Builds 2008 LX Live Camera Car and Overlanding Build. (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter SharpeCat
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Consider the running board delete while you are waiting for sliders.
- Thread starter
- #83
I drive my grandpa around sometimes and he can't get in without them, otherwise i would love to. I will get off road sliders when i can though.
afgman786
SILVER Star
You should check out Uwharrie National Forest. They've got a great set of trails! There's actually an event in April that the NC club is hosting. It's definitely worth the trip! I know I'm going again this year
- Thread starter
- #85
I had actually planned on hitting it up at some point before LCDC/after tires upgrade, just wasn't sure when. April sounds like as good a time as any, thanks!
Also, i have been looking at recovery gear in case i get stuck when i go back to the above trail, will this be everything i need to hi-lift-winch myself out if there are plenty of trees around?
Try soft shackles, I have the gator and the knockoff. Gator is nice, and you can get 2 knockoff and you are always ready. Much lighter, don't seize, and safer over over the steel shackles. I use the steels in the bags as backups.
Please also get two damper bags for over the rope... I lost a rear window once on a pull from metal hook, and it would have killed someone (the velcro and the weight holds it in place under any load or break). A car mat works too, but can be muddy as hell.
The recovery can also use a dynamic rope. The more dynamic, the softer the pull and you can have a Toyota pickup pull you out. With straps I have had the rescue vehicle just slide sideways and not work. Extra straps help for trees, spreading to two two hooks, and multi-angle pulls.
Amazon product ASIN B01F39PC5KAmazon product ASIN B07FDRRSRH
Please also get two damper bags for over the rope... I lost a rear window once on a pull from metal hook, and it would have killed someone (the velcro and the weight holds it in place under any load or break). A car mat works too, but can be muddy as hell.
The recovery can also use a dynamic rope. The more dynamic, the softer the pull and you can have a Toyota pickup pull you out. With straps I have had the rescue vehicle just slide sideways and not work. Extra straps help for trees, spreading to two two hooks, and multi-angle pulls.
Amazon product ASIN B01F39PC5KAmazon product ASIN B07FDRRSRH
Amazon.com: Ucreative Synthetic Soft Shackle 7/16 Inch x 20 Inch (35,000lbs Breaking Strength) with Extra Sleeves (Orange, 1-Pack): Automotive
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A situational option for non winch is bog outs. While technically possible to hi lift winch it is at best very time consuming and at worst potentially dangerous. Perhaps just lay in some treads, a tree strap and tow strap and a dynamic rope, some shackles and be ready when another comes along to pull you out.
while on the topic you’ll want a hitch mounted tow point, the rear points are for trailer tie down for transport not for rescue.
while on the topic you’ll want a hitch mounted tow point, the rear points are for trailer tie down for transport not for rescue.
- Thread starter
- #88
Hitch mounted tow point like this?
Amazon product ASIN B06WLMF23C
Also, bubba rope or chinese rope at 1/2 price? 7/8inch diameter? 20 or 30 yards?
Amazon product ASIN B007HYR8HA
The gator soft shackles are 50 for one while chinese soft shackles is 18 for a pair, so i was thinking 2 pairs of chinese ones? The difference in price on the bubba rope vs chinese rope is not as significant though.
What about these Warn Dampers? Seems reasonably priced.
Amazon.com: WARN 91575 Winch Damper: Automotive
If i ditched the hi lift winch idea and plan on having a friend with me, then i just need soft shackles, tow hitch shackle, rope and dampers, correct? That is assuming he has zero recovery gear himself? And gloves.
Mostly, yes. Recovery boards are pretty key. A shovel.
I bought a Chinese rope in a thicker diameter. That hitch point looks fine.
I bought a Chinese rope in a thicker diameter. That hitch point looks fine.
- Thread starter
- #90
Going to try and squeeze in maxtraxs as well, thanks for the reminder. They seem to be the most frequently used tool in most of the Australian 4x4 videos I like to watch.
So Chinese rope thicker diameter and a shovel, plus maxtraxs. Got it. Thanks for your time bosses, it is always appreciated.
That ARB strap is used for vehicle-to-vehicle recovery. While great to have (I have the same one), it won't help with winching.
First thing you need is an ARB Tree Saver strap. It'll be green. This is wrapped around whatever object you're pulling off of - tree, rock, etc. Its first purpose is to protect the tree from damage, and second purpose is to provide you with a nice way to attach your shackle (goes through the two ends of the Tree Saver strap).
Second thing you need is length in your winch setup. The Hi-lift kits won't provide much length. You can look into various tow/winch straps. ARB has a "winch extension" (purple) strap that's 60ft long - not a bad place to start.
Outside of all this, I'd actually advise to pass on the hi-lift setup altogether. On a somewhat stock vehicle, the hi-lift is not all that useful as there are no good points for you to attach the jack. You could use the hitch receiver, or hi-lift's kit to lift by a wheel, but neither option is ideal. Hi-lift is most useful when you have sliders and steel bumpers. Further, hi-lift can be dangerous (people have lost eyes), so make sure to do your research and learn how to use it safely. Hi-lift is also heavy and bulky - it's tough to store nicely, such that it's out of the way. Winching with it, while possible, will also be a huge pain. If you'll be using it as a jack, you'll also want to buy hi-lift's red base to provide much needed stability. And while you're at it, grab the handle keeper (minimizes vibrations) and neoprene case (keeps the mechanism clean~er).
You can get a hitch-mounted winch base for $100-$150, and find decent winches for under $500. (I had - and liked - the Smittybilt 10k w/ synthetic line and remote for around $500 USD some years ago.) Add some wiring/connectors, and you'll have a much, much more useful setup than the hi-lift for not much more $$.
MaxTrax and other recovery boards can be a life safer in the right situation, but I'll honestly tell you that in ~3 years of having them, I used them thrice:
- once to help get my truck out of deep snow
- once to help get a stuck mustang on summer tires out of a snow-covered ditch
- once to help level my trailer
In my use, I'm not getting much value out of that $300 USD cost.
I'd advise taking things slow; get the basics (snatch strap - the orange ARB one - a hitch-mounted shackle, and a few more shackles), go out and explore, identify what you actually need, and slowly build up your gear based on needs, not wants.
There are a ton of vehicles out there that are blinged out with every accessory in the world, and most of those vehicles never leave pavement. Buy based on needs, don't play "keep up with the Joneses."
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- Thread starter
- #92
Thanks for taking the time to write that; it is very insightful. I did not know that a hitch-mounted winch was an option, and will look into that. I also was thinking that maxtraxs would be my most used tool and that it would almost always come out first, but i have no personal experience with it. I did abandon the hi-lift-winch idea as well (per other members recommendations), so always nice to have confirmation on that.
Also, i had the ARB snatch strap picked out at first, but swapped to a kinetic rope per other members recommendations. Are you saying i need both a snatch strap and a rope, or just one of the other? I was thinking they serve the same purpose, If so, i assume go with Kinetic rope over snatch strap. Correct me if i am wrong though.
I plan on ordering things tonight in hopes it will be here for this weekend when i try that trail again. I attached a screenshot showing what i have as of right now. The plan is to go with a friend this weekend (he has a lifted dodge ram 3500 and no recovery gear), so my goal is to pick up only what i need when going with the assumption that there will be another vehicle there.
I left out the tree strap for now, and will pick up one when i get a hitch-winch-mount and a winch. Let me know if it looks good and i will put in the order tonight so that it gets here by Friday. Thanks again everyone.
My 2 favourite wheels that are Rock warrior alternatives. Evo Corse Dakar and Braid Winrace. Quality and strength is at or exceeds the forged rock warrior.
Recoil recovery rope and snatch straps generally serve the same purpose, so you don't need both. I don't have any experience with the Smitty rope you've found.
The shackles you've selected look fine. Make sure to get a few shackle pins. One will be useful for that hitch shackle (doesn't look like it comes with a pin?), and backups will be useful down the line. In a pinch, you can slide the end of a recovery rope/snatch strap right into a 2" receiver, and put a pin through the receiver and the rope; I've recovered numerous vehicles this way (they had no other viable recovery points), but it frequently results in bending/destroying the pin, so it's good to have spares.
The winch damper is not necessary until you have an actual winch. Generally not used w/ snatch straps.
- Thread starter
- #95
Good eye @eatSleepWoof , i will get pins and take the dampers out. I think i might get 1 lockable pin as well so that someone doesn't take off with my hitch-shackle-mount.
Amazon product ASIN B004C6OBBC
Also forgot shovels, and there are so many out there not sure which one to go with. Are these too small? Anyone with experience using a foldable one?
Amazon product ASIN B07XFMTCDG
https://www.amazon.com/Rhino-USA-Fo...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=4ZYPH87AK857R0D3PQDH
When choosing between different rope diameters, i was reading that i want to get the right size rather than go for biggest. Is 1" the right size or 1 & 1/8th inches? 1 & 1/4 is an option as well, but that seems too big. Also, i was thinking 30 yards as opposed to 20, and have narrowed it down to Ditchpig (chinese brand), Smittybilt and Billet 4x4 ropes. I will take others for consideration though if anyone has other suggestions. Thanks again!
Amazon product ASIN B004C6OBBC
Also forgot shovels, and there are so many out there not sure which one to go with. Are these too small? Anyone with experience using a foldable one?
Amazon product ASIN B07XFMTCDG
https://www.amazon.com/Rhino-USA-Fo...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=4ZYPH87AK857R0D3PQDH
When choosing between different rope diameters, i was reading that i want to get the right size rather than go for biggest. Is 1" the right size or 1 & 1/8th inches? 1 & 1/4 is an option as well, but that seems too big. Also, i was thinking 30 yards as opposed to 20, and have narrowed it down to Ditchpig (chinese brand), Smittybilt and Billet 4x4 ropes. I will take others for consideration though if anyone has other suggestions. Thanks again!
afgman786
SILVER Star
Don't get a lockable one where the lock part is fat... I got 1 and found out that it was too wide. It pushed against the back of the 200 and wasn't in line with where the pin slid thru
- Thread starter
- #97
I just looked my rope is 1” and 30ft. It’s a load to carry and bulky. Smaller would be fine. Probably too much safety factor in the 1”.
- Thread starter
- #99
In that case, the Smittybilt one is a good price considering it comes with a bag. Thank you.
Rhino has a buy 4, get 15% off coupon on amazon, so i went ahead and added a digital tire inflator, as well as go with them for the shovel and locking hitch pin.
- Thread starter
- #100
I don't need the gloves since i am not handling a winch, right? I have snowboarding gloves, will those work for handling the rope? I'm thinking i don't even need gloves for the rope but always good to double check. Also just realized i had a quantity of 2 for them; good thing i checked.
On second thought, the gloves do look like they could be handy so never mind.
On second thought, the gloves do look like they could be handy so never mind.
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