Winch or snow chains ? You'd think they would have DC elect motors / generators just for traction !! Oh but the thought of gene ?? Lol A bar or post can be chained  across the front of wheel and driven half a tyre turn forward just to get you out of the hole ? But be aware of shredding the valve stem !! Rope can be used instead of chain so it damages rim less ? Lowering tyre pressure help traction . Tyre tread choice also ..

-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Sunday 1st of October 2017 07:32:24 PM

G'day Colin

There's heaps of people who want to bag the front-wheel-drive RVs as they are well known for slipping on wet soil once the weight is on the rear wheels which are not helping drive the RV up the wet slope

One solution for any front-wheel-drive bod is simply to reverse out of the location, using the front drive wheels taking the weight and reversing to 'safety'
Use the co-pilot at the rear window as your guide and reverse up the wet grass [or whatever] and get our of the problem.

If that doesn't work, then equally it won't work for any rear-wheel drive RV either - so they can't brag at your expense then as well :)

Phil

thks ozzie

They don't make rear engine cars with front wheel drive !! Pfft . AWD or RWD !! Or keep on the black stuff !! Don't listen to sales rubbish !! FWD is just cheap to manufacture !! If it was good Semi's would be FWD !!

Yep even then some 4WD are RWD till it spins then front locks up .. Gives better tyre wear . Some fairly sophisticated trans out there now . Remember the old days of getting out and locking front hubs ? Aha

Splottboy wrote:

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Hi,

I am concerned that I could get bogged again in our Fiat Ducato front wheel drive.

I have been looking at various mats/pads etc that can be used, but was wondering if anyone has ever used one for a Fiat Ducato.

Colin

---

Hi Splottboy,

Buy a pair of MaxiTracks from super cheap $268.00

You will be fine where you ever want to go in your Fiat Ducato.

We use use two pairs for beach launching and retrieval of our 6mtr boat. I would never leave home without them. They are GOLD!

Use google/ U tube to see them at work.

Regards Jim

And every one. IF Honest.
will tell you they've had problems with traction at some time.

The amount of front wheel drives we pulled up boat ramps when they first came out,

Wasn't funny.

Sometimes we had to tow them out. JUST to get access to ramps.

Till they learned. On flat. dry. Fine.

anywhere else. Think first.

YES JIM.

BUT those Maxi's though great. NEED the POWER...
to pull veh out of soft ONTO the tracks.

These fwd Motorhomes etc.
Tend to have tiny little engines in there for bitumin work.
2.2-2.5ltrs with a hairdryer.

They NEED higher rev's to get Turbo up and spinning first.
Equates to wheelspin and NO traction onto tracks.
I've watched a couple. Auto's are better But.

They basically a flat Bitumin rig only in the real world.

dirvine wrote:

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The best 4WD recovery mats are Maxtrax. Other make them as well ie supercheap and TRED. Issue will be the weight and not uv protected if you buy the cheap ones. I have used mine on a very heavily loaded 4wd (try fully kitted out with 180 ltrs of fuel on board) The tracks just wedge up to the wheels and you drive over them. I have 4 as I have a 4wd. You may only need 2. When ever a person is stuck be it on sand, mud or hung up in deep ruts, they are my 1st go to kit. I have a winch but seldom use it as these are so easy to use and pack away. Buy quality and pay once.

-- Edited by dirvine on Monday 2nd of October 2017 04:49:54 PM

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 Happened to watch a vid recently where the 'expert' advised to spray them with cooking oil first so that the mud will wash off easily & they can be more easily extracted from mud too.  Also suggested tying on a length of rope to make it easier to extract them when buried.

I don't do dirt or sand so I will never get to use these tips  ... so they're yours.

Hey.

I've done a little beach launching too.

We always fitted largest\widest tyres to fit rims.

Plus a jockey wheel same as. 10in rim with WIDE tyre.
ALL soft on beach. with compressor in back..

Looooong rope.(or 2)

if sand real soft.
we blew up a coupla H\D Rubber rollers. with ropes on them.
Tied to side of boat.

Unhitched trlr from car. at edge of soft. and pushed to waterline
.
Slid boat onto rollers. Spun it round. Pulled it back a little.
Towed trlr back to safe (ramp) parked.

Back to boat.Which had main donk and a 15hp Short.
Pushed into water on rollers (tied to boat.water.
Started and ran 15 short through 3 to 4 ft surf mainly.

Main down.go snapper fishing.
25 to 38\42lb in season.
Worth the trouble.

Back in.
Belt boat through surf. at 20 knots. (Stop button). Motor OFF latch,
flipped up.
Boat slid up sand PAST surf line so next dumper don't get you and fill boat.
Which happens IF you ride a wave and come to rest.
Nice and gently. Yessss.
Right at next wave's dump point. Guess what. It does.
I know.

Pushed down trlr.(roped to car bar.)
OR I had a drop on winch if longer way.(ext rope length)
Load boat. Rope trlr up to ramp. Couple up.
Home.
Magic times. 30\40 yr old idiots.

I went out in 20 plus knots Behind Backstairs Passage in a 14 ft 6 tinny.

and out after Tuna 40 odd yrs ago Same place.
OUTSIDE Kangaroo isl and Backstairs.in 17ft 6 plastic. Completely bent.
(Read about it out there).

Never saw any boats under 23 ft Saw a few flipped too.
When they misjudged a curly top. Those things were 12\15ft plus.
AT NIGHT.

Moral of.

Take a looong rope and skid for Jockey wh, in case you DO get stuck.

Set anchor in surf and pull boat down to water through sheave.
leave car where it safe.

ONE DAY..

I've seen a few rusted out launch cars.
"It won't happen to me".
You never know kiddo.
And at your age. You have NOT got the physical you had.

I paddles
aced 6 man outrigger canoes with 55\60 yr old till I was 68 and tore ligaments.

Could hardly climb into canoe nowadays. 75.
never mind swim it's length both ways for insurance.
It does catch up. Don't get caught out.

AND. Have fun. You're a long time ded.

Bryan wrote:

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Better to ask the guys that actually drive them. Lots of them on here.

---

 Hello Splottboy

I have a Fiat Ducato, with the 5 speed manual gearbox

I find that the reverse gear is just too high, and would avoid trying to reverse up an incline, even in the dry conditions

I have yet to become bogged

But...

When I park up, (if the ground is not flat), I try to position the vehicle, with the front going downhill
I find (in the rain/heavy dew), that the ground under the wheel levellers, is usually dry, and gives me enough traction to start moving

Plan "A" if I did get bogged, I would try and place heavy items, from the rear to the front of the vehicle, to try and get weight over the front wheels

Plan "B" if I do get bogged, is to place some (empty) rubbish sacks, which I carry, in front of the front wheels
I do not know if plan "B" will actually (nearly said that four letter word), be appropriate for that situation, as the sacks are made from woven polypropylene

This post has given me food for thought, and plan "C" is to carry a towing (8,000 Kg) Snatch Strap, which is more than twice the weight of my vehicle
And ask for the assistance of those wonderful four wheel drive men, in their magnificent machines

I do not have the storage room to actually carry any solid recovery mats

It would be interesting to find out, what other front wheel drive, travellers do

 

I have a Ducato based Autotrail and yes I have been bogged, but it was my fault. I failed to check the condition of the ground in Bellingen showground after a spell of heavy rain. Arriving just on dusk I was keen to get set up and relax. I did try timber cardboard pieces of wall board anything that was close, but there was so much mud in the tyre grooves it would not budge. Solution was Ken Tame's local mate with a Nissan Patrol & winch the next morning. Lesson 1 - check the ground before you go into a grassy area, Lesson 2 - make sure you keep your roadside assistance paid up. That night we did try to pull it out with the assistance of an extremely helpful local lady in a Pajero who went home to grab a snatch strap. Long story but the snatch rope broke and the hook made a mess of the back plastic panels. In the past I have had no problem with wet grass but I will be more astute in future. Cheers,