Recovery Gear

[jssgbsn]

I've been just using a chain with hooks on both ends for everything.  Sometimes I gottat 'double over' or thread the chain throught a tow hook and attach the chain hook that way.  Always feels 'sketchy' to me doing that, wrapping around whatever I can find on the vehicle being recovered and then my welded on stinger.  And never a ball reciever or bolted on bumper, I do know at least not to do that

Been meaning to get proper gear for a while.

Am I basically stuck either buying an ARB Kit $300-400, or slowly piecing an ARB Kit of my own (which I guess will cost more money in the long run)?

Heard all types of warning about buying straps, rings, shackles, blocks, etc from box retailers (Walmaret and others) cause they probably are not rated well and then its a safety hazard, not sure how much worse than what I already been doing.

Any other options besides the ARB, maybe stuff from a heavy duty truck store (tractor/trailer/semi/etc)?

Just curious, where I live tourists get stuck all the time and I am thinking of cruising the hot spots when I aint got much to do and charging them a recovery fee (bascially half what a wrecker would end up charging).  Or at least a pair of shoes or sunglasses or something else worth value I can sell (maybe beer also) since I know they will be desperate

Thanks for any input.

Jesse

[jimbo74]

I don't know that I would sell them beer.... just what we need, some drunk tourist on the road, all pissed that he got his car stuck......



I personally would use straps and D rings......

Not a fan of chains, but we did pull a class A fuel truck out of the sand when it got stuck... with a chain, attached to our forklift....... the chain was rated to 25,000 was big and heavy.... but I know for a fact, that fuel truck weighed a lot more than that..... and shock is what breaks stuff, the rolling capacity isn't near as bad.....


If you are alone a lot, you might want to invest in a winch and a pull pal

[blackdiamond]

I carry a 20 foot and 30 foot 20,000 lb straps with a few D-rings.  I have a winch, but have not used either very much.  I think I've only used my winch twice to pull myself and once for someone else.  Keeping a strap on a rear D-ring can make for a quick tug and go when necessary.

Just remember that you're liable for any damage you might cause pulling someone out.  People can be friendly until they are not.  Also, if you're talking about off road recovery, I thought it was sort of a gentleman's agreement that helping out was just the right thing to do.  If you're somehow planning to advertise your service and people are calling you for help that's different in my opinion, but I'm not a fan of cruising the trails looking to make some cash.  Do it for the fun.

[jssgbsn]

I meant the giuve me beer for getting them unstuck.

And I have been pulling people out for free.  I just get tired of seeing guys park in deep sand on our beach roads.  Alwaysa tourists.  I don;t mind helpiung people, and do, its just I see it all the time and always feel bad passing them by.  I cant spend all day pulling our tourists for free.  They could easliy call a wrecker.  I see them doing it all the time.  Basically you cannot park on the asphalt, only the sand.  And insterad of them parking on hard dirt and walking further, they park in deep sand.  But yeah, if it aint a tourist or its in the boonies its always free, cause I know I would want help if I needed.

And yeah I got a winch but I have obnvioulsy been doing things redneck.  Just getting it done with what I got.

So it sounds like D-Rings with staic straps to start, tree saver for my winch with block eventually, and finally a dynamic snatch rope to tug people out.

When doing it for free I tell the tourist if something breaks it aint on me.  Its usually a rental so they don't care anyway.

Not offroad recovery specifically, just knuckle heads who park their cars in deep sand cause they are too lazy to walk from a parking lot.  Usually if its a Jeeper or other truck that  is an offraod vehilce I'll pull them for free no matter.

[redneckcustoms13]

As far as straps go, do you have any marine or rigging supply houses close to you? Of not I would be happy to get you a price on a 20' or any other size nylon twin path, shackles you can get basically anywhere. I had a girlfriend in high school and her dad worked for a marine supply house and made nylon straps and slings for a living, I got them by the pallet when they get a fray in them and had to be turned in. He also made me new ones with my name on them so they wouldn't get lost on the trail. I can call him and see what let's say a 20' twin path, a 5', and a 30' would go for. I use a 5' to wrap around a tree and fasten back to the rear bumper whrn using my winch to recover folks. The 20' and or 30' are great for towing people out and if a snatch is required you don't have that sneaky feeling a chain is fixing to come through you window.

[jssgbsn]

Near PCola, FL so there might be.  Lots of boats, etc around here.  Not really a big port per se.  BTW, are these type of straps static or dynamic?  Just curious.  I was thinking of looking at a shipyard or heavy truck place instead of paying for the ARB label.

[blackdiamond]

I have a Pro Comp 30' strap that I remember being a much better deal than Warn or ARB.

[jimbo74]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002QSHIEU/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687582&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000CNGS56&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0FWYPFAW2KNKQQRTFV45

[H8PVMNT]

We have been using the "bubba rope" for a few years now.  They are superior even to a good nylon strap.  Really soft pull and great kinetic bounce back. This allows you to pull out huge, heavy rigs with your relatively light weight Toyota.

Really good outfit too, they always sponsor our non-profit events and they even sent my wife a new short version for horses absolutely free because she uses my long rope for training horses to be tied.

[jssgbsn]

We have been using the "bubba rope" for a few years now.  They are superior even to a good nylon strap.  Really soft pull and great kinetic bounce back. This allows you to pull out huge, heavy rigs with your relatively light weight Toyota.

It seems like most things I have read are that you eventually want a 'normal' snatch strap having little to no stretch.  And also an actual kinetic snatch rope.

Id rather just have one.  Is there much of an issue using a kinetic snatch rope in a 'pulling' only recovery?  You know I can just drive them out without needing to 'yank' them.  Or is that bad/harmful/dumb to use a kinetic rope that way.

I believe in the right tool for the job, but if one tool can do both things id rather have that one tool, ya know.

Opinions?

So far it seems like im gonna get 2-4 Shackles, a strap/rope, tree saver and a block at.  Does that seem adequate to everybody?

[redneckcustoms13]

I'm in mobile so it wouldn't be far at all foe you to drive over here and go to marine and industrial supply and buy everything you need. I have no experience with the Bubba rope or any my kind of kinetic strap, I just use regular old nylon lifting straps.

[SqWADoosh]

I've looked at the bubba and voodoo ropes and then found this one on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004W3P6AK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=292GLRFW58Z3K&coliid=I1JO9GIPFCP3KK

A lot more affordable and by all intents and purposes will work just as well. You can see that is very well reviewed as well.

[H8PVMNT]

There is really no issue with the kinetic ropes or straps in my experience.  You don't pull like hell, you just kind of drive away regular. The more stretchy ropes feel a bit softer than a regular nylon strap when you yank hard, which is nice, but either have somewhat of the same effect.  You can tighten up and pull slow if that's what you want but it's not really necessary because these tools provide a lot more cushion than a chain, which is just like hitting something with a hammer.

I've used my straps and the bubba rope for tree savers as well.  A nylon strap works a bit better as a winch anchor because it has less give, but both work.  I like to carry a recovery rope and a short stout tree saver for winching, along with a couple good clevises, a snatch block, one log chain and an extra 100 ft length of 5/16 cable.

Don't forget gloves .

[Snowtoy]

It seems like most things I have read are that you eventually want a 'normal' snatch strap having little to no stretch..

Obsolete thinking for recovery from mud, sand, snow, where you often need to use more force than the tow vehicle can create to pull the stuck vehicle out.  It is also far safer as the force applied to the tow points is gradual, and not a shock load.  Static lines are best used for flat towing or recovery from rocks where the tow vehicle has a enough traction/slow speed alone is all that is needed to pull the stuck vehicle over an obstacle.

We have been using the "bubba rope" for a few years now.  They are superior even to a good nylon strap.  Really soft pull and great kinetic bounce back. This allows you to pull out huge, heavy rigs with your relatively light weight Toyota.

Exactly, pulled about 22,000+ pounds of truck and 5th wheel out of the mud a few years back.  With the chain my Uncle insisted in using first, I only spun the tires, after he did the "told you so" about my little Toyota not being up to the challenge, I pulled out the 30' recovery strap and had him out with the first pull.  I knew it would work, had been pulling full size rigs(when they would lower themselves to letting an import pull them out ) out of the snow for years.

[SqWADoosh]

Why does everyone keep a chain? Just seems like a lot of weight to haul around. Is it for using a hi-lift as a emergency winch?

[blackdiamond]

You may also want to have more than one size shackle.  I believe most have 7/8" pins, but I'm looking to get at least one with a 1/2" pin because I remember the winch anchor on the top of White Knuckle Hill in Moab being tight to the rock which required a smaller shackle to hook things up.

It looks like the 1/2" pin only has a 2 ton rating which would make it a last option if a 3/4" (4.75 ton) or 7/8" wouldn't do the job.

[H8PVMNT]

If I am on a play trip I leave the chain to save weight.  If it's for logging, road clearing or something I take the chain along.  I've found over the years that some activities will ruin your nice yank straps.

[Snowtoy]

Why does everyone keep a chain? Just seems like a lot of weight to haul around. Is it for using a hi-lift as a emergency winch?

One use, also can be used for creating/extending a recovery point on a rig.  I carry a tow rope for that purpose, lighter, and less dangerous if/when it breaks.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

Why does everyone keep a chain? Just seems like a lot of weight to haul around. Is it for using a hi-lift as a emergency winch?

it is nice for repairs too

[jssgbsn]

I read earlier having a chain is good when your only winch point is something jagged like rocks that could scrape/tear a strap.  Not speaking from experience, but what I read somewhere.

[emsvitil]

Harbor Freight has some decent parts (not all) for cheap (sales and coupons).......

[Snowtoy]

............The 20' and or 30' are great for towing people out and if a snatch is required you don't have that sneaky feeling a chain is fixing to come through you window.

That is one of those sounds you know something bad happened as soon as you hear it.

[jssgbsn]

Sill making up my mind back thank you everybody for your input on this thread and thru PM's

I love the MC Forum!!!

[Mason85]

Chain thru the back glass of a 4 runner catching slack about a foot behind your head is not fun at all.