Ruts & Recovery

Ruts: Rutted and muddy tracks are often encountered off road. Provided the ruts aren't so deep they cause the vehicle to belly out, then follow them. Don't try to steer the vehicle, just let the wheels find their own course, rest your hands on the steering wheel and be ready to grip if necessay.

If the ruts are to deep then straddling them is the only answer, the chances of being able to drive any length of track in this manner without one set of wheels sliding into the ruts is slim, so be prepared for slow progress.

Recovery: For all intents and purposes, hooking up a rope to another vehicle and getting a tow out of trouble is by far the quickest and simplest means of getting yourself unstuck. At this stage it is worth noting that all types of tow recovery are potentially dangerous, it is very important to take a good look at the recovery points available on the vehicle. At no stage should you attempt to use the manufacturers lashing eyes which have been put there to hold the vehicle in place while on a car transporter! The next possible weak link in the recovery chain is the rope itself. Any rope that has become frayed or damaged should be cut up and discarded immediately, as a snapping rope is a potential death trap when placed under a heavy load.

Providing you are satisfied with the recovery points and rope, then the next step is to plan the way you intend to pull the vehicle out of trouble. This normally depends on the safe location of the towing vehicle, which could be as far as five metres away. The last thig you want to do is bring the recovery vehicle too close and get it stuck as well! If the vehicle being recovered is stuck particularly badly, you will want to exert the maximum amount of pull possible from both vehicles and to do so you will need to have both vehicles driving. To synchronize proceedings either use a third person watching both vehicles or an agreed signal i.e. short blasts on the horn (1 for start & 2 for stop).

Once you have completed the recovery, wrap up the tow rope and replace it in the vehicle and check both it and the tow points for any signs of damage.