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WATCH: Toyota's Hilux might fail a 'moose test' but can haul a huge 19 ton truck out of a ditch

<B>PULLING POWER:</B> This Toyota Hilux pulled that truck out of a ditch. <I>Image: YouTube</I>
<B>PULLING POWER:</B> This Toyota Hilux pulled that truck out of a ditch. <I>Image: YouTube</I>

UPDATE: We've added comment from the owner of the truck who confirms that while the truck (and trailer) was empty the entire vehicle combination weighs about 19 tons.

Northern Cape - Wheels24 readers Nicola Swanepoel and Chrisscha Swanepoel filmed a Toyota Hilux towing a huge truck out of a ditch in the Northern Cape. The heavy vehicle was blocking a major road near Vanderkloof Dam. 

The truck appears to be stuck along the breadth of the road, causing the two huge trailers it was hauling to block traffic in both directions.

A Toyota Hilux driver, named Thinus 'Floors' Bredenkamp (24), attempted to move the truck out using the bakkie's pulling power and a tow rope.

The two women, who filmed the incident, were concerned about the bakkie's "prop shaft being ripped out" at first, and initially thought it wouldn't make it. In the video, they can be hear cheering as Hilux begins shifting the truck.

Towing prowess

Wheels24 managed to track down the driver and the women who filmed the incident through the help of Facebook.

Floors Bredenkamp told us he was on his way to Hopetown on Monday (Dec 5) when he saw the truck had failed to perform a U-turn and got stuck in the ditch. He said the incident took place between Vanderkloof Dam and Orania in the Northern Cape.

The owner of the truck contacted Wheels24, Jaco (wishes to remain anonymous) told Wheels24: "Special thanks to the driver for the call-out. Saved me quite bit in terms of recovery costs! However it should be noted that the truck was empty."

Jaco confirms that the truck weighs about 10 tons (and the trailer about nine), for a total weight of approximately 19 tons. Once on the tar, the truck was able to move off and load-up at a nearby farm on its way to Windhoek.

WATCH: Hilux fails handling test - Here's how 5 rival bakkies fared

Bredenkamp said: "I drove around the truck, but then I turned back to the truck driver and asked him if he had a tow rope and decided to see if my bakkie could pull the truck out onto the road.

"I hooked the rope to the bakkie and the truck and tried to tow it, but the rope snapped as I was not getting any traction and the bakkie seemed to lift from the ground.

"We then took another rope but this time we folded it thrice to strengthen the rope and I tried to get my front left wheel onto the tar and it started to budge. If I had all four wheels on the road, it would have been even easier to pull the truck." 

WATCH: Toyota Hilux tows a huge truck out of a ditch


Bredenkamp commented on Facebook: "On the gravel the Hilux couldn't get any grip and the diff was almost grinding, but once those Coopers (tyres) bit the asphalt, the truck came right behind it."

Swanepoel said: "We couldn't believe what we were seeing and at first we had our doubts that the bakkie wasn't going to make it, but when they tried again my friend and I knew it was going to work. It's absolutely amazing!"

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