Getting Stuck & How You Got Out??

[spyware3411]

So I am working on my thesis project and am trying to obtain some research. I am looking into self-recovery devices that could be used/stored within the driver's vehicle(aside from a winch system).

What kind of situations have you been in where your vehicle has been mildly stuck(mud/sand/snow)? Stuck enough that you could not simply drive it out of the situation, but not catastrophically stuck to the point where you needed a 2-ton truck or winch system to pull you out.

How were you able to get out?

Did you resort to any alternative methods?
-I have found products such as the Maxtrax (maxtrax.com.au/) and air bags/sand tracks. Has anybody used any of these products? What are your thoughts about them? What works well/does't work?

I am curious as to what other techniques people have used to relieve their stuck car, and how well they worked? (ie. Sticks, carpet, shovel, 2x10 plank, come-along, tow straps, kitty litter...)

As well as, what type of tools do/should the mild adventurist keep in their trunk?

Lastly, have you ever been in a situation where you could not use your car jack? Why? (uneven ground, in mud, sand, needed more surface area for base?)

Please, any and all information is welcome! Thank you very much for your time and responses!

 

[22re]

I have used nothing besides the usual, come a long, winch, shovel, hi lift jack to act as come a long, my buddies rigs, chains, straps, even peices of wood/rocks to jam under tires. And as far as what to carry when going out to be prepared? I try and follow a list close to the ones in this thread http://m.yotatech.com/showthread.php?t=128138
There are more threads i know of in wich contain more info on that but thats just the one i really like. Hope thats what your looking for!

 

[22re]

Oh and one of the most important recovery tools, a female companion always helps, for when your REALLY "stuck"

 

[spyware3411]

I have used nothing besides the usual, come a long, winch, shovel, hi lift jack to act as come a long, my buddies rigs, chains, straps, even peices of wood/rocks to jam under tires. And as far as what to carry when going out to be prepared? I try and follow a list close to the ones in this thread http://m.yotatech.com/showthread.php?t=128138

Thank you very much! That's definitely helpful. Keep them coming!

 

[Tapage]

hi lift can help there .. slow but it does the job ..

 

[80t0ylc]

Years ago, before I could afford a 4x4 rig I had a Datsun 2WD pickup as my camping-get away-rig. This was back in the 1970's before there were 4x4 mini's that got reasonable gas mileage. Anyway, not to take too long to tell this, I was out on dirt roads in Northeastern Utah, nothing fancy - just sight seeing. Stopped for the night to camp and pulled onto something like quicksand. Just a short stretch of it and my rear tires sank to the axle. Saw the dis-coloration after I got out to survey the scene. All I had with me was a shovel and OEM jack. Miles from nowhere, no one around to help, etc.........

Luckily for me, there were some 2x6 planks in the area. With a lot of digging, cussing, and creative jacking I was able to get a plank under each rear tire so it formed a ramp to climb out of the holes. Got in and started the engine, said my most sincere prayer and by golly, it walked right up and out! Well, I left those planks for the next poor soul that happened to find out what I did. A learning experience in more ways than one.

 

[shelfboy1]

stuck in the mountains years ago in a mud hole .ran a log under the truck and tied it to the wheels with rope .it kind of lifted and pulled the 40 out ,we use the same method on tanks in the marines and it worked well .sometimes you have to reatach it and move agian.

 

[22re]

Very smart idea^ any other methods the marines use that may be beneficial to the average wheeler? Its always nice to have a last ditch trick up your sleeve while in the bush. Especialy if alone. Although you should NEVER go alone under any surcumstance.

 

[george_tlc]

I've been stuck in the oz bush more than a few times. In mud, salt lake, sand etc.

Often times those situations were out of the reach of any anchors to winch with. Nothing grows around a salt lake that will act as an anchor. A shovel and hi-lift and scouring for any vegetation to put under the tyres is your only option if in a single vehicle. A hi-lift and some chain and good cable can be used as a poor man's winch, especially to pull yourself back out of something. A shovel and time to dig and position a spare tyre can work as an anchor if the ground is of a suitable nature.

Given the distances and remoteness, the obvious point is to walk any terrain that is suspect versus spending a day digging yourself out. The next important thing is to NOT panic when stuck, if really stuck and it's hot, you may as well make camp, get under shade, calm down and think through the situation. Last thing you want to do is work yourself into a panic, get dehydrated and then do something stupid to injure yourself or cause damage to the vehicle etc.

Worse stuck ever was near a small salt lake, the top soil was typical dirt, but break through (just a few inches) and it was bottomless talc/powder. Weirdest area I've ever been to. I took a full size shovel and could just wiggle it straight down into the talc to the handle - NASTY!! Mate and I spent several hours jacking up the vehicle (in stages by building up a 'mat' of vegetation under the jack to support the vehicle weight). We did that for each wheel and built a railway path of branches etc for the wheels to run over. We had to go about 100' to get to "solid" ground. Got stuck twice and had to do the same thing each time. We were out camping, so had supplies & camping gear, so in no rush and just took our time and laughed when we got stuck the last time within about 10' of being clear of the dirt covered talc. Positive attitude is probably the most important thing to have with you...

cheers,
george.

 

[Mark W]

Although you should NEVER go alone under any surcumstance.

???? If you seriously take that attitude, where do you draw the line? Might as well stay home and keep the doors locked. Ban mountain climbing, auto racing, surfboarding, hop scotch, crossing streets and anything else that might possibly lead to you getting hurt.

I never encourage anyone to head out in true wilderness by themselves. However I have and will continue to do so fairly regularly. Some of the best experiences of my life have come from this.

Are there risks incurred that are not as significant when you are with others? Sure there are. So what? Life is full of all sorts of risks. you just have to use some common sense, have appropriate skills and experience and a willingness to accept a bit more risk occasionally.


Mark...

 

[Mark W]

...The next important thing is to NOT panic when stuck, if really stuck and it's hot, you may as well make camp, get under shade, calm down and think through the situation. Last thing you want to do is work yourself into a panic, get dehydrated and then do something stupid to injure yourself or cause damage to the vehicle etc.


Positive attitude is probably the most important thing to have with you...

cheers,
george.

I would rate these as the MOST important thing to have along.


There are so many variable involved in "being stuck" that it is gonna be pretty hard to make up any sort of list of things to have that will apply to all of the different environments someone might be in around the world, all of the different rigs they might be using, all of the different "stucks" that might occur, the different levels of related prep and gear (When you can set up camp and spend a week getting your rig free/fixed, it is different than when all you have is a sandwich and a sweater), the number of people you have on hand to assist and all of the different levels if knowledge, skills and experience.

I could toss out little tricks that have helped or saved the day for me in the past, and others could as well and these might have no bearing on 99% of the stucks that people reading here will ever encounter... but they saved our ass when and where we used them.


So again, I will just second what was said above. A positive attitude, a level head, patience and some brain power are the most important things to have along anything the s*** hits the fan.


Mark...

 

[22re]

???? If you seriously take that attitude, where do you draw the line? Might as well stay home and keep the doors locked. Ban mountain climbing, auto racing, surfboarding, hop scotch, crossing streets and anything else that might possibly lead to you getting hurt.

I never encourage anyone to head out in true wilderness by themselves. However I have and will continue to do so fairly regularly. Some of the best experiences of my life have come from this.

Are there risks incurred that are not as significant when you are with others? Sure there are. So what? Life is full of all sorts of risks. you just have to use some common sense, have appropriate skills and experience and a willingness to accept a bit more risk occasionally.

Mark...

I draw the line right where i said i do. At, going out into an unfarmiliar area for an extended amount of time alone. If thats your thing, then have fun. Ask Aron Ralston how he would compare going out into a very farmiliar area for a planned short period of time alone to "hopscotch".

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. I include being prepared being accompanied by a buddy. It makes for a better trip IMO as well. Your right, life is full of risks. And some of those risks can kill you. Especialy if alone.

 

[22re]

Valves are easy, just make sure u follow the intstructions per FSM. I would get the gasket in your hands first.. That wouldnt be good if u took the valve cover off to find that your gasket has crumbled.

 

[22re]

^^^wrong thread sorry guys how do you delete posts??

 

[Mark W]

I draw the line right where i said i do. At, going out into an unfarmiliar area for an extended amount of time alone. If thats your thing, then have fun.

Exactly... draw it wherever you chose for yourself. Don't try to draw it for me or anyone else. I won't tell you should go out alone... don't tell me I shouldn't.


Everybody is happy that way.

Edit... However, that is not really what you said in your first post... "Although you should NEVER go alone under any surcumstance." is a lot different than "At, going out into an unfarmiliar area for an extended amount of time alone."


This revision changes your original position quite significantly.


Mark...

 

[22re]

Perhaps i should have gone into more detail in my first post as to where i stand on going alone. For that, i apologise and stand corrected.

I was just trying to make a point that it is always better to bring somone along on any trip as opposed to going alone. Im sure you will atleast agree with me on that. Not saying that if you go alone it is indefinitely going to be the end of the world, but under the unfortunate circumstance that somthing does go wrong. If not accompanied by somone else, it very well could be the end if your world.

I dont understand why and/or how somthing so easily preventable could go so very wrong due to common knowlege being ignored. But i agree with you, to each their own. some are just a bit more cautious than others when it comes to things like this. I happen to be of "scardy cat" crowd.

 

[Mark W]

I think I can agree with this now.

No question that it is safer to travel with others and other rigs. things that can be a disaster when along may not even be noteworthy in a group.

When I am traveling alone in the true back country, i am always aware that it is an entirely different situation I am in as opposed to traveling with a partner or crew. And I modify my actions acccordingly.

I will always remember one incident from years ago... I was about 40 miles back in from the road, searching for a possible connection between two drainage systems (these days I prefer to do that via overflights, it is a LOT faster). I was working my way up a tightening valley high country as it became an oversized ravine... I reached a point where the creek/river flowed through a notch with a pool beneath it. I started to attempt to crawl through and up. The water was clear and I could see the boulders I was picking my way across. but it dawned on my suddenly just what a bad thing it would be if I laid the rig on it's side, in the boulders in the pool in the 35 degree water on a rainy overcast day, by myself that far from the road. And I asked myself what the hell I was thinking.
I backed out, parked the rig and hiked the valley the rest of the way (and discovered a waterfall that would have stopped me withing a mile anyway).

That will always stick in my mind to remind me about taking chances when I am alone.

Mark...

 

[Mark W]

back on subject... one "trick" iuse when winching, that i have not seen ever talked about in "recreational" winching discussions;

When I used to drive my mini-truck more often on the trail, or if I have a trailer or someone else's truck in the group, I often carry a 6-8 foot section of 4x4 and a square piece of heavy plywood (about 2x2 feet), or another section of 4x4.

The long 4x4 is used as a vertical post to run the winch cable over when extracting a rig from deep mud or quicksand.. the plywood or shorter 4x4 is used as a base or a T. placement of the post depends on the situation, but basically it adds a significant upward vector to the pull of the cable on the mired rig. works wonders at breaking suction or getting over any sort of 'bank" under the mud that is defining the edge of the whole and just generally providing a more effective angle for the pull.
It works best with a couple of guys to help keep it upright by using a line on each side to fight any tendency to tip to the side.

I have seen this simple tool extract a rig in minutes where people had been fighting for a couple of hours to drag it out of a sloppy, quicksandy slime pit.

Mark...

 

[Pin_Head]

One of the earliest and simplest self recover device is a drum that mounts on one of the drive axles (like a tire rim) and a rope. You wrap the rope around the drum several times and use the drive axle to winch the vehicle out.

 

[Mark W]

I have been considering using axles drom under a dually when I upgrade my suburban to 1 tons, just so I could easily add a ring to the rims to function this way. But my next though it always ..."this rig will never get used for any real off road work, and a Plain Jane electric winch on the front will serve better"

It is still an approach that intrigues me.


Mark...