Sometimes, trucks can get stuck in the mud, making it difficult for drivers to pull them forward because of a loss of traction. Deep and sticky mud creates the suction effect to keep the vehicles in the same place.
How To Get Semi-Truck Out Of Mud? You can get a semi-truck out of the mud by engaging all-wheel drive, use jacks and tow straps, towing vehicles and traction aids, deflate tires, use shovels, engage second gear, attach a winch machine, use dry mats, and engage differential locks.
These commercial and heavier vehicles cannot maintain traction on slippery and muddy road surfaces. Moreover, these can get stuck on muddy roads because of unequal weight distribution in the cargo area, leading to poor tire traction.
Using The wheel drive feature
Many trucks have all-wheel drive features to drive on snowy, muddy, and slippery roads safely. Tires cannot maintain their traction on these surfaces because of the slipping.
Wheels can get power from the transmission system but do not allow forward movement because of their poor contact with road surfaces.
The mud layer does not allow the tires to contact the road surfaces. It is better to engage the all-wheel drive feature of your semi-truck while moving on challenging terrains.
It ensures a sufficient power supply to all wheels of the vehicles and allows their smooth movement. You can engage the feature by using the lever and push button according to the model of the truck.
Use jacks
Jacks are the mechanical devices that are used to raise the vehicles. Electronic and hydraulic jacks are available in the market with their different working principle.
You can use these jacks to remove the tires stuck inside the mud. It is necessary to read the manual to get information about the jacking points of your truck.
Use the jacks that are compatible with the load of your vehicle. Install the jacks on the designated points and raise the affected wheel.
Add the traction aids under the wheels to provide traction so they do not get stuck again.
Tow strap
Front or rear tires of semi-trucks get stuck while driving on muddy roads because of unequal weight distribution or cargo area.
You cannot move forward because of the poor traction of the tires. It is better to use the tow strap to come out of the challenging situation.
Stuck semi-trucks can also disturb the traffic flow and cause problems for other vehicles. Tie one end of the tow strap with your truck and the other with the towing vehicle.
Ensure their secure connection and move the towing vehicle forward. Do not forget to turn off the engine while doing the procedure.
Carefully attach the tow straps on the designated points and avoid attaching these on front and rear axles, bumpers, or suspension components because these can break easily. In addition, you can also call roadside assistance or towing companies for your help.
Reduce the truck’s weight
Semi-trucks are specifically used to take heavy cargo from one place to another. It is necessary to arrange the cargo correctly so they do not affect the stability and handling conditions during driving, which can compromise the safety of other vehicles.
Sometimes, their tires can get stuck in the mud because of the heavier weight and soft consistency of mud. Drivers cannot pull them forward because of decreased traction on these slippery surfaces.
It is necessary to reduce the weight to attain more traction. Unload the cargo from the truck and shift towards the lower gears to remove the tires.
Use traction aids
You can use traction aids to get the stuck tires from the muddy areas. I always keep the small plywood boards with me during driving.
I used these boards last month during the rainy season because the tires were not maintaining traction on the muddy surfaces. These plywood boards provide extra traction for the forward movement of wheels.
Moreover, you can also use small stones and gravel to make the muddy surfaces less slippery.
Deflate tires slightly
Tire pressure is essential in achieving traction on the road. Many drivers prefer to keep the pressure monitoring gauge or air pressure filling tools with them for safe driving on different terrains.
Properly inflated tires cannot make contact with roads because of slipping.
You should slightly deflate the tires or decrease the air pressure so their tread surface provides a better grip on the road.
Use a shovel
Shovels are tools that are specially designed for digging and lifting several objects. In addition, these are also used to remove bulky materials, including sand, rocks, and mud.
It is a gardening tool because it can remove loose material, including gravel and dirt. Use the shovel to remove the trucks from the muddy road surfaces.
Dig the muddy surfaces from the surroundings to create the space for the wheel movement. Avoid digging the road surfaces deep inside because it can make the situation more challenging.
Clear the surroundings of the wheels to provide space for their movements. Digging around the tires also provides traction for their smooth movement.
You can also use the blades, branches, and other materials in nearby areas for digging if shovels are not available.
Engaging second gear
You can remove the semi-truck tires from the muddy surfaces by carefully engaging the transmission system. I prefer to keep your vehicle in second gear because it provides sufficient power for the tire’s movement.
Many people shift their trucks towards higher gears, which are not reliable because they only increase the power supply, and tires spin at their place.
They do not maintain contact with road surfaces and move forward. Shifting towards lower gears allows them to maintain traction and move forward. Slightly reverse your vehicle and then move forward to remove the stuck tires.
Attach winch machine
A winch is a machine specially used to pull heavy and bulky materials. These are also helpful to move your semi-trucks in the deep mud.
These machines contain the motorized cable or ropes responsible for pulling the vehicles. You can attach the winch machines for forward movement.
Selecting the winch machine according to the gross vehicle weight rating is necessary. Avoid attaching the winch machine to the rear bumper because it can break.
Attach the hooks of the winch machine directly with the frame and recovery points because of their sturdy construction.
Put dry mats
Many drivers keep the pieces of floor mats with them to tackle emergencies without waiting for roadside assistance and towing vehicles.
You can use these to remove your trucks from the muddy surfaces. Mats are lighter and create firmer surfaces, which allow the wheels to maintain traction and pull the vehicle forward.
Arrange the mat pieces in front of the tires to add traction on the road surfaces. Dry mats are specially used to provide the roadways on slippery and flooded road surfaces.
You can also use the floor mats of your vehicles for added traction. My friend told me he got stuck on the road because of slippery surfaces after the rain.
He removed the mat from the interior cabin and placed it in front of the front tires to remove my semi-truck.
Engage differentials locks
Differential locks are only present in some newer models of the semi-trucks. These are the mechanical components that allow all the wheels to spin simultaneously.
You can engage these components to attain maximum traction while moving on muddy roads. Differential locks also ensure the transfer of available torque to the wheels for their spinning.
All wheels cannot move at the same speed, but the presence of traction allows their forward movement while maintaining stability.
You can see the differential lock button in your vehicle and press and hold the button for a few seconds. Engaging the feature during adverse weather conditions, including snowy and rainy weather, is better to achieve extra traction.
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