jonmar Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 We would be most grateful for suggestions (polite please!) for getting our Hymer B584 off wet grass or mud. We always carry strips of rubber backed carpet which has done sterling service, but really need something stronger and more easily washed. We spent a week on Venise Verte in Coulon last month and their pitches were waterlogged and being closed as people left. The guardian there had wonderful longish grip mats with sort of spikes on the lower surface which they put down beyond our carpet to get us off the pitch. We have been unable to find anything similar on line and the guardian couldn't remember which catalogue she bought them from! The best things I have seen on line are milenco mats, but they might 'fly' like the Fiamma ones do. It would mean that we felt safer on CLs if we could find something suitable. Venise Verte kindly put us onto their hard sports area, but that only took 3 A class vans and we were the only people who stayed. Other motorhomes that came in had to use the carpark and didn't stay more than one night. We would be most grateful for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 For many years we have used 4 x 12" squares of 3/4" marine ply - one under each wheel when parked on any grass other than rock hard. Two of the squares are double layer hinged which makes them either twice as thick or twice as long depending on the need for either extra level or an extra assisted getaway. The squares spread the load of each wheel and prevent them from sinking into the wheel shaped indentations which are so hard to climb out of from a standing start on a wet and slippery surface. I've never been stuck using these - even at Peterborough, Stratford and Cheshire show grounds, and they are easy to store and use, especially when fitted with a strong cord at one corner with which to pick them up when muddy! One tip - once rolling do not stop for anything until all four wheels are on terra firma - then wellies on and walk back for the squares and admiring glances from those remaining! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonmar Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share Posted July 17, 2013 Thanks, will refer the idea to he who drives and does practical stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 I switched to using four of these some time back.... http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+Tools/Ground+Drainage/Ground+Guard+Single+Tile/d10/sd3226/p94411 ..and they've helped us get off some really muddy festival sites.... ;-) I'm in the habit of parking up on them every time we pitch up on grass, even if the ground does seem okay. I wouldn't bother with those yellow Fiamma mats,they're a waste of time.. A friend of ours has these: http://www.griptrack.co.uk/ .. ..which I've seem him use a few times and they seem to work okay(..although I've never really paid that much attention, if I'm honest.... (lol) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 pepe63 - 2013-07-17 7:09 PM I switched to using four of these some time back.... http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+Tools/Ground+Drainage/Ground+Guard+Single+Tile/d10/sd3226/p94411 ..and they've helped us get off some really muddy festival sites.... ;-) I'm in the habit of parking up on them every time we pitch up on grass, even if the ground does seem okay. I wouldn't bother with those yellow Fiamma mats,they're a waste of time.. They look good from Toolstation - do they flex or remain rigid to support the wheel as it sinks or bend to the round shape of the wheel and if you link two together to aid traction do they remain linked when distorted by a heavy wheel - and are they a pain to clean off when they get really muddy? I agree it makes good sense to use them every time on grass in case it rains overnight! I agree - those yellow floppy plastic things are a waste of space when the going gets really squidgy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 We've had them around 3 ( ? ) years now and they're really quite rigid and durable... After a few days,on really soggy ground, there can be a little bit of "shape" in them but nothing to worry about and it's certainly no worse than the bend we'd have in our previous 3/4" marine ply "pads" we used to carry. (..and if one does ever get a bit too much "shape", I just flip it over the next time I park on it...) Although they're designed to be linked together(for when being laid as a "driveway"),we've never needed to but if I needed to join them, I'd probably just opt for tying them together.... Also they don't dig in anywhere near as much as I thought they might...I had visions of them cutting in like a pastry cutter (lol) Just to add, for cleaning the mud off,I just give 'em a good thwack together!(..I tried that with those yellow Fiamma mats and they just shattered!?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Cheers - I might just be persuaded to have a look. One problem with a PVC is storage and my four 12" pads are easy to find a hole for but much bigger might be an issue - unless we go back to a proper motorhome that is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Carpet squares. Wonderful. Throwaway once manky; stackable, can be used in-van as carpet or mats, and cost almost nowt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Need I say the 'obvious' ... bread crate bases cut in half lengthways - easy to clean and lightweight. However, even these didn't help us get off the quagmire that was the Newark show when it snowed due to the ground having been churned up by another motorhome tootling around! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 This covers the same subject http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/top-tips-tricks/18210-tyre-grip-mats.html A "Track" usually seem to be referred to in English as a "traction mat' and in French as a "plaque de desenlisement", and GOOGLE-searching using those search-terms retrieves plenty of alternatives. I don't know which product jonmar's Venise Verte campsite warden used. There are traction mats marketed that have metal 'spikes' on the underside, but these are designed to provide emergency grip on ice. Of the commercially available products Milenco's "Grip Mat" seems as good as any. http://www.milenco.com/products/safety/grip-mats In principle two products are needed - one to prevent any of the motorhome's wheels sinking into soft ground and another on which to drive when moving from the soft surface to a firm one. As Tracker has warned, once the motorhome is moving it's vital to keep going until firm ground is reached. I remember seeing a Hymer A-class move off recently-bought traction mats, travel a couple of metres on wet grass then bog down completely when the driver hesitated momentarily before joining the campsite's roadway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Tracker - 2013-07-17 8:33 PM One problem with a PVC is storage and my four 12" pads are easy to find a hole for but much bigger might be an issue ... In that case,Rich I'd say they're probably a bit too bulky then. (...although they are really lightweight). We're fortunate as they fit nicely into an old plastic "Lucas" components crate that I had in the shed and this sits at the rear in our underbed storage, which I can access from outside... I wouldn't really want to be threading them underneath the settee..or into base of the wardrobe!? (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonmar Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 thanks, Derek - the French plaque de desenlisment was very useful and I found www.camping-car-plus.com had what John thinks are the same 'tracks' as Venise Verte. No 'spikes' as I suggested of course!! However, they are not only pricey per single item but would need to come from France, so we are holding fire and going for the Milenco grip mats. £12.99 a pair and no postage is worth a try. Thanks for all shared suggestions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zydeco Joe Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 At the Malvern Western show last August I purchased some levelling blocks the normal yellow Fiamma ones and from the same trade stand we got a set of plastic matts that are made to sit under the levelling blocks with spikes that dig in to help with driving off on wet slippery ground, so far we have used them well on wet grass and even in snow. Not too heavy to carry so live in the van. Not sure of traders name sorry but guess they will be at most motorhome shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Wet slippery grass is one thing sinking into soft mud is quite another and it is when the wheels have sunk that the driven wheels are unable to pull all four out of their pits from a standing start. When this happens anything made of too flexible a material will sink with the wheels into their respective pits and get churned up and spat out by the driven wheels struggling to find something to grip and this certainly applies to those thin yellow plastic strip grip mats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zydeco Joe Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Our mats are not that thin they are not made by Fiamma but by the store holder himself, green in colour. I think they are about 1/4" thick and don't bend much, soon got me out of 3" deep snow last December in northern France. Lugs on them fit into the Fiamma blocks for added grip when on the chocks.We paid about £20 for 4. Works for me. B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Although the on-line asking-price for a pair is over twice the £20 for four Zydeco Joe paid at Malvern, this may well be the product he purchased as they are green, UK-made and link to Fiamma levelling ramps: http://www.smartoutdoors.biz/prod_gripmats.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zydeco Joe Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Derek Uzzell - 2013-07-22 7:53 AM Although the on-line asking-price for a pair is over twice the £20 for four Zydeco Joe paid at Malvern, this may well be the product he purchased as they are green, UK-made and link to Fiamma levelling ramps: http://www.smartoutdoors.biz/prod_gripmats.html Hi Derek yes these are the ones we got at Malvern, as I said they work for us so far. Well made and just run them under a tap to clean any mud off . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Zydeco Joe - 2013-07-22 11:10 AM Well made and just run them under a tap to clean any mud off . Always assuming there is a tap handy when you need one and that it is not hissing with rain at the time! We always carry a bin bag or two to stuff muddy objects in (but not the dog) when it's - err - muddy so we can clean 'em at our convenience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zydeco Joe Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 A roll of Bin Bags is part of our standard kit in the van and I guess in most peoples vans . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 A bin bag with three holes in it makes a jolly good raincoat too - ready for when you dig your muddy grip tracks out of the swamp!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zydeco Joe Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Bet you look so cool in this while picking up your 12" pads LOL B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Absolutely - fashion icon of Norfolk - that's me!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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