Pulling out stuck Diesel pusher

[greystroke]

Originally Posted by JerraMon

DW and I attend a big festival every year with many hundreds (over 1000) campers. It is held in a county fairground and there is full power and water. The RVs are parked on fairly level grass and it is very easy to get in and out. However, from time-to-time this area is known to flood and the ground can get pretty soft.

My question is, what is the best way to hook on to and pull a 38 foot diesel pusher onto the nearest road? I don’t see a good way to hook a chain to the frame without damaging the front generator slide out. Can something be hooked to the tow hitch?

I know the best way is to simply not get into this situation, but if I find myself needing to get out and need assistance from tractors, trucks etc. how is it best handled?

Welcome to the forum. Sounds to me like your describing the State Fairgrounds at Hutchison Ks,

I pulled in one day and down I went. The back tires went down like it was in quicksand. No way to tow out. What the road service did was connect a wench cable to the front and very very slowly wenched me out. Took 45 min to an hour. I started the engine to keep the emer brake off and the tranny in neutral.

The winch cable was connected to part of the frame that holds the Onan. It was low so the cable did not touch the MH

He suggested that if it ever happened again instead of grinding the back tires deeper just stop and get in the toad and drive to HD for boards and rocks. Put the boars under the jacks and jack up the rear tires and put the rocks underneath the tires. He said you could then just drive out.

But I was too deep and my jacks were on the ground.

Since that time I have always looked more closely at the campsite.

[Hoosier14]

First, it’s very wise that the OP is considering this question before the problem develops. There are several things to consider. There are great people that will help that will know what they are doing and there are many that don’t. Even if they work for a tow company, it does not make them competent. I would always make sure I knew exactly the plan they had in mind including where they will attach the chain, cable etc. I certainly have had to veto certain ideas before. It’s better to stay stuck longer and wait for someone else than to do it quickly and wrong and damage your RV.

Every location will require its own plan. As a general rule, it is always best to attach to the frame directly. Depending on the strength of the tow hitch and how stuck you are, this could be a good possibility, but a solid connection to the frame is always a sure bet. It may seem like attaching to the frame will lead to pressure against a bumper, but modern equipment allows the cable to run along the ground so there is no pressure on the bumper. In some cases it will be best to lift the front / back before moving the coach. Keep in mind as well, in some cases, an RV buried in the mud will require someone to dig under the coach to appropriately attach cables where needed. Be patient, communicate with anyone helping and do all you can to attach securely to the frame with the correct equipment.

[NXR]

Check out TruckClaws and similar products. I haven't had a need yet but they look interesting. Kind of like snow chains except for mud.

Ray

[Kjlunda]

Having experienced tow companies hooking onto my campers, I will say that not everyone that is chosen by a roadside assistance company knows what they're doing.
We had a few problems with our old coach. Blew a hydraulic line, lost the cooling fan and power steering. Tow truck showed up, hooked onto the coach and was going to go until I ask if he was going to pull the driveshaft. He said it wouldn't hurt to go the short distance (15 miles) I told him to pull it or his boss could pay the damages, he finally did it. Had to argue with him to re-install it later. I later discovered that the generator exhaust was broken from his hook up.

After I repaired the lines, the pump went, probably from running it without fluid, and a tow truck showed up. Very professional driver removed the driveshaft, towed the coach and re-installed the driveshaft. No damage was done.


While camped at a county fairgrounds a storm dumped 5" of rain. As soon as I backed up, the coach spun on wet grass. This time I was lucky, I called my son and he brought the tow truck from the company he was working for. After looking at the back he attached chains around the trailer hitch and winched me across the field. No damage. Be careful how they hook to your rig is all I can say.

[UFO Pilot]

I was at the FMCA Rally in Gillette, WY in 2013 when it rained hard and a lot of RV's got stuck trying to drive out. Every one I saw being pulled out was pulled from the rear.

[MRUSA14]

How do you safely tow a 30,000-40,000 pound coach by attaching to a 10,000 or 15,000 pound rated tow hitch?

[ThePowells]

Originally Posted by MRUSA14

How do you safely tow a 30,000-40,000 pound coach by attaching to a 10,000 or 15,000 pound rated tow hitch?

Marc, The 30-40K is the gross weight of the coach and would only be a correct query if you were suspending the entire weight of the coach through the hitch. If it isn't sunk too deep or depending on the consistency of the mud a "small" wrecker (16K rig on a F-350/450 chassis) can pull it out, provided that the driver can get the wrecker to sit still for it.

[UFO Pilot]

Originally Posted by ThePowells

Marc, The 30-40K is the gross weight of the coach and would only be a correct query if you were suspending the entire weight of the coach through the hitch. If it isn't sunk too deep or depending on the consistency of the mud a "small" wrecker (16K rig on a F-350/450 chassis) can pull it out, provided that the driver can get the wrecker to sit still for it.

At the Gillette Rally, 2 Jeeps and a 4 wheel drive pickup pulled one MH out and then pulled it out again when the driver immediately buried it again.

[Cat320]

We got stuck in a CG going where we were told to go. The MH was not far from the asphalt, so the wrecker got on the asphalt, hooked up to our trailer hitch, told me to put it in "R" and let it idle back, while he pulled. Easy job.

[Mac99]

Last year at Oshkosh I watched 20+ big rigs, including
a 45' Prevost, get pulled out with a big farm tractor by
attaching to the rear hitch. Heard from folks that is
the normal, no damage to anything, worked every time.

[JerraMon]

Thanks to all for your informative replies. Since this is more a “what to do if” sort of question, my first plan is to try to get out before rains get too bad. I will also try to position myself such that I can be pulled by the rear hitch if bad stuff happens. There are lots of tractors and heavy loaders nearby and willing to help. I just want to be prepared for the best way with the least damage.

[CountryB]

I've been thinking about this too.

What about having two flat-stock steel beams (maybe 3/4" thick by 4" wide and two feet long) extending out from the front frame rails thought the body (only a couple inches sticking out with a hole in the tip for shackle attachment).

Two small notches cut in body on each side of generator opening would allow the "tabs" to stick out. Then if a tow is needed you would attach clevis hooks to the shackles for the winch cable/strap to attach to.

I suppose it would work if this steel can be bolted to frame rail and there is nothing in the way preventing a straight shot out the front (sticking out through fiberglass bumper).

[AllanK]

We got stuck backing out of the IndyCar race at Birmingham, AL. Yup got stuck.

A really nice man with a Ford 450 and a winch pulled us out by hooking to the rear hitch.

[153stars]

Originally Posted by CountryB

I've been thinking about this too.

What about having two flat-stock steel beams (maybe 3/4" thick by 4" wide and two feet long) extending out from the front frame rails thought the body (only a couple inches sticking out with a hole in the tip for shackle attachment).

Two small notches cut in body on each side of generator opening would allow the "tabs" to stick out. Then if a tow is needed you would attach clevis hooks to the shackles for the winch cable/strap to attach to.

I suppose it would work if this steel can be bolted to frame rail and there is nothing in the way preventing a straight shot out the front (sticking out through fiberglass bumper).

There would be lot of force trying to pull/bend those together as well, if using both depending on the angle of the cable connecting them.