From: jtod_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (John "Jeep" Todd)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Jeep stuck, frozen puddle, how to free up?
Date: 27 Jan 93 00:56:23 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

In <1993Jan26.192303.2396@macc.wisc.edu> pburke@vms.macc.wisc.edu (Peter Burke, MIC, 608-263-7744) writes:

>My friend got himself stuck in a pretty deep puddle two days ago. In the 
>meantime the puddle has turned to solid ice.  Teh front of the vehicle 
>is about 15" under water/ice, the rear - well - his 31" tires barely 
>stick out of the ice.  The ice is only 1/2" thick, but still enough to 
>keep the thing in there.  Yesterday we pulled only very lightly and tore 
>his bumper off - oops.  Now: what is a smarter approach?  We are 
>thinking of first using a sledgehammer to crush the ice, then pull with 
>two trucks.  Is there a smarter approach?  There is no way to get a 
>tow-truck near this, by the way.  almost got my Toyota stuck just going 
>there....

>Any seasoned four-wheelers out there?

Sure thang.  Hmm.... lessee, you want to spend as little time in 35 degree
icewater as possible, I guess, huh?  Well, first thing is to dress very
warmly (really? Tough one, eh?)  and start a huge fire on the bank of the
puddle.  This will be to prevent hypothermia.  Then: jump around and break
all of the ice, of course.  Here are some tricks that I have picked up in my
various "worst-stuck" situations:

1. Get a winch.  This is a nice little perk for going off-road, in that it
becomes very difficult to get stuck, as long as there is solid material
within 100-200ft of the front of your vehicle.  If you don't have a winch...

2. Get a tow strap.  This is different than a chain because it uses a
stretch-and-snap method of pulling, like a rubber band.  Chain will just
become instantly rigid at pull-point, causing damage to both vehicles if
a)one is an immovable object, or b)one is an unstoppable force.  Snap-straps
are much better.  Attach through one of (or better, both) the holes in the
front of the frame of the Jeep.  Attach to a LARGE frame member in the
center of the Toy. Or perhaps a tow hitch, but I don't know about the
strength of tow hitches.

3. If the Jeep has "wagon wheels" (eg: having holes in the steel parts of
the wheels that you can see through) put thick rope through the holes,
weaving it around the rubber part of the tire.  Cheap tire chains!  You
might also try some version of putting a 2x4 in the combination to provide
extra traction, but make sure that it will clear all fenders/steering
assemblies if it makes a revolution.

4.  Buy some cheapo come-alongs.  These are hand-held winches that only pull
a few feet for a few hundred pounds, but four of them does a lot.  You might
try attaching two to the corners of the frame, and attaching the Toy to the
middle of the frame,with the two smaller forces stabilizing and aiding the
primary force.  Attach the solid ends to trees, big rocks, other trucks that
may not want to get wet, etc etc.  Also try attaching them to series of
concrete forming rods at angles.  Those forming rods are great!  About 3.5ft
long, and 3/4 inch in diameter, they just will not be bent by anything short
of a Mack truck, and they're (almost) free!  Just give a concrete foreman
$20 for 10 of them, and you'll be very happy.  Hammer them into the ground
at about a 40 degree angle, in a straight line with the angle of the force
that will be applied.  Tie them all together with very stout rope, or do as
I have been meaning to do and make short steel cable lengths with eyes on
both end, so that everything is ready made.  I've found that burying tires
and winching to them might work, but not reliable, and you have to bury
those tires REALLY deep so they won't pull out.  This also leads to the
problem of the cable wanting to make a straight line between winch and load,
causing it to cut through the ground and generally not work 

5.  Get a lot of trees/brush/bricks/rocks/firewood and jam it under the
tires while doing all of the above.  Make sure that whatever you are using
has enough traction(eg: don't use round river rocks, ace.)  and has enough
mass to provide a road out of the mess.  If you think you've got enough
stuff under the tires, you have exactly half of what you need.  Try some
more before even starting the engine.  You only usually get one chance with
that type of route, so make the very best of it, since all the junk gets
slimy and pushed down into the mud after the first try.

NOTE: When using cabling or other winching/snatching method, stand very
clear of any area that a cable or strap may snap to if one mounting point
should break.  You don't want to have a winch hook or tow bar impaled in
your forehead.  When dealing with the entire force of an engine compressed
into a thin strand, you'd be amazed at the damage it can do to people and
things if released all at once.

Good luck. You'll need it, but you'll get it eventually.  :)
-- 
John Todd         | University of Rochester, Rochester NY USA Earth Milky Way
CPU 276686        | "What took you so long?" - Connor MacLeod "Highlander"
Rochester NY 14627| Jeeps Fixed, Technology Hacked, Lawns Mowed, Maidens Saved
jtod@alora.cc.rochester.edu (NeXT mail)        jtod_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu