Best manual recovery kit/gear

[PirateMcGee]

So I am working on putting together a recovery kit for my work's vehicle and figured I would draw on the communities knowledge.

Needs:
MUST BE MANUAL (seriously no electric stuff), we need to transfer this from vehicle to vehicle including rentals
Capable of moving up to a Ford F-250 with a camper (snatch blocks are fine)
Safe
As compact as possible

To go along with the winch if anyone knows of a comprehensive recovery kit (with a storage bag) with a recovery strap, blocks, tree strap etc. that would be great so I don't have to piece stuff together

Thanks!

 

[Cee-Jay]

If you haven't seen it already, you may find some useful information at this existing expo thread.

Based on my research, some tools to consider include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Deuer Mini Mule
- Griphoist Tirfor
- Wyeth-Scott Power Puller
- Hi-Lit jack with the optional off-road kit
- Lug-All

The general consensus seems to be to avoid the inexpensive stuff for sale at your local hardware store, as the risk of death or severe injury is very high should a tool like this fail during operation.

 

[PirateMcGee]

Cost really isn't an issue....far more concerned with safety

 

[Buliwyf]

Shovel. Winching an F250 is nice when you can, but unless you can tie off to an giant rock, oak tree, or the base of the Statue of Liberty, youre pretty much out of luck. Have to be extra careful with big trucks to make sure you can un-stick them. For me that means that any wheelspin offroad means I have to stop and back up immediately or I'll dig in and be completely unrecoverable. A Dana 60 buried in mud or sand is a perfect anchor point if you need to dock a cruise ship or moon sized space battle station.

So I'd default to digging, lifting, and propping up a big truck before the winch comes out. Unless you just want to winch backwards.
-shovel
-ramps/trax etc
-Hilift Extreme (don't let it fling your jaw 50 yards into the woods)
-3/8" chain
-100' winch rope
-tree snatch
-Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion
-Hilift tire grabber
-chainsaw (trees as ramps)

I've had excellent luck lifting the rear of my truck by the pintle hitch with the Hilift and then flopping the truck over out of the mud rut (basicly pushing the truck off of the jack). Repeat for front.

 

[Black Dog]

-chainsaw (trees as ramps)

A chainsaw is handy and I do carry one on trips, especially early in the year before forest service people can clear blow down off the roads. But using it to cut trees to make ramps kind of goes against Leave No Trace ethics. I'd say keep a set of MaxTrax to use before cutting trees to drive over.

 

[Buliwyf]

Yeah, I'm thinking of farms and such, not parks or public land. It be a desperate act either way.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Heh Heh, yeah, thats what I used to do 35 years ago with my Dodge Ramchargers--

Shovel. Winching an F250 is nice when you can, but unless you can tie off to an giant rock, oak tree, or the base of the Statue of Liberty, youre pretty much out of luck. Have to be extra careful with big trucks to make sure you can un-stick them. For me that means that any wheelspin offroad means I have to stop and back up immediately or I'll dig in and be completely unrecoverable. A Dana 60 buried in mud or sand is a perfect anchor point if you need to dock a cruise ship or moon sized space battle station.

So I'd default to digging, lifting, and propping up a big truck before the winch comes out. Unless you just want to winch backwards.
-shovel
-ramps/trax etc
-Hilift Extreme (don't let it fling your jaw 50 yards into the woods)
-3/8" chain
-100' winch rope
-tree snatch
-Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion
-Hilift tire grabber
-chainsaw (trees as ramps)

I've had excellent luck lifting the rear of my truck by the pintle hitch with the Hilift and then flopping the truck over out of the mud rut (basicly pushing the truck off of the jack). Repeat for front.

Use the HiLift in the snow--at the rear hitch, just jackem up and pushem over, to get outta the "stuck" ruts--

Can'tbeatem

:bike_rider::costumed-smiley-007 JIMBO

 

[Abel Villesca]

-Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion

:sombrero: Excellent choice.

 

[PirateMcGee]

haha ok guys. Really could use some real help on this. We will not be using a chain saw and we already carry a shovel. F250 is absolutely worst case. Most likely think Ford Escape.

so ARB vs. Mo powa pulla vs. Tirfor?

also any good complete kits?

 

[TwoTrack]

I've used the hi-lift with the off road kit a few times on my Ranger and never had any problems. It might not be as compact as you need though and you can hurt yourself pretty badly if you aren't careful/know what your doing. I like the hi-lift because of it's versatility.

 

[PirateMcGee]

haha ok guys. Really could use some real help on this. We will not be using a chain saw and we already carry a shovel. F250 is absolutely worst case. Most likely think Ford Escape.

so ARB vs. Mo powa pulla vs. Tirfor?

also any good complete kits?

 

[Metcalf]

On Board Air

If your not airing down your tires for off road performance you missing out on the single most effective mobility enhancement of all time.

In general, most people don't air down far enough. I always get tons of push back against airing down because of bead issues. If you drive the vehicle according to the air pressure in the tires your bead issues will be VERY minimal if non-existent.

The difference a properly aired down tire can make for vehicle performance can be on the same scale as having lockers or not. I would generally rate a vehicle with lockers and street pressure in the tires about as effective as an open/open vehicle with proper air pressure for the terrain.

Airing down is pretty much 'free' performance. Getting the tires back to street pressure isn't.....

You can limp back to the nearest air compressor, mooch air off friends, use a Co2 tank, an electric compressor, or an engine driven compressor.

If you where to have bead issues having your own compressor is nice!

 

[Black Dog]

I've kind of had my eyes on the "heavy" recovery kit from Viking Offroad, for a winch I think the Blackrat hand winch is pretty good but only because I read about it on ExPo, then a hi lift with the jack base for soft ground, and some maxtrax. You can't really get all that stuff in one complete kit, but its probably about as manual and portable as you are going to get. The thing with vehicle recovery though is that the vehicle has to be built for it too. If you are in a rented Ford Escape from Hertz chances are it isn't going to have solid recovery points that you can rely on for winching and most definitely won't have a good place to jack it up with a hi lift. So I guess just take your shovel, get a good tow rope\strap, and some sort of traction aid like maxtrax.

 

[PirateMcGee]

decided on the ARB Magnum plus the recovery bag kit.... let you guys know how it works out

 

[digdug18]

Since nobody suggested it yet, you might consider an exhaust jack. Basically a giant lift bag that is powered by the vehicle's exhaust. Not common in the states, but in Australia and other places they are more popular.