After taking inventory of "the Wall of Shame". I realized that many of these items were the result of being STUCK. I'm sure to catch hell for this but maybe I'll learn something else?.....

  I have pulled up to many(many) jobs and said "Well?........I can get in there but I'll need towed out". Depending on the contractors response, My next statement is usually "Sign the ticket right here, Stand back and LOOK OUT!" A tow cable and shackles is just as much standard equipment on my pump as a hammer. The last mixer is usually my way out of these jobs. In many cases the Owner or boss has told me before hand "Your gonna get stuck, You got your cable right?"

Is this the case elsewhere or am I/we the only mud braffing, 4x4 concrete pumps that willingly wallow in the mud???

Wow.. There are a lot of "hidden" expenses from getting stuck that don't necessarily rear their ugly head immediately. The damage done to drivetrains on the truck for instance. We just had a truck get stuck in some sugar sand on a job site. In trying to get out, we have speculated that the driver slightly twisted the driveline. Of course it drove just fine to the yard, but low and behold, the next day it drops a driveline on its way out to a job. Another tow bill, & lost revenue.... You know the rest of the story. I would not put my truck into an area where it would need to be pulled out to leave the job.

shakles yes cables no. most jobs have chains or cables along with heavy equip capable of getting me out. but in ANY case i have always made the cust sign a liabilty releasing me or my company from any tow fees or damages due to towing. CYA!

Our bill state that once I leave the road the contractor  is on the hook for any tow bills. My boss told me if they don't agree to that then don't even leave the road....that's why I carry the extra pipe.   :)

Well I have all but a cable...Any how If I get my pump stuck there is generally nothing on the job big enough to pull it out so a wrecker is their only option.And an empty redi-mix truck just aint gonna get the job done either

  Don't use cables,use a nylon strap.Easier to choke a pulling eye,easier to stow in a truck.

Getting stuck is part of the job. You usually know before it happens by just looking at the site conditions. After politely informing the contractor, not some finisher or csrpenter, that he will be responsible for a professional tow back to the city street...... pull on in.

When it is time to leave, put it in reverse and ease out the clutch. If the pump doesn't move on out; go ahead and wash it out and wait for the professional and his tow truck. The waiting time that you and your company spend waiting is paid by the contractor. You won't get bored because after you wash out you need to shovel the crete out of the way so you don't back through it and get it all over your suspension and slack adjusters and etc........

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

..............YUP!!!!!!!...............

Most of the time I tell them that I can get it in but your not pulling me out with anything but a wrecker. For an example had a bad road in to the job site the other day made it in but after ten mixers in and out the road was a mess ended up plowing mud with my front axle. It took a wrecker to pull the pump out not without standing it on end, wrecked the pavement in the process with his outriggers which the super wasn't to happy about but as I said to him I left the road and it now your problem and here is your tow bill.

I kinda figured this would be the majority response elsewhere. Here in western Washington,4-5 months out of the year if you leave the pavement there's a good chance you're getting stuck! Ready-mix pull-outs are very common here. So common that sometimes a driver will ask "you need me to stick around incase ya need pulled out?"

 I guess I was'nt real specific. I did'nt mean buried to the axles, ripp'n off your air-cans off stuck. If its that bad dont bother because your outriggers will sink too. 

TooTall

Once upon a long time ago, way back when each pump did 5 house foundations first thing in the morning; if it wasn't muddy, both days, they would tailgate the crete. If you had to get off of the street you were stuck. There were days when dispatch told everyone "You can't get stuck today, we are too busy."

Operators used to make a good living here; now-a-days you had better be on a high rise & placing boom job.

Bob said it very well,getting stuck is very much a part of everyday life.How the operator handles himself before and after the incident is very important.

Normally commercial jobs are more professional and the super/gen forman's are on there game.On the flip side most res form setters could care less,can't see past there pick up.

In either case the operator needs to not only inform the contractor but his/her office as well.Wheel hop from being stuck will take out a driveline faster than a speeding bullet.If one is stuck there stuck,get help.If they don't know where to "hook" then a pro is in order.

Heres the Rest of the Story,,  Back about 1983 in Quinlan Texas, Cold Morning, Frozen Ground,,

Pulled of the gravel drive at an angle onto the grass to eliminate the use of hose, Poured the footing, everything just lovely,,,,,,,,,,,,, Until!!!!!  Picked up my outriggers Pump sunk to the axles.

Called a wrecker, He couldnt move me, Called a 2nd,,, Nope, I stuck her good!!!!!

Called my uncle Wayne Langley who I was working for at the time and was only a few miles away pumping with a Thompsen 2001,I was in a 32 3section Putz,

He came to the job We put a wrecker in the Middle and The Thompson in the road with the outriggers planted, When the wrecker started pulling, Sheared the bolts on the wrecker body, Stuck Like Chuck!!!!!

By this time the sun had dropped and we were all pretty well spent, We jumped in the flapper and found a motel, Had a meal and a few beer and i nights rest,

Next Morning,, drove to a lumber supply , Bought some 6" by 6"s  and 10 sheets of plywood,, Back to the job,,, Jacked her up with the 6" buys under the outrigger,, Plywood under the tandems  and backed her out,,, 

We got paid for the Job but not the lumber because I was to lazy to want to lay out the hose

As for the wrecker bill,  They said if they couldnt get it out there would be no charge, " Big Dummys"   

The Moral Of the Story

If the grond is frozen  "Keep Your A$$ On The Gravel And Lay Out The Hose

POUR IT OUT

I have at times done what TT is talking about , being in swamp country we see some pretty nasty job sites, it took a while for me to learn there is a difference between getting stuck and burying a pump in the early 90s I took a 1975 whiteman and bailed off in a sinkhole it took 3 wreckers and 2 mixers loaded with gravel for anchor points, the worst though was a 42m putz pumping turtle pond embankments told the customer we shoud not pull in there but the same old story had to get it poured we was fine until we got a 3 " downpour it took 2 days a trackhoe dozer and wrecker to get us out,now these days I look at is it profitable to do this I think not the damage done to your pump is far greater than what you see, over time they start showing themselves wornout twisted drivelines costly clutch repairs the torquing of your frames not to mention the way its putting torque on the pumpcell itself. These days we make a decision if your gonna get stuck and need a little tug no problem, if we are going to bury a pump the contractor has to make us a way in either laminated matts or build an accesible way in.Then we get to the dangers of being pulled out I have seen 2 major accidents one a guy lost half his left leg when the hook on the mixer broke the other a driver lost his life when the shackle broke came through the windshield and killed him.I know this is part of our job but it is also the most dangerous I do not supply any cables shackles due to liability if the ready mix is pulling we use there straps and shackles if it is a wrecker we use all there rigging,I know we must do this but please use extreme caution when doing so and if you do supply cables or straps and shackles be sure they are rated for the correct weight and strength,I would suggest not supplying any of these items due to the liability factor,we spoke of plastic under the hopper being to much of a liability I would think this makes that look like peanuts

  As always, Thanks for the input guys! I'm sure my views will change the day that I'm call'n the shots and foot'n the bill (wrecker bills and otherwise)!!! 

I hreard that line a few times in my short time pumpin T.T.  why else do the mixers outside the city have cable rigged up? 

if she dont hop, nothing will pop

dont give it gas so me drive shaft last

where theres mud, you'll find a struck pump.