Pulling out the PLS
Wasn't very extreme - rather more like "why did I ever venture out into the farmer's field at night when I couldn't see the conditions - DOH!"
The main problem was not that the PLS was in some very soft stuff, but that it sunk up to the frame. While backing out (which shouldn't have been a big deal) the thatch and peat mix of the farmer's field loaded up under the frame and, as it turned out, pulled on the air tank drain valve cables holding them open. This prevented the PLS from building/maintaining any air pressure and thus disabling the air locking differentials and transfer case (Oh Yay!). The loss of air pressure also automatically engaged all 3 rear axles' brakes (more fun!). Ended up being able to "force" drive it out about 75' before it was just too high centered (yes you can high center a 53k lb. truck), but it was far enough back out for the HET cables to reach. The pictures are actually after most of the pulling was done and any uncertainty of my success had greatly diminished. I ended up having to get a highway wrecker to attach his cables to the front of the HET and then drop his hydraulic ground spades as the PLS outweighs the HET by about 13k lbs. even without the given conditions and after a while the HET just kept being pulled back with all brakes locked.
#1 - Came back with the HET and stretched out the cables to the PLS.
#2 - The Gummed Up PLS almost to some firmer ground.
#3 - The HET winches in a "real world" trial run.
#4 - A little bit of the "stuff" that finally fell out from inside the frame.
