Rescue Mission

[InfinQX4]

So I was running down some trails in a recreation area north of Phoenix and came into a fairly large dry-wash. If you have not experienced a dry-wash in the desert, it's basically a dry stream bed of loose sand, but much larger grains. It had rained heavily a few days before (monsoon) and the wash was particularly thick. I have been cautious of these in the past because they can be fickle. As I was turning around to head back up the trail, a guy came running up waving his arms – he got his full size Dodge pickup (Quad Cab) stuck I’d guess about 45 yards down the wash. Only had 2 wheel-drive and buried the rear a good 10 inches into the sand trying to get some traction. Front was well in too from rocking back and forth. He had been trying for 45 minutes to dig out, but had no luck. Keep in mind, it was around 105 degrees that day. I backed up my QX4, tied the Dodge to my hitch receiver and threw a couple of rocks around his tires. With the drive in 4 Lo, my BFG A/Ts dug in. Pulled him out of the holes and stopped thinking that would do it. The wash was not about to give up and took him in again when he tried to move on his own. Seriously, his truck just went down – no backward movement. So we tied up again. Without even breaking a sweat, the QX4 dragged him out of the wash, up an incline (side of the wash) and onto more solid ground – all told maybe 60 yards.

I now know a little more about what a QX4 can handle.

It helps to have good tires too.

[fueler]

Yes the QX4 is a great SUV! I have done several recoveries myself, and I know it is quite a rewarding feeling. But then it sucks when you are the one to be recovered.

I know what kind of sand you're talking about, I don't know what people are thinking when they take a 2wd rig into deep sand. But i guess you can't blame them, they are only trying to have fun.

Yesterday, a large box truck got stuck on my neighbors extremely steep driveway. The rear wheels were practically off the ground! And the truck was full of appliances - probably 20 refrigerators, several stoves, etc very heavy things. They asked if they could use my stock Nissan jack and i told them they were crazy.

So i hooked up the tow rope and tried yanking the box truck loose - it didnt even move. I was scared the tow rope might even break (it was stretching) and i was in 4wd on pavement! So i wasnt able to help him but 6 hours later he was free thanks to another box truck that physically pushed it up the driveway. They tore up the fresh pavement though, there are several freshly cut grooves in the asphalt about 3 inches deep and maybe 6 feet long!

[fueler]

in fact i helped this ignorant lady out last week she managed to get her car up over a curb, with a 50' drop into a steep canyon below her passenger tire and this is in a parking lot! she didnt know what to do. i asked her if she had called a tow truck and she replied "no" with a dumb look on her face Then i have the rope all hooked up, and i am about to pull, i yell out to her "PUt it in NEUTRAL and take off the ebrake!" She takes a look and goes "yeah its in neutral!!" but i had second thoughts. I thought to myself "this lady is so dumb i bet she doesnt even know what neutral is" so i throw the QX4 in park and go over there to double check, and sure enough, it is in PARK with the e-brake pulled up. WOW!

she didnt even thank me afterwards, just seemed plain ignorant

[AZhitman]

Hope you snatched it over the curb extra hard.

[InfinQX4]

Who gave that lady a license?

The guy in the desert was super nice about it - gave me a 20 for the trouble. Had his kids with him and said he was trying to get back to his ATV that broke down in the bush. He followed me out, so I guess he left the ATV there.

[InfinQX4]

Anyone know of a good winch setup for a QX4?

[jimmyzzer]

http://www.kenmtnac.com/WinPat9904.html

[InfinQX4]

That is slick! I'll have to pick one up some day.

[KoukiS14]

But then it sucks when you are the one to be recovered.

Christ almighty. . . isn't this true. I had to get a Bobcat. . moral of the story, get good tires.