Recovery Point(s) Question

Hi there, total noob, fell down the rabbit hole and just keep digging deeper.

I'm trying to outfit my rig with some basics of what I will need to get off-road and be able to get out of trouble, or at least help me get out of trouble.

I'm looking at recovery kits, recovery boards, soft shackles, bow shackles, and snatch straps, and tree savers etc. I don't have a winch or massive bumper, but I did score a full set of OKX aluminum skids.

Just some basic kit comes out to $1000 for an assortment of the above, without going to the top of the line in everything.

What can you all recommend for recovery points? It seems it's a must-have from what I see and read. ARB runs around $400 cdn, it looks sweet, not sure if it will work with the skids, but I will see.

Does anyone have experience with the ARB recovery points?
https://arbusa.com/toyota-tacoma-2016-on/bumpers-protection-equipment/recovery-points/

Are there other options?

What would you recommend for a rear Hitch Mount recovery point?

2019 DCLB SR5 Stock truck, with Cooper A/TW tires stock size. P245/75/R16. hopefully running Orange Virus in the near future, not that it matters here. Just sayin'

 

I've got one of these for the front, not the same as the ARB at all but works for light recovery;
https://www.bpfabricating.com/products/tacoma-recovery-tow-hook

Here is another local shop making nice recovery gear;
https://www.gemstoneoffroad.com/collections/jeep-truck-suv-recovery-gear

Got my Maxtrax from Kakadu;
https://www.kakaducamping.com/

Hitch Shackle from Smittybuilt or the like available at CT..

 

There are a lot of good options for a rear hitch mounted shackle mount. From the aluminum factor 55 hitch link to the cheaper steel smittybilt. Both seem to work fine.
For the front, if you don't have a bumper with rated recovery points, the ARB attachment looks great.

As a general rule I try to find products that work equally well with both hard shackles and soft shackles.

 

http://sosoffroadconcepts.com/factory-recovery-replacement/

 

+1 Factor55 hitchlink for the rear. the front is trickier when you don't go inline with the frame rail and tie directly to it. anything that comes off at right angles is begging to shear and turn into a missile and however unlikely it may be, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near it when it does. The ARB seems to be pretty solid as @Tttacodan said

 

Is that even rated?

 

I mean I can pull out the strength and Stats book and give you numbers

Or I could just point out that it's a comparable thickness and design to most mounts that go on a stock location.

For the average use this is more than fine. If you're doing huge dynamic pulls with your rig past the bumper in mud, you've got bigger problems haha.

 

My truck came with the TRD hook, which I replaced with a BPF and now have an ARB.

Being rated and tested was something in the back of my mind for a long time, just a personal thing. It's a beef I have with Toyota and really all OEMs, they don't tell you a limit.

But that hang-up aside I think it's safe to assume the factory points must surely be fine up to GVWR. Beyond that who knows.

I think the SOS and BPF are improvements being closed eyes for a shackle. In the case of BPF using a third hole probably doesn't hurt. Does that mean they're rated any higher? Who knows. I doubt it, though. My guess is the limitation is the mounting location. But only Toyota knows the limit there.

So don't get wrapped around the axle about it. Just be aware that it's unknown so just take care and be safe. IOW, a rated recovery point like the ARB wouldn't necessarily be first on my list. You need a good recovery (NOT generic tow) strap, name brand is a good idea IMO. You need a decent front point. You need a decent rear point, the receiver hitch adapters are absolutely just fine. Having a couple of bow shackles of your own is good form.

I'd personally figure maybe $250 or so, assuming you don't have a TRD OR with the hook already.

The rest of it, winch, tree straps, etc. Build it up over time. Go 'wheeling with people, see what they have, what they actually use. Get things for Christmas, birthdays, when you get a bonus from work.

 

Bare minimum I'd say it's good for 65k. I'm sure it's more than that. But just remember when using a snatch strap that force increases a lot.

 

I can't remember where I heard... probably from one of the bumper manufacturers, but factory recovery points are rated to 60% of vehicle weight. At the time I think we were talking about the thread in style and not not hook or shackle style. but I wouldn't trust it passed a static pull out of sand or snow and probably not even then. (maybe just for winching onto a flatbed haha)

 

Nice, thanks for the links, I will check these out.

 

If you’re still learning... no real need to dump a ton of money into recovery gear. Just saying. Get a nice dynamic pull strap and a shackle for your hitch, and gloves. Never forget warm and durable gloves. A front shackle is nice and sometimes necessary, but most of this stuff requires a second vehicle to pull you out, and you can make due with the basics

 

Great information. for a tow strap should I be looking at 30' length, for greater versatility? Is there a rule of thumb? the Tacoma is just under 3 tons GVWR, plus whatever resistance from the stuck you're in? Like a 12,000 lb rated or higher?

 

Thanks, I appreciate that. I just don't want to be one of those guys that shows up depending on others to use their gear or whatever. I would like to be a little prepared. Lot's of great advice here.

 

Your second question first about how much you need. The main thing to know is how much your truck weighs. For a completely stock truck you can estimate it close enough based on gross vehicle weight, payload and curb weights Toyota publishes in brochures. For a modified truck it's best if you run it over a scale.

Once you know that then you can calculate the forces. The main thing to realize is that you don't always put into the system the full weight of the truck. Actually you often do not. On flat, paved surfaces it actually takes just hundreds of lbs of force. Even on dirt and mild trails getting unstuck might only take a few hundred or a thousand lbs of force. If you're buried deep in mud or snow or on very steep grades then you start needing a lot of force.

This is an example of a chart a tow truck operator might use.



As far as 30 feet. That's fine. Some people prefer a shorter one, some longer. The one thing you will find is what you have is never right 100% of the time. You make just make due with what you have available.

 

Stay basic. I have been driving in the bush for years with a stock truck and very basic recovery gear. Spend money on good tires. Go to good old Canadian tire and get a strap that's rated for tractors and a few shackles to fit your truck. If your worried about the cost of recovery gear you really wont like the cost of serious offroad driving in your daily driver. Even when things go right you will be doing ball joints and cvs more than normal. Body damage is pretty much guaranteed. Get a hi lift jack and learn to use it. It sucks as a winch but you can get yourself out in a pinch. Go slow, be smart, find someone who knows what they are doing and learn. You dont need much to get out there and start enjoying the trails.

 

I have the ARB recovery point, if you want something you can absolutely trust it's the way to go. It's beefy as fuck and ties into the frame in multiple ways. I've only used it a few times but it's nice to not have to worry about it.I also have a mobtown front skid that fit with no issues.

 

Excellent. Thank you!

I'm realizing very quickly that this can get to be an expensive pastime. I'm starting slow, definitely would like to follow some more experienced folks for my first several outings. I really appreciate all the great advice. Either way, I'm having a ball with the new truck and making it my own.

 

Nice. I'll be saving up for that addition.