Interesting rescue mission

[Ranga]

So, my mate across the road bails me up early this morning. Apparently his son (early/mid 20's) with a new Navara dual-cab and his mates had been stuck out in the forest at Elimbah since yesterday lunch time!

He asked if I could go rescue them. I'd only had 3 hours sleep, due to being designated driver at a party and kids waking me up at 6am. I thought, why not, they're good fellas, I'm up now and it's already too hot to mow the lawn.

So, I jump in the newly acquired 130 HCPU with the wife and kids, and convince my BIL to bring my 110 wagon for back-up, expecting a simple snatch/winch to have them out.

When I got there, I find out that 4 cars are stuck about 800m past about 3 dubious looking mud holes. 2 drivers had managed to get home for the night via another mate who showed up, but my neighbour and his mate spent a mozzie-filled night under the stars. With no beer.

A quick assessment had me instructing the the BIL and his girlfriend to take my wife and kids home in the 110 - this might be a long day :eek:

To cut a long story short, the bulk of the issue was a very bogged and tilted Patrol ute, the driver of which I was informed was very unskilled and not good at listening to instructions. They had a rope fixed at the back, and were using a high-lift to try and drag him sideways up and out of the mud hole. This thing wasn't moving.

I proceeded to hook up the as yet untried and tested (by me) Aldi winch doubled-up which a block for extra caution. Wasn't sure how it would perform, and soon realised I'd need a fixing to a tree behind due to me being pulled toward the stuck Patrol. Had the guy out in about 5-10 minutes. By this time, I was starting to get a bit anxious about the strength and condition of the winch, but in the end all worked out fine.

After about 3 hours, the Patrol ute on 305 MTs, a dual-cab Hilux on 285 MTs, a modified dual-cab Patrol ute on 305 MTs and my mates stock Navara are all rescued. Mostly due to using the Maxtrax to get each bogged vehicle out of trouble.

I'm no off-road expert, but apart from the winch job, it was a pretty easy exit. As you would expect, I did point out to them all the fact that I managed to not even look like getting stuck in the Defender with 255 MTs, without airing down, but declined to rub it in. I decided to go the quiet achiever path :cool:

The hilux driver spent some time reminiscing about his 82 Rangie, and how he's now considering going back to a Defender :p The rest didn't say much at all about either the pros or cons of a Land Rover ;)

I've now officially done a few offroad 3 and 5 point turns, which probably wouldn't have been necessary in the 110. I'll learn to live with it I guess.

Worst of all, I forgot all about taking any photos! what's the bet they won't admit to having any either?

[BMKal]

I was just thinking a few weeks back, that in the top of every Landrover owner's recovery kit, should be a cheap, disposable camera in a plastic bag, for just such emergencies (and photo opportunities). :D

I had a smillar experience a few months back - early Sunday morning phone call from my son, asking for me to come for a drive with my snatch strap. A group of his "friends" had sunk one of those little Mazda bubble cars in a mud flat / salt pan east of Kalgoorlie, and the young bloke had backed his Landcruiser out to recover them. Result - two bogged vehicles, though the Cruiser was not too badly bogged, as he at least had the wisdom to get off the go pedal as soon as he felt it going in. Was sitting on the rear diff, with the front wheels only just broken through the "crust" into the mud. The Mazda was on its belly though. :o

The parents of two of those in the Mazda had also been called out, one in a 100 Series Cruiser, the other in a Patrol. Neither was game to go out onto the mud flat to attempt a recovery, as they thought that if Shaun's Cruiser had already broken through, they would only do the same.

We tied the Mazda to the back of Shaun's Cruiser, let the tyres on the Disco down and reversed slowly out to where the snatch strap would reach with a bit of slack - hooked up and pulled them both out in one go.

Didn't hear anyone bagging Landrovers that day - and didn't think to take a camera with me either. :p

[The ho har's]

So, my mate across the road bails me up early this morning. Apparently his son (early/mid 20's) with a new Navara dual-cab and his mates had been stuck out in the forest at Elimbah since yesterday lunch time!

He asked if I could go rescue them. I'd only had 3 hours sleep, due to being designated driver at a party and kids waking me up at 6am. I thought, why not, they're good fellas, I'm up now and it's already too hot to mow the lawn.

So, I jump in the newly acquired 130 HCPU with the wife and kids, and convince my BIL to bring my 110 wagon for back-up, expecting a simple snatch/winch to have them out.

When I got there, I find out that 4 cars are stuck about 800m past about 3 dubious looking mud holes. 2 drivers had managed to get home for the night via another mate who showed up, but my neighbour and his mate spent a mozzie-filled night under the stars. With no beer.

A quick assessment had me instructing the the BIL and his girlfriend to take my wife and kids home in the 110 - this might be a long day :eek:

To cut a long story short, the bulk of the issue was a very bogged and tilted Patrol ute, the driver of which I was informed was very unskilled and not good at listening to instructions. They had a rope fixed at the back, and were using a high-lift to try and drag him sideways up and out of the mud hole. This thing wasn't moving.

I proceeded to hook up the as yet untried and tested (by me) Aldi winch doubled-up which a block for extra caution. Wasn't sure how it would perform, and soon realised I'd need a fixing to a tree behind due to me being pulled toward the stuck Patrol. Had the guy out in about 5-10 minutes. By this time, I was starting to get a bit anxious about the strength and condition of the winch, but in the end all worked out fine.

After about 3 hours, the Patrol ute on 305 MTs, a dual-cab Hilux on 285 MTs, a modified dual-cab Patrol ute on 305 MTs and my mates stock Navara are all rescued. Mostly due to using the Maxtrax to get each bogged vehicle out of trouble.

I'm no off-road expert, but apart from the winch job, it was a pretty easy exit. As you would expect, I did point out to them all the fact that I managed to not even look like getting stuck in the Defender with 255 MTs, without airing down, but declined to rub it in. I decided to go the quiet achiever path :cool:

The hilux driver spent some time reminiscing about his 82 Rangie, and how he's now considering going back to a Defender :p The rest didn't say much at all about either the pros or cons of a Land Rover ;)

I've now officially done a few offroad 3 and 5 point turns, which probably wouldn't have been necessary in the 110. I'll learn to live with it I guess.

Worst of all, I forgot all about taking any photos! what's the bet they won't admit to having any either?


AAHHH Ranga liking that 130 already are we;):D

We already new they were great;)


Mrs HH:angel:

[The ho har's]

I was just thinking a few weeks back, that in the top of every Landrover owner's recovery kit, should be a cheap, disposable camera in a plastic bag, for just such emergencies (and photo opportunities). :DI had a smillar experience a few months back - early Sunday morning phone call from my son, asking for me to come for a drive with my snatch strap. A group of his "friends" had sunk one of those little Mazda bubble cars in a mud flat / salt pan east of Kalgoorlie, and the young bloke had backed his Landcruiser out to recover them. Result - two bogged vehicles, though the Cruiser was not too badly bogged, as he at least had the wisdom to get off the go pedal as soon as he felt it going in. Was sitting on the rear diff, with the front wheels only just broken through the "crust" into the mud. The Mazda was on its belly though. :o

The parents of two of those in the Mazda had also been called out, one in a 100 Series Cruiser, the other in a Patrol. Neither was game to go out onto the mud flat to attempt a recovery, as they thought that if Shaun's Cruiser had already broken through, they would only do the same.

We tied the Mazda to the back of Shaun's Cruiser, let the tyres on the Disco down and reversed slowly out to where the snatch strap would reach with a bit of slack - hooked up and pulled them both out in one go.

Didn't hear anyone bagging Landrovers that day - and didn't think to take a camera with me either. :p


Taken on board a we have done a few ourselves before

[scarry]

And here's another.Travelling along a scenic dirt rd somewhere between Beaudesert & Mt Tamborine,we pulled over for some lunch,& some people came walking over.

Long story short,a young couple in an 80 series had decided to drive down a steep track,only to get stuck,the harder they tried to get out,the more the cruiser slipped down the hill & eventually was stopped by a large tree.They then flagged down a hilux & had spent some time trying to pull the cruiser out,but it just sat with it's wheels spinning.
Hooked up the D2,pulled the cruiser from a different angle,more forward like & got it out,just.
The owners were delighted & gave us two bottles of wine for our trouble.:D