Packing recovery gear

[Mike Nel]

This past weekend we had to help out a 200 Cruiser after it destroyed a tire. ( not mine)

It stopped at a decline, so already we were in a bad spot for a tire change. More about this at a later stage

This guy had everything. 2 spare wheels, nice drawer system, drop down fridge slide.....man, he had it all. But for one thing. Common sense on how to pack properly.

He packed in such a way that we could not use any of his jacking equipment. BTW. A short bottle jack means F All for a tire change when the vehicle isn’t standard anymore. And it means nothing when a vehicles nose is pointed downwards.

Point is. When you think about packing for a trip, make sure your recovery gear and jacking equipment are packed in way where it is easily accessible.

We had to use our equipment because he couldn’t get to his. Also make sure that your equipment would work and thirdly make sure you know how your equipment is used.

[KurtG]

Excellent comment Mike.

On River Trip this year I had my recovery kit in the passenger footwell, made the most sense to put it there if it was needed quickly.

As for the standard Pajero bottle jack, that’s a useless piece of equipment in anything other than your garage floor.

[Johannes]

Good advice ! I must remember this !

[Paul#25]

Thanks for the good advice. I have fitted 2 stowage compartments where the 3rd row seats are normally fitted in the Disco. All my recover gear is stowed in these compartments so there's no unpacking necessary if I need the gear. The air Jack is the only thing I have to ensure is placed where it's easily accessible. It worked well on the river trip when we needed to jack a vehicle in the sand.

[Wooky]

Having been in a vehicle roll over once I can attest to the speed which loose objects get disseminated throughout the cabin.
Luckily in that case it was on road and only light objects in the car.

Since then my view when packing a vehicle is "always pack for the roll", especially the heavy small items like recovery gear.
Small items like shackles are packed together in bags / boxes which both makes them larger and easier to strap down.

[Mike Nel]

Having been in a vehicle roll over once I can attest to the speed which loose objects get disseminated throughout the cabin.
Luckily in that case it was on road and only light objects in the car.

Since then my view when packing a vehicle is "always pack for the roll", especially the heavy small items like recovery gear.
Small items like shackles are packed together in bags / boxes which both makes them larger and easier to strap down.

You raise a very valid point.

How many times do you go camping where you just leave your fridge in the slide without it being tied down? I can tell you. A few times. Because nothing will happen, we are on a tar road. Well. My wife makes sure that everything is tied down, even for a weekend away. She says its not nice when a 40 liter Engel smacks you behind the head when a vehicle rolls

[Apocalypse]

You’d probably be quite surprised at how many people would be unable to find the jack, wheelspanner and spare on a standard vehicle, never mind actually be able to use them!

[Wooky]

You’d probably be quite surprised at how many people would be unable to find the jack, wheelspanner and spare on a standard vehicle, never mind actually be able to use them!

To True......

[Apocalypse]

An article I wrote a while ago for leisure wheels on the subject!

[NEW]

An article I wrote a while ago for leisure wheels on the subject!



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Crap..... GQ man is shockingly close to yours truly. I do lack the six pack and manicured bits, save for the "shrubs" that get trimmed now and again to fool the missus into believing that the power tools I buy are NOT overcompensating for "something". And at least my hands have ruff patches where I have, for the umpteenth time, tried to strip wire with a leatherman and ended up flaying half a finger. (Stripping wire with a leatherman is close to GQ Man handling a high lift jack)

The only thing that makes me feel better is that deep down I am a woesrander and given half a chance and a full bottle of Rum, most GQ men will not want to be associated with me while I sit, wearing a worn out Metallica T-Shirt, flipflops n socks, and fling porridge at an invasive fish species, swimming in a cholera invested river.

[Wooky]

Thanks Appoc.
Nicely written and has great chuckle value.

Gladly, I can say that I am closer to your description of yourself than the GQ man

[XJ Junkie]

Best place for a recovery strap

[Mike Nel]

An article I wrote a while ago for leisure wheels on the subject!



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Very nice article Alex. Pity about the last sentence in the red paragraph. But I suppose in those days you were still allowed to talk about 4x4’s on that Forum?

Anyway. Where are the other guest columns you wrote?