In a message dated 6/29/01 2:04:43 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
konacoffee2@hotmail.com writes:
> Are big FAT tires really better for off roading or is it just a myth that
> the Wider the tires, the longer the equipment of the operator. I'm a big
>
To answer a part of your multi-part question, here goes.
I used to make coffee money during duck season here in the expansive and flat
"Central Valley" of California. The scenario is as follows. Somebody
(characterized as words that mean urban dweller by the locals) would pull off
of the gravel road onto a flat equipment parking area adjacent to a rice
field. The vehicle would stay for the night, and the occupants would hunt
ducks in the morning. Weather conditions for optimum duck hunting include
weather in the drizzle or raining category. These fine followers of Nimrod
would finish duck hunting and attempt to drive to town for breakfast by about
9:00 AM. The classic vehicle for this is an American pickup 3/4 or 1 ton,
with very wide tires, and a camper on the back. Combined with the weight and
slippery conditions, they'd cease to move after about 40 feet. About 10:00
AM we would drive out to the fields on the ranch, and cruise until we found
such a catastrophe. We'd offer to pull them out and they'd laugh. We'd offer
to try and if we succeeded, they'd pay twenty bucks, if we failed, no harm no
foul. On acceptance, we'd back up to within about 15 feet of them, and hook
up with a 5/8 inch chain, and tow them out. the only secret was to have pizza
cutter tires, on our 1/2 ton, one wheel drive ranch trucks. Some of our
trucks had positraction actually, but not most. Before the hazards of
breaking chains flood the list, there was no jerking involved, and pretty low
stress really. You'll remember we spent a deal of time pulling out
Caterpillar tractors as well, just not with our pickups. I'd say we knew what
we were doing.
Experience helps a lot
Narrow tires probably not a great help in desert sand though. That's not very
prevalent here. I'd say that wide tires help you get chicks (of a type that
won't help fix flats), float across desert sand, and help avoid packing a
heavy wallet.
Zack
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Fri Jun 29 2001 - 18:12:03 EDT