Pull-pal and Hi lift

[Kilroy]

This summer I needed to back out of a grassy trail that turned to swamp mud. Set up hi-lift with pul-pal to go backwards. Would have used a tree but didn't have enough cable/line/chain. Pul-pal ended up plowing a furrow in the mud, wouldn't dig down. Ended up using the front winch to pull the front end around by hooking to a series of trees. Kept tires spinning while winching to reduce strain on suspension.

Rear winch would have been ideal solution. Don't know if slow pick up with hi-lift prevented pul-pal from setting. Was a struggle to pull on the hi-lift. Was a nice hot, humid day with plenty of deer flys. An afternoon to remember!

 

[Fifthpro]

Well, I am new on here but I will provide my 2 cents for what it is worth.....

There are a number of questions that have been brought up on this post:
1. Winch vice High Lift "which comes first?"
2. High Lift utilized in the winching mode
3. Pull Pal used as an anchor in various environmental conditions
4. Winching to the rear (with your front mounted winch)

1. If given a list and told to prioritize which to buy first a High Lift or a winch I would buy the Hight Lift first. It has a tremendous amount of uses when it comes to recovery. Some things to remember is that being "stuck" could only mean moving a vehicle a few inches forward or backward. It can lift a tire (or all of them 1 at a time) to allow you to put traction gaining material under the tire or tires. You can lift yourself out of a ruts and simply push the vehicle over to one side and you are potentially free. In the winching mode, the Hi Lift will work (all be it slow) to the front or rear. Then of course you also have a way to change your tire, straighten your bent tie-rod, and if your incorporate a "Jack Mate" you can use it as a "Jaws of Life" to extract your buddy from the carnage, etc.
a. The key to the Hi Lift is realizing it's limitations and capabilities. Train with it, know how it works in each mode before you are are in a high stress situation, stuck with low light conditions and someones life in jeopardy.
b. If you get a Hi Lift I suggest that you get the large footprint for it or make your own, the winching accessory kit and Jack Mate.
c. Those with a winch will 99% of the time use it first due to the simplicity and speed of the recovery. Each have their dangers if you are untrained and unfamiliar with the kit. At the end of the day, I have both for a number of reasons but I got the HL first.

2. High Lift used in the winch mode: The easiest way is to have the HL winching accessories but if you do not have them it can still be safely rigged if you have some additional equipment.
a. While the use of chain in recovery is often frowned on it does have its uses and during winching with a HL is one of them. Why? Chain does not stretch where your snatch straps will as that is what they are designed to do. I use a tree protector and then high grade chain on both ends of the HL. This will speed up your recovery. Just remember that is the chain goes it can store a lot of kinetic energy.

3. The Pull Pal: The saving grace or doomsday device? I have used one in a number of environments with great success but I have read all of the horror stories. If you are venturing out in an area that is void of anchor points then your winch becomes a hood ornament. Whilst you can dig in your spare, put in pickets, etc.. I will take my chances with my Pull Pal. In some conditions it is hard to get it to sink in properly and may require you to try several times. More than once it has sunk so deep that it was no longer visiable in soft sand and if it was not for the addition of a tree saver through the top it, I would have had fun digging it out. During a one man operation, setting the Pull Pal and operating a winch can be challenging but can be accomplished but using a pioneering tool to dig an area to start (plant) the Pull Pal. Not only can the Pull Pal be used as an anchor point for you to recover (winch) to, it can anchor your vehicle if the vehicle you are recovering keeps pulling you forward.

4. Winching to the rear with a front mounted winch: This can be accomplished! You will require some additional equipment and some careful thought.
Equipment Requirements (Minimal):
Vehicle w/winch
3 x Snatch Blocks
3 x Clevises (4 optimal)
2 x Tree Saver Straps (3 optimal)
2 x Anchor Points
Yes, in theory you could run the cable under the vehicle BUT you got stuck in/on something that would make this option almost impossible. Not to mention if you have synthetic line you have a lot of high heat areas under the vehicle that would cause you problems. With the equipment listed above you can rig up a recovery system to pull you backward or lower yourself over a very steep embankment where rollover is likely. I will let you chew on that one, if you can not figure it out I will make an illustration.)

Hope this helps! Again, just my thoughts. Other will agree or disagree based on their own hard earned experiences.

Cheers!

 

[lionsbreath]

Great input FifthPro.:wings:
I have a HL and recovery gear. and I usally have a come-a-long and shovel with me as well. From a $ stand point this is a great starting point that gives you many opts. My next buy will be a TMax. I have always made it home with the set up I have but a winch would be a bit easier and quicker. One major point tht I thought FifthPro made was to KNOW your tools and how to use them. Injury happens on those late night extractions in rainy weather. I alway make a point of taking my HL down and operating it be for a trail run just to refam. myself with it. I have seen more than one person almost kill themselves with a HL and if you are wheeling by yourself there is no one to call 911 for you!!!!! In your case I would most likely buy the HL, WINCH, AND PULL PAL .. I would use a $10 tarp for an awning and and an a good 5 day cooler. I would always rather drive out of the desert than walk out and that fridge does you no good back in the 4x4 if you have a 2 day walk out ahead of you because you opt. for the frige instead of the winch.......

 

[michael j mcdowell]

Hi-Lift & Pull-Pal.....

Hello all..... First, Merry Christmas/Happy New Year!!!! This a great forum! I wish to introduce myself. I have been 4x4 ing. since 1977 ( with an long intermission Where I did a lot of sailing) when I owned a new FJ-40, had it until 1984 and wheeled and explored the Adk. Mtns here in upstate NY, often alone sometimes with a friend with a CJ-5. Mods to our trucks were few, factory skids, CB radios, come-alongs snatch straps, shovel, axe, chain, clevis/hooks, good tires for the day, mine were stock size Armstrong "Norseman" and my buddys were Armstrong "True-tracs", and Hi-Lift jacks plus sweat. We got stuck, and learned, and stuck again and learned more. Here in northern NY we have (Darn few anymore open) tight wooded trails (old logging roads) mud, small to large logs, rocks, and trees, you get the picture. To this day I still get stuck and learn and always have been able to use a tree to hand winch with a 2 ton come-along or the jack, the system that you can purchase from Hi-lift is great we had to make up our own rig back then and there was not much info. on correct and safe use of the jack. I still explore and camp in those old places in the last 7 yrs in a GMC 4x4 Sonoma CC that I have set up for moderate to semi rough trails/roads, its a good truck and has always been reliable when used with some forethought. Now my son and I go camping and exploring together when we can and I get the chance to say "You know this creek we had to ford? well 25 some yrs. ago the old man spent the better part of a day getting out of it early in the spring by myself. Had to use the old jack in the shed just like the one in the back of the truck, using it as a winch, crank, move a little ,re-set and on and on till I could bull my way out of trouble." I read this post and I am wondering like some of you could use a land anchor like the Pull-Pal with the jack It would would take a long time (Heck if your stuck you can't hurry and be safe) and I wonder if the slow rate of jacking would enable it to dig and catch but I can't experiment as I have no acess to one. Anybody out there willing to experiment who has used a winch to try in various conditions with only the jack to see if the Pull-Pal would work and post results? Sorry for the ramble post will try to be better next time, stay safe, mjmcdowell

 

[Fifthpro]

Hello all..... First, Merry Christmas/Happy New Year!!!! This a great forum! I wish to introduce myself. I have been 4x4 ing. since 1977 ( with an long intermission Where I did a lot of sailing) when I owned a new FJ-40, had it until 1984 and wheeled and explored the Adk. Mtns here in upstate NY, often alone sometimes with a friend with a CJ-5. Mods to our trucks were few, factory skids, CB radios, come-alongs snatch straps, shovel, axe, chain, clevis/hooks, good tires for the day, mine were stock size Armstrong "Norseman" and my buddys were Armstrong "True-tracs", and Hi-Lift jacks plus sweat. We got stuck, and learned, and stuck again and learned more. Here in northern NY we have (Darn few anymore open) tight wooded trails (old logging roads) mud, small to large logs, rocks, and trees, you get the picture. To this day I still get stuck and learn and always have been able to use a tree to hand winch with a 2 ton come-along or the jack, the system that you can purchase from Hi-lift is great we had to make up our own rig back then and there was not much info. on correct and safe use of the jack. I still explore and camp in those old places in the last 7 yrs in a GMC 4x4 Sonoma CC that I have set up for moderate to semi rough trails/roads, its a good truck and has always been reliable when used with some forethought. Now my son and I go camping and exploring together when we can and I get the chance to say "You know this creek we had to ford? well 25 some yrs. ago the old man spent the better part of a day getting out of it early in the spring by myself. Had to use the old jack in the shed just like the one in the back of the truck, using it as a winch, crank, move a little ,re-set and on and on till I could bull my way out of trouble." I read this post and I am wondering like some of you could use a land anchor like the Pull-Pal with the jack It would would take a long time (Heck if your stuck you can't hurry and be safe) and I wonder if the slow rate of jacking would enable it to dig and catch but I can't experiment as I have no acess to one. Anybody out there willing to experiment who has used a winch to try in various conditions with only the jack to see if the Pull-Pal would work and post results? Sorry for the ramble post will try to be better next time, stay safe, mjmcdowell

Hey Mate, when I get a chance I will test out "setting" a Pull Pal and using it as my anchor point while using a HLJ in its winching configuration. My test will be somewhat limited to east coast terrain until I get out west again and I will try it again in various sand conditions. (Yes, we have sand in VA but I like mountains and not the beach....)

 

[canucksafari]

Solution is a trailer hitch mount at the front and a Warn trailer hitch mounted craddle. I have seen one. Winch is fully and quickly mobile from front to rear or to your garage floor when you don't need it. May look at fabbing something so a hitch receiver can fit on my front bar.