What should I have for recovery gear?

[stampede1]

I second the advice on taking a first aid course and becoming realistically familiar with your first aid kit. There are several choices available to purchase but many have contents that require orientation. The contents of a high-end kit will be useless without proper knowledge, skills and abilities. The kit should be easily accessible and you should be able to access what you need quickly especially if deploying it in the dark, driving rain or having to self-administer.

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[Qarlos]

Are the inner tie rods the same HOSS 1,2,3?
I have a 24 Wildtrak with HOSS 3.0. I’m seeing some go for 25 bucks in others $85. Is it just material difference? What’s the part number for the my HOSS 3.0 Wildtrak setup? TIA

I believe they are different parts for HOSS 1, 2 and 3. It took me a while of searching and comparing different sites (Ford Parts, Rock Auto, etc) each with conflicting info, and eventually I decided to order from Ford based on my VIN.

 

[C6ZZGT]

Definitely
- beacon/sat com

Fixed it for you,
A ZOLEO would be a good one to have.

 

[MilesTeg]

I’ve only been off-road a couple of times, once with a local group in an off-road park and once for the Off-Roadeo in Moab (I STRONGLY recommend doing the Off-Roadeo, you’ll learn a ton!!!).

Yeah, my first trip (Moab) is the Off-Roadeo.

 

[MilesTeg]

Also, I cannot emphasize this enough: do NOT buy a highlift jack. The odds of someone injuring themself is much higher than simply getting a better hydraulic jack. I'd spend the money on an ARB hydraulic jack, or just get a bigger and better bottle jack, before using last century technology that is known to pose a real danger.

My grandfather had a friend that almost killed himself with a handy-man (high-lift) jack and already put the fear of them into me decades ago, hah!

 

[Mjasi3]

I believe they are different parts for HOSS 1, 2 and 3. It took me a while of searching and comparing different sites (Ford Parts, Rock Auto, etc) each with conflicting info, and eventually I decided to order from Ford based on my VIN.

Thanks, I’ve seen the same thing with conflicts everywhere, good idea on the VIN. thanks

 

[raqball]

LOL. Yeah, I have an inner tie rod stashed in my tool box. The inner will fit either side and it’s the one that breaks. The nut is huge so I also carry a pipe wrench.

@Tricky Dick sells a tie rod kit for anyone interested..

https://td-distributing.myshopify.com/products/bronco-6g-tie-rod-repair-kit

I know he was going to stop making them but maybe anyone interested can contact him and see if he has any left..

 

[SierraBronco]

If you decided to have steel shackles, learn how to use them. There's a right way and a wrong way. The wrong way can cause failure. If I remember correctly Robert Pepper has an excellent video on proper use of hard shackles.

Also get good ones, non chinesium. You want 3/4" S rated screw pin bow shackles. Van Beest green pin, Crosby, Columbus McKinnon (CM) and Chicago Hardware are industry standards. I wouldn't buy any other no matter how good the reputation of the company selling them. There are a few reputable companies selling recovery gear who sell Chinese shackles. A good shackle will be forged with the brand, size and working load limit stamped on it.

Hard shackles do have their place, but their place is not at the end of a kinetic rope or attached to anything that may break. I have two which make it easier to attach to the tow points on my Bronco. I won't use them anywhere else.

Saw a video where they used a hard shackle to connect two potential energy ropes. “Nonononononononononono”

 

[Valhalla]

 

[UtahBrandon]

As a newbie to anything more serious than poorly maintained dirt road offroading. What should I guy have to not be completely helpless if he gets in a situation where he needs vehicle recovery? I've been doing my research but I would love to hear any advice from the highly experienced folks here. I am planning to do several trips over the next ~year to:

- Moab (nothing advanced)
- Colorado San Juan Mountains (alpine loop and similar)

I have a Badlands (non SAS) with the modular bumper and tow kit and I'm working on getting proper gear for my first "big trip" in May.

My research tells me I should have:

- food/water for 2-3 days
- bottle jack /w wide base
- 3 good steel shackles, not cheap/soft steel
- tire repair kit with plugs and replacement valves
- air down tool + pump
- trench shovel
- gloves/first aid
- tow strap and/or snatch strap

possible:
- beacon/sat com

Does this seem like a reasonable start? And recommendations on particular gear (especially jacks and straps)

Also, I'm not afraid to say I'm a total newb at any recovery skills, so I have little idea how to safely use a tow strap or a snatch strap, and am looking for advice on what a person like me should have and what resources (videos, etc.) there are that would give me the right information to have a prayer if I get into a pickle.

Thanks!

So much good info in this thread that it's hard to call out anything that hasn't been covered already, but I will add that the gear you decide to pack should ideally be so unobtrusive in your daily driving that you're not inclined to remove it from the vehicle between trips as that's what will bite you in the ass according to Murphy's law.
e.g.

• Under-hood or similarly "hidden" air compressor
• GMRS radio that is installed into the vehicle with constant power
• tie rod stashed in the rear cubby, wrapped in a towel
• gloves stashed in the rear cubby
• tool kit stashed in the rear cubby (yeah, I wish the cubby was bigger)
• hard shackles attached the mod bumper, out of the way
• First aid kid and fire extinguisher mounted to an easily accessed molle panel
• Noco jump starter stored in the rear cubby, charged every 6 months or so
• etc.

Of course, I also carry a collapsible shovel, soft shackles, tow strap, snatch strap and recovery boards on my own Attic Tray which is out of the way to where I pretty much forget it's there.

The end result is that none of this gear is stored on the floor of the cargo space, so I'm never tempted to remove any of it.

Brandon

 

[MilesTeg]

So much good info in this thread that it's hard to call out anything that hasn't been covered already, but I will add that the gear you decide to pack should ideally be so unobtrusive in your daily driving that you're not inclined to remove it from the vehicle between trips as that's what will bite you in the ass according to Murphy's law.
e.g.

• Under-hood or similarly "hidden" air compressor
• GMRS radio that is installed into the vehicle with constant power
• tie rod stashed in the rear cubby, wrapped in a towel
• gloves stashed in the rear cubby
• tool kit stashed in the rear cubby (yeah, I wish the cubby was bigger)
• hard shackles attached the mod bumper, out of the way
• First aid kid and fire extinguisher mounted to an easily accessed molle panel
• Noco jump starter stored in the rear cubby, charged every 6 months or so
• etc.

Of course, I also carry a collapsible shovel, soft shackles, tow strap, snatch strap and recovery boards on my own Attic Tray which is out of the way to where I pretty much forget it's there.

The end result is that none of this gear is stored on the floor of the cargo space, so I'm never tempted to remove any of it.

Brandon

This is great. I am trying to figure out exactly how to get it all in there so it's never removed. I love my 2DR, but the downside is cargo space is extremely limited, hah. Seems like you were able to stash a lot more in the cubby than I thought possible. Do you have a tool kit in a box/bag (not just loose tools) that fits in the cubby? If so, could you tell me what box/bag you are using and what you have in it?

I will probably also do a rear seat delete for at least one of the rear seats. It will be rare that I will have more than 2 total people in the vehicle. That will open up a lot more space. I might stash my recovery kit in one of the rear footwells.

For trips I actually have a hitch mounted basket (Curt) that I will be using for luggage space (my partner has many virtues, but light packing is not her forte). I don't like putting things on roof racks because then it's a bigger PITA to take the roof off when I get to my destination. I love taking the roof off, but not to drive down the highway at 80mph!

 

[Valhalla]

I bought a cargo net (cheapy) that keeps all my bags of tools chains straps cooler etc. from entering the front area. I have deleted the rear seats.

 

[Mjasi3]

Yeah I would love a wide tool roll up that would fit in the rear cargo underfloor compartment. I’ve thought about cutting mine in half but didn’t get anywhere.

 

[Murraydog11]

I have most of my gear in the back on molle panels.

 

[Snacktime]

My tool roll fits under the rear seats when up. Then between the front and rear seats folded down. Very easy to stash, I even can even squeeze in a M18 impact.

If all else fails these these 12oz can of redneck bait work. Some times you need to use Coors Light if they don't start jumping.

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