ser3nitynow11
Member
That Idea might not be a bad one. Do they work well without having to worry about tire damage?
I need some cheap recovery boards for snow and mud... Any suggestions?
- Thread starter ser3nitynow11
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ser3nitynow11
Member
This was a good video... Of course the ones I liked were too expensive, but I think I'm going to lower my standards and watch it again
OverlandNA
Well-known member
As long as you have decent tread on the tires you'll be fine.
Use 2" long bolts and just tighten the nuts by hand. That will leave about 1/4" of bolt sticking out.
ser3nitynow11
Member
Thanks, good to know
ser3nitynow11
Member
Has anyone used these specific boards before?
I know this company's other boards are junk, but this specific design from them doesn't have many reviews, and no videos on them... I'm curious to know if they might be decent
I know this company's other boards are junk, but this specific design from them doesn't have many reviews, and no videos on them... I'm curious to know if they might be decent
IMO the X-Bulls are the best of the cheap ones. A buddy has a pair that we have used a number of times here in Northern Nevada. Worked well and did not break or crack When used in deep sand. To avoid wheelspin we always use 4-wheel low when getting unstuck, so never burned the nibs off. They are not meant to be used as bridging ladders so we have never tried that.
Less than $100 on Amazon.
Less than $100 on Amazon.
alanymarce
Well-known member
We've carried carpet strips for many years and they've worked OK. When we were last stuck (steep hill with wet clay surface - like trying to drive on soap) we found some wooden planks which did the trick.
I'm unclear on how you plan to get stuck... If it's light snow then the carpet will work, if it's deep snow the snow chains will work. If you're venturing into mud (or sand) then perhaps it's worth getting the "good" recovery mats/sand ladders. We have ARB TredPros (didn't have them with us when we were stuck as noted above : ( we made a short (which turned out to be long in terms of time) excursion to a viewpoint and found the conditions far more difficult than when we last went to the same viewpoint, in dry season...
I'm unclear on how you plan to get stuck... If it's light snow then the carpet will work, if it's deep snow the snow chains will work. If you're venturing into mud (or sand) then perhaps it's worth getting the "good" recovery mats/sand ladders. We have ARB TredPros (didn't have them with us when we were stuck as noted above : ( we made a short (which turned out to be long in terms of time) excursion to a viewpoint and found the conditions far more difficult than when we last went to the same viewpoint, in dry season...
ChasingOurTrunks
Well-known member
I have these ones:
They are good for at least 3 recoveries so far in deep snow, one at -10 or so, one a bit colder, and one at -2 or 3 (Celcius). For $70 CDN, if you only plan to use them a couple of times I think it's hard to go wrong. I purchased them for a similar reason as you -- I had a trip coming up that I wanted to be prepared for, but didn't have the spare cash for a full set of MaxTrax at that time, and I didn't have the time to mount up my winch, so these were a cheap backup plan for peace of mind. In my research, these are re-branded by several sellers, but as long as the traction boards themselves look the same as each other, they likely came from the same manufacturer regardless of branding (And I mean the exact same -- the trad patterns, shape, etc. all match).
BUT -- these are NOT Maxtrax. The plastic colour has broken down after about a year in the sun mounted on my vehicle (faded) -- I do not know if that has impacted function as I've not tried them since noticing the fading. Still, if my trip was going to take me through places with cell coverage where, if I was really stuck, I could call for help (i.e. a tow truck), I wouldn't hesitate to take these with me as a first line of recovery. As others have said, don't spin your tires and they'll get you out of most snow encounters. I wouldn't want to depend on them with my life, which can be a reality for winter touring, but use caution on your route and you should be fine.
FieryRed Recovery Traction Mats - 2 Pcs Recovery Tracks Traction Mat for 4X4 Mud, Sand, Snow Traction Ladder Red Tire Traction Tool : Amazon.ca: Automotive
FieryRed Recovery Traction Mats - 2 Pcs Recovery Tracks Traction Mat for 4X4 Mud, Sand, Snow Traction Ladder Red Tire Traction Tool : Amazon.ca: Automotive
www.amazon.ca
They are good for at least 3 recoveries so far in deep snow, one at -10 or so, one a bit colder, and one at -2 or 3 (Celcius). For $70 CDN, if you only plan to use them a couple of times I think it's hard to go wrong. I purchased them for a similar reason as you -- I had a trip coming up that I wanted to be prepared for, but didn't have the spare cash for a full set of MaxTrax at that time, and I didn't have the time to mount up my winch, so these were a cheap backup plan for peace of mind. In my research, these are re-branded by several sellers, but as long as the traction boards themselves look the same as each other, they likely came from the same manufacturer regardless of branding (And I mean the exact same -- the trad patterns, shape, etc. all match).
BUT -- these are NOT Maxtrax. The plastic colour has broken down after about a year in the sun mounted on my vehicle (faded) -- I do not know if that has impacted function as I've not tried them since noticing the fading. Still, if my trip was going to take me through places with cell coverage where, if I was really stuck, I could call for help (i.e. a tow truck), I wouldn't hesitate to take these with me as a first line of recovery. As others have said, don't spin your tires and they'll get you out of most snow encounters. I wouldn't want to depend on them with my life, which can be a reality for winter touring, but use caution on your route and you should be fine.
SDDiver5
Expedition Leader
I got some Orcish boards for like 75 bucks. You cant go wrong with almost 500 reviews and 4.5 stars. That's how I always judge what I should buy on Amazon.
I figure they were cheap and if I need to use them I'll have them. Realistically I wont need to use them, they are more of a just in case. If they break after 2 or 3 uses then that's worth it in my book to avoid having to pay $$$$ for a tow truck.
I figure they were cheap and if I need to use them I'll have them. Realistically I wont need to use them, they are more of a just in case. If they break after 2 or 3 uses then that's worth it in my book to avoid having to pay $$$$ for a tow truck.
No, I don't believe it! Fake news!
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
Same here... Probably why I don't get stuck ;-)
ser3nitynow11
Member
Obviously I don't want to get stuck, and I will be using extreme caution.... If life has taught me one thing tho, it is better to be prepared for the unexpected instead of living in ignorance by thinking that nothing will ever go wrong as long as you're careful.
I hope I never find myself having to use the recovery boards, but I sure would feel a lot better having them with me just in case!
WOODY2
Adventurer
Sounds like you have it figured out and in reality I share your better to be prepared position. I've used more of my safety/recovery gear to aid others than for self recovery. Seriously what could go wrong? You're going to Chicago Ykkes!
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