We have just bought a Ford transit turbo diesel longwheel base high cube 2 wheel drive camper van to use as a trade stand at horse shows. Most of these shows are in paddocks where the ground is soft, and muddy when wet. ( did not realise the problem till we got stuck on our own drive, as the wheel span is wider than our drive) would snow chains help? or are there special chains or device available for this ? (In New Zealand) or does anyone know another answer to our problem please? We dont want to sell it and change it for another one if we don't have to.
2006-11-18 11:54:23 · 5 answers · asked by Ineke P 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
stay on fimer ground
2006-11-18 11:59:26 · answer #1 · answered by srgross42 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One thing that you can do is to carry a "portable air compressor" along with you . Then you can get "un-stuck" by letting the air out of your "drive wheel" tires till they are about half flat (real "squashy), - this will get you back onto firmer ground, if you have mud&snow grip tires it will improve the chances even more!
The "flexing of tires that are "so flat" will eject mud and dabree every tine it turns around, instead of sort of making the tire "mud-slick" !
.... When you get back on solid ground, - then just inflate tires back again, and be on your way! When on "wet grass", a couple buckets of ashes will help a lot also-- (just apply before you park -in area where you will be)! This is of course with approval of place where you go! Perhaps they aren't as "goofy" on "ecology" as they are here in the US (as if ashes aren't ecologically safe!)
By the way this is what the Israli army found out when experimenting on how to get vehicles un-stuck in sand (and the tactic helped them win the "7-day war")- as the other countries thought that they were protected from all but ""tracked" vehicles, -(like tanks and "halftracks")! So the jeeps and trucks got behind them and surrounded them, - "before they knew what was going on!"
Yes"snow chains" would help, but they are a "pain to put on". Here inTexas, they call them "mud chains", - because that is what they get when the "inch" of snow falls and melts in about 24 hours! I lived in Wisconsin for 22 years, --we actually get snow there!!
2006-11-18 21:03:34 · answer #2 · answered by guess78624 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
keep the speed up and you'll get through anything, but be careful of that high cube. I've driven a Ford turbodiesel two wheel drive van in harsh New England (US) weather for years, speed sounds crazy but it is the answer. remember a lot of these are what you'd call a "one-legger" so the right tire is more likely to lose traction... try to keep that wheel on more favorable ground.
2006-11-18 22:59:13 · answer #3 · answered by SoldAZiz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may be able to get hold of a used, limited slip differential and have it installed. Should be around NZ$ 500 installed, and will save you a lot grief in connection with traction loss.
2006-11-22 18:46:06 · answer #4 · answered by Tahini Classic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you running mud grips? Those will help.
2006-11-18 20:09:54 · answer #5 · answered by mad_mav70 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋