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Old 04-28-2021, 04:42 PM   #1
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Sportsmobile Recovery Equipment

I recently installed an Aluminess front bumper with 12,000# winch and will be getting 4wd and lift later this spring.

I'm now procuring my recovery equipment, but am finding the GVWR of the Sportsmobile (E250), is certainly greater than most off road equipment out there.

I currently have an ARB Tree Saver and Factor 55 rear hitch recovery point, but need the other things - soft shackles, snatch blocks, ropes & straps, traction boards, etc.

What are you all using?

Thanks!

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Old 04-28-2021, 05:31 PM   #2
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First, If you are not that familiar with driving off-road I would recommend watching a lot of the u-tube recovery scenarios that are out there - lot you can learn from these.
Second, you should have a good understanding of the weight of your Rig. Tire size, recovery angle, etc all play a part.
Read through these links- lot of explanations and relevant info that will help make an informed decision.
https://americanadventurist.com/foru...-reviews.3955/

https://www.roundforge.com/articles/...recovery-kits/

https://trail4runner.com/2021/02/15/...r-overlanding/

EDIT: Quite a few people have also invested in the Truck Claws II


My personal opinion: Proper recovery gear falls under "Safety", so I've always subscribed to acquiring gear that is over-rated for my application.
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Old 04-28-2021, 06:05 PM   #3
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Twoxentrix, I totally agree. I've watched many videos and read articles through various sources. I'm also scheduling offroad training through a reputable local instructor when I get the conversion completed. I'm also reading Harry Lewellyn's, "The SUV Owner's 4WD Handbook; Shifting into 4WD." Great read!

My question was centered more on what specific equipment you have. For example, the ARB soft shackle is rated at working load rating of 3.5T. That's significantly less than the weight of the van. So, not suitable. Sportsmobiles are significantly heavier than the fully loaded Rubicon, 4Runner or Tacoma.

To rephrase my original question, what specific recovery equipment do you have that is suited for the higher GVWR of the Sportsmobile?

Thanks!
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Old 04-28-2021, 08:07 PM   #4
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When we first bought our SMB I purchased the Warn Epic heavy duty recovery kit (Warn part number 97570). It wasn't cheap but it seemed like a good kit to start with given the weight of my van (10,000lbs). Everything in the kit is rated higher than my 12,000lb winch so at least my winch is the weakest link.

I'm also curious what everyone else is using.
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Old 04-28-2021, 08:18 PM   #5
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My recovery gear hasn't changed much in the last 3 or 4 rigs I've had. Presently a truck, before that a Jeep JKU and before that a few vans.

- First, dump the high lift jack. IMO it will just rust in place and they are way too heavy to carry around. This is, of course, my opinion and others swear by them.

- A capable winch (12-18k for heavy SMBs)
- 1 set of Maxtrax/traction boards
- A few big D rings and a soft shackle or two
- An extra tow rope/chain
- Some big mat to throw over your winch cable unless you have synthetic
- A chainsaw. Always. I like the little battery guys nowadays. I just got a really sweet Makita arborist/top handle with a 10" bar. Good enough and no gas smell
- A Spot satellite locator dealio in case things go way sideways

My list has been honed down to it's present state because of where I live. The wooded east almost always has a tree to winch to. Gear list would probably be a lot different for desert runners.
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Old 04-28-2021, 11:06 PM   #6
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https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...les-28091.html

take a look at billet4x4 as a starting point...research and then determine if you actually need something that's listed.

there is plenty of high GVW recovery gear if you know where to look.

we have:
crosby shackles for the front bumper (bought thru ebay) = https://www.thecrosbygroup.com/catalog/shackles/
DIY hitch crosby shackle for the rear ... like this = https://agency6.com/collections/1-25-shackle-blocks
actiontrax = https://usactiontrax.com/
billet4x4 1.25-inch kinetic rope = https://www.billet4x4.com/pro-kinetic-polyguard.htm
various crosby shackles for connecting
tree strap ... like this = https://www.billet4x4.com/pro-treestrap.htm
axle lockers = ARB's in both axles
bottle jack = can't remember the brand
tire plug kit = https://safetyseal.com/

there's a lot more stuff that can be purchased and should be customized for how each vehicle will be used.
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Old 04-29-2021, 08:58 AM   #7
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86Scotty. Great list, thanks. I live in sw Missouri which has a lot of National Forest trails, so I'm in the same situation. I already have the ARB Tree Saver strap. I hope to be traveling on the trails out west, so will need stuff for that, too.
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Old 04-29-2021, 08:59 AM   #8
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RVRRNNR, I agree with the weight issue. A good deal of the equipment just isn't rated for our sized equipment.
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Old 04-29-2021, 09:05 AM   #9
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unreng, Thanks for the list. I've saved the links.
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Old 04-29-2021, 09:14 AM   #10
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I recommend contacting Chris Cole at Safe-Xtract. He can give you expert advice and get you what you need. His website is really lacking, but he will get you the right recovery equipment, and the best recovery equipment. The equipment he sells is made in the US.

https://www.safe-xtract.com/recovery...it-components/


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