Recovery Q&A and help.

Front: Buy a bolt-on recovery point, for example BPF or Demon. You'll need to cut a hole in the plastic airdam if you still have it on. The welded hoop is OK for a light recovery depending on how stuck you are. J-hooks or soft shackles around the lower control arms with a bridle also work, but you'd be limited in steering angle.

Rear: Remove the plastic cap at the center of the bumper step. It should reveal a hole in the bumper crossmember, which is tied to the frame. Run a soft shackle through that hole:

Alternative is a soft shackle around the rear axle, but you need to be very careful not to crush the brake line or ABS wire.

 

That is a very bad idea.

You should always attach to the vehicle's frame, never to any suspension components. Suspension components, while strong in their designed load, are not designed to be pulled on. You can and will separate them from the vehicle.

Always use an anchor point on the frame.

 

The main suspension points (lower control arms, solid axle) are designed to take the weight of the vehicle in multiple directions. Imagine backing into a foot-tall ledge at slow speed. You can hang the whole truck from the rear axle. If you got a beefy anchor point on the frame, use it, but it isn't an always/never scenario.

 

Thanks.

 

We can agree to disagree.

Sure, you can hang your truck from your rear axle. But, that is a very different load than yanking on it pulling a truck out of mud while buried up to the frame.

Not trying to start a fight - my experience says no.

 

big spread in cost. is one better than the other?

 

What do you mean? The BPF bracket is $100 while the Demon bracket is $80. I like the Demon bracket design better because it uses interlocking plates and wraps around the crossmember, so it doesn't rely on the welds or bolts for strength.

Note: do not get the Demon bling shackles. Those are machined out of aluminum and mostly for show.

 

i just meant one is 25% more than the other.

 

Planning a solo trip to some trails…is there any point in bringing a hi-lift jack for a stock truck with no sliders, after market bumpers or jack points?

I was thinking if there’s no good place to lift the truck from, then there’s really no point in buying a hi-lift and mounting brackets?

 

By itself? Not much. If you have a couple of tow straps it can be used to help winch yourself out. If you are new to recovery gear it's not the first thing I would acquire. I'd also figure out how to use it before you go out, they can be very dangerous.

 

What kind of conditions are you expecting is #1 consideration.

 

My radiator core support was so badly mangled in a wreck that a new AC condenser would not physically fit. I had to spread out the "crunch" and just using my winch wasn't going to work as it just pulled the truck across the ground. I made a double anchor using 2 of my longest, skinniest tools from my toolbox. I drove the first into the ground closet to the truck. I used a strap and walked out to the location for the 2nd anchor. I drove it in with minor tension on the strap. These anchors worked great and were really easy to remove when just pulling up. I will now be carrying these with me on my trips, and the big sledge hammer. The Pull-Pal looks great, but my wife would kill me if I tore up the yard.

 

https://youtu.be/Mb3BkeeXlIo

 

Everyone should watch this. So many factors, so much to learn.

 

This was a great and important video! Glad he made it!

 

Going to take advantage of the yankum BF sale and get a kinetic rope to replace my snatch strap.

What length do people usually go with? One better than the other for most cases?

 

Thanks for posting! I'm a newbie to recovery efforts and all information is appreciated.

 

I ran into a similar issue yesterday when I was pulling a Chrysler Concord (I think that’s what it was) out of my uncle’s back yard. After some searching, I found this and look forward to picking it up and trying it next time.