By Lloyd Schick
Sometimes you get stuck, and we all know how we feel about that situation and how frustrating it can be. But, according to Lloyd Schick of Surrey, British Columbia, sometimes a vehicle stuck in mud or sand only needs to move a few inches in order to regain traction. His idea is to carry two pieces of metal-mesh plasterer’s lath. His suggestion is to place the lath sections either in front of or behind the drive axle wheels (depending on the best way to go), so both tires will grip and allow enough movement to get the vehicle back onto a solid footing. He says that not only will the lath help extract your vehicle, it will also save a great deal of wear and tear on your vehicle’s driveline and tires. The financial benefit, of course, is that you may avoid a tow truck.
The amount of lath material required is approximately 10 x 30 inches, depending on tire size. The metal mesh is available at building supply stores and since it is normally primed or galvanized is doesn’t seem to rust. It is also easily stored flat just about anywhere in an RV and can be used over and over. Lloyd says this method works on ice, snow, mud, and sand.