Safety Lanyards

[Old Jeeper]

You just bought your winch line that will see many winches and many pulls. I have even done a UNDERWATER PULL.

Warn 9.5 Ti, Masterpull 7/16ths rope, 2 full pulls of over 80 ft to rescue a Jeep and his family as they were trying to cross a raging river, look at the waves and foam on the water.

Winch and Rope are underwater and this is why I buy Warn and Masterpull!

I did another Jeep that was driving down a river and got to the sharp turn and it was washed out deep unlike the rest of the river. It was a Cliff on one side of him and forest on the other. The trail I was on running on top of the cliff. Down from where his Jeep sunk to the windshield there was a wide spot crossing.

He had gone over there and was waving down Jeepers to help get his Jeep out. It was a Sunday and he had gone on an early morning run, its not mid-afternoon. No one could help him because the only way to get the Jeep out of the hook on the tow hooks and lift it OVER the top of the Clift.

I said let's look and I walked back and look over and down...WOW, undercut drop about 50 ft down to his Jeep or more. I dropped my shackle and he ran down and hooked onto his trailer hitch.

I found a log laying and oddly enough a big piece of a rug. I laid them down, covered the log with the rug and backed my Jeep up about 20 feet, then had another Jeep hook on to me with his winch on my trailer hitch to make sure I did not slide forward.

I started pulling and told him that as soon as the Jeep came out of the water to spring so as the tires were against the wall.

I pulled that Jeep up and over the Clift. WIsh I had pics of this...

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[Old Jeeper]

I am a 'GO Warn or Go Home" guy. Been running Warn for over 25 years.. Never an issue or breakage. Show me another winch that can run underwater or pull a Jeep up over a 50 ft Clift. I have drug Jeeps out of wedges in Pritchett Canyon you name it.

This is just me, I don't mind dropping the coin. Too many times I have had to step up and take a failed wincher, his winch overheated, rope broke, and or he was doing dangerous things. I have seen hands mangled, a leg cut off just below the knee and a guy's GF get killed...all because some wanna be with poor equipment and even poorer knowledge, wants to be Mr hero and he came out a zero! She died on the angel flight to the hospital. And MORE, too much more!

Just remember: Cheap don't come good and good don't come cheap.

 

[Old Jeeper]

I am with you on this. I am generally the trail leader not by choice but by those who look at my rig. I step up as my exp is most of the folks are wanna-be and to keep them from cutting off their fingers and other folks' legs and killing someone I step in and get it done.

What pisses me off is so many buy a high $ winch, never used it and suddenly they are experts on winching and they all want to be heroes...to many times heroes turn into zeros.

We out and it was my first time with the group. A guy got his rig stuck, rear wheel sunk to the axle in mud. He could not get out and suddenly my I know it all came running telling. people to get out of his way he is going to get him out.

So what does he do? He hooks on to the guys rear TRAILER BALL and tries to get him out but his wheels are spinning...I am there telling him do NOT HOOK ON TO THE TRAILER BALL...it was a F*^K you this is first out with us, you don't know shit. So I walk away. Mr Big decides to jerk him out. Stuck to the axle, jerk harder and harder till the ball breaks...where did the ball go?

Straight back thru his windshield into the forehead of his girlfriend.
We were not far from town and we got an angel flight out, she died on the way to the hospital.

I never wheeled with that group again.

For that reason, this is why If I lead, I winch no one else!

That wheeling area was shut down and has not reopened since it happened in 1982 IIRC.. It was a good wheeling area N of Dallas.

I wheeled alone mostly and got into some real messes. One time took me most of the afternoon to get out. I had sunk that jeep to the axles, but I had a shovel and a winch, which I could not reach a tree.

 

[ACAPECE]

What would you suggest for recovery if you don’t have a winch? Im a noobie when it comes to off road. I’m planning on doing some light to moderate trails to get some more experience. Most likely Im not going to be the recovery guy, probably the one being recovered .. Im not comfortable going unprepared. I was actually researching kinetic ropes and recovery gear which lead me to this thread…

 

[ACAPECE]

I agree, I think most of the fun is being with other people to enjoy the ride. That’s part of my reasoning for having some equipment. I don’t want to be “that guy”. Being unprepared is something I try to avoid in most things.

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