Essential Off-Road Recovery Gear & Techniques

Essential Recovery Tips & Techniques

Go wheeling. Get stuck. Extract. Sometimes that’s how it goes when you’re exploring the backcountry. If you’re going to wander off the paved path, it’s a good idea to be prepared with at least some basic off-road recovery gear and knowledge of techniques.

This holds true for running solo or in a group—even if it’s not your rig—a friend may need help towing or pulling his stricken vehicle off the trail.

Assessment

Sometimes one of the most important things you can do when you get stuck is to simply stop what you’re doing. Get off the throttle, stop vehicle motion, put the transmission in park or low gear, and shut off the engine.

Obviously, if you’re sinking in bottomless quicksand like Indiana Jones then you might need to react quickly.

However, in the real world, you can usually approach the stuck situation with patience.

Take a little time to assess the situation. There’s usually not a need to rush doing something that may break the rig or injure someone near the vehicle.

Stuck vehicles tend to attract people around it, so be sure everyone is clear of any danger when trying to move or when using extraction methods.

The Basics

Sometimes, simply lowering tire air pressure even further can provide the broader footprint and traction you need to work your way out of a stuck situation.

Take note that dropping pressure also reduces clearance, so make sure you’re not already high-centered on the axles or frame.

Having a shovel on-board can be handy if stuck in deep sand or snow. It can be used to clear sand or snow that’s touching skidplates or frame components.

It can also be used to clear a flat path in front of each tire to reduce the forward resistance each tire sees.

Once you’ve determined that you can’t drive out of a situation under vehicle power, it’s time to consider jacking, pulling, or winching to free the troubled rig.

Hi-Lift Jack Recovery Tips

A Hi-Lift jack can be a super handy tool to have around for extraction. They come in 48 and 60-inch heights.

We’ve used them for changing tires, lifting rigs off of obstacles and for jacking vehicles sideways away from boulders or rock walls. Fair warning here.

It’s suggested you practice with a Hi-Lift before you need to use it for a real stuck. They can take some practice to use well.

Using a base

The standard base of a Hi-Lift works well on hard ground or rock, but can sink in deep sand or sloppy mud.

The addition of a Hi-Lift Off-Road Base can spread the load over a greater surface area and better stabilize the jack in the soft stuff.

A piece of plywood or large wood block can also serve the purpose.

In any case, always be wary of how the jack leans or moves once it’s in use.

How to Use a Snatch Strap for Recovery

Snatch straps are an off-road staple that should be carried in any vehicle, along with some D-rings used to attach the strap to recovery points where needed.

The elastic nature of a synthetic snatch strap is used to jerk the stuck vehicle free using a bit of throttle from the pulling vehicle.

There are also tree-saver and winch extension straps that can be used as their names imply.

Though they look very similar, they are constructed differently and not designed to elastically stretch like a snatch strap.

Snatch strap is used for vehicle pulling or towing.

How to Use Winch for Recovery

Having a front and/or rear winch, or a portable hitch-mount winch can be useful if you have the room to mount one.

They can be used for self-extraction or extraction of other vehicles.

Knowing when and how to use a winch is another matter.

A winch cable should not be used for tow pulling or snatching because impact loading to the winch geartrain may damage it. Use a snatch strap for pulling or towing.

Synthetic Rope Vs. Steel Wire Rope

The debate continues as to which is the better winch line material – steel wire rope or synthetic rope.

There are pros and cons to each type.

Steel rope is generally more resistive to abrasion damage from rocks and dirt; however, it is heavier and can kink if not handled properly.

Synthetic line is lighter and generally more expensive, but it’s overall safer to use.

We’ve had good experience using synthetic rope in combination with protective cover sleeves used where the winch rope might rub on abrasive surfaces.

Winching in mud

Ah mud! Fun to play in, but a chore to clean.

When pulling with a winch, it’s often hard to get the winch line to respool in an even and taut fashion.

Once done, it’s usually a good idea to unspool the cable and respool it evenly under hand tension so the cable lays flat and even.

Loose wire rope as shown here can cut into lower layers and kink the rope.

Loose synthetic line can also become pinched on the spool and later hard to pull back out.

Connection point

Any connection point used on a vehicle for towing, tugging or winching should be unquestionably secure.

When under tension, they’re holding back significant energy and when used with an elastic strap could launch a detached chunk of steel or tow hook some distance with force.

Throttle

When preparing a winch for recovery or getting a rig over an obstacle, good coordination and communication with a spotter is handy.

When possible, don’t use your winch to dead pull your 4WD.

Apply throttle as needed to drive the tires as you winch over the obstacle.

Choose a connection point

When using snatch straps, open hook terminations should not be used. Hitch balls are also poor strap connector points, as they don’t retain a strap reliably.

Connections are best made on recovery tow hooks, or hitch receivers with a cross-pin or D-ring insert.

Chains

Chains or wire rope can be used for pulling or towing, but realize they stretch very little so they can be jarring for extraction; hard impact under tension could damage a connection point.

Snatch straps are a far friendlier option for pulling and towing.

How to Use Tree strap

A tree strap, or similar strap, should always be used when winching from a tree to protect its bark.

When winching from boulders or vehicle attachment points, a strap protects the winch cable from kinking or other damage.

A shackle or D-ring should be used to connect two strap ends.

You can also wrap a strap around an anchor or attachment point then back through one strap loop to secure a hold to the attachment point.

How to Use Snatch block

A snatch block can be used with a winch cable to change the pull direction of the line when a vehicle cannot be positioned correctly for a direct winch pull.

Note the v-shaped danger zone in these cases and keep everyone clear of that area when the line is under tension.

Upside down rig

When you’ve got a vehicle on its side or upside down, you’ll often use a winch to pull it back on its tires.

First, ensure the brakes are applied so the vehicle tires will not want to roll once the rig is up right.

Then, when winching or pulling the vehicle over, ensure that it will land softly on its tires to prevent further damage or the possibility of it rolling the other direction.

Use a second winch as a lowering line if needed.

Safety first

Keep a sharp eye towards safety when dealing with a stuck rig, extraction or other recovery.

People can be in close proximity of the vehicle and extreme care should be taken to ensure everyone is clear of the vehicle before moving it.

Don’t rush

Should you flop a vehicle on its side or roll one over, everyone can get excited quickly.

Property is replaceable. People are not.

Someone in the rig may be injured, but there’s little reason to rush toward the vehicle if there’s risk of injury to others at this point.

Assess the situation; make sure the vehicle is stable, and then consider recovery options.