looking for ideas (recovering camper from mud)

[Jebby14]

So my camper winters in my buddys field outside of town. His mine and a few others get rowed up on cedar 2x10s and all is well. usually we go get it in may once the wields have dried a bit. This year we are looking at starting earlier (easter weekend)and the field is seldom dry by then. I no longer have my jeep (beast in the mud 4x4 with locking differentials) The tractor is 2 wheel drive and my truck is 4x4 but open diffs. Anyone have any outside the box ideas to get the camper out? For what its worth its about 200 yards to solid ground. over vegetation but very soft leading to a dirt (mud) strip at the culvert to the road.

[totaldla]

Some 2x8s would be my solution.

[Jebby14]

no diff lock on the tractor and no power down on the bucket only power up and pin to dump. I have no doubt the truck will get to the trailer. more worried about getting it out when the trailer sinks. as long as I can keep the trailer up enough I should be fine. just need to avoid burying the axle since I don't really want to ruin the brakes or worse yet tear off a perch

[bguy]

OK. So is the plywood supposed to be for the trailer or the TV?
Any large size trailer will bust through 1/2" plywood for a joke. I would think 3/4" for sure, although I don't think it needs to be 24." 16" should be wide enough. If you visit the local lumber yard ask to view the cast off pile and you could pick up a few pieces of 2 x 10 real cheap.

[BPRescue]

Jebby14 wrote:
truck is a 2016 f150 crew cab 4x4 5.0L open diff. love it but no way in hell was it more capable offroad than my WJ. As for weather its 9C out now and I cant see it getting cold enough to freeze up in the next few weeks.

thinking we will just make a wood track and winch out.

Did not say the pickup would be more capable off road; you are not crawling here, you are pulling someone, or something out of the mud in a flat/ish location, snow, etc. Here, weight helps considerably and you could even put extra weight in the bed to help. But you are now aluminum with that F150, right? The bottom line is if you can't get that F150 to the TT, you probably should not try and yank the TT out until the conditions are better. Once you get there; you will be able to gauge if it will or won't happen... Either way, keep the tractor close by and it can pull you both out.

I have experience in all these area's unfortunately... Raised on a ranch in Wyoming, and did have MANY learning experiences. Even the tractor... Buried my Dad's K5 in the mud on top of a hill. A buddy couldn't even get to me with his 4x4 pickup, let alone try to pull me out, so we had to get a tractor. That was the ticket and probably saved my life...

[colliehauler]

NRALIFR wrote:
See if your 2WD tractor has a locking diff/transaxle. If it does, it may be more capable than you think.

:):)

As others have suggested I would use the tractor. I use to pull 4x4's out of mud at work with a 2WD tractor. In extreme cases I had two use the front bucket to assist.

[westend]

Chain, cable, or strong rope.

A few years back I had an epiphany. It came when my F250 was being dug and jacked up for the 10th time, trying to get the truck and a boat trailer out of a swamp (it took two days).

Get the truck's wheels on solid ground and attach enough chain or rope to pull the boat and trailer out of the muck. If your trailer doesn't have a dolly wheel, rig something up so the tongue can slide across the muck.

Good luck and no thanks for reminding me of a really bad two days.

[NRALIFR]

See if your 2WD tractor has a locking diff/transaxle. If it does, it may be more capable than you think.

:):)

[midnightsadie]

tractor is best and the plywood for the trailer axle,or you,ll pull the tr axle right out from under the trailer.,take a look there ain,t much holding it to the frame. tractor has much lower gears than a truck. slow steady gets it out.

[hawkeye-08]

Take some pictures when you do it so we can all share in your fun.

[schlep1967]

There is always the old "strap a couple of 2x4's to the rear tires" trick.

[Jebby14]

also on what planet is 60 or 70 yards of gravel plus the time/labor to lay it cheap?

[Jebby14]

cant post pics. the IT overlords here have us locked down. I would love to drop gravel but its not my property. also need to go about 120 yards. I will get it figured out. ive done worse. was just curious if anyone had any ideas i may not have thought of. we have enough straps and vehicle and lumber and winches and what not that im not worried.

[K_and_I]

Jebby14 wrote:
and the reason for not getting a wrecker is because im cheap. very very cheap. and also I don't like spending money..... because im cheap. That and sometimes I can be a bit cheap

We must be related 🙂

[DiskDoctr]

Gravel is CHEAP!

If you don't want a "driveway" then you can make two strips where your wheels will all run.

If this is someplace you go regularly, might be nice in the long run, not much $$, and yet not look like a house driveway.

Another thing to consider is a buddy with a dually. Spreads out the weight. Keep some really LONG straps handy, just in case.

If you're really cheap, go down to local creek and collect rocks. Fill in the ruts to make the two strips as mentioned with the gravel.

BTW, PICS would be great in this thread!

[Bols2DawaLL]

Jebby14 wrote:
and the reason for not getting a wrecker is because im cheap. very very cheap. and also I don't like spending money..... because im cheap. That and sometimes I can be a bit cheap

You're cheap :B