Tips or gear for when you get stuck?

[Willy]

I once got stuck on hard packed dirt with a camper van. Was just a tiny dip and, not having a limited slip, on tire was raised up juuuust enough to lose traction. Rather embarrassing that. ..Willy.

 

[AltTransBikes]

Yes to the Hi-Lift jacks mentioned above with the necessary cautions on using them as also mentioned. Used incorrectly, they can kick like a mule, or worse. They can be extremely useful in the context of this thread, getting oneself unstuck. (note: they were never really designed to be a tire changing jack on hard ground)

Where I grew up in dairy farm country, no farmer was ever very far from or without one. They were called 'handyman' or 'farm jacks' then.
They could be used as a come-along also with a chain.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Been stuck 3 or 4 times in just half a year ...all of which in my sisters yard or driveway lol

 

[flying kurbmaster]

It is pretty easy to get stuck, I too got stuck on wet grass last summer, the funny thing is that the week before I had boondocked at the same place in similar wet conditions, there was small dip that I must have gone through just a bit slower or a little different. I was lucky a four wheel drive had a tow rope, which is another great thing to carry around, which I promised myself to look at, but only now remembered that mental note.:huh:

 

[highdesertranger]

lots of good info here. couple of points, the high lift jacks are very handy(everyone of our ranch trucks have one) but you better know what your doing. tow straps are more forgiving than chains for pulling stuck vehicles out. winches, hand or power are great, but you need an anchor, anchors are few and far between in the desert. someone mentioned a sand anchor, they work. you could also bury a tire but that's allot of work. I think the best advice given here it's not to get stuck to begin with. know your vehicle and what it can and can't do. rear wheel 2 wheel drive with a standard rear end doesn't fair well in soft dry sand. hgihdesertranger

 

[akrvbob]

Like you said, the best (and most expensive) answer is 4x4. I had a 4x4 pickup and in 6 years of living in Alaska and traveling many places in the desert and Rockies, never got it stuck. In November 2012 I sold it and bought a 2wd van. Been stuck 6 times since then in the deserts and National Forests. And I NEVER try to take it the really bad places I routinely took the truck (soiled more than one pair of shorts that way!).

NOT a happy camper! Giving serious thought to going back to a 4x4 pickup!!!
Bob

 

[Willy]

A lot of the really good places here in B.C. are in 4x4 country, especially in the summer when all the kiddies 'n pilgrims are about and chokin' up the easily accessible campsites. ..Willy.

 

[highdesertranger]

ha ha pilgrims. good one willy. highdesertranger