Universal Recovery Kit

[Gypsy]

1. Your existing tool kid will probably serve as a good base. Probably just add some of the following: large crescent wrench, channel locks, vice grips, metric socket set 8mm - 18mm, lineman's, metric allen key set
2. 3/4" with load capacity higher than snatch rop
3. 7/8" with minimum of 30k lbs capacity
4. 3x30 seems big. You can get away with a 2x20 (should only be used to pull rolling weight and not stuck weight)
5. Whatever you prefer. I got a set for Christmas a few years ago but rarely carry mine as I have a winch.

Thank you for information as we build our kit.

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[Gypsy]

Except channel locks. While not from HF, I broke a couple pairs of cheap hardware store channel locks by squeezing them to hard. Had I been wearing gloves I probably wouldn't have smashed my knuckles as bad.

Of course, anyone who has ever worked on their own vehicle knows the job isn't complete until a blood sacrifice has been made so you may want to skip the PPE.

Some other things to consider as your kit grows:
1. Air down tool with gauge
2. Hatchet and/or small bow saw
3. Zip ties
3. Old towel
4. Battery operated impact

And I didn't mention it as it should be carried in all vehicles and NOT with the recovery gear:
1. Good first aid kit
2. Fire extinguisher
3. Flares
4. Jumper cables
5. Couple bottles of water
6. Blanket (for you northern folks)

Thanks again we had most of those already since we lived in an rural area. It was mostly those 5 things I wanted to get right. Really appreciate that you and others took time to help us.

 

[Gypsy]

1. Your existing tool kid will probably serve as a good base. Probably just add some of the following: large crescent wrench, channel locks, vice grips, metric socket set 8mm - 18mm, lineman's, metric allen key set
2. 3/4" with load capacity higher than snatch rop
3. 7/8" with minimum of 30k lbs capacity
4. 3x30 seems big. You can get away with a 2x20 (should only be used to pull rolling weight and not stuck weight)
5. Whatever you prefer. I got a set for Christmas a few years ago but rarely carry mine as I have a winch.

 

[Aonarch]

A shovel is a biggie especially in the South with mud and sand.

 

[Gypsy]

For trail tools, my thoughts are get some cheap Harbor Freight tools. Reason for this is because it’s so easy to lose tools when using out on a trail. Things drop or get left, sadly could even walk away.

I’d get a decent metric socket set from there and a standard as well, but Bronco uses metric, accessories use standard a lot. Torx and Torx+ 1/4 inch or 3/8 sockets and ratchet wrenches should be good and be cheap.

Only place I’d spend more is the snatch strap. I have a VooDoo Offroad 30K lb (I think it is), was on sale for $180 I think and got two soft shackles.

Bow shackles can be pretty cheap.

Any tire repair kit will work in a pinch

breaker bar, or a battery torque wrench. (Harbor Freight for the win here as well.). I’d like the Dewalt or Milwaukee at home.

Think recovery boards are getting better, but I have MaxTrax because I didn’t want to buy any more.

A decent portable compressor is a good investment, but doesn’t have to cost more than $250.

@BlueBronco gave a pretty comprehensive list. Them gloves will save your cakes for sure!

I need to try out wheeling in Florida at some point.

Thanks for the help, we are looking to find a club to join here to get our feet wet. In Michigan there were so many places, but my husband is a big fisherman so we trailed our boat to lakes. Looking forward to our new adventure.

 

[Gypsy]

1. Your existing tool kid will probably serve as a good base. Probably just add some of the following: large crescent wrench, channel locks, vice grips, metric socket set 8mm - 18mm, lineman's, metric allen key set
2. 3/4" with load capacity higher than snatch rop
3. 7/8" with minimum of 30k lbs capacity
4. 3x30 seems big. You can get away with a 2x20 (should only be used to pull rolling weight and not stuck weight)
5. Whatever you prefer. I got a set for Christmas a few years ago but rarely carry mine as I have a winch.

Shallow or deep on the socket set. Thanks

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Shallow or deep on the socket set. Thanks

Toss up. Whichever you choose, you will need the other. lol Something like this should cover most repairs that are doable on the trail. Keep an eye out for their 25% off coupons.

https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/tool-sets/mechanics-tool-set-225-piece-62664.html

 

[Murraydog11]

Yup! That's the kit I carry around. Lays pretty flat. I got it for $119 with a coupon. Of course I saw it over the weekend for $99...

 

[Gypsy]

Toss up. Whichever you choose, you will need the other. lol Something like this should cover most repairs that are doable on the trail. Keep an eye out for their 25% off coupons.

https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/tool-sets/mechanics-tool-set-225-piece-62664.html

Thanks for the info.

 

[Gypsy]

Yup! That's the kit I carry around. Lays pretty flat. I got it for $119 with a coupon. Of course I saw it over the weekend for $99...

That's always the way. Soon as you buy something it goes on sale.

 

[Gypsy]

Agreed, it seems the reported failures have significantly declined since the ZOMG! I snapped a tie-rod in my driveway thread. However, for $50 it is cheap insurance.

Our kit is almost done, just missing extra tie rod. Should you carry driver, passenger, or both. Thanks

 

[Gypsy]

Our kit is almost done, just missing extra tie rod. Should you carry driver, passenger, or both. Thanks

Never mind I figured that it was the middle piece. Just a small discussion otherwise.

 

[BlueBronco]

Our kit is almost done, just missing extra tie rod. Should you carry driver, passenger, or both. Thanks

The inner tie-rod, which is what you want, is the same for both sides.

part numbers:
MB3Z-3280-A - "kit" that includes inner tie-rod, bellow and clamp
or
MB3Z-3280-B - inner tie-rod only

 

[broadicustomworks]

FWIW I used virtually ALL of my recovery gear for the first time weekend before last since running trails in the Bronco (almost 2 years now already and 39K miles).

Just a weird situation, unexpected (aren't they all!?), and neither I nor anyone in the group I was leading were the victim.

We were doing an intermediate trail nearby called Dutch John, things were going very smoothly for mostly a "new group of offroaders" I had with me.
We topped a hill and began into the next curve and I saw an F150 off the side of the trail, at an awkward angle.
Stopped and asked the obligatory "Are ya'll good?". Obviously they weren't but surprisingly not everyone wants help even if they need it.

Long story short, the F150 had non-functioning 4WD and not even AT tires. There was no way he was going the way we had come, as it was far more challenging than what he had made it through to that point.
I initially pulled him up out of the hole and onto the trail facing us twice. Hoping he would be able to back up into a wider spot up the trail and get turned around.
But the clay was so slick any attempt to turn the wheels just caused them to slide back down the ruts and right back off of the trail.

So plan B became apparent.
I used my tree saver strap, recovery strap (NOT a standard towing strap), two soft shackles, two hard shackles, snatch block, and extra 100' of synthetic winch line to angle off of a larger tree and pull him up onto the trail from the rear vs. the front.
After that, picking different trees and angles allowed me to turn him completely around and facing along with us, eventually down past the ruts. At one point I was having to pull him sideways against the mud with my wife in the Bronco, in 4L, in reverse to keep from being pulled down. Got kinda sketchy but never out of control.
About an hour spent in 98 degree humidity.
But in the end some good karma and an excellent lesson for the group in how, what, and what gear made it a successful recovery.
I bought it all piece by piece thinking I'd use it one day, but saying to myself "You probably will NEVER use any of this, ya know?".
Turns out I did.

Be prepared for the unexpected.
You can never plan for every instance that could happen, but some basic stuff can go a long way to driving home or not.

 

[broadicustomworks]

After getting him out of the rut. And yeah, no gloves. One of the “bad habit” things I didn’t want the group to learn:

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