Extra Front Recovery Point

[Kurt Bergmann]

I would like to get advice regarding the extra recovery point for the front. Nissan have quoted $145.00 for the hook type & ARB quoted $180.00 for their one. They advised that it would require a shackle which they said it would be more secure than the Nissan hook type? Any opinion would be appreciated. I also have been quoted $180.00 to fit it by Nissan & ARB, when I had a quick look under the Patrol it looks like just doing up 2 bolts? Has anybody fitted one of these before?

[Clunk]

Threedogs will be the fella to get in touch with about these mate. Have a look at his thread, Outback Ideas.

[threedogs]

Thanks Clunk I'll shoot him A PM.
off to Docs for a while now

[Avo]

yep I got one of threedogs recovery points with hook on mine now,very happy.

[threedogs]

Will sit on outside like this

[Kurt Bergmann]

Cheers. Thanks for all that. After talking to a few guys from the club. I am going with the Nissan one.

[threedogs]

Your call but the factory hook is not rated and it will straighten and break, just take care

[AB]

Thanks Clunk I'll shoot him A PM.
off to Docs for a while now

Hey mate, are you becoming a vendor sponsor?

$50 for an entire year?

If not then I'm sorry bud but no promoting your business on here and people have been warned about PM's.

I will ban PM's from members who abuse this.

Final warning, I will ban from now on.

[NissanGQ4.2]

And everyone please refrain from advertising non paying vendors

Although you can currently still view John's ( Outback Ideas ) old vendor threads while doing a search John is not currently a paying forum vendor and all those threads will eventually be removed.

[threedogs]

Sorting it out, should be done very shortly, oversight on me , so apologies to the Forum.
My bad

[macca]

Your call but the factory hook is not rated and it will straighten and break, just take care

Not a professional response, please don't open that can of worms again.

[nissannewby]

yep I got one of threedogs "TOW"! points with hook on mine now,very happy.

Fixed it. X2 on Macca

[threedogs]

@ macca Yeah its all old news apologies to you for post

[Clunk]

Hey mate, are you becoming a vendor sponsor?

$50 for an entire year?

If not then I'm sorry bud but no promoting your business on here and people have been warned about PM's.

I will ban PM's from members who abuse this.

Final warning, I will ban from now on.


And everyone please refrain from advertising non paying vendors

Although you can currently still view John's ( Outback Ideas ) old vendor threads while doing a search John is not currently a paying forum vendor and all those threads will eventually be removed.

My apologies chaps, didn't realise TD wasn't a vendor anymore (unless it's all changed again) seeing as I'm on MC all the time now......... Can't tell who's what and who's not.

Signatures not working doesn't help either

[Kurt Bergmann]

According to my club, The Nissan front recovery points are rated, so they are allowed to be used for all club recoveries, of cause being a Patrol these a very limited, but the club will not use the rear recovery point as it is apparently not rated? Which does not matter for myself as I have a ARB rear bar.

[taslucas]

Are you talking about the hook that comes on the vehicle or a separate nissan branded rated recovery point that's fitted upon request?

[threedogs]

@ Clunk I thought I had till 1st of Sept but all paid up now
So apologies to you as well

[Clunk]

According to my club, The Nissan front recovery points are rated, so they are allowed to be used for all club recoveries, of cause being a Patrol these a very limited, but the club will not use the rear recovery point as it is apparently not rated? Which does not matter for myself as I have a ARB rear bar.

if you're actually talking about the hook that is attached to the chassis on the drivers side, i've used it for gentle recoveries but wouldn't be going hell for leather on it, as it could well bend or straighten. I've bought one of Threedogs to replace it, as I actually ended up bending it (and not through being recovered either), so no longer trusted it.

[Clunk]

@ Clunk I thought I had till 1st of Sept but all paid up now
So apologies to you as well

no need to apologies to me mate, no harm done

[Kurt Bergmann]

Cheers, thanks for all that!! I will get the Nissan one as that what club recommends and no shackel required, so one less thing to break.

[threedogs]

I'd be interested to see what it looks like if its possible to put a pic up,

[Kurt Bergmann]

Went & purchased it this morning and got a discount. Paid $125.00 including bolt set with spares. Will post photos when it arrives from Japan.

[MEGOMONSTER]

I'd be interested to see what it looks like if its possible to put a pic up,

John, I need to get two front recovery points for my GU8 whilst I get the bullbar fitted.

Plenty happening in the next few weeks.
Bullbar.
Scrub bars.
Side sliders.
Runva rope winch
GME UHF radio and aerial.
Outback Ideas Recovery points. X 2

[rusty_nail]

John, I need to get two front recovery points for my GU8 whilst I get the bullbar fitted.

Plenty happening in the next few weeks.
Bullbar.
Scrub bars.
Side sliders.
Runva rope winch
GME UHF radio and aerial.
Outback Ideas Recovery points. X 2

mego! you coming to the october meetup? i owe you some JD's!!!

[Winnie]

John, I need to get two front recovery points for my GU8 whilst I get the bullbar fitted.

Plenty happening in the next few weeks.
Bullbar.
Scrub bars.
Side sliders.
Runva rope winch
GME UHF radio and aerial.
Outback Ideas Recovery points. X 2

I found a bullbar/scrub rail/side step combo for sale for you on Facebook, it's only 1400 for the lot and looks really tough

[MEGOMONSTER]

I found a bullbar/scrub rail/side step combo for sale for you on Facebook, it's only 1400 for the lot and looks really tough

Thanks but already got mine just waiting to fit up.

[Winnie]

Thanks but already got mine just waiting to fit up.

Yeah but is it as tough as that one?

[rusty_nail]

Yeah but is it as tough as that one?

that one seems to have extra wank factor attached mate, maybe you should get it for your 747 and mod it to fit... would suit your truck perfectly haha

[MEGOMONSTER]

Yeah but is it as tough as that one?

I only like Tuff bars double scrub bars.
The bullbars look OTT.

[MEGOMONSTER]

that one seems to have extra wank factor attached mate, maybe you should get it for your 747 and mod it to fit... would suit your truck perfectly haha

You mean little man syndrome. Lol

[rusty_nail]

You mean little man syndrome. Lol

little big man syndrome?

[MEGOMONSTER]

little big man syndrome?

You know what I mean.

[rusty_nail]

You know what I mean.

sure do 100% haha

[MEGOMONSTER]

sure do 100% haha

But you are right with Tuff bars having way too much wank protection.
I understand why his selling it. His learnt from his mistake. Take a big man to realise this.

[rusty_nail]

But you are right with Tuff bars having way too much wank protection.
I understand why his selling it. His learnt from his mistake. Take a big man to realise this.

i reckon they would get in the way offroad too, most of there seem to impede on approach angles... i reckon most people running a 2 inch lift and one of those bars would have a worse approach angle than those with a standard bullbar/bumper on stock lift

[Winnie]

I only like Tuff bars double scrub bars.
The bullbars look OTT.

Hahaha it was a joke mate... It's a farkin disgrace!

[rusty_nail]

Hahaha it was a joke mate... It's a farkin disgrace!

haha yep x2!!!

[buddy4.2]

I got a good set from patrolapart for $120 with new bolts

[MEGOMONSTER]

Hahaha it was a joke mate... It's a farkin disgrace!

We know, but quietly I reckon you wished you had it. Lol

[macca]

See lots of bars like that in Outback Australia, for animal strike protection.

They are not worried about approach angles as the land is basically flat.

They do look like cattle grids hanging out the front.

[threedogs]

"MACK" style bar are all the rage on B&S utes as well

[mudski]

Wonder if the OP's club also recommend using a towball for recoveries? Seriously. Who in their right mind would recommend the OEM hook to do recoveries from?

[cgm]

The $180 to fit it was also pretty amusing (as long as you aren't paying the bill).

[taslucas]

Wonder if the OP's club also recommend using a towball for recoveries? Seriously. Who in their right mind would recommend the OEM hook to do recoveries from?

Im thinking that they're not talking about the hook that comes on them all from the factory. I think he means an aftermarket recovery hook that is made by nissan as he mentions fitting. Not sure but that's my guess

[mudski]

Don't really know mate, as I wouldn't have thought Nissan wouldn't make aftermarket recovery hooks. I'd be keen to see a Nissan "aftermarket" recovery hook though.

[taslucas]

Yeah I haven't seen any but that doesn't mean much lol. Its just that he mentions fitting and we all know that those hooks come fitted?

[Mitch.mccabe]

So I don't mean to cause any trouble in posting other sites products so please inform me if I shouldn't do it, But has anyone here tested this rear recovery point/option? These just go straight into the where the towbar goes right?
http://www.patrolapart.com.au/product/recovery-points/recovery-hitch-with-bow-2/
And these for the front? http://www.patrolapart.com.au/product/recovery-points/nissan-patrol-toyota-landcruiser-recovery-point/

[megatexture]

Yea ive got one and most people use these, they are great and by far the safest/easiest/cheapest option

[MudRunnerTD]

So I don't mean to cause any trouble in posting other sites products so please inform me if I shouldn't do it, But has anyone here tested this rear recovery point/option? These just go straight into the where the towbar goes right?
http://www.patrolapart.com.au/product/recovery-points/recovery-hitch-with-bow-2/
And these for the front? http://www.patrolapart.com.au/product/recovery-points/nissan-patrol-toyota-landcruiser-recovery-point/

Your fine to post that mate.

Either or both are acceptable recovery points

[Hodge]

The one for the towbar is just an ordinary recovery hitch and is a must for rear recoveries as tow balls can kill!
As for the front ones, get in touch with threeedogs on the forums here, his front recovery point outback ideas, are the most popular around here.

[nissannewby]

Wonder if the OP's club also recommend using a towball for recoveries? Seriously. Who in their right mind would recommend the OEM hook to do recoveries from?

Technically speaking you shouldn't exceed the tow rating either should you? So you can have some rated to 4.5t everyday of the week but the highest any patrol can tow is 3.5....

[mudski]

This thread reminds me of when I first got my Patrol and was after some front recovery points. Not knowing back then of a member here making them I went to my local 4by shop and asked them. The guy bought out some OEM Yota hooks that were half the size of the Nissan one. Funny thing is he couldn't see a problem with snatching someone out even using the Yota hook. Needless to say I never returned into that shop.
While the OEM Nissan hook would probably be o.k for light recoveries, I would not dare trust it if I was in need of a, erm, more forceful snatch.
Which reminds me again of some years back, maybe 15 or so when I had my MK shorty. Was stuck good and proper, hung up on the diffs in a large bog hole. On my ARB bar I had a hook on that. Which mind you was considerably thicker than the Nissan hook. An old Yota with a chev in it had to snatch me out and after a few shots the hook actually straightened out and the snatch flew off.
So thinking of that time there is no way in hell I would use the Nissan hook....Each to their own but bet very careful when using it and always be prepared for the worst.
Plus atleast using the aftermarket plates with one on each side of the chassis and using a bridle strap you are evenly pulling on the chassis, not just from one side. That seriously can't be good for the chassis.

[Mitch.mccabe]

And on the subject of snatching and recovery, what is the minimum size snatch strap everyone uses? I know different models are weighted different, but the general consensus

[cgm]

So I don't mean to cause any trouble in posting other sites products so please inform me if I shouldn't do it, But has anyone here tested this rear recovery point/option? These just go straight into the where the towbar goes right?
http://www.patrolapart.com.au/product/recovery-points/recovery-hitch-with-bow-2/
And these for the front? http://www.patrolapart.com.au/product/recovery-points/nissan-patrol-toyota-landcruiser-recovery-point/

Hi Mitch, I've just gone through this exercise, so will make some comments.

I was planning to buy from one of our members who is also a vendor sponsor (threedogs) with his Outback Ideas recovery points. Unfortunately my 4.8 is one of the few models that I could not get the front points from TD as the radiator hangs lower and his style will not fit in the gap. His were a little cheaper, but would not have come with the bolts. Also his looked slightly thicker than the yellow ones.

So I ended up buying the yellow ones that you have the link to at Patrolapart (you will find these same ones from various sites). What I really liked about them is that they came with all the bolts. Where I put the second one on the side where there was not already a hook I needed longer bolts and it was all part of the kit. I haven't actually used them yet, but they look good and have a rating written on them (from Aus, so I assume it is up to that standard). I don't know too much about bolts, but am used to looking for bolts marked 8.8 for high tensile. When I looked at these they had 12.9 marked on them, so I looked that up on the web and seems they are to a higher standard again, so should be good.

I'll attach a few pics.

For the rear, on my old truck I used exactly the same thing as your other link and it was convenient and worked well. On this one I don't have a tow hitch. I bought one of TD's rear points and was happy with the build, price and quick service to get it in the post. Not sure yet if I will use it though, as I think it will cause me problems with the rear step. It does not stick out very far and I reckon the shackle will pull down and dent the rear step. I might go back to the original "pintle" hook. I just need to do some more homework on the rating of the pintle hook. I am not sure in the whole discussion about how it compares to the whole discussion of "tow balls", which you definitely must never snatch from. I'll also put some pics of this up.

If you want to follow up with TD about his recovery points you can send him a PM or post to his vendor thread:

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?12616-Outback-Ideas-Recovery-points/

Thanks,
Cameron.

[cgm]

And on the subject of snatching and recovery, what is the minimum size snatch strap everyone uses? I know different models are weighted different, but the general consensus

When you are using a Snatch strap, they are meant to stretch. Because of this it is important to get a strap that is suited to your vehicle. So, if you get one with a rating that is too small it will stretch too much and possibly break. If you get one with a rating that is too high then it won't stretch enough and will then put too much impact on the points it is attached too and possibly break those.


GVM of my GU is meant to be about 3000kg (probably more full of too much crap + extra for being "stuck")
Strap should be about 2-3 times that in the rating. 2.5 x 3000 = 7500 kg
So an 8000 kg MBS strap should be the right one. (whereas the nice big 15000 kg one that looks the goods would not be suited)


You can read all about ratings as they apply to 4wding in links below. MBS is Minimum Breaking Strength - after this it could break. You will also see terms like WLL (Working Load Limit) and RLL (Recovery Load Limit) - these are the limit of what you should safely apply. I don't think there is too much law governing 4wd use of straps and markings - just an industry code of practice I believe. This is different than lifting gear for construction, etc. There are laws governing that and things like breaking point should be 5+ times the rated useage, etc. But it's not my area, so don't quote me.

The write ups on these things also for a similar reason suggest using vehicles of similar size/weight in a snatch recovery. Obviously that's best, but in the real world the ideal circumstances don't always exist and most of us will agree on common sense safety approach to some extent. But snatching can involve enormous forces, so cutting corners with safety can have deadly consequences - literally! Personally I don't like snatching if I don't have to as you can't control too much how much force is involved (too easy to back up and give it more until something gives - hopefully the stuck 4by and not one of the recovery points) . Mostly in the sand we get stuck on a ridge (on the peak of a dune) and you can pull off gently with a tight strap or if things are bad most in our group have a winch.

Having said that, the snatch strap is still in my kit and has it's place to be used. Others love them and use them all the time.

Use the forum search for "snatch strap" and you will find heaps of threads. Do the same on google and you'll find even more, but take note of some of the articles where things went wrong. People die (usually from silly things like snatching off a tow ball - should never be done). Keep a few of these articles in the back of your mind (or even front) when you do a snatch to make sure you take a common sense approach and keep you, your mates and family safe.

Sorry for the small rant, but it is an important topic.

Take a look at something like:

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?3393-Guidelines-for-safe-use-of-vehicle-recovery-straps-%28snatch-straps%29

You'll find the section, that mentions the different vehicle weights, etc.

SELECTING THE RIGHT RECOVERY STRAP
It is very important the correctly rated strap is used. A strap with a ‘too light’ breaking strength may break under load. A strap with ‘too heavy’ a breaking strength may not stretch properly and more stress will be placed on the recovery points, possibly causing damage or injury. The Minimum Breaking Strength (MBS) of the strap should be between 2 and 3 times the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of the ‘lighter’ of the two vehicles used in the recovery process. Be aware that the Recovery Strap will be under greater load if the vehicle is bogged in mud, sand or heavily loaded. If the GVM is not stated on the identification plate of a vehicle or its registration certificate it could be available from the owner’s handbook or from the vehicle manufacturer.

You'll find pretty much the same info on some of the Snatch strap vendor sites. Like:

http://www.juststraps.com.au/instructions.htm

Lots of info there. Read things like "Force Calculation for Recovery2007.pdf". Gets you into thinking about extra forces required for how "stuck" the vehicle is or what angle you are pulling on (e.g. up hill).

[Oldmate1]

hi Kurt
you can have the genuine one of my truck mate for a carton of beer. i have just put some of three dogs ones on

[Kurt Bergmann]

Cheers, thanks for the offer but I have already put the Nissan one on as found some in stock. Next time I am up your way will let you know and maybe we could share a couple of cartons of beer.:)

[Kurt Bergmann]

Here is the photo of the Nissan recovery points as requested earlier in the thread.

[taslucas]

Ahhh so they are the stock factory ones. Do they actually call them "recovery" points or is it worded differently?

[megatexture]

145$ for that! you could have had mine free I was going to use it to hang a pot plant on but was afraid it would bend

[BigRAWesty]

Yea sorry mate. Your club has to 're read the Nissan guide.. There tow points..

[MEGOMONSTER]

I got two Outback Ideas front recovery points on my GUrl and they look great.
Thanks John.
3447534476

[Dave n xanths gu]

I paid way too much n got arb front recovery point... That was before I became a forum member... I wouldn't trust one of them hooks... I've never seen them fail but just have a gut feeling that they are not up to standard for what my truck does... My wife n kids 4b with me too so not only do I wanna look after my troll but the cargo is priceless...

[megatexture]

I got a set of threedogs points from arb only as I needed them ASAP but they are the same as mego's and only cost 90$ for two.. 55$ cheaper than that genuine hook lol

[Yendor]

Yea sorry mate. Your club has to 're read the Nissan guide.. There tow points..

I think you need to read the owners hand book. Nissan does state to use it for recoveries......and not to be used for towing long distance.

[MEGOMONSTER]

I got a set of threedogs points from arb only as I needed them ASAP but they are the same as mego's and only cost 90$ for two.. 55$ cheaper than that genuine hook lol

My ARB has only one set left, the rest in stock weren't his. (3dogs)

[Yendor]

Cheers, thanks for all that!! I will get the Nissan one as that what club recommends and no shackel required, so one less thing to break.
Thanks for sharing mate.

It's interesting that your club recommends using the Nissan ones.........going by some of the responses on here you would think they would fall off as soon as you looked at them.......lol

It's best to go with what your club recommends. I'm sure there more then suitable.....otherwise they wouldn't recommended them.

[megatexture]

My ARB has only one set left, the rest in stock weren't his. (3dogs)

Arb here had two that fit my gu the other one weigh like 15 kg and only came as a drivers side and was like 160$ it also would have hung quite low.

[mudski]

Thanks for sharing mate.

It's interesting that your club recommends using the Nissan ones.........going by some of the responses on here you would think they would fall off as soon as you looked at them.......lol

It's best to go with what your club recommends. I'm sure there more then suitable.....otherwise they wouldn't recommended them.
Yeah I find it kinda surprising but if thats what they say to use. Use it I suppose. But for the cost, or the time factor really, of the aftermarket plates, for all the time and effort I have put into my rig, I don't want to risk it. Plus snatching from one chassis rail alone seriously can't be good.

[Yendor]

Yeah I find it kinda surprising but if thats what they say to use. Use it I suppose. But for the cost, or the time factor really, of the aftermarket plates, for all the time and effort I have put into my rig, I don't want to risk it. Plus snatching from one chassis rail alone seriously can't be good.

????????? The OP has installed a second hook on the passenger side chassis rail. I can only assume this is so they can do a major recovery using both!!!!!

But yeah what would Nissan, the OP's 4WD club and the OP know!!!!!!!

[nissannewby]

Technically speaking you shouldn't exceed the tow rating either should you? So you can have some rated to 4.5t everyday of the week but the highest any patrol can tow is 3.5....


????????? The OP has installed a second hook on the passenger side chassis rail. I can only assume this is so they can do a major recovery using both!!!!!

But yeah what would Nissan, the OP's 4WD club and the OP know!!!!!!!

I still stand by my original statement as above.

I'm with Yendor. Apart from the fact that anything snatching a vehicle theoretically shouldn't exceed its tow rating in doing so, Nissan and I would say the 4wd clubs use these points as they were designed. They probably weren't designed for tyre deep sticky mud either but they are there for a reason. Sure there are stories of them being straightened but who can be sure they were actually being used correctly in the first place.

It doesn't matter what you believe etc etc everyone is guilty of exceeding something during a recover the only way anyone wouldn't have is if they havent been recovered or recovered someone there selves.

[Clunk]

Better to use those then have the strap hooked over a bull bar

[mudski]

????????? The OP has installed a second hook on the passenger side chassis rail. I can only assume this is so they can do a major recovery using both!!!!!

But yeah what would Nissan, the OP's 4WD club and the OP know!!!!!!!
Yeah sorry Rod I just saw the pic....I was assuming he never had one and was just putting one back on the rhs... It would be good to actually see an OEM hook being put under stress testing just to see how strong, or weak, it actually is. Then this never ending issue might be laid to rest.

[mudski]

I still stand by my original statement as above.

I'm with Yendor. Apart from the fact that anything snatching a vehicle theoretically shouldn't exceed its tow rating in doing so, Nissan and I would say the 4wd clubs use these points as they were designed.
I agree with you there Matt but if we are technically speaking. Who is going to pull up to a recovery, knowing good that the equipment they have is more than sufficient to do the job but they say no they won't just because it will exceed the said rating and leave the stuck person to fend for themselves?

They probably weren't designed for tyre deep sticky mud either but they are there for a reason.
There for light recoveries? What sort of recovery? Within saying that I would say using two of the aftermarket plates in conjunction with a bridle strap would be designed more so for a situation like tyre deep sticky mud. And from my well, very limited 4wd experience, that would be a high percentage of the type of recoveries you would use these points for. But then again this is where a winch would come into play maybe. Tyre deep sticky mud would be a killer on any sort of recovery gear...

Sure there are stories of them being straightened but who can be sure they were actually being used correctly in the first place.
excellent point you make there...


It doesn't matter what you believe etc etc everyone is guilty of exceeding something during a recover the only way anyone wouldn't have is if they havent been recovered or recovered someone there selves.
Never! We are all saints and do everything by the book. Lol

[taslucas]

Isn't the tow rating to do with the braking abilities of the vehicle not the actual draw bar strength?

[Stampy]

Hey guys, just thought i would put my 2 cents worth in.
I recently purchased an ARB recovery point for the hefty price of $180, i know that they do charge alot for majority of their gear, but lets face it, what you pay is what you get, and ARB engineer and test all of their gear and i've not once seen a product fail (if installed correctly)

I've got a few Shots comparing the genuine nissan hook and the ARB point.

Below you can see it installed

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w147/MammyMan/Patrol/4acaa4fe-8af8-49cb-9a6d-3d4413e33461.jpg (http://s175.photobucket.com/user/MammyMan/media/Patrol/4acaa4fe-8af8-49cb-9a6d-3d4413e33461.jpg.html)

And here you can see it compared to the genuine. Note; my genuine hook is no longer looped around and has streched out after ONE... yes ONE "light" recovery, i am lucky the snatch did not slip off during otherwise the damage might be more than just a bent recovery point. I would not trust these in any recovery situation after seeing this.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w147/MammyMan/Patrol/0a780a08-cc90-4fbe-9d4b-a78d961db43d.jpg (http://s175.photobucket.com/user/MammyMan/media/Patrol/0a780a08-cc90-4fbe-9d4b-a78d961db43d.jpg.html)

Viewing from the front you can see the main strength of the point runs alongside the chassis rail, but there is also a substantial support plat running underneath the chassis rail.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w147/MammyMan/Patrol/36ed7e9b-95b0-4bd1-b8e8-575c2663d83a.jpg (http://s175.photobucket.com/user/MammyMan/media/Patrol/36ed7e9b-95b0-4bd1-b8e8-575c2663d83a.jpg.html)

And a view from underneath, 2 more high tensile bolts.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w147/MammyMan/Patrol/721aed56-f931-4d80-ac58-fe68de985a70.jpg (http://s175.photobucket.com/user/MammyMan/media/Patrol/721aed56-f931-4d80-ac58-fe68de985a70.jpg.html)

Overall there is 5 High Tensile bolts securing this to the car, 3 more than the standard 2 bolts.
And also it gets bolted to two sides of the chassis rail not just the underside.

Only downfall to this i can see is it might hang a tad low and get caught up on some undulating terrain, but in my eyes its a small price to pay.

Would be nice to see a point for the Passenger side to bridle the two for equal load aswell, id be more worried the chassis will bend before this point gives away

[Kurt Bergmann]

As I read through all the threads no has mentioned that with the various after market ones is that they need shackles to hook up the various straps.....The one of the reasons why the club recommends using the 2 hooks is to avoid chassis flex and avoid flying shackles if one lets go. The shackle could be another weak link in the chain.

[Stampy]

As I read through all the threads no has mentioned that with the various after market ones is that they need shackles to hook up the various straps.....The one of the reasons why the club recommends using the 2 hooks is to avoid chassis flex and avoid flying shackles if one lets go. The shackle could be another weak link in the chain.

That is a fair and Valid point, but would you not think that shackling is safer than resting the strap on a hook (providing the shackle is rated) as it could easily slip of the standard hooks, i nearly experienced that first hand

[Kurt Bergmann]

yeah, as with all recoveries we have to be careful and do it safely. I think that's why their has been so many opinions. I used to have a Pajero with only one hook and never had any issues.....being a Pajero it was getting recovered a lot.

[cgm]

As I read through all the threads no has mentioned that with the various after market ones is that they need shackles to hook up the various straps.....The one of the reasons why the club recommends using the 2 hooks is to avoid chassis flex and avoid flying shackles if one lets go. The shackle could be another weak link in the chain.

I think in any of these situations common sense has to be applied on top of all the guidelines. Sometimes things aren't going to line up as per the "rules" or the angle you want, etc. Removing a shackle from the equation is generally "common sense". For example everyone knows it is "bad" to join straps with a shackle, but that is mostly because the strap could break and the shackle will then fly, not because the shackle will break. A quality shackle will be marked with a WLL (Working Load Limit) and being made for the lifting industry should have a breaking point at least 5 times that WLL. So, again think it through, the shackle is probably one of the less likely items to break in your recovery.

To me personally, I think the shackle to a good rated point makes more sense as you know it won't come off and that both the shackle and the recovery point designs have been tested and labelled. The original hook is just that - a hook that you wonder how much it is rated for (it is not documented anywhere and there are a few, hard to find, stories of the hook stretching)? Spreading the load across 2 points is just obvious - sometimes you won't bother because you just need a light pull, but if you're really stuck then again it just makes sense.

[Yendor]

And here you can see it compared to the genuine. Note; my genuine hook is no longer looped around and has streched out after ONE... yes ONE "light" recovery, i am lucky the snatch did not slip off during otherwise the damage might be more than just a bent recovery point. I would not trust these in any recovery situation after seeing this.



Did you purchase the vehicle new?

If not, how do you know that the hook has been used only once for a "light" recovery?

[Stampy]

Did you purchase the vehicle new?

If not, how do you know that the hook has been used only once for a "light" recovery?

I bought it from by brother, with 19000 Highway kms on it, never seen a speck of dirt in its life

[flemj]

Hi Kurt

The problem with buying a hook from Nissan is you are buying it from a salesman who may not know anything about recovering a vehicle in a dangerous situation. If you you are just towing along a dirt road or on the tar it would be fine. We as four wheel drivers put our cars in some situations where recovering the vehicles puts enormous strain on the equipment.

No matter what your club says and I am wondering which member you are getting you advice from, you should always use a aftermarket rated recovery point. Not a tow point. You should only be taking your advice off a properly trained and accredited, driver trainer. It is your life on the line if you get it wrong and you may also cause serious damage to your car.

As for the issue of a rated shackel being a another piece in the recovery system is not a problem as any strap or winch will let go prior to any rated shackel giving way. Also a bow shackel gives a better surface area for a strap to sit into than your hooks. The bow shackel is nice and broad allowing the full face of the strap to pull on whilst a hook only pulls on a portion of the strap face reducing its effectivness.

Regards John

[sickshorty]

Im with everyone that says scrap the poor excuse of a recovery point that comes factory and get an aftermarket unit. Ive also seen them straighten as a result I was up for a new gu barn door for my mates gu (damn those snatch straps make a nice dint) again this was only a light recovery. Im just thankful that noone was hurt. Just like towballs, poor recovery points can and will kill!