without aftermarket front recovery points, what should i use? (1 Viewer)

[VSPro9]

Hello all,

I did run a search, but i couldnt find much.

without aftermarket front recovery points, what are my options if i need a pull from the front of my vehicle?
Ive heard not to use the tie down loops, as those are designed only for transporting on a flatbed.
Ive got my first serious off-road adventure in 2 weeks, and i want to make sure if i do get bogged down i dont damage my car recovering it.

Thanks!

 

[skey44]

I’d do your best to pull it backwards from the hitch if you have one. Until you get an alternative front recovery point. Either invest in a shackle for the receiver (I have the Smittybilt one haven’t had to use it “knock on wood”) or pull from a hitch pin that’s in place without a hitch. Also be sure to use the right strap. Snatch straps are much better than tow straps as they build energy by stretching and don’t put as violent of a force on the vehicle due to dissipating the energy. Tow straps are only for towing on road basically.

Also if it was a must pull forward scenario I would probably still try the tie downs in a pinch. That’s just me and probably not the safest thing. Just saying I would do it there if I couldn’t pull out from the back and had no other options.

Interested to hear other options and opinions here too.

 

[VSPro9]

I’d do your best to pull it backwards from the hitch if you have one. Until you get an alternative front recovery point. Either invest in a shackle for the receiver (I have the Smittybilt one haven’t had to use it “knock on wood”) or pull from a hitch pin that’s in place without a hitch. Also be sure to use the right strap. Snatch straps are much better than tow straps as they build energy by stretching and don’t put as violent of a force on the vehicle due to dissipating the energy. Tow straps are only for towing on road basically.

Also if it was a must pull forward scenario I would probably still try the tie downs in a pinch. That’s just me and probably not the safest thing. Just saying I would do it there if I couldn’t pull out from the back and had no other options.

Interested to hear other options and opinions here too.

Thanks for the advice, i have a hitch mount d-ring for the rear, and have ordered both snatch type and static recovery straps. None of my friends wheel so im usually out there by myself, and my list of things i need to get this beater ready is rather long and expensive already. i was hoping i could save on the front recovery points for now.

 

[Mr Chuck Norris]

Can anyone show an actual documented failure of the front TOWING EYELETS? That's right, Toyota/Lexus even calls them "Towing Eyelets" in the Owner's Manual. Just because some companies try to sell recovery points that mount to the exact same structure as the factory Towing Eyelets, and claim that the factory points are weak to sell their product, doesn't actually make them weak.

Use a kinetic recovery rope and soft shackles, and I would give them a 0% chance of failure under normal conditions. Yes, if you hooked up a chain and gave it a yank with another truck any mounting point will eventually snap off. Kinetic ropes take the strain very well to make it easier on both rigs. I think I spent a whopping $100 on my rope/soft shackle setup that lives in the GX.

 

[VSPro9]

Can anyone show an actual documented failure of the front TOWING EYELETS? That's right, Toyota/Lexus even calls them "Towing Eyelets" in the Owner's Manual. Just because some companies try to sell recovery points that mount to the exact same structure as the factory Towing Eyelets, and claim that the factory points are weak to sell their product, doesn't actually make them weak.

Use a kinetic recovery rope and soft shackles, and I would give them a 0% chance of failure under normal conditions. Yes, if you hooked up a chain and gave it a yank with another truck any mounting point will eventually snap off. Kinetic ropes take the strain very well to make it easier on both rigs. I think I spent a whopping $100 on my rope/soft shackle setup that lives in the GX.


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This is great! Thanks for the info. You seem to be a font of knowledge on here. Any recommendations on shackles?

 

[Mr Chuck Norris]

This is great! Thanks for the info. You seem to be a font of knowledge on here. Any recommendations on shackles?

I'm mostly just really nerdy about my hobbies and spend a lot of time reading manuals and Google searching.

But I'm always glad to help. I like to learn too as I grew up doing cheap redneck wheeling 20ish years ago, so there are a lot better products and knowledge these days.

For moderately priced recovery gear that is good enough for what we use GX's for, I like brands such as RhinoUSA and Bulldog Winch. My kinetic rope is a GRIP Grand Rapids Industrial Products which came well reviewed by some friends, and I think my soft shackles are some generic brand that was also well reviewed. Would I use these on my Tacoma crawler to pull it up a 45° rock face? Probably not, I have better stuff that lives in that truck. But for snow, sand, mud, mild trails, etc that the GX sees it's more than good enough.

 

[OverLand Cruisers]

This is great! Thanks for the info. You seem to be a font of knowledge on here. Any recommendations on shackles?

Maxtrax or another good soft shackle.

Have fun and don't forget to air down, and up of course

 

[VSPro9]

I'm mostly just really nerdy about my hobbies and spend a lot of time reading manuals and Google searching.

But I'm always glad to help. I like to learn too as I grew up doing cheap redneck wheeling 20ish years ago, so there are a lot better products and knowledge these days.

For moderately priced recovery gear that is good enough for what we use GX's for, I like brands such as RhinoUSA and Bulldog Winch. My kinetic rope is a GRIP Grand Rapids Industrial Products which came well reviewed by some friends, and I think my soft shackles are some generic brand that was also well reviewed. Would I use these on my Tacoma crawler to pull it up a 45° rock face? Probably not, I have better stuff that lives in that truck. But for snow, sand, mud, mild trails, etc that the GX sees it's more than good enough.

thanks again, ill check these out. most of my wheeling will be in silver lake sand dunes and some muddy two tracks, nothing insane

 

[VSPro9]

Maxtrax or another good soft shackle.

Have fun and don't forget to air down, and up of course

i have x-bull recovery boards on order, unfortunatly a almost 500k mile GX has a lot that needs to be addressed so i went cheap on the boards. if i crack one i can order another set and still be cheaper.

also need to buy an air compressor.

 

[skey44]

Thanks for the manual knowledge!

I bought my kinetic rope and soft shackles at a local off road shop for a decent price. It was a local product and it seems to be of high quality and the right materials.

And I know the feeling. I have wheeled mostly alone. That’s why I eventually got a winch on the last vehicle. I don’t think I’m gonna get a winch this time (trying to keep weight down) but you never know. With lots of time spent solo and remotely off road, it provided my mind to be just a little more at ease.

 

[VSPro9]

Thanks for the manual knowledge!

I bought my kinetic rope and soft shackles at a local off road shop for a decent price. It was a local product and it seems to be of high quality and the right materials.

And I know the feeling. I have wheeled mostly alone. That’s why I eventually got a winch on the last vehicle. I don’t think I’m gonna get a winch this time (trying to keep weight down) but you never know. With lots of time spent solo and remotely off road, it provided my mind to be just a little more at ease.

ive been reading the recovery forum on here and learned about the hi lift jack trick. will probably go that route for now as much of the trails i found dont have deep long mud pits, and im more likely to get stuck from loss of traction (all seasons on the car right now) vs high centering it. hoping boards along with a few feet of hi lift wenching will be enough.

 

[Mr Chuck Norris]

ive been reading the recovery forum on here and learned about the hi lift jack trick. will probably go that route for now as much of the trails i found dont have deep long mud pits, and im more likely to get stuck from loss of traction (all seasons on the car right now) vs high centering it. hoping boards along with a few feet of hi lift wenching will be enough.

Using a Hi-Lift as a come-along REALLY sucks... At the very least, go buy an American made 2-3 ton come-along AKA cable puller from a company like Tuf Tug. I have one of their small 2 ton units to lift a jib crane boom and it's a nice little tool.

Correction: it's a small frame 2 ton, but get a medium or large frame for actual truck recovery.

 

[Jstawgn]

There are a couple people that rip their pre 06 tie downs at GXOR. Especially in the rust belt.. Late 05 model switch to stronger weld thru tie down. Still not strong enough for heavy duty recovery but much better.
This incident happened 12 years ago. Not sure the circumstances. Might be an abused demo vehicle.


Trail tailor, Treaty Oak and Apex Overland got recovery point. I would use 150 version instead of the one dedicated for 120 version as the 120 version are a lot more difficult to install and not as strong.

I would also strongly recommend a short strap or bridle to split the load between the two tie-down.

 

[Mr Chuck Norris]

There are a couple people that rip their pre 06 tie downs at GXOR. Especially in the rust belt.. Late 05 model switch to stronger weld thru tie down. Still not strong enough for heavy duty recovery but much better.
This incident happened 12 years ago. Not sure the circumstances. Might be an abused demo vehicle.


Trail tailor, Treaty Oak and Apex Overland got recovery point. I would use 150 version instead of the one dedicated for 120 version as the 120 version are a lot more difficult to install and not as strong.

I would also strongly recommend a short strap or bridle to split the load between the two tie-down.

You're kidding me, right?

Some idiot stuck in the sand yanks it violently enough to rip the entire front end of the frame off and you're blaming the towing eyelets? The towing eyelets are still obviously attached to the frame chunks that were ripped off, if anything that video is a testament that the frame itself will fail before the towing eyelets separate from the frame.

 

[VSPro9]

There are a couple people that rip their pre 06 tie downs at GXOR. Especially in the rust belt.. Late 05 model switch to stronger weld thru tie down. Still not strong enough for heavy duty recovery but much better.
This incident happened 12 years ago. Not sure the circumstances. Might be an abused demo vehicle.


Trail tailor, Treaty Oak and Apex Overland got recovery point. I would use 150 version instead of the one dedicated for 120 version as the 120 version are a lot more difficult to install and not as strong.

I would also strongly recommend a short strap or bridle to split the load between the two tie-down.

Well great now i have to worry about my extremely high mileage frame that lived in the rust belt

 

[Mr Chuck Norris]

Looking at the options you listed, the only one that addresses frame strength is the Apex Overland recovery point. They have been well thought out to tie into the frame further back.

 

[ebbs15]

I would order some recovery points... Apex got mine out and I received them in under a week. But, if you can't, I would just be smart, don't go anywhere you can't get pulled back out, and I don't put too much effort in to getting through an obstacle... Bigger efforts require bigger recoveries when you fail

 

[rommelrommel]

I have actually seen a picture of them torn through in the middle (not pulled out of the subframe) but I have no idea what they did to accomplish that.

 

[Jstawgn]

You're kidding me, right?

Some idiot stuck in the sand yanks it violently enough to rip the entire front end of the frame off and you're blaming the towing eyelets? The towing eyelets are still obviously attached to the frame chunks that were ripped off, if anything that video is a testament that the frame itself will fail before the towing eyelets separate from the frame.

Where the OEM tie down point on the frame horn does create leverage and can cause the failure like shown in the video.
This style does not reinforce the frame horn

This style does as it tie the radiator support to the main rail.

Apex recovery does looks the best although I am not sure about material and what welding do to it. They do not have KDSS version until late last year. And the swaybar mount holes used are not present on KDSS frame. You would need to drill and insert the nuts somehow.

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Shop for all things for your overland rig. Roof racks, storage solutions, bumpers, recovery gear, suspension, air, fuel and power solutions. Camping gear, front recovery points, lighting, Armor, skids plates, sliders and more!

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If you watch professional off road recovery on YouTube, you will see a lot of questionable practice by the book. They develop the feel of what is safe and have to utilize what is available on customer's vehicles.

 

[Rednexus]

I put on a pair of SRQ Fabrication recovery points. They are very beefy, attach with a ton of bolts to multiple frame points, shipped fast, and installed relatively easily. You'll bend the frame horns well before these rip off. IMO they are a better design than the Apex recovery points, due to attachment from multiple areas from multiple directions, and are cheaper to boot. They come unpainted so you'll either need to spray them or get them powdercoated (I used red spray can enamel).

4th/5th Gen 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, GX470 Recovery Points

A little about the product: 1/4" Steel Bolt-On Application Optional tie in point with our 4th gen hybrid front bumper Comes with new grade 8 hardware Fitment: 03-09 4Runner (4th Gen 4Runner) 10+ 4Runner (5th Gen 4Runner) 03-09 GX470 07-09 FJ Cruiser 10-14 FJ Cruiser Not KDSS Compatible

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