Stuck!

The position of this CJ-7 on the dried-up waterfall was less than desirable for rock-stacking, so the truck needed to be yanked out. The owner didn't have a winch in front, so a tree saver was wrapped around the tree and a snatch block was added to reverse the direction of the pull. Don't stand too close when a vehicle is being winched, since the cable could snap and result in an off-with-your-head moment.

Putting a smaller rock in the space between the boulder the Jeep was stuck on and the rear tire would've helped. The rock he was trying to climb had a sheer face, so the smaller rock would have given him the traction he needed. Also, notice that his rear tire is off the ground here and how little suspension articulation there is. The stiffer the suspension, the more likely a tire is to come off the ground as you're driving over an obstacle. The easiest way to free the Jeep was to winch it.

If you're driving through mud, try to pick the straightest line. If it feels like the goo's got a hold of you, there are a few things to do before breaking out the shovel or winch. Try giving the truck some throttle until the tires just start to spin, and also turn the steering wheel a little to each side to help the tires grab something for traction. Finally, see if you can back up, then switch gears until you find one that'll help you through.

Sure, it's fun to slide, crab, and zoom across sand, but it's also very easy to become embedded in the grit. Before you play, make sure you air down the tires because softer ones float right over the surface. But because you've aired down, sharp turns or crash-landings could cause a tire to pop off its bead. Make sure you bring along a spare tire and an air compressor. This truck kept its tires intact but dug itself into a hole by trying to use throttle to gain traction.

If the truck is in 4-Hi and feels like it's stuck in a minor way, try to back out of the spot, slip into 4-Lo, and drive using more momentum and less throttle. If you are still stuck, use a shovel to scoop sand from around the tires. Then use something under the tires for traction, such as plywood or dead tree branches. The best solution here was a yank strap. Note how the tow vehicle chose the best location for maximum traction.

If you're faced with a boulder, don't ram it. Ease your tires up and over rather than straddling it. Again, go slowly. Ramming usually won't get you over the obstacle--you'll just break or bash body parts. Instead, let the engine idle and it'll slowly pull the truck over. This rock was unclimbable, so the driver took another route.