General recovery education?

[skipdup]

So, I'm still pretty new to Jeep. We (family of 5) have lots of plans for this summer... No plans for rock crawling or serious off-roading, but hope to do lots of off-road exploring, trail running, beach trips (Padre Island), etc. - towing the Jeep to destinations with our RV. Hope/planning to keep the JLUR 4xe stock-ish. Not planning on a winch (at least for now???).

On our maiden trip with Jeep to NM, up in some mountain trails, after a few wrong turns and ending up on higher rated trails (and getting hi centered in a precarious position), I realized I'm not prepared sufficiently.

I plan to buy some basic recovery gear, and try to learn some recovery "best practices", just in case we, or someone else, gets in a bind.

Just bought an InReach, and thinking about 30' kinetic rope, 20' tow strap, and some soft shackles. Is this a good start? Anyone recommend brand, sizes/weight capacities, etc?

Re: "best practices", anyone point me to where I can properly educate myself? Pointers on what not to do (besides not using a tow ball)? Common mistakes? I'm sure common sense plays here, but I don't know what I don't know. Like are the factory tow hooks GTG?

Really appreciate any advice or guidance!

Thanks,
Skip

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[roaniecowpony]

How about a formal class?
4x4 Training with Discover Off-Roading (discoveroffroading.com)

Also, since you don't have a winch, you should carry digging and traction stuff. A shovel and traction boards would be good. On a super tight budget, a shovel and some old carpet.

 

[skipdup]

Yes, forgot I plan on buying traction boards and bringing shovel.
Formal class is interesting. Will see what's local...
Thanks!

edit: also have a 12v compressor, which will eventually get upgraded.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Just buy a winch. Our x-bull winch has served us well for years and it was $300 on Amazon. The peace of mind when you come across deep mud or snow and won't need to turn around or spend a whole afternoon digging when you're out exploring is well worth a few hundred dollars in my opinion.

 

[NWJeepr]

Short of taking an actual class and practicing lots for many different situations, your next best option would be to a) Just start watching episodes of Matt's Offroad Recovery on Youtube. He generally knows his stuff, although, with any situation, you have to work with what you have in the moment. b) Travel with people who are experienced and learn from them or ask to practice some pulls or rigging while out on the trail.

MORR is what convinced me I never want to work with metal objects during recovery. No balls on trailer hitches, no tow ropes with metal hooks. Just soft shackles, fixed recovery points, kinetic ropes, and synthetic straps, if you can manage it.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Everyone that wheels should know this:
Free Off-Road Recoveries in all 50 states - Offroad Portal

 

[roaniecowpony]

Short of taking an actual class and practicing lots for many different situations, your next best option would be to a) Just start watching episodes of Matt's Offroad Recovery on Youtube. He generally knows his stuff, although, with any situation, you have to work with what you have in the moment. b) Travel with people who are experienced and learn from them or ask to practice some pulls or rigging while out on the trail.

MORR is what convinced me I never want to work with metal objects during recovery. No balls on trailer hitches, no tow ropes with metal hooks. Just soft shackles, fixed recovery points, kinetic ropes, and synthetic straps, if you can manage it.

Also, there are a large number of Australian videos on recovery knowledge, maybe more than USA stuff. Mad Matt is one I watch often. Here's one of his. Soft Shackles some Dos and Don'ts with using them in 4x4 recoveries - YouTube

 

[GATORB8]

One thing to consider is if you’ll be solo (jeep wise). You can have a stack of kinetic ropes and straps, but they are useless without another vehicle.

Before you spend a bunch of money on recovery gear, I recommend some seat time off road in a group. We all started out somewhere, and most jeepers enjoy helping the new guys (and gals) get into it.

Looks like Hidden Falls is about an hour north of you. I’d check to see if there is a local Facebook group doing a trail ride you can join in, just ask if beginners are welcome. I’ll actually be there next weekend with a group of probably 30 jeeps for a podcast event, you’d be welcome to join.

https://jeeptalkshow.com/jts-texas-event/

 

[skipdup]

I should have realized YouTube would be helpful. Duh. Already learning a lot.
Had no idea offroadportal was a thing. Wow!
Good point on getting to Marble Falls...
Thanks all!

 

[Old Jeeper]

So, I'm still pretty new to Jeep. We (family of 5) have lots of plans for this summer... No plans for rock crawling or serious off-roading, but hope to do lots of off-road exploring, trail running, beach trips (Padre Island), etc. - towing the Jeep to destinations with our RV. Hope/planning to keep the JLUR 4xe stock-ish. Not planning on a winch (at least for now???).

On our maiden trip with Jeep to NM, up in some mountain trails, after a few wrong turns and ending up on higher rated trails (and getting hi centered in a precarious position), I realized I'm not prepared sufficiently.

I plan to buy some basic recovery gear, and try to learn some recovery "best practices", just in case we, or someone else, gets in a bind.

Just bought an InReach, and thinking about 30' kinetic rope, 20' tow strap, and some soft shackles. Is this a good start? Anyone recommend brand, sizes/weight capacities, etc?

Re: "best practices", anyone point me to where I can properly educate myself? Pointers on what not to do (besides not using a tow ball)? Common mistakes? I'm sure common sense plays here, but I don't know what I don't know. Like are the factory tow hooks GTG?

Really appreciate any advice or guidance!

Thanks,
Skip

There is a LOT of Doo-Dah and I see many Jeepers with 100s of lbs of somewhere in the back of there Jeep.

Kinetic rope: Been Jeeping since 1965, never had a Kinetic rope, never needed one and I have been stuck and unstuck other literally around the world, Europe, Asia, Latin America and all over the US. IF you use it you damn better know what you are doing, they can go dangerous in a heartbeat. Think, not knowing what you may come across and you will need a rope with 6500-9500 lbs of get'u and that is a lot of pull power and STORED ENERGY!!

https://www.masterpull.com/

I know the ower of this company, he was working in the Oil business and he tied down everything from high winds to high seas in the North Sea and around the world. He make the best products out there and I send in my winch rope about once a year for inspection and repair if needed. My winch rope is over 20 years old and i send it in once year at NO COST for repairs etc.

What do you need I Good tow strap about 30 feet long and a Tree saver strap 6-10 ft long. As for soft shackles I don't use them, not that I think anything is wrong with them, but I steel shackles

Winch: I am of the Warn life, all I have ever used and and I have 2 Jeeps and a F 450 Truck and all them have a Warn, my best Warn the top of the line about $2700 the other 2 are less than $2k. You get a Harbor Fright Winch, Badlands, ZXR 9500 lbs, $349. https://www.harborfreight.com/9500-lb-trucksuv-winch-with-wire-rope-59408.html

Everyone has a budget and everyone does not winch big stuff and as offten as I do. The only I will say is...no matter your winch, use ROPE, NOT steel cable and buy the best you can.

I have a lot of shackles and you need at least 3 or 4 in you bag: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=Warn+shackles

Here is a Warn booklet on winching: download PDF: https://literature.warn.com/view/890448583/i/


You don't as much stuff as many have. I have found over the many years the gear they have the less likely they are to help you...why? All the gear (which of TOP of the line and $$$$$) clean, shiney, oiled, organized in bags and they are not going to get it dirty. ME, I have winched and don't hesitate to help someone...I have saved Jeeps and lives but you cannot do that with under-performing gear!

DO NOT go out by yourself. That is when you ego gets big and you think you can do that and neither you and or you Jeep have what takes got out of trouble. Try to find someone you can trust to go with you. Going out byourself (and you family included) is when things go wrong. Anything past the curb on Dirt, Sand or Rock is dangerous, I have seen peole die out there, legs cut off when winch line broke, fingers sucked into the winch, hands mangled.

The Terrain can fool you. There is a wheeling area that has a 100+ ft cliff and at the bottom are trucks and Jeeps, 3 or 4 last time I was there about 40 years ago. I remember going on a easy run several years ago and the back which was the trail we came in on, its almost dark and we got there around 0830 that am, there was a fork. Me and the trail boss decided we going home, the rest of the group decided to take the other route because they thought it was shorter. This was Friday eve. Sunday eve is when they got back. They got lost! Sheriffs dept sent out a helicopter and it had to drop food and water to them.

2 most important things you take with you: Fuel & Water with water being the most important!

Have fun, think smart:

https://offroadingpro.com/off-road-parks-in-texas/

 

[roaniecowpony]

...

2 most important things you take with you: Fuel & Water with water being the most important!

Have fun, think smart:

https://offroadingpro.com/off-road-parks-in-texas/

Water...
Expensive and complicated installation,
but space efficient.

Cheap, effective.

 

[Old Jeeper]

Water...
Expensive and complicated installation,
but space efficient.

Cheap, effective.

Depending on where you wheel you made a gallon back up or 2-3 gals for every day you might be out...Think ARIZONA!

Folks go out on BLM land, just fo ran afternoon of light wheeling. Got some sandwichs and some cold drinks. They get lost and a week later they find the bodies...died from lack of water. Would have lived it they brought water instead of Cokes and Beer...

 

[jimcoffey62]

Just buy a winch. Our x-bull winch has served us well for years and it was $300 on Amazon. The peace of mind when you come across deep mud or snow and won't need to turn around or spend a whole afternoon digging when you're out exploring is well worth a few hundred dollars in my opinion.

in general I agree with you, but it's a bit more than just buying a winch.
A winch requires a bumper than can handle it.
Or you can rig it, but you'll still spend some money.
This guy spent $250 plus some grinder work.
Installing Winch plate on a Stock Plastic Bumper | Jeep Wrangler Forums (JL / JLU) - Rubicon, 4xe, 392, Sahara, Sport - JLwranglerforums.com

 

[Old Jeeper]

in general I agree with you, but it's a bit more than just buying a winch.
A winch requires a bumper than can handle it.
Or you can rig it, but you'll still spend some money.
This guy spent $250 plus some grinder work.
Installing Winch plate on a Stock Plastic Bumper | Jeep Wrangler Forums (JL / JLU) - Rubicon, 4xe, 392, Sahara, Sport - JLwranglerforums.com

LOL, that aint no winch on a plastic bumper, that is a Plastic bumper on a winch...helluva of good job.
I use 1/4 or 2/8 plate only because I have pulled so much heavy stuff. Like a Jeep that got stuck in the bend of a river and he broke it trying to get unstuck (not sure what he broke, but did not go). So its in the crook of the river with high sides, folks had been trying to get it out for 2 days. I came down the river and saw all the folks there and I asked what was wrong? BDJ (BrokeDickJeep). No one had been able to winch out. I drove down till I cam to a crossing and came back on the High side because is the outside of the bend and the vertical was cut under.

I said I need a rug or a large flat piece of truck bed rubber and I need a 2x4 or a 6 in hardwood limb green. I laid the limb down right at the edge, rug/rubber on top and hanging over the edge. Dropped my 26k rated Masterpull rope over the ege and the backed up my Jeep 1 % 1/2 x the length that it took to reach the Jeep.

Hooked up, got one of the Jeepers to back up to the back of my Jeep and strap to me and put it in brake lock.

I pull out the Jeep from the front bumper of his and brought it up about 35-37 feet straight up and over.

Warn TI 9500, Masterpull sheathed 125 Ft Super Rope 26,000 lb. This was back in 2002, 2003 TJ Rubicon and I still have that rope today, its on my F 450 Truck Warn PowerPlant 12,000, rope is not longer 125 ft, more like about 88 feet...every year sent back to Master pull to repair due to extreme winching, cost for repairs/shipping $0.00.

WInching: Its dangerous, KNOW what you are doing and remember: Good don't cheap and cheap don't good, but the best gear!

 

[J0E]

Just buy a winch. Our x-bull winch has served us well for years and it was $300 on Amazon. The peace of mind when you come across deep mud or snow and won't need to turn around or spend a whole afternoon digging when you're out exploring is well worth a few hundred dollars in my opinion.

Get a winch and a snatch ring and practice using it. Join an off road club and start helping doing recovers. I show the newbees how to use a winch, how to line up correctly so the winch spools correctly. I always use a snatch ring, at least one.

I did a after dark recovery of two buggies last night. It was 7+ trail to the first buggy, but those buggy guys are amazing spotters. 45 minutes later we recovered that buggy and it made it up the 9+ rest of the trail to 2nd rolled over buggy. The buggy guys never use spotters unless they're stuck or it's extremally dangerous. Coming out in the darky I only required one spot as I followed the line of the buggy in front of me and told him he had to run drag axle simulated. My JLR on 38's was barely able to get to the first buggy. Normally I use my LJR on 43's for buggy recovery but it's at the shop for a rear ARB locker problem.

Short of taking an actual class and practicing lots for many different situations, your next best option would be to a) Just start watching episodes of Matt's Offroad Recovery on Youtube. He generally knows his stuff, although, with any situation, you have to work with what you have in the moment. b) Travel with people who are experienced and learn from them or ask to practice some pulls or rigging while out on the trail.

MORR is what convinced me I never want to work with metal objects during recovery. No balls on trailer hitches, no tow ropes with metal hooks. Just soft shackles, fixed recovery points, kinetic ropes, and synthetic straps, if you can manage it.

Matt is extremely talented at recovery, but his utube is all about drama and the anthesis of optimal recovery. A kinetic recovery should only be done when there is not other option. I average 3 recoveries per month and in the last 2 years only twice did I need to use my kinetic rope. But there is no drama in slow winch recoveries, hence the kinetic yank. I've done thousands of deep snow recoveries in MT, UT, & WA. I've yet to see one of Matt's snow recoveries that I couldn't have done with 1 wheel drive (rear axle chained, no locker). He gets out that fragile snow cat for 4" of snow. Great drama, not optimal.

in general I agree with you, but it's a bit more than just buying a winch.
A winch requires a bumper than can handle it.
Or you can rig it, but you'll still spend some money.
This guy spent $250 plus some grinder work.
Installing Winch plate on a Stock Plastic Bumper | Jeep Wrangler Forums (JL / JLU) - Rubicon, 4xe, 392, Sahara, Sport - JLwranglerforums.com

I got this RR HD bumper for $500 delivered to Hawaii. Far better than crappy $1,800 factory bumper.

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