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Even in the best prepared car with the most skilled driver, there are
times when your vehicle will get stuck.
Recovering the vehicle should first
and foremost be viewed as a hazardous operation. Tonnes of dead
weight are about to be moved using equipment that will be under
considerable strain, and the potential for injury is greatly
increased if those involved lack the appropriate skills, experience and
equipment. At the very least make sure you read the manuals!
While there are specialist who can teach
you the art of vehicle recovery, and resources are widely available if
you want to teach yourself, we recommend that invest in quality
equipment that will minimise the risk of injury to yourself as well as
to bystanders.
If you aren't experienced we recommend
that you join a local 4x4 club who will happily include you on the
weekend excursions, where you can learn the necessary skills in the
company of real enthusiasts.
Equipment Checklist
● Vehicle Winch
● Snatch Plate
● Hi-Lift Jack
● Hi-Lift Base
● Tree strop
● Towing strop
● Kinetic rope
● 2 x heavy duty shackles
● Shovel
● Sand Ladders
● Saw
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Winches
The first piece of recovery equipment that most
people think of when they are preparing a vehicle for expedition or off-road
use is a winch. Winches are quick easy to use once you've mastered the
important safety rules. To counter that they are expensive and heavy, and
they rely upon a suitable anchor point, which means that in a desert they
are far less useful than on a green lane. The tow wire itself can present a
hazard if incorrectly used - trying to drive out of a hole at the same
time a you are winching is a common beginners mistake - if you slide back
the jerk on the cable could break it and cause catastrophic injury, or even worse, damage to the vehicle. Warn produce an excellent guide which
you can view
here.
Hi-Lift Jack
A cheaper alternative is the flexible Hi-Lift jack, which allow you to winch
short distances, as well as assisting you in other types of recovery; you
can lift the vehicle out of ruts or sand and then infill. As with a winch,
the Hi-Lift is a potentially dangerous piece of equipment - be sure to read
the manufacturer's
instructions, and don't forget to include a base for use in sand or mud
conditions.
Various other portable and manual winches are
available, but are not popular with experienced overlanders because of their
weight and the fact that they are generally tedious to set up and use.
Vehicle Assisted Recovery
The easiest recovery aid is of course another
vehicle - either using a winch, tow ropes or kinetic rope. Make sure your
shackles, strops and tow ropes are in good condition, and are of suitable
lengths. If a straight line tow isn't possible you can employ a snatch plate
to change the direction of pull.
Terrain
Terrain is of course a determining factor
when you choose your recovery equipment. In sand you are less likely to find
winch points, and will rely upon another vehicle or your own sand ladders
for recovery. Aluminium sand ladders are expensive, but you will appreciate
their lightweight characteristics as you haul them down under the blazing
sun for the tenth time that morning. And don't forget to include a good
shovel.
In forests you will need to include a saw -
and spare a thought for the tree that you are winching off - a tree strop
can save its bark from serious damage.
Other types of terrain might mean you need
bridging ladders, or other types of specialist equipment - remember that we
helped Land Rover equip their vehicle for the Camel Trophy competition -
ask us for advice and we'll be happy to help. |
