Does anyone have a procedure for not getting stuck or getting unstuck in mud? That could quickly lead to a survival situation.

All of my vehicles have decent tires and a hand powered cable winch in the trunk. Beyond that - don't drive into the mud. I take my off road vehicle into situations I wouldn't take my sedan or minivan but still I am careful not to take unnecessary risks. If I'm off-roading with friends for the fun of it I might challenge new terrain but if I am in a Bug-out situation or driving alone I am fairly conservative about the terrain I will attempt. If it looks suspect and I can drive around well why take the chance. If you need to ford a swamp or something similar where you know you will be encountering deep muck and it is unavoidable then hit it with a lot of momentum and hopefully you can get accross the top without getting mired. The wider the tire and the deeper the tread the better. Hit it fast, keep them spinnin and pray.

Well don't slow down when crossing mud holes. People trying to be extra careful and slow down in the middle of the pond and get stuck. Pick up speed so even if your tires start slipping momentum carries you. When coming out of the hole even if you have to floor it do it. Carry a shovel in your trunk. I also throw in a bag of sand/grovel mix (dual purpose item I use it on the shooting range as gun rest). There is this nifty tool I picked up from a catalog: foldable mini ramp about 8 inches wide, 2.5 feet long. . It is used for getting out of the snow. I will place them under my wheels to get a better grip and it works. I also carry rubber boots when off roading so I can put them on just in case I need to get out. I also carry towing rope and a hand winch. I wanted to get electric one mounted but it would be stolen in NYC. In Africa to get out of the mud we used to cut bushes and branches to place them under the car wheels all of that done doging elephant who got angry that we came into his territory.

Matt

There is a service manual on vehicle recovery methods. It is well worth the read with several innovative tricks.

link, title, author, isbn?

What does your hand winch look like. Is it the thing we commonlt call a come-along? My truck is currently a 2wd untill its paid off then either throw a front axel under or trade it, but I need some recovery gear either way.

Same thing different name. Steel cable with hook, ratchet winder, large lever handle.

"There are three catagories of off-road drivers
Those who have been stuck before,
Those who will be stuck in the future and
Those who are stuck right now"

This is about the truest piece of wisdom that has been given to me by more experienced drivers. The best way to find out what your vehicle can and can't do is to get it stuck a few times. Find a local off road club and tag along on a few trail rides. Almost all experienced drivers are eager to help out new guys like you and me.

As far as gear goes, a 20,000 lb recovery strap, the kind with a loop on each end, NOT the 15000 lb variety with hooks on the ends, and front and rear tow hooks are all you need to get started, assuming that you are going to be with other vehicles that will be capable of pulling you out.

www.off-road.com has sections and forums for particular vehicles that are probably worth a read, too.

Hope this helps,

Chris.

That was my previous truck when I screwed up my conversion box in the Rockies... You become master in getting out off places or riding on slippery roads when you only have rear wheel drive available... Than when you fix it and get your 4x4 back everything is a piece of cake...

Matt

I think he means FM 20-22, Vehicle Recovery Operations. Look here http://www.military-info.com/MPHOTO/Manuallist/Fmarmy.htm to order a photocopy for $10. Here's the Reader's Digest version http://www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/21-305/Ch22.htm. FM 5-35, Engineers Field Data also has a useful chapter on vehicle recovery.

Ed