The Allstate Blog » Doug Howlett

Don’t Get Stuck in the Muck: Follow These 6 Critical Off-Road Driving Tips

Doug Howlett — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:00:53 +0000

You might be a dedicated “mudder” who operates a big-tired, four-wheel-drive truck and looks for the biggest mud holes you can find, or a weekend warrior who must occasionally navigate a soft, rutted dirt road following a soaking of rain. Either way, all drivers who venture off the asphalt must know how to tackle the muck and avoid getting stuck. Most basic soft-ground situations are navigated easily—even in a two-wheel-drive vehicle—by simply keeping forward momentum going with a little gas and working the wheel back and forth when necessary for additional traction. But to deal with deeper or softer-than-usual mud or sand or deep-rutted muck, remember the following advice: 1. Slow and Steady – When approaching a stretch of visibly muddy road or ground, maintain a slow but steady speed. Land Rover offers this advice to drivers: “Drive as slowly as possible and as fast as necessary.” Never speed through mud, as the slippery surface can make it easy to lose control and hit a tree or other nearby obstacle. 2. Maintain Control – Keep the wheels straight as you enter the muck and for as long as your momentum continues. Racking the wheel back and forth can be useful when you start to bog down, as it helps the tread on the edge of your tires grab. However, as long as you are moving forward at a steady speed, turning the wheels will only slow momentum and increase your odds of getting stuck. 3. Lock It In – If you have four-wheel drive, lock it in before entering the mud. If you wait until you need it, it may be too late. More tires turning with power through soil will improve your chances of making it through and will also reduce tire spin, which merely digs deep ruts in the road. 4. Walk It First – In the case of deep mud or water holes, get out and walk the ground before driving through it, poking the bottom with a stick to make sure it isn’t too deep for your vehicle. 5. Avoid Ruts – It’s better to blaze your own path in a deep mud situation, as ruts caused by other drivers can reduce steering ability and can be next to impossible to pull out of. They also tend to hold the softest, wettest portion of mud and reduce the amount of clearance between the ground and bottom of the vehicle, increasing the likelihood of getting seriously stuck. 6. Let Some Air Out – If necessary in mud and almost always when driving on sand, reduce the amount of air pressure in tires to allow more tread to make contact with driving surface. Offroaders.com suggests that for “most four-wheeling purposes, a tire pressure of 18 to 20 (pounds per square inch) will be adequate.” Sometimes the best way to avoid getting stuck is knowing when to simply turn around and go another way. Remember to always drive within your abilities, and whenever possible, only tackle mud, sand or other non-pavement driving situations in the company of someone in another vehicle—just in case you need them to pull you out.

4 Ways to Pull a Truck from the Mud

Doug Howlett — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:00:10 +0000

Sometimes, you just can't avoid driving through mud. Whether you're parking in an unpaved lot at a concert venue or pulling off the pavement to go camping, odds are that at some point, you're going to have to navigate some mud and muck. Drive through enough of it, and you’re probably going to get stuck. With tires spinning, mud flying and forward progress halted, what is a driver to do?

Rock It Out

As soon as the truck bogs down to a complete stop, the first thing you should do is put it in reverse, keep your wheels straight and gradually accelerate in an effort to get back where you started from—on solid ground. If the truck has four-wheel drive and you haven’t already locked it in, definitely do so now. If the truck bogs down after going only a short distance in reverse, shift into low gear and power forward as far as you can. If the tires spin, turn the tires side to side in an effort to get the edge of the treads to grip the surface. Increase acceleration gradually, giving it more and more gas as long as you are moving forward. Repeat the back-and-forward process as long as you continue to make progress. Passengers should get out of the vehicle and help push if necessary. This will also reduce the weight of the truck.

Add Traction

Place dry, solid objects beneath the edge of the tire in the direction you want to go (forward or reverse). Some drivers have successfully used floor mats (though, they’ll probably be toast afterwards), but rocks, limbs and boards all make better options. You can also reduce the amount of air pressure in your tires to gain more contact between the ground and the tires’ tread. Offroader.com recommends dropping the pressure to between 18 and 20 pounds per square inch. If the truck is resting on the undercarriage, use the vehicle’s jack to lift the tires off the ground. (Make sure the jack is on a solid surface and never crawl under the vehicle while it’s jacked up.) Once lifted even a few inches, you can slide sticks, boards or other solid items beneath the tires to provide lift and traction.

Winch It Out

If you plan to drive through mud on a regular basis, it is probably wise to outfit your truck with some sort of winch. Even if you don’t have a winch, a come-along or a Hi-Lift jack can be used to pull the vehicle free provided there is a tree or other solid object close enough to attach a recovery strap around. Simply loop the winch cable or recovery strap around the tree and use the power winch, come-along or jack to slowly pull it out of the rut. For safety, place a blanket over the center point of steel winch cables. In the event the cable snaps, the weight of the blanket should keep the cable from whipping into the air, possibly injuring you or damaging the truck.

Pull It Out

Oftentimes, the best and quickest way to get your truck unstuck is to have another truck simply pull you out. Using a webbed recovery strap, attach the strap to both trucks’ tow hitches, frame-mounted tow hooks or the frame itself, as long as you can get to them without putting tension on other, less solid parts of the vehicles. Never attach a strap to a bumper, axles, parts of the suspension or the hitch ball, as these parts can get easily damaged. Once attached, the mobile vehicle should pull most of the slack from the strap, leaving just enough room for the mobile vehicle to get up a little speed before pulling on the stuck one. The mobile vehicle should accelerate gradually—never stomp the gas—and the driver of the stuck vehicle should put it in gear and begin applying gas as the vehicle starts to move. Bystanders should stay two to three car lengths from the vehicles and out of their path of travel in the event the strap breaks or one of the vehicles begins to slide.

Tips for Loading and Towing Your Boat

Doug Howlett — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:58:30 +0000

Few things can be more nerve-wracking to the new or inexperienced boater than having to load or unload a boat on a trailer in front of an audience of people gathered at the boat ramp. The stress is even worse when they’re waiting for you to get out of their way so they can load or unload theirs, as well. Here’s how to haul your boat like a pro and take it in and out of the water with confidence.

Keys to Towing Your Boat

If you haven’t towed your boat yet, you’ll want to practice backing a trailer - with the boat on it - into an empty parking lot before trying it out on a busy ramp. Once you’ve got that mastered, you can head over to the marina. When backing into a ramp, give yourself extra distance to stop. The additional weight of a boat and trailer can add to your vehicle’s momentum, and you’ll need the extra space for making turns and pulling past objects due to the additional width and length. Align the trailer and vehicle before slowly backing down the ramp, as it’s more difficult to back down at an angle. Remember when backing, a trailer moves in the opposite direction that you steer. OnlineTowingGuide.com suggests steering from the bottom of the steering wheel, as this guides the trailer in the direction you are steering.

Launching Your Boat Made Easy

First things first: You’ll want to get your boat ready to unload before you back down a busy ramp. Put drain plugs in, untie all straps except the bow strap and load fishing or other gear you will need in the vessel. DiscoverBoating.com recommends backing the trailer deep enough into the water so that its fenders are just above the waterline. This should be enough to float the boat off the bunks and keep the tow vehicle from submerging its tailpipe. Don’t forget to put the truck in park and apply the emergency brake. The goal is not to launch a vehicle! Unhook the bow strap and, using a rope, walk the boat back down the dock if there is one, or climb in--or better yet, have a friend if climb in if you’re going out with someone--and power rearward until clear of other boaters.

Load a Boat on a Trailer the Right Way

After you’re done enjoying a day out on the lake or it’s time to put your boat away for the season, you need to be able to safely and easily load your boat back onto the trailer. Back up your trailer until the bunks are just submerged. This should allow the boat to float onto the bunks without overshooting the winch. Bunks are designed to help align the boat. If there is too much water over them, it can be hard to set the boat on the trailer straight. Pull or power the boat onto the bunks so that you only need to crank the winch a few times to tighten it up. Next, kill the engine, secure the bow strap and raise the prop so it won’t drag on the ramp when pulling forward. Pull clear of the ramp before securing the boat with additional tie-downs, opening drain plugs and organizing gear for the drive home. Wind, tides and currents can make it challenging to properly align a boat with the trailer before powering up. OnlineTowingGuide.com offers this advice: “If water current is making it difficult to load the boat, try backing the trailer into the water so that the tail end of the trailer faces downstream a little.” This reduces the amount of cross current the boat’s driver will have to contend with when pulling forward on the bunks. Another thing to consider is proper boat insurance, which can be helpful after the unexpected happens. Try these tips the next time your and your friends head out for a day on the water to keep your launch simple and stress-free.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Forest Service – Northern Region

Choose the Perfect Campsite

Doug Howlett — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:00:34 +0000

Choosing the perfect wilderness campsite can be the difference between turning your escape to the outdoors into a true weekend paradise or an experience of truly “roughing” it. While some may choose a giant recreational vehicle and sleep inside in their well-stocked tenement-on-wheels, “real campers” sleep under the stars and enjoy the challenges posed by leaving creature comforts behind. Be the skilled outdoorsman or outdoorswoman your fellow campers will admire and spare them a weekend of camp regret by choosing the perfect spot to pitch a tent, roast marshmallows, breath in the fresh air and relax. The Field & Stream Camping Guide: Camping Skills You Need offers great tips on choosing the right camping spot and more. The perfect campsite should include:

A View

Whether it’s a shimmering lake, a babbling brook or a panoramic view of the distant mountain range, we go camping to enjoy the sights, sounds and sensations of the raw outdoors. What better way to enjoy it than being sure you have a commanding view of the nature and terrain around you?

Open Space

Look for an open spot among the forest, large enough to accommodate your tent(s), chairs, cooking space and other items. Avoid trampling vegetation, and don’t cut or remove plants. Always leave the area exactly as you found it.

Shade

Don’t pitch a camp site in the wide open, if possible, and choose a spot with ample shade to keep cool in summer and avoid sunburn in both warm weather and cold.

Water

Make sure you have a source of clean water within 100 yards to make hauling it to camp for cooking and cleaning easy. Some parks and wilderness areas may restrict how close you can set up near water due to erosion and pollution concerns, so know the regulations where you will be camping.

Level ground

Pitch a tent on solid, level ground devoid of protruding roots and half-buried rocks. Remove sticks, loose rocks, pine cones and other hard objects and layer the surface with fallen leaves and loose moss for added comfort and moisture absorption. If there is a slight incline, set your tent and sleeping bags so campers’ heads will be uphill when sleeping.

Protection from Wind

In addition to providing shade, the trees and terrain should protect the camp from high winds, yet still allow breezes to pass through to keep camp cool and deter mosquitoes. Some other things to do when choosing a campsite include:

Check the trees around a potential campsite for dead limbs or trunks that can fall in high winds. Never set a tent below a tree with large, dead limbs.
Be sure the trees around camp are all of roughly the same height. A single tree that towers above the rest could serve as a lightning rod in a severe storm.
Never camp in low areas, such as creek bottoms or drainage ditches, as they may be prone to flash flooding in a storm.
Don’t camp beneath rocky ledges or below loose, boulder-strewn slopes where falling rocks or even a full-blown landslide, mudslide or avalanche could wipe you out.

Photo courtesy of Coleman

Survive a Night in Your Car

Doug Howlett — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:00:45 +0000

It’s a harrowing statistic, but according to the National Weather Service, about 70 percent of winter weather-related fatalities occur in an automobile. You can bet many of those vehicle-related deaths began with someone simply leaving the house to run an errand, make a short trip to visit family or friends or take care of routine business. The weather turns unexpectedly bad, road conditions rapidly deteriorate and, suddenly, what was an ordinary drive becomes an overnight ordeal. Don't think just because you don’t live in New England, the upper Midwest or the western mountains that something like this can’t happen to you. Even in areas where snow is a rare event, cars can slide off icy roads and become stranded in freezing weather, leaving passengers stuck right there with them. Here’s how to make it through a freezing night in your car and ride out events until help can arrive.

Be Prepared

The first thing to do as winter approaches is be sure you have stored a few key items in your car. If you wait until you need them to try to round them up, it will be too late. Essential items to include in a winter survival kit, according to a combination of recommendations by Wisconsin Emergency Management’s Ready Wisconsin initiative and survival expert Peter Kummerfeldt’s OutdoorSafe website, include:

Bottled water (at least four quarts)
Snack foods, particularly nutritious energy bars
Raisins, dried fruit, nuts, candy bars
Strike-anywhere, waterproof matches and small candles
A flashlight with extra batteries
First-aid kit
Folding knife and multi-tool
Emergency flares
An extra winter coat, mittens and a wool cap
Winter boots
Toilet paper
Cellphone and charger
A space blanket
A spare blanket or sleeping bag
A portable radio with spare batteries
Tow rope
Nylon cord
Flagging tape
Chemical hand and body warmer packets

Other essential winter tools in severe weather country include jumper cables, a small shovel, tire chains and rock salt, sand or kitty litter to provide added traction when stuck on a slick surface.

Before You Go

If you're leaving for an extended trip, always check weather and road conditions before departing. If poor conditions are forecast, you may consider postponing your trip. Also, let others know when you are leaving, which way you will be traveling and when you should arrive at your destination so they can alert authorities and provide them with solid information to help in finding you should the need arise. Fill your car with fuel and make frequent stops to stretch, relax and refill your tank, never allowing it to get much below a half tank. Should you become stuck and need to spend the night in your car, the ample gas will allow you to start your car throughout the night and run the heat for short intervals.

If You Are Stranded

First call for help if you can’t get your car unstuck. Don’t overexert yourself and don’t leave your car and begin walking for help. You stand a much better chance of being found if you remain with your car, which can also provide the best shelter from the elements. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety warns against running your car constantly. Instead, be sure the exhaust pipe is free from snow and roll down a window enough to vent the car and prevent carbon monoxide buildup. Run the car for short 15-20 minute intervals to warm up and then turn it back off, using blankets, a sleeping bag, hand warmers and the body heat of others in your car to stay warm. Eat snacks to keep nourished and read a book (another item Kummerfeldt recommends) until help arrives.

Secure a Load Safely

Doug Howlett — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:00:34 +0000

If you’ve ever stood outside of a Home Depot, Lowes or discount furniture store and watched consumers try to secure large items to the roofs of their cars or in the back of their trucks, it's probably no surprise to you that sometimes, the loads aren't tied down properly. More often than not, you’ll want to get out of the parking lot and ahead of the person you’ve been watching so as to not be behind them when whatever they just bought goes airborne or topples into the roadway. For your safety and the safety of those around you, learn to secure loads the right way. It’s actually quite easy.

Car and SUV Tops

Secure a load to a car or SUV top by utilizing existing roof racks for best results. If needed, you can attach racks to the roof and follow these tips: For suitcases, boxes, bags and similarly sized items, use a hard-shell rooftop carrier or cargo bag. A cargo bag is great because it folds compactly and can be easily packed in the trunk or the rear of a vehicle until needed. Most can be safely fastened to a vehicle top—with or without racks—in a matter of minutes. Always use quality nylon ratchet or cam straps of at least an inch to 2-inch width to safely secure loads, whether they are in a carrier or simply tied down. They attach easily to racks and loops and can be cinched down to the precise tightness needed without complicated knots. Avoid ropes and bungees. Ropes can come loose if you’re not good at tying the right knots, and bungees can shift with the weight of your load and break easily. Large, bulky items, such as a kayak, a canoe, lumber or a piece of furniture, can be laid evenly across both racks, and you should secure them with at least two cam or ratchet straps. Depending on the size of the load, you may need additional straps. Cam straps may also work better than a ratchet strap if you are concerned about damaging the item by tightening down on it too much, as the cam allows you to stop tightening whenever you wish, while a ratchet tightens in increments. For bikes, use a specially designed rooftop or hitch-mounted carrier. Auto Anything offers great advice on how to choose the right one.

Pickup Trucks

Avoid leaning more than a few long boards on the closed tailgate, as it isn’t designed for heavy loads.

To be sure items are safely secured in the bed of a pickup truck, do the following: The Family Handyman website recommends wrapping long, flimsy materials, such as flashing, conduit and trim that will hang beyond the bed of the truck, with cling film for added support. Otherwise, individual pieces may bounce and whip during travel, getting damaged. Avoid leaning more than a few long boards on the closed tailgate, as it isn’t designed for heavy loads. Instead, lay them flat with the tailgate open and bind them using ratchet straps. Cinch the boards together near the cab, in the middle and near the end, placing shorter boards on top. Family Handyman suggests then crisscrossing the load with two straps, securing one end of each to the bed near the cab and the other to the far end of the load. Appliances, such as refrigerators and washers, can tip when taking a turn. Place the appliance against the back of the bed and use straps across the top and around the side, securing the ends of each strap to the bed of the truck. When transporting lightweight items such as insulation, use a cargo net or tarp and snap it to the hooks inside the bed using the attached clips on a cargo net or D-Ring clips on the tarp. Flag items extending beyond the bed with a brightly colored rag or flag made for this purpose to keep others aware of the potential hazard.