Recovery gear questions!

[TankerZak]

I'm improving my truck for Moab this year and from lessons learned from my snow run. I have two questions as I gather high quality and complete recovery gear.

I'm a 2016 PW on 35 (Toyo RT) and leveled with Thuren 1.5 inch front coils and Whiteknuckle rock sliders, spider diff protectors, Detlhoff skid plate, full size same brand spare.

What length Hi-lift jack works best for us? I really just want the 48 but i want it to work. Is the 60 better? Are we tall enough to need the 60?

Also, any thoughts on a ground anchor? I'm looking at the Pull Pal (looked at the ARB too), but home base is the Pacific Northwest. I'm not sure it's even needed with our trees. But i think it's a complete waste of cash and space... until you need it. Then it's priceless. Thoughts?

I already have most other stuff. Short list of stuff: Hi-lift Extreme, bumper adapter, wheel adapter, offroad base, offroad recovery kit to use as rear winch, X-bull rampsx2, tire deflater, 12v air compressor, snatch block, soft shacklesx2, hard shacklesx2, etool, hatchet/saw, tree saver, tow strap, bridle, winch dampnerx2, drag chain, snow chains, bottle jack, hitch tow point, HAM (external antenna), CB (external antenna), FRSx2, winch gloves, complete first aid kit, food, water, leatherman, Warn wireless winch controller.

[RustyPW]

I have a 60" Hi-Lift Extreme mounted in the bed. Have all the extras to go with it. Have the big Pul-Pal sitting in front of my tool box. And everything else you have listed. Plus an ax and a short shovel. Haven't used the Pul-Pal. But it's there for insurance. Figure if I take it out. That will be the time I need it.

[DocPaulo]

Bought the 60 too... it is heavy and awkward to use but i think its best to have it longer than fall short. I use the tire hooks and i can see the 48 running out of room depending on the situation

[Colibri]

You’ve got a pretty comprehensive kit going sounds like. I’ve carried both a hilift 60” and pull pal in my truck for years and never once used them to recover myself. There’s plenty of rocks and trees to winch from in my area, so the Pul-Pal only comes along for the beach or desert these days. I too have the white knuckle sliders, which are just about mandatory to make a hilift useful for our trucks imho. Even then it’s hard to keep the mast of a hilift from getting into windows and body panels in use. I prefer a bottle jack with a bogert manufacturing baseplate and a swag off-road axle tube saddle. Much safer and easier to use than a hilift 99% of the time. That being said, I do still keep the hilift on board because it will do things nothing else will for that 1%

[DamageWagon]

I don’t like hi-lifts. You have to have a usable recovery point, you’ve got those covered in your list. I’m using a real shop floor jack for my jack.

Pull-Pals and Deadman anchors are for lazy people and have super limited applications. Be a man and dig yourself out, which brings us to... E-Tools and how terrible they are. E-Tools belong in a backpack or the trash can. Buy a real shovel and you will thank yourself with every load of dirt that you didn’t buy something with an 18” handle.

Air compressor, yes, required. Either that or a PowerTank. I like having a compressor and have run my Viair 200 for a few years no problem. Takes a bit to air up, long enough to make some sandwiches. Some guys buy the ARB TwinAir but damn ou might as well pay double that and get a set of beadlocks.

General stuff like Tow strap, gloves, those are good to have. Medical kit in my experience both from firefighting and taking he truck out, should cover the extreme scenarios and kind of forget about the stuff in the middle. Carry some stuff for splinters, burns, headaches, some bandaids... and then carry some ‘IM GOING TO DIE’ level things including tourniquet. Snake bite kits don’t work, don’t waste the money. The most used piece of my medical kit in the truck BY FAR has been triangle bandages for broken bones.

The most important and most frequently skipped part of a recovery kit is the basic tools and parts to work on your truck. Have every wrench and socket you need to work on almost anything on your truck. Basic electrical pieces and a cutter and crimper.

If all the crap I’ve put my stuff through I haven’t had many issues. The only trail fix has been a broken wheel and flat tire. Of the times I’ve recovered myself I’ve used the winch once where a Deadman would maybe been useful, all the other times it was a shovel that saved me all on its own. Shovel is by far my favorite and most used recovery tool. Axe has come in handy in heavily forested areas where I had to get past trees blocking the trail.

[RustyPW]

What type of recovery equipment you need depends on where you go. If you live someplace like Moab. A Pul-Pal might not be useful. But if you live where there is little trees, soft soil, and hills. Yeah, the Pul-Pal would be worth it's weight in gold. If you're on a hill that is hard soil, but greasy. Digging with a shovel ain't going to help you. Anchor to a tree or a Pul-Pal and winch it. Been there, done that.

[Mule007]

live in Ore have the 60” high lift extreme. Siphon kit; 3 5 gal. Lo profile gas; 1 5 gal low profile H20; kapstan winch w extra woven rope have helped recover a time or 2

[TankerZak]

Great advice. I don't like a Hi-Lift either. But when you need one no other jack will do, and it'll work as a bead breaker and come-a-long. Wouldn't use it to change a tire. It's a recovery tool not a jack. I'm going to pack one of those bottle jack/jack stands i picked up that we used to level the truck. I do also have a decent kit of tools that stays in the truck. I have splints, tournaquets, quickclot, etc., etc from a trauma / gun shot kit i carry while hunting. As for the etool, I've dug some fairly impressive stuff with an etool, to include, fighting positions, and recovering Abrams tanks.

[Ducky's Dad]

I carry a 48" Hi-Lift in my GMC, and decided on a 60" Extreme for the PW, with a jack base and some accessories. I have OBA and carry a BushRanger X-Jack for lifts in soft sand where a mechanical jack is inconvenient or impossible. The first time I used the X-Jack for a tricky recovery, it split and let the truck down hard and fast, so don't get any body parts under there. ARB replaced it when I sent them pics of the split seam. I also carry a Hummer H1 scissors jack that I can slide under the PW, but have not had to use it yet; lighter than a big bottle jack and will allow you to push things sideways if necessary. I carry a Pull-Pal 11000, and the 14000 sits in the garage because it's just so damn big. I need to reconfigure the truck to tuck the 14000 somewhere. I have found that a full size shovel is nicely augmented by a long handled garden hoe, mostly for pulling sand and snow out from under the truck or from around the wheels. Much easier than shoveling, and would probably help in mud.

[Reloaderguy]

As for the etool, I've dug some fairly impressive stuff with an etool, to include, fighting positions, and recovering Abrams tanks.

Who needs an 88 when you have an e-tool.

[MSCH2112]

48" high lift is fine. any bigger and it just gets really scary. i've used mine alot and it's my favorite tool but also the scariest tool. so be careful.

mike

[TankerZak]

As for the etool, I've dug some fairly impressive stuff with an etool, to include, fighting positions, and recovering Abrams tanks.

Who needs an 88 when you have an e-tool.

I once had to dig out the tank to the point the 88 could even see it to hook up... i mean... shit happens...

[OffroadTreks]

When are you going to Moab?

[TankerZak]

When are you going to Moab?

Trying to go to the Power Wagons in Moab event. I almost went last year but couldn't swing it.

[Mule007]

Your kit, and research are a very good list. Have not been but the attendees are all very helpful, knowledgeable, & willing to help,,, Enjoy,,,

[OffroadTreks]

I think your kit is good. We have a 45 inch HiLift. Nena Barlow is giving a recovery course specific to Power Wagons on Thursday. Might just want to wait if you can make it and re-evaluate afterwards.

[nts007]

I find when overplanning for some adventure it's best to pull a 36' gooseneck with you with a spare truck, a skid steer and a truck box camper on it.

But honestly a good set of sockets and wrenches and pliers are worth their weight in gold. I've done brake repairs to shock removal to changing tie rods everywhere from parking lots to the side of the highway.

Oh and that overplanning with the trailer is kinda on my list for my Moab trip.

[TankerZak]

I've been using and doing most of this stuff for years as a camper, Boy Scout, backpacker, hunter, Soldier, etc. And always prepared while doing so. But I've got a few big blank spots on the civillian side. I never sprung for a winch so that aspect is a bit new though I've now watched about 20 hours of video on it. And over I've never owned my own Hi-lift. Or had to reseat a bead in the field. I'm super excited for Nena Barlows class. I've followed her on Instagram for over a year now.

I've recovered trucks, tanks, 88s, hummvs, duece and a halfs, 5 tons, even a stuck water buffalo once, etc. But not having Army issued BII i realized i needed my own stuff now... i also don't have the luxury of SINCGARS so I'm getting into Ham.

We once got an 88 stuck trying to recover a tank and had to recover the 88 first in Germany in the cold... Do you have any idea what it takes to get a tracked vehicle stuck?!?!? My god...

[TankerZak]

I find when overplanning for some adventure it's best to pull a 36' gooseneck with you with a spare truck, a skid steer and a truck box camper on it.

But honestly a good set of sockets and wrenches and pliers are worth their weight in gold. I've done brake repairs to shock removal to changing tie rods everywhere from parking lots to the side of the highway.

Oh and that overplanning with the trailer is kinda on my list for my Moab trip.

I didn't even address the travel trailer overplanning... don't get me started. I have a 36 foot bumper pull with solar panels, cell phone booster, generator, double paned windows with a sealed belly thats rated down to 0 degrees... lol!

[Ducky's Dad]

Do you have any idea what it takes to get a tracked vehicle stuck?!?!? My god...

I used to be a member of a duck club that had a Cat D7 dozer. One of the guys got it stuck in the mud one Fall while prepping some ponds, and then it started to sink. We had to leave it until the following spring and then dig it out with a backhoe. Why did w have a D7? Because the oil company that had previously owned it got it stuck so deeply that they told us we could have it if we could recover it. It was already a beater at that point, but worth digging out.

[TankerZak]

Okay, based on feedback and space I ordered the 14000 Pull-pal and the 60 Hi-Lift Extreme. I'm standing pat until after Moab on anything else. I did go through Nena Barlows offroad list and added the ARB tire patch kit from those recommendations as well. Thanks everyone!

[ghaugo]

Good to hear some more tanker stories. I spent my time as a hatch plug in my M1A1 back years ago. I miss those beasts, but they are a bear to get out when you manage to get one stuck!

[HeavyDuty]

I’ve seen a few pics of those hi -lift and shovel mounts that go on the inside of the box. Has anyone used them? And which company were they? I hate listening to my shovels and axes sliding and banging around in the back of my truck.

[Ducky's Dad]

Years ago I had my Hi-Lift mounted to the tool box, but it was always in the way when I loaded the truck. I think Hi-Lift sells a mount similar to the pic above, and some of the rack manufacturers have their own versions. I bought one that was nicely welded and galvanized, very heavy duty, but then decided to make my own for the box. That was before I moved the jack to the box rail. Places like OK Offroad should have jack and shovel mounts. I don't find a pic on this computer of my PW jack mount, but here is a shot of the mount I fabbed for the GMC after I saw something similar in AZ Game Warden trucks. It's simple, cheap, secure, and keeps the jack up and out of the way. This pic is a 48", but the 60" Extreme in the PW is on a similar mount, but more to the rear with the base plate bolted to a bracket mounted onto the taillight housing. Quick Fist mounts are handy for shovels.

[TankerZak]

I was thinking about mounting the jack. At first i was going to get the 48 and toss it in side ways with the max tracks and gas can between the bed divider and the tailgate with my hard tonneau holding it all down. The 60 won't fit there. I don't have the wheel wells in the bed because of the ram boxes. If i had wheel wells I'd mount just like that. I'm a little bit at a loss. I might just strap it down when its in the bed. I did see a solution where someone built a mounting system inside the ramboxes. I don't want to give up that much room.... so... tie downs in the bed? I don't know...