No one wants to be a stick in the mud, and no one definitely wants to be stuck in the mud, either.
Bad weather and road conditions are a fact of life for most of the United States, and wet, soggy and muddy conditions are a hazard many must contend with. If you’ve ever struggled to free your vehicle from a mud bog and want to know how to free yourself in the future, we can help.
IS YOUR CAR STUCK IN THE MUD?
You will know if your vehicle is stuck in mud when you attempt to navigate or accelerate out and fail. Your vehicle may slide or might be unable to move forward.
It might seem like a mere inconvenience but mud can be quite dangerous for drivers. Even shallow pools of mud can create a slippery surface or act like quicksand. Mud can also hide large or deep bodies of water, leading to a drowning or flooding risk.
Long term effects of mud are corrosion, damage, and rust. Mud adheres to your vehicle’s body and traps moisture. Mud is also quite heavy and if caked onto vulnerable components like your driveshaft, it can damage it and throw it out of alignment.
HOW TO GET YOUR CAR OUT OF MUD BY YOURSELF
If you’re really stuck, sinking further into the mud or conditions are getting dangerous, call a professional recovery service to help you escape.
However, if things aren’t that dire and you are not in any danger, you may be able to get your vehicle out of the mud by yourself. Here are the steps:
Evaluate the situation
Squirm your tires
Remove as much mud from around your tires as you can
Rock your vehicle
Create traction
Distribute weight appropriately
Let out some air from your tires
Use a tow rope or strap to pull the vehicle out
You probably have already done this when deciding whether or not you needed to call a professional. But it’s important to make sure there are no hazards or anything preventing you from safely removing your vehicle. Make sure you’re really stuck; sometimes a good push will free it.
Turn your wheels left and right to help clear out their path and provide an avenue to go forward. Sometimes this is all you need to do to get yourself out. You don’t want to spin your wheels because that can dig your vehicle in deeper.
This is when keeping an emergency roadside kit will really help. Use shovels, cardboard, buckets, travel cups etc., to help you move mud. Other items like cat litter, sand, salt, pieces of wood, cardboard and even your rubber floor mats from inside your vehicle are helpful in creating traction and will be used in a later step.
If squirming your tires doesn’t work, try rocking your vehicle back and forth to gain momentum. Use the lowest gear and accelerate forward a little, then throw it into reverse (not literally, be gentle with your transmission) and move back. Keep repeating this until you get out.
If the above fails, use tools we mentioned in step 3. You can create traction in front and around your tires so that they can “catch” and begin to propel the vehicle forward. You can also use tree branches, stones or leaves if they’re handy but be careful that they don’t damage or puncture your tires.
Make sure that the weight of your vehicle is distributed properly. Put the most weight on the drive tires to help boost grip. For rear-wheel drive (RWD) vehicles, put something heavy in the backseat or trunk. For front-wheel drive (FWD), put something heavy on the floor or passenger seat. Do not have passengers sit on the hood or trunk of your vehicle to add weight; this is dangerous.
Even though your tires are not likely mud-terrain tires, you can try to replicate their capability by increasing the contact patch of your tire by letting out some air. This will give your tires more surface area to grab. Don't forget to inflate them to the proper tire pressure once you’re free!
If you can’t generate enough traction using the items and techniques noted above and also have a tow strap or rope (and a friend), you can use these to pull you out of your sticky situation. Attach the rope or strap to your vehicle’s sub frame (or tow hook if it has one). This is a potentially dangerous solution, however, should the strap snap back due to improper attachment.
If all else fails and the situation isn’t getting any better (or it’s becoming worse), we strongly recommend you call roadside service to help you.
How to get your car out of mud with front wheel drive
You have probably heard that front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicles are pretty good at handling bad weather conditions like snow. This is because of the increased weight over the front two wheels for better traction.
The steps for getting your front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicle out of the mud are about the same as our recommendations above. However, you should pay special attention to step six.
You want to make sure most of your vehicle’s weight is centered on the front two wheels. This exerts a downward force on your wheels that can generate the power needed to roll your tires out of the muck.
How to get your car out of mud with cardboard
If you happen to have large pieces of cardboard or wood handy (old moving boxes maybe?) then you can use them as a solid driving surface to help you get out of the mud pile.
Follow the above steps, and place the cardboard pieces in front of your tires so the vehicle can drive forward onto them. Once your tires have gotten hold of a solid surface, you should be able to roll out of the mud. You can also use carpet, jackets, blankets and floor mats.
How to get your car out of mud in reverse
The steps for getting your car out in reverse are the exact same as a forward escape. You simply would reverse out of the mud using the squirming, rocking or traction techniques we’ve mentioned previously.
It might make more sense to reverse out of mud if you have a rear-wheel drive (RWD) vehicle, assuming the layout of the mud, road and vehicle allow for this.
If you have a RWD vehicle, make sure that the weight is distributed over your vehicle’s back end to ensure the best traction possible.
Ready to roll?
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