Track Width

[java]

Question for all the bigger camper guys. What's your track width and does it match front to rear?

I'm running into issues with either having to space the front end way out to match the rear or tuck the rear tires way in.

IMO matching is ideal, the sand/snow etc is packed by the front wheels and the rear follows in the tracks, but is it as big of a deal as I am thinking?

TIA!

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[Ozrockrat]

Having them match also helps a lot with the 2 wheel rut type tracks. If they are offset they tend to walk side to side ( sort of like a boat chinewalking). No where near as bad dual wheels but still a bit of a PITA.

One other major advantage is just picking your way through rocks etc. where the front wheels go the rear follow which reduces amount of sidewall exposure.

 

[java]

Having them match also helps a lot with the 2 wheel rut type tracks. If they are offset they tend to walk side to side ( sort of like a boat chinewalking). No where near as bad dual wheels but still a bit of a PITA.

One other major advantage is just picking your way through rocks etc. where the front wheels go the rear follow which reduces amount of sidewall exposure.

Hmmmm I do feel the walking with duals, if it's no worse I could live with that.

My biggest concern is snow, having that back wheel track in the packed track is very very helpful.

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[TernOverland]

I think it is a situation best avoided for this reason: Getting through mud and snow depends on directional stability. If you have directional stability you can use more power and maintain more momentum. Having an unmatched track definitely creates directional instability in soft stuff. When the truck starts to go sideways, it forces you to back out of the gas, giving up precious momentum. This is especially felt trying to get around corners or curves. This is one of the major issues I have with wide tires too. The longer narrower contact patch of a skinny tire tracks straighter.
Straight tracking often trumps pure traction when your forward movement is hanging by a thread. If you look at the tracks left by trucks that have to turn back, it often ends with the truck sideways or in the ditch, even with big mudder tires. They aren't stopped by lack of traction. They are stopped because they cannot control the power and traction they have to maintain a straight line. This has been my observation anyway.

 

[java]

I think it is a situation best avoided for this reason: Getting through mud and snow depends on directional stability. If you have directional stability you can use more power and maintain more momentum. Having an unmatched track definitely creates directional instability in soft stuff. When the truck starts to go sideways, it forces you to back out of the gas, giving up precious momentum. This is especially felt trying to get around corners or curves. This is one of the major issues I have with wide tires too. The longer narrower contact patch of a skinny tire tracks straighter.
Straight tracking often trumps pure traction when your forward movement is hanging by a thread. If you look at the tracks left by trucks that have to turn back, it often ends with the truck sideways or in the ditch, even with big mudder tires. They aren't stopped by lack of traction. They are stopped because they cannot control the power and traction they have to maintain a straight line. This has been my observation anyway.

The instability your speaking of, is that from the rear tires climbing in and out of the ruts created by the fronts? Interesting point.

In my case it looks like the rear would be ~3" wider per side.

 

[TernOverland]

Yes. If your rear tires could track exactly behind the fronts, it would not be a big issue. The reality is that your rear will be pushed back and forth TRYING to track behind the front, pushing the truck off line. Then you correct the wheel, loosing a bit of traction in the front, and the process builds on itself till you back out of the gas. I'm sure you have driven in enough snow or mud to know how tenuous traction can be. Getting through is often a matter of finesse.

 

[java]

Yes. If your rear tires could track exactly behind the fronts, it would not be a big issue. The reality is that your rear will be pushed back and forth TRYING to track behind the front, pushing the truck off line. Then you correct the wheel, loosing a bit of traction in the front, and the process builds on itself till you back out of the gas. I'm sure you have driven in enough snow or mud to know how tenuous traction can be. Getting through is often a matter of finesse.

Yes, just wanted to make sure I understood what you were saying.

I do agree, but I wonder if it makes that much difference to be creating a 20% wider tread pattern in the rear, 80% of the tire would be in the "packed" path of the front. Take a corner for example, the tires do not track perfectly in the same path.

I do see they would be trying to climb in/out of the track, but being a small amount off I dont know how much realistic difference it would make. In thick mud more, fluffy snow, less, but its hard to say how much. I already drive a truck with dualies, I cant be any worse than that (it does hunt around in slush and mud)

 

[Ozrockrat]

I am happy with a bit of offset just so I can get away from situations like these.

 

[java]

But the Mud Turds are most excellent!

I bet that makes for a heavy wheel and tire combo....

 

[Ozrockrat]

Yeah you need to clean them out before any road work otherwise it shakes like a dog crapping razor blades.

A bigger problem is any rocks or sticks that get pushed in with the mud. They can work their way through the sidewalks.