Self-recovery equipment for stock or close-to-stock vehicles

[Owyhee H]

Appreciate the input guys! As I mentioned previously while everyone's quick to recommend a hi-lift for offroad use but on newer plastic clad SUVs there's really no place to use it- other than with the lift mate (which again doesn't work on most factory wheels).

I agree that the hi-lift is just about useless on a modern stock vehicle. To use one properly you need front/rear aftermarket bumpers and or sliders, which are really heavy and $$. You can use other tools which will work much better than than the hi-lift and not weigh as much. I think the exhaust jack/good bottle jack and a high quality come-along/tirfor with good recovery points provides all the advantages of a hi-lift in a safer more convenient package. I carry a bottle jack and comealong with several straps when I am anticipating going into the bush. I havent used an exhaust jack but think that they provide a really good alternative in certain situations.

A shovel and some work has always turned out well for me (also giving me time to think about my driving choices). That squishy thing between my ears comes in handy occasionally as well.

[PV Hiker]

...... "(also giving me time to think about my driving choices). That squishy thing between my ears comes in handy occasionally as well....."

That is the first tool you use and hopefully is the best kept one! Train yourself how to use the other tools safely you have availible. The above list is looking good.

[FJR Colorado]

Jack, preferably a twin stage bottle jack that has enough stroke to start out small under the vehicle that might be sunk AND goes tall enough to get the tire off the ground. I'm not a big fan of hi-lift jacks, especially on new vehicles, since most vehicles don't have very good places to jack from. The hi-lift generally lifts the chassis THEN the tire, so things start to get pretty tippy pretty quick.

A screwdriver. I once had to spend two days digging out a jeep with a screwdriver. We had most of your normal shovel, axe, or strap gear. We where on a solo 'scouting' trip for a cub run. Coming down the trail the vehicle got high centered on a large rut. Basically the front axle, transfer case crossmember, and rear axle where all high centered at the same time. The vehicle was fairly low slung and you just couldn't get the shovel under the vehicle far enough to dig effectively. Laying on your back in the mud chipping mud, and sticks, and grass out from under the axles was ok for the 1st day....the 2nd day it got kinda old.

Sometimes you just have to make due with what you have...

Bottle jack is a definite must have.

Regarding the screwdriver digging... Instead get one of those small spaded garden shovels. They work great for this purpose.

When my FJC was bone stock I got high-centered on a big pile of snow. I had a regular sized shovel but ended up digging most of it by hand for the reasons you state; I just could not get in there effectively. Ever since, I carry that garden shovel around at all times. It can be a real life saver.

[BurbanAZ]

yea i have a short shovel that i bought a couple years back just from ace when i figured id need one when we were going camping. Its been great especially because its still a shovel (not small enough to be a spade) but short enough i can get it where i need it to dig out. I still like the hi lift even with a stock vehicle. I think with a jack mate even if you have to jack one corner up at a time just to put something under tires that can be invaluable. I have a medium size blacksmith hammer too that has been great for everything ive needed it for.

[FJR Colorado]

^Yup!

Other good things to have:
-Work gloves
-Battery jumper pack with built-in air compressor
-Jug of water and some basic snacks that will last a long time (i.e. almonds)
-Ratcheting come-along with 4 ton capacity
-Various snatch straps, tow strap, rigging gear, some heavy duty chain
-Shackle that fits into your 2" hitch receiver
-Full size shovel
-Square shovel (for snow)
-Tire chains
-Fire extinguisher
-Flashlight
-Basic tool kit
-Hose clamps
-Small bow saw that can accept either a wood cutting or hack saw blade
-One of those handles for a hack saw blade so you can cut in tight places if you need to
-Duct tape & selection of heavy duty tie wraps
-First aid kit
-Axe
-Fire starters
-Extra belt, fuses, oil, tranny fluid, a funnel
-2x spare tires
-Bottle jack and some pieces of wood or bricks
-Extra fleece and a hat
-One of those tyvek bunny suit thingies (you can buy at Home Depot)
-Gas can and siphoning device

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Better to have it and not need it.... Cheap insurance!

Rarely have I needed many of the above items but I sure feel like a hero when I help someone else out.

[frgtwn]

No, please, for your own safety, do not use bricks for raising a bottle jack, or any support under a vehicle. They will split, or break far too easily. Remember, a mason can break a brick to size with just a healthy tap from his brick trowel.

Disregard at you own peril.

Dale

[FJR Colorado]

No, please, for your own safety, do not use bricks for raising a bottle jack, or any support under a vehicle. They will split, or break far too easily. Remember, a mason can break a brick to size with just a healthy tap from his brick trowel.

Disregard at you own peril.

Dale

Grey solid concrete bricks are pretty robust.

No, I would not use red clay bricks with 3x holes in them...

[BurbanAZ]

id try to avoid using bricks unless i had no other choice. Id always go for wood first, we use it all the time at work to crib cars when we are cutting someone out.

[herm]

any kind of brittle concrete or clay is a bad idea. solid or not. wood is much better and lighter.

[Metcalf]

At some point you just have to stop taking more gear in my opinion. Take a smart amount of gear, but don't go overload

A minimal kit and a good head on your shoulders will get you out of a LOT of bad spots.

-Tow strap, generally a long one that can be doubled over to make a short one to multiple attachment points. One time I had to use a long tow strap and a big stick to form a pulling device. I basically hooked the strap up to a tree and the vehicle. Took a big thick tree branch and made a lever with one end in a loop in the middle of the tow strap. Then you just twist the stick round and round causing the strap to get shorter. Amazingly it worked. I originally saw it in a movie when I was a kit....blue truck, water crossing, maybe in Australia? ( have never been able to find the movie ). You can also use a tow strap to tie a vehicle off in a scary predicament. Nothing like having your vehicle over the side of the road with 100+ feet still left to go to the bottom. In a pinch it can also be used as a tree strap, used to pull a rock or tree off the road, etc. Is it ideal for those uses...nope....will it work....yup.

-D-ring, preferably two. If you have to you can usually rig up an attachment point on one vehicle and not the other. I have seen a tow strap used with the strap fed back through the loop to form a noose at both ends. If you loop the noose over the tire you can sometimes get it very close to where the axle tube attaches to the springs. Not ideal AT ALL, but it can work in a pinch.

-Shovel. I don't generally care what kind. ANYTHING works better than having to take the license plate off and use that. There will be times that you just can't get the shovel under the vehicle like I mentioned before. Generally I like a full size shovel with a full length handle if you have the room, if not a D-handle shovel isn't bad. Spend some time with a file and your shovel. Coming from a 10 year background in Wildland fire....a sharp shovel is a happy shovel and operator. Careful when using a shovel under a vehicle. You can get it caught on brake lines, wires, fuel lines, etc. That sucks, ask me how I know.

-Axe. There is a whole thread on how much you don't need an axe, but when it comes down to it, an axe is a FANTASTIC tool. It's not so much about just chopping things in half, but also about what you can make with one if you have to. It also can function as a decent hammer if needed...not recommended however since it ovals the eye out.

-Bottle Jack. It is very handy if it starts really short and gets really tall. Some fords and land rovers had factory two stage bottle jacks. They are not that expensive anyways. I don't generally buy into the hi-lift jack thing. They work great sometimes but generally I can't justify the size and weight. Most new vehicles don't have very good attachment points for a high lift either. A jack also has a lot of alternative uses....you can use it as a press, to help remove tire beads, etc. Having some cribbing around can be a good thing, but I generally don't want to take up what cargo space I do have with wood. Get a better bottle jack and most times you don't need cribbing. If you happen to need some, it can be made with the axe

Those 5 things have probably gotten me out of more bad situations over the years than anything else. By all means if you have the means get a winch, any winch. It doesn't have to be the newest wiz bang fancy $5000 twin motor gigglepin wide drum model. I have a $175 used Belleview upright winch on my willys. FANTASTIC winch, especially at a price like that. Some other things I have found VERY handy over the years....

-Jack base. A piece of 3/4" plywood works great. I have always liked a round piece that fit in the spare tire and wheel. Get creative and see what you can come up with for an interesting space saving shape hidden in an different area.

-Bow saw. A saw is nice to have. It can be better in certain situations than an axe, but I will always pack an axe first. You can make a nice 24" blade, 8" dia cut, collapsible bow saw for about $10-15 with a trip to the hardware store. It breaks down and stores in the handles, about 1lb or less, easy to store.

-Tools. I think this is a separate category. Breaking down vs getting stuck. I have used a lot of tools to help with recovery though. Don't go overboard however. Your vehicle will be a lot happier without an extra 200lbs in tools constantly in the back. Build a decent kit that will fit in a soft tool bag, have it be able to be strapped down in its home, and don't use super high quality tools that you can't afford to loose or use to help weld an axle tube back together on the trail.

-air compressor. Airing down is probably the most beneficial thing you can do for vehicle performance. Most people don't air down enough because they are afraid they are going to loose a bead. An air compressor helps ease these fears a little bit. Learn how to air down properly and deal with odd tire issues like loosing a bead.

Get out, get stuck, get yourself out, repeat....