Volvo brain teaser!

17 yr old got the 13 yr old XC70 stuck in the 1st snow storm--summer tires and no more AWD. Its resting forward into the bank on the 2 front wheels deep in snow/mud and only one back passenger wheel--other wheel off the ground. No melting in sight.

1)Shoveling/pushing--failed
2) Towing--the rear eyelet bolt hole is full of dirt/rust--eyelet won't screw in.
3) AAA says I'm expired!

Solutions?
1) WD40 and/or blow out eyelet hole?
2) Use front eyelets to drag it way more aggressively through the snow bank forwards (with a 17 yr old helping!!??)
3) Attach tow rope to frame in rear, but where?

Thank you!

 

attach the tow rope to the chassis, start the car.... And hook up to another car... Make sure rope is long... Put both cars in reverse.... And pull away...

 

OK--so not to sound like an idiot, but I am one, where on the chassis do I attach the rope? When I look under the car, all I see is exhaust system and the axles. I am fully capable of ripping off some important part. I'll go lay in the snow/mud and look again. I can also take a picture.

Thanks!

 

do you have a floor jack and some 2x6s or similar long boards to put under the tires? if you can get the board under the jack point you can see about lifting the frame enough to put another board under the tire then use the jack to raise that enough to get you some traction. Or, you can pay a local shop to winch the car out. The only thing you don't want to do is attach a chain/cable to a suspension arm. If you bend that, you're in for a costly repair.

 

She's out!

Well-- I winged it as my daughters say. We tried cat litter, carpets under the tires and ultimately putting numerous bags of 40lb wood pellets in the way back for weight. This morning I put a sailboat line (very strong) around the most sturdy looking part of the undercarriage-not the axles--a tad rusty but looked like the frame. I forgot to mention that yesterday's attempt was in the near-dark. It took a few tries as my tow -- 2018 AWD HIghlander is still in the summers. The preferred fWD workhorse 2014 Sienna with brand new snows displayed a camshaft error code yesterday so that seemed like a worse choice.

This is normal this time of year for us--my late husband was a gear-head car guy and when I curse him, mechanical things start going wonky! I am sure he is laughing in porsche heaven. Good education for the girls either way.

Thanks for all the help!

 

Glad you got it out.

I would suggest thou that you get the towing eye sorted out..... Just in case😉😉.
It's way easier to use the eye, than anything else.

 

BTW, see that little box in the bumper above the exhaust cut out? If I'm not mistaken, that's the cover for the tow eye bolt hole. pop that off and the tow eye screws in there. Usually the tow eye is stashed with the spare tire but you can also buy a replacement from a dealer web store for about $25 if its lost. There are also front covers should you need a front tow.