Tire traction mats?

[Qxxx]

Yeah, if we prioritize solutions:
1. smart driver.
2. traction mats and comealong or towing strap.
3. $4000 differential replacement.

 

[bullfrog]

Homemade rigid traction boards (in combination with a shovel) in my opinion are the most effective and affordable of the traction type mats in my opinion. Using them as leveling blocks as well helps justify the amount of space they take up. I have used them twice as leveling blocks in the last 6 years, once to get someone else in a motor home out of deep sand and never to extract myself. Paying a large amount of money for something that is so large it usually has to be stored on a rack outside of the vehicle and must be protected from weather and theft does not make good sense to me.

 

[ichiban]

better to have if you're concerned...i always like to walk it out and keep it moving over high risk areas but having 4 Lo helps but i never use it other than to move those parts of truck a bit... thanks

 

[gsfish]

Lower the pressure in your tires is supposed to help in sand.

Still no educated guess or real life experience on cost to have a Detroit Locker installed? Inquiring minds want to know.

Guy

 

[MrNoodly]

Lower the pressure in your tires is supposed to help in sand.

It depends on what type of sand. Grain size, percentage of gravel, percentage of organic matter, dryness/dampness, depth, consistency of underlying material...

Airing down before heading into sand might help some -- depending on your tires' width and the weight of your rig -- but I don't think it will help much getting you out if you're already stuck. 

After needing to be winched out of sand once and digging myself out another time, I just avoid sand or anything that looks like it. But sometimes the sand is hiding. That time I was pulled out, the ground looked like packed dirt, but it was just an inch thick crust on top of foot deep sand.

 

[Qxxx]

After needing to be winched out of sand once and digging myself out another time, I just avoid sand or anything that looks like it. 

+1 noodles ... for not getting stuck very much, given all the places you go into.

 

[MrNoodly]

+1 noodles ... for not getting stuck very much, given all the places you go into.

I was this close to getting stuck the other day. I was on a wide, flat, recently graded BLM road, cruising along, when there was a section of very loose gravel about 25 yards long. It didn't look like any big deal, just a layer of walnut sized gravel spread to fill some holes and smoothed by a grader. But as I hit it I realized the gravel was about six to ten inches deep and it was slowing me down like a runaway truck lane. I sensed the best thing was to just let momentum take me through, maybe with a touch of gas. Don't get a wheel spinning. I j-u-u-u-u-s-t made it to the other side.

 

[highdesertranger]

Guy it's really hard to give a price. it all depends on what type of rear end, shop rates, etc. for instance you can get a Detroit for a GM 14 bolt full floating rear axle for just over 400 bucks and installation is super easy. I would estimate it to around 1k installed. however if you want one for a GM 12 bolt it's going to run around 800 bucks and is a pain in the ass to install. I would estimate cost around 2k. both of my estimates include an installation kit on the labor side. highdesertranger

 

[Qxxx]

 But as I hit it I realized the gravel was about six to ten inches deep and it was slowing me down like a runaway truck lane. I sensed the best thing was to just let momentum take me through, maybe with a touch of gas. Don't get a wheel spinning. I j-u-u-u-u-s-t made it to the other side.

I did that too a couple of years ago, except I was doing a wide swing into the parking lot of a Dollar Store. 6 ways to get into the parking lot, and I chose that one. Boy, that was embarassing, but luckily I remembered to shift into 3rd gear and just managed to get though the gravel. Imagine having to get a 6-foot long tow, cause you're buried up to the axles in gravel, lol. Right in the middle of town. What a diphead.

 

[gsfish]

Thanks HDR.

More than my van cost! HA!

Guy

 

[wayne49]

Lockers run from about $400 to $1,000, depending one which differential you have. Labor depends (as the Tappet Brothers used to say) on whether your mechanic needs to make a boat payment.

Some may need to make a private school tuition payment.

 

[wayne49]

I purchased these mats back in 2015, used 2x. They were $49.95 back then, now they are $54.95. Just $5 rise in 5 years. Store flat. Not heavy.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0046CZKIA/

One time was winter in Denver after a blizzard has passed over. Melting snow on asphalt. I had to park with a loaded cargo trailer in a non pull ahead space and needed to make a tight left turn up a slight rise. Traction mats worked.

Second time was going a little further off a dual track in Nevada into poof dust. There I used my shovel to move poof dust and got the mat down somewhat under the tire and rocked out.

Good advice is "Mind how you go" from the TV show Endeavour. The "how" encompasses "where" and "whose toes one steps on" as well.

 

[tripper]

Maxxtraxx is what all the 4x4 and overlanders use,  they are very expensive. There are some decent Chinese knockoffs for around 50-60 dollars a pair,  just search maxxtraxx on Amazon.

 

[kygreg]

4 pages of comments and not a single answer to my question. The consensus is that I'm asking the wrong question but no explanation on why. Every time I ask a question on this forum I get the same thing. Can't believe this forum is connected to Bob Wells in any way.

 

[Qxxx]

>>> Is one better than another?

Well greg, you got several recommendations for mats, but maybe no one had tried both types. ???

About 1/2 the posts are on lockers. After almost 2 years on this forum, the one thing I know is most threads turn exponentially parabolic after a number of posts, because people tend to not read the early posts, but HDR decided to lead off the parabola at post #2 with the most impractical tangent I've seen yet. LOL. "Hey, what's better than a $40 mat? Well hell son, it's a $1,000 locker, along with a new rear end differential, assuming yer rig is older than 1978". ROTFLOL.

You just have to roll with with it and laugh at the infinite trajectories.

 

[highdesertranger]

hey I was just offering another option. jeez what's wrong with options. frankly to me it's a no brainer. highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

My post #5 explained the two main types and where they worked best. Whether or not they are for you depends on the types of surfaces you drive on. My home made and others suggestions are attempts to educate you that many commercial ones are over priced and home made ones are good substitutes. If you are really concerned or disabled and unable to deal with mats a locker works. We tend to offer advice to everyone who might be interested in your inquiry after answering you initial question, which I thought I did with post #5. Did that post not answer your question? These forums are more discussion/opinions than one size fits all answers due to the diversity of the members here. Don’t throw Bob Wells under the bus he would be more of a speed bump than extra traction! Lol!!!

 

[Qxxx]

Don’t throw Bob Wells under the bus he would be more of a speed bump than extra traction! Lol!!!

Good one, frog, lol. We can always rely on you for a "practical" solution.

 

[user 423]

^
Then there's the reality of free advice. "You get what you pay for".

 

[crofter]

4 pages of comments and not a single answer to my question. The consensus is that I'm asking the wrong question but no explanation on why. Every time I ask a question on this forum I get the same thing. Can't believe this forum is connected to Bob Wells in any way.

I have the maxxtraxx knockoffs and a tow strap, and I have not been stuck since. Before that I used resources from the area and a shovel. I like the maxxtraxx better.
-crofter