Topic: Went out Wheelin last night and got a little stuck...

[JeepManMarc]

Me and a buddy decided to go out wheelin last night, we both got new Hella lights and figured we'd test them out on a local trail.  All was good until My friend Jed took a right down a trail that proved MUCH steeper than expected, he slid all the way down barely missing trees at the bottom.  Turns out the trail went nowhere, and there were so many trees close together it took 10 minutes just to turn the vehicle around.  Once facing up the hill we realized what a task we had in front of us. There was a feild not far off but barb wire fencing and a farm house close by kept us from cutting the fence qand driving out. We had to get his Jeep back up this hill which was so much harder than expected.  With the snow and ice it was a huge task just walking up it, we ended up tossing my tow strap around a tree and down the hill just to use to walk up and down the incline.  No lockers and 32 inch All terrains werent going anywhere on this surface so out came the come along.  I have no pictures of early on, so its hard to tell how long the hill was but it was more than 40 ft, we had chains and straps that were 20ft so I had a pretty good idea of how big it was.  We used a log chain for a saftey chain to hold progress if the come along were to give way, thank god we did this as we eventually broke two 2 ton come a longs in the process.  We worked at it last night from 11:30 to 1:00 and went home after breaking the first come a long.  We secured a few chains on the jeep. then came back this morning with a new come along and worked from 10- 1:00 to get it out.  Resetting the come along was a huge ordeal, we had to snug the safety chain to hold the jeep in place, attempt to walk/ slide/ fall down the hill to the jeep to take tension out of the chain and then go another 4 ft and do it all over again.  We broke the second come a long about 4 ft from the top of the hill, the actual metal housing on the thing cracked and the cable came off.  Finally I said enough is enough, we hooked a saftey chain from the jeep to a tree, then hooked a log chain from my tow hook to his and slowly pulled him out.  Once again the 4 banger saves the 4.0!  Heres a few pics, no way to tell how steep that ravine is, its so bad that hiking boots were like ice skates.  If only one of us had a winch. 

Here you can see the chain we used with the come a long and the slack in the saftey chain:












As for the damage report, only 2 sets of sore arms and a bent fender flare.  Good thing we got it out before this evening, they are projecting a possible 3-8 inches of snow..  Which only means we will be going back out there for some more wheelin!  This was only our second large recovery mission, I think it went ok...

[jagular7]

I was out playing with the ice and snow on Saturday. Northside hills forget it. Got no where. The southside hills were clean but soft. Tire speed and momentum worked well. The east and west side depended on the tree covering. Some spots just crawled, where others just sank. Ice became apparent when going forward with tires you were going backwards relative to the hill. Funny at times, but none the less a bit hairy driving with the mirrors quickly.

Just a suggestion, when pulling another vehicle, at best, try to pull with your rear side. The drive on the drivetrain is most acceptable. Try not to pull from your front. Doing so places more stress on the drive axle and you could break an axle rather easily. With a chain or any other limited stretching rope, you shouldn't try to snatch the other vehicle. The link is more mechanically stiff and will resist the stretch, thus break. To add, the impact is transduced to both vehicles and frames. Best get properly installed tow hooks, frame mounted, front and rear (rear hitch frame will work if classified as Class III or better - think of the weight considerations). Proper tow straps which are designed for snatch-style actions. No metal ends or hooks, just loops. If you have to use a clevis, make sure the clevis is attached through a hole and not looped onto a hook. Any slack could result in a hazardous position. What is nice about straps is they can be reused. If you break a 20'er, you can snot-tie the 2 loose ends together to reuse. Or if you bring it back, go to a canvas shop and they can sew it another end on it. They the short length could be used as a tree strap.

[JeepManMarc]

I have frame mounted tow hooks on the front of my jeep which is why we used the front for the pull.  Aftermarket bumpers are next on my list of things to do along with a winch.  A chain is ok if you arent jerking the other vehicle and the load is constant, I wouldnt want to jerk his jeep too hard for fear of snapping the chain as you stated.  I knew what to do and what not to do for the most part which is why we came out on this ok I think, but I still do need to get a hookless tow strap.  Sounds like you like to play in the snow too! 

[lanulos89]

dang marc u go wheeling more than i do looks like anouther fun adventure you can add to you camp fire stories