First non-trip recovery

[stubiePW]

So, this evening as I was getting ready to head to the gym to keep up on my god-like body (not so much god-like), my dad and aunt text me almost at the same time. They tell me to call/text my cousin, as her daughter is stuck. My dad also sends me a picture. From it I just think she's in some slop and should be easy.
So while I get ready, my cousin said some of my 2nd cousin's friends with a jeep were trying to get her out. Mind you, she drives a Jeep wanna be (Jeep Latitude). So they try and I'm told the had to leave real quick to get a "hook". At this point I'm thinking what kind of idiots are helping? Anyway, 10 mins later I'm told to come help.
So I grab a few items and the wife & I hop in the truck and head out (40 min drive).
The place she was stuck was down a RR service road and then a trail off of that where some of the local kids go with their jeeps, go in and hit some "trails" with some mud holes and ruts, then probably leave. I guess it gives them some fun. Anyway, I guess she's been back there before or been with some of the friends with real jeeps, and thought she could. I mean, after all it has a snow/mud setting, makes it awesome correct?
We get there and go down the little gravel yard maybe the length of a football field with the 2 teens in the back. We get to the turn off and I see how good/bad she's stuck. To her benefit, she tried to straddle the ruts, but slid in then tried to get out... yea. The ruts were deep and she stood no chance. I think maybe 1 wheel was touching something more than water. I keep my distance and walk down to take a look. No hook up at all. Did I miss the part where cars don't have tie downs any more, at least an suv/crossover/jeep? I look for about 10 mins before I make my decision. The teen guys left a crappy strap, so I think good, I'll use this. Just to be clear, I do not have much recovery great, as in almost nothing. So, I look and have 1 idea to wrap the strap around the only solid area attached to the frame where I guess the half axles or however the ass end of those are made. I was not on anything that moves. It was low, solid to the frame. I avoided the exhaust and what not.
Get hooked up, and I start pulling my truck to her (dough). I reposition to more solid ground, break said strap. Re-group and use the winch cable in the same manner. I really didn't want to do it, but it'd be 2-3 days before anyone else could get out there and be dry.
Get hooked back up and gently pull and she slides real nice. Stop, go check on things, go back and start pulling. I get her unstuck, get my stuff buttoned up, and I follow her out to her not so happy mother.
What should have taken 10 mins with a tow how or tie down, took my an hour of getting up and down and laying in super wet mud on my back and stomach.

Not the most professional, but with what I have, it worked. I just can't believe there was no tie down. Nothing. Plastic and crap. Front of the car was worse. Whoever invented the jeep would be kicking some serious ass for this "jeep". Anyway, that's my story, I'll have pictures later. I was glad I could help as a tow would have been $$$. I also double checked everything and all was good under the car.


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[Numbnuts]

You did a good thing

[adeluca73]

Its a Jeep & "trail rated" right? That means it can go any where --Jeep, as giant a master of marketing BS as it gets, they've buffaloed more people with their Wrangler off road bait and switch "tacit" implications, it's ridiculous.

I had a "trail rated" Grand Cherokee rental when I was in Oregon for a spell, me & a buddy decided to go exploring MT. Hood one afternoon, nothing crazy, just some winding medium duty logging trails, steady climbs, ruts & roots, but no mud or rock crawling. The next morning when I went to start the jeep, the instrument cluster lit up like a Christmas tree, the speedo didnt work, the car wouldn't rev above 3000, and the abs system was dead...total POS. Returned it to the rental car company & they gave me a 4wd Trail Blazer...way better. Took that with the wife exploring Mt. St. Helens & we hit far more difficult terrain, unscripted ground, & it handled it better in every instance...very eye opening.

[OffroadTreks]

Its a Jeep & "trail rated" right? That means it can go any where --Jeep, as giant a master of marketing BS as it gets, they've buffaloed more people with their Wrangler off road bait and switch "tacit" implications, it's ridiculous.

I had a "trail rated" Grand Cherokee rental when I was in Oregon for a spell, me & a buddy decided to go exploring MT. Hood one afternoon, nothing crazy, just some winding medium duty logging trails, steady climbs, ruts & roots, but no mud or rock crawling. The next morning when I went to start the jeep, the instrument cluster lit up like a Christmas tree, the speedo didnt work, the car wouldn't rev above 3000, and the abs system was dead...total POS. Returned it to the rental car company & they gave me a 4wd Trail Blazer...way better. Took that with the wife exploring Mt. St. Helens & we hit far more difficult terrain, unscripted ground, & it handled it better in every instance...very eye opening.

Trailblazer is way better than a Jeep GC in every way.

[FordyceCreekTrail]

Tow hooks on a 4x4 should be federal law. Back in the day NO American 4x4 had tow hooks. Every Japanese 4x4 had tow hooks and tie downs. I remember when Chevy first put one on, it was like wow, what a concept.

[DamageWagon]

There is something called "logistic hooks" used by tow and transport companies.

There are several geometries and are designed to fit into the frame or unibody holes of any vehicle. They aren't designed for recovery and I wouldn't use one of a vehicle was really stuck, but I've considered getting a set for a scenario like a Honda Civic slid off the side of a road because it was muddy. For your scenario though I think it would already be beyond its limits.

Good work! Like my family says... I don't need a truck, I just need to KNOW someone with a truck!


Sent from my safe space

[TwinStick]

Good work! Like my family says... I don't need a truck, I just need to KNOW someone with a truck!


Yeahhhhh, if someone ever said that to me, I would laugh hysterically in their face when they said they needed someone with a truck & called me, family or not.

Yeah, new vehicles suck for hook up points. Good for you for getting her out. IMHO, I think ANY 4x4 should have these from the factory, front and rear. Tow hooks like these: http://www.boyceequipment.com/m1008-1-25-ton-gm-pickup