You never know when it's your time.

[smurfslayer]

Let’s be honest, I usually don’t bother with the TP either, but…
You have to admit, just mentioning it makes me sound more intelligent and almost like I know what I’m talking about

Noted. Well played, sir!

;-)

 

[Nex]

Let’s be honest, I usually don’t bother with the TP either, but…
You have to admit, just mentioning it makes me sound more intelligent and almost like I know what I’m talking about

I'm not shaking your hand...

 

[amREADY]

#4- This is #4 just because it popped into my head , so I better write it down before I totally forget it…
Trying to avoid getting stuck in the first place. This again applies more to your Solo Trail Flights, where getting stuck is a Solo Recovery, which can turn into a Solo Rescue depending on the circumstances.
A. Don’t be too lazy to get out and walk the Trail if it looks sketchy. I do this all the time. I don’t like getting stuck. Having to Self-Rescue, is not a fun day on the trail for me.
B. Turn the steering wheel left n right, left n right. It works well in sand and mud, not so much in big rocks..lol
C. If you have lost your momentum ….STOP, more throttle, will often ensure a longer recovery..Assess, make a plan
D. TRAIL CONTROL - If your Raptor is equipped with the Trail-Control, that can help get you out. You set it to 2-3mph, go from Drive to Reverse…Repeat, accompanied by turning the wheel left to right and boom, your crawling out.
All the Shixt the computer is doing to make the Trail-Control do it’s thing, is beyond my comprehension..so don’t ask, maybe @FordTechOne can explain it in layman’s terms.
I do know that when I was up on a Ridge Line, that I never should have been on..my drivers side rear slid over the edge, I got that feeling in my stomach that this may be my Last Trail. As soon as I felt it slide off, I stopped. I went to 4-Low Rock Crawl, set the Trail-Control to 2mph and it pulled me back up on to the MFING Razor Trail

I think there may be a YouTube video or two of using the TC to get yourself out, BEFORE you bury yourself to the frame

Great list. Adding to C and not taking away from it... there is a split second only, sometimes more, sometimes not at all, when you start to get stuck where you can back out, or back up a little, then forward, then back and so on.
Hard to explain, but I've been able to get myself out of being stuck by a quick shift into R, delicate reverse...all while the vehicle is still dynamic and not suctioned in or stucktioned as I call it. Sometimes it allows me to rock it back and forth to move forward in earnest, move back and out of the mess I almost got myself in, and sometimes it does nothing at all.
I've walked a lot of questionable stuff and got wet or muddy in the process - and it has saved me getting stuck or worse more times than I can count. Water hazards are always the tough one mentally. I don't want to get wet or muddy if I don't need to...but you get a LOT more wet/muddy when trying to get unstuck.
On the point about not digging yourself to the frame by spinning the wheels - totally agree and see people do this ALL the time. As an additional point for Raptors, and often running AT tires, I reluctantly play with some wheel spin in some conditions as it helps clear the tread and give me more traction. It's a fine line to walk though.

 

[amREADY]

Let’s also remember, when Matt does recoveries he always digs out around the tires. That wasn’t done here. Ever step in mud and it sucks your shoe off? Imagine how much suction there was there.

I find people are really reluctant to bust out (or didn't bring) shovels. I also have found a little (or sometimes a lot) of shovelling goes a long way. Often it is all that is needed.

 

[EricM]

A "receiver hitch" is the part on the truck. A "ballmount" goes into receiver hitch.


My ballmount is a soild steel forging, not square tubing. It's a heavy ****. The 4" drop is forged into it as well, not welded onto tubing.

Good mounts are out there if you look for them.

Forged Ball Mounts | etrailer.com

Make sure you have everything you need for the journey ahead with the right Forged Ball Mounts.

www.etrailer.com

 

[Heinz]

Question for the group... In what situation would you use a receiver hitch d-ring shackle like the below? It seems like this just adds another (very heavy) potential point of failure. If your rope/strap has a loop in the end, wouldn't you always prefer to stick the loop directly into your receiver and lock into place with your hitch pin?

One argument I could see is that you get more "bending" pressure on the center of the hitch pin when connecting the rope directly, vs. all "sheer" pressure when using the shackle, but is there any science or evidence to support that? Has anyone bent or broken their properly rated hitch pin when connecting the rope directly into the receiver?

 

[John M BUNMAN]

First, great question and point. You can just use the hitch pin and your KE Rope or Strap. The problem is, most often the loop of either is too big to stuff into the receiver.
As to the science of it all…I have No Fuxking Clue ..lol Only experience, Trail and error and thankfully no deaths yet.
There is definitely a difference in hitch pins, breaking strength etc.
As for the use of the above Hitch/D-Ring Shackle, I carry one to use on someone that doesn’t have any dedicated recovery pointe, ie my friend with a Nissan Extera, that thought he had an Off-Road vehicle lol.
We could “What if” every aspect of every Recovery System. I just try to minimize the number of FAILURE POINTS along the system.
I also carry a Pintle Hitch, because I’ve never seen one fail, although I’m sure they have, in 27 yrs in the Army. We car argue that wow, that’s substantial, but again the weak point is the pin holding it in.
I think the biggest take away for me is using your equipment as intended and trying not to exceed the limits of whatever System you’re choosing to use. Ie: Don’t Snatch with a strap designed to Drag.

 

[Heinz]

Question for the group... In what situation would you use a receiver hitch d-ring shackle like the below? It seems like this just adds another (very heavy) potential point of failure. If your rope/strap has a loop in the end, wouldn't you always prefer to stick the loop directly into your receiver and lock into place with your hitch pin?

One argument I could see is that you get more "bending" pressure on the center of the hitch pin when connecting the rope directly, vs. all "sheer" pressure when using the shackle, but is there any science or evidence to support that? Has anyone bent or broken their properly rated hitch pin when connecting the rope directly into the receiver?

View attachment 390066

I'll reply to my own question here and flag that in the video breaking down the AZ recovery (reposted below) the guy says NOT to connect the rope directly to the hitch pin, for the reason I stated above (potential to bend/break the hitch pin given it's no longer true sheer pressure). I trust that opinion, so it seems like a properly rated hitch & shackle is the way to go.

 

[Keshka]

Look at the pin this way. Properly installed, in order to fail, the forces on it must cut it in two places (shear) vs a rope looped around it that must only bend it. At best, it bends and then you pay hell getting it out, at worst you spaghetti suck it out of the holes.

 

[Nex]

I'll reply to my own question here and flag that in the video breaking down the AZ recovery (reposted below) the guy says NOT to connect the rope directly to the hitch pin, for the reason I stated above (potential to bend/break the hitch pin given it's no longer true sheer pressure). I trust that opinion, so it seems like a properly rated hitch & shackle is the way to go.

I was going to reply with the same.

As to the hitch shackle. If it is a solid piece and rated well over the forces I would think you are ok. I have the Curt 2" one but it's only rated to 13k pounds. The Factor 55 one is rated 51k-61k pound breaking strength. So I will be ordering one of those once they are off backorder.