ynot Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 (edited) Last weekend after being away from Dumont for almost 3 months due to back surgery we decided to get out of Vegas and go to the dunes. One of my buddies (Ash) blew a tire on the road out and at the same time realized he had forgotten the keys to his new Rhino's, so off went his dad back to town. Anyway we got to the dunes and my neighbor who hadn't been to Dumont to many times had just gotten unstuck and upon seeing me turn off of the road up onto the rocky ridge that runs out from the road to where we camp he flaggs us down. Without thinking about it I turn downhill just a bit and stop to talk to him and direct him to follow us to our campsite. I hit the pedal and that's right where I stayed! Since I had back surgery I can't bend over so no shoveling for me(thank God for good friends!) We tried to dig it out but it just kept getting worse. We finally decided to unhitch the trailer and see what we could do. The hitch on TPD stackers is a very complicated release system unless your familiar with it. So all my buddies are trying to get the trailer unhitched and the power jack is clicking like it has broken a gear. Anyway after struggling with this whole mess about 3.6 hours we decided to spend the night there and had a few cold ones to celebrate! Called a tow service in Baker and arranged for them to come get me the next morning at 8:30 Right at 8:30 up the hill comes a low boy with an old back hoe on it. The guy tries to pull the whole rig out backwards with no luck as by now the engine and trans is sitting on the dirt. Finally I am able to get down to the trailer jack and feel that the catch release is still locked down. I pull it back and up comes the trailer! The hoe operator grabs the trailer pulls it back a few feet and then hooks up on the tounge and pulls it to solid ground. Now for the coach, since it's an Alfa if has nothing but fiberglass up front so we go for a hitch pull. No Luck! Now all my buddies and the tow operator at $150.00 per hour are digging to get the engine and trans out of the dirt. After a lot of work a gentle tug from the tractor and the M/H pops right out under her own power. Lesson learned; STAY ON THE ROCKY RIDGE no matter who is waiving you down! And if you know your equiptment insist on working it. My only mistake other than the turning into the soft stuff was allowing my friends to protect me and you can't fault them for that. Bottom line I have been duning over 30 years and this is the first time I have had to call a service to get me out. Usually a truck and a strong strap has always worked before! Let's see $500.00 divided by 30 years = $16.67 per year that I have been putting aside for the inevitable tow. My thanks to my friends who spent their Friday evening and Sat. morning with shovels in their hands instead of cold beer and fast rides! Walter, Ash and his dad Jodie, Todd, Richard, Ryan(my kids they had to help:) My wife for not nagging or bitchin and anyone else I may have forgotten Anybody else got any stuck stories? Edited January 29, 2007 by duniemonkie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EY3BA11 Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 im no expert but dont them fancy motor homes have hydraulic leveling jacks... couldnt you have just used them to jack the a$$ end out of the sand fill the hole and tug??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvnalolife Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Damn Terry, you really got her dug in! Glad you were able to have great friends and family around to help. So after it was all said and done, did the wife give you one of these ? Hope to see ya out there soon bro. Hows the back healing up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAGDOLL MX Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 glad to see that you got out, the first time that I took out my dually i ended up pulling out a motorhome that was stuck as well, just like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunefreak Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Damn, Terry! You really DID sink that thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 25, 2007 Author Share Posted January 25, 2007 It was so soft that even with pads and boards the Hyd. jacks just sank into the ground. We tried boards under the tires and everything else we could think of but until we got the trailer off she wasn't going anywhere. Stuff happens, and actually the wife was very good about the whole thing. Not even a "Dumbazz" I must have been a good boy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadracer Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Damn that sucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EY3BA11 Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 damn... stuff musta been like quick sand or something.. that sucks dude!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craniacs Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Sorry about that man...and sorry for the ignorant question but exactly where were you? on the flat near the fingers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 26, 2007 Author Share Posted January 26, 2007 Sorry about that man...and sorry for the ignorant question but exactly where were you? on the flat near the fingers? I was about 100 yards from the ranger station on the oppisite side of the road from the station. So I was on the left side of the road and in less than 150 feet. Got soft in a hurry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craniacs Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I know exactly where that is! it almost got me too....one story for the grand kids... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 26, 2007 Author Share Posted January 26, 2007 I know exactly where that is! it almost got me too....one story for the grand kids... Hell they watched!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot bob Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 i have an alpha and a box trailer and i shutter at what i just saw please god not me..................................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cheese Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I hope I don't come off sounding like a jackass here I know with trucks and toyhaulers, you can air down, and that helps can you do it with a moho too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craniacs Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I hope I don't come off sounding like a jackass here I know with trucks and toyhaulers, you can air down, and that helps can you do it with a moho too? Hate to sound dumb but you dont air down the trailer too do ya? dont laugh...I seriuos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 26, 2007 Author Share Posted January 26, 2007 Hate to sound dumb but you dont air down the trailer too do ya? dont laugh...I seriuos If I was healthy and could have crawled under the coach and moved about freely I would have lowered the air pressure in the M/H and the trailer, dug out the trans and engine and with a tug from a truck MIGHT have gotten it out. If we had unhooked the trailer the night before we may have gotten it out without the back hoe. But I had already called them on Friday nite and pretty much decided to leave it in a pro's(in this case Semi-pro) hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevlar Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Being a Pismo regular and a Class A owner I have plenty of experience in getting stuck. Definetly not something you want to brag about but if it helps others, so be it. Here's what I have learned. 1. First of all weld or bolt some beefy tow hooks up front. 2. Air down to at least 45. Some say this is a waste of time but everytime I've not aired down or aired back up prematurly, I got stuck. 3. Unhook your enclosed and have a buddy tow it in and out to the hard pack. 4. Buy a 4x8 sheet of that 1 1/8" thick plywood. Rip it down the middle and cut a couple slots on the side for hand holds. Use this to park on so when its time to leave you got a good runway. Have your buddy throw the wood into the enclosed and tow it to hardpack. If you do get stuck use these boards under the hydraulic jacks to lift the moho, fill in the sand and try again. 5. Have a buddy tow you in or out just for good measure 6. Never turn sharp 7. Never go slow. By the way 3 to 4 hours getting unstuck is about my average. Anyone else got some tips I all ears. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cheese Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Hate to sound dumb but you dont air down the trailer too do ya? dont laugh...I seriuos yeah. when I air down, the tow rig and the trailer get done i use these to air down oasis tire deflators you just pre set the pressure you want them to air down to, and put them on the tires, and drive. when the truck is done, I then put them onthe trailer . takes all of about 5 minutes for 4 tires. the reason I air down is what raptorgirl is talking about. I go to pismo a lot, and you HAVE to air down there to pull onto the beach. last year @ dumont, I had to air down to pull out, as i was stuck. I also carry around a small air compressor to air back up. it also comes in handy at campl as I bring some air tools too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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