how to drive in mud or get out when stuck in mud??

nursemar88

hi... i really need some help with this. I've just moved to a new house and i have to park on the grass in front of the house. The only problem is when its rains (which is pretty much all the time), I'm not able to drive up into my parking space cause i just get stuck in the mud with my tyres just spinning. i can always get out when i eventually manage to park it but just not able to drive in the mud!! any ideas or tips??? thanks

Big Nasty

Auto or manual?

If Auto it ain't gonna be easy. Manual I would stick the car in gear and lift off the clutch very slowly until you get traction without pressing the accelerator at all. Not good practice in normal circumstances but in snow / mud it works a treat.

Seweryn

nursemar88 wrote: »

hi... i really need some help with this. I've just moved to a new house and i have to park on the grass in front of the house. The only problem is when its rains (which is pretty much all the time), I'm not able to drive up into my parking space cause i just get stuck in the mud with my tyres just spinning. i can always get out when i eventually manage to park it but just not able to drive in the mud!! any ideas or tips??? thanks

Not easy to get a good tip here. Move gently up and reverse, do not spin the wheels.
I had very same situation before I finally built my driveway. The front heavy Mercedes 123 would not move in the mud at all (just spinning the wheels making the situation worse), while the Volkswagen Beetle with an engine behind the rear axle and light front, would simply fly through the same soft surface.

Hal1

A bit of plywood under the tyre.

Flyer1

As above !

Or just nice low revs. Too many people are rev happy.

corktina

lorry load of stone perhaps on the mud...?

peasant

There is nothing as slippy as wet, mucky grass (except for black ice), add a bit of a gradient and it even leaves 4x4's struggling.

In the long run, the only solution is to put in a different surface / find another parking spot ...as this wet weather continues conditions will only get worse over time ...no matter how carefully you drive.

Dark-Mavis

You could try parking the car so the front wheels are still on a good surface and the rest of the car is on the grass.

That's if your car is front wheel drive.

Midnight_EG

Had this problem myself, got to winter and we dug up the garden, and got a lorry load of non sinking stones, now I can park properly without worrying about getting out.*




*Unless I brake a little hard and push some stones forward, digging a little hole :P

nursemar88

ok thanks everyone for all the ideas... firstly i dont have a problem reversing out of the spot(ie i havent got stuck in the mud), i just cant get up the grass to park cause my tyres keep spinning in the mud...and also im renting the place so a new surface is totally out of the question... dont think i can convince my landlord to pay for it! any more suggestions??? thanks again...

nursemar88

how do you then move the car if your not pressing the accelorator? won't it just cut out? not doubting you but just dont know much bout how cars work...

Big Nasty

nursemar88 wrote: »

how do you then move the car if your not pressing the accelorator? won't it just cut out? not doubting you but just dont know much bout how cars work...

In most circumstances it could and should stall as there is good traction but in snow / mud it is the best way to get you moving IMO.

CJhaughey

If you know of anyone cutting xmas trees, get a few bootloads of the trimmed branches and lay them over the grass, they should be flat not sticking up in the air.
Break off any bits that point upwards, lay a good covering of them and you should be good to go, I have used this trick before in fields with a 4x4 and trailer.
The bark is very grippy and they sit off the ground enough to not sink in.

mickdw

Keep as straight as possible and get a bit of a run at it in low revs.

ianobrien

nursemar88 wrote: »

how do you then move the car if your not pressing the accelorator? won't it just cut out? not doubting you but just dont know much bout how cars work...

With lots of careful clutch work. Don't engage the clutch as normal (ie, don't take your foot off the pedal as normal). Very gently lift it off. If it's just about to stall, use a tiny bit of throttle, and I mean tiny.

The best thing is for you is to get somebody who knows what they are doing to show you how to do it.

irish_ninja

Get stuck in mud all the time myself.But with a tractor. Go forward fast as you can,while trying to grip the ground by turning the steering wheel all over the place.Keep on driving back and forward with no stopping. Its a technique,really hard to explain in fairness...

peasant

irish_ninja wrote: »

Get stuck in mud all the time myself.But with a tractor. Go forward fast as you can,while trying to grip the ground by turning the steering wheel all over the place.Keep on driving back and forward with no stopping. Its a technique,really hard to explain in fairness...

or...

how to thoroughly dig up a front lawn in five minutes

irish_ninja

peasant wrote: »

or...

how to thoroughly dig up a front lawn in five minutes

pfft either that or else his car becomes a piece of art.
p.s only takes two minutes

snowman707

try reversing in your space & driving out .. a fwd car has more traction going back wards


don't attempt if there is a fall into your parking space as you may get stuck & be unable to drive out again

galwaytt

...or, Poor Man's Traction Control: low revs, clutch all the way out, tickle the brake with your left foot :eek: (for fwd cars).....or little squeeze of the handbrake (if rwd...)...........not for the faint hearted in confined spaces !! :eek:

Anan1

nursemar88 - I think the only real solution is to find somewhere else to park. Every time you drive on the grass it'll get a bit more churned up. Grass doesn't grow in winter, so it'll keep getting worse until you finally get stuck.

The_Joker

Reverse in as said above, if you have a couple of rubber mats put them in front of the tyres, rinse the mats off afterwards.

If all else fails buy a horse might be only one hp but he'll get you out of a lot of slippery places and starts first go every time

Esel

I'm surprised no-one has yet advised the OP to try starting in 2nd or even 3rd gear. You might need to slip the clutch a bit, but it should make it a lot easier.

slimjimmc

nursemar88 wrote: »

ok thanks everyone for all the ideas... firstly i dont have a problem reversing out of the spot(ie i havent got stuck in the mud), i just cant get up the grass to park cause my tyres keep spinning in the mud...and also im renting the place so a new surface is totally out of the question... dont think i can convince my landlord to pay for it! any more suggestions??? thanks again...

I you don't ask you won't know. If the landlord realises you can't tolerate this situation anymore perhaps he might do something to keep a paying tenant, empty houses don't pay the mortgage. Driving in & out is abd enough but what about all that muck messing your shoes and car mats.

nursemar88

thanks to everyone for the suggestions.i shall be testing probably all of them over the next week!! fingers crossed something works! :)

Rev. BlueJeans

Reverse it up, simples.

If it won't back up there, it won't go up at all.