recovery gear

[rover67]

I was going ebay it, but had some second thoughts when I envisioned failures at high loads and saw the Mythbusters where they were trying to cut a pig in half with a cable..

Any brands to stay away from? Ebay stuff OK? Is ther a partucular place that may be good to go to? Should I go on down to Slee and just drop the $$ for the ARB kit? It is pretty pricy (not Slee's price.. it is good actually, just the kit in general) and has some stuff I don't really need.

I want a tree strap, snatch block, and snatch strap. I am going to buy more D rings from the same place online when I get a pivot kit for my rear bumper so I don't need more of those.

 

[Jacket]

If you are going to pick and choose, and build your set up piece by piece - Wheelers has some pretty good stuff and good prices.

http://www.wheelersoffroad.com/towstrap.htm

And rockstomper

http://www.rockstomper.com/catalog/products.html

 

[Rezarf]

If you are going to pick and choose, and build your set up piece by piece - Wheelers has some pretty good stuff and good prices.

http://www.wheelersoffroad.com/towstrap.htm

And rockstomper

http://www.rockstomper.com/catalog/products.html

Rockstomper is local so you could drive and pick it up to save shipping.. then eat the gas money

Just north of Denver before longmont.

Nice guy.

 

[subzali]

What part of the kit don't you want/need? I got a strap, tree saver, snatch block and two shackles. The bag seems like a gimmick, but I gave it a try and it actually works very well.

 

[daisydog34]

Trust me anything from scott at rockstomper is tried and tested. In fact I would rather purchase something from scott than a national company because I know where it came from and who designed it. Besides, isn't it better to support the local little guys rather than the people that already have too much money.

Scotts stuff is awesome!

 

[Red_Chili]

Some of his stuff is underengineered, DAMHIK, but it tends to fall off the market pretty quickly. I think his recovery stuff is just fine.

An Aussie acquaintance once told me something really clarifying. I (like most I think) had a tendency to trust things made by a factory somewhere, as if it were any different than something competently home built. After becoming acquainted with just where these goods sold by 'factories' are actually made - Toyota parts built by subcontractors in their homes, sewn goods (like tow straps) assembled in villages in SE Asia jungles, etc. - I guess my perception has changed.

What the Aussie told me was, "A man built it, a man broke it, a man can fix it."

Aussies tend to not mince words.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I'm totally for supporting the local guys, but with recovery gear I'd prefer something that's been tested by an actual testing house. If Rockstomper's stuff has some documentation, that would be great. But just 'cause something hasn't broken in normal use doesn't mean it meets the rating and won't break if pushed. Australian 4WD Monthly tested a bunch of straps and a lot of them from even reputable companies did not come close to their ratings. Here's a PDF of it, I have the actual issue at home if anyone wants to read it.

http://www.armbrusterweb.com/public/files/snatch_strap.pdf

It's like climbing gear in my mind. The stuff sewn by Camp, Black Diamond, Mammut, Metolius, etc. is safe and known to be so by testing. You can assume with a reasonable level of comfort that it'll do what it says it'll do. That's not to say a small company, like maybe a Yates, can't do fine (their stuff is perfectly safe, too). But I would never trust a home sewn sling. I would totally trust a home made sling that is tied webbing, though. It's a matter of capability. Most people do not have a good enough sewing machine and skill and practice to sew a runner themselves. So I guess what I'm saying is I just dunno.

 

[subzali]

JMHO, but I thought about it again and decided just to remove that comment since I don't know first-hand. I'll just say that I decided the ARB better fit my needs, so I supported our local Land Cruiser vendor in Golden.

But then after reading Dave's article, now I'm having second thoughts... (even though the data doesn't make much sense, the two ARB cases increased in strength when they were wet when most all the others lost strength).

 

[rover67]

wow. once again, thanks for all the great info. You guys are a hell of a resource. Hopefully some day i can begin to repay the great advice and knowledge.

Looks like my plans have changed..

:0)

 

[rover67]

yep, seems like th erockstomper stuff looks pretty good. I am probably going to be driving up there to get some recovery gear. I was just going to get a strap, tree saver, snatch block, and a few more shackles.

what's with the chains? I have a few already, but i really hate using them since they are so heavy... why are they part of almost every "recovery kit"

 

[subzali]

Sometimes having no stretch is a good thing.

 

[Red_Chili]

Not often though. I carry no chains.

 

[rover67]

i have always carried them but have never used them..

A few times with a hi lift I wanted no stretch, but I didn't have a winch either..

just curious...

 

[corsair23]

what's with the chains? I have a few already, but i really hate using them since they are so heavy... why are they part of almost every "recovery kit"

They came in handy on Porcupine Rim at CM07 last year when an engine mount on a 60 broke and we used them to hold the engine in place - Other than that, the only other time I used them was to clear trees from the road leading into hunt camp one year...

 

[subzali]

You think p-cord would have worked for that?

Whatley used p-cord and a log to compensate for a broken spring pack one year on the Trek...

 

[Uncle Ben]

They came in handy on Porcupine Rim at CM07 last year when an engine mount on a 60 broke and we used them to hold the engine in place - Other than that, the only other time I used them was to clear trees from the road leading into hunt camp one year...

Chains are very helpful IF needed! You can hold stuff together on the trail when major breakage happens. If you lift a long travel rig via highlift or other body mounted way you need to chain the axle to the frame so it can be lifted with minimal jack height, If you have to move boulders or secure a winch line on something that would rub or cut nylon there is no replacement for a chain. If you have to tow a vehicle for a long ways then a chain is better as it won't wear out by rubbing on the ground nearly as quick.
The justification of full length chain is nearly not as legit theses days as it once was but you should at least carry a short chain because if the need is there there is no substitute for steel!

 

[DaveInDenver]

But then after reading Dave's article, now I'm having second thoughts.

Also keep in mind that this article was written some time ago (about 3 or 4 years ago now) and ARB has changed their straps I believe. Also we don't get all of those straps here in the USA, but I still think it's a good article to read. What I got out of it was that getting a brand name 20,000 lbs strap (I think they are usually 2"x30') is usually enough, most of them tested 15,000 lbs and higher. So if you derate all your recovery gear by 50%, that means the smallest straps are 10,000 lbs safely. I also carry a big momma 4"x20' that I think is rated for 40,000 lbs. I assume it would do OK at 20,000 lbs, so the Mighty Hilux can flex 'er muscles during recoveries if needed.

As far as chains, I carry two chains with me.

One is a 10' x 3/8" Grade 43 chain with slip hooks on each end. This is primarily part of my rigging to make my Hi-Lift into a come along. I went with 3/8" because the JackMate accepts that size, although I don't have a JackMate. This is rated for a working load of 5,400 lbs.

I also carry 30' of 5/16" Grade 30 galvanized chain with a slip hook on one end and a binding hook on the other. This is primarily a drag chain for dead fall and stuff. Working limit on this is 1,900 lbs.