Muddy fields or grass+motorhomes getting stuck! (1 Viewer)

atlantisbird

Free Member
Mar 26, 2012
225
206
Near Bridlington
Funster No
20,274
MH
New Bentley C Class
Exp
since 2012 in own van
Can you advise a solution.
Hello all,

Has anyone used snow chains or other devices to enable front wheel drive vehicles
on grass or slightly muddy conditions. We do not go onto the furrowed fields.
Sensible solutions please and do not go onto a field is the obvious.
Question: would such a thing as snow chains work on either grass or mud obviously not
Peterborough type (we survived) and are they easy to put on and where or what is the best..
The area we live near Bridlington is sometimes bad in the coming months and we would like to use
our MH during winter and as it is the first winter and first van we can only see us getting stuck.

Yes we know it is funny until it happens to you!!

Atlantisbird
 

rainbow chasers

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Oct 30, 2009
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Treat wet grass and mud as you would snow. Select a higher gear and pull away gently, use momentum to keep going and NEVER accelerate on the mucky stuff - try to use momentum to coast over.

1. If using levelling ramps - Try to position the vehicle whereby you can exit directly without having to turn. Use the ramps to give you initial momentum and keep it going, you can go back and pick up the ramps when on more solid ground.

2. If ground is soft, use carpet tiles or flat pieces of wood to spread the weight under the wheels and prevent then bedding/sinking in.

3. DON'T floor it, use gentle acceleration. If bogged down, then chamfer the wheel to get grip (by then you would have already made a mess! - try not to let it get that way!)

4. If going uphill in front hweel drive - reverse up, you will prevent wheelspin, and add more weight to the driven wheels.

5. If very muddy either use chains or similar as an aid for traction - AFTER YOU HAVE THE OWNERS CONSENT- they may prefer to tow you out.
 

hilldweller

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Dec 5, 2008
605
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We carry two 2m lengths of thick plastic mesh.

These things are useless on any slippy surface.

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darklord

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Apr 28, 2011
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Youve hit the nail on the head already with the "dont go on it" option.
If you do end up in the gloop, you will have to get out via your own efforts as any of the "clubs" will charge you, after making sure their own truck is far enough away from yours to be on a hardstanding.

You need to "float" your way out, so drop your tyre pressures to 15/20 psi, place something like the bottom of bread trays under the wheels to get initial traction, then stay light and stay straight, the minute the wheels spin...STOP.
Dont put anything on the wheels like snow chains, all they will do is dig you a deeper hole.
Motorhomes are not designed to go onto mud, nor are they designed to be towed on and off it, people complain about a step micro switch not working but think their MH is a landrover!!!!

I can,t remeber what show it was, but on arriving we were towed into mud and towed our of it, putting all our vehicles at risk just to be fodder for traders, stay out of it unless someone else is picking up the bill.
Even 4x4 enthusiast's (like me) stay out of conditions where trying to get out will ruin the countryside......if you need any form of traction aid, you should,nt be there!
 

Traveller_HA5_3DOM

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Jul 13, 2012
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since 1985
We acquired four old bread trays from a local baker who had them kicking round in his yard. Spent a bit of time with the jigsaw trimming off the sides and I now have a set of treads which normally line the garage floor in the camper but can be used in slippery conditions to walk it out laying your own road as you go.
It does take time and you can get quite muddy but in the ten years since I made them I have only needed them once and they do work.
 
Mar 29, 2011
961
639
Rugby UK
Funster No
15,848
MH
C Class RS
Exp
2011
Nearly all our use is on fields at Dog Shows and this year has been the wettest yet !! top of my shopping list was a rear wheel drive and I have seen countless FWD vans stuck having used a variety of ploys to avoid it, soem of the ground damage has been horrendous:Doh:

The only true advice can be avoid wet grass if its not well drained or of course get a Merc, RWD Transit or an Iveco:thumb:

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GJH

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Aug 20, 2007
29,450
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2006 to 2022
I bought some bread trays on eBay earlier this year - Broken Link Removed. We haven't used them in Peterborough like conditions yet but when we have used them on soft ground they seem to spread the weight and give grip well enough.
 
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atlantisbird

atlantisbird

Free Member
Mar 26, 2012
225
206
Near Bridlington
Funster No
20,274
MH
New Bentley C Class
Exp
since 2012 in own van
Can you advise a solution.
Hello all,

Has anyone used snow chains or other devices to enable front wheel drive vehicles
on grass or slightly muddy conditions. We do not go onto the furrowed fields.
Sensible solutions please and do not go onto a field is the obvious.
Question: would such a thing as snow chains work on either grass or mud obviously not
Peterborough type (we survived) and are they easy to put on and where or what is the best..
The area we live near Bridlington is sometimes bad in the coming months and we would like to use
our MH during winter and as it is the first winter and first van we can only see us getting stuck.

Yes we know it is funny until it happens to you!!

Atlantisbird


Thank you for the input and advice.
Has anyone tried the plastic three piece runner set with hinges
for easy storage from ARGOS at £14.99.

Atlantisbird
 

GJH

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Aug 20, 2007
29,450
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Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
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Exp
2006 to 2022
Thank you for the input and advice.
[HI]Has anyone tried the plastic three piece runner set with hinges
for easy storage from ARGOS at £14.99.
[/HI]
Atlantisbird
No, but interested. Do you know the catalogue number?

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Heyupluv

Free Member
Oct 7, 2008
3,862
1,593
France,
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4,322
MH
A Class
Exp
touring many years..42+
Treat wet grass and mud as you would snow. Select a higher gear and pull away gently, use momentum to keep going and NEVER accelerate on the mucky stuff - try to use momentum to coast over.

1. If using levelling ramps - Try to position the vehicle whereby you can exit directly without having to turn. Use the ramps to give you initial momentum and keep it going, you can go back and pick up the ramps when on more solid ground.

2. If ground is soft, use carpet tiles or flat pieces of wood to spread the weight under the wheels and prevent then bedding/sinking in.

3. DON'T floor it, use gentle acceleration. If bogged down, then chamfer the wheel to get grip (by then you would have already made a mess! - try not to let it get that way!)

4. If going uphill in front hweel drive - reverse up, you will prevent wheelspin, and add more weight to the driven wheels.

5. If very muddy either use chains or similar as an aid for traction - AFTER YOU HAVE THE OWNERS CONSENT- they may prefer to tow you out.



Quote If using levelling ramps - Try to position the vehicle whereby you can exit directly without having to turn. Use the ramps to give you initial momentum and keep it going, you can go back and pick up the ramps when on more solid ground.

If you use this method.. reversing onto your pitch.. so the front wheels are on the ramps ...meaning you have reversed the front wheels onto the ramps.... and your front wheels are facing the way you are going out....Just think as soon as you pull off those ramps they will have to be removed very very quickly both sides, while you keep momentum before your rear wheels hit them:Eeek::Doh:

Me I use a pad method works for me, I purchased from a friend in the UK stopping at a caravan site at Ulrome...20 pads 16"x 16" x 3/4" thick pads..I was told they are for these rally drivers to work when repairing the rally cars for the next stage for jacking the car up to work on...now these all clip together but with a heavy motor home it can distort the clips...that is not a problem as I just lay one in front of the other ( you could TYERAP them together so they fold if wanted)....I have used this method quite a few times...when I park up on wet / muddy / soft ground I place one tile under each wheel to spread the weight when I park...and it is something to set off /start from ...then I just keep placing the tiles and walk the motor home out.. easy:thumb:
Keep away from other motor home ruts....where we live in France the motorhome was parked on two lines of paving the length of motor home....in a very soft pasture field... with very soft track of about 250m long (maybe longer) and as soon as the front wheels came off the slabs hit the turf down it went down no matter what gear or what speed it sunk...if I sat the motor home on the turf and it rained the motor home would sink under its own weight about 3" or 4" very soft ground...so after being pulled out three times with a tractor I needed a better method....the pads..I carry these pads with me all the time and used them a lot:thumb:
I hope the helps a Fellow Bridlington, Yorkshireman :thumb:


Mel
 

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Heyupluv

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Oct 7, 2008
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Me I use a pad method works for me, I purchased from a friend in the UK stopping at a caravan site at Ulrome...20 pads 16"x 16" x 3/4" thick pads..I was told they are for these rally drivers to work when repairing the rally cars for the next stage for jacking the car up to work on...now these all clip together but with a heavy motor home it can distort the clips...that is not a problem as I just lay one in front of the other ( you could TYERAP them together so they fold if wanted)....I have used this method quite a few times...when I park up on wet / muddy / soft ground I place one tile under each wheel to spread the weight when I park...and it is something to set off /start from ...then I just keep placing the tiles and walk the motor home out.. easy:thumb:
Keep away from other motor home ruts....where we live in France the motorhome was parked on two lines of paving the length of motor home....in a very soft pasture field... with very soft track of about 250m long (maybe longer) and as soon as the front wheels came off the slabs hit the turf down it went...if I sat the motor home on the turf and it rained the motor home would sink under its own weight about 3" or 4" very soft ground...so after being pulled out three times with a tractor I needed a better method....the pads..I carry these pads with me all the time and used them a lot:thumb:
I hope the helps a Fellow Bridlington, Yorkshireman :thumb:[/SIZE]

Mel[/QUOTE]

If you are wondering where to store these tiles...(mine are in the under slung locker in the double floor)...but others could lay them on there normal floor in the boot or locker like a carpet, click together if needed, as a secondary floor taking up no room and it will also protect your boot from deck chair's loungers ...:thumb:
 

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Apr 13, 2012
5,502
18,588
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20,541
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Mobilvetta Euroyacht
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1996, then break 'til 2011

Got stuck in mud - just once was enough to avoid any chance of it happening again - was towed off.

Anyone use a winch?

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Heyupluv

Free Member
Oct 7, 2008
3,862
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touring many years..42+

Got stuck in mud - just once was enough to avoid any chance of it happening again - was towed off.

Anyone use a winch?


Yes...Once at Noirmoutier en Ille, France. in soft sand on a municipal site...as did many other vans:Doh:..pulled off by a Land rover Discovery with a electric winch on his front, he sat the Disco on tarmac :thumb:.... ...this was before I purchased the pads:thumb:..the site owner was telling people to Phone there insurance as that was the only way they would get out...as this was normal on this site:Doh:
 
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atlantisbird

atlantisbird

Free Member
Mar 26, 2012
225
206
Near Bridlington
Funster No
20,274
MH
New Bentley C Class
Exp
since 2012 in own van
No, but interested. Do you know the catalogue number?

Hi GJH,
Catalogue number 740/5677 Argos.
I had to order on line to look at them at our Bridlington branch 15 miles away and it
should be there by 29th so I will post when I see them but the reviews are positive
and it does say it is for a van as well.
We were thinking we can also use them in the car during the next few months bbbrrrrrrr...


Atlantisbird
 

GJH

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 20, 2007
29,450
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Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
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2006 to 2022
Hi GJH,
Catalogue number 740/5677 Argos.
I had to order on line to look at them at our Bridlington branch 15 miles away and it
should be there by 29th so I will post when I see them but the reviews are positive
and it does say it is for a van as well.
We were thinking we can also use them in the car during the next few months bbbrrrrrrr...


Atlantisbird

Thanks very much. They look as though they might be a good addition to the bread trays I already have.

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atlantisbird

atlantisbird

Free Member
Mar 26, 2012
225
206
Near Bridlington
Funster No
20,274
MH
New Bentley C Class
Exp
since 2012 in own van
Hi Heyuplov, Mel,
I was at Ulrome last week for a day metal detecting (or trying to) sand was metalised
and impossible to work with my new toy.
Anyway can you give us some idea as to what's name and where to get them from
and as a Yorkshireman HOOOW MUUUCH.
Ee by gum.

We have only got a small Bentley Ingigo so I would be looking for small solutions
but the mats look metallic are they?

Atlantisbird
 

GJH

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 20, 2007
29,450
38,828
Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
Funster No
127
MH
None, now sold
Exp
2006 to 2022
Hi GJH,
Catalogue number 740/5677 Argos.
I had to order on line to look at them at our Bridlington branch 15 miles away and it
should be there by 29th so I will post when I see them but the reviews are positive
and it does say it is for a van as well.
We were thinking we can also use them in the car during the next few months bbbrrrrrrr...

Atlantisbird
Thanks very much. They look as though they might be a good addition to the bread trays I already have.

Went to the local Argos this afternoon and invested in a pair. They seem to be pretty sturdy and value for money at the price, compared to some devices we've seen at fairs. Hopefully we'll never have to use them :roflmto:
 
Dec 6, 2011
11,467
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South Wales
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19,136
MH
Coach built Adria
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Since 2007
We have what are effectively 2 x plastic rope ladders. They are about6 feet long and bite into the slippry grass or mud and have grips for the tyres to get traction. Used twice on others and once on myself.... really effective. You also tie the loose end to the van so as you drive off the ladders are dragged out of the mud and you do not have to walk back into the "bog" to get them. They roll up in a waterproof bag.:thumb:

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Spacerunner

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Apr 7, 2008
607
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7
I use these http://www.primrose.co.uk/instant-garden-track-chevron-roll-out-path-single-width-p-38486.html?source=googleads&gclid=CLmlyLO7l7MCFczHtAodHVAA7w to great effect.
They usually last for about three years then need replacing.
I park on them whenever I am on a grass (or mud) pitch. A single pack makes up 2X6foot lengths. They are articulated, rather like a caterpillar track, and can be carried folded on a bike rack, even when carrying a bike.
I also have winter tyres fitted for all-year use as they have a chunkier tread and don't fill up with compacted mud so quick.
Using the above I managed to self-extract from a site that was rapidly turning into mud soup....but it was touch and go!!
 

Heyupluv

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Oct 7, 2008
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Hi Heyuplov, Mel,
I was at Ulrome last week for a day metal detecting (or trying to) sand was metalised
and impossible to work with my new toy.
Anyway can you give us some idea as to what's name and where to get them from
and as a Yorkshireman HOOOW MUUUCH.
Ee by gum.

We have only got a small Bentley Ingigo so I would be looking for small solutions
but the mats look metallic are they?

Atlantisbird

I have sent you a Private message

No... the pads are NOT metallic at all ...they are plastic/polymer type material, strong, a little pliable...underneath are criss-cross that grips into the soil....see photos:thumb:
photo taken of the underneath of the tile / pad and end view
Mel
 

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aba

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i got 4 of these and cut 2 of them in half and the other 2 i cut into 3 giving me a total of 10 strips which can either be used as individual mats of run out in 2 lines as a track way.

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Sep 16, 2010
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Winch

Yep I have a winch, but its only a 3.5 ton one and needs to be attached to something to pull against.. Cost £12.50. Not used it yet, but who knows.. Saw things pulled out of some awful places in the Army that could be extracted by no other means.. Hope I never have cause to use it BUT. Mitch..
 

Jaws

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I have the proper treads, the bread tray, mats, bits of wood... and still manage to get stuck pretty much everywhere we go !! :Doh:

I now just carry a good tow rope !

Loads of pics on here nice kind people ( as in what a load of buggers !!!!!!!!!! ) have taken of us getting stuck everywhere from Spain to Austria !!
 
Sep 6, 2011
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The breadtray solution really works. With the raised sides cut off, then cut in half lengthways, 1 tray = 2 mats, and V much more effective than commercially available items (cheap too!) The important thing is PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE! i.e. If its even slightly soft underfoot (or even damp grass) put the drive wheels (at least) on the mats. Otherwise the van WILL sink overnight, even if it's only by 1", then your trying to climb outof a hole!:youbetcha:

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Bailey58

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Yep I've been stuck in some great places and found the bread trays to be a good solution especially if you have to use ramps on the front wheels and can roll back onto the trays to give some purchase when leaving.

My biggest nightmare though, having just returned from a trip to Somerset and Devon, is having to stop on an upward incline on some of those narrow roads to let something bigger than me past. Twice on a 1 in 6 or so I had a job to get going again in the wet and had to use the air freshener after managing to lurch off again. Too big a diff between axle weights and no real way of improving it with the storage options on the van. Rear wheel drive for me next time!
 
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atlantisbird

atlantisbird

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Mar 26, 2012
225
206
Near Bridlington
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MH
New Bentley C Class
Exp
since 2012 in own van
Muddy fields

Well we went to Argos and we did buy a set of Traction Tracks and here are the details on the box.
Small box 300 x 190 x 55mm
2 x tracks each three piece connected by hinges.
Helps with vehicle traction when stuck in Snowy,Muddy and Sandy conditions.
For use with vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonnes.
Flexible Heavy duty plastic with strong metal hinges.
Deep honeycomb cleats for maximum grip.
60cm x 18cm x 1.25cm.

Cost was £14.99 I think as we had a gift card we needed to use up for £7.00.

It looks like it will be a good addition for the coming months and we will use it in the car as well during snowy weather.
We are awaiting another form of pads to go along with them and we may get some bread trays if the pads are not suitable.

Thank you all for your input on this matter and I hope it has been useful to other motorhomers like ourselves.

Kind regards
Atlantisbird
Harry
 
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Heyupluv

Free Member
Oct 7, 2008
3,862
1,593
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Well we went to Argos and we did buy a set of Traction Tracks and here are the details on the box.
Small box 300 x 190 x 55mm
2 x tracks each three piece connected by hinges.
Helps with vehicle traction when stuck in Snowy,Muddy and Sandy conditions.
For use with vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonnes.
Flexible Heavy duty plastic with strong metal hinges.
Deep honeycomb cleats for maximum grip.
60cm x 18cm x 1.25cm.

Cost was £14.99 I think as we had a gift card we needed to use up for £7.00.

It looks like it will be a good addition for the coming months and we will use it in the car as well during snowy weather.
We are awaiting another form of pads to go along with them and we may get some bread trays if the pads are not suitable.

Thank you all for your input on this matter and I hope it has been useful to other motorhomers like ourselves.

Kind regards
Atlantisbird
Harry

Harry....If you want to make the pads into a strip like the ones you have just purchased from Argos....get some cable ties like these about 4.8mm to 12mm wide leave a little gap to allow movement also to allow you roll or fold up.

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atlantisbird

atlantisbird

Free Member
Mar 26, 2012
225
206
Near Bridlington
Funster No
20,274
MH
New Bentley C Class
Exp
since 2012 in own van
Muddy fields

Thanks Mel,
Malcolm is going to contact me next time he comes up to Ulrome, he has locked up for the season but will come up odd days to check and he says he has quite a few left so we will be having some.
Harry
 

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