Recovery Options - Advice Required
Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 13:14
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The Explorer
Ok - scenario - (names and specific locations supressed to protect the innocent ..and guiltly)
Fellow workmates have managed to get a Landcruiser bogged a few days ago. They have had to leave it there (in
Pilbara - several kilometres off main highway) as they were required to move onto another site and couldnt afford to wait around for ground conditions to improve (they had two vehicles). I have been given the job of trying to recover the bogged vehicle as I am heading past on Saturday.
It is unclear how close I will be able to get to the vehicle or from what side (ie front or back). I can only assume that a snatch strap, shackles and maybe a bow to distribute tension on anchor points (Standard Toyotas - assume two at front or tow hitch pin at back will be my only options?? Not the best I know!) and some digging maybe the go. Boss has suggested I get 30m of chain and attempt to use that if I cant get too close. I was thinking maybe 20m winch extension strap + snatch strap...or maybe 2 snatch straps together - but I am not sure if these are accepatable (safe/effective) methods. I have used just snatch straps and just chains before but have never had to join straps together (Though I am aware of method of joining straps properly).
So would like some expert advice on what would be best set of gear to take along considering I may have to take it on the flight with me (so I cant take everthing to cover all possibilities).....though I maybe able to purchase some stuff in
Port Hedland. At this stage I am thinking 20m winch extension strap or tow strap, snatch strap, required number of shackles and two straps suitable for use as bows (or whatever you call them - are tree trunk protectors suitable for this purpose?).
I will only attempt to get the car out if it is safe to do so - may just leave it there for the next lot of guys the week after. I do not know how badly it is bogged - maybe able to drive it out now??
Cheers
Greg
| I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874 Lifetime Member
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Reply By: Tony - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 13:34
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 13:34
Will you have an offsider with you?
Its best not to use winch extn straps unless you are using a power/hand winch. They are not made for towing but static winch loads.
So snatch straps are the best along with a bit of digging, jacking and placeing material under the tyres.
Join two or more straps with timber, the size of cut up shovel handle, about a foot long 350mm. Only shackle to vehicle, or use recovery hook and tow bar pin.
Hope this helps a bit.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - bushfix - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 13:39
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 13:39
G'day,
bogged in mud I assume? Will you be on your own? If so, I would not recommend a snatch job. I would dig out at the front of the tyres, drop the pressures and try to drive out first. If that did not work I would drop the pressures further. If still stuck I would try to pull it out gently with a chain or extension strap. A "bridle" strap is what you are referring to as a "bow" and is a good idea, especially if it is stuck
well.
If you have some help then a snatch could be tried but it depends how deep the bog is if it is mud, a lot of force required to break the suction, so would be a bit more dangerous.
I assume you will have a work vehicle fitted with good recovery points also. I believe tree trunk protectors should not be used as bridle straps if poss, they are not built for the single point stressing involved.
ususal advice like
check the condition and rating of your gear before you take/use it. don't use unnecessary force.
initial thoughts anyway.
AnswerID:
228802
Reply By: Willem - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 14:00
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 14:00
I came by accident upon this method.
Going a month or so back(posted on
forum) I rescued two bogged vehicles.
The last vehicle to be extricated from the mud was a Mazda Bravo sitting on its chassis in the mud with weater up to its lights. Due to the soft mud we had to make up a connection of around 80 metres between the two vehicles. So we set about using everything we had and that included two tree trunk protectors, steel cable, snatch straps, snatch rope and even a tirfor in the middle. D-shackles, U-bolts and Bow shackles made the connections.
I then reversed ever so slowly without using a snatch method and as the flexing concoction tightened it just pulled the Mazda out of its predicament without any fuss.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Kev M (NSW) - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 14:11
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 14:11
So I take it that your not keen for a leisurely drive over to help him out Willem? ha ha ha
Cheers Kev
| Russell Coight:
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Follow Up By: Willem - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 14:18
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 14:18
If Greg's boss pays the fuel and tucker I will leave before tonite...lol. Probably wont be there till next week somehow.....
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Follow Up By: Kev M (NSW) - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 14:54
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 14:54
Don't forget to pack the boat it may still be a bit wet over there.
Kev
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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 09:57
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 09:57
Willem - How much for the elephant - might need it:)
Cheers
Greg
| I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874 Lifetime Member
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Follow Up By: Willem - Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 10:13
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 10:13
Greg
You could round up a few camels. There are plenty feral ones running around the
Pilbara area
Cheers
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Reply By: Bilbo - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 15:07
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 15:07
Explorer,
Before ya start going mad with buying shackles 'n ropes 'n straps 'n stuff 'n how to put it all together consider,,,,,,,,,,
I'd say from the recent weather up there that it was originally bogged in wet mud?? If so, there's damn good chance that now that everythings dried out, it's no longer bogged in mud - but jammed hard fast in hard baked clay! I've seen trucks and 4bys stuck in stuff like this, only to go back days later after it's all dried out and found we needed a jackhammer to break up the baked mud to get 'em out.
Also, I wouldn't consider doing this alone. It's all very
well doing these things when yer on your own to start with and you've got no choice. But when ya don't know what ya walking into it's best to take along some help. If you try something, say on jack or with a snatchstrap and it all goes wrong, you could need up stuck under the car or with shackle through yer
scone! Consider,,,,,,,,,
If you're an employee of the company that owns the car and you get hurt, the first thing the Workers Comp Insurance is gonna say is,"WTF was he doing out there on his own?". This is a controllable situation and if it goes wrong, your boss is up the creek without a paddle. Will he pay you if you get hurt. Will he pay you if the WC Insurance don't pay up? You have a duty of care to yourself. If you get hurt on yer out there on yer own, you'll be partly to blame and the compo will consequently reduced.
Think about it,,,,,,,
I've seen people try to do the right thing before and get terribly caught out. They ended up with next to nothing as they brought it on themselves.
Bilbo - "The former Operations Manager hobbit"
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 10:04
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 10:04
No worries Bilbo - I will have someone with me (who hopefully has some knowledge on the subject in question - never met him before) along with sat phone epirb etc. I don not intend on taking any chances with resepct to our safety. Basically just going to do what I can with resources at hand - if any unreasonable risk then it will be back to what I do best - admiring the scenery while driving to our next destination.
Cheers
Greg
| I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874 Lifetime Member
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Reply By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 15:27
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 15:27
1. A good shovel
2. A bar to break up the mud if its baked hard, then use the shovel.
3. An exhaust air bag jack to lift the vehicle up out of wheel hole/rut.
Then fill in the hole and lower vehicle. Move round to next wheel and do same again. Now the vehicle is at ground level and not bottomed out it should be able to roll forward easily.
4. Lower the tyre pressure down to about 15 psi and try to drive out.
5. If above fails then try using an assist from your own vehicle using strops. Don't use any shackles to join strops. Kinetic straps are the best but I would not use more then two connected together at one time. Use as many extension straps as you want and have them connected to the kinetic strap as
well. Just don't put a sudden load on the extension straps on their own as if they were a stretchy (kinetic) strap.
If you have to do an assist pull in reverse you can always put the hood up as a missile protection if a strap parts during the pull.
The best tool you have is your shovel, try and get everything right first time, a bit more effort with the shovel at the beginning will be
well worth while in the long run.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: The Explorer - Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 11:01
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 11:01
Thanks - will go through all the information supplied and make a list of minimum gear required. Just wanted some first hand accounts of what other people have done/would do as food for thought. All info provided has been very helpful. We are under no obligation to recover the vehicile so absolutley no pressure to acheive anything (way I like it). I have not asked why some other course of possibly more approprate action has been taken to recover vehicle - not my problem..anyway the least we can do is provide a bit more information on the nature of the predicament for next crew.
I havent been there (after it rained) so no idea of the conditions....all I know now is that it is a trayback ute and it is
well and truely bogged in a low lying area - clayish sand/sandy clay. Hopefully the area has dried out and it will be an easy excercise.
Saftey is of course number 1 priority - will not be trying anything out of the ordinary. Will provide boss with some
feedback if need be regarding potential safety issues once I see the situation first hand.
Cheers
Greg
| I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874 Lifetime Member
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Reply By: V8Diesel - Friday, Mar 23, 2007 at 10:56
Friday, Mar 23, 2007 at 10:56
If she's right down and dried out I'd drill and blast.
But in all seriousness, if it's gone hard hire a gennie and Kango from Kennards on the company coin. (The Mitsubishi ones work better but are hard to use on an angle) Also hire a couple of pointy tipped long handled shovels. Chuck in some bits of wood too. Remember, Kennards is your best friend.
If it's still soft buy an exhaust jack from ARB and grab a few bits of carpet. The Hedland 'K-Mart' aka the town rubbish tip has all kinds of good stuff.
No point popping a pooper valve in summer heat. Hire what you need and leave the dramatics up to the children or heroes. A few hunjy to save a 50 grand Cruiser is nothing.
AnswerID:
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