Front Bumper Adjustment ??? Bad Day At The Lake

[RVTRKN]

OK it's not a "TWO WHEELER", it is a 4x4, you almost can't even own a 2 wheel drive in Utah. So here's what happened, this beach launch spot had 4 boats launch from it right in front of me, not of of them spun there tires getting out. However my boat was a little longer than their's and I had to get out a little further. Once I was off the trailer with the boat the truck didn't even get a chance to move 1 inch and it was over. We even hooked 2 trucks on it and tried to get a smooth straight pull on it and both of those trucks dug holes. So we had to pull from an angle and had to tug (ie. BUMPER TWEAKED). So now you know the story. FYI I took the grille, bumper, and right tow hook off and the bracket attaching to the frame was bent. Got me a chain winch and straightened it out put it all back together and all is better. Lesson learned maybe it's worth driving 20 miles to the boat ramp ----- Yeah right forget that, now I have a good excuse to get wheels, tires and a winch bumper. HAHA

Next time lower your tire pressures before you launch, and it might make a difference. My buddy with a 2nd gen complains he can't 4X4 in sand, so he doesn't, so he won't hear it from the others when at Glamis. I never had a problem, but my 2500 was in the sand only one time, and my 3500 has never seen sand.

 

[bighammer]

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Nice truck, but it's not a good boat.


+1 on checking that your axle vent stayed out of the water.

 

[SierraRam]

The 4th gens tow hooks are not connected directly to the frame in the method the 3rd gens are. I pulled a friend out who stuck his 2010 Power Wagon and it did the same thing. If you crawl under you will see that the hooks are connected to a flimsy bracket. I could not believe it when I saw it!

 

[TMRoper1669]

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Nice truck, but it's not a good boat.





+1 on checking that your axle vent stayed out of the water.

I know right, I told all my buddy's that I wanted to go fishing and I thought I would anchor close HA HA.



Sierra: I agree, I was very disappointed in the bracket holding the tow hooks. It makes me wonder what I can pull on next time.

 

[RVTRKN]

Looking at the picture makes me wonder if it was the weight of the CTD that caused you to sink into the mud. I thought of sand when you mentioned beach, I guess I will be more careful if I ever think of launching from the shore on Lake Mead or Lake Mohave were I go with my boat. There is a remote area like were you launched from, on Lake Mohave, but the dirt road is a true 4X4 only road and I was always worried about pulling a boat through there.

 

[Wertles]

Another "help" would be an extention on your receiver. I have an 18 in extention made by Reese and that would keep you another foot and a half or so closer to shore during launch. It does decrease the tongue weight allowed and you would have to have longer chains and make an electrical extention as well if you were to travel with it. I used this set up with a 2 place snowmobile trailer so I could throw another sled in the bed and not bang the tailgate into the trailer.

 

[TMRoper1669]

I think I might have fixed the real problem, I went down and got a leveling kit and 33x12. 50x20R Mud Tires put on, I think that will help with the floating idea

 

[ENafziger]

Chains should really never be used, they are weaker than ropes

Is this really true???

 

[Regcabguy]

My friend and I got stuck in his humongous F-250 down in some mangrove swamps in Baja by wandering off the road maybe two ft. I brought a 30,000# snatch-em-strap. Some locals in a old Chevy stepside with baldies boinged us out of that mess thanks to the elasticity and transfer of energy. Chains wouldn't have done us squat.

 

[AH64ID]

Is this really true???

Without going to extremes, yes. . And when rope breaks it doesn't retain as much energy and isn't as lethal.



Chains are rarely used anymore in the offroad world, ropes are stronger, lighter, safer, and easier to use.



In fact if I am around a chain being used to in a recovery operation I leave!

 

[ENafziger]

My friend and I got stuck in his humongous F-250 down in some mangrove swamps in Baja by wandering off the road maybe two ft. I brought a 30,000# snatch-em-strap. Some locals in a old Chevy stepside with baldies boinged us out of that mess thanks to the elasticity and transfer of energy. Chains wouldn't have done us squat. <!-- google_ad_section_end --> <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Ya, I understand that. I have a couple 4" wide recovery straps and a monster 6" wide one. However, there have been times that I need more length. I've never had problems hooking 4 or 6 log chains together and then using a recovery strap to hook to the vehicle for some shock absorption.

I had to rescue an excavator that was putting wood on a huge bonfire and turned over... with Dad inside. I threw a log chain around the arm, hooked to the truck and was slamming it repeatedly at 20 - 30 mph for multiple attempts before I got the excavator upright again. I know it wasn't safe or smart, but when people's lives are endangered, you do what you have to do. I would normally never treat a truck like that either... the intense shock as the chain went taught was horrific. I seriously wondered if my neck was going to be ok as it whiplash-jarred the truck so hard with each successive attempt. We made it out with one broken window on the excavator, a couple hydraulic hoses that had started to melt, and some 2nd degree burns. Dad got it the worst, and had burns all over his face and neck, and was nearly in shock. I digress, but the point is, I suppose, that I have put log chain through alot of situations that I don't believe rope would have held up to. Of course, it may very well be that there was someone looking out for me as well...

 

[surfbeetle]

On one of our old boat trailers, we had an extension that was about 10 feet. It was a piece of square tubing that had a 2 inch ball mounted on it about 2 feet from the end and a normal trailer coupler on the other end. This tube was stowed under the trailer. Once we were ready to launch off of a beach, the trailer would attach to the ball and a bracket on the trailer that the end of the tube attached to. Then the other end was hooked to the truck. Then we could put the trailer in without getting the truck that far into the water. I suppose that if the tongue weight had been too high, we could have added a tag tire at the front of the trailer.