Still stuck in the mud......

Eric · April 24, 2012, 05:11:10 PM

Well we've been trying to pull the bus out of its rut since Sunday...I've now blown 2 hydraulic lines on our old backhoe.... And blew out the clutch out of our old 1 ton dump... And it's far enough off the road none of the local tow rigs will come save us... I've chained the rear tires and every time we get it moving it just sinks back in... Anyone have this problem before?? And how on earth did you get it out!!!?

Kwajdiver · April 24, 2012, 05:17:48 PM

Could you maybe throw a bunch of hay in the ruts

Might help a little.

Bill

Busted Knuckle · April 24, 2012, 05:19:12 PM

Block & tackle maybe?
Pics would help see what your up against. I have operated tow trucks most of my life and with the right set up anything is possible!
There are pics here on the board of my 1 ton tow truck anchored to my 45' Setra pulling out an unnamed members coach from the mud @ one of our rally's.

BK

luvrbus · April 24, 2012, 05:25:54 PM

Old carpet under the drives or buy 2 sacks of lime spread it out in the drive path it will dry the ground in about 4 hrs

good luck

Oonrahnjay · April 24, 2012, 06:09:58 PM

Quote from: ekhedge on April 24, 2012, 05:11:10 PMWell we've been trying to pull the bus out of its rut since Sunday..

You're working against a couple of things. If you're in mud, you will have traction problems. The chains should be a good help there but an issue you'll have is that the soft mud will get thrown out and you'll dig in deeper. And if your tires (either drives or steers) are sunk in 6", that means you have a 6" ramp that you're trying to get up. And believe me, a 6" ramp with a 30,000 pound vehicle might as well be as big as Cheops's pyramid.

So, you have a couple of things. Get the "ramps" out of the way. Sometimes a good way to do this (esp. with the steers) is to dig the big areas out in front of the tires. LRbus is right about drying things up. If you spin your drives until you sink down so far that the frame is on the ground, you're *really stuck* (literally and figuratively). About the only way to recover from that is to get air lift bags under the bus and llft it enough so that you can get the wheels high enough to get something (coarse gravel, carpet scraps, lime, etc.) for the wheels to sit on and get traction on. If you can get a jack on or under the axle and you can lift up the wheels (even one at a time), you're *way* on the way to making it work.

So, I think that you need to get traction and make it easier for the tires (front and rear) to roll. Another good thing is to "add up" your moving force. If you can get 10,000 pounds of thrust from the tires and 20,000 pounds of pull from a tractor, you can move a 30,000 lb. bus that neither could move alone.

Eric · April 24, 2012, 06:32:22 PM

Well I'm out of daylight today I'll try the above I tried kitty litter and some heavy gravel but the lye and carpet sounds promising....the front bumper is my thumbs length from the ground

bobofthenorth · April 24, 2012, 06:44:58 PM

Most people don't have access to big enough equipment so the first best solution is to wait for dry weather. If you can't or won't do that then don't mess with small rigging, as you have likely already discovered. The one time I got the frenchy bus thoroughly stuck I used a 2 yard loader with forks. Put the forks under the engine cradle and chained the rack to my tow rings. Then I took some of the weight on the forks and pulled gently. If you're really stuck there's no shortcuts - you're gonna need some really big rigging.

Van · April 24, 2012, 06:50:24 PM

Quote from: Busted Knuckle on April 24, 2012, 05:19:12 PM
Block & tackle maybe?
Pics would help see what your up against. I have operated tow trucks most of my life and with the right set up anything is possible!
There are pics here on the board of my 1 ton tow truck anchored to my 45' Setra pulling out an unnamed members coach from the mud @ one of our rally's.
BK

Gee, wonder who that could be

Eric · April 24, 2012, 07:29:35 PM

I really thought I had it with the backhoe it's ancient with a 4/71 dd In it.. However I blew both boom lines and shop says 3-5 days for the fittings oh joy

Tomorrow I may bust out the set of house jacks that I bought for reAlly no purpose at auction... Maybe they'll do ye trick!!

jjrbus · April 24, 2012, 09:10:22 PM

If you can move the bus even a little? Might have to dig in front or rear of the tires. I used some scrap 2X lumber and gravel. (gravel= crushed stone, not round stuff) Fine crushed stone is best. I used 2X scrap, but anything you have will work, can even fill rut with gravel. But only a little at a time. Cut the 2X the width of the ruts. Move bus forward/back, put in piece of wood and gravel/sand, something rough. gently move bus on piece of 2X. Add piece of 2X, front/rear, move bus on that piece, back and forth adding wood repete, repete until tires are raised to ground level.

Cut sheet's of plywood 2X8', I used 5/8 or 3/4?. Nail/screw 2X2X2 cleats to bottom of plywood, no cleats tires will spin out ply. Put sheets under tires and put something coarse on sheets. Mud is slick like ice, tires will slide off ply without traction. Need at least 4 piece of plywood. MOve bus forward 15 feet, move rear sheets to front.Move bus forward 8', pick up rear sheets, put in front of wheels, move bus forward 8' repete repete repete.

Do not buy expensive plywood, planning on using for another project when done! JIm

Dave5Cs · April 24, 2012, 09:16:49 PM

LVRBUS said LIME not Lye, didn't want you to melt your tires off.

I use Rubber mats you can get at Costco. The brown oones with the 1/2" hole in them They are for bar floors. i cut them in half the long way. I carry them in the bay. I got it stuck in mud about 4 inches deep and it was spinning. I Jambed one in front of the back tires on each side. Gave it the gas and it walk right up on them and I just kept going until it was out. Hosed them off and back in the bay.

Dave5Cs

Eric · April 25, 2012, 06:28:34 AM

Good catch on the lye.... I was thinking wow tha would work it would make my tires tacky

Hoses are ready for backhoe I'm getting it out today one way or another ... Desperate times call for desperate measures right?

Busted Knuckle · April 25, 2012, 06:31:41 AM

Quote from: ekhedge on April 25, 2012, 06:28:34 AM
Good catch on the lye.... I was thinking wow tha would work it would make my tires tacky

Hoses are ready for backhoe I'm getting it out today one way or another ... Desperate times call for desperate measures right?

If it were me I'd use a block and tackle set up to split the load to something along with the backhoe and double the pulling force!

BK

Oonrahnjay · April 25, 2012, 06:32:39 AM

Quote from: jjrbus on April 24, 2012, 09:10:22 PMIf you can move the bus even a little? (snip) Do not buy expensive plywood, planning on using for another project when done! JIm

Yes. Jim's advice is very good for getting out of/beating those 6" ramps I was talking about. But, as was posted, you might have to wait for dry weather. Good luck! (And be safe -- don't let frustration make you do something dangerous, it happens.)

John316 · April 25, 2012, 07:04:46 AM

We know what it is like getting stuck. Try a city street, and breaking through the blacktop. Not fun. Took us six hours and a BUNCH of help to get out. Small town Alberta...the folks were so nice and helpful. We couldn't do any of the standard stuck in mud procedures. Everything was sinking. The road wouldn't hold anything. That was the biggest thing that happened in that town for a very long time. Locals had lawn chairs out, and were sitting watching. The folks across the street had a BBQ and fed everybody. If it wasn't our bus, it would have been enjoyable.

And yes, we did call the mounties so we had an accident report. We just wanted to make sure everything was covered, because the street was left in a total mess. Even the mayor was out looking at the bus. I believe they now have weight restrictions up, since we left.

Enjoy.

John