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getting (un) stuck


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#1 Vic Harder

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 03:26 AM

Watched this video tonight, and got to thinking... what's wrong with this picture?

 

 

Gooseberry Mesa is not some exotic location either... looks like a place that might have vacation homes for some... And yet this guy (Rudy?) got totally stuck.

 

1) I notice that at 2:03 you can see the truck's tires... those look like standard highway tires, not even AT tires

2) How come the jeep can maneuver around like crazy?  Big soft off road tires?

3) That mud is slick!

4) I wonder how you could self-rescue in this situation?

 

Lesson learned?  Stay OFF of Utah roads when it is raining!  Or did I miss something?

 

 

 

 


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#2 klahanie

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 04:00 AM

I flipped thru the vid and the little I did watch was at 1.5 speed so I missed all of the subtleties (if there were any) but in answer to #4 I'll suggest:

 

Tire chains. The badder the better.  <_< 


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#3 Zoomad

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 05:23 AM

Yep Street tread on the Silverado for sure.  Zero cleanout on the tread when spinning.  Knowing that he had no reason to head out on the muddy road.  

 

The Jeep is running a larger/wider mud terrain which is going to provide better traction.  I didn't see him air down but that would have helped.   The XJ is a light truck to start with so that helps not letting it sink in.  Add to the fact it looks like the axles are running lockers on both ends lets it maximize traction by putting the power down to all 4 wheels.  He would have not had as good of luck if the Jeep's axles were open.  

 

Self recovery looked rough.  Not any trees besides a few small bushes.   So if you had a winch and a pull pal land anchor, you could probably self recover.  If not that you might end up digging a hole to bury your spare tire with the winch hooked up to be a land anchor.  A pair of maxx traxx boards might get you moving, but I would be it would get old quick having to reset/move boards constantly. 


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#4 Foy

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 02:56 PM

That's the Yellow Banana, aka Jeep #1 in the Winder Towing and Recovery fleet.  Matt now has a good 3 dozen or more similar videos on his You Tube channel, including one about the Jeep's specs.

 

In the spec video he mentions the Jeep is running 35" mudder tires and in mud he airs down to 9 psi.  The rear axle is a Dana  60 out of a -ton ambulance chassis and it's got a stock GM limited slip (which obviously works very well.  The front axle is a Dana 44 out of a fullsize Wagoneer with a locker and manual locking hubs.  Matt fabricated the suspension himself. The Jeep's capabilities are off the hook and Matt is an exceptional wheel man.

 

The "Matt's Towing and Recovery" videos are pretty entertaining.  Those bentonite clay base roads up on the mesa outside of Hurricane, UT are no joke.

 

Foy


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#5 Machinebuilder

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 03:01 PM

very large Id ten T situation.

 

I have learned when that little sign says "impassible when wet", don't go there.

 

It seems a large portion of the western slope area of the Rockies is bentonite clay. That is the slickest snot I have been on.

 

in the video it wasn't just wet, it was saturated and pouring rain, mud and street tires WTF, even all terrains would not have helped.

 

Watching this my thoughts were

This is why roads get closed, the Tow guy taking his jeep well off the trail.

 

when the road does dry out its going to be rough, that mud dries to bricks.

 

I am glad I learned my lesson (the hard way).

 

After Overland Expo in May I went to Utah, on the way I made a feeble attempt to go to the Paria town site. I ignored the impassible when wet sign thinking I have a heavy 4x4 it can't be that bad. After about 100yds I turned around at the first drier spot.

 

A

 

Several years ago I was on the Yampa Bench road in Dinosour NM. With my Motorcycle. It barely sprinkled and I went down.

it was so slick I couldn't stand up. By the time I unloaded the bike, moved it to a rock, and reloaded, it had dried up enough I went on without any trouble. WHen I got home and cleaned things up there was about 1" of mud stuck inside the fenders.

 

the Ranger at the visitor center said "its a bit slick when its wet".  There are many reports of motorcycles front whhels locking up because of the mud buildup on the tires.


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#6 Wandering Sagebrush

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 03:34 PM

Matt Winder’s YouTube channel is full of good examples of what not to do.  His recovery technique seems to be better traction (tires), tow straps and old Jeep Cherokee wagons.  Interesting viewing to say the least.


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#7 kmcintyre

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 03:40 PM

I've been down there in the snow/rain/etc. and that stuff is slick. We got out with 2 4x4 trucks but one did have a little "incident".  I bet that red clay is still underneath those trucks (where ever they are now).


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#8 Beach

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 03:59 PM

Come to gulf coast Texas and try out some of our gumbo mud. 


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#9 Colorado Mark

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 04:22 PM

Been to UT many times.  Lessons learned by watching many people get stuck.  That red clay is impossible when wet.  

 

And, met an old timer back in the 80's from UT when we where camping.  He warned us if it looks like or starts to rain, wait it out.

 

If its raining or has recently rained, don't even attempt to take an unpaved road. Especially one that is marked impassable when wet. Spend a night in a perking lot or off the side of the paved road until the next day when it has dried.

 

If you are leaving camp and it is raining or wet, spend another night or days if needed until it dries.

 

Was invited to go with a group of people to a location off 191 towards Canyonlands.  It was raining.  We arrived in the afternoon at the turn off to an unpaved road. I told the group I'm not going.  Gonna pull off the highway and spend the night, see you tomorrow.

 

A few others did the same.  2 Class A motorhomes and a truck with a big ass toy hauler decided they really had to get to that "perfect spot" before someone else did.

 

It was the next day in the afternoon before I & my wife felt it was OK to take the unpaved road.  About 5 miles in, found both motorhomes and fiver completely stuck.  They looked like the had been through a mud bog race.  Everybody in the group was completely exhausted and their clothes & inside the vehicles was covered in mud.

 

They asked if me & others in the group that spent the night off the side of the paved road could help. I stated "we did, we told you not to go"

 

I & my wife found a different spot rather than the "perfect spot" and the stuck group has never invited me back.  Good!  

 

Others in the group that spent the night with me also where shunned from the group.  They had the same feelings. 

 

I told them I don't suffer fools gladly. They all laughed and agreed completely.  We still toss that phrase around the campfire when someone does something foolish after being warned.


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#10 cwdtmmrs

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 07:00 PM

Arizona has some nasty red clay as well.


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