Towing a motorhome across soft ground

[Sandie]

I'm just back from a very muddy festival. A lot of vehicles were having to be towed on. A couple in a large-ish hired motorhome were stuck and the tow eye supplied was bent. Much distress and the lady close to tears. I lent them mine. It was returned some time later, clearly having stripped the thread in the vehicle as the remains were still in the thread of the eye. The bar also looks slightly bent across the threads. I intend to purchase a new one, even if this will screw in ok, My question is, is this a common occurrence? Was it just down to the inexperience of the driver, or is the towing eye just not up to dragging a motorhome out of the mud? I've been towed twice in similar circumstances, but with my old small Chausson that had a fixed towing point. I'd like to know before I find myself needing to be towed. Observations/ experiences/ advice please.

 

[funflair]

If they don't pull it straight then it will bend, simples not sure why it would strip the threads out though.

 

[Figaro]

I suspect the tow eye is not up to the job, assuming it was not cross threaded when fitting or damaged by the previous attempt.

I had to be dragged through the mud at RAIT last month and I was concerned about that beforehand as it looked likely to happen.
Fortunately all was well but I have a fixed hoop so less to go wrong I suppose ?

 

[Sandie]

If they don't pull it straight then it will bend, simples not sure why it would strip the threads out though.

If they don't pull it straight then it will bend, simples not sure why it would strip the threads out though.

I wonder if they stripped the threads getting my tow eye out. If the bar was bent in the towing and the threads therefore out of true..... I suppose I should have asked for the cost of a replacement, but the woman returned it, and I hadn't the heart. It had taken them a couple of hours to get to their pitch.

 

[Engineer999]

I found that our MH was missing the towing eye and had to borrow one to be towed out at Matlock Steam Fair in 2021. On looking for replacement to purchase, noted that the FIAT originals are cast, whereas some others are welded, presumably with more malleable steel.

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[WESTY66]

If they don't pull it straight then it will bend, simples not sure why it would strip the threads out though.

Could it be that is wasn’t screwed fully in?

 

[Landy Andy]

Bad towing, and being bad at being towed can both contribute to it.

I‘ve done a lot of recovery and sometimes really wish I hadn’t bothered. Some people are poor drivers, get themselves into a predicament and then cause further problems.

 

[Jim]

With Towing eyes make sure your tow is dead straight or you can damage it and strip the threads removing it. Seen this happen a couple of times, only accept straight tows. This especially true for the long towing eye

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

I'm just back from a very muddy festival. A lot of vehicles were having to be towed on. A couple in a large-ish hired motorhome were stuck and the tow eye supplied was bent. Much distress and the lady close to tears. I lent them mine. It was returned some time later, clearly having stripped the thread in the vehicle as the remains were still in the thread of the eye. The bar also looks slightly bent across the threads. I intend to purchase a new one, even if this will screw in ok, My question is, is this a common occurrence? Was it just down to the inexperience of the driver, or is the towing eye just not up to dragging a motorhome out of the mud? I've been towed twice in similar circumstances, but with my old small Chausson that had a fixed towing point. I'd like to know before I find myself needing to be towed. Observations/ experiences/ advice please.

That's worrying, it would have made more sense for the towing eye pin to be the sacrificial part, not the thread in the vans chassis.
Mike.

 

[Sandie]

With Towing eyes make sure your tow is dead straight or you can damage it and strip the threads removing it. Seen this happen a couple of times, only accept straight tows. This especially true for the long towing eye

I think this is what happened. The lady clearly hadn't a clue that they'd damaged my towing eye, although how you could fail to at least notice the metal in the threads.. Considering the number of festivals I've been to over the 17 years that I've owned a motorhome (average 4 a year), I've been lucky only to be towed twice, although I was given some hints from an ex-army driver, which I think have got me across when others have got stuck. No. 1 rule -DO NOT STOP. My own rule, don't let parking stewards send you across something that you know is not passable in your vehicle. Negotiate an alternative with them if you can.

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[Sandie]

That's worrying, it would have made more sense for the towing eye pin to be the sacrificial part, not the thread in the vans chassis.
Mike.

I think they may have stripped the thread getting it out.

 

[Landy Andy]

The biggest rule is.
When you’re stuck, stop trying to drive out. All you are doing is digging bigger holes to be pulled out of. Then more force is required to release you, and more damage maybe done.

 

[busbuddy]

I had to be dragged through the mud at RAIT last month and I was concerned about that beforehand as it looked likely to happen.
Fortunately all was well but I have a fixed hoop so less to go wrong I suppose ?

I was towed out too
I watched 2 cars and a motorhome have their towing eye ripped out and most vehicles seemed to spend all their time fighting to steer directly behind the towing vehicle some of the people towing caravans came up the field at a 45 degree angle behind the tractor and they looked terrified with their steering on full lock having absolutely no effect

 

[EuroTrotters]

just need some decent tyres. "Usually" Avoids all the need for being towed off

 

[Sandie]

just need some decent tyres. "Usually" Avoids all the need for being towed off

Hmm. Picture of daytime car parking on day one. Flat, but cars being towed on. They closed it later. Campsite is on a hill.. Not much got on without being towed.

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[varaizian]

Hmm. Picture of daytime car parking on day one. Flat, but cars being towed on. They closed it later. Campsite is on a hill.. Not much got on without being towed.

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I can't get my head around wanting to be towed into a muddy field. Leaving aside the risk of needing to be towed out again when it got even worse that environment is hardly inviting. I've been towed out backwards when I mistook the pitch condition but would avoid it like the plague again.

 

[Figaro]

I was towed out too
I watched 2 cars and a motorhome have their towing eye ripped out and most vehicles seemed to spend all their time fighting to steer directly behind the towing vehicle some of the people towing caravans came up the field at a 45 degree angle behind the tractor and they looked terrified with their steering on full lock having absolutely no effect

I was dragged through the dividing gates between fields at some speed, sliding all over the place with zero control, started to go sideways through one gate
All good in the end though

 

[Sandie]

I can't get my head around wanting to be towed into a muddy field. Leaving aside the risk of needing to be towed out again when it got even worse that environment is hardly inviting. I've been towed out backwards when I mistook the pitch condition but would avoid it like the plague again.

If you've paid a couple of hundred pounds each for a ticket and driven for 4 hours, it seems worth trying. I got on and off the weekend camping field ok, but not without some anxiety. The alternative would be to try to find an alternative place to stay nearby and get a taxi in each day. Not always feasible and certainly not for the hundreds of vehicles present.

 

[stewartwebr]

There is not a hope in hell would I be towed onto that muddy field or be towed anywhere onto a pitch knowing I would need to be towed off, the stress and worry would ruin my visit, no matter how much I paid I would not contemplate it.

 

[Marie-Claire]

Last easter we were booked on a rally at skipton , an e mail the day before said they had a tractor on hand to site Van's, we cancelled on the spot and went elsewhere. No one is putting a tractor on the front of my van

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[Sandie]

Could it be that is wasn’t screwed fully in?

No idea. I didn't attach it.

 

[Sandie]

Last easter we were booked on a rally at skipton , an e mail the day before said they had a tractor on hand to site Van's, we cancelled on the spot and went elsewhere. No one is putting a tractor on the front of my van

I bet it wasn't £250 pounds each for the ticket, though.

 

[Marie-Claire]

Well no it wasnt but how much is a new bumper for a van , depends how lucky you're feeling I guess

 

[varaizian]

If you've paid a couple of hundred pounds each for a ticket and driven for 4 hours, it seems worth trying. I got on and off the weekend camping field ok, but not without some anxiety. The alternative would be to try to find an alternative place to stay nearby and get a taxi in each day. Not always feasible and certainly not for the hundreds of vehicles present.

I guessed that was the case but I am probably more risk averse than you. At pushing 75 maybe older? I hope it was a good show to compensate for living like a hippo for a few days!

 

[The Wino]

Imagine the state that the inside of your MH is going to be in after a couple of days on there and what it's going to be like trudging around. I think id be a lot happier without a couple of hundred quid somewhere else

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[Sandie]

I guessed that was the case but I am probably more risk averse than you. At pushing 75 maybe older? I hope it was a good show to compensate for living like a hippo for a few days!

I'm 65. I'm in a Border Morris side and we were performing there, so we didn't pay for our tickets, but I have in the past. I had an obligation to the rest of the side. I suppose 17 years of taking a motorhome to festivals around 4 times a year has given me a degree of experience in taking the right line, judging the ground etc. . I've only had to be towed twice, on my old, slightly lighter Chausson. It had a fixed towing loop. My Adria has a towing eye, hence my post here, given what I saw ar the weekend, in case I ever need to use it.

 

[VXman]

We were towed out of the camping spot at Doninton race circuit back in April. The tractor driver made us sign a disclaimer form before he would do anything. I think they have experience!

 

[denisejoe]

The tow hitch need to be screwed right in then tightened with a bar you won’t do a nut and bolt up hand tight?

 

[Sandie]

There is not a hope in hell would I be towed onto that muddy field or be towed anywhere onto a pitch knowing I would need to be towed off, the stress and worry would ruin my visit, no matter how much I paid I would not contemplate it.

I was performing there with a Border Morris side, so we had free tickets but an obligation to the organisers and each other. I have been a paying ticket holder in the past. The people I'm referring to had a hired motorhome and I suspect that it hadn't occurred to them that driving a heavy vehicle up a wet slope might be a problem. The campfield overall was not too bad, just where there had been vehicle movement. I made it up by arriving early, choosing a little-used line and telling a steward that I wasn't stopping. Made sure I was facing downhill for leaving. Sometimes, though, the conditions / site configuration don't allow for such choices.

 

[varaizian]

I'm 65. I'm in a Border Morris side and we were performing there, so we didn't pay for our tickets, but I have in the past. I had an obligation to the rest of the side. I suppose 17 years of taking a motorhome to festivals around 4 times a year has given me a degree of experience in taking the right line, judging the ground etc. . I've only had to be towed twice, on my old, slightly lighter Chausson. It had a fixed towing loop. My Adria has a towing eye, hence my post here, given what I saw ar the weekend, in case I ever need to use it.

I was born in SE London so you are probably genetically better prepared for "weather" if you come from oop north. We could do with a bit of rain here in France.