5 ton Bobsled, Recovery assistance near Berkeley Springs WV

[SUPERSPORT]

Tag for more pictures and outcome.

I'm a good 5 hours away so I'm no help.

 

[WV New Guy]

Tried airing them down she's dug out on drivers side passenger side is not getting any traction . So we aired tires down tried to drive it out only keep spinning the tires . Climbed underneath all the axles are free none are hung up. Hopefully in a couple days we can get some trucks in or a Dozer to pull it out . I have pulled smaller trucks out of worse with chain -come-alongs but deep down inside I feel that is gonna need big winch intervention and probably be big $$$$. Now there calling for another storm next Thursday . If I can get it out I will be looking for that set of Haines before the next storm .

 

[o1951]

I helped get a dump truck that went into ditch out one time. Because of angle and mud, we could not jack it and put stuff under low wheels, so we took pickup and got a load of bluestone and buckets. We kept pouring the rocks in front of wheels that were slipping and got her out.


If it seems like you are close to pulling out, and nothing is hung up, maybe a load of bluestone will work for you. Rocks, sand, gravel no good. Too smooth. Wheels just slip on that. You need something with bite. For small vehicles, we used strips of expanded metal, but I think a 5 ton would crumple that up like tinfoil.
I am 72 now, don't do that stuff anymore.

 

[pitpawten]

Saw a snow plow get pulled out of the ditch in front of our house this morning in a very similar situation.

A BIG John Deere field tractor with plow and lots of wheel weights and front end loader with chains just spun....no traction.

They finally got him out with two wreckers, not because of weight but they had winches. One on the front drivers side corner and one on the rear drivers side corner. They took turns pulling him forward and backwards a little bit at a time but each time a little more onto the road.

Eventually they wiggled him onto the road enough to work with. I'd imagine something similar may work.

Just be sure that when she breaks free of the ditch she doesn't just start sliding downhill again.

 

[bikeman]

That's a heck of a tow bill!

 

[Ferroequinologist]

If I was closer I would be there with the wrecker. Pulled my vet's 45k dozer out of one **** of a mud hole last week. Getting lots of free vet care for the horses for that one!

From the looks of it I concur with wreckerman's suggestion, pull backwards and at an angle towards the opposite side of the road. A winch truck and a couple straps and snatch blocks should have that truck right out.

 

[Amer-team]

As long as the truck isn't in danger of vandalism, patience is the key to a low tow bill. What sort of soil conditions do you have? Are you in a clay type soil, or is it good rocky sandy type? You said the housings aren't on the ground, so that is good. It is more of an irritation than a big problem. You just need a solid pull, either by truck or winch to get you back on solid ground.

 

[rosco]

Over the years, I've done a bunch of pulls/recoveries. The technique that sticks with me best is: "Do your BEST on the 1st try"! It might be some extra work (like chaining up), but that its far better then mucking something up. I would say, don't try a winch pull (backwards using gravity to help), without a snatch block. I have done some impressive things with just an M37/ww & blocks. Also use the trees as marked, and as you start the pull, back your vehicle over the other bank some, then deadman it to the trees. Just before you get your truck out, winch forward to get the winch truck out. The thing about a winch is that its nice and slow, but chains ALL the way around make a big difference.

Old Arctic Proverb: Its not spinning out on a hill that is the problem - its sliding off backwards! Good Luck

 

[WV New Guy]

Soil is frozen but that location is a low point between two hills the steeper hill in front to the left directly to the right it levels off . Directly behind the truck to the rear of the right wheels is a large drainage pipe . So once all the snow thaws it will probably sink the right side in worse . While the rear pull is up a smaller hill the embankment to the rear right side of the truck gets steeper.

. I will take some more pics tomorrow like I said no one can get to us were 8 miles from town and the last road to get opened is ours the main road is under about 36 inches of snow we got our road cleared to both the front and rear of the truck and in front of it we were able to get down to the hard pack .
I will post more pics tomorrow Thanks to all for the advice
Snowed I. Since Friday night could be worse my neighbors garage collapsed on his new F-150 so we got two projects working on our lonely 1/2 mile road .

 

[Another Ahab]

I'm sorry. It sounds like you all are getting hammered with bad luck.

It happens to all of us at times. Hang in there. It's all just a part of the fun.

 

[AZK9]

Soil is frozen but thatlocation is a low point between two hills the steeper hill in front to the leftdirectly to the right it levels off . Directly behind the truck to the rear ofthe right wheels is a large drainage pipe . So once all the snow thaws it willprobably sink the right side in worse . ...

The change in ground conditions, if you wait too long, could present a major problem.
In your posts yesterday I think you said media reports suggested temps around 45 F by the weekend.
IMO... do not wait for that to occur, given the drainage from such a large amount of melting snow.

I'd get a couple of winch/battery sets out there... and yes... snatch blocks, additional pulley systems...
whatever you can easily get to the site to offer your efforts the greatest mechanical advantage possible.

The cost of a tow might very well cost more than buying a pair of winch/battery sets. Besides... a tow
company might not want to risk their trucks and equipment in such a remote location (given the poor conditions).

Just put safety as your number one focus! You'll get it out if you create a plan and can
get effective equipment up there soon.

Stay optimistic and keep us posted.

 

[Suprman]

I would put it in low range and make sure all tires were around 20psi. I would get a jack and metal plate and some big wood planks and maybe 6x6s. Jack one stuck axle/wheel at a time and build up underneath those wheels. Shovel anything around under there if you have to. Get it righted the best you can with the board underneath you may be able to drive it out. It's gonna need to be in low. If you wait till the ground thaws it won't be safe to jack.

 

[WV New Guy]

Former member Green is coming out today and our plan will be very large backhoe to dig or pull it out with a back up plan of using his large dozer with a winch . The main road from town to our house is still closed my neighbors said that EMA was waiting to get the snowblower from the ANG base in Martinsburg over to open the road . Once Green gets here and decide on an action plan we will get it out .

I thought I was prepared for a Major winter storm I found out not at all sure I have plenty of food /fuel/wood but unprepared to dig out stuck vehicles with two vehicles I thought were unstickable never had a problem in 27 yrs of driving in snow . Got stuck in mud being dumb plenty of times. 1st time for snow I will be obtaining chains for both my Duramax and the M923 ASAP . I will be ready for the next storm .

 

[M35A2-AZ]

Wv New Guy, Sorry you got your truck stuck, wish you luck. They are heavy and do not like soft ground.

 

[my blood flows OD]

My bobbed m-35a2 on 14.00 wasn't that good in the snow either. It was unstoppable in the mud, but not snow.
I love big snow storms. They help us know what you need and what you don't. So peaceful when everything around you is shut down. It's like you turned back time 100 yrs.
anyone else feel that way?

 

[DanM7890]

I hope you got that thing pulled out safely!

I drove up to Winterplace from Charlotte on Sat and they were many semi's on the side of the road. I thought what we got was a lot but even with the heavy equipment in WV they still had a hard time staying ahead.

 

[WV New Guy]

More pics

Some more pics we hope to get access with heavy equipment from town out to our section of the mountain today or tomorrow . So far I tried airing down the tires no luck don't have an adequate amount of 6x6 cribbing or lumber to get under it . We discussed 2 plans with a third worst case . The backhoe and dozer should do it once it can get here .

 

[DanM7890]

Guess I posted at the same time as you. All that snow makes that truck look small. Hope you get it out soon!

 

[swbradley1]

Saw a snow plow get pulled out of the ditch in front of our house this morning in a very similar situation.

A BIG John Deere field tractor with plow and lots of wheel weights and front end loader with chains just spun....no traction.

They finally got him out with two wreckers, not because of weight but they had winches. One on the front drivers side corner and one on the rear drivers side corner. They took turns pulling him forward and backwards a little bit at a time but each time a little more onto the road.

Eventually they wiggled him onto the road enough to work with. I'd imagine something similar may work.

Just be sure that when she breaks free of the ditch she doesn't just start sliding downhill again.

If I didn't know better I'd say that was my Dad or my Brother in the ditch. It took two big John Deeres to pull out the township truck. They each rolled into a ditch at different times. By big I mean the ones with 8 full size tractor tires on them.

 

[my blood flows OD]

Oh yeah your in there good. Good luck