Tips or gear for when you get stuck?

[Reducto]

Like many here I have a RWD van and I got stuck twice last week in unexpected patches of soft sand. I've never been stuck in this van before, maybe I got a little over-confident. I managed to get out with a combination of rocks, a crappy scissor jack that broke, lowering my tire pressure, and a piece of carpet someone left behind.

Obviously I need a new jack, and I'm thinking about going for a small hydraulic one even though it takes up much needed space.

What do all of you do to prevent or deal with those "oops" moments? Do you have any gear like a winch, carpet, shovel? Would AAA come if I'm not on a marked road?

 

[Patrick46]

Well...there-in lies your issue...

you're taking a VAN down into places where there aren't any roads...and in loose sand no less!! A van is not exactally an off-road vehicle...even an all-wheel drive one. Maybe you should consider getting a 4 x 4.

first, a hydraulic jack is WAY batter ( and safer too) then a bumper jack, if that's what you're using. (you didn't specify)

but I'd reccommend you getting yourself a good winch. It doesn't hafta be a big motorized one, but you need a winch. It's alot easier to get yourself out of stuck situations using one, and you can help friends get un-stuck too.

AAA won't go off-road either.

 

[Reducto]

4x4 is definitely in my future, but I'd want to do it right which means more money than I have at the moment. I figured whatever I get for this thing would come with me to the 4x4 and whatever harsher roads I take that thing on, cause I like to push the limits. The sand really surprised me - the part with the tire tracks was fine, when I pulled over onto a nice flat spot with a fire pit there it was.

The jack was one of those little emergency things that comes with most cars. And I don't know what car it came with, so I may have been exceeding its design limits. The screw just snapped in half.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

A shovel, come-a-long (hand operated winch), and a tow strap (or 2).
Also, if you're around water you can wet the sand since water packs it.

 

[Willy]

If your rear axle isn't limited slip, adding an aftermarket Detroit locker or posi can make a big difference. A portable 12v winch w. a sand anchor can also save your bacon. I concur re. hydraulic jacks, though prefer the trolley jacks and a piece of 1" ply for it to roll on. ..Willy.

 

[user 423]

-If you just expect to get stuck occasionally, a come-along and maybe some extra cable.

-A warning on the Walmart/China hydraulic jacks(3T-6T): in very cold weather they won't work!

-WM used to sell a heavy-duty scissors jack (3T?) that has gear reduction which is safe but is really slow and the handle is too short. You can solve that with a large socket and ratchet extensions.

-I carry a standard hydraulic jack from a Dodge PU (with long turning handle), the HD scissors jack and the original van bumper jack. Oh and a tow strap and cable.

 

[blkjak]

what I do with a 2x4

a warn wench mounted on adapter for rear receiver

add a front 2 inch receiver

blkjak

 

[karl]

my van always has- shovel, tire chains, two tow straps, 12' tow chain, come-a-long hand winch, a hydraulic jack, and a hi-lift jack, several pieces of 2x10x16" for blocking.

 

[Willy]

I forgot.. a set of tire chains can sure come in handy. I've got the cable ones, but a REAL set of chains is better. ..Willy.

 

[Darth_Muerte]

I have gotten myself unstuck with 2 3' 2x4s wedged under the rear tires. If I can jack up the rear, I do. If I can't, I have a small 5lb sledge that will get the under the tires in loose sand. Best to stay out of such areas when possible though.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I am not sure what you guys call them but we used to call them Jackalls, they were a heavy duty jack with holes in the shaft. All the ranch vehicles had one in them, with it you were able to jack up high, to get stuff under the wheels, they went that high that you could jack the whole back end up and push the vehicle side ways to land out of the ruts. if you were sunk you could get then low enough to get a grip on a bumper. The issue with hydraulic or scissor jacks is getting them under a stuck vehicle. The issue with the jackalls they take up a lot of space but could be strapped to the outside somehow.

 

[Willy]

I believe that they can also be set up for pulling. ..Willy.

 

[signman]

Jackalls; in Florida we call them buggie jacks, I've also heard them called Hi-lift jacks. they are 42 to 48 inches tall, cast iron, heavy, but they work real well. Lift the whole front or rear end and push it over out of the rut. You have to be very careful not to get in the way of the jack as it can slip sideways and put a hurtin' on ya. Duane

 

[akrvbob]

Airing down doesn't always work, but did you air down enough? At a minimum you should go down to 10 lbs for it to really work. 20 lbs will work if you are not stuck much but serious stuck needs 10 lbs, or even 5 lbs.

You did have a compessor right! It's as important as anything else mentioned here so you can really air down. The best for the money is known as a MV50. It's sold under different names but almost always has MV50 in the name. Find it here:
http://www.amazon.com/Industries-MV50-SuperFlow-High-Volume-Compressor/dp/B000BM8RT8/

Should be every off-roaders 1st purchase.
Bob

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Hi-Lift is the brand name for these jacks. Willy is right, with the right accessories, you can use it as a manual winch.

Do a search on Hi-Lift on YouTube and you can watch a number of interesting videos showing you how to use. This is important, because if you use one wrong, you can be seriously injured, even killed.

Regards
John

 

[jeepbri]

I will just chime in quickly regarding the Hi-Lift jack. They are extremely dangerous if used incorrectly or without using caution as stated in above posts. They are somewhat popular or infamous in the "off road" world. Most folks in that circle even frown upon its use. John has a good suggestion on watching some YouTube videos which will give you an idea of its benefits and drawbacks.

 

[crazybill]

I have to echo most of what has been suggested so far. Good hyd jack, real shovel, tire chains, and a good way to air up my tires. (I carry a set up that uses a 20 lb co2 bottle) A hi-lift jack is heavy and takes up a lot of room but is very good if you have a good bumper to use it under. It can also double as a come along if set up right.
Can't beat common sense though. I do a lot of desert travel and have avoided a lot of trouble just by getting my butt out of the seat and walking the route. Especially when I am solo.
And to answer your question about AAA......no! They won't help in most off road situations. An off road tow, if available, can run near a thousand bucks in a worst case scenario. About twice the cost of a winch.
-Bill-

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

The original poster didn't mention what kind of tires he was running, but if I was spending a lot of time off road, the FIRST thing I'd do was swap out my rear street tires for a pair TRUE off road tires.

Something from Dick Cepek, maybe, or some Goodyear A/Ts.

Avoiding getting stuck in the first place is WAY less trouble than dealing with shovels, Hi-Lifts, and come-alongs.

Regards
John

 

[Reducto]

To answer some questions:
My mud and snow-rated street tires will likely stay - I don't plan on doing any real off-roading, I just like going a tiny bit further than most people. Most of my driving is on paved roads.
I do have a small compressor, attached to the $30 portable jump starter thing. Slow, but eventually got my tires back to 35 psi.

Thanks for the information everyone! Between this and all the fun practice I got last week I think I know what I need now.

 

[steamjam1]

I have gotten my B150 shorty stuck on wet grass. Its no fun. Not at all....