Stuck in the mud

[C20]

On the way home from the 500 stopped to see dw's parents. Backed into a spot and got stuck in the yard. I'm calling coach net Friday when we are ready to leave. My question is where are the correct places on the front of the 08 itasca horizon for the tow truck driver to hook on? I'd like to know in case he doesn't.
Thanks.

[Daveinet]

We have chained to the axle on the front of my dad's coach. It was the only low point on the front end. On my coach being pulled out from the rear, I hooked on to my safety chain hook on one side. (Easy way to test the quality of my weld)

[msmith1199]

Rich D. wrote:

C20 wrote:
Thank you all. I looked up towing companies here and there is one that does heavy trucks and rv's. ill ask coach net if we can use them. I got stuck once at talladega and a little one ton wrecker pulled me out but he was able to hook on the back at the hitch. Not so now.

I'm sorry if I double posted. Didn't mean to.

NEVER attempt to pull out a stuck motorhome by having the wrecker hook up to the hitch! Remember that the hitch has a rating much, much lower than the weight of the motorhome! For example, my last coach had a 10,000 lb capacity hitch and weighed 50,000 lbs. Attempting to pull 50,000 lbs with it could make for a catastrophic failure and rip the hitch right off.

If the operator can get under the front, they can safely use a wheel lift to raise the front and pull it out. Also remember that the frame may be located up quite high (over the storage compartments) and many have a removable panel at the front that exposes a tow point on the frame.

But that's a 10,000 pound rating for towing something at highway speeds. That doesn't mean if you tow something over that weight that the hitch is going to fly off. However, I would agree you have to be careful when pulling a 50,000 motorhome no matter where you attach the tow hook. I'd have no problem using the hitch as long as the truck operator pulled smoothly and as long as I was helping by driving the coach out of the mud.

[BobR]

Best to chain up from the rear. I have a much older Winnebago but the owners manual states part of the front clip needs to be removed or damage will occur. You might want to consult your owner's manual if you are forced to chain up from the front.

[Rich_D_]

C20 wrote:
Thank you all. I looked up towing companies here and there is one that does heavy trucks and rv's. ill ask coach net if we can use them. I got stuck once at talladega and a little one ton wrecker pulled me out but he was able to hook on the back at the hitch. Not so now.

I'm sorry if I double posted. Didn't mean to.

NEVER attempt to pull out a stuck motorhome by having the wrecker hook up to the hitch! Remember that the hitch has a rating much, much lower than the weight of the motorhome! For example, my last coach had a 10,000 lb capacity hitch and weighed 50,000 lbs. Attempting to pull 50,000 lbs with it could make for a catastrophic failure and rip the hitch right off.

If the operator can get under the front, they can safely use a wheel lift to raise the front and pull it out. Also remember that the frame may be located up quite high (over the storage compartments) and many have a removable panel at the front that exposes a tow point on the frame.

[gatorcq]

just make sure that the cable arrangement is low, so as not to damage the front or rear end.

[C20]

That's my situation. The jacks just keep pushing my ground pads deeper and seeping into the mud.

[FIRE_UP]

egh33 wrote:
This happened to me about a year ago. I used my jscks. I placed boards under the jacks, raised the M/H as high as it would go, placed any thing I could find under the wheels. Raised the jacks and let the coach down on items I placed under the wheels, did that about 3 times till I was able to drive right out.
Takes a little time, but that I have plenty of.

Good answer, not always possible due to the jacks can sink just as deep or deeper than the tires but, if you've got something to place under the jacks to displace the weight to a larger square footage, than definitely a way to go. Good move.
Scott

[egh33]

This happened to me about a year ago. I used my jscks. I placed boards under the jacks, raised the M/H as high as it would go, placed any thing I could find under the wheels. Raised the jacks and let the coach down on items I placed under the wheels, did that about 3 times till I was able to drive right out.
Takes a little time, but that I have plenty of.

[C20]

Thank you all. I looked up towing companies here and there is one that does heavy trucks and rv's. ill ask coach net if we can use them. I got stuck once at talladega and a little one ton wrecker pulled me out but he was able to hook on the back at the hitch. Not so now.

I'm sorry if I double posted. Didn't mean to.

[Twomed]

On the frame for sure BUT... more importantly the hooker should use a block pulley at ground level so that there is no vertical pull. The cable should be a pretty straight pull at ground level. A good hooker will know this. That's the only way to get big trucks moved. If it's a small wrecker he may not have that capability. Tell them to send a bigger hook. 🙂 🙂

[2ndhom]

On the frame. Make sure his chains when hooked up, don't touch the front of the body parts when the chain becomes taunt. The driver might ask you to dig out some of the dirt from in front of the rear tires.

[glamisorbust]

Somewhere on the frame. These newer motorhomes without steel bumpers make it hard to get pulled out of some mud. I got mine stuck in the deep sand at the dunes, and had to get way up underneath to find a good spot on the frame to yank it. I am going to build a mount on mine with a tow hook right up front incase that happens again. You just need to crawl up underneath and be sure that it is low enough to where when he pulls taught the strap or chain, he doesn't rip your front fiberglass all to pieces.