Stuck...AGAIN!!

[JSchutz]

I’m not complaining (mad icon was just for fun) or looking for a fix, just telling a dumb story.



Two weeks ago: Midnight in the rain and I get stuck in the mud on level ground out in a cow pasture. Wheels just turning and I’m not moving. Tried everything. Eventually I got down near a fence and needed help. The farmer pulled me out with an ancient K-5 Blazer (originally a 6. 2 diesel that had been replaced with a 350 gas engine). No joke, he pulled me up a slight grade at a 30-degree angle from my front bumper with my truck in neutral. Didn’t even spin his tires. Would have made a great Chevy commercial.



Two nights ago: 2 AM, I get stuck in the mud on a hillside and slide sideways into a round bale. Farmer (woman) tows me out with some kind of small Chevy SUV. Although I will admit she was on better footing than I was when she pulled me out, she had just driven through the area where I got stuck without any problem. Truck got two small dings and a bunch of scratches from the hay bale. (Tried ScratchX and it worked like magic on the scratches. Dings are here to stay unfortunately, but it is a work truck after all, not just a pretty lawn ornament. Wash it monthly even if it’s not dirty yet. While picking up the ScratchX I bought a new tow strap for the next time—it’s too hard getting the knots out of my lariats).



Two things to keep in mind: I’m in the mountains of western NC—no top soil, only red tread-filling clay, and I’ve got a 1300# vet unit mounted in my truck bed so it’s no light weight. My truck is 4WD with locking rear differential, new Goodrich RuggedTrail T/A’s about 2 months ago.



I had a similarly equipped Duramax before my Dodge and it was equally a dog in the mud. My truck runs fine on snow pack but I think these diesels are just too heavy to do well on soft ground. The K-5 simply crawled across the surface while my truck sunk in and was constantly trying to “climb out of a hole”. The enormous low-end torque is a problem too—wheels just want to spin with the slightest application of throttle.



Anyway, I am looking forward to drier weather. Great forum. Thanks, Jeff

 

[Chris N5CWM]

Yeah it sux getting stuck! I used to do a lot of 4 wheeling in the Raleigh NC area 15 years ago. Nowdays all the good spots are blocked off or developed.



I was reading your post and thinking "tires". They must be getting packed with mud, and not slinging it (not self-cleaning).

Also the weight is definitely a problem.



Buying the tow strap is about the best thing you can do until it dries up a bit!

 

[DKiesewetter]

Couple of things with a diesel... you NEED bigger tires if you're in mud alot... MT's are OK if you're in mud alot, but I have had better luck overall with AT/KO type treads.



A wider footprint helps a lot... also... I recommend you not losing momentum everytime you are ever in doubt. Stop in a rig as heavy as ours and you'll never start again.



If you feel the rig starting to get stuck: move the steering wheel back and forth in short quick left to right motions and maintain the same amount of throttle... apply more throttle and you'll dig, lose momentum and you're stuck. Tracking the wheels quickly allows your frontend to pull more.



I can't reccomend new tires enough. The ones on the stock dodge's are meant for street only, no matter what the sidealls say.



Doug

 

[mbaston]

tires tires tires... All terrain tires just don't cut it in gooey mud.

 

[DKiesewetter]

The problem is... that there REALLY isn't a huge difference between MT's and ATs in traction untl you actually step up to a swamperish tire or a Krawler.



The reason I would recommend the AT/KO's was because I don't think they clean up any worse than the MT/KM's... and they will do better in sand... MUCH better.



Doug

 

[JHardwick]

JSchutz,



Your fist two paragraphs were reminding me of my younger day out slinging mud til all hours of the night (didn't get stuck though, lol), til I got to the part that you were a vet.



Man, If I had a collic or injured horse at midnight, my vet would tell me to wait til morning!

 

[Groover]

Jschutz, Your truck weighs twice as much as those chevys you mentioned. Bigger tires help but nothing shy of tractor tires is going to make your truck a mud bogger by any means. I run 35" mud grips and can't go where a jeep on street tires goes.



Just face the facts - "your truck is a heavy pig and should not be driven in the gooey stuff" Now write that on the blackboard 500 times.

 

[JSchutz]

I'm sure you're all correct about the tire issue. 99% of my 5000+ miles per month are on pavement so what I'm using now is about as aggressive as I can probably go. As you all know there isn't a lot of choice in the 17" rim size. These T/A's are quite a bit better than the stock Michelins but in the heavy wet clay they simply turn into giant spinning masses of red mud. Jeff

 

[CIverson]

I run mud terrains all the time becaue I never know when I'll get into some mud, and A/T's just don't cut it in mud or snow. The tread packs up too quickly, where the M/T cleans it's self alot better in the experiences I've had. Also, the M/T (if it get's packed up) will clean itself with a blip of the throttle.



Anyway. I would suggest at a minimum that you get a wider tire, that will help. The limited slip rear end is about as useful as your stock tires are. It just sucks. Remember the parking brake trick. Apply it a couple clicks and both tires in the back will start to work.



Finally, you could always just get a winch and call it good.

 

[bighammer]

And there's a fine line between digging a hole and spinning fast enough to clean the tread.

 

[CIverson]

Originally posted by bighammer

And there's a fine line between digging a hole and spinning fast enough to clean the tread.

If your already stopped, then i agree, but if you've got some momentum going it's a different story, and can get you out of the situation.

 

[Khood]

I hear whats happening with getting stuck in mud,i've been stuck

2 times with my '03 4x3 Ram. Thats right 4x3. Stuck in places my '97 ram had no problem getting thru with a limited slip front axle. So DC has screwed us on this one with what they call'' on-

going product development''. I call it being CHEAP and cutting

corners. Next time we get stuck we should call DC to come get us out. Even better maybe Cheverolet with a camera crew to film a Chevy pulling us out with their front and rear ''true 4x4's'' lock-ing axles. The one shown in that new TV ad strapped to a tree to stretch it,notice all 4 wheels a spinning. Buy the way my '96 2500

4x4 chevy never got stuck in red clay mud which is like grease

around the Raleigh NC area.

If DC keeps coming up with better ideas,I'll have to some how

fit a cummins into a Chevy.

 

[CIverson]

Originally posted by Khood

I hear whats happening with getting stuck in mud,i've been stuck

2 times with my '03 4x3 Ram. Thats right 4x3. Stuck in places my '97 ram had no problem getting thru with a limited slip front axle. So DC has screwed us on this one with what they call'' on-

going product development''. I call it being CHEAP and cutting

corners. Next time we get stuck we should call DC to come get us out. Even better maybe Cheverolet with a camera crew to film a Chevy pulling us out with their front and rear ''true 4x4's'' lock-ing axles. The one shown in that new TV ad strapped to a tree to stretch it,notice all 4 wheels a spinning. Buy the way my '96 2500

4x4 chevy never got stuck in red clay mud which is like grease

around the Raleigh NC area.

If DC keeps coming up with better ideas,I'll have to some how

fit a cummins into a Chevy.

Dodge never had a limited slip FRONT axle. I've never seen a chevy with any sort of actual locking differential and I highly doubt there ever was, not to mention offering a limited slip front either.

 

[drrhoades]

If both front tires were turning then that means that they had equal traction on both sides.

 

[NSperduto]

Yeah, I got stuck in the mud with my truck too. I was trying to pull my buddy out who got stuck. Then the nieghbor up the street came down with a long cable and the "war wagon" a circa 1945 Dodge military pwoer wagon. He pulled us right out.

But he was on pavement though.

NIck

 

[jungledave]

With the VET box you are over 8000.

 

[dnitzel]

Khood: Sooooo. . Chevy puts a locker or limited slip in the front of their factory trucks? I WANT ONE OF THOSE! I did not know Dodge ever placed a limited slip in a stock pickup, or anyone else for that matter.

 

[Northerner]

Wider is better, Mud Terrain is better and lower pressure say 25 psi is better. Pump back up when finished playing.

 

[Khood]

OK if your front axle wheels spin and you dig 2 holes. What does that tell you? Limited slip,a Locker or POsi trac whatever,its not a

floating axle. I know Dodge had the vacum actuated front axle in

2nd Gen that would engage when you shifted into 4wd. Some guys who pulled campers would use a switch to disengage front

axle to be able to use low range on transfer case enabling them

to have steerable front wheels in tight places and low power at

same time. Now DC has done away with a vacum source and

BROKE what wasn't broken. Go figure?

 

[CIverson]

Originally posted by Khood

OK if your front axle wheels spin and you dig 2 holes. What does that tell you? Limited slip,a Locker or POsi trac whatever,its not a

floating axle. I know Dodge had the vacum actuated front axle in

2nd Gen that would engage when you shifted into 4wd. Some guys who pulled campers would use a switch to disengage front

axle to be able to use low range on transfer case enabling them

to have steerable front wheels in tight places and low power at

same time. Now DC has done away with a vacum source and

BROKE what wasn't broken. Go figure?

The CAD (Center axle disconnect) was one of the biggest POS parts dodge used. I know MANY people that have broken theirs with only light offroading, and a few who ended up taking it out and going to a single piece axle shaft like we have now, IMO it's a nice improvement for 4wd reliability, not to mention that 4wd engages very promplty now, and not whenever the vacuum deal decides it's ready.