Pulling Vehicles out of a Ditch in the Snow

[5030]

We had a decent snow storm a week or so ago and as I was coming home and pulling onto my road there were two vehicles in the ditch and a Dodge Dakota was trying to pull one out. I stopped and let them know I can bring my tractor to try and help. Its a compact LS tractor so I wasn't sure how helpful it would be. I think the biggest advantage was just how much more maneuverable it is compared to the truck. We were able to get them both out in the end.

I do not have a lot of experience extracting vehicles but you can see what we did in the video below.

Snow Rescue - Pulling 2 Vehicles out of a Ditch with my Tractor - YouTube

What you did is very detrimental to your loader, especially the loader arms and cylinders. Always pull from the drawbar and low. If you had hit a dry patch and got traction you could have flipped the tractor as well. I yank people out every winter, always from the drawbar' always with a strap and I always have them hook their own vehicles. That way if it's damaged, it's their fault, not mine. You are lucky you didn't damage anything and/or hurt yourself. Just south of you and we haven't had enough snow yet to even put the plow on. let alone the blower. Hopefully, I don't have to.

Tonight we will however. I usually charge 50 bucks cash for a pull and it usually takes about 10 seconds and I've pulled large trucks out too. Of course my tractor weighs 10,000 pounds. With the 10 foot plow on the front, maybe 12000 pounds. When I get to the end of the strap. something is gonna move one way or another....:laughing:

 

[s219]

What you did is very detrimental to your loader, especially the loader arms and cylinders. Always pull from the drawbar and low. If you had hit a dry patch and got traction you could have flipped the tractor as well. I yank people out every winter, always from the drawbar' always with a strap and I always have them hook their own vehicles. That way if it's damaged, it's their fault, not mine. You are lucky you didn't damage anything and/or hurt yourself. Just south of you and we haven't had enough snow yet to even put the plow on. let alone the blower. Hopefully, I don't have to.

I agree. This type of pulling or load on the FEL is how people damage their cylinders (a common time this happens is when back-dragging with the front bucket). Whenever possible, you always want loads on the front loader to be "inflicted" by your hydraulics only. The hydraulics system will go into relief before damage can occur. There is no such relief when you are pushing or pulling using wheel traction, and the loader cylinders are especially vulnerable when pulling backwards like that while they are extended (lift or curl). Many people find out the hard way and bend or break a cylinder. I think you are lucky if no damage has occurred.

Pulling from the rear drawbar is far more effective (it's the safest and most optimal way to pull on a tractor, by far)and doesn't risk damage of tip over or roll over. In addition, if you have R1 or R4 tires, you get far more traction moving in the forward direction, since the tire lugs are designed/oriented for forward traction. When pulling in reverse, you have already lost about half your possible traction, perhaps more, because the tire bars are going the wrong way. In good conditions where the weight of the tractor is generating proper forward traction on the rear wheels, and the low (below axle) pull on the drawbar is keeping your front wheels planted on the ground for 4WD, you will get maximum traction moving forward.

I am often surprised when we hear stories about people getting stuck in the mud/snow or having traction issues with their tractor, then you learn they were trying to go in reverse. :duh: This won't matter with turf tires, but with R1/R4 tires it has a pretty big effect. In some unique tractor applications where reverse traction is more important than forward traction, people will actually flip their tires side to side to get it right.

 

[PILOON]

There is some basic logic to recovery towing.

Today's bumpers are a no-no.
You need to go to a steel structural part of the body.
A lower suspension arm is one choice. (not middle, but near an end)
Some, but few cars, have tiedown points but those are mainly on imported cars.
Never 'jerk' or 'yank', just a nice steady pull.
Have the patient car's wheels properly aligned with the line of pull* and the driver to aid with traction.
Don't pull sideways, pull straight and, when possible down hill.

* important as the driver usually steered hard over to attempt climbing out and fully cramped wheels are like mini snow plows.

Anyway, that's some of my logic and so far so good.

 

[metalbender]

Unfortunately, the patient will not cover damage done to the good smaritan doctor's equipment. Letting the patient hook up to his own vehicle usually ends up in "can you help me?" Best answer was given already, check to see if they're ok, call a wrecker. They are properly equipped and INSURED.

 

[hosspuller]

To summarize ... slow and steady pull...attach low and to draw bar... be careful of attachment point and who does the attaching. (I always inspect the attachment and suggest different if I think better)
I usually have the driver in place to steer and brake if needed. (don't want him to roll into or away from me) Tractor in Four wheel drive, transmission in bottom gear, just idle the engine for the extraction. Gives time to react if something goes south. Only speed up when everything is rolling. Has worked every time for me, with no damage to either party.

 

[monkeyboy22]

One of the things I noticed in your video is that you are pulling the car in the same direction it was traveling when it slid into the ditch. If you were to hook up to and pull from the opposite end (rear) of the stuck vehicle, you wouldn't be fighting the muck he "plowed" into a pile if front of his car.

 

[goddom]

One of the things I noticed in your video is that you are pulling the car in the same direction it was traveling when it slid into the ditch. If you were to hook up to and pull from the opposite end (rear) of the stuck vehicle, you wouldn't be fighting the muck he "plowed" into a pile if front of his car.

Yeah, good point. For the first vehicle, we ended up pulling it backward out of the ditch.

 

[Dougeye]

Have done this for probably 10-12 years and never a comeback.
Lucky? perhaps.

Lucky? Yup. For sure. It's too bad, but if something went wrong you could pay a high price for being a good person.

 

[Jstpssng]

Lucky? Yup. For sure. It's too bad, but if something went wrong you could pay a high price for being a good person.

He's also in Canada. They may not be as sue-crazy up there.

 

[crazyal]

I've used my loader several times to pull vehicles out of a ditch. Like anything you just have to use your head. In fact the last car I pulled out I had to lift the rear off the ground because it was stuck on a log. I agree, jerking is bad.