Mud and motorhomes (1 Viewer)

[Wizbangs]

Hi all,

As newbies seeing the debacle at Peterborough, what do you suggest or carry for dealing with mud, other than avoiding it in the first place? We have bought some ladder grip things, but wouldn't want to discover they were useless.

 

[jb0371old]

After experiencing peterborough as well, nothing on the market would help, except the john deere tractor (other tractors are available) but with cost of one of them and the fuel its probably not viable

 

[hilldweller]

Hi all,
As newbies seeing the debacle at Peterborough, what do you suggest or carry for dealing with mud, other than avoiding it in the first place? We have bought some ladder grip things, but wouldn't want to discover they were useless.

Only one sure solution - Avoid.

FWD MHs are useless for grip, even on wet roads.

If you have to go onto wet grass at all make sure it's never down a slope. If you drive off a hard path onto a grass pitch reverse so the driving wheels are never far from the hard path.

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[jezport]

We find our tag reverses better on mud than driving forward. We reversed ours off our waterlogged pitch this morning after a gentle rock forward and backwards to get the wheels out of where they had sunk into.

 

[Wildman]

Most of the items sold to assist grip are useless (I say most in the hope that something out there does work). when parking on wet ground many motorhomers park on bread tray bottoms ( search bread trays)to prevent sinking in the mud. Twin rear wheel drive is the greatest help, avoiding wet grass altogether is the only true answer. If you cannot avoid it do make sure you have towing points that will not cause damage to your bodywork when towed off.

 

[martin1485]

Make sure that the towing eye which screws onto your front bumper is present and actually fits the thread. I also have a steel tow rope with snap fit hooks and a breaking strain suitable for my van so if I do need a tow, all I need to then find is a tractor. Parts of a bread tray can be useful for grip if the mud is not too bad. Other than that, common sense in picking your spot and some good luck!!

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[Drew]

There was a trader at Peterborough selling some paddle like grips that you fitted to your tyres, I think there were 3 paddles so they don't go all the way round the tyre. They looked quite aggressive and I wasn't sure if they would damage the tyre, also they would need to be well fixed on otherwise they could easily get ripped off.
Didn't buy any though and got tugged out by a nice bloke in a Discovery, home now in front of the fire:thumb::thumb:

 

[slobadoberbob]

RV's do not have front tow eyes

Make sure that the towing eye which screws onto your front bumper is present and actually fits the thread. I also have a steel tow rope with snap fit hooks and a breaking strain suitable for my van so if I do need a tow, all I need to then find is a tractor. Parts of a bread tray can be useful for grip if the mud is not too bad. Other than that, common sense in picking your spot and some good luck!!

RV's do not have front eyes (very rare) RV's have to be towed backwards from the Reece tow ball .... the reason is most RV's have front skirts and a rope or chain would rip the fronts off.

The suggest I have is get used to waiting for a tractor to tow you off.

Not much else helps.. the rope ladder things are a waste of time as we saw yesterday.. long mud mats did not work either.. only thing that did work was the tractor.

bob

 

[pappajohn]

Hi all,

As newbies seeing the debacle at Peterborough, what do you suggest or carry for dealing with mud, other than avoiding it in the first place? We have bought some ladder grip things, but wouldn't want to discover they were useless.

Too late, you already bought them oh:

waste of money, they will either spin out from under the wheels (unless well pegged in place) or the tyres will simply spin on them as the ribs arent deep enough or properly spaced.

hard to find legally, but bread tray bottoms are about the best thing......drive onto them when pitching up and you have a bit of grip to gain momentum as you drive off them.

another thing, park as close to the roadway as possible, facing the road if front wheel drive...facing away if rear wheel drive.
the shorter the distance to solid ground the more chance of getting off.

never park in a dip/hollow.....if its that muddy you will not drive uphill.

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[Gromett]

The only method that I can think of that would work except tractor tow is a land anchor and a winch.....

Trays, mats etc would have been no use. You stop to put them under your front wheels and you are stuck and can't get onto them. Saw it a couple of time... If in doubt and don't have a handy tractor don't go onto the grass would be my advice...

 

[Bluemooner]

After reading this think i will buy a tractor to tow behind my motorhome (when it finally comes)

Andy

 

[Gromett]

After reading this think i will buy a tractor to tow behind my motorhome (when it finally comes)

Andy

Someone has beaten you to it. This RV owner has an impressive Toad

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[ciderman]

what about converters using the new transit 4x4 that would at least help some people

 

[Gromett]

Doubt it on here. There was a porche Cayenne 4wd on here on thur night that got stuck and was spinning all 4 wheels. It was beyond anything van or truck could handle... Sometimes the conditions are too bad for anything...

 

[rangi]

Attended a C&CC MCS Rally at Wool Dorset this w/end, parked on grass, just had those Yellow pad thingees under the front wheels, No problemo! Couple of the fellas used the ubiquitous bread tray bottoms, No problemos! As someone has already said, don't stray too far from the Tarmac.

Bloody grouse:thumb: (good) Rally too!:thumb:

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[jonandshell]

Has anyone tried their snow chains in the mud?

As for FWD Vs RWD, whilst our Tranny has the dual rear wheels and is normally unstoppable, we did get bogged down last week next to the river at Santon Downham. We have never had problems on firm, slippery ground but soft ground is a different matter.
We were fine until we sank, once the wheels are down in the crud, the road-type tyres just can't claw their way out. No amount of rocking or use of grip mats would help.
A friendly caravanner (the shame of it!) with a Discovery gave us a little tug and then builder's truck technology took over and we were moving again!

Lessons learned,

1. At the next tyre change buy M&S tyres, great for skiing too!

2. Don't let Shell drive!!!!

Ouch that cuff round the lughole hurt!

Other advice-

1. Ensure you are stopped in a position where you can be pulled from the front. Most motorhome chassis extensions are a bit flimsy and won't take the abuse of having a tractor attached to them!

2. If you are on leveling ramps, reverse onto them. Driving off them will give you a much needed boost of momentum!

Hope this helps!

 

[darklord]

A friend of mine went to australia and wanted to drive in the Simpson desert (landrover). at an offroad store before he hit the desert, he asked about sand tracks (mud tracks etc) the shop assistand asked him "How many dya want mate, its a f****g big desert".

In landrover circles peterborough is known as peterbog, it aint the first time its been flooded and it wont be the last, SOMEBODY grw a brain cell last night, as just before i tirned in, I saw a heavy wrecker on site, with two big winches.....using them from a hard standing, is probably the only failsafe way of getting [people out, or fitting one to your own vehicle for self recovery.
Most of the other methods......were used at pbog, and i suspect some are still under water.

 

[jonandshell]

Hi Darklord!

A bit of winching porn for you-

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvveoQRVBxY&feature=relmfu[/ame] :thumb:

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[aba]

just shows even tracked vehicles aren't invincible

 

[jonandshell]

just shows even tracked vehicles aren't invincible

I reckon this one was abandoned on, or fell into a frozen lake during the war!
Come the summer, the ice would have melted, the tank would have sunk to the bottom of the bog to be lost until 60 years after the war was over!

There are loads of vids like this on youtube. The condition and state of preservation of the buried vehicles is staggering!

Yes, tracks can go down! I was in the REME for several years and took part in several interesting recoveries!:thumb:

 

[darklord]

:thumb::thumb:

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[wolly]

snow chains

i had no bother at peterborough i always carry snow chains which work perfect on grass cost me £60 worth every penny never been stuck yet.
i hope every body got home save.easy to fit after you have used them
two or three times.and you do not have to drive on to them just through
them over tyer and couple together

 

[JeanLuc]

As has been stated, nothing but a large tractor will suffice if it is really muddy. However, for 'normal' damp conditions, I carry a pair of bridging ladders - quite heavy and not cheap but they prevent the driven wheels (rear in my case) from sinking into soft ground, and provide outstanding grip; the square shape beds in and the ladders will not spin out from under the wheels.

http://www.duratread.co.uk/sand_bridging_ladders.html

 

[chatter]

Doubt it on here. There was a porche Cayenne 4wd on here on thur night that got stuck and was spinning all 4 wheels. It was beyond anything van or truck could handle... Sometimes the conditions are too bad for anything...

plus most people that buy/have 4x4 option dont know how to use it anyway - they think that just by selecting it that will get them out of trouble - not realising that with ordinary road tyres on it wont make a jot of difference. I have bridgestone duel purpose tyres on mine and i dont think i would of got far with my van on the back in that lot this weekend as they are mostly a road tyre with a bit of off road capability

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[Mavis]

Reversing if you have front wheel drive is brilliant and bread baskets were good. Except I couldnt find mine when Ray had got off and while I was trying to find them a very impatient couple in a Motorhome beeped for us to get out of the way. Gosh dont people get mad quickly :shout::shout:

And make sure you have a towing hook-- that is solid advice as it was the first time we had needed one and we made it to the last 2 feet then someone walked in front and Ray had to slow down and that was it we were stuck.
I was surprised at the amount of larger motorhomes that just parked on bare grass and wondered why they had sunk.