Thought this thread would be best under off roading and not general care and detailing, because theirs nothing general about it. (but for rockpick, if you deside otherwise, have at it)

How do you guys clean up your trucks after a good round of mudding? I climbed underneath my truck with a pressure washer and went at it for a good hour! And I STILL have mud in the nooks and cranny's and so forth.

Some tips on the enginge and overall undercarage, including the brakes and so forth would be great from you veteran mudders.

Also is there anyway to keep the engine at least a little more clean when doing this? Some guards underneath or something. My engine was so bad last time my alltenator had gunk all in it and failed to work until I pulled it out, dismantled it a completley cleaned it out!

I would also like to take a moment to brag that my 2WD F150 kept up with a lifted Jeep with mud tires when we went mudding the other day through some nasty stuff. He was suprised when he made it through some of the stuff he went through, let alone me right there behind him! Just keep the momentum up and try not to get stuck!

 

well.. before I go to the bog in, I spray a mist of diesel fuel on the frame and running gear (NOT the motor )with a bug sprayer.
I use a good rotateing sprinkler under it for 2 hours or so (moving it every 30 mintes), then I hit it with some purple power soap and the steam cleaner.

 

When you use the soap do you just climb under there and wash it by hand? or do you use a sprayer or something?

Do you do anything special with the brakes and rotors and stuff?

And yea, I need to get a steam cleaner so I can clean the engine real good. But is there anything you know about keeping as much mud as possible out of the engine?

 

I go to the power wash and get most of it off. Then a sprinkler under the truck for a ½ day. Move it around so it sprays every where. For the brakes I take the rear disk off and clean and lube the parking brake internals. They get caked and stick. It reduces gas milage when running with the parking brake on.

JMC

 

Thanks, anybody else?

How bout the engine, keeping the mud out as much as possible while mudding?

 

There is no easy way to keep it out of the engine compartment. IYou have to allow the flow of air through the radiator to keep things cool. Just wash it off asap after you play.

JMC

 

When i used to play in the mud with my bronco, i used to wash the worst of by driving through the edge of a small pond. it was only 2' deep in the middle and was mainly gravel and rock. After a couple of slow drives in the middle and some fast one at the edge and it was very clean. I then used a hose at home in the front yard and washed out everything else. I repacked the wheel bearing and checked the fluids for water.

 

I run through water puddles after minor mudding, but that dosnt do much when the whole undercarage is caked with mud after some nasty stuff.

It looks to me that most of the mud that gets into the engine is coming up from in front of the belts, behind the radiator. There is a small black plastic guard down there and I was just wondering if anybody has done anything like put a bigger one that keeps more mud out. Kinda like Jeeps or something, they are made more to keep that kind of stuff out.

And thanks for all the replies, I'll have to try the sprinkler for the next time I go out.

 

one way to keep some mud out is to take a thick sheet of rubber about 3' x 2.5' and hang it from the front bumper between the wheels. I did it with my jeep and many mud drag racers do it. this will keep much of the mud from splashing into the engine compartment. It is only good to do in mud going forward.... but it is effective

 

I've seen a lot of the mud racers spray everything down with a pretty good mist of baby oil. They say the mud just slides right off. Especially on the body and frame rails. I've also seem some guys use cans of tire foam before hand to help the stuff fall off easier. These are only good for the places that get coated and thats about it. Most guys I know just stop at the local car wash on the way home and make some really unhappy convienience store attendants.

 

Thats what I've done so far, I just do it at like 1 in the morning.

I'm going to have to try some baby oil if I go out again. However i'm thinking of quiting mudding. It really can put a toll on your truck, garnishing the engine and the rest of the truck. Not to mention all the other damages that can be caused to the truck!

But again thanks guys

 

I did the sprinkler bit and that helped but wow the motor was covered. That is gonna take some serious hand work. I was shocked how many crevices just get packed with mud. 8 hours yesterday and my truck is just starting to get back to where it should be.