For the first time ever, I got my AC 500 stuck today. Talk about a crap experience. Riding in leaf mold in a creek channel in a lake that is very dry right now. I saw a guy and his wife on an old 250 fourtrax go through this spot and get stuck, the guy got off and pulled while his wife gassed it and in a minute they were out. I was going to help them, but they were out and on their way before I could get there. I decided to go through to see the advantages of 4wd. Went through and slowed down good, but powered out with no problem. This spot was where a creek feeds into the lake and is usually about 10-15ft. under water. The bottom is completely filled with leaf mold, and there was about a foot of water running though it about 7 ft. wide. After a bit, I decided to go back through it the other way. Nothing to winch to if i got stuck, but hey! I made it the first time. Its about 4:00pm at this time and an hour 1/2 before it gets dark. I head in and the front sinks immediately. I guess going through the first time moved the leaves around a good bit, because when I tried to back out I found myself framed out at all extremities. I tried the rocking motion and nothing. I wondered if a locker would have helped. Maybe, but I might have just dug deeper. Got off and went to the front of the quad. The water was up to the top of my boots at this point, and getting deeper as I dug out the leaves more with the tires. Got under the front and pushed up on the racks as I hit the gas in reverse. The quad moved about 6 inches in 3 minutes of this and I was exhausted. I shed the gloves and jacket and went back at it. After 30 minutes of circling the quad and digging what leaves I could out out from behind the tires and underneath, I was still there just as stuck as ever. I looked to my left and there was a point sticking out on the left side of the channel with two couch sized rocks sitting sideways on top of each other. There was a little tunnel formed between them where one rested on the other. This was to the direct left of the quad, but with no other options and darkness closing in, I hooked the winch cable through the crevice and tried that. Nothing! The leaf mold was entirely 3/4 of the way up the left front tire, and was packed too tight for me to dig out with my hands. The water was now up to my thighs, now that I had knocked a bunch of the leaf mold out of the way and was pretty damn cold too. I had to get out no matter what, because I was in the upper end of a lake and 2 miles from the truck with 45 mins. of daylight left. I finally winched the quad over almost on its side, got on my knees in the water, and raked all of the leaves out from under the frame. This took a good 10 minutes. Then I let off on the winch and was able to back it on out walking beside it. Relieved as I was, I found another problem. The winch cable was pinched between the rocks leaving my quad sitting like a dog tied to a tree. As a last ditch effort, I took a rock and bashed at the cable sitting on the big rock until it frayed and finally broke. I took the pin out of the hook and removed it from the wedged in piece of cable and managed to at least salvage that. Then I gathered up all my junk and got the hell out of there! I must say it was one cold ride back to the truck. I threw my water logged boots in the bed of the truck and drove home with the heater on high. One other fact. Small bits of leaf mold do not just wash off easily in the shower. You have to pick them off like freakin seed ticks!

------------------
Andy Bassham *(1999 Arctic Cat 500 4x4, 1989 Honda 300)*

[This message has been edited by Andy Bassham (edited 11-25-1999).]

[This message has been edited by Andy Bassham (edited 11-25-1999).]

 

hahahahahahahahahahaa... hehehehehehehe.. .. WHOOAAAHHH!!>>>. sorry Andy, but CONGRAGULATIONS... NOW.. you can say that Cat is broke in....

 

If something like that dont happen to you, then you've not been riding long enough!!

Great story bud.



------------------
Jeremy Cross

1993 Yamaha *turbo* T-wolf

 

You're probably right Jeremy, and I dread the day it does. I rarely ever ride alone, but it would happen on one of those rare rides.

Nice work Andy

 

Good story Andy, now it's time to get a new winch cable! Do you have a roller fairlead on it? Also, were both front tires spinning?

 

Andy, to bad you didnt have a camera. This sounds like a Kodak moment.

 

Thank goodness you're safe, Andy (chortle, chortle, smirk, smirk)! I believe experiences like yours are common to many, except those who don't ride very daringly much, and those who will not disclose their misfortunes when they occur!

When riding in areas where convenient pull points might not be available, I carry a set of genuine Wal-Mart long steel tent pegs and a length of chain. My plan: drive the tent pegs into the ground through chain links and tie onto the chain as a deadman. Also, my trusy ****** block is always with me, doubling extracton force.

You DO have a ****** block, don't you, Andy?

Tree Farmer

 

Tree farmer, what do you do when the ground is froze!?

 

rooster, I'm bettin he trys not to get stuck

lol

------------------
Jeremy Cross

1993 Yamaha *turbo* T-wolf

 

Rooster, tell me; do quads often become stuck on frozen ground? I have no experience in climate cold enough to seriously freeze the ground.

I always envisioned stuck quads in mud, whose definition implies some softness where tent pegs might penetrate.

Actually, the long (about 18", I think) steel tent pegs appear pretty sturdy; I have no experience, but assumed a rock or sledge might drive the pointed steel peg even into frozen ground.

What do you recommend for a deadman when the ground is frozen, Rooster? And, by the way, where do you live?

Tree Farmer