Towing off playa 35’ trailer

[SevenSevenSeven]

My trailer is on playa and one of the 4 wheels came off. Lug nuts bearings and all. There are still 3 wheel left , 2 on one side and one on the other.

Questions:
How do you tow a trailer off playa?
How do you get in touch with playa services / DPW?
What is the name of a place which can fix the wheel assembly such that a new wheel can be put on?

[Token]

I will assume you have your big tow vehicle attached to your trailer, right?

In general, these are the overall steps:

1. Remove as much weight from the trailer. Have everything pumped out including the fresh water tank. Remove all gear and put in truck bed or leave on Playa for a return trip to pick it up.

2. Get in touch with the local sheriff and explain the situation. Request access to 12-mile to pull out your trailer, maybe even an escort. The roads to gate with all the ruts, bumps and terrible condition will be murder on the surviving axle.

3. Find someone with a Zirk gun and pack the remaining bearings with grease. Get creative, talk to people, talk to DPW - all that heavy equipment out there; they got Zirk guns and grease. Post a request for help on BMIR

4. Limp that trailer to Gerlach, then arrange for the right service for the vehicle. If you did point 2 and got help from the local constable, they will know where to point you for further help.

Good luck.

[ygmir]

I will assume you have your big tow vehicle attached to your trailer, right?

In general, these are the overall steps:

1. Remove as much weight from the trailer. Have everything pumped out including the fresh water tank. Remove all gear and put in truck bed or leave on Playa for a return trip to pick it up.

2. Get in touch with the local sheriff and explain the situation. Request access to 12-mile to pull out your trailer, maybe even an escort. The roads to gate with all the ruts, bumps and terrible condition will be murder on the surviving axle.

3. Find someone with a Zirk gun and pack the remaining bearings with grease. Get creative, talk to people, talk to DPW - all that heavy equipment out there; they got Zirk guns and grease. Post a request for help on BMIR

4. Limp that trailer to Gerlach, then arrange for the right service for the vehicle. If you did point 2 and got help from the local constable, they will know where to point you for further help.

Good luck.

I'd only add, for the missing wheel, chain that side of the axle up to the frame, so it thinks there is a wheel on that side. It'll ride much better with that side is the approximately correct position.
Also, there are a few "service" camps, that may be willing to help.

[some seeing eye]

Ask around for Big Dale, Mr. Fixit. Not sure if he is still participating. All the above is very solid information, best of ePlaya!

You are probably in the best remote place in the world for this problem you did not ask for.

I'll tell you a funny story. A few years ago an art group raised money to bring the fuselage of a 747 aircraft to BRC as a nightclub. They leased some remote private land adjacent to the playa to store it the rest of the year. They had problems moving it off the playa. There are some great heroic videos and photos, people from all over helped. The playa administrative agency in charge was considering calling in the military to cut it into pieces with torches and haul it out before the rains, charging the owners. When you are in a bureaucracy, the last thing you want is to have to escalate a problem to the top of your management chain.

[Jackass]

If you were able to recover the wheel and hub that flew off, you might not be too far off from a fix. Some hammering, bearings, grease seal, washer, nut and cotter pin... Depending on the degree of road rash

The chain is an excellent idea! I'm going to have to remember that one, thanks Ygmir!