Advice for a Noob on pulling out an FJ - where?

[Noisycow]

Let's say your stuck - no winch - and you have got someone to pull you out. You have the proper gear - straps and shackles, or worse, just a chain. Is it better to connect to BOTH front loops? Just how strong are they if some ape starts doing 'jerk pulls.' Also what about pulling from the rear.

With google, you can learn a lot about the basics and technique of using a winch, strap, shackles vs a hook, hi-lift, etc, but not much about a particular vehicle.

I was thinking about H2ResQ - the yellow FJ stuck in the mud with two full size pickups 'jerking away' from hard ground. If you are planted deep enough in mud or lodged behind a rock, just how much can an FJ take?

OH yeah - and how functional is one of those receiver mount shackles for a rear pull vs the others?

[FirstToy]

Noisycow,

You are on the right forum. Ih8mud has a HUGE resource of experienced offroaders. A good place to look is in the "Outfitting" section for reading up.

Hopefully some experienced wheelers will chime in here to help you as well. It's always more informative w/ it's YOUR model truck being discussed

The reciever mount shackles are fine. Warn makes one w/ 3/4 shackle.

Do you have a good pic of the front loops?- I assume they are the same as the 4R/120 but I don't know for sure. There has been some issue with these in AUS where 4x4atsdotcom fabricated some nice, bolt-on recovery points.

Possible he could ship them here or get thru Slee... not sure on this.

*let me add some tips from a great article in Toyota Trails by Steve Laird (Nov/Dec 05). Dig up the issue or order old issues thru TT

-Use common Sense
-Be Protected
-Never take the point position
-Position yourself between a winch and hard place
-Know your Cruiser's limits
-Which mods come first?

Obviously, he goes into detail on each topic but it's a good reference for newer suv offroaders

[powderpig]

The Fj Team has used the front loops for getting static pulls and some good dynimic pulls. So far the loops have held up. They are welded to the frame. After 'wheeling that involves the pulls to these areas, I inspect the loops to see if any stress has been inflected. So far no signs of stress yet. It would be better to have made or get a different type of plate to pull from that is mounted to the frame. Then if it deforms, you could replace it. As for the rear, the teams has been using reciever style shackles to pull and get pulled from. They work great. But just remember again to inspect these areas. The rear reciever is bolted on and is designed for pulling a trailer, not have it jerked on.
Always try static pulls first, then dynamic pulls second. If after a couple of pulls, it is time to pull winch cable.

A couple of thoughts on training, either get with a local club or hire a 4x4 trainer. Both are great way to get some training.

[Noisycow]

Training would be a good idea in my case. I am just kind of 'brutal' I guess. It would be my style to chain something up, then start tearing off, with slack .

A dynamic pull is one where you use a cable strap with 25% give so the strap stores energy for the pull?

Also, one 4x4 training site I was reading said never to use a shackled trailer hitch - but you are saying that it is ok if you are not 'jerking' it out - i.e., a strap with 'give?."

Sorry for the dumb questions, but at least I am the type of guy that will always stop to help a stuck rig if I have the right gear/rig to pull someone out.