Cars usually get stuck in the mud because of a lack of traction. Traction gives the wheels of a car the ability to hold the ground without sliding, which is often the case on the road. Mud is soft and slippery, so naturally, it reduces traction, making it hard for you to move your car. Old tires have worn out traction and are more susceptible to getting stuck in the mud. Below are six tips that can help you get your car out of the mud.
1. Increase Your Traction
Insert traction mats on your tires. These mats consist of hardened plastics with gripping nodules that increase wheel traction. You can improvise with rubber mats, old blankets, a trunk liner, or even branches as substitutes if you don’t have the mat. For execution, put your car into park mode, dig deeper to get sufficiently under the stuck tire, take your traction mat, place its tip under the stuck tire with the rest of it at the front and then drive to solid ground.
2. Don’t Spin the Wheel
When you spin your wheels when stuck in the mud, you slip deeper, splash the mud on your vehicle and dig the chassis into the earth. Spinning the tire could also potentially burn the clutch, inhibiting the transfer of power from the engine to the wheels, making it difficult for you to get out of the mud.
3. Reduce Tire Pressure
Reducing pressure increases the surface area of your tires, giving them more grip. Letting out a little air from your tires gives them more contact with the ground and distributes weight evenly so your car doesn’t sink. You can then push the vehicle with gentle acceleration to initiate traction and get back on the road. Carry a tire pump to re-inflate your tires.
4. Keep the Motion
Try and keep that forward momentum going because the minute you pause to change gears can be an opportune time to get stuck. Change the gears at high revs. If your car is automatic, put it into the lowest gear as you slowly accelerate.
5. Get Passengers Out
Everyone should get out of the vehicle to reduce weight and the chances of sinking deeper into the mud. This way, you can get an opportunity to assess the situation, determine how deep your wheels are in the ground and the best method to mitigate it.
6. Tow Strap
You can use your emergency tow strap if a second vehicle is willing to help out. Securely attach the hook to the towing vehicle’s rear and hook both ends correctly, then put your car in gear one as it is to make towing easier.