MUD PADDLES

[RONROSIEM]

Does anyone have experience of MUD PADDLES sold by MAX-TRACTION LTD. We have problems with a Fiat Ducato 2L on wet grass or mud. Alternatively would snow chains help?

[Mel B]

Hi R&R - welcome to the mad house! :-D

 

I've just had a quick look at them on the internet. I don't think they would be very popular on campsites as I suspect they would churn up the grass, same would apply to snow chains.

 

Is the problem that your 'van is sinking whilst it is stood on pitch? If so, you might find placing some pieces of timber under the wheels when you first pitch up would help, as they would prevent your van from settling into the grass and therefore mean you could drive off easier when the time comes to leave, continuing until you got to hard ground/roadway, and then return to the pitch to collect the timber.

[Derek Uzzell]

The "Mud Paddles" product is advertised on Page 106 of the April 2010 Caravan Club Magazine.

 

The website is

 

http://www.mudpaddles.com

 

and it's vital to read the 'Suitability' section before paying the £98.50 asking-price.

 

Mud Paddles SHOULD work to get a deeply-embedded motorhome out of a muddy hole, but you'd need to ensure they were removed immediately afterwards as they look like they could easily be damaged if used on a hard surface.

 

This earlier thread discusses various ways of obtaining extra grip on mud or snow

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=13591&start=1

[RONROSIEM]

Thanks for the link to the previous items on this subject. I agree with sentiments that prevention is better than cure and have never actually got stuck in many years of caravans and motorhomes but still worry that I might (and would sleep better if I KNEW we could get off in the morning). The 'GRIP-TRACK' looks as if it should work. Has anyone tried it ?

[bigal]

I obtained an old plastic tray that bakers use to transport bread, they are of robust construction and the bottom is a diamond pattern. Cut off the sides and ends with a hacksaw and cut the remaining base piece in half longways. You now have two strong profiled pieces of plastic to place under the drive wheels if the ground looks soft on arrival. Why not obtain two bread trays and make four pieces to go under all the wheels. B-) (lol)

[Mel B]

Cut down bread trays as wheel 'pavers' are the best things since ... sliced bread! (lol)

 

Been using our for yonks, just make sure if you go down this route that you obtain them 'legally' and don't just nick them thinking they've been abandoned at the side of a shop - the shop has to send them back or they'll be charged for them. Best to find out who their supplier is and ask them direct if they have any 'broken' ones you can have or alternatively try the local tip/recycling centre.

[Tomored]

I saw these advertised in the MMM Magazine and at first I thought that they were a good idea. I then remembered a story that happened to me. While we were touring around Kent. We went down a very narrow road near Wittersham, we decided that we should turn round and go back, as we came to a open smooth piece of grassland. I reversed onto this and as I tried to drive forward again I found that I had become stuck. The rear of the motorhome was sinking before our very eyes, finally stopping when the rear spare wheel carrier started to spread the load, our wheels were sunk up to the hubs. Luckily a local farmer came by about an hour later and saw our predicament, he then fetched the biggest tractor that I have ever seen, it was massive, and proceeded to pull us out we weigh 3.5 tones. Right, back to the paddles, had we had these, we would probably have tried to pull ourselves out, and the paddles would have dug down, as they could not possibly have pulled us forwards, the result would have been that our front wheels would have become buried as well. It might be that even that massive tractor could not have pulled us out and we would still be there now. Ah the joys of motorhomeing. :-(

[bigal]

Good Thinking Mel, great minds think alike. Good point about where to obtain them from, I wasn't thinking that someone who could afford a motorhome would stoop to such things as stealing bread trays. Just shows how gullible I am. :$

[Whiskeymac]

These get round the problem of getting a rescue device under the slipping wheels.  Trays, sand ladders etc are tricky to dig sufficiently under.  An inflating bag "jack" would serve the purpose though. 

 

Better than any of the remedies is to ensure a downhill route out of the site if the weather could cause problems and if necessary, just go somewhere else.  We all get stuck occasionally and it's at such times that I crave for a fitted winch and anchor.  I've never seen one on a motorhome but I reckon that one would be used more on one than on a Landrover.

 

I've learned that a foot recce before siting is time seldom wasted.

 

[dipsticks]

These work a treat on our Trannie,

 

Short lengths of gas pipe drilled and half cut through strapped on with 25mm straps. Deburr/chamfer the wheel perforations or add an anti shafing sleeve. 6 (3 per driving wheel) cost me less than £10.

[Conrad]

Looked long and hard at making mud rescuer like this for my Ford Transit based m/h, but realised it would foul up against the brake mechanism, not a good plan.

[dipsticks]

Conrad Jones must have a modified Ford Transit as the method I specified above works perfectly on my Mk7 Transit and my previous models as well.

 

If you Google 'Mud Traction' or 'Mud Paddles' you will see the same method used on a multitude of vehicles clearly without fouling brake mechanisms.

 

is just one good example.

 

"not a good plan" to post bland wild statements without being sure of your facts.

[Tracker]

I only ever saw those paddle things in action once at the Peterborough show and as a method of ploughing the field and scattering mud everywhere they were very efficient.

My solution which worked well for many years was to always park on soggy grass with each wheel on a 12" square wooden 'plate' - 1" exterior ply or Sterling board worked well - or two half inch boards glued and screwed together.

The wheel load was spread when parked, the tyres did not sink and when we left I just drove smartly off and did not stop untill firmer ground was reached, on the basis that it was easier to go back for the plates (on short string loops to make them less messy to pick 'em up and store 'em in a strong carrier bag) than it was to restart the van on soggy ground.

Simples!

[colin]

Before buying you need to check if they will fit, here some general tips.

Usually for standard steel wheels and disc brakes they don't fit.

For steel wheels and drum brakes they often fit

For alloys and disc brakes they often fit.

An example, they don't fit a Ducato x250 with standard steel wheels, and this will probably be the same for most front wheel drives and steel wheels.