Stuck in the mud

[chemistski]

Was out driving around the property today on the tractor and felt the tractor sink /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. We have lots of clay where we live and we have had lots of rain and I believe there may be a spring on the neighbors property that runs down the slope into our yard. So put the tractor in 4WD and locked the differential. Could rock it a little but got nowhere. The R4s on the tractor got full of wet sticky clay and basically turned into racing slicks. So tried shoving a few boards under the rear tires and backing out. No Luck. Wife suggested using the loader to "push" the front of the tractor off of the ground. Did that and was able to shove some boards and a few bricks (use what you got on hand) under the front tires. Used another board to dig out the grooves in the tire tread. Was careful not to put any body parts under the loader arms or tractor. Lowered the tractor back down from the loader and got the baby out of the hole. Tractor had sunk down about halfway down the front wheels in the muck. Thankfully the mud hole was only a few feet long (cleverly disguised with grass on top). If there was a lot of mud in front of the tractor, probably would not have been able to lift off with the loader. Got back to the driveway and hosed the tractor off. Any suggestions about how to improve this operation if it should occur in the future (besides the obvious, know where you are going, be careful). Thanks.

P.S. The tractor in question was a JD2305, although I suspect any tractor of that size and weight with those tires would have gotten stuck.

 

[rdln]

well the best prevention is.. abstinence.

anyways you could take off the loader and greatly reduce psi on the front tires.

but thats like dropping your ammo so you can run from the enemy faster.

buy a bigger pressure washer to clean it off quicker? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[grandad]

You have a smart wife... hope you listen to her advice! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As long as there have been tractors, there have been mud-stuck tractors. Welcome to the club!

 

[weesa20]

It sounds like you used the FEL to lift the front of the tractor but did you use it try to push yourself backward? This is a particularly useful technique with the tractor tires turning backward and the FEL pushing you backward, you will almost always get out (Unless you are seriously stuck, eg over the front tires or hood)

W

 

[browns40]

Like weesa20 said...

Lift your bucket high enough to fully dump it--so the open bucket is flat on the ground--then curl or lift & curl and that should get you moving in reverse...

Worked for me frame deep, front tires buried, facing down grade... won't disclose how many times... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[chemistski]

grandad, Yep she is a keeper /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif, and I only listen to her advice when I am smart. Yes I expect to get stuck again someday. Hopefully not too soon. Thanks everyone, keep the advice coming. I am sure there are other newbies like me who need the advice.

 

[jbrumberg]

Chemistski:
Get over the embarrassment and get used to the idea that you are going to get stuck during mud season- it is a fact of life in NE. Brown40 and Weesa20 are correct in suggesting that you use your hydraulics to push/pull you out of mud. I have had everything spinning in the air and/or mud at times. What go me out is the judicious use of hydraulics, boards, rocks, pickup truck, and a come-a-long to get me moving again. I believe that AG/R1 tires provide the traction you need at the cost of tearing up the lawn on occasion during "dry season". I also think that dumping rocks in "sink holes" is only a temporary solution as the mud will only suck the rocks under the next mud season cycle and somehow, magically the rocks will re-emerge where you least want them to surface. Buy a come-a-long. Jay

 

[HammerFour]

My main method is just to avoid using the tractor if its muddy unless I just have to do some work. The tractor tears up the yard and pastures to much if I have to use it when the ground is saturated with water or muddy......

Of course, if you have stuff you have to do, then you just have to deal with the mud. Use your bucket like others have mentioned, get to know your property so you know where to expect the soft spots, one other thing is try and keep some momentum if you do have to cross a soft spot.

 

[Cottonhawk]

"....back to the driveway and hosed the tractor off....."
Sure takes a long time to hose off those clay stucked in the tires and everywhere!
Don't ask me how I know!

 

[inveresk]

A backhoe helps. Been trenching in the meadow to install field drains and have been over the axles in mud four times this week. Used the stabilisers and dipper to lift the rear end clear of the mud and slip it sideways a couple tire widths onto clean ground so I could pull clear. Two hours to clean the beast following means the last few drain runs can wait another month.

 

[john_bud]

Stuck? Ha, you weren't stuck, just slowed down a little.

Ways out with a come along, chain to a tree. You can use the bucket curl to pull youself forward 2' at a time. Good H-bar mud chains help. Digging out and placing boards, sticks and stuff in the rut are good too. Best way out is not to go in, but we all do one time or another.

Funny story -- I was comming out from rototilling food plots one spring. The ground was tore up in the murky areas on the way in and with some sprinkles and run off, it became a death trap for me on the way out. I sat there stuck up to the axles, thinking. As I had stopped spinning the tires and started thinking right away I got out. How? I lowered the tiller, engaged the PTO clutch, locked the differential and tilled my way out! The tiller acted like a propeller and gave me the push I needed. Good thing it is not a reverse till unit!

jb

 

[jbrumberg]

John: That's a great idea; I wish I had thought of that! I may have to try your method this spring. Jay

 

[Egon]

Pine or spruce tree branches under the wheels also work well.

Ain't being stuck GRAND!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jcmseven]

Two words: HDAP tires. They float better and will not sink up in mud. You could use them all the time, or switch them out during certain months. They should not be too expensive. Industrials are made for load bearing and for traction when pushing or pulling. They do not flex enough or have aggressive enough tread to counter muddy conditions. Even though your little tractor is stout it is heavy for its size and once sinking, it will drop like a stone. To me, the key is to stay on top of the soft areas. My older 595 which I no longer have, would float over mud with it's HDAP's.

John M

 

[turnkey4099]

One of the things I learned from my old man and I learned it by watching him do it wrong. When you realize you are stuck STOP. Don't keep trying as that only digs you deeper. Figure out what you are going to do and proceed. His method was to floor the accelerator. Very good for working off frustration but...

I have been stuck in my PU twice. Both times on flat ground with the rear end only a few feet from the road. Both times just turning around (J turn). 1st time I pulled into what looked like solid sod and promptly sunk to the axles on both ends. That took a lot of jacking and packing brush. Fortunately there was an old hay wagon that I was able to take boards off of to block the jack.

Second time was even more frustrating. Again flat, level ground early in spring. Pulled in the back out and turn around. and just sat there. Wheels turned to instand slicks, didn't sink but slightly but there I sat. All I had was a welder's helmut to pack gravel in. That was a fun mess cleaning out afterward.

Harry K

 

[chemistski]

Thanks again for all of the suggestions. I did spin the tires a few times, probably should have stopped after the second round of trying to rock the tractor out. Probably also going to invest in some chain or a come-along for when ( not if) this should happen again. Figured lots of folks had probably had done this, but the grass looked so innocent. now up to about 2 hours of total tractor driving time (told you I was a newbie- used to use a push mower before we bought this property). Thanks folks!!!!!

 

[meadowlarkponds]

I like the "stop" advice....whatever it is that's stuck, tractor, truck, dozer, etc. stopping and letting your brain look for a solution is a great approach rather than making the problem worse. I stuck my small dozer last weekend. Got off of it and surveyed what seemed to be a hopeless situation. Then decided to use the blade to lift the buried tracks so that I could put some logs under it and then drove it out of the mess. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Richard]

Nice having a backhoe on the backside too as you can push yourself out with it, or crab sideways.

I was down on the "beach" (lake drawn down to "winter pool" levels and this is the exposed muck that is usually under water during summer months) and stuck to rear axel.

Used hoe to lift tires out, put stabs down to keep me up, then just crabbed my way over to better ground.

(had TVA's permission to remove some of the accumulated silt on the 'beach')

 

[KennethBrown]

I stuck my 5500 Mahindra 2 weeks ago. I just started sinking in some bottom land clay. I stopped and got off to call my uncle with a dozer. He wasn't home so I went back. The tractor had sunk below the floorboards, I had to step up a foot to get off the tractor. The R1's were completely clogged so there not always the answer either. The bucket couldn't curl me out as it just sank in the muck. I put a crosstie under it but it sank it about 2 feet too. I ended up having to have a wrecker get me out.

 

[Paddy]

Harry,

You hit the nail on the head. "Know when to fold'em". I have lived on a long hilly drive for 20 years. When she is covered in snow, you have one chance to do it right. Otherwise you make it up halfway and slide down inthe ditch!

If your spining it's time to use that thing called the off switch/fuel kill. Get off and see what needs done. So often if you just stop and get a bucket of gravel/use your loader/or wait until tomarrow, your axels won't become so familer with ground level!

I once was getting firewood from the back 40 in my Chevy pickup. I tried to cross a small dry creek...at good speed. I ended up with front and back bumpers sitting on the banks. Wheels a hanging. It took WEEKS of jacking, shoving stuff under the wheels and come-alonging to get it back out.

Since then I learned.."honey..can I get I ride to work with you?"