Years and Years of Inexperienced Recreational Four Wheeling
#1
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Years and Years of Inexperienced Recreational Four Wheeling
So, after 20 years of driving off-road professionally (I'm a geologist) and some recreational backroad and trail riding it occurs to me that I've never used nor needed recovery gear. I can generally just call out a CAT D10, and I've never had to. Having said all that, I'm now embarking on some family wheeling and figure it's time for me to gear up appropriately. I always carry a shovel, axe, pick, jack, gloves and personal safety equipment (e.g. safety glasses, vest). I think all I really need to pick up is a strap and shackles. Any recommendations for a strap and shackles? I'd like some logic for the recommendation too, seems like everyone has an opinion.
Anyone?...Anyone.........?
Anyone?...Anyone.........?
#2
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I always take a snatch strap, safer than using a chain and if your stuck in mud, sand, or snow it uses the pulling vehicles enery and acts like a rubberband to slingshot you out. I use a arb brand snatch strap has worked great in rocks and on me and I've used it in sand and snow to pull out trucks.
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I'm a civil engineer and have spent many km offroad getting to various job sites also. Even though we say "never wheel alone" the reality is different from that. And if the site is not developed yet, there's no equipment around! So I carry the following.
Warn M8000 winch
Recovery strap
Snatch block
3 or 4 D rings
Hi lift 48"
Shovel
Compressor
Bottle jack
Misc. ratchet straps
Flashlight
Bow saw or chainsaw
Spare fluids
Socket set
For the strap it is 3" wide and I think rated at 20,000 lbs. It's not a snatch strap that stores elastic energy, just a pull strap.
The shackles are 3/4" D rings just from the hardware store. One might be a Warn brand.
Warn M8000 winch
Recovery strap
Snatch block
3 or 4 D rings
Hi lift 48"
Shovel
Compressor
Bottle jack
Misc. ratchet straps
Flashlight
Bow saw or chainsaw
Spare fluids
Socket set
For the strap it is 3" wide and I think rated at 20,000 lbs. It's not a snatch strap that stores elastic energy, just a pull strap.
The shackles are 3/4" D rings just from the hardware store. One might be a Warn brand.
Last edited by PG-JKU; 01-25-2015 at 07:19 AM.
#4
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Thanks Gents
Good information. This first outing with the family is with a jeep club and I'm doing the novice/stock trail ride and having the wife drive a little. Should be fun. thanks for the info, I think I'll build up the recovery gear slowly, adding first a strap and snatch block, or a snatch strap. I have the shovel, pick, jacks etc already. My tow points are the stock points (hooks 2front/1rear), so don't need shackles yet, but I suspect new bumpers are in the future....
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Getting shackles still might be a good idea even though you wont hook them to your vehicle ... might be too hook to someone elses.
I just bought an insert for my tow hitch that uses a shackle for center location on the Jeep.
I just bought an insert for my tow hitch that uses a shackle for center location on the Jeep.
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You probably already know this, but avoid straps with hooks. Make sure they have eyes sewn into them. ARB makes a very durable strap, but is fairly expensive. Smittybilt also makes a reliable strap that is less, but also is durable. There are others who buy ropes that are designed for vehicle recovery that have eyes braided into them. However, the ropes are very expensive.
#7
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Thanks for the input
You probably already know this, but avoid straps with hooks. Make sure they have eyes sewn into them. ARB makes a very durable strap, but is fairly expensive. Smittybilt also makes a reliable strap that is less, but also is durable. There are others who buy ropes that are designed for vehicle recovery that have eyes braided into them. However, the ropes are very expensive.
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#8
I have two boxes in the back of the Jeep. One contains the recovery gear - wrenches, recovery strap, gloves, shovel, and more. The other contains EMS gear (I am an ex EMT) - safety vest, medic gloves, window punch, bandages, 4x4s, antiseptics, bandaids, water, etc. I have done one trip to date and used the EMS gear to repair a stubbed toe that was bleeding. We should remember that 2/3rds of Firefighter call outs are medical issues so don't leave that part off your recovery gear list!
#9
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Geologist here also
I'm a civil engineer and have spent many km offroad getting to various job sites also. Even though we say "never wheel alone" the reality is different from that. And if the site is not developed yet, there's no equipment around! So I carry the following.
Warn M8000 winch
Recovery strap
Snatch block
3 or 4 D rings
Hi lift 48"
Shovel
Compressor
Bottle jack
Misc. ratchet straps
Flashlight
Bow saw or chainsaw
Spare fluids
Socket set
For the strap it is 3" wide and I think rated at 20,000 lbs. It's not a snatch strap that stores elastic energy, just a pull strap.
The shackles are 3/4" D rings just from the hardware store. One might be a Warn brand.
Warn M8000 winch
Recovery strap
Snatch block
3 or 4 D rings
Hi lift 48"
Shovel
Compressor
Bottle jack
Misc. ratchet straps
Flashlight
Bow saw or chainsaw
Spare fluids
Socket set
For the strap it is 3" wide and I think rated at 20,000 lbs. It's not a snatch strap that stores elastic energy, just a pull strap.
The shackles are 3/4" D rings just from the hardware store. One might be a Warn brand.
so to be really well equipped add air to the list. Otherwise sounds like you got some good advice
#10
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I missed your input here
I have two boxes in the back of the Jeep. One contains the recovery gear - wrenches, recovery strap, gloves, shovel, and more. The other contains EMS gear (I am an ex EMT) - safety vest, medic gloves, window punch, bandages, 4x4s, antiseptics, bandaids, water, etc. I have done one trip to date and used the EMS gear to repair a stubbed toe that was bleeding. We should remember that 2/3rds of Firefighter call outs are medical issues so don't leave that part off your recovery gear list!