suggestions

[Fire rooster]

Hi all first post here, but long time poster elswhere.

My question is this. Tomorrow the family and I are headed out camping, problem is it has been raining for a couple days where we are going. The ground was pretty soft there when I scouted it 3 weeks ago. Do I dare try and pull my loaded trailer off the road out into the softer ground? What if I do get stuck, how do I get that big huge trailer out? My truck is a 4x4 but with a 12,000 lb trailer the dynamics of things change a little. Thanks for the help

Fire Rooster

[Fire rooster]

Hi all first post here, but long time poster elswhere.

My question is this. Tomorrow the family and I are headed out camping, problem is it has been raining for a couple days where we are going. The ground was pretty soft there when I scouted it 3 weeks ago. Do I dare try and pull my loaded trailer off the road out into the softer ground? What if I do get stuck, how do I get that big huge trailer out? My truck is a 4x4 but with a 12,000 lb trailer the dynamics of things change a little. Thanks for the help

Fire Rooster

[FatDog]

Welcome Fire rooster!

by looking at the weather channel today it looks like it has been raining everywhere in the US except SanDiego, as usual.
I have had this same exact question in my head that you are having a good percentage of the time I have gone out into the sand. Similar sort of goop, wet or sandy means tires sink in instead of grab ahold.
You have scouted it out, sound like a safe guy.

In the sand it can be reasonably easy to land in that camping spot, as long as you keep some momentum going off of the asphalt road and using 4 wheel, and not lose traction when in the slop. We use wide turns and stay towards the firmer sand as long as poss. I also have then spent a couple days camping wondering about my exit plan. As I land I will figure out where my trailer wheels will sit and plank the ground for a few feet pulling the trailer up to the rear of the planks. The trailer can be a severe anchor until it gets to rolling upon leaving. If in trouble, we cut the air in the trailer and TV tires half way and air up once back on asphalt. A number of times I have been pulling out of deep sand, get the trailer going a few mph, and then power out with mass horsepower to get the momentum going.
In mud it helps to have the brutal open tread that throws the mud out as the tires spin and that same big horsepower to keep those tires going. I have not enjoyed it when forced to come to a stop in a mud field. That then requires one of those folding Army shovels. No wonder those things were never popular. If the mud isn't too deep you want tires that will sink and hit the packed dirt underneath, and your LS or locking differential hopefully is pushing them thru the muck. That mud really weighs a truck down, sand don't.
I'd try planking the trailer tires, use horsepower to keep going, and carry a tow strap if in real doubt. I have a couple in my truck at all times. Cheap insurance. It is really surprising what amount of good another truck on drier land can do in helping you if you don't bury yourself to the hubs. Take pictures if you do,
be safe and let us know how things go, definitly go
Mike

[WWFan]

Fire rooster:

Welcome! More fun here @ iRV2 that a barrel full of monkeys...hope you enjoy it (we know you will).

Boy FatDog, you just take all the fun away from those Vulture Tow Truck Drivers [VTTD's] (oohh...another poll topic..."How Many Times have you been stuck @ Pismo during High Tide?").

Sean

[FatDog]

No foolin' about that Pismo
I guess everyone has to earn a living (except my brother in law) but their rates out at Pismo ARE real high to tow you out. thats why everyone there is so anxious to lend a tow. I helped pull a 35' Class-A once with my little bitty F150 years ago and it was a pretty awesome sight !!
afterwards I ponied on up to the bar, and lets just say that his refridge was the bar, his insistence

[Fire rooster]

Guys,

Thanks for the response. Yes I am kind of a safe guy. I am an eagle scout and a fireman, so over the years I have learned that yes, Being prepared is definetly a good idea!

I do have one tow strap and I should probably acquire a couple more. Thanks for the tips on getting "unstuck" if I do etc. I will let you know how it goes. We may be changing our destination at the last moment as I see it is still supposed to rain tomorrow and thursday, and be in the 50's. I do not mind the cold but momma and my two toddlers will blah blah blah. We may just go out to the AZ desert closer to home.

[FatDog]

have a good time !
I would love to be out there somewhere between Gila Bend and points east myself right now
let us know what its like out there when you get back, and shoot a picture of your rig, the terrain probably looks like the little pic in my old avatar in that desert
later, Mike

[Fire rooster]

how do I add pics? haven't found the user control panel here?

[FatDog]

there you go,..
no sense in packing the trailer when you can fool around over here on iRV2
up in the upper left is "GO"
and from there to 'My Space'
and you can add a pic that you have loaded in the pictures area here
(I'm going by memory so it is something like that)

also up in the top pull-downs, there is a 'Getting Started' area that gives you an introduction.
post some of your pics and then you can link some of your posts to them and use one as your avatar

[Fire rooster]

Sig test, Well I got my website started now. The pics and stuff on there are not mine YET. It will be a couple of days. The Bios are us but the pics and stuff are not. THat info will be up in a few days after we return from our camping trip. Have a safe week all and we will talk again soon.

[WWFan]

FR:

I think it's amazin' you got THAT far...maybe this next week in CT I'll have some time to get mine going...

BTW...I know theres lots of places in AZ around Phoenix, but we've only made one (PIR for two years). Hope to find the 'rest' of it!

Good luck! (I was beginning to think 'Hal' looked alot like as bunch o' scenery!).

[FatDog]

good job FireRooster
good to have you and the missus on board here.
look forward to hearing more about your terrain out there, bikes, and toyhauler.

[WWFan]

FR:

White Mountains? Ever go there? Flagstaff? Down South? Give us some ideas?

Sean

[56Nomad]

February 2005 in the Mojave desert.

The driver said, "go for it..... it's solid"

Fire Rooster, it must have something to do with
Ford truck owners