Technical Tips for moving cars in the dirt?

So I agreed to buy a '50 chevy from a gal here in the neighborhood. its shoved in a corner behind her house, next to the driveway where the lawn used to be. and there it has sat for the better part of 15 years. now i need to get it out. it has to move laterally to get it out from behind the house and onto the driveway where a tow truck can grab it.

the owner's brother informed me that the brakes are frozen and for some reason the trans won't shift. even if i pulled the wheels and broke the drums off, there's still no way we're gonna be able to navigate it out of that spot without jacking it up and pulling it around. but its on dirt. my jack aint gonna roll in the dirt and neither are these wheel dollies. so what say you? maybe a few sheets of super thick plywood or something? what do you guys do in this situation?

any input is appreciated.

 

Hmmmmmnnnnn I would use my farm jack ( like the 4 wheel drive guys use) and jack one end at a time up and then tip it over. I would laugh but I really have done that.

if you can get some 3/4 plywood under there for your jack to roll on that works, I have done that too.

 

Like he said, instead of plywood I have used waffle board,, it is cheaper but usually a one time use.
If a tree is nearby use a come-along to skid over the dirt.

 

Plywood + sand under the tires and/or some plastic kid's sled under each wheel.

 

That sled idea is nifty!

 

No sure if where you live has a lot of agriculture but if it does, go to a farm implement store and see if they have any old used up disc blades, These are dished and would craddle the wheels and should also slide on the dirt pretty well. Same idea as the kids sled but beefier and not as apt to come apart.

 

Use planks or plywood wrapped in builder's plastic. Lube with shampoo and the tires will slide along easy. Get shampoo at the dollar store.

You can also buy a set of dollies with casters that go under the wheels. These allow you to move a car around on a hard surface like cement. But the sliding method is probably easier.

A tow truck will have a tow dolly to go under the wheels that will allow it to be towed on the road.

Once you get it in the clear you will need a tow truck, tilt n load or trailer to get it home and once it is in your shop you can fix it properly. In the meantime all you need is tires that hold air, some planks and shampoo.

This is too obvious but you don't need to make a trail all the way. You can drag the car a few feet until it is off the first boards, move the board, drag it some more, etc. This way you only need 2 sets of boards. Planks or chip board, whatever works.

 

Plywood and car dollies, or plywood, dish soap, water and a winch. or just tell the tow driver to bring some chain. They're pros, they pull wrecked cars jammed in ditches all the time, might be worth the money.

 

i called my buddy who works tow service/repo so hopefully in addition to some of these tips he might have a trick or two. thanks for your input so far. that soap deal is genius.

 

Park a pick up truck near the vehicle you want to drag Ply wood disk blades, Trash can lids kids snow sleds plastic, Just be careful and watch the cables or chains stay back, they could cut you in two! Don waiting to hear how this unfolds

 

cutting torch - Ha!

 

Rent a forklift.

 

Even heavy cardboard might be used for skidding around the corner,,

 

I bought a car once that had a tree that had grown up in front of it. Had to pull it dead sideways first....same deal...all locked up. We sunk a pole in the ground and used a come along to pull it sideways...first the front then the back. A come a long makes short work of that kind of work. Like others have said...tow guys are used to weird shit like that too...they're good help.

 

That or a Skidsteer. Bob

 

I pulled two cars out of a briar patch out behind an old house in the dirt...used a 'handyman' tall jack with a bumper hook and stout chain wrapped around a tree...and slid the hubs (no wheels) on about 10 4x4 round posts...drug it right outta there like a railroad track...it actually worked pretty good, and just slid on the axles..no damage...once clear, I pulled the rest of the way with my truck.

 

call evergreen and rent this

and have him drop it off at the house ..

 

one of our local tow outfits actually has a truck with a crane on it. don't think i haven't thought of calling them.

 

Learned the soap deal pulling a locked up car with 4 flats onto a trailer. Gallon jug of water and some dish soap, I was amazed.

 

we all want pics of the operation.

 

I say plywood and sheet plastic with soap as a lube .. or make a set of PVC tube skates for the wheels and if its mud or dirt wet it and slide it out .

 

Pictures Hell.We want a video.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

<<<<<< See my avatar (sorry, I couldn't stop myself!!)

 

Plywood and cheap liquid dish soap from a dollar store. Come-alongs and another vehicle or stakes in the ground for pivot points. Better pack a lunch too. I am butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Plywood, STP, and a come along. How tight, might just need to move the front over to hook up a wrecker. The wrecker could also be used in place of a come along. Good operator helps !!

 

You have no idea how good this works. A couple of sheets of ply wood and the round plastic dish sleds. I did it once with a 50 chevy fast back that way with just a come - a - long and I had it on my trailer by myself in an hour.

 

4 logs, jack it up, two at each end, place logs PUSH, REPEAT, keep moving logs as it moves along. REPEAT..

piece of cake,,

also like the kids swimming pools, plywood and $1.00 store soap !!

 

Save your self a lot of work and hire a roll back. It good fast and reasonably priced compared to disk/plywood/soap and so on. it is also a lot less mess so less time is spent and less chance of you having a injury. Good Luck.. Bobby.

 

Lift it and roll a trailer house axle and wheels under it.

 

Good vehicle with a good winch and a snatch block or two will slide it right out of there. I have slid many of them with just a come along and some chains, but a power winch is much faster and easier. If the tow truck driver is worth his wages, he'll have an assortment of chains and snatch blocks on the truck with him, and the knowledge of how to use them...