GETTING OUT

(Page 3 of 3)

January/February 1983
By Tom Madigan 
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There are a couple of stuck situations that should be noted as serious, and professional help is the best method of combating them. Dropping into a ditch, front end first, is one of the most difficult positions to overcome. Here the vehicle's loss of tractable effort is due to a loss in the coefficient of traction. The result is wheelspin and the inability of the vehicle's drive wheels to pull the machine's bulk out of the hole. There is nothing left to do but tow or winch the vehicle to solid ground.

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The other problem requiring outside assistance is the case of a vehicle's losing traction while trying to negotiate an off-camber embankment. Here excessive wheelspin can cause the vehicle to lie over on its side, causing a more serious problem than just being stuck. Again, it's time to abandon the effort and call for help.

In climbing a steep hill, the loss of traction can create a stuck situation. In this case, place the vehicle in reverse (the lowest gear ratio), keep the wheels straight, and place a slight drag on the brakes while backing down in your own tracks. Never disengage the clutch or put the vehicle in neutral.

Perhaps most important, regardless of the trouble you find yourself in, don't get a case of "brain-fade," a term used by pro off -road drivers for doing something dumb. Just back away and analyze the predicaments. If you can't cope, seek help.

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