Topic: No way out (Read 2968 times)

fesuvious · « **on:** February 01, 2006, 10:01:05 »

On sunday Sididuous and myself went over Cotswolds way for a spot of greenlaning.

I do not have the grid ref to hand of exactly where, sid can provide that.

As we just got into the lane a freelander (seperate to us) was starting the descent down the hill. The hill got very rutted (deep) and said freelander basically slid on its belly all the way down. We were watching this getting rather worried about damage to the freelander and the lane

At the bottom we were faced with a nightmare. There was no way to get the freelander back up the hill and the way ahead was a non starter.

What do you do. We decided that as coming back the way we came was a non starter as the freelander wouldnt make it and it was too steep to tow we'd have to go forwards.

Cue a 4 hour nightmare: the pictures are in my gallery. We managed to get the freelander @100 metres down the lane using sids range. Then we had to quit.

At which time it dawned that we'd have to get it back to where we started.

We left the freelander at the midway point (solid ground and out of the way) after a solid 3 hours of recovery.

The owner, his wife and their 3 kids we gave a lift home to.

Hopefully they have been able to trace the owner of one of the fields and have had the vehicle pulled across the field. Otherwise , its still there !

This lane was clearly marked and for a family who had never gone off tarmac before looked to be ok. Just goes to show dont it !!!!!!!

paul_humphreys · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:07:11 »

This is why if you have never driven them before you should walk them.

Paul

Jimbo · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:33:07 »

Can you imagine the conversation between the bloke and his missus in the car :twisted:

Her - "I told you not to drive down here"
Him - "But the salesman said it had 4wd and would go anywhere"
Her - "How are YOU going to get us out of this mess"
Him - "You could start by shutting up, and get out and push !!!"

Meanwhile, the kids are yelling that they are hungry and need the loo !

I'm not having a go at Freelanders, or woman passengers - maybe she was driving ?..............but it does prove that you should walk all unknown lanes if you want to avoid getting stuck !

Jim

fesuvious · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:34:57 »

Ahh, my sentiments entirely - but - if you look at it from the familys point of view....

They park for a bit of scenery.

They realise that the clearing to their left is available for use by a motor vehicle.

Why would they think to walk it ? Its legal? The sign is there. Why should a family who know nothing of laning, have reason to presume the way ahead could be beyond the means of a freelander?

Moreover the middle section that the car is left in is @500 yards down the hill and out of sight. Who is going to think to walk that far ?

I can understand how this happened. I post it not to cause an arguament. Just merely to point out an 'interesting event' that happened.

Thank god we were there by chance.

p.s SHE was driving !!!!!!!!!

Thrasher · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:37:06 »

This sounds awfully familliar, only in my case we had a single Discovery (me) recovering with a winch - and two unequipped Discovery's on road tyres stuck on a lane next to a freshly ploughed field.

We managed to get one of them back onto solid ground, but the other one was so far down the lane that I feared for the damage we would cause trying to recover him, plus it was getting dark (it was also raining!). I was called out to rescue them by the way - I wasn't laning at the time!

We walked down to the stricken vehicle with the hi-lift, and atempted to dig out the vehicle and use the hi-lift to get it out of the ruts. It didn't play so we left the driver with it while we went to find the farmer.

It would appear he used my hi-lift as a sand-ladder......as it was bent when I got it back. However - he did get out!

Another "Sunday" jaunt gone wrong.

rustprooflandyracer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:43:36 »

Hmm.... Do we know where abouts this lane is in the cotswolds would be interested to know for reference. Was it just a case of wrong car going down the lane, or was the lane badly rutted?

Cheers Matt

fesuvious · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:46:34 »

well, Sids range had a rough time.........

So did my disco...............

defenderdan · « **Reply #7 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:51:33 »

I'm guessing thats one motor that will never see mud again. Once it's recovered that is.

Thrasher · « **Reply #8 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:56:58 »

Did you plug the club? <grin>

fesuvious · « **Reply #9 on:** February 01, 2006, 11:05:52 »

I did plug the club !

I have to say I do think that ( brand new ) freelander may well have a hefty repair bill.

Many Dents, a cream leather interior covered in muddy water and thick mud. Hardly any clutch left ! etc etc etc

rollazuki · « **Reply #10 on:** February 01, 2006, 11:24:24 »

Similar situation where I work.
Toyota Rav4 comes in for service, when the tech takes it up on the ramp theres carnage underneath.
front crossmember
sump
exhaust
floorpan either side
rear diff
rear radius arms
silencers

All bent and dented

(2500 quid approx)

Questioned the punter, he says
'we went green laning at the weekend, heard a bump or two when recovering a friends stuck car'

ChrisW · « **Reply #11 on:** February 01, 2006, 13:02:43 »

Thats the lane Chris9119 and myself went to recover a couple of lads in a 110 Hi-Cap (that they had got stuck the day before) from over Christmas :roll:
We had to winch 3 times and that was just to get to where they had got stuck.
Then about 20 TRF riders came past moaning about stupid off roaders chewing the byway up (this from men on motorbikes riding OFF the byway chewing land up) at least they were patient and waited for us to get out of their way (NOT!).
Had a local chap come down in his 90 to try and play... er I mean help too.

"Responsible use" obviously is a phrase people down that way are not familiar with. :(

muddyjames · « **Reply #12 on:** February 01, 2006, 14:15:26 »

What you all needed was a tirfor! That would have helped alot i that situtation me thinks.

I rescued Matt_H from the phot in the link below after he slid side ways into the ditch. If I didnt have me tirfor I dont know how we would have got him out as the tirfor was able to pull him at a 90 degree angle to the ditch and his winch pulled him forward.

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_photo.html?c_photo=35945830

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_photo.html?c_photo=35945819

Damonski · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2006, 14:31:42 »

:lol: And people keep telling me I dont need a winch :lol:

muddyjames · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2006, 14:36:36 »

Quote from: "Damo"

:lol: And people keep telling me I dont need a winch :lol:

You dont. a tirfor is just as good!!!! :lol: :lol:

Thrasher · « **Reply #15 on:** February 01, 2006, 14:49:22 »

Ah but you need physical strength to operate a tirfor...and a thumb to operate a winch.... <giggle>

muddyjames · « **Reply #16 on:** February 01, 2006, 14:51:47 »

you need more strength to carry the damn things than it does to opperate them! mine is a 6tonne rated tirfor and it weighs 35kg and that isnt including the cable, tyre, tree strop etc etc!

Jas278 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 01, 2006, 16:23:21 »

Not such a FREELANDER after all, poor sods , well luckily for them you were there to help,even if not as much as you would have wished........................................well done anyway.... =D>

chuggaman · « **Reply #18 on:** February 01, 2006, 16:36:52 »

lucky you guys were there.when we first started laning(unprepaired) we were off to find tractors!!

hope all the vehicles are ok

mike

fesuvious · « **Reply #19 on:** February 01, 2006, 16:38:29 »

oh sids range and my disco are fine thnx :lol:

Oh - you mean the freelander ? ahh, Not quite so good

chuggaman · « **Reply #20 on:** February 01, 2006, 16:44:04 »

Quote from: "fesuvious"

oh sids range and my disco are fine thnx :lol:

Oh - you mean the freelander ? ahh, Not quite so good

oh dear freelander not so good.probably their last outing too.

if you remember we were faced with a similar situation in wales!!

mike

fesuvious · « **Reply #21 on:** February 01, 2006, 16:52:19 »

i do remember,

freelander:
[!Expletive Deleted!] clutch
pranged panels

and a whole lotta interior valeting needed

thumbs · « **Reply #22 on:** February 01, 2006, 18:39:59 »

im sorry but i would have had to point and laugh, then put the strap on, classic!

muddyjames · « **Reply #23 on:** February 01, 2006, 18:57:54 »

So all in all freelanders arent very free for off roading as you get loads of damage driving down a very slightly rutted track and a big repair bill. :lol:

Sididuous · « **Reply #24 on:** February 02, 2006, 21:14:58 »

Not so much of a slightly rutted track though, standard defender wouldn't have stood a chance either. though definatley not the place for a freelander

fesuvious · « **Reply #25 on:** February 03, 2006, 12:10:33 »

sid - you fancy posting the co-ords up.....

Sididuous · « **Reply #26 on:** February 03, 2006, 16:52:21 »

sp12042 39386

Ja1983 · « **Reply #27 on:** February 03, 2006, 17:11:33 »

kinda worrying that manufacturers are producing 4x4`s that arent that capable.. my manager has a disco and a honda hrv..or crv (the wedge shaped one!) he was quite horrified when he read through the owners manual to find a warning sayin "not to be used as an offroad vehicle" and words to the effect "designed for accesing picnic areas!!" :lol:

....when i stopped laughing, he pointed out that the honda is a front wheel drive with a viscous coupling which brings in rear wheel drive when needed. apparently freelanders use similar technology, but its the coupling thats a weak point. :?

so, hairdressers car really! :lol:

Donald the Disco · « **Reply #28 on:** February 03, 2006, 21:37:02 »

Saintbury Hill,

What a wonderful lane........................NOT

Walked it once, found the ruts, thought yep get past them

came back a week later with some other cars
drove down the hill, which was fun,
went round the dog leg section to find

One huge tree blown down across the lane........

About turn, and winch back up the hill

That was about 3yrs ago.

I have heard it is getting bad down the lane due to agric traffic

Horness · « **Reply #29 on:** February 03, 2006, 23:27:50 »

Quote

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AuthorTopic: No way out (Read 2968 times)

defenderdan

ChrisW