I didn't think I was going to spend 30 minutes watching people dig an excavator out of a mud pit, but here I am enjoying it more than discovery channel in my hotel.

21:45 Folks standing amongst those cables gave me the shivers... You Mention 22:11 "A bad time for everyone, if one of these cables breaks"... I'm a former Navy Sailor that went to Nam on an "Oiler" (USS Mispillion AO105) and witnessed (or I should say, saw the aftermath) of an emergency breakaway while refueling an aircraft carrier. The cables we used were heavier than yours and when they snapped... Gawd, it was pretty crazy the damage done to the steel super structure of our ship from the whipping cable. Stand clear folks... we heard the horror stories from the crew who'ed been onboard for years and I won't repeat that here, but one can only imagine the destructive power of a snapped cable.

Watching one cat dig out his friend! Nature is beautiful! So heartwarming!

You had me at “snatch blocks”. I love the use of heavy equipment combined with mechanical advantage.

I like the way heavy d stops and listen to his crew when they have suggestions. also nobody is shouting everyone is talking to each other. well respected heavy d

14:16 That's a clear sign of a great family... wifey's down there, shoveling mud with the guys, helping clear those tracks!! Way to go girl!!

Just found you guys and subscribed almost immediately. I'll be following your recoveries for as long as you keep pumping them out!

Great recovery… love how you use the bucket to offset the weight. ❤

You obviously know what you are doing, but the amount of people standing next to cables under tension gives me the willies. Stay safe and keep doing great work!

I have been a equipment operator my entire life and I have never seen a piece of equipment that stuck yet. Good job men 👏 👍

I'm very late to the show. Sorry about this late, late comment. I have spent, maybe 20 hours behind the controls of an excavator. I have watched, with awe, professionals grab 55 gallon drums filled with broken up concrete, turn them over, shake out the concrete, and put the drum in the recycle bin while I was the supervisor on a demolition project. I'm impressed that they got that machine stuck so well. Most operators can get those unstuck pretty easy (at least to the view of an amature). Edit: that is one big mud hole! No wonder it was stuck!

Wow, four kids, his wife must be amazing, they have such a great family!

I wouldve loved to see some pressure washing and oiling of that thing

I worked many years in heavy construction. This brought back many memories of those years. Sometimes the hurry to get unstuck made it worse. Mats are your friend, use them, bring more than you think you need from the very beginning. Bring the worst mats in your yard and leave the best ones for crane work. We have destroyed some mats but never left a machine behind.

Fantastic team. You're one hell of a Boss and Mate for your crew.

You guys are a bad ass, and I love watching your guises channel and you inspire me to start a recovery company of my own

I feel like a time lapse of the whole event from one high angle on jobs like this would be really cool. Throw it in at the end so we can see how the whole job went down in a minute or two ;)

Have you considered just bringing one Toyota Hilux? Should be overkill for that job 🍻

The discipline of the crew is impeccable.

Ok - just discovered this channel 2 hours ago - Yes, I completely hooked.

I spotted something I have pretty big respect for, I mean of course I respect the entire hustle and getting people out of these situations and recovering their equipment and vehicles but one small detail I noticed Sparks do was around 15:00 when the other guy was like “let’s get that hook off” and he approached the bucket of sparks excavator, Sparks took his hands completely off the controls so that the machine is completely dead stopped which is a huge and good habit to be in, seen too many people get smacked because someone went to get something out of a bucket and the operator didn’t stop in his tracks and let go of the controls. Awesome job paying as close attention as possible and making sure no one gets hurt in these recoveries man. I’m in the landscaping industry and for those in that industry, in the construction industry, whatever industry you’re in with heavy equipment, always a good habit to have when you have hands on the ground helping you with things so you don’t have to get out of the machine a million times. I love these recovery videos and have been bingeing them since I found your channel, such a cool vibe and I don’t even watch tv anymore cause of this channel and channels like this over the past year that compose their videos to come out like a tv show but better, less commercials, more personal, better content. Can’t beat it. Stay safe and have fun out there Sparks and crew!

That’s crazy! I literally was part of the team who built the reservoir like 200 yards west of there back in 2011. We sunk a D6 up to the cab when we were digging for the dam embankment (among some other gear). That area has some of the worst clay, silt and liquefaction that I have ever seen in my life! I have a literally been stuck and lost boots from walking through it.

I'm thinking this one might take a couple of days! Teamwork makes the dream work!

Hey guys, watching from the UK! Wow, what you do and have fun doing it. The friendship and comerarderie is amazing, and the videos are not bad either, lol. Love the way you included the fella and his lovely family. Take care and keep postin - James :)

Being a ironworker foreman for 30+ years and being around cranes and heavy equipment for my entire life, if I lived anywhere close to you I would sweep floors for free until you brought me on to your team! I absolutely love you're channel and the team you have are amazing!!!

That was one of the most awesome things I have ever seen. You pretty much risked your own Excavator to get the other one out and saved one man's family of their livelihood. A big hug to you and your crew.

I love your guys work and you are good at it. Something that will make things a little easier and less risky: Next time try hitting Dozer first, clean up around the site and get the working ground lower. Then Assume the direction in which the water is coming from, dig a deep trech about 4-5 ft deeper than how deep the tractor is sinking. This breaks the hydraulic bond of the water underground, reduces the movement from pumping more water into the wreck. This jist makes it easier to work and reduces the headache of getting in and out to the wreck.

Its the suction of the mud that prevents lifting vehicle out of it. Like stepping in gooey mud and your shoe gets sucked off your foot. I learned a trick from a crusty old maintenance Master Sergeant when I was stationed in Germany. He had fabricated these long pipe sections that he could connect to an industrial air compressor. Drive the pipes under the stuck vehicle then blast air through them. The compressed air breaks the suction. We had an M113 that was stuck bigger that Stuttgart. Even tried an AVLS (M60 tank chassis based bridge launcher) to no avail. So this MSG pulls up, rigs up his pipes, blasts air under the M113, and we pull (winch) it out with a 5-ton wheeled wrecker. I don't know why I've never seen this technique used on any of these recovery videos, but hope this gives someone else an idea. But if someone patents it, I want royalties.

It's incredible that your cables never break and kill everyone near them.

Absolutely wild, love these massive excavator recovery videos, the best!!

You guys need 2 -way radios for cab communication. Beets hollering and hand waving. Moterolla makes fantastic short range models for your team. This was a fun video. Great watching a good team work.

You should consider buying some anti-whip blankets. You lay them over cables and straps to absorb the initial energy if they break. A broken cable almost cut my truck in half and I will not pull again without them. Cheap insurance

I did not think that was coming out but well done as Matt's Off Road Recovery says ( YOU GOT UM OUT ) 🤣🤣👍🏼

You HUYS are the REAL deal...I like watching "Matt's off road recovery" recoveries, but you are on a league of your own...The Heavy Duty Stuff that everyone likes to watch! New subscriber & fan from Montreal, Canada

Incredible video of a NEVER GIVEUP TEAM - exciting and impressive use of equipment. All I can say is WOW!

Don't know why this popped up on my feed but it was both the most stressful and satisfying thing I've watched in a while!! I'll be subbing to this channel!

Amazes me that people will stand next to a loaded cable and not think about what happens if it snaps.

That guitar music track was friggin awesome ! lol I was rocking out all the way through! 😂

Exciting and rewarding to do this, many uses

Damn! First time to your channel and I'm impressed! This 72 year old retired teacher would have you as a neighbour in a heart beat. No! I don't need a backhoe operator... but a man with his head screwed on right... who knows how to treat others .. and what is really important in life ... and who works hard ..... with honesty ... you are my kind of human being! Stay safe , sir!

Well, in the army engineering corps the general thesis is, -you never pull a vehicle, with a vehicle lighter that the one you wise to pull. That could well be a sound thesis. Great and entertaining video.Glad to see the guy got his digger back.

RECENTLY RETIRED FROM CONSTRUCTION, in this video, I saw COMMON SENSE EXCEED EDUCATION in a few minutes than l saw in 50 years. I admire the way he kept a cool ATTITUDE.

That dude's living the American dream. Beautiful family and a plot of land.

This was like LetsDig18 and Matt's Off Road Recovery in one show... Awesome 😁😁

Matts is what saved the machine, it would've keep digging in without them. I did pipeline work for several years all through swamps, we used matts to do everything, we had one to fall in a sinkhole and the operator had to climbed out the top lid, it went down that fast like quicksand, took 3 days to dig it out, and 3 excavators and a dozer. Fun times. Enjoy the videos

Love your videos watch them all the time .

This job is soo satisfying really and pleasant for the eyes.

I appreciate the patience and professionalism here. Nicely Done !!!

I'm sitting here going come on, come on. Turn that turret on the 450 around, the counter weight is dragging and use that bucket to push. Soon as I thought that, he did it YEAH

Take the dozer, lift the front end with the blade and go forward to get the tracks spinning and let it dig a hole, then hook the winch to the stuck equipment. Its what we used to do when moving rail cars that derailed. It gives the dozer a back stop or a chock to brace against to keep the winch from pulling it backward.

Love it. Thats using leverage from all points...

Ya'll must have the best karma in the world doing a recovery like that and helping out the cera gordo dude out just out of kindness. Many blessings , SMR

Heavy D, from previous experience recovering Abrams Tanks and other similar heavy equipment from the mus. I have pumped air into the belly with hoses to counteract the mud's suction power and was sucessfull. put that one on the log for the next recovery!

Amazing rescue...but the amount of people still near the cables under full pull is crazy...they'll rip you to pieces faster than a blink... either use weighted bags on them or double the distance on the people ❤❤❤

I love your guys work

100 hours, good luck Diesel brothers watched all your shows loved it , Iron Mike

These unique recovery videos are awesome. Keep them coming!

I always liked Heavy D’s visions for trucks, but I like him even more now that I know he listens to Tech N9ne

So happy to see hunter back on the team!!!! My guess 5.50 hrs

That is so damn cool to see how you guys pull this shit off! Love it. Thanks for sharing! Even though I watched it 2 years later.

This was great. It was neat to see that guys family out there digging with everyone. They were grateful for the answered call of help

I love watching you guys do recovery I find it really fascinating and I got excited when you finally get the whatever stuck unstuck that is like the coolest feeling ever but I can imagine what you guys feel when you finally get it unstuck yourselves

most overlooked aspect of this video was that amazing family!

8:30 can't believe you guys got it out so quick.

This looks like a very rewarding career. If I was 30 years yunger I would have been looking you up.

I work on excavators at a dealer. That machine needs a pump/ work group adjustment. Not enough pressure going to the travel motors or work group. A simple turn of a couple reliefs would have made that recovery much easier.

I bet I'm not the only farmer with Moraine soils, literally salivating over the sight of that clay.

I admire your perseverance, I had the oppertunity to see a 30 ton longer track cat excuvator being salvaged out of marsh, tiring job. You guy have guts.

This was superb viewing, informative too as we got a glimpse into the real world of heavy equipment recovery from challenging terrain. It was hugely enjoying seeing those tracks clear and to see movement, nice too was seeing the lovely family whose investment was finally coming home. Great video, excellent narration and editing, subscribed.

I love watching your videos, never a dull moment. I guessing 16hrs and 37 minutes.

Epic videos. Have you guys thought about comms?

Idk how I ended up here but I’m glad I did!! This was excellent!!

Great job, looked like a lot of fun. I like all the "Factory" stuff on the big truck specially the bumper and tail lights, lol. Y'all are great, hope to meet y'all some day

Would installing well points be a viable option? Great video as always!

21 hours just under a day but I've never seen anything like this ever

If there ever was a person who found their calling, it’s this man. He’s entirely too good at these huge problems.

Y’all are always keeping us entertained and engaged, I understand there’s a lot that goes into making this content wish you could vlog everything you do because it is fun and entertaining thanks for the content,time, and effort you put in keep up the great work thanks guys 🔥💯👍👍👍👍

I feel like a better competition for the viewers would have been 'Guess what shade of red my arms will be by the time i get this excavator out".

I say 8 hours, you've gotten pretty good. At what you do I would love to be a part of it

Holy cow, that's the thickest Yankum rope I've ever seen + the soft shackle.

On next episode 5 ton wrecker gets beefed up with a stupid amount of pull power and is built with solid front bar that doesn't bend when anchored..it would be good to see some of the military stuff getting rebuilt for heavy duty recovery

You guys make it very complicated, this take me and my coworkers about 1 and some minutes minutes.

2 short chains about 5" longer then width of the tracks, hooks on ends.. hook them across the track, (like a snow chain on a tire) then you got a place too pull from on each side, and it will help get track moving if you hook them on top of track in middle, and pull from them gentle.. i got a old Big old jd 4## somtin excavator, old thing.. big machine. Had a lazy track.. got hung up and stuck. Sunk. short 2.5 ft' chain with grab hooks, hooked across track, from inside too outside. then hook the pulling cable on too middle of them) and will help get track spinning, and or machine rolling- good pulling spot if cant hook onto the undercarriage.

Great stuff guys. Really enjoy watching your team work through unique situations.

We have 4 450's they didn't come with much tracking power. You can multiple your towing power by hooking to the top of the track pads and not have to rely on the drives as much. Good job guys Northern Minnesota here and when we're stuck at 20 below it adds another twist.

Excellent recovery, good attitude by everyone - for me, few heart pounding moments - people a bit close to some of the cables when rigged, I have seen 12,000Ib pull cable snap recovering a stuck Land Rorver, took out 2ft thick tree - have also witnessed the after effects of a cable snap and what it does to a human body - not pleasant. The fella in the redt shirt kept running under the main boom when operating - madness. However, really good job, everyone safe, mission accomplished and a great video. Maybe you should look at buying a M88A2 Hercules...pulling machine on steroids.

Super pond-build!

This is a team that respects one another, without a doubt. LOTS of lessons to be learned from this.

This was Great! I love it when you do heavy duty problem solving like this. Now you need to do a one hour show on having an industrial level Blacksmith repair the 5 ton's bumper. Also, five ton wreckers are cool but if want awesome, you need to get an Army 10 ton wrecker or the heavy tank recovery vehicle. VTR M88. The M88 is designed to rescue 50 ton tanks, has a huge winch and a spade blade on the front to anchor it while doing so. You will need a dragon wagon, (super duty Army low boy and 10 ton tractor) to move it around. It's not too road friendly, even though it has rubber on steel treads. I think it weighs around 80 tons.

This is a speed run to be the do not rent to this man.

It took well takes as long as it takes to get the job done,cause it's what we do Brother!💯

Take the arm off, install a cannon and build a house next to it. The ultimate in home security.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it but I would place a few heavy rubber mats on the wires and slings when pulling mate... Always plan for worst case, if they snapped there was several people within "severing" reach. Just a suggestion, loved the vid and mad respect for your work ethic and the way you treat everyone.

You guys are the real International Rescue. 😂😂

Have you guys ever seen air bags work in action, live? The work you do you need to own some or rent some!

I was wondering how long it would take for them to finally turn around and try to push them selves

I have watched several similar recoveries in europe but this one realy does take the buscuit well done boys you are the recovery kings

Placing air bellows under the equipment to lift a structure like this is the way to go...

13 hours 33 minutes. Love your content.

As a safety guy who has investigated too many trench collapses, these conditions really make me nervous with the combination of unconsolidated ground and water plus a lot of vibration from heavy equipment. As the video showed, those sides were very unstable and prone to sloughing. I was happy to see one side of the hole looked to be sloped back pretty well, the other side was a bit too vertical for my liking. It might be worth installing some shoring for projects like this in the future, but It seemed like everyone was aware of the hazards for the most part. You guys did good work and showed excellent communication. It's always a pleasure to see a group of professionals at work.