Sh*t, You’re Stuck. How to get “Unstuck” and prevent it from happening again. Part 2
Alright, you completely ignored everything we told you. Now you’re stuck in a self-dug rut with no way out. Don’t be too hard on yourself, $hit happens. Don’t panic; there are ways to get yourself out of a sticky situation. Whether you’re able to maneuver yourself out of it or you had to bring along assistance, we’ll get you moving again.
Getting Unstuck
Maneuver –
If you find yourself stuck in some deep mud, there is a maneuver you could try without using any additional items. However, if this doesn’t work after one or two tries, change methods, as you can actually make the situation worse but digging the rut deeper.
The first thing you should do is STOP ACCELERATING. Spinning tires dig ruts; deeper ruts mean a harder time. Once, you realize you’re stuck, get out and look at how you’re stuck and assess how bad it is. You may want to use your hands to dig some of the mud away from the tire, or you may be able just to repeatedly turn your wheel left and right to move the mud away. Once you have a wider rut around all sides of the tire, you can try to slowly move back and forward in a “rocking” motion to build up momentum and eventually get out of the rut.
Items That Help
Floor mats/ gravel – If you are struggling to gain traction in the mud, if you lay down a floor mat, or can find enough gravel to put in front (or behind) your tire, you will gain some traction and hopefully find yourself out of the rut. How these works is by adding the layer between your tire and the mud, you gain traction by adding surface area to your tire and driving on a more grip-enhancing surface.
Traction Boards –
If you aren’t into the idea of throwing your floor mats on the ground and tearing them up and don’t want to bank on finding a pile of gravel lying around their traction boards. They essentially operate the same. However, they are a product that functions in the same capacity but is made for this occasion. They are significantly more reliable and durable for multiple uses. They are made to enhance traction on your tires and are made to be wider and longer to provide you with better traction to get out of the mud hole.
A Winch –
When the situation is out of hand, you can bust out the winch. This heavy-duty solution has the ability to crank your truck out of any spot. A winch, when properly utilized, can pull up to 12,000 lbs which can be important when pulling you out of a ditch. You’ll need to find a sturdy tree or large rock to secure the tether. Finding a sturdy enough anchor is important, to ensure nothing breaks that could risk your, and your truck’s safety.
Tow Job
If you’re out with some buds, you may be able to hitch yourself with a thick rope, nylon tether, or chain to their truck to help pull you out of the mess. Just because your friend’s truck is pulling you out, it still requires effort on your end to accelerate where you can and steer so your truck doesn’t go off in the direction of a tree, or a cliff.
The Final Word
Getting stuck is never a fun experience, and sometimes it requires you to think outside of the box. One of the above solutions may work for you… or maybe the won’t. When you’re faced with a problem like this, no two circumstances are ever the same. That means no two solutions will ever be the same either. The best we can do is gather the tools we need to be the solution. You may use one of these tools, some of these tools, or none of them. The only thing you can do is be ready for the time it happens, with a full toolbox to fix any problem that comes your way.