Patrol Recovery point ?

[Finly Owner]

ET, I was thinking along some lines you started on. An after market recovery point is only as good as the bolts used. What rating are the high tensile bolts that are attaching the plates to the chasis. Aren't high tensile made to snap when over loaded? Mild steel will bend. Towbars are Mild steel welded at certain lenghts, angles and points to increase their strength. They are rated to TOW the loads stated. They are not fitted as recovery points( go on, go check). We as offroaders take it for granted that we can slip in that receiver and do a recovery, trust that towbar, and the bolts holding it!

If one of those recovery point plates come off one day, by breaking bolts and go through a rear of a 4WD, or even a Bow shackle that breaks a pin and does the same thing, what will we say then, what advice for recoveries will we give then.

Don't anyone think fo a momemnet it can't or won't happen, because it can and will, because many DIY's don't know the ratings of high tensile bolts. And we as humans become lazy and forget to check our chasis and attachments for cracks, rust, and loose/worn bolts.

I believe broken Factory hooks have been used in a heavy snatch and left unchecked for a long time, resulting in failure when it was needed again. I am no engineer, but, I believe I have a good understanding of metal fatigue, and equipment misuse.


I personally believe, the less metal positively attached to a snatch strap, the less chance of a missile. I believe The pin in the towbar through the snatch strap eye and the strap onto the factory recovery hook with a dampner will perform most recoveries safely. It comes back to appropiate action for each recovery.


Well That's my thoughts Tim