Big ray Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 We have just returned from a five day visit to Arnhem with our Jeeps. We stayed in Oosterbeek, we had a few people with our party who had not been before, so we decided to show them some of the local sites including the underpass where the recce party were attacked in their Jeeps during Market Garden in 1944. As we approached the entrance to the tunnel with six or seven Jeeps we were confronted with the site of a 32 tonne articulated truck and semi-trailer bogged in the soft earth of the entrance. Two men, I believe father and son, were trying to dig out this now completely stuck truck. The trailer was down to the axles, as was the cab, they had an agricultural tractor with them from a local horticultural exhibition. It was obvious that the tractor was totally inadequate for the task in hand. We assessed the situation and then decided that we could extracate this vehicle with the appropriate application of 4 of our Jeeps. Several of our group are from a large recovery company in our home town, including the managing director of that company. We made a few adjustments to the efforts of the two, by now, despondent operators of this stricken vehicle. We had two Jeeps complete with "A" frames, so we coupled those two Jeeps onto the rear of two other jeeps and positioned them side by side. We now ran a tow chain through the towing eye on the truck and fixed each end to the "A" framed Jeeps, this meant that the chain could slip through the eye if both sets of Jeeps were not moving forward at the same rate, ensuring no loss of effective traction from the sixteen wheels of the Jeeps. All four Jeeps selected low ratio / 4 wheel drive. The driver was instructed along with the Jeep drivers that we had to achieve instant application of power from all FIVE vehicles if we were going to have any chance of success, they all had to apply power on my command, which they did........ and the truck flew out of its stricken position, the driver was visibly elated at this totally unexpected achievment, at least unexpected by him, he jumped up and down on his seat and honked his horn repeatedly, one can only imagine his (Their) relief at the out come. You may wonder why we did not put the Jeeps in line......... that would have applied unacceptable forces on the last two Jeeps in the line, particularly the last one, we would effectively be stretching those Jeeps, pulled as they would be from both front and rear. I think that those two men will be able to dine out on that story for many years to come. Just what are the chances of several Jeeps turning up in that situation, and more importantly a group of Jeep owners who are prepared to commit themselves and their Jeeps to the task. All members of the Military Vehicle Trust, North Staffs Area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skelly Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RattlesnakeBob Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 I hope you took some photos!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big ray Posted September 20, 2011 Author Share Posted September 20, 2011 I hope you took some photos!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D We did............. I am trying to sort them out for posting, will do so when sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Applied logic and small amounts of horsepower united in a sensible set up for best effect. Excellent tale, that will only be made better by the suitable pictures. Brilliant R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Great to hear good old-fashioned common sense being applied. Also great to hear of old vehicles being used in the way they were designed for rather than just as trailer queens. :thumbsup: - MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiketheBike Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Just what are the chances of several Jeeps turning up in that situation, and more importantly a group of Jeep owners who are prepared to commit themselves and their Jeeps to the task AND the knowledge of how to safely and successfully combine the power!!! I could have had 10 jeeps and still screwed it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil P Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Well done Ray. The correct application of common sense and it can work wonders. Look forward to the pics. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big ray Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 Just one to be going on with folks ( I am waiting to receive some more pics) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big ray Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 These photographs taken and provided by Steve Peberday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big ray Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 Its out........ photographs again by Steve Peberday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big ray Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 Our reward was not the beer that was provided, but the pleasure in knowing that we had helped someone out of a very difficult situation. (We did not abuse their hospitality, we had one bottle of beer each, plus an ice cream.......... this was provided by the hopitality suite on the field where they were having the horticultural machinery display.) The truck driver was either delivering or collecting from this event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosrec Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 "Gud on yer" did a good job there. Them modern wagons are nice to drive but toatally useless in those situations. they have done away with diff locks and replaced them with traction control great if travelling U/S when trying to set of from a standing start. Getting the truck to rise over that concrete edge would take more pull than you think and the trucks contribution towards it would be virtually nil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big ray Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 [ATTACH=CONFIG]51348[/ATTACH]The nearside wheel was not up against the hard surface, so we only had one wheel at a time to lift, otherwise it might have been a different story, but eh, we would have broken it out before letting it beat us. I bet that that driver woke-up next morning and thought that he had dreamt it all........ we would only ever visit that site maybe twice in one year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Age has it's advantages Ray, as I always say 'There a'int no substitute for experience' Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulture Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 What a brilliant story ! Well done to all concerned ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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