General cost of basic recovery setup '22 TRD Off Road

Hi all
Buying a 2022 Tacoma TRD Off Road in December. How much would a basic recovery setup cost (parts and labor - I'm thinking winch, etc)? It would be invaluable to know this so I can budget and plan better. Only thing I've budgeted, at all, is the vehicle itself.

PS: 50% of the trips will be solo, I do have radio, PLB, etc and I'm overlanding in Michigan so no major rocks, deep ruts, or lava explosions - but I would like to venture out nationally (Zion, Ozarks) at some point.

Thanks so much!

 

Just on the winch side, depends entirely how you want to mount it (full plate bumper? lopro bumper? front and rear hitch mount/cradle?) and what kind of winch.

 

Hey Grindstone,
Thanks for the reply
I don't know anything about the types of winches. So I'll say the cheapest version that works safely. Just a ballpark is all I'm looking to know.

 

Also, where were you stationed? I was USAF in Mountain Home AFB mostly.

 

This answer sounds like a call to action for you, to figure out how you want to operate in a solo overlanding fashion. Front and rear cradles sounds sounds like a versatile option.

What about reliability?

 

I personally wouldn't put winch in a basic recovery category. That's a fairly expensive item that not a lot of people need.

Shovel, jack, and strap are basic items, and if you want to be really prepared, look into traction boards, tire repair kit, radio, first aid, a jug of water and a towel. Those are all relatively cheap, lightweight items that a) don't have to live on your truck full time and b) will be more than enough to get most people out of a jam.



If you really want to budget for a winch, there are a few ways to go. First is mounting solution (receiver vs permanent mount). The most versatile (and budget friendly) will be a receiver mount. The most popular (because it looks kewl) is permanent. Most permanent mounts (i.e. winch tray bumpers) will run about $1k, and will add anywhere from 75 to 150 pounds to the front of your truck before you even add the 75 pound winch on top of that. Which means you are spending 500-800 for a winch, 800-2500 for a bumper, and 500-fucktons to accommodate the suspension to the new weight.


Take that with a grain of salt- I personally have strong and highly unpopular opinions about piling a bunch of dead weight on the truck in the name of "overlanding." I think that so many people get so obsessed over gadgets and what they think they might need, that they forget to enjoy the reason of going in the first place. I take it in the same regard as camping - go, and let the experience of this trip tell you what you'll need for the next one. Don't get so wrapped up in the gear that you start buying it before you even have a truck.

 

Having travelled extensively around Utah, this list ^ would be more than sufficient for general Utah travel unless you knew you were trying to get into the heavy stuff.

Also highly recommend a paper atlas of your state/local area/travel route. Knowing where detours/bailouts are can save you the hassle of needing recovery in the first place sometimes.

 

Whew, that answer requires some work. I got some time on my hands, so here ya' go:

You could get a huge range of answers on this. Here's what immediately jumps to mind when I think recovery. I personally take everything on this list (except the winch mount) when I hit the trails. The prices obviously are going to vary greatly depending on quality, brand, capacities, etc. I did a quick Amazon search on all this stuff and put a rough price range in parentheses. The stuff in italics is what I payed and use (or the closest thing I could find on Amazon). Now, if you're just planning light trails, which is mostly what I do, then EVERYTHING on this list is obviously a bit overkill. I also wheel solo though, so I like to be prepared for just about anything. Better to have it and not need it...

Saw ($25-$250) $30 13-inch pruning saw
I'd say a saw is one the most useful items I carry. I have used my little $30 pruning saw more than anything else on the list. It is not only good for clearing the path ahead, but also to cut pieces to act as improvised recovery/traction boards. Also, invaluable when camping. You can also spring for an electric or gas powered chainsaw (hence the huge price range), but I have personally never found myself wanting for a chainsaw on the trail.

Axe ($40-$60) $50 Estwing 26" Axe
While I do carry an axe with me, I have never been in a situation where I needed to cut something that my saw couldn't handle. I guess this is more of an added peace of mind thing.

Shovel ($30-$50) $30 Mini D-handle
I personally carry a mini D-handle shovel, and have had to use it a couple times. I will say that when I do have need for it, it does the job, however I always wish I had a full sized shovel. I would recommend a full-sized shovel here.

Recovery/traction boards ($50-$100) Mine were a gift, but come in at $132
Depending on the terrain you'll be on and whether you run a winch, you may or may not want/need these. I have some, and will usually bring them along but have never actually employed them before; just more peace of mind.

Tire repair kit ($20-$50) ARB tire repair kit. I think I payed $80 at the time. Came with a quick deflator w/ gauge as well, so this price is skewed.
I have used this a lot more than I ever expected to. I have helped other people out as well as repaired a couple flats of my own. Well worth the money and a whole lot easier than changing a tire. There are much cheaper repair kits out there, and I have used a few different ones. the ARB one is worth the added cost IMO as it has oversized handles and is a lot sturdier all around, which is nice if you have beefier tires.

Air compressor ($90-$190) $89 Viair 88p
Another invaluable piece of equipment that I would never hit the trail without. I have lost track of how many times I've used mine. I've helped plenty of strangers with this too.

Appropriate jack ($90-$120) $130 Mine came with a larger baseplate, so this is another slightly skewed price.
An easily overlooked piece of equipment. You could probably make your factory jack work with blocks and boards and such, even with a lift. But it is far easier, quicker and most importantly, safer to have an appropriate jack for off-road use. I carry a high-lift jack that can be had for around $100. Keep in mind that you'll need appropriate jack points to use a high lift; plate bumpers, rock sliders, etc. I say "appropriate" because your requirements for a jack are probably not going to be met by the factory jack, and maybe not even by a high-lift jack. You'll need to do some research to determine what will work best for what you want to do.

Recovery strap ($40-$60) $35 Can't remember what exactly I paid for mine, but it's just a basic 30' strap
I have only used this once, but it was actually to pull a fellow motorist out of a ditch. A kinetic rope would have been better, but for the price the strap did the job just fine and I was glad I had it. These are not much use if you're solo without a winch, but will allow someone else to help you out if need be.

Winch ($250-$1000) Warn M8000. I think I payed about $850 for mine at the time
I put this on the list because I have one and you specifically mentioned it. However, a winch is probably not necessary, and you'll probably never need one if you're not doing any serious off-roading. That being said, if you're solo'ing, I completely understand why you want one, hence why I have one. I have only used my winch twice, and again, both times were to pull other people out of ditches (it rarely snows in Texas, but when it does, I pull people out of ditches). If you do decide to invest in one, a good rule of thumb as far as capacity is 1.5 times your GVWR. Mine has an 8,000lb capacity; on the low end, but it hasn't let me down, plus I have the snatch block if needed. You will also want the following if you run a winch, in addition to the recovery strap I mentioned. As far as peace of mind goes, a winch goes a long way.

Snatch block ($20-$60) Mine came with my recovery strap, but I'd value it at $30 max
If you plan on using your winch, I would highly recommend a snatch block as well. It will allow you to basically multiply your winch capacity. I've never used mine with my Tacoma, but I have used snatch blocks in the Army, and they are well worth the additional cost and effort. Make sure the shackles you have are going to work with your snatch block; the shackle pin needs to be able to fit through the hole in the block.

Shackles ($25-$50) $30 Can't really remember where I got mine or for how much.
Capable shackles can be had for pretty cheap.

Winch mount ($75-$100) I mounted mine to a plate bumper
You can obviously mount it to a compatible bumper, but the cheapest option will be a cradle hitch mount.

Other useful items:
Rope/chain
Tool set; basic mechanic's tools
Lights; flashlights, headlamps, etc.
Muck-boots

Based on this list, I'd say you can expect to pay as little as $300 and as much as $2000 on a set of recovery gear, depending on what you want and what you get. The winch obviously being a huge chunk of the high end of this estimate.


LINKS:
Saw:

$31 Corona Tools 13" RazorTOOTH Pruning Saw | Tree Saw Designed for Single-Hand Use | Curved Blade Hand Saw | Cuts Branches up to 7" in Diameter | RS 7120

Amazon.com : Corona Tools 13-Inch RazorTOOTH Pruning Saw | Tree Saw Designed for Single-Hand Use | Curved Blade Hand Saw | Cuts Branches up to 7" in Diameter | RS 7120 : Handsaws : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Axe: Estwing E45A ES45A Fixed Blade,Hunting Knife,Outdoor,Camping, 26", Blue - Pliers Sets - Amazon.com
Shovel: Amazon.com : Bond LH015 Mini D Handle Shovel : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Recovery Boards:

$108 X-BULL New Recovery Traction Tracks Sand Mud Snow Track Tire Ladder 4WD (Orange, 3gen)

Amazon.com: X-BULL New Recovery Traction Tracks Sand Mud Snow Track Tire Ladder 4WD (Orange, 3gen) : Everything Else
Tire repair kit:

$102 ARB ARB505 E-Z Tire Pressure Deflator Gauge Kit BUNDLE WITH ARB 10000011 Speedy Seal Tire Repair Kit

Amazon.com: ARB ARB505 E-Z Tire Pressure Deflator Gauge Kit BUNDLE WITH ARB 10000011 Speedy Seal Tire Repair Kit : Automotive
Air compressor: Amazon.com : viair 88p
Jack:

$130 BUNKER INDUST Farm Jack 48" with Jack Base Mate,High Lift Tire Jack Stand Plate Offroad Sand Mud Snow Recovery Kit for Car Truck Jeep ATV SUV UTV

Amazon.com: BUNKER INDUST Farm Jack 48" with Jack Base Mate,High Lift Tire Jack Stand Plate Offroad 4x4 Sand Mud Snow Recovery Kit for Car Truck Jeep ATV SUV UTV : Automotive
Winch:

$856 WARN 26502 M8000 Series Electric 12V Winch with Steel Cable Wire Rope: 5/16" Diameter x 100' Length, 4 Ton (8000 lb) Pulling Capacity

Amazon.com: WARN 26502 M8000 Series Electric 12V Winch with Steel Cable Wire Rope: 5/16" Diameter x 100' Length, 4 Ton (8,000 lb) Pulling Capacity : Automotive
Recovery Strap:

$18 Keeper - 4" x 30’ Emergency Vehicle Towing and Recovery Strap - 10000 lbs. Max Vehicle Weight and 20000 lbs. Break Strength

Amazon.com: KEEPER - 30’ x 4" Emergency Vehicle Towing and Recovery Strap - 10,000 lbs. Max Vehicle Weight and 20,000 lbs. Break Strength : Automotive
Snatch block:

$30 TICONN 10 Ton Winch Snatch Block Towing Pulley Blocks 22000 LBS Capacity, Heavy Duty Offroad Recovery Accessory for Truck, Tractor, ATV & UTV

Amazon.com: TICONN 10 Ton Winch Snatch Block Towing Pulley Blocks 22,000 LBS Capacity, Heavy Duty Offroad Recovery Accessory for Truck, Tractor, ATV & UTV : Automotive
Shackles:

$25 LIBERRWAY Shackles 3/4" (2 Pack) D Ring Shackle Rugged Off Road Shackles 28.5 Ton (57000 lbs) Maximum Break Strength with 7/8'' Pin Heavy Duty D Ring for Vehicle Recovery, Orange

Amazon.com: LIBERRWAY Shackles 3/4" (2 Pack) D Ring Shackle Rugged Off Road Shackles 28.5 Ton (57,000 lbs) Maximum Break Strength with 7/8'' Pin Heavy Duty D Ring for Vehicle Recovery, Orange : Automotive

 

Wow, these are some amazing responses! Much appreciated. I'll wait and see how I feel about the winch but I have half of this stuff already, so that worked out well. Thanks!

 

That's a great list to go by. Tire repair kits are worth their weight in gold! I keep one and the viar 88p in my truck at all times. Even came in handy after running over a roofing nail in the parking lot at work. Don't take up much space at all!

 

Trail riding alone for years I kept:

Air compressor $70
Folding Shovel $10
Tire repair kit $20
Rear recovery point shackle for hitch receiver $30
Tow strap (not ideal but cheap) $30
A second shackle for any would-be rescue vehicle I flagged down (happened twice) $10
Pair of maxtrax $250

$420 bucks all together, and the maxtrax never helped whenever I needed them so I’d say feel free to go with something cheaper. I paid top dollar since it’s self recovery gear and I wanted it to work but….

 

I'll offer the counter point: I've used a cheaper options as well as my maxtrax extensively doing offroad recovery work for a desert race series. The cheaper ones have failed at inopportune times, and the cost difference between the real deal and the lesser competitors would have been worth it. You don't tend to get stuck in convenient places.

Maxtrax can also be used in flexible/bridging scenarios, where X-bulls will snap and shatter.

 

Where my cheapo Amazon boards couldn't get me out, $300 board would not have either. Also I carry a couple 2x10x3 treated boards for various uses around camp, as well as bridging (though I've never had to use them on the trail for that). I need harder proof to show that $220 value difference.

Sorry, just noticed this. My first and only ops base was Tinker AFB, OK. Still work here, just as a .civ now.

 

Why are dynamic recovery straps preferred to static? Seems like you wouldn't want the "bounce" or stretch.

$70 ARB 4x4 Accessories ARB705LB Recovery Snatch Strap Orange 30' x 2 3/8", Load capacity 17600 lb, NATA approved, 20% Stretch

https://www.amazon.com/ARB-ARB705LB...077-4e02-a8fc-aac4a2f75775&pd_rd_i=B01H5M6BM6

 

Kinetic ropes are preferred for stuck vehicle situations. They allow you to get a running start so to speak to allow you to take advantage of the recovery vehicle's forward momentum in order to yank the stuck vehicle out. Straps with no give or elasticity, on the other hand, are better suited for use with a winch or when you are simply towing a vehicle. If you use a strap for pulling out a stuck vehicle, you need to slowly take out the slack, otherwise you'll shock the setup and damage something; either one of the vehicles or your equipment.

When you slowly take out the slack with a strap, your pulling power is limited by the amount of traction you have, which isn't much in mud or on ice. Taking advantage of your vehicle's forward momentum, or kinetic energy, makes it possible to apply a lot more force even with low traction or when the recovery vehicle is lighter than the stuck one. I've seen videos of little Wranglers pulling big diesel trucks out with kinetic ropes. Try that with a strap and you're liable to damage your bumper or worse.

I've used straps to pull people out of ditches; it's not ideal but it works. There are also some straps out there that have a little elasticity to them, just not as much as the average kinetic rope. It's worth mentioning also that straps are generally quite a bit cheaper than kinetic ropes.

 

Are you traveling with another vehicle? Chances are you don't need a winch. Having recovery points fore and aft is more important.

Static and dynamic straps, soft and d-shackles, compressor, tire repair kit, ratchet straps, bungees, shovel, bow saw, ax/machete with file, basic hand tools, flash light and a come-a-long. Some scrap dunnage is always handy. Gloves, blanket, water, food, extra socks, paper towel and a basic first aid kit.

I work solo in the bush quite a bit and have a winch just in case but only get to use it to recover others.

Comms is critical. I have vhf for the logging roads I travel and a Zoleo sat communicator because I'm often out of cell coverage. I can't say enough about how great they are.

 

Great post! . May I humbly suggest:

• "flash light": This would fit into the two is one and one is none category. add a headlamp and a few chem-lights
• "basic first aid kit": 100% need to beef up the typical scrape and cut BS 1st aid kit to resemble a modern military IFAK. Add: tourniquet, Israeli Bandage, combat gauze, soft split, chest seal, nasopharyngeal airway tube, Benadryl, space blanket and spend a few hours watching videos on "TCCC" (Tactical Combat Causalty Care; to include Heat and Cold injuries) Everyone should have an IFAK readily accessible at their home and in their car, especially if going off the beaten path... Chances of getting messed up by an ied or capped are low, but very easy to imagine a; slip and fall in the wood-line that results in a puncture by a foreign object and quickly bleeding out. <$100 invested in an IFAK can stretch that 60 seconds into a full day.
• "Comms is critical": This cannot be understated. Don't forget spare batteries, charge pack etc. (Two is one, one is none). Finally, a proper "GOTWA" before you step off (Where your going, Who your taking with you, Time you will be back, what to do if you don't return in time, Actions on Contact

 

It's like the difference between climbing and hauling on dynamic and static lines. Cool. Very helpful, thanks.

 

And where are people placing the shackles? Youtube has a lot of videos of recoveries gone wrong...

 

If you don't have aftermarket bumpers with shackle mounts, the best option would be a hitch mounted shackle mount in the rear. You can find them for about $30-$50. Of course, this would require a tow hitch. You can pull on these pretty vigorously without worrying about damaging the vehicle.

$38 CURT 45832 D-Ring Shackle Mount Trailer Hitch, Fits 2" Receiver, 13000 lbs, CARBIDE BLACK POWDER COAT

Amazon.com: CURT 45832 D-Ring Shackle Mount Trailer Hitch, Fits 2-Inch Receiver, 13,000 lbs : Automotive

For the front, most vehicles (if not all), come with some sort of towing device that can also be used for recovery in an emergency, although I would personally take extra care using a towing point for vehicle recovery. Sometimes though that's your best choice to avoid damaging the stuck vehicle. I pulled a stranger in a Camry out of a ditch using his factory supplied towing eyelet (funny, the owner didn't even know he had it or what it was for). Modern cars and crossovers typically have a tow hook/eyelet included from the factory that you have to screw into a specific spot on the bumper (front or rear) which will usually have a disguised plastic cover hiding the hole. To my knowledge, most heavier vehicles, trucks and larger SUVs have factory tow hooks/loops hard mounted to the frame.

Not sure about 3rd Gen, but my 2nd Gen came from the factory with 2 towing points in front. I imagine 3rd Gen is similar.



Again, keep in mind that these are towing points and not recovery points per se. They can be used for recovery in an emergency, but I personally would be careful in doing so. As an alternative to a full on plate bumper with shackle mounts, you can get aftermarket shackle mounts that will bolt to the frame in front for added piece of mind.

Here's a pic (pulled off Google) of a car with a towing device mounted in the front. Looks to be an aftermarket eyelet, but you can see where the mounting hole is in the bumper. On the car pictured, this would ordinarily be covered by a color-matched plastic cap. A similar mounting hole will likely be in the rear bumper, and the eyelet is usually stored in the trunk (with the jack and spare tire if equipped).