Recovery gear

[Mxndrnks]

Not sure if this is the right place or under Winches and recovery is a better place. But, here it goes anyway.

I have a 2000 Hundy and am looking to pick up some recovery gear (straps, etc.). I have not made the move to an ARB bumper and winch yet.... will probably not happen for a while. But, I want to pick up some straps, snatch block, etc. I looked at the kit over on Slee's site, Extreme Outback, etc. They look to have everything included... but they arent cheap. Should I just go with one of these? Or should I piece it together? Which ones do you guys recommend?

I really havnt done much off-road driving since high school back in Bama.... So, not sure what I really need and dont need at this time. My first trip will be the Surf and Turf down at Pismo Beach in Nov.

Thanks Guys!

 

[sirenmoses]

1. Hi-lift. Practise using it on your rig.
2. Tow-strap, NO hooks
3. jumper cables (I know, not recovery, but still.... someday sumbody's gonna run outta go juice, and it might be you.)

Then bumper & winch. After (or with) winch, tree saver, shackles, pulleys, etc. Can't use em (much) til ya get a winch anyway...

My 2c... worth every penny ya paid.

 

[moooooooo]

i bought a TJM recovery kit a few years ago. Cost me about $350 OZ. It has snatch strap (sometimes called a snatch-em strap), tree protector, gloves, shackles, and a couple of other straps.

the first time i had to use it i used the snatch strap was to pull a ford wagon out of a ditch.

2nd and third time i needed to use it coz i got bogged in the middle of nowhere by myself and had to winch myself out and needed the recovery strap and tree protector.

i also have a high lift jack (never used it) and an exhaust jack (never used it) but only take these away when i am going miles away from help.

i have an axe, a wood splitter, shovel, trolley jack, socket set, screwdriver set, jumper leads, multi-meter and my TJM kit in the LC at all times!
I've helped a few people over the years!
cheers
peter

 

[Mark W]

Kits are kinda silly in my eye. Buy what you need. based on.... well, your needs.




Mark...

 

[FJ40_owner]

1. Hi-lift. Practise using it on your rig.
2. Tow-strap, NO hooks
3. jumper cables (I know, not recovery, but still.... someday sumbody's gonna run outta go juice, and it might be you.)

Then bumper & winch. After (or with) winch, tree saver, shackles, pulleys, etc. Can't use em (much) til ya get a winch anyway...

My 2c... worth every penny ya paid.

I would add a shovel for the type of terrain expected, rocky, mud, snow, sand etc.

And in my case I also have a 100 foot extension rope for my winch rope. All synthetic.

I also can operate my winch from inside my vehicle if required.

 

[Mxndrnks]

Thanks for the input guys!

So, I decided NO to the kit. I will pick up what I need as I go.

But, I still have a couple of questions.

1. I have been reading about Snatch Straps and Tow Straps. From what I have read, Snatch straps are not good for towing and tow straps can cause damage during recoevery. Do I need or should I get both? I was looking at the ARB Snatch strap and the black Rat Tow strap.
ARB SNATCH STRAP 24,000 lb ARB710
06. Black Rat Towing Kit

2. Do I need to worry with any shackles at this point since the front and rear bumper are stock?

3. I am going to order a hi-lift jack. Since I am running a stock front and real bumper, should I really get one of these? Bumper mate?
Hi-Lift Bumper Lift (BL-250) - Equip Your Jack to Lift Curved Bumpers | Hi Lift Jack Company

Thanks Guys!

 

[boydmick]

Regarding your questions above:

1. Most of my off road recovery involves getting a stuck vehicle unstuck, not towing.
Buy the snatch strap for sure; I'd wait on the tow strap.

2. You need shackles. How do you plan to attach the straps to your vehicle? Or the other vehicle?

3. I would be careful using the bumper lift; I'm not sayin' "don't," just be careful. Cruisers are heavy, stock bumpers are thin. Think about the wheel lift attachment too - great for filling in holes under tires.

HTH

 

[Mxndrnks]

Regarding your questions above:

1. Most of my off road recovery involves getting a stuck vehicle unstuck, not towing.
Buy the snatch strap for sure; I'd wait on the tow strap.HTH

That is what I was thinking! Thanks!

2. You need shackles. How do you plan to attach the straps to your vehicle? Or the other vehicle?HTH

Honestly, on a stock bumper I dont know... I was assuming you would use the tow hooks underneath and the eye of the snatch strap. Where is the correct place to attach the shackle without a TJM or ARB bumper?

3. I would be careful using the bumper lift; I'm not sayin' "don't," just be careful. Cruisers are heavy, stock bumpers are thin. Think about the wheel lift attachment too - great for filling in holes under tires.HTH

Thanks for the tip! I will check it out!

 

[sandcruiser]

get a long snatch strap- you can double it over if you need it to be "short"

towing with a snatch strap isn't a big deal... if you need a tow you'll be plenty happy to have the snatch strap.

hilift is good. Do make sure you have somewhere to lift on the front and rear.

Carry a ratchet strap and/or motorcycle tie down straps. If you need to lift a wheel you can cinch the axle to the frame, then lift somewhere convenient and it'll lift the wheel. Be careful, lots of weight and compressed springs that can maim you if they release at the wrong time.

a shovel is a darn good tool to carry. I prefer the short-handled variety.
a machete or ax can come in handy as well.

even if you have solid tow hooks, carry at least one shackle. You never know who will be on the other end of the line. big and heavy shackles may look really beefy, that's fine, but it is frustrating to try to find a 1" diameter hole in someone elses bumper/frame. There is a balance between beefy=strong and beefy=hassle not to mention cost.

To use a hilift as a hand winch (real PITA, but sometimes worth it) you'll need a chain with a choker hook, some way to attach the chain to the hilift, and some sort of non-stretchy connection to the vehicle. I use a tree saver too. I'd recommend at least 20ft of chain, probably more is better. Practice with the whole setup in your driveway or a field at least once before you head out. Applying large amounts of force to a vehicle with unfamiliar tools can get dangerous, quickly.

Have fun!

 

[sandcruiser]

side note: on the 80, at least, the front tow eyes require a shackle in order to attach a strap.