Rockcrawlindude
a rock crawlin’ dude
That’s a good kit.
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Offroad Recovery Equipment - What do you carry?
- Thread starter el_barto
- Start date
Iowagon
Member
This has been helpful. I need to put something together to keep in the truck. For my needs though I'm not going to do any rock crawling or even backwoods. My biggest issue is going to be in the snow or maybe a muddy ditch. Maybe this Smittybuilt kit and some traction racks would meet my needs.
Traction boards and GOOD shovel are king in the snow! Plastic shovels and little e-tools are convenient but suck when you need to do a lot of digging.
AnthonyD1978
Well-Known Member
I carry quite a bit too. One thing I noticed missing from a lot of your kits is tire repair items. I carry a large plug kit, rubber cement, rubber patches, and emergency valve stem replacements. I'd much rather plug a tire or even patch a sidewall than put a spare on in a hazardous area (side of the road or on a trail). Don't forget some way to get air in your tires too.
Don't forget a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit. I prefer a purpose-made "stop the bleed kit" instead of an off-the-shelf kit you get from your local store that is only good for minor scrapes. Road flares are good for hazards as well as starting fires in an emergency. I recently added a dedicated truck tarp used for putting on the ground and working in the mud or in the wet.
I also carry a large 12 ton bottle jack instead of a hi-lift.
All my items are stored in my ram boxes. The passenger side is used for vehicle recovery items. The driver's side is for soft goods and "go bag" items.
Here is the list we use as part of our search and rescue team. It may give you some ideas for your kits.
Don't forget a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit. I prefer a purpose-made "stop the bleed kit" instead of an off-the-shelf kit you get from your local store that is only good for minor scrapes. Road flares are good for hazards as well as starting fires in an emergency. I recently added a dedicated truck tarp used for putting on the ground and working in the mud or in the wet.
I also carry a large 12 ton bottle jack instead of a hi-lift.
All my items are stored in my ram boxes. The passenger side is used for vehicle recovery items. The driver's side is for soft goods and "go bag" items.
Here is the list we use as part of our search and rescue team. It may give you some ideas for your kits.
AnthonyD1978
Well-Known Member
Most of you don't have recovery points in the rear and need something like the below. Don't forget the adaptor for different size recievers (if another vehicle with a smaller reciever needs to recover you!).
Even with my AEV rear bumper I still carry the below in case I need to be recovered by someone that doesn't have rear recovery points.
Photo credit to @Rockcrawlerdude
Even with my AEV rear bumper I still carry the below in case I need to be recovered by someone that doesn't have rear recovery points.
Photo credit to @Rockcrawlerdude
Good points!
I have the Factor55 2.5” shackle receiver that lives in my hitch.
Pros: it’s 2.5” version so I don’t have the reducer rattling around in the hitch and it’s stronger; it’s got a larger hole to accept 3/4” OR 7/8” shackles; it’s dual drilled to be installed with the shackle pivot left/right or up/down to best prevent side-loading of the shackle(many only allow it to be installed for up/down pivot). Bonus, it works nicely as a step.
Cons: since it’s 2.5” it will not fit in other people’s hitches with 2” receiver; and since I don’t need it, I don’t carry the 2.5” to 2” reducer.
In a pinch, a strap can be placed directly into a hitch receiver and secured with the pin…but definitely want to be cautious that the strap is pretty straight so it isn’t against the edge of the receiver tube.
Metternacht
Well-Known Member
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Just curious, what do you think the impact of the large gear load outs are on MPG?
Rockcrawlindude
a rock crawlin’ dude
Thanks for the mention, @AnthonyD1978
Let the record show that I added value to this forum, for once.
Rockcrawlindude
a rock crawlin’ dude
Negligible. A decent recovery bag weighs less than a sturdy gal passenger
Rockcrawlindude
a rock crawlin’ dude
I’m going to throw this thing in with my kit. Was marked down to $49 so I picked it up this weekend. it impressed me. You guys with larger tires know this is a tough test for a little bitty compressor.
Thebuilderman
Well-Known Member
Anybody here know anything about Sherpa winches? I’m getting a Ram 3500 diesel, live in Colorado and make it off road often enough. Truck is about 8000lb.
I used my last Warn winch several times but the price on the Warn 16.5 Ti is close to 3k and although they make good stuff they’re WAY over priced and their website is all but useless and I’m assuming aside from their staff the company that owns Warn is probably a nightmare.
Im thinking a Sherpa Steed 17,500 winch is the ticket but it’s hard to find much info. It’s Australian made, ships free to the US and seems in what I could find, out performs the rest. Also they use the best Solenoids made and have an IP68 rating, NOT MADE IN CHINA!
I used my last Warn winch several times but the price on the Warn 16.5 Ti is close to 3k and although they make good stuff they’re WAY over priced and their website is all but useless and I’m assuming aside from their staff the company that owns Warn is probably a nightmare.
Im thinking a Sherpa Steed 17,500 winch is the ticket but it’s hard to find much info. It’s Australian made, ships free to the US and seems in what I could find, out performs the rest. Also they use the best Solenoids made and have an IP68 rating, NOT MADE IN CHINA!
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Rockcrawlindude
a rock crawlin’ dude
I found out about a new tool today while helping a buddy today. I’m adding one of these to my truck/trail kit. Bead buster 452
Interesting…high lift Jack + rock sliders works good at breaking beads as well, if already have one of them
Rockcrawlindude
a rock crawlin’ dude
Yeah, I’ve used that method and also just running over the tire with another rig (usually what I do) while there is nothing wrong with those methods, i see the benefit of this little thing. Your hi lift jack may be in use if you’re breaking down a tire, and running over the sidewall may be undesirable in mud or other situations. I have a hilift on my Toyota but not in my ram.
I liked that little 2-3lb tool with an electric impact. It wasn’t the fastest thing to use, but it didn’t require a lot of effort. Rather than moving the large tires around, we moved the small tool.
Hibiki54
Active Member
My recovery kit includes:
30ft x 1" Freedom Recovery Kinetic Rope
2x 1/2"x7" Freedom Soft Shackles
2x 5/16"x5" Yankum Soft Shackles
10"x3 Tree Strap
12k Snatch Block
Hitch Attachment with 3/4 shackle
Tool kit with power tools
Tire repair kit
Ridgid cordless tire inflator
I don't carry a hi-lift or any jack because whomever I wheel with has one (mainly hi lift). Currently in search of a jack that uses a socket to work so I can just use an impact.
30ft x 1" Freedom Recovery Kinetic Rope
2x 1/2"x7" Freedom Soft Shackles
2x 5/16"x5" Yankum Soft Shackles
10"x3 Tree Strap
12k Snatch Block
Hitch Attachment with 3/4 shackle
Tool kit with power tools
Tire repair kit
Ridgid cordless tire inflator
I don't carry a hi-lift or any jack because whomever I wheel with has one (mainly hi lift). Currently in search of a jack that uses a socket to work so I can just use an impact.
Poolmonkey
Well-Known Member
A ton, always have...the sand/mud base for a highlift is a recent addition. Would have never gotten out of this without the highlift wheel attachment and a bunch of firewood in the back, for putting the jack on mostly and then stuffing under the wheels after jacking.
All because the hitch hooked a rock in that caliche hill behind it while multipointing, a freak situation that took six hours of digging and jack. One of the "Dead Man" tools would have gotten us out...might get one.
The green box is get back to pavement stuff, the tool box is tools of course.
All because the hitch hooked a rock in that caliche hill behind it while multipointing, a freak situation that took six hours of digging and jack. One of the "Dead Man" tools would have gotten us out...might get one.
The green box is get back to pavement stuff, the tool box is tools of course.
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Rockcrawlindude
a rock crawlin’ dude
Carrying Hi lift jack is pretty useless on a HD Ram anyway. No lifting points you can use safely unless you have white knuckle sliders.
Toyota has one, though.
Poolmonkey
Well-Known Member
This....
Hi-Lift Lift Mate Wheel Attachment
Plastic bumpers and extreme lift-kits are no longer a problem. Many trucks and SUV's have larger tires and/or lift kits that require extensive lifting height ability from the bumper jack. The Lift-Mat
www.desertrat.com
Lifts the wheel immediately instead of at the top of travel like lifting from frame, bumper or slider and the weight of the vehicle secures the jack against the tire/ rim, it can't fall to one side or back toward you as long as the vehicle doesn't roll. Makes a Hi Lift safe lifting all four corners.
Rockcrawlindude
a rock crawlin’ dude
And then you can’t change the tire. Smart.
Poolmonkey
Well-Known Member
...loosen and then gently snug lugs, pick it up and drop it on a stand, more secure than teetering on a bottle jack but there are many reasons to lift a wheel when recovering of course. This thing allows lifting the wheel/axle low and early in the stroke of the jack instead of way up when lifting from anywhere else and can in no way fall off of the jack... a ton safer.
I still carry a couple of bottle jacks in addition to stands/ lengths of 4x4 and 2x4s.
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