We’ve all been there one time or another. Perhaps you misjudged the depth of that puddle or thought the ground should hold just fine after several rainy days. Pretty soon you find out just how wrong you were and just how much your vehicle weighs.
Wheels start spinning, mud starts flying, and expletives you rarely ever use start making appearances. You’re stuck – and you seem to be sinking deeper. Sometimes it’s difficult not to, but panicking is probably the worst thing you can do.
So, take a deep breath, take your foot off the gas, and try one of these off-road recovery methods to free yourself.
4-Wheel Drive
The easiest and often most effective way of getting your vehicle unstuck is engaging your 4-wheel drive.
You do have a 4-wheel drive, don’t you?
4WD Rough Terrain
By doing this, you’re essentially giving yourself traction where you need it. Your 4x4 generally runs in rear-wheel drive until you activate 4WD, which sends power to all four wheels. So, while your rear wheels may be spinning, your front wheels may be able to get a foothold -- even if it’s just one. This is often enough to get yourself out of many a sticky situation.
As we always suggest, read your owner’s manual to brush up on activating your specific vehicle’s 4x4 system, as some may need to be in a specific gear to enable. We also recommend running your rig in 4-wheel drive at least a few miles every month, even if it’s not stuck. This keeps everything lubricated and helps prevent seizing of components. It will also tell you if your system is operating properly.
Differential Lock
If you’re fortunate enough to have a vehicle equipped with one, two, or even three differential lockers, you have yet another fun feature that can prove useful in rough or sloppy terrain.
Your vehicle’s tires have the ability to run at different speeds, so you can navigate turns of all angles efficiently. This work is done by the differential, as it gives power to wheels that need it most.
But a differential lock -- often abbreviated as Diff. Lock or Locker -- forces the wheels to spin at the same speed, even if one drops traction or loses contact with the ground. Simply put: it supplies consistent power to each wheel, keeping you moving forward on the trail.
Once again, familiarize yourself with your specific vehicle’s system, as you may have manual, automatic, or more than one locker. Typically, you only want to use your lockers when in rough conditions and when driving in a straight line, as turning will be much more of a chore when they’re activated.
Manually Increase Traction
If you’ve done everything you can from the comfort of your vehicle’s cabin and you’re still stuck, then it’s time to exit the vehicle and try a few other things.
If you’re a frequent off-roader or overlander, you may just have a set of recovery boards. This would be the best option. But if you don’t have a set, we suggest putting them on your shopping list and improvising. Search for nearby sticks and stones to put underneath your tire to give it more grip and friction as it spins. All-weather floormats can work in a pinch as well.
Another option in the same spirit is to air down your tires. This will increase the tires’ surface area and may just be the ticket to reaching solid ground. We suggest anywhere in the range of 15-20 psi. But be aware of the drive home as well. Make sure you have a way of airing your tires back up again before trying to reach highway speeds.
Digging the Tires Out
Often used in combination with the previous tip, digging out around your tire is another easy method to try. Of course, we hope you’re not wearing your Sunday best, and having a shovel certainly helps as well.
Digging around the stuck tire or tires will create more room for it to move and hopefully give it enough momentum to rock the vehicle to safety. Throwing some stone or wood around your tire will increase your chances of success.
In addition, clearing the visible mud and dirt from your spinning tire also helps by increasing rubber contact with the ground.
Winch Yourself Out
Quite a few vehicle owners these days see a winch as a fashion statement, but it’s important to remember it is first and foremost a recovery solution. Be confident in your abilities – not just your appearance – and you’ll be able to use your 4x4’s winch to kickflip yourself out of just about any situation.
So, if the above methods haven’t worked and you’ve got a trusty puller on the front of your vehicle, there’s no need to sweat quite yet. We’re hoping you packed your bag with a few accessories like a tree protector, shackles, line damper, and block -- as well as some gloves.
To learn a basic pull, we recommend watching one of the many great videos on YouTube, but here’s an overview of the basic steps:
Find yourself a solid winching anchor point. Usually, a sturdy live tree in front of you works the best. You want your point to be as straight in front of you as possible. If you find yourself wheeling where trees are scarce, it may be wise to include a ground anchor in your kit bag.
Ensure your winch is in free spool and attach the shackle and tree protector strap to the end of your line, then to your anchor point.
Visually inspect all parts of the pull one last time -- including your components and anchor point. A severely frayed line or weak connections lead to failure as well as possible injury.
Place a damper in the center of your line. This will help tame the recoil of the line in case of a breakage. Many recommend putting an additional damper closer to your shackles as well.
Double check your pull path and envision how the pull should go, including where you’ll need to get to and how you will stop and continue on once the pull is complete.
Flip your winch off free spool and start taking up the slack in your line. We recommend being in low/first-gear.
Start the pull slowly and take your time. Match the speed of your vehicle as closely as you can to the speed of your winch. Turning your tires from side to side can help create space to assist the pull.
Snatch Recovery
If you do not have a winch, but have the assistance of another vehicle, you can perform what is known as a snatch recovery. This uses a snatch rope, which is an elastic line with loops at each end. The elasticity in the rope makes use of kinetic energy to keep the pull a lot easier and safer than with a stiff line.
The basics are as follows:
Using a shackle, fasten one end of the rope to the stuck vehicle. While some may just drape it over a hitch or tow-ball, most of these are not rated for the high-shock load a snatch recovery can create. Be safe -- always use rated equipment and attachment points.
Repeat the above for the rescue vehicle.
Check the line for unnecessary kinks or twists.
Like the winch pull, put a damper over the center of the snatch strap.
Clear the area.
Have both vehicles set in a low gear and have the rescue vehicle start the pull. The stuck vehicle can then slowly accelerate to assist.