When driving your 4WD off road, undertaking a 4WD recovery is almost just a part of life, so we are going to cover the 4 Do’s and the 4 Do not’s, to make sure you are safe on the tracks!

#1 DO – Use rated equipment

This is one of the most important of all the rules for offroad recoveries, the risks associated with using unrated equipment when 4WDing can be dangerous and in certain circumstances even deadly.

Rated recovery gear used to be expensive, but these days they are extremely affordable, and built to last, the Hercules complete recovery kit offers everything you need plus more in a tidy kit that is under $150 and is perfect for winching.

#1 DO NOT RUSH

Taking your time is important when undertaking a 4WD recovery. Often in the heat of the moment people rush and this is where potentially lethal mistakes can be made. Ensuring a 4WD recovery setup is safe as houses, is for more than just safety, it also ensures efficiency, and that you don’t break your 4WD!

#2 DO – make it easy on yourself

By preparing your vehicle for a recovery, you can minimize the stress and strain on your vehicle, this means that if you can make the stress and strain on your recovery gear less, do it, for example, if you can reach underneath your vehicle with a shovel like the Hercules folding shovel included in the Complete recovery kit, you should clear away anything blocking your path, this will make the recovery easier, quicker, and less likely to damage your gear.
#2 DO NOT – Use tow points for recoveries

All vehicles are fitted with towing hooks, on both the front and the back, and you could be easily confused into thinking this would be a great place to connect your recovery gear. However, a 4WDs tow hook is not rated to take the stress and strain experienced whilst pulling a fully loaded 4WD out of deep mud.  In addition, a 4WD tow ball is also not rated for the pulling forces experienced when recovering, as a tow ball is engineered for downward forces only, this means if you hook up to your 4WD towball you could turn it into a cannonball potentially causing death of a spectator. (this has happened before)

So with this in mind, definitely look into fitting rated recovery points fitted to your vehicle to ensure that no matter what you encounter, you can get your 4WD out of trouble!

#3 DO – Set the correct tyre pressures

Tyre pressures are often overlooked in a recovery situation, in the past there have been situations where people who don’t know what they are doing have perished in the desert because their vehicle got stuck in an extremely remote area. When the authorities arrived, the leading police officer simply let the tyres down and drove the vehicle straight out.

By bringing a Kwiky Tyre Deflator with you and setting your tyres to off road pressures before hand, you can avoid getting stuck in the first place, and if you do get stuck, dropping your pressures another 3 or 4 psi can make getting free, many times easier.
#3 DO NOT –  Drive off road in 2WD

We’ve heard of people driving around in 2WD so that when they get stuck off road all they need to do is engage 4WD and drive out. This is a bit of a myth, by driving in 2WD you are more likely to get stuck off road on an obstacle that wouldn’t even bother you with 4WD engaged, and not only does getting stuck, suck… it wrecks the tracks, and means you will have a harder time getting out of trouble next time.

So when you are off road, chuck it in 4WD you’ll be rewarded with easier driving, and less damage to your 4WD!

#4 DO – Use precaution

Whether you are setting up a simple snatch strap recovery, or a complicated multi line winch pull with your Domin8r X 12,000lb winch, it is important to use precaution when setting up.

By employing a recovery dampener on any metal fixtures in your 4WD recovery setup, you reduce the risk of a failing metal component from turning into a bullet, as mentioned earlier, this can be lethal.

A recovery dampener is an air brake that uses weight to keep any possible projectile low to the ground, (well away from your melon) and also with the additional weight offered will slow the speed of the flying components right down making the risk during recovery, much less!

#4 DO NOT – Ignore danger

If you see someone setting something up in an unsafe manner, it is your duty and responsibility as a 4WDer to say something. By willfully ignoring danger during a 4WD recovery, you are responsible for any injuries or deaths that may occur due to the dangerous setup employed.