Vehicle Recovery Gear?

[entropy]

Title says all.

Looking to equip midsize pickup with some gear. Over the years, I’ve carried the usual HF tow straps and the like. Looking to get something purpose designed. Prices all over the map. No winch on the truck now, although it’s on the short list. It currently has the factory shackles and hard points. No plans to hit the Rubicon, but desire some decent, all around gear.

This: https://factor55.com/ has caught my eye as they seem to have pre-made kits...albeit on the upper end of the price scale.

Suggestions from those who know?

Thanks.

[BN]

I don't know anything about this. I only watch Matt's Off Road Recovery on YouTube.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KSqXW2Ykm4

[TGS]

A farm jack and tow strap can get you out of pretty much everything for a fraction of the cost and weight of the cool systems that people buy just to show off on Instagram.

[msstate56]

Factor 55 gear is GTG. Their stuff is pricey but well made and they actually test the gear to failure. I use several soft shackle products from Tactical Recovery Equipment. TRE has good customer service as well. Winching is one of my favorite hobbies both truck and SxS. I use a winch every chance I get. I highly recommend soft rope. I will never use steel cable again.

[msstate56]

A farm jack and tow strap can get you out of pretty much everything for a fraction of the cost and weight of the cool systems that people buy just to show off on Instagram.

For a simple situation, yes it will work. But I’ve been in lots of complex recovery situations where I was very glad I had 10,000 pounds of pulling power at the touch of a button. I’m often solo, so I can control the winch while inside the vehicle manipulating the throttle, or I can stand well off to the side outside of the danger zone. Plus it’s a lot faster so I can get stuck again 😂

[BobM]

I have a set of Max Trax in my truck. I’ve not yet had to use them but they are highly recommended by trustworthy sources. I also have a tow strap and tree saver strap. I have a Hi Lift farm jack I could put in there depending on where I’m planning on going. I’ve been planning on buying a Wyeth Power Puller, just haven’t got around to it.

[MistWolf]

Title says all.

Looking to equip midsize pickup with some gear. Over the years, I’ve carried the usual HF tow straps and the like. Looking to get something purpose designed. Prices all over the map. No winch on the truck now, although it’s on the short list. It currently has the factory shackles and hard points. No plans to hit the Rubicon, but desire some decent, all around gear.

This: https://factor55.com/ has caught my eye as they seem to have pre-made kits...albeit on the upper end of the price scale.

Suggestions from those who know?

Thanks.
What do you mean by “factory shackles and hard points”? This is an important question, because some factory recovery points are okay and some are dismal. Photos of your recovery points will help greatly.

-HOOKS, especially open hooks, are a bad idea. You can use them, but you have to constantly keep an eye on them to ensure any tow ropes or whatever you hook to them don’t slip off. If your rig is equipped with hooks, replace them with D ring mounts/adaptors.

This is what I have on the back of my Jeep-
100723

-TIE DOWN POINTS are made for tying down a vehicle for shipping. They can and have been used for the occasional simple recovery, but they aren’t designed for heavy use. If you do any sort of off-roading, install actual recovery points. The best way to install recovery points depends on your rig.

NEVER use a tow ball for recoveries. The rope/strap can easily slip off and the ball can shear if given a hard tug. It can be done, but it’s like pointing a loaded handgun at your junk. I don’t mean sliding a handgun in an appendix holster, I mean actually pointing it at your junk.

The Harbor Freight Badlands recovery strap works surprisingly well. It’s advertised as having a bit of stretch, but don’t use it like a Yankum Rope. I made that mistake once! Use it like a recovery strap- that is, take the slack out before trying to pull. Don’t get a running start.

The generic brand recovery straps (usually yellow) Harbor Freight sells are better than nothing but they don’t hold up very well under use. Get the Badlands strap. Get the big one. Two straps are better than one because you can hook them together for more reach. Or, you can use one as a bridle, then connect the second to the bridle.

Get at least two of the Harbor Freight soft shackles.

Get at least two D rings. Don’t cheap out.

Get two tow hitch D ring mounts, the kind the fits in a tow hitch receptacles and a cross pin for each. One for your rig and one for the other rig. Not everyone out on the trail carries D ring mounts for their tow hitch.

Get a good pair of gloves.

Get a bottle jack and figure out how to store it in your rig in a vertical position. Being kept horizontally is bad for most bottle jacks. Get jack adaptors to prevent the jack from slipping off an axle, frame or other jacking point. A floor jack is better, if you have the room. Don’t use scissors jacks except as a very last resort.

Get a bag to store your recovery gear in.

Gear for winching is a bit different. I gotta get ready for work, so I’ll have to cover that topic in a later post.

I’ll try to get a photo of the recovery gear I carry. (I still need to get a couple soft shackles.)

[Crawls]

ken
A farm jack and tow strap can get you out of pretty much everything for a fraction of the cost and weight of the cool systems that people buy just to show off on Instagram.

Agreed.

Those Factor 55 kits look ridiculously expensive.

The best advice on equipment will be mission driven -- Vehicle weight, attachment points, trail conditions (mud v. sand v. rocks) terrain (hills and tight turns v. wide open fields). I'll apologize that it's been a long time since I've been in the market for good recovery gear, so I can't recommend specific manufacturers or retailers.

I'd start with a copy of the 4 Wheeler's Bible (https://www.amazon.com/Four-Wheelers-Bible-3rd-Complete-Adventure/dp/0760368058) and build from there. No need to spend tons of money to build a super capable recovery kit.

[entropy]

I appreciate all the replies so far. To clarify, the vehicle is a Colorado with the ZR2 factory package minus the roll bar/light bar that sits behind the cab. I’ll try to snap some pics later as well. Like I said, factory hooks and hard points. No mountain trekking on the horizon, but lots of deep snow, rural gravel roads with decent grades and drop offs, and dragging the dog back into the woods for grouse. Not interested in any “overlanding” type setups as this needs to still remain pretty much stock as it’s my daily driver and the wife uses it too on occasion. I still like the winch idea. The Bison and AT4X are unobtanium and ludicrous in price. I figured if I wanted a winch that bad, I’d put an aftermarket bumper on it and save both kidneys for personal use. I notice you did mention the HF gear several times. Reading up, I see (like most things HF) some is good, some is crap.

Thanks again.

[msstate56]

Some China made gear is ok, some is garbage like every other industry. I’ve had good luck with Gear America snatch blocks and shackles. I spent the money on important bits, like my winch fair lead and winch rope end hook, on Factor 55. I save money on other things like snatch blocks, shackles, soft shackles and straps elsewhere. I’ve even got a couple soft shackles I got from a guy that sells them on eBay or Etsy. No name brand, but I haven’t broken them yet.

Like Mistwolf mentioned- closed system gear is a must. That means everything it a solid connection, no open hooks. I really like soft shackles, but use a hard shackle where a tow point is made for it.

[Clusterfrack]

Good info by MistWolf. A few more things:

Some sort of winch is a must, even if it's just a hand-cranked come-along.

High-lift jacks are an excellent recovery tool, and can be used as a winch substitute in a pinch. However, high-lift jacks are dangerous as fuck. Do not use one until you know all the ways they can hurt people.

I like the ARB Bushranger X-jack. It's a bag that hooks up to the exhaust and inflates to jack the vehicle.

And, yes--always put a towel or blanket on top of winch cables so they don't become projectiles if something breaks or slips off.

100725

[fatdog]

My list for no winch present. One of my assumptions is that the vehicle I am recovering may not well be mine.

-3 hard shackles
-2 D ring axle straps that double as soft shackles
-75' or 100' bubba rope or other similar high flex woven armid line for a straight single pull
-tree strap
-manual comealong
-solid heavy strap of at least 75' for manual winching
-a pair of polymer tire boards (if I left one thing out that would probably be it)
-exhaust bag jack, this has replaced the old metal jacks for me, works fine, not so dangerous, also used as my tire change primary jack
-heavy gloves
-one big bag to hold it all

With the winch present I add snatch blocks, extra tree strap, extra shackle, and a pair of winch line flags, even though I will only own an aramid winch line I still like using those flags

[BehindBlueI's]

With the understanding I'm in the low end of sorta informed on the topic (like I'd say I'm a 4 out of 10), I've used a bucket of kitty litter more often than anything else to self extract. Obviously useless in sand, but snow and mud? Works a treat.

Understand the difference between tow ropes/straps and snatch ropes/straps. Jerking with a tow rope sucks for everybody. Snatches are designed to stretch like a rubber band then contract, giving more snatch-y power but over a bit of a time period so it's not so hard on vehicles or occupants.

Shovel. Have a real shovel if possible, etool if not. Combined with above mentioned kitty litter, digging the rut out in front of the tire to make it more ramp like and less cliff like, then applying kitty litter can get you moving when just kitty litter didn't.

[Clusterfrack]

With the understanding I'm in the low end of sorta informed on the topic (like I'd say I'm a 4 out of 10), I've used a bucket of kitty litter more often than anything else to self extract. Obviously useless in sand, but snow and mud? Works a treat.

Understand the difference between tow ropes/straps and snatch ropes/straps. Jerking with a tow rope sucks for everybody. Snatches are designed to stretch like a rubber band then contract, giving more snatch-y power but over a bit of a time period so it's not so hard on vehicles or occupants.

Shovel. Have a real shovel if possible, etool if not. Combined with above mentioned kitty litter, digging the rut out in front of the tire to make it more ramp like and less cliff like, then applying kitty litter can get you moving when just kitty litter didn't.

Good advice here. That reminds me, deflating your tires can get you out of some really difficult situations like deep sand. But... you need a way to air up.

Add a 12V tire inflator to the must-have list.

[Stone]

I just found and setup a great piece of gear for dragging large trees to assist in some serius storm damage cleanup. I was racking my brain for a while on how to utilize my hitch on my FX4 Ranger and came accross this:
https://www.harborfreight.com/2-in-hitch-mounted-d-ring-shackle-57255.html

It comes with a shackle thats only rated at 9000lbs so I upgraded to this: https://www.harborfreight.com/34-in-d-ring-shackle-58022.html?_br_psugg_q=d+shackle

The receiver hitch is solid steel and extremely strong and it also opens up a whole new world for hooking possibilities for recovery and pulling.

Take a look at US Cargo, they have a great selection of hooks and high quality chains and straps...
100728



Utilizing your hitch will provide more pulling capability and a safer one as well compared to the hooks and snatch points we have on our trucks... In all reality its what it was designed for.

A good kit would be:
Front mounted winch
Couple of D shackles
2- 6 foot straps
2-20 foot straps
Snatchblock
Receiver hitch with D shackle from above
Shovel

Most of that will fit in a 5 gallon bucket for easy storage...

Not sure if this will help you out but take a look at the More Power puller, Its saved my ass more than once out on my land. It does 6 tons horizontally, actually it will do more but thats what it is rated at.
I use the extra handle extension and went with the blue synthetic rope. https://www.wyeth-scott.com/
Shop around if interested I got the 6 Ton for $375

[mtnbkr]

I don't know anything about this. I only watch Matt's Off Road Recovery on YouTube.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KSqXW2Ykm4

Love this. SWMBO's new vehicle is a 2023 Santa Fe. Not that she'd ever take hers in a place like that (she wasn't crazy about me taking the now-totaled-2022 up the mostly smooth fire road to Flagpole Knob)...

As for recovery gear, everyone pretty much covered it. My 4Runner, which goes offroad "for real", has a winch, proper hard points, a tow strap, shovel (no fcuking please), a bow-saw, and a hi-lift jack (careful, they can kill ya).

Chris

[MickAK]

Nice thing about a winch is they're handy pieces of equipment for a lot of other tasks not related to vehicle recovery.

Oftentimes the difference between doing something potentially sketchy with a chainsaw and not is a decent remote operated winch with synthetic line.

You can of course do that another way but as I get older I find it's easier to avoid doing stupid things if the proper equipment is handy and accessible.

[Oldherkpilot]

A farm jack and tow strap can get you out of pretty much everything for a fraction of the cost and weight of the cool systems that people buy just to show off on Instagram.

Your solution is suitable for the normal guy who might find himself stuck (myself, for example). I have a feeling some PFers may be the sort who go out looking to get stuck.😁

[paherne]

A farm jack and tow strap can get you out of pretty much everything for a fraction of the cost and weight of the cool systems that people buy just to show off on Instagram.

So, it's like most folks EDC pocket dump pics? I couldn't resist.

[fatdog]

Nice thing about a winch is they're handy pieces of equipment for a lot of other tasks not related to vehicle recovery.

Oftentimes the difference between doing something potentially sketchy with a chainsaw and not is a decent remote operated winch with synthetic line.

You can of course do that another way but as I get older I find it's easier to avoid doing stupid things if the proper equipment is handy and accessible.

Yes, use my snatchblock and I pull my big garden tractor up into the bed of my pickup truck instead of straining trying to push it up the wheel ramps!

But in the event of being stuck, I have found nothing on earth faster than throwing my tree strap around a decent tree with a D ring and running the winch, even sans snatchblock, to yank me out of a hole.

It is the difference between a short 10 minutes or less and I am on my way, and dicking around for 30 minutes or more, exhausting myself, and getting totally muddy to get on with the trip. I am too old, too lazy, etc. for the later anyway.

[0ddl0t]

I'm usually in a 2wd prerunner style pickup or AWD crossover so I carry a minimalist recovery setup that can fit behind a single cab's bench seat:

30 foot tow strap (not for sharp pulls - just for steady tugs with the comealong or for towing a broken rig to the trailhead).
30 foot kinetic recovery rope (what I use 90% of the time to get someone free when they're barely stuck)
2 ton comealong (pretty marginal weight rating - not intended for heavy duty recoveries - but it is already pretty bulky)
2 soft shackles
snow chains (rarely use)
folding shovel (last resort)
kitty litter (oil cleanup and helps a bit on ice)
canvas tool bag with 8-24mm sockets, drivers, wrenches, screw drivers, pliers, allens, rescue tape, duct tape, electrical tape, gloves, etc.

I also have a little cigarette lighter tire inflator, but if I know in advance that I'm going to be airing down I usually bring an air tank or bicycle pump.

[Virtuosity Student]

Proper equipment is important. Seen this video when it first came out and it made me cringe.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3BkeeXlIo

[hufnagel]

kinetic recovery rope.
soft shackles.
good leather gloves.
folding shovel.

[entropy]

I appreciate everyone’s knowledge and input.

I’ll sit down here and make a list of what was suggested here.

Keep it coming.

Edit to add: Surfing thru stuff I came across a rear hitch mount for a winch. Seems like an alternative to replacing the factory front bumper (not thrilled with that idea) and still maintain the ability to have it when needed. I suppose someone makes a receiver for the truck bed, or I’d imagine one could be built up fairly easily. You’d have the ability to take it along when needed, leave it when not.

Edumication on the above would be greatly appreciated.

[MistWolf]

A farm jack and tow strap can get you out of pretty much everything for a fraction of the cost and weight of the cool systems that people buy just to show off on Instagram.

If by "cool systems" for "showing off on Instagram", you mean a farm jack or High Lift mounted to a tire carrier or across the hood, you hit the nail on the head. In all the years I've been off-roading and getting myself or someone else unstuck, I rarely see anyone reach for a farm jack/High Lift. It's either tug straps or the winch.

The best use for a farm jack is crushing sheetmetal, breaking bones and making the situation worse.

Yes, I have used a High Lift. I bought one because it's what all the Cool Kids had. It didn't take long to realize the High Lift was the most useless piece of equipment I've ever used.

Instead of f- around with a High Lift, get a bottle jack and adaptors

https://safejacks.com/collections/bottle-jack-accessories

Here's my recovery gear (I don't have a winch yet)-
100744

Not included in the photo is the 20 ton Harbor Freight bottle jack. I didn't feel like wrestling it out of the back of the Jeep for a photo op!

I need to add a couple of soft shackles and another strap. I'd like to have a kinetic rope or two and a pair of traction boards.

When I get a winch with a synthetic rope, I'll add a tree saver, a couple of synth rope friendly snatch blocks and at least two more soft shackles.

While not directly part of recovery gear, you should add a tire repair kit, a tube of medium or thick Super Glue and some Zip Kicker, along with an air compressor. All too often, recoveries include a tire that's rolled off the rim or a gashed tire.

This is just recovery gear. This doesn't cover other essentials such as First Aid or basic mechanic tools.

[Cookie Monster]

Depends on use frequency and how much disposable income you want to point in that direction.

Emergency use and low bulk storage would be Harbor Freight soft shackle (2), 20 or 30 foot strap, and a tree saver (to make a bridle). You want to roll with Yakum or Factor 55 even better.

Step up add a kinetic recovery rope and another soft shackle and a receiver mount shackle.

Step up and add some endless loops and a length of binder chain.

Step up to help others and add a tow cluster and axle straps - allows you to pull on cars with no points.

- add recovery boards

- add winch with more tree savers and snatch blocks

- add jacking - I got a hi lift and find with modern cars you got no where to jack. You got a rig with rock sliders and steel bumpers and you got jack points then. I recently stocked my truck with a HF aluminum floor Jack.

As you add stuff you get storage and organization problems and more stuff for tweakers to pillage from your car.

It’s cool when you roll up like Batman and fix some problem some random person had but it’s not that frequent at least for me.

[Cookie Monster]

I have only used my hi lift to pull fence posts with a chain hook set up, lift up the front of my riding lawnmower, and lift the tongue of a heavy trailer that was too low to hook to a truck.

It’s dangerous as fuck like folks have said, need to keep it lubed or it is worthless, and can only dis-engage if by kicking the latch while wearing boots.

It’s cool though.

[BehindBlueI's]

Edit to add: Surfing thru stuff I came across a rear hitch mount for a winch. Seems like an alternative to replacing the factory front bumper (not thrilled with that idea) and still maintain the ability to have it when needed. I

When I was considering the Raptor or Tremor, I looked in to this as those trucks require the turbo intercooler to be relocated to add a front winch. I also wasn't thrilled with the idea of the extra weight hung out there on a truck not designed for it. Cons were the obvious of needing to route lengthy power cables but also the relative weakness of the mount for side loads from what I read about. It's also use dependent, if you just want to get unstuck then it's usually easier to go back out the way you came in BUT if you're on a one way trail and need to defeat an obstacle to continue the trip then a rear mount is going to be tougher to use, since you'll need to get unstuck, flip the vehicle around, get over the obstacle, then reflip.

[MistWolf]

With the advent of modern straps, kinetic ropes, synthetic ropes and soft shackles, there's no need for chains. When a chain or steel rope breaks, it's far deadlier than synthetic recovery equipment.

You don't have to get everything at once. It's ok to build your recovery gear one piece at a time. You may not need as much gear as the next guy. For example, you may find you never have a use for a second recovery strap.

It is important to learn how to perform recoveries safely.

[MistWolf]

When I was considering the Raptor or Tremor, I looked in to this as those trucks require the turbo intercooler to be relocated to add a front winch. I also wasn't thrilled with the idea of the extra weight hung out there on a truck not designed for it. Cons were the obvious of needing to route lengthy power cables but also the relative weakness of the mount for side loads from what I read about. It's also use dependent, if you just want to get unstuck then it's usually easier to go back out the way you came in
As an intellectual exercise, that seems to be the most logical conclusion. However, in real life, the answer is, "It depends". If you plan to turn around after recovery, then it usually makes more sense to back out the way you came. The reality is, your destination is ahead. You're not going to turn around and go back just because you got stuck. You're going to keep going because you'd rather get to your favorite fishing spot than go home and clean out the basement. Often it makes more sense to clear the obstacle by pulling yourself forward so you can continue.


BUT if you're on a one way trail and need to defeat an obstacle to continue the trip then a rear mount is going to be tougher to use, since you'll need to get unstuck, flip the vehicle around, get over the obstacle, then reflip.

Or, you could simply run the winch rope under the rig-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAtYKf8zcQw

For less wear and tear on the rope, you could rig up a few snatch blocks-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBphM-ujnFU&t=31s


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVnbPNyLu_c&t=25s

Or you can go sideways!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3ChEkSsxpE

ETA: So, that sideways recovery was more than a bit sketchy!

[entropy]

Besides the Factor 55 gear, is anything else USA made? I’ve researched a bit of it and most all of it seems imported. Also, is there a “standard” that this stuff is rated to? To me, just cause it says “50k lbs” means nothing unless it’s got the equivalent of UL testing (or a TSO for you airplane types) or some such behind it.

On the receiver mounts, they seem all over the place on price too. My thinking is that is a pretty important component to the entire operation. Investing there would seem prudent.

I’m not planning on using this stuff everyday, but when I DO need it, I want it to work and not fail.

I got the tools and the FAK stuff pretty well covered, although the stuff I’ve been carrying it in has been around the block and could use some updating.

Staying well clear of the highlift jack. I remember those as a kid, and I didn’t like them then either.

Folks in Australia and New Zealand sure seem to get stuck a lot. 🤔

I got a big dumb question on UTVs too....but that’s prolly better off in another thread...

[MistWolf]

Yankum Ropes are made in Idaho.
https://yankum.com/

Rhino USA states “All of our products are designed, engineered and lab tested here in the USA, however, due to the extremely high cost of manufacturing locally, we source raw materials and manufacture overseas in order to keep the cost of our products competitive in our global marketplace.” Rhino USA is good quality gear.
https://www.rhinousainc.com/

Matt’s Off-road Recovery sells branded ropes and soft shackles made by Yankum
https://mattsoffroadrecovery.com/collections/recovery-gear

I don’t know where ARB recovery gear is made. ARB is an Australian company and Australia has standards tug straps have to meet. I suggest digging deeper into Australian tug straps as they might have a limited use life.
https://arbusa.com/recovery/

I’m certain there are other US companies making shackles, straps, ropes, etc.

[BehindBlueI's]

As an intellectual exercise, that seems to be the most logical conclusion. However, in real life, the answer is, "It depends".

Literally what I said if you don't chop my quote in two.

You can't run the cable under your vehicle if you're on your frame in mud and you can pull in any direction with enough anchor points and snatch blocks, but that is not always an option and requires a shit ton of gear.

[MistWolf]

Literally what I said if you don't chop my quote in two.

You can't run the cable under your vehicle if you're on your frame in mud and you can pull in any direction with enough anchor points and snatch blocks, but that is not always an option and requires a shit ton of gear.

You’re right. Everything discussed in this thread is “not always an option” and dependent on what resources you have on hand. Reverse winching has a very narrow application. There are many places where there aren’t enough anchor points for all the snatch blocks needed and as you point out, you can’t always just go under the rig. Running the winch rope under the rig and out the back sets off my Spidey Sense.

What I presented about reverse winching is that it’s doable if necessary, or if you really want to. Not that it’s ideal. But it is another tool in the toolbox.

[Dog Guy]

Regarding shovels: I switched to a straight handle garden spade. When you're high centered and need to get some hard dirt and small rocks out from under the rig, a traditional shovel can be impossible to reach underneath to where the problem is. The spade is less efficient for general digging though. Also consider a combi-tool or similar, example at https://cascadefire.com/collections/wildland-tools-equipment/products/combi-tool-wildland-firefighting-tools?variant=28325394841664 . The combi in hoe-mode is great for some high center problems but isn't as durable as a solid handle. Also ridiculously priced.

Winches: I'll see if I can dig out the link, but I read an article about winch capacity vs line speed vs electrical draw. The conclusion was that you're better off using a lighter weight, lower capacity winch with higher line speed and running through a snatch block for a 2:1 mechanical advantage for most situations. For most rigs, the limiting factor on what you can pull is not the winch or the cable. It's your rig's electrical system. The writer concluded that with heavy loads you'll get done faster overall using the 2:1, and you'll have more play time from your electrical system.

ETA: found it. More complex than I remembered. https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/winch-efficiency-line-speed-amperage-and-heat-factor.155105/

[MistWolf]

Literally what I said if you don't chop my quote in two.

You can't run the cable under your vehicle if you're on your frame in mud and you can pull in any direction with enough anchor points and snatch blocks, but that is not always an option and requires a shit ton of gear.

PS- I didn't mean to come across like I was busting your balls. I'm just a jerk like that. I'm working on it.

[entropy]

Regarding shovels: I switched to a straight handle garden spade. When you're high centered and need to get some hard dirt and small rocks out from under the rig, a traditional shovel can be impossible to reach underneath to where the problem is. The spade is less efficient for general digging though. Also consider a combi-tool or similar, example at https://cascadefire.com/collections/wildland-tools-equipment/products/combi-tool-wildland-firefighting-tools?variant=28325394841664 . The combi in hoe-mode is great for some high center problems but isn't as durable as a solid handle. Also ridiculously priced.

Winches: I'll see if I can dig out the link, but I read an article about winch capacity vs line speed vs electrical draw. The conclusion was that you're better off using a lighter weight, lower capacity winch with higher line speed and running through a snatch block for a 2:1 mechanical advantage for most situations. For most rigs, the limiting factor on what you can pull is not the winch or the cable. It's your rig's electrical system. The writer concluded that with heavy loads you'll get done faster overall using the 2:1, and you'll have more play time from your electrical system.

ETA: found it. More complex than I remembered. https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/winch-efficiency-line-speed-amperage-and-heat-factor.155105/


$135 for a shovel....I see where this thread is taking me! Lol

Agree on the winch (on an electrical level). Just shoving more amps at it creates its own issues, regardless of where it’s mounted. I haven’t dove in this far yet, but I’d imagine the draw on these things requires a judicious use of solenoids and fuses. Having a honking gauge wire running in areas that might suffer damage in an accident gives me the heebeejeebies...

How’s that phrase my kids always use...”Work smarter not harder”?

[Cookie Monster]

With the advent of modern straps, kinetic ropes, synthetic ropes and soft shackles, there's no need for chains. When a chain or steel rope breaks, it's far deadlier than synthetic recovery equipment.

You don't have to get everything at once. It's ok to build your recovery gear one piece at a time. You may not need as much gear as the next guy. For example, you may find you never have a use for a second recovery strap.

It is important to learn how to perform recoveries safely.


I keep a 20 foot 5/16 transport chain around for pulling on down trees across roads or anchoring or pulling on weird stuff - mainly where straps and nylon with rub/fray/fail.

But yea, if someone rolls up and wants to pull you out with a chain. I would think twice or three times.

I also don't keep chain or d ring shackles inside the cab of the truck. I've rolled a vehicle and little shit becomes projectiles.

[fatdog]

This thread is reminding me it is time, first warm and dry day next month down here, to pull all the recovery gear out of both my vehicles, air it out, clean what needs to be cleaned, inspect every strap and shackle and pin, and pop the clutch and inspect the full length of the winch ropes. Stuff that I thought was there, sometimes it just disappears like the vehicle ate it.....or else it is too frayed, cracked, etc. and I never noticed last time I put it up.

[camel]

$135 for a shovel....I see where this thread is taking me! Lol

Agree on the winch (on an electrical level). Just shoving more amps at it creates its own issues, regardless of where it’s mounted. I haven’t dove in this far yet, but I’d imagine the draw on these things requires a judicious use of solenoids and fuses. Having a honking gauge wire running in areas that might suffer damage in an accident gives me the heebeejeebies...

How’s that phrase my kids always use...”Work smarter not harder”?

Fun fact about winches and electrical draw. I was off-roading with a buddy. We came across some people stuck. Hell we can get them out with the warn winch( I can’t remember the model) mounted to my home welded front bumper. I blew through every resistor and fuse and nuked the charging system getting them almost out of the mud.


Some old dude saved the day in a beat to fuck on the outside early 90’s step side f150 step side manual transmission and block and tackle. I know because he drove me to the parts store so I could be saved.

[Clusterfrack]

Fun fact about winches and electrical draw. I was off-roading with a buddy. We came across some people stuck. Hell we can get them out with the warn winch( I can’t remember the model) mounted to my home welded front bumper. I blew through every resistor and fuse and nuked the charging system getting them almost out of the mud.


Some old dude saved the day in a beat to fuck on the outside early 90’s step side f150 step side manual transmission and block and tackle. I know because he drove me to the parts store so I could be saved.

Yeah, my Warn 9000 draws a lot, but at least so far the electrical system on my FJ has been up to the challenge. The pic I posted above was from recovery of a trail building machine that rolled down a hill. The engine was fuct on the Ditch Witch, so we had to winch it about 20 or so times to get it out and onto the trailer. My winch kept getting hot to the touch and we had to wait and let it cool.

[BehindBlueI's]

One of the big draws to the PW for me was factory winch with factory wiring and warranty combined with a factory suspension designed with the weight in mind. This particular one has the dual alternator option, not sure how much of a difference it makes in this regard, but it's got it regardless.

[Rocket20_Ginsu]

For my Tacoma:

Shovel
Ax
Silky katanaboy saw
Maxtrax
30’ tow strap
Soft shackles
Snatch strap
Tree saver
10k winch

The maxtrax are especially useful and easy to use.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fatdog]

Silky katanaboy saw


For sure, I don't necessarily think of it as recovery gear but that thing has saved more trips that I can count by letting me get stuff out of the path instead of turning around.

[msstate56]

Yeah, my Warn 9000 draws a lot, but at least so far the electrical system on my FJ has been up to the challenge. The pic I posted above was from recovery of a trail building machine that rolled down a hill. The engine was fuct on the Ditch Witch, so we had to winch it about 20 or so times to get it out and onto the trailer. My winch kept getting hot to the touch and we had to wait and let it cool.

One of the keys to an electric winch is using a snatch block. Unless I need all the rope, I always run a snatch block and run the free end back to my winch mount. This makes the winch work half as hard as it has to on a straight, single line pull. If I need to reach out, I'll still run out to a snatch block and use a static winch rope extension to what I'm pulling. If its REALLY BAD, I can use multiple snatch blacks and do a 3-1 or 4-1 pull. Yes, if the electric motor gets too hot to hold your hand on it, wait and let it cool.

[camel]

One of the keys to an electric winch is using a snatch block. Unless I need all the rope, I always run a snatch block and run the free end back to my winch mount. This makes the winch work half as hard as it has to on a straight, single line pull. If I need to reach out, I'll still run out to a snatch block and use a static winch rope extension to what I'm pulling. If its REALLY BAD, I can use multiple snatch blacks and do a 3-1 or 4-1 pull. Yes, if the electric motor gets too hot to hold your hand on it, wait and let it cool.

That’s what I would do now. But hey I was young and dumb at the time. Really using your gear appropriately and taking the time to plan the best course of action with what you have. You can recover most things with some thinking and simple tools without destroying stuff and getting yourself in more trouble.

[EMC]

Anyone use this ground anchor? Might be useful in a solo sand situation. Thinking about throwing one in my side by side for those long range desert adventures where trees may not be found for winching.

https://www.americantrucks.com/redrock-4x4-ground-anchor-12000-lb-capacity-97117.html

[randyho]

Anyone use this ground anchor? Might be useful in a solo sand situation. Thinking about throwing one in my side by side for those long range desert adventures where trees may not be found for winching.

https://www.americantrucks.com/redrock-4x4-ground-anchor-12000-lb-capacity-97117.html

I've watched a few of those get dragged outta the sand right before I got a bunch of quality shovel time. This was prior to me experiencing the magic of airing down (a lot) and kinetic ropes. OK, the latter didn't exist when that happened.

Shovel, soft shackles, Matt's rope (they are as nice on the phone as they seem on youtube) a pintle hitch (also Matt's fault), tree saver and a winch on the way. I would like a morrvair but will continue to settle for the wrangler and tacoma.

[camel]

Anyone use this ground anchor? Might be useful in a solo sand situation. Thinking about throwing one in my side by side for those long range desert adventures where trees may not be found for winching.

https://www.americantrucks.com/redrock-4x4-ground-anchor-12000-lb-capacity-97117.html

There not useful. They won’t reach a depth to produce stability to make a move on sand without working harder to use it. An iron rod with an eyelet at one end pounded into the ground with a 5 pond sledge would be more useful.

[MistWolf]

Factor 55 giving a class at King of the Hammers-


https://youtu.be/3G3M_edX1fI

[Cookie Monster]

Just ordered a second set of Maxtrax. Got a mount that mounts them on the bed rail of my Tundra.

[alamo5000]

I'm late to the party here but I will share what I recently did, or at least over time, and the reasoning behind it. Keep in mind I haven't read all the replies yet.

I think you need to define the mission and specifically what you will be working on. I don't own an off road type vehicle any more, nor do I go driving back country roads or whatever in my little 4 door. That said, I live way out in the country. Just yesterday some people swerved to miss a deer and ran into the ditch. It was extremely muddy so they instantly sunk up to the frame, at least on the front. Until I came along they had been stranded in 30ish degree weather for over 3 hours in an area with no cel phone coverage.

Other times (since I live in the country) I have had to pull people out of the yard or ditch or something near the house. One recent example was a 70++ year old woman (and her husband) that came over to the house for Thanksgiving dinner. She had no problem pulling in, but getting out with those slick tires was a different story.

More than that though, my philosophy is kind of like carrying a medical kit. Bring what you want other people to work on YOU with. There has been times when I needed to be pulled out of bad spots, especially during bad weather. Often you get people that could pull you out, IF they had the stuff to do it with.

First I bought a recovery rope and some soft shackles. I also bought a couple of heavy duty D Rings just in case. I also made sure I had a towing eye, which for some reason was not included with the purchase of a brand new car. It has the port to screw it in, but nothing to screw into it (through the bumper) so I bought one.

Flash forward and I also recently bought two different types of V bridal straps from MyTee Products. One loops back around onto itself and has hooks and rings to clip it on. This design is specifically to prevent damage because almost everything on it is soft. The other V bridal has J hooks and T/J hooks. I bought those two because most regular road cars do not have recovery points. With those, at least in theory, I can hook up to a car, either front or back, without damaging the car and not having to resort to something weird.

This is probably the most important thing that influenced my purchasing, that being that most regular non off road cars do not have anything obvious to hook to. This includes my own vehicle. I also tried to get stuff that wouldn't damage plastic bumpers or whatever when/if getting pulled. True I could have just tried to stick with a soft shackle and the rope, but my goal was to avoid ripping up plastic bumpers or whatever.

Pulling other people out is one thing. That is in my opinion a positive side effect. I won't be pulling other people out with my car, but at least I will have the gear to rig it up if need be, especially if I am out and about. At home I have other things to pull with, but the weak link has always been how to connect a strap to a car, again without breaking something.

Being able to rig up my own car in the event of some kind of situation is the primary motivation so that's what I went with.

Edit: I am in no way an expert in any of this so if anyone has thoughts or opinions on my post above I would be extremely interested in hearing what you have to say about this. If I get the idea to get something better I will buy it if I can, but so far this is what I came up with.

[entropy]

Been busy lately. Apologize for no follow up. I ordered some gear from Rhino. In the end, the cost/use analysis won over.

1. Recovery boards
2. Soft shackles
3. Recovery rope 3”x8’
4. Hitch receiver
5. Hard shackles
6. 4”x30’ strap
7. 1”x30’ kinetic rope


Now the process of getting it all secured in there. Plan is to fabricate some u-channel mounts, powder coat them, and mount the boards and gear bag in the bed directly behind the cab. Similar mounts will be made for the sides to install some other deemed necessary gear along with several RotoPax cans.

Too bad The ZR2 has limited aftermarket gear choices. Have to get creative.

[EMC]

Got to bust out the Yankum 30' Python rope today driving through the deep sand to Peek-a-boo slot canyon in Kanab in the F150 (there for spring break with my wife and kids) and we came across some travellers from Georgia in a rented expedition that just happened to be 2WD only.

They were stuck up to the belly pan spinning the rear tires. I tried to get in it and find 4WD in trail mode and it wasn't to be found. These new vehicles and their fancy displays and modes are not intuitive.

I pulled off the plastic cover revealing their tow hitch and installed a recovery hitch with bow shackle (said hitch I would later lose in the sand in the midst of tear down not paying attention)

Connected the rope to my front recovery point with a U-creative (amazon) soft shackle and gave them a fairly gentle tug backwards (yeah I know reverse is often frowned upon for pulling but turning around was not convenient and traffic was starting to get backed up behind us) and pulled them quickly out back to firmer ground.

Even with a gentle pull the kinetic energy was very effective at popping them out of the tire holes and start moving them. Told the driver to help a little but not to spin them too hard (Just like Matt on YouTube does! [emoji1787])

Got them turned around with the rope by having them turn perpendicular to the road and spinning their backend around and told the driver to give it the full beans back to the trailhead.

The driver offered me a hundred bucks but I declined and said it was a matter of honor.

Fortunately the lost hitch was a cheaper gear america extra and not my favorite. I did manage to collect all my shackles and hitch pins at least.

Video link:
https://youtube.com/shorts/jzJyqSZ8Bmg?feature=share