What happens when the biggest and baddest vehicle breaks down

[BeNimble]

Seeing some of these rather big and ************ expedition campers..what happens when it breaks down?
If you have the biggest and baddest around, there is nobody who is bigger or badder that can come tow you out!
It occured to me seeing those big tow trucks towing buses. Just bigger and heavier and more powerful works on pavement, but that doesn't work offroad.
Seems to me it will have to be repaired where it sits, which might be rather remote? Has anyone thought about this issue?

 

[billiebob]

$$$$$$$$$$$
ka ching

but there is insurance

Expedition and Travel Insurance for overseas adventure trips

Some advice on travel insurance for Adventure Alternative clients.

www.adventurealternative.com

there are companies who will fly you home AND recover your vehicle from wherever....
and if you can afford a $500K RV you can likely afford the insurance

years ago if you broke yer Rolls Royce, Rolls would fly in the parts and mechanic, anywhere in the world

but today, since most of us go into debt to buy an RV, most of us balk at the all inclusive insurance cost

 

[quickfarms]

Benimble you have to have a plan.

There are really two separate issues

One is mechanical breakdown.

The second is getting the vehicle stuck.

Nether one is very hard if you simply work through the problem.

And yes it will not be cheap but most issues can be avoided or simply reduced to operating expenses.

 

[roving1]

You fix it or you get agricultural/construction equipment to drag you out or take you somewhere where it can be fixed or towed. There is nothing to think about really, except preventative maintenance and not taking crazy risks of getting stuck.

If the truck got out there then something of equal size probably can too as well as a lot of things of smaller size. Sure getting a heavy vehicle out of a bog hole or up a mountain trail can be hard. On the other hand I have had an 18K bobtail with a dead engine dragged off of a ranch 2 track to a real road with a 90's 2wd S-10 pickup so you don't always need the heavy artillery depending on the situation.

 

[MiamiC70]

It’s the perfect opportunity for everyone else to have a beer and a good laugh.

 

[billiebob]

Benimble you have to have a plan.

There are really two separate issues

One is mechanical breakdown.

The second is getting the vehicle stuck.

Nether one is very hard if you simply work through the problem.

And yes it will not be cheap but most issues can be avoided or simply reduced to operating expenses.

Plus, add a country in conflict, a civil war breaking out, a pandemic.....

 

[quickfarms]

Plus, add a country in conflict, a civil war breaking out, a pandemic.....

That is just trying to stir the pot.

You can actually avoid everything but the pandemic

 

[Joe917]

 

[MTVR]

We have towing coverage on our insurance. And a network of giant military vehicle owners. And a 100,000-pound kinetic recovery strap. And money. And we shopped VERY carefully, to purchase a nearly perfect vehicle with only about 3,000 miles on it, so as to minimize the chances of a breakdown to begin with...

 

[quickfarms]

You fix it or you get agricultural/construction equipment to drag you out or take you somewhere where it can be fixed or towed. There is nothing to think about really, except preventative maintenance and not taking crazy risks of getting stuck.

If the truck got out there then something of equal size probably can too as well as a lot of things of smaller size. Sure getting a heavy vehicle out of a bog hole or up a mountain trail can be hard. On the other hand I have had an 18K bobtail with a dead engine dragged off of a ranch 2 track to a real road with a 90's 2wd S-10 pickup so you don't always need the heavy artillery depending on the situation.

You are right

The first step is to design and build a simple vehicle that uses common truck parts. Part of this involves specifying components that are much heavier than actually required so they don’t fail.

The next step is to know the vehicle and what it is capable of and don’t get crazy.

The next step is the maintenance, take care of everything no matter how small.

The biggest part is carry tools and spares and know how to work on the vehicle or at least how to diagnose the problem. My mechanic specified the tools using the crate that he has flow around the world to fix equipment.

Parts are not that big of an issue either.

The biggest problem I have encountered is electrical so you also need the full set of dealers manuals and wiring diagrams.

I have recovered vehicles that weighed many times what mine does and it really isn’t that hard.

 

[alanymarce]

Parts are not that big of an issue either.

It depends where you are, in some countries it's illegal to import spares, you have to get them through the local concessionaire. If there isn't a local concessionaire, you are in deep trouble...

 

[Joe917]

You don't have to be big to have break down issues, GMC 2500HD stuck in Brazil

Urgent help needed. 2013 GMC 2500HD, broken down in Brazil

Posting for a good friend of mine who has broken down in Brazil. He is trying to get the truck onto a boat back to the US but it has broken down. we are looking for some sound ideas or suggestions on troubleshooting this issue so he can make the boat. This is the message he sent to me...

expeditionportal.com

 

[BeNimble]

If a tow truck can come get you, then you must not have a vehicle more offroad than a tow truck?!

 

[quickfarms]

It depends where you are, in some countries it's illegal to import spares, you have to get them through the local concessionaire. If there isn't a local concessionaire, you are in deep trouble...

What countries are that?

 

[Amazigh]

Call the guys at HAT
Heavy Recovery 30 Ton Gasoline Truck in the Sahara Desert with three MAN KAT’s - YouTube