Community Forums

Crasher · 09-18-2022, 05:16 PM

I sold our coach yesterday. He drove to Green Bay (90 miles) and pulled into a festival grounds where there were power pedestals. The area is intended for tents and autos. There had been rain so the ground was soft and he just drove in and the coach settled in the soft sod area. Once the drive wheels slipped he was done. I drove over there today to clarify some problems he was having with the lights and AC units. He just didn't remember what I had shown him the day before. He says the city will come over tomorrow with a payloader and pull him backwards from the rear hitch which is rated for 15,000#. I suggested he get a professional tow truck company that knows what they are doing. He's thinking the payloader will work. My concern is How much pull can the rear hitch/frame withstand before something bad happens??? Probably have to tug it 20-30'. Has anyone been in this fix and how did it go. I have my money, but hate to see him damage his new full time home.

I should add that when I was there, I check the power pedestals and they are all dead. He hasn't had a good first day.

brandss · 09-18-2022, 05:31 PM

First rule of being in jail, get out of jail. Sorry, old golfing term we used but holds true here, don't make it worse. Bite the bullet and pay the professional. No way in hell I would pull my coach out from the back. The coach has to weigh close to 40,000 pounds.

Dodge Guy · 09-18-2022, 05:35 PM

Pull straight back from the hitch the same direction you came in from! The hitch and chassis will handle it. Doesn’t sound like it got buried, I’m sure even a HD pick up could pull it out!

UFO Pilot · 09-18-2022, 06:00 PM

At Gillette, WY one year I saw probably 30 or more RV's all pulled out from the rear. Tractors and 4 wheel drive vehicles and not one tow truck. I drove out nice and slow and didn't get stuck. When I left they were still pulling RV's out.

Crasher · 09-18-2022, 06:05 PM

I'm thinking that if a gradual pull up to 15-20,000# would roll it back onto firm ground, but I would rather have a professional do it than a city employee with a payloader. The hitch would certainly take that much pull, but a pro would know what to do.

SteveJ. · 09-18-2022, 06:06 PM

I used to be involved with towing and recovery, long time ago. We had 30 and 60,000lb bed winches for a reason, heavy stuff in mud takes a lot to pull. In the tougher jobs we would send multiple units, some used for anchors. No way hooking up to a 15,000lb hitch is a good idea in soft ground.

Sounds like an expensive lesson for the new owner. It will likely be a lot more expensive if yanking by the hitch. Pay the pros. It will hurt but if(when) the hitch gets torn loose a whole bunch of expensive to fix stuff will have to be repaired along with still having to pay the pros to yank it out.

Is it possible to use some blocking under the leveling jacks to raise up the tires and put some sort of wood (or?) ramping in the hole?

Crasher · 09-18-2022, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveJ.

I used to be involved with towing and recovery, long time ago. We had 30 and 60,000lb bed winches for a reason, heavy stuff in mud takes a lot to pull. In the tougher jobs we would send multiple units, some used for anchors. No way hooking up to a 15,000lb hitch is a good idea in soft ground.

Sounds like an expensive lesson for the new owner. It will likely be a lot more expensive if yanking by the hitch. Pay the pros. It will hurt but if(when) the hitch gets torn loose a whole bunch of expensive to fix stuff will have to be repaired along with still having to pay the pros to yank it out.

Is it possible to use some blocking under the leveling jacks to raise up the tires and put some sort of wood (or?) ramping in the hole?

He ran the jacks down without blocking and they just extended into the ground. They all retracted except one in the back that he will have to dig out to break the suction. He'll have a real education in his first 24 hours of ownership.

Dutch Star Don · 09-18-2022, 06:54 PM

His best bet is probably pulling it from the hitch. What more secure location can they drag it from?? There is nothing up front that has any structure. If you reach under the front too far, you'll tear up the generator and fiberglass.

When these coaches settle in the mud, they're almost on the ground. No way can you get under them to do anything without ripping apart fiberglass. There is plenty of framework around the hitch. I would chain it around any frame they can reach and then bring the chains up under the hitch. As they pull, it will also lift.

Make sure the tag is dumped and the pressure is on the drive axle.

A few years ago, Mr T, a member on here, got is 45' Country Coach caught in the mud in a long driveway. A professional came out and drug it out by strapping through a front tire. That did several thousand dollars' worth of front-end damage.

Cat320 · 09-18-2022, 07:02 PM

I got stuck once...following the CG's directions on how to exit the park...got out by a tow truck hooking on to my rear hitch. He pulled easily and told me to put the Allison in R, but just let it idle, not to accelerate. Rolled right out.

Crasher · 09-18-2022, 07:04 PM

Just heard from him. When I told him he should buy a roadside assistance plan for the future, he said he already had Coachnet from his previous MH that he just sold. He going to forgo the payloader and call for a pro. Maybe all will end well.

SteveJ. · 09-18-2022, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crasher

He ran the jacks down without blocking and they just extended into the ground. They all retracted except one in the back that he will have to dig out to break the suction. He'll have a real education in his first 24 hours of ownership.

Without being there to see it I'm thinking a chain wrapped around each frame with likely two winch lines.

Likely gonna be a substantial landscaping bill to go with it. Ugh!

PanJH · 09-19-2022, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crasher

Just heard from him. When I told him he should buy a roadside assistance plan for the future, he said he already had Coachnet from his previous MH that he just sold. He going to forgo the payloader and call for a pro. Maybe all will end well.

Good luck with that.... coachnet sent complete bozo's to me when I was broken down. One guy actually wanted to LIFT the coach by putting the boom under the hitch and towing it 40 miles backwards like that.... I kicked him out.

Crasher · 09-19-2022, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PanJH

Good luck with that.... coachnet sent complete bozo's to me when I was broken down. One guy actually wanted to LIFT the coach by putting the boom under the hitch and towing it 40 miles backwards like that.... I kicked him out.

I had just the opposite experience. When I needed help, they located the proper truck for the task and sent him when he was done with the call he was on. He knew exactly what to do. I think coachnet and other services are just a locating service for area towing companies and unless they get bad feedback regarding a contractor, they don't know to remove them from their call list. Just guessing on that.

USMCRET · 09-19-2022, 08:04 AM

I got my previous coach stuck in a field like that. Awful feeling.

A friend pulled me out easily with his jeep hooked to my hitch. That Coach was 26k lbs. I did not think it possible.