AlanS Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 pepe63 - 2015-01-19 8:01 PM We've been carrying and routinely using, 4 of these for a few years now; http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p94411 (I've tried various rubber matting in the past, with varied success..but I found when it got wet and muddy, it just got slippery..) Thanks for the heads up on these. I have not bothered before with our current MH (3680kg) and have always got away with it on some soft sites in France but now we are changing to a larger MH (4250kg) so getting a bit more 'nervous' now. I thought that for the money the ones from Toolstation were worth a try so bought some from our local outlet. Not too heavy either - prefer not to use them but if a site looks soggy (like the municipal at Chartres in June last year), I will certainly use them. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 When considering one might get stuck on a wet field, there's usually a tractor-owning farmer a few yards away to pull you out..............well so I've been told.........:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 StuartO - 2015-01-21 9:13 AM nickwwalker - 2015-01-21 8:15 AM StuartO - 2015-01-18 8:30 AM But these ladder-type grips have helped me out quite a few times, and they are not too much of fag to lay out and get under the driving wheels as you park up, when conditions look or might become a bit slippy. They look useful and would roll up into a smaller space than the mat type. Do you know who sells or makes this type of grip? Bread crates have been mentioned in several blogs on the topic too so I'm looking for a local source of old crates to have a go at making something similar. The ladder-type grips which I favour were bought at a Show or from an accessory shop but I can't remember which - but I think they are fairly widely available so try a Google or EBay search. I was puzzled by the term "bread crate" too but I don't think they necessarily mean an actual bread crate, so much as a plastic grid of a suitable sort. Four of the ground protector gids referred to above might be very useful as wheel stands but they are only 500mm square so I imagine carrying eough of them to make up a worthwhile take-off runway on soft ground might be problematic. No, by the term 'Bread crate' I mean a Bread Crate, abeit with the sides and back cut off. I now carry 6, whenever on Grass, which is as least as possible, whatever the weather, and however hard the grass might seem as I drive on, I always place the Van on 4, one under each wheel, the extra 2 are for driving onto as I head for the perimeter road. And So far, over 8 years of motorhoming I have never got stuck, close sometimes, but never stuck. Ray ps Crates are very light and fit into each other, so take up little space in the garage. Sourced crates from a local hotel, who was going to burn them, the baker wasn't calling anymore, and found 2 in a layby,by the rubbish bin. so, free, 10minutes with a jig saw. Done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 AlanS - 2015-01-22 9:57 PM pepe63 - 2015-01-19 8:01 PM We've been carrying and routinely using, 4 of these for a few years now; http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p94411 Thanks for the heads up on these...//... ..... Not too heavy either - prefer not to use them but if a site looks soggy (like the municipal at Chartres in June last year), I will certainly use them. Alan Hi Alan.. I'm not trying to propose that they're the answer to every situation...but for the 3+ quid they cost when we bought them, they were worth a go and they've worked (.and when parked on overnight,they don't sink in as much as I thought they may've done..) I would have used bread crate bases but I just couldn't get hold of any. (..our local supermarkets, little shops and bakery, all said that even their broken ones, "had to go back" :-S ) Some friends of ours, have some of the ladder type(as Stuart posted) and if we still had a large van, I think for the limited space they take up, I'd also consider carrying a pair of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Some interesting solutions but personally I would find having to remove the mud from any kind plastic grid to be a step backwards from my own previously mentioned solution of varnished plywood squares which wipe off quickly and easily prior to bunging back in their easily replaceable supermarket carrier bag into which they fit and store very neatly! Each to their own of course but as I see it why make a messy job even more messy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Yes, I seem to recall you had a; "..wood is good enough for me, so why isn't it good enough for you?.." type response, when I first asked about this some years back: http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/-Weight-spreading-boards-mats-/22201/ After 4 years use, and in really muddy conditions, I can say first hand that clearing mud off them is no issue..Just a quick clack together(and a rinse under a tap, if you must)and just slid 'em back into the bag/box you keep them in... If/when I'm ever camped up in the van in really muddy conditions, the last thing I'm worrying about is how clean my chocks/boards/levellers are going to be.. (lol) "Each to their own of course....No right or wrong ways - just different". ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 If one already has the necessary materials and the inclination to DIY, there’s clearly merit in Tracker’s approach. Otherwise, buying 4 square feet of thick plywood and varnish is likely to well exceed the cost of four shop-bought grids (and will certainly exceed the cost of freebee bread crates). Nowadays, if I think there’s any possibility of the motorhome’s wheels sinking into soft ground, I put Milenco plastic grip mats under the tyres. These are similary to the mats pictured in StuartO’s posting of 18 January 2015 8:27 AM and, although they do deform under the load, they do prevent sinkage. Naturally enough they do get mucky - as do the undersides of my plastic levelling wedges - but (like pepe63) I can’t say that much concerns me. If I began to worry about the mats/wedges picking up mud, I suspect I’d start to wear stilts in the garden to keep my wellingtons clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 It maybe worth putting these chaps on speed dial? http://www.evetrakway.co.uk/products/trakway-systems/k-trakpanel (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I understand that Ford’s 2015 warranty will offer the option of specialised breakdown/recovery insurance covering anywhere in Europe. This will include recovering the vehicle from muddy fields, sandy beaches and flood waters. There are vehicle size/weight limits, which will be understandable from this explanatory video: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedro Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I still have a copy of a late nineties MMM article - How to build rope chains for placing around drive wheels. Guess I should get that to MMM for a reprint. Something like a ropeladder with extended ends for tying. Am I sufficiently close to MMM here for them to send me an email giving detail for posting same? All inputs re mats are good. With Autosleeper Executive, put them all in big binbag and stow at back of bike rack with couple of bungees. PS All those MMMs. Any connection with WWW from NZ. https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/images/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedro Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Forgot to mention one thing in my recent input. Someone mentioned getting towed out by a friendly 4x4. Not all 4x4s carry a towrope, so buy one and always carry it. Together with the battery jumpstart cable. You never know .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 bedro - 2015-02-05 10:21 AM Someone mentioned getting towed out by a friendly 4x4. Not all 4x4s carry a towrope, so buy one and always carry it. Together with the battery jumpstart cable. You never know .... Good points...and if it's detachable, it's also worth checking that the towing eye is still at hand!... ..also if it's got a comparatively small "eye loop", maybe consider carrying a decent sized/rated D shackle? ( On the first outing with a previous Peugeot Boxer the bloke who was dragging everyone onto the event site with his tractor, couldn't get his hook through our towing eye...luckily a chap in the queue lent me a shackle..). So just a few key items, kept easily to hand(rather than buried/lost beneath a sea of "must have" camping clobber!) can make things run smooth(er). :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 bedro - 2015-02-05 10:21 AM Forgot to mention one thing in my recent input. Someone mentioned getting towed out by a friendly 4x4. Not all 4x4s carry a towrope, so buy one and always carry it. Together with the battery jumpstart cable. You never know .... Glad you mentioned that. I've just put a brand new towing strap on eBay and a set of heavy duty jump leads we used to carry in the car but now no longer need for our occasional shopping trips. Still keep both in the motorhome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.