Most ridiculous things you've towed/unstuck with your Runner!

[atalarico]

I couldn't find a thread for this anywhere, but I have to share this story from an hour ago because I'm still geeking out over it!

I work in a warehouse that has UPS pickup service later in the day. We're usually last on their run, and we have a pretty steep driveway that they back into. Well, our driver got his very loaded down truck high centered on the driveway! They are great guys and they were having a lousy day even before getting to us today, so I feel for them.

Of course it was right as rush hour was picking up and they were blocking a fairly significant portion of a busy street here in Denver. After fiddling around with bottle jacks and pallets for traction, it was clear that we needed to do something different.

I told them to hold on while I ran to my 3rd Gen. I whipped it around front of the UPS truck, grabbed some 11mm static line, and rigged up a tow. Of course my little (by comparison) 4runner saved the day!

I would kill to have a picture of me towing that thing in the moment, but it was hectic with cars trying to get by and us trying to get it done as quickly as possible. Here's an after photo!

So, I ask you all...what's the craziest thing you have towed/unstuck with your 4runner?

 

[gaterose]

Not really that ridiculous but this malibu that ignorantly drove off my neighbors driveway and got high centered.

 

[SavageRunner]

Not really that ridiculous but this malibu that ignorantly drove off my neighbors driveway and got high centered.

That thing is flexing!!!!

 

[gaterose]

That thing is flexing!!!!

:lol: I initially took that picture to send to some friends with the quote "FLEXED OUT"

 

[my92t4r]

Not really that ridiculous but this malibu that ignorantly drove off my neighbors driveway and got high centered.

Wow, LC 8 wrap?:lookout:

 

[wadle5]

Actually just this past weekend pulled my Dad's Titan Pro-4x crew cab. He ended up going through a ditch and resting on his front bumper and his front tires were just spinning in the air. No damage!:trophy:

 

[paddlenbike]

Nothing too crazy; most recent is a park ranger that buried himself in deep river rock and I had to pull him out.

 

[shootmymime]

So a local member of the 4X4 club put out a recovery call this afternoon and i was more than welcome to lend a hand.
he said he was high centered in sugar city (just a few miles away from my apartment) in his ford ranger.
So i loaded up my shovel and my female friend and we set off to lend this guy a hand. (also a great way to make friends)

I get there and this is what i see, A ford ranger completely stuck and not going anywhere, he was all alone and right next to the highway.

Come to find out he made a few mistakes.
Mistake 1: City boy from LA took a vehicle off road (go ahead judge me on saying people from LA cant off road).
Mistake 2: He was Wheeling in a 2WD ranger with no weight in the back.
Mistake 3: He was alone, no other rigs with him.
Mistake 4: No recovery gear to help himself at all.
Mistake 5: he decided to try this MONSTER BOWL in a long wheelbase vehicle.

Anywhoo. i get there and have him hook up the rope to his while i do it to mine, (i let other hook up to theirs because if something breaks its their fault) Well my mistake was that i didnt check his work and went to pull on it and his skid plate (aftermarket steel plate) cut my strap clean off.

GREAT!!! So i have him re attach it and he goes and loops the now broken strap around his sway bar. learning from my 1st mistake of not checking his work i advise him that is not the best place to put it. (im laughing in my mind) and have him loop it around the lower control arm.

after giving a few tugs i realize that this is going to be a lot harder than i thought because he is much more high centered that i thought and there is no way i am going to be able to pull him out forward, its going to have to be done from behind (thats what she said)

so i move around back and hook it up, give him a pull but he turns his wheel and digs his rear bumper/ bed into the ditch, preventing him from going any further backwards with out much damage to his bumper. as a easy effort we try digging the bumper out. but the ranger is still sitting on the bumper and the dirt so he is still stuck. so back around to the front to pull him forward again this time we get him loose an he is free, but still stuck in the bowl.
welp he was free and managed to drive like hell bouncing up and down trying to get out, and ill be damned if he didn't get stuck again on a water pipe sticking a foot out of the ground. he managed to free himself and almost get out, finally with a little tow out he was free.
The total recovery took about 45 min, turned out to be a much harder recovery than i was thinking. Thanks to the Trusty Toyota!

any recommendations for a trusty snatch/ recovery strap? this is my second recovery in 2 months and more to come. thinking a Keeper brand.

 

[Scramble]

My friends Olds Bravada broke down while pulling his boat out of the lake. I only live a mile away so I drove over & pulled his truck & boat out of the lake. His whole trailer & rear tires were in the water.

:hatsoff:

 

[USMCRUNNER]

Shootmymime I love my bubba rope and highly recommend one. You can also buy a sleeve for it to help prevent abrasions .