Are Recovery / Traction Boards Actually Useful?

[Gonzo]

Used my last night > for my wife's Navigator. She got stuck on the ice (hello TN snow/ice storm!). Got her out of the ice quicker than hooking top my winch. For the record, I had no problem in the Bronco.

So yes > They are helpful in certain siuations and they are faster to use!

I was reading earlier and someone said it best > people buy traction boards before they finally spend the money on the real recovery gear.

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[C6ZZGT]

Wife just got back from Offroadeo -- Did you know NONE of the rigs there have winches ? Boards they have.

 

[Gotchaa]

I’m late and this will be a debate until the end of time, but be careful with antidotal evidence to discount them.

A few qualifiying questions for you: Do you have a recovery kit set up? (Straps, shackles, shovel, etc?). If not, those should be the first purchase for recovery if stuck.

Do you air down? Have a compressor to air back up? Airing down increases grip more effectively than anything else and it improves the ride and saves your rig from hard jarring if down to at least 20psi.

Slipping down into 4L will help to get you unstuck most since it brings on all your torque at low speed.

Does your Bronco have both lockers? Usually locking the rear and turning off traction control will usually get you unstuck if you have decent tread on off-road tires in anything other than deep mud or snow.

The mud is where I find my MaxTrax to be the most useful and yes, they’ve been used. Going uphill in mud, or some sort of crossing, that’s when you may benefit from them. The biggest issue with them is where to mount. I mount on my roof rack with a Yakima platform, but I don’t always have that mounted when I hit trails. Won’t carry them in the Bronco because when they’re muddy, they’re muddy.

So, are traction boards necessary? No, but they can keep you from winching and if you don’t have a winch, the boards are a smart insurance policy, but only if you have good ones. I wouldn’t buy any other than the MaxTrax or those from ARB.

I decided to try out the max track with sea sucker mounts. I had to move the roof rack rails to make space in between but it worked. Not sure if this a perm me ant home though as the Yakima skybox I have would not fit with this setup

 

[MadMan4BamaNATL]

I decided to try out the max track with sea sucker mounts. I had to move the roof rack rails to make space in between but it worked. Not sure if this a perm me ant home though as the Yakima skybox I have would not fit with this setup

I have the Yakima Lock n Load platform, small. I also purchased the MaxTrax pins and measured them up so the boards slide on.

This set up works fine, but the Bronco sits very high with the platform and pins installed, so I only really use it when I go camping or if going to do some more serious trails which isn’t as often.

Hope you never have to use them, but if you do, they’ll work, but also bring a shovel just in case.

 

[M Redwood]

a decent set of chains can work real well in both snow and mud ...never hear much about these but have saved me in snow several times...def a good recovery product

 

[popo_patty]

 

[Gotchaa]

I watched these video reviews before deciding:

 

[CalvinT]

In another life did a lot of off road then retired. A few years ago (Before 6G Broncos were announced) I saw traction boards for the first time. Both times on the roof racks of Subaru Foresters. And both owners did a lot of off road.

Off the top of my head, I can think of three times I could have used traction boards. It all depends on where and when you're planning on going and who with.

 

[Gotchaa]

In another life did a lot of off road then retired. A few years ago (Before 6G Broncos were announced) I saw traction boards for the first time. Both times on the roof racks of Subaru Foresters. And both owners did a lot of off road.

Off the top of my head, I can think of three times I could have used traction boards. It all depends on where and when you're planning on going and who with.

Yes its best to travel with friends with recovery gear

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