Spotting may be required
on the more difficult sections, especially for long, wide vehicles. Average speed is 3
mph. A day run is typically around 10 miles in length. This is the most common
numerical rating given to 4WD trails. Suitable for mildly modified 4WD vehicles &
moderately experienced drivers.

d. HARD 4WD:

4.0 Trail badly eroded. Off camber situations likely and may exceed 25 degrees.
Grades may exceed 25 degrees. Water crossings can exceed 2 feet in depth. Stock
vehicles NOT recommended. 31" tires minimum, (33" preferred), mild lift & hard
locker, (not limited slip), in the rear probably required. Front locker or limited slip
recommended. Speeds often under 3 mph. Spotting probably required on the more
difficult obstacles to avoid body damage. Recommended for experienced 4WD
drivers only. Body damage possible, but unlikely. More likely on long, and/or wide
vehicles. Equipment failure possible, but unlikely.

4.5 Trail is TOUGH. Big rocks, grades exceeding 30 degrees. Off camber situations
exceeding 30 degrees. Sometimes, but not always, best suited for short wheel base
vehicles. (under 105" wheelbase) 33" tires minimum, (35" or larger preferred). 2" to
4" of lift and gearing of 40 to 1 (20 to 1 for automatics) or lower in first gear, low
range probably required. Hard locker in the rear and limited slip or hard locker in
the front probably required. Speeds often under 1 mph. A day run will usually be
1-3 miles in length. Body damage likely, but usually can be avoided by very careful
driving and good spotting. Typically 10% of the vehicles on these runs will experience
major mechanical failure, i.e., drive line or steering failure. (u-joints, axles, pitman
arm, drag link, tie rods, etc.) Usually, but not always, these failures are due to
improper and insufficiently tested vehicle modifications or poor (sloppy) driving
technique. (Too much gas or steering pressure) An experienced driver with a properly
setup vehicle can usually avoid most breakage.

5.0 Trail CANNOT be driven the whole way. Winching is required in at least one point
on the trail. Water crossings may exceed 2-? feet in depth. Grades exceeding 40
degrees. The biggest rocks with off camber situations exceeding 35 degrees.
Rollovers possible. Usually only suitable for short wheel base vehicles (under 105"
wheelbase), winch, 33" minimum tires, (35" or larger preferred), 3" to 5" of lift,
gearing of 60 to 1 (30 to 1 for automatics) or lower in first gear, low range, and
hard locker in both front and rear axles probably required. Axle upgrades highly
recommended. Speed continuously under one mph. A day run is typically one mile in
length. These trails are typically very hard on tires. One spare probably required,
two spares recommended. Plug kit and/or tubes recommended. Tires with sufficient
sidewall protection (Boggers, Swampers, etc.) recommended. 50% or greater chance
of body damage. 50% or greater chance of major mechanical failure. Breakage is
usually due to excessive torque or torque spikes on axles or steering components.
Only world class, experienced (5 years +) drivers with extra money, parts & energy to
repair broken vehicles need apply.