First off I don't mean to laugh at someones misfortune but this gave me a slight chuckle.

Just a couple of minutes ago I was on my way home, I was about 50 yards from entering my driveway when a semi pulled out in front of me, he was comming off a county road. I guess he didn't swing wide enough and he wound up in the ditch, only about a foot off the road but he was stuck pretty good. I'm not sure why he wound up in the ditch, our roads are real clear right now, maybe he wasen't paying attention.

He tried putting wood under the rear axels and locking in the power divider(this was a new Volvo btw), but he was to far "jackknifed" to get it to rock back an forth.

I thought about giving him a tug but I wasn't sure if I would even get him to budge(he was empty also). I didn't have any chains but he had a tow strap(I didn't think that was adaquete though). If I would of tried I atleast would of been on dry ground but I think I would of broke something. So is a truck capable of pulling out a stuck semi?

 

I think you would of been able to do it in 4wd, on pavement, and him also on the pedal. I pulled out my uncles motorhome stuck deep in sand with my
4wd locked toyota also in sand. It just needs alittle boost. My brothers f-350 pulled out my dads 40 ft diesel motorhome, but broke his front driveline.

 

Yea I was afraid I would of broke something, what does a semi weigh, with an empty trailer?

A local cop showed up so I took off, I reccomended he call a local tow company who has a bunch of big wreckers. I think it would of took a nice sized winch to get him out.

 

I pulled one out that weighed an estimated 36,000 lbs. The tractor and trailer empty went about 19,000 and he had about 1/2 of his load still on.

On Edit: I think the tractor alone went about 19,000 but I don't really recall now.

I used a tow strap with me on pavement and him in soft dirt. I used 4 Lo and had him moving real quick. This wasn't a ditch but there were still several people around that didn't think it could be done.

So I vote that you could have done it.

 

Maybe it can be done. I dunno

I sortive thought it through.

His nose was facing downwards so if I would of got him going I thought he would of slide more in the ditch then I would of been pulling him and his trailer through the snow. His trailer was not in the snow at all, it was blocking the whole street. Just the tractor was stuck.

Im about to step out and run into town to run some errands, im sure he's unstuck but i'll stop and see how deep he actualy was.

 

you definatly could have done it. i have seen it done. he probably would have handed over some cash as well. would be way cheaper and quicker than getting the wrecker involved. BTW my 06 volvo vn660 empty with 53 foot trailer weighs in at about 29,500 or so.

 

I pulled a jack-knifed semi out of a snow bank on the highway last year with my '89 W250. Put her in 4-lo and off we went...

 

Yea maybe I should of done it, lol

The only strap he had was a ratchet strap for tieing things down. I could of got a strap from my house but I wouldn't trust that to tow out a semi. It's only a 6' strap. I've been telling my self I should invest in a good set of straps.

 

NEVER underestimate what you can do in 4Lo.

I pulled a buddies Kia Sephia sideways with my trooper in 4lo. never got over an idle.

 

I pulled a semi and trailer around a block with a 1980 ford F-150 with 400modified.

 

I drove by again on my way to town but he was already gone.

My sister seen him when she got off work and she said a wrecker was in the process of pulling him out. I'll invest in a good pair of straps for next time, im now on the hunt for semis in the ditch.

 

One thing you have to think about is the potental for an accident while attempting a retrieval. One of many could be hooking up a tow rope/strap to a trailer ball resulting in the ball shank breaking and becoming a projectile. Possible death could occur. Just be careful in your decisions when in a situation such as this. I have no doubt you could have pulled him out, but i would just let a wrecker take on that task.

 

4 low works great! this might not havd been as heavy but i pulled this bus out. this pic was after i pulled him out. he drive tires were in the lowest part of the dip with his rear bumper on the ground. his tires were spinning so there was enough weight off the tires that the were just spinning

more on the story
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=154680

 

I pelled a loaded semi out of the ditch with my old 97. He pulled over to look at his map and sank in the shoulder. I backed up to him used a chan "no stretch" and dropped her in 4 lo and eased him out my truck bounced a little barking the tires on the pavement but we got him out. I wish I had pics. So I vote yes you could have got him out.

 

I remember a story of a guy on here who pulled a loaded semi who ran out of fuel to the gas station over the overpass bridge. The semi had just pulled off and died on the wrong side of the bridge from the gas station. You could have done it.