Fifth wheel stuck in 6-12 inches of mud

[PA-RV]

Made the mistake of coming back (from Florida) to PA in the early spring when my property turns into a swamp with the daily rain events. Tried to get my North Point into its carport, tow vehicle got stuck in about 6-12 inches of mud. Was able to unhook my truck and park it in the driveway but now challenged with how to get this fifth wheel out without being able to get my truck hooked back up to it. I can wait about 2 months when thing dry out but not thrilled with it being parked close to a wooded area where mice love to roam. I was thinking about pulling it out with my 13.5K winch attached to my tractor (tractor chained to a tree) letting the front landing jacks all the way down and having the jack pads slide on 2x10's lubricated. I only need to pull the fifth back towards the driveway about 20-30 feet. My concern is will the front landing jacks be able to handle being slid on 2x10's without damage? Anyone ever move a fifth wheel without a tow vehicle?

 

[Jayhawk 29]

I can only give you my opinion off of a short observation of what i have read. If you have a muddy area that that your truck got stuck in, a cheap trick would be to go to a carpet outlet and see if they have some old throwaway carpet, several pieces that you can spread across the muddy area after some additional steps. I would buy some bags of rock to fill out in the ruts that your truck was stuck in, and then place some 2 x 10s across the rock or even cheap CDX plywood , a couple of layers across the area. Then carpet the region before backing back over it. I would not try to slide the unit on the landing jacks. We know there has been some previous issues with them anyway.

 

[PA-RV]

Appreciate the suggestion. I coincide with your recommendation on not sliding the fifth wheel on the landing jacks as I was very leary about that option anyway. Worse case they bend or break and then I have an expensive repair on my hands. I do have a dump trailer and may use that to pickup some gravel at the quary and use my tractor to spread the stone around. The carpet idea would probably work even better on top of the gravel incase the stone sinks into the mud once it has weight on it.

 

[Jayhawk 29]

The 5/8" CDX plywood, which is the cheapest should spread the load even further across a larger area. Don't consider the OSB, if you go any sheeting. Waiting a couple of months would drive me crazy, especially if you need to clean out the inside from your trip and have to deal with the muddy surface too. Good luck either way that you may find the method to improve your hiccup. Of course pictures, if you have success is required.

 

[Jayhawk 29]

Since you have a loader, another thought is when you get your "platform" in place and attempting to back up, use the loader to crisscross the area over the mass , helping to pack it and to see how things might be before backing the truck over it and attempting to hook it up.. Even use the trailer in the initial phase to see how it reacts. Then you can adjust the mass accordingly, if need be.

 

[RogerR]

You might call a local tow truck company and ask about towing RVs. Also ask if they have a better price for not hurry, in the neighborhood towing instead of emergency price. Definetly don't tow it with the nose on the ground.
Post how it came out (pun intended).

 

[PA-RV]

You might call a local tow truck company and ask about towing RVs. Also ask if they have a better price for not hurry, in the neighborhood towing instead of emergency price. Definetly don't tow it with the nose on the ground.
Post how it came out (pun intended).

I do have GoodSam RV road service but not sure how they will be able to pull it out if you cannot get a tow vehicle in front of the fifth wheel. I'll probably call them to at least inquire.

 

[Grumpy]

What's the distance between solid ground and the Pinbox? Some wreckers have the ability to extend their rear coupler arm about 8 feet.

 

[Jayhawk 29]

One other thought that i left out is that when we drive on the beaches we air down our tires, making a wider platform for traction in questionable ground. Can you come into the hitch pin at a slight angle, which should be away from your original ruts, even if you fill them and platform over them, if you attempt to do it yourself?

 

[PA-RV]

What's the distance between solid ground and the Pinbox? Some wreckers have the ability to extend their rear coupler arm about 8 feet.

The distance from the pin box and the driveway is about 30+ feet but the RV is facing the wrong direction which would result in the fifth wheel being spun around if pulled to the driveway via the pin box. I can't imagine what the muddy ground would look like once a 15K pound RV is spun around in the mud unless I am able to maintain some wood under the RV wheels while it is spun around.

 

[PA-RV]

One other thought that i left out is that when we drive on the beaches we air down our tires, making a wider platform for traction in questionable ground. Can you come into the hitch pin at a slight angle, which should be away from your original ruts, even if you fill them and platform over them, if you attempt to do it yourself?

I dont think airing down the truck tires would help cause the mud is too thick. Most of my land used to be a soy bean farm so the cultivated earth seems to be a haven for the production of some pretty serious spring time mud.

 

[old RV guy]

An all terrain forklift or a farm tractor might save you tearing something up.

 

[Jayhawk 29]

I dont think airing down the truck tires would help cause the mud is too thick. Most of my land used to be a soy bean farm so the cultivated earth seems to be a haven for the production of some pretty serious spring time mud.

My only point, maybe stated poorly was that if you went with the setup that I spoke about, I think the lower tire pressure may assist in less targeted digging when you attempt to pull it, spreading the pulling with or without plywood to a wider area.

Also one of scattered brain idea, depending on how your front end of your truck is setup, mainly hooks, if you have the room I wonder if its possible to have an additional vehicle, even if its a tow truck with a larger pulling platform, four wheel drive too?, to be a ways from the bad area and with a chain the both can pull gently at the same time.

 

[PA-RV]

My only point, maybe stated poorly was that if you went with the setup that I spoke about, I think the lower tire pressure may assist in less targeted digging when you attempt to pull it, spreading the pulling with or without plywood to a wider area.

Also one of scattered brain idea, depending on how your front end of your truck is setup, mainly hooks, if you have the room I wonder if its possible to have an additional vehicle, even if its a tow truck with a larger pulling platform, four wheel drive too?, to be a ways from the bad area and with a chain the both can pull gently at the same time.

I have 80psi in my truck back tires and 60 in the front. what do you think I should drop them down to?

 

[Jayhawk 29]

We air down truck campers for the beach to around 40 lbs. Of course I think your pin weight is probably more. So combined with the weight and some reduced air from the 80 lbs, I would try 60 lbs, all dependent on what if any you add to improve your surface. Have you given any thoughts on what direction you may go? I think that can change how much you reduce your air pressure, if any too.

any rain expected to let up? Is there anyone around you close that has a larger front end loader that can move some of the mud around and smooth the area up? If so then if its not raining in your area in the next few days this can improve your area for just sheets of plywood, doubled up with staggered joints for driving on them. I would temporarily fasten them at the corners to minimize spinning then out from the initial pulling strain. By some chance can you post the area that you got stuck in for some perspective?

 

[PA-RV]

We air down truck campers for the beach to around 40 lbs. Of course I think your pin weight is probably more. So combined with the weight and some reduced air from the 80 lbs, I would try 60 lbs, all dependent on what if any you add to improve your surface. Have you given any thoughts on what direction you may go? I think that can change how much you reduce your air pressure, if any too.

any rain expected to let up? Is there anyone around you close that has a larger front end loader that can move some of the mud around and smooth the area up? If so then if its not raining in your area in the next few days this can improve your area for just sheets of plywood, doubled up with staggered joints for driving on them. I would temporarily fasten them at the corners to minimize spinning then out from the initial pulling strain. By some chance can you post the area that you got stuck in for some perspective?

I have a tractor with a front loader attachment and can move some dirt (mud) around. Unfortunately, it rains almost everyday here in southeastern PA in the spring and sunshine is not expected until next week. I have a 4 ton dump trailer that I am going to pull out of the mud with my drawbar winch so I can pickup some gravel at our local quary. I also thought about throwing down some pallets that I have but not sure if "nails" might cause a tire issue.

 

[Jayhawk 29]

I don't know if pallets are the best choice. If I was doing it, I would at least move around the mud, unless the stuff is too soft and work your way in towards your pin with the stones. For sure its a lot of work. But with the decent sized tractor it would be a no brainer for me to start with that direction. If you don't want the stones to stay in place, maybe do the carpet first over the mud after seeing if you can smooth some of the mud area out, if you can get some large pieces that's been removed by any carpet outlets and then apply the stone on top of the carpet. If there is some construction sited in your area, you might be able to get some scrap plywood to put under the stones and on top of the carpet. Anything that you can do to spread your load across a larger targeted area of mud is to your advantage.

 

[RDTC]

On one of our trips to the lake. A another camper parked his 5th wheel too close to the lake. When he stopped moving the 5th wheel sank about 10" into the mud. There was a crust of dry soil about 3" thick. He broke through that.

They pulled it out with a large semi truck Tow Truck. The tow truck had a 5th wheel attachment, 4 jacks that could extend outward from the bed corners, and the ability to move the hitch forward and backward about 8 feet. The tow truck backed onto sheets of plywood. Lowered its jacks onto sheets of plywood. Attached to the 5th wheel and moved it forward about 8 feet. Then disconnected, reposition tow truck, redeployed jacks, and repeated. Until they were on solid ground.

It was very hard on the 5th wheel. Appeared to damage suspension and under body parts/tanks.

Good luck.

 

[Kevin Cooper]

Do yourself a favor! Call towing companies and tell them the situation and ask if they can get it out. They are the experts in getting things unstuck. And some have equipment that can do the job.
BTW. It is not going to be as cheap as waiting for dryer conditions.

 

[PA-RV]

Do yourself a favor! Call towing companies and tell them the situation and ask if they can get it out. They are the experts in getting things unstuck. And some have equipment that can do the job.
BTW. It is not going to be as cheap as waiting for dryer conditions.

I have GoodSam RV road service so I'll give them a call at least to inquire about options.