How much recovery kit - is too much kit?

[graff!t!]

I took stock of my recovery kit today after some of it was replaced and realized I have a lot of ****.

Everything I've put together I've used on my CJ or a Humvee at some point in the past... But those vehicles were old (we'll just leave it at that). I have a JL now and I'm wondering how much I could slim this down. Should I?

The only thing not shown is the FTM400 radio, Element Extinguisher, and the nuts and bolts package I'm still working on.

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[rickinAZ]

Wow. That's not so much a recovery kit; more like an end-of-the-world kit.
Impressive

 

[graff!t!]

Product of my experiences driving in Africa. Those days are over though, time to think less end-o-world and more realistically.

 

[Mine&Hers]

How do you store all of that?

 

[Kleiss1]

I’m thinking that might be too much.

 

[graff!t!]

How do you store all of that?

Green bags fit really nicely under the rear seats, air and tire kit fit in the center between those bags.

Shovel and hi-lift kit go in the back storage, jack attaches to the trailer hitch, maxtraxx sit on the spare tire.

The socket set and winch line kit just sit in the rear passenger's foot well.

 

[graff!t!]

I’m thinking that might be too much.

I agree its probably a lot, thats the reason for the sanity check.

What to slim out though?

 

[graff!t!]

I agree that much of the gear is related to vehicle repair and beyond recovery. I would delete some sockets, wrenches,nylon straps and Dewalt impact. I'd get rid of the square nose shovel and add some sort of wood cutting implement. I often carry either a Dewalt 20v chain saw or recipicating saw, long sabor wood blades and Dewalts 12v charger. BTW, a traction board shovels snow and sand.

Is there a comprehensive list for socket and wrench sizes? Unless I'm mistaken it's all metric...

I typically will add a reciprocating saw thus the blades (red)

Shovel is a good point, so obvious it blew by me.

 

[Jeep4Win]

Wowza that is a lot of tools!

 

[graff!t!]

I do not know of one. You do have more sockets lenghts, drive sizes and allen wrench types than I carry. I carry 3/8 drive medium only and no allen sockets, just allen wrenches. Combo wrenches 6-24mm. I have a couple sizes of drift pins and a cold chisel, which I don't see in your kit. Other than that we pretty much have the same chit. Oh, I also have a small jumper battery and no longer carry cables.

Pins and chisel make sense.

The audewdirect case is a battery jump box. So far I haven't had anything to jump yet so in my mind it's a 'reliability-unknown'

I'm surprised there isnt a thread, derived from Jeep, that says stock vehicles use only these sockets & length, these wrenches, and these miscellaneous tools. I'm sure it's long but it can't be that subjective.

 

[Starboard M]

I would leave the small crow foot nail puller thing at home, not sure Ive used such a tool on a vehicle before.

I would also ditch the ballpeen hammer and replace it with a deadblow. If Im doing a trail/road side repair, a small hammer is not what Im reaching for.

The torque wrench is nice, but again, if Im on the side of the road, I just want to get off and doing correct torque specs is not what Im after. As you said, your time in Africa suggests there was no "home base" so I understand that. Personally I dont want my torque wrench bouncing around in the Jeep, and I would replace it with a 1/2" breaker bar, and some 1/2" to 3/8" adapters.
Most of the suspension nuts and bolts are metric, and in the 15-22mm range. I dont see any of those, and you might want to consider adding them.
The Dewalt impact looks to be more of a 1/4" hex impact (could be wrong, Im a red guy). I would leave that, but I do bring my 1/2" Milwaukee impact gun with me.

The air hoses seem excessive, the line with the filer/dryer? and gauge seem heavy and bulky.

Finally, I am not a fan of highlifts, but I suppose they serve some purpose when you are alone in the middle of Africa. Just make sure the pins and springs are well lubed. And be VERY careful when using it!


Your train of thought seems to be Im going from point A to point B with no going back to a home base. While I cant speak for everyone, my mindset is more get off the trail to the trailer, get off the road to get home, or get back to civilization so I can call for a tow truck. Neither are wrong, just different ways of doing things.

 

[1996cc]

We could be friends. I don’t have pics, but I do have a spreadsheet - with the location of each item. I don’t always bring my chain saw, but in the northwest, it’s never a bad idea. I also volunteer on my County’s Search and Rescue Special Vehicles Group, so I kinda need to be prepared. (One of our recent rescues has even become National news, even on BBC

 

[graff!t!]

We could be friends. I don’t have pics, but I do have a spreadsheet - with the location of each item. I don’t always bring my chain saw, but in the northwest, it’s never a bad idea. I also volunteer on my County’s Search and Rescue Special Vehicles Group, so I kinda need to be prepared. (One of our recent rescues has even become National news, even on BBC

But really, to Starboard M's point, I have had a 'one-way midset'; which I am trying to get out of. I really think for tools I'll slim down to trail repairs around the drivetrain. As a weekend warrior, I don't see a lot of engine repairs or fixes on the transfer case or transmission, especially under skid plates - I don't wheel that hard, I just like being self-sufficient.

 

[J0E]

I took stock of my recovery kit today after some of it was replaced and realized I have a lot of ****.

Everything I've put together I've used on my CJ or a Humvee at some point in the past... But those vehicles were old (we'll just leave it at that). I have a JL now and I'm wondering how much I could slim this down. Should I?

The only thing not shown is the FTM400 radio, Element Extinguisher, and the nuts and bolts package I'm still working on.

What size X-Lock? What's your axillary winch rope rated at? Your winch? I know the professional recovery folks prefer a snatch block over a snatch ring, but I carry at least two snatch rings. You'll need two to use the X-Lock in a Spanish Burton rigging.

What are the soft shackles rated at? I carry:

• 4 @ 56K breaking soft shackles & 4 D-rings.
• 20' Kinetic rope, 1.25" What size and length of kinetic rope? Kinetic rope should be last resort but in the last 2 years I've had to use it twice when a winch wouldn't do.
• 80' backup 12K winch rope to use with my 20K X-Lock and SB rigging.
• 3 @ 4", 30' tow straps, tree saver. On a recent recovery I needed all three tow straps and all 4 soft shackles.
• torque wrench is a secure place.
• 500 ft/lb Ryobi impact driver, chain saw, recip saw, lights, chargers, compressors (lots of Ryobi tools)
• Square shovel that I use to change tires. Slide the shovel under the tire and it's easy to lift the tire up.
• Radiator hose repair tape.
• Fast setting JB Weld
• 2 ga, 30' jumper cables
• Most of the tools you listed
• 0 traction boards as they're not worth the space/money.
• No emergency tire repair kit. I've seen dozens of flats wheeling, never one that could be repaired with a plug. I will be adding Fix a flat after off roading in my wifes EV and got a 2" slash in the sidewall. Like most newer cheaper cars, it didn't come with a spare. Fix a flat amazingly sealed the gash enough that I could limp home (5 miles away).
• I only carry a high lift in one of my three Rubicons, only because it came with it.

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