For some deranged people just like us, driving as far as you can until you have to hook up a snatch strap is what 4WDing is all about. Tackling a muddy hill climb littered with rock steps is a guaranteed way to get the heart pumping, but would you know what to do, if you ended up having no other way out?

For those who are ill-equipped, an emergency recovery situation can be a scary and an excruciating distraction from the camp site waiting just around the corner with icy cold beers and a comfy camp chair. But when it comes to extracting your pride and joy from a sticky situation when you are off-road, there’s always the possibility of something going wrong, especially if you don’t have the right gear or know how!

Decent recovery gear is one of the most important purchases a new 4WDer can make, so when it comes to purchasing your own recovery kit do you know what should you be looking for?

This begs the questions; with so many bits and pieces of recovery gear available on the market, what essentials should you be carrying in the back of your 4WD and when is it the right time to pull it all out and hook it up?

SIZING UP YOUR NEW RECOVERY KIT

When it comes to sizing up a snatch strap – it’s important to get it right because they are designed with a particular percentage of stretch with relation to their length, if you choose one that’s too heavy or too light it won’t work the way it’s been designed.

When using snatch straps, the minimum breaking strength should be between 2-3 times the vehicle’s gross vehicle mass.

A Hercules 8,000kg strap should cater to most mid/full sized 4WDs between 2500kg and 4000kg GVM. But if you own a Suzuki or other small 4WD you might want to consider a smaller strap around the 6,000kg mark, and if your pride and joy is a Patrol or Cruiser right up on its GVM and towing a camper – consider going with the Hercules 11,000kg strap would suit a combined GVM between around 3500kg and 5500kg.

Rated shackles are extremely important – any gear that says “not to be used for 4WD recoveries” in the fine print is not safe to use, ever! Recovery hitches and extension straps need to be rated around 4500kg to 5500kg.

When choosing a tree trunk protector or a winching snatch block, you should choose one that is rated to around 1.5x to 2x that of your winch. So for a typical Domin8r X 12,000Lb (5400kg) winch you are looking at around 8000kg – 11,000kg for these parts of a recovery kit!

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU PAY?

Gone are the days where price is the only accurate indicator of quality. There are very good examples of premium gear that is extremely competitive for price and even some of the most average quality items can be dramatically over-priced.

So when it comes to bagging a bargain, don’t just grab the first kit that you see on the shelf of your local auto parts store, you are probably getting dudded!

Shop around and do your research. Look for a complete kit that not only has a reputation for quality but is rated for your vehicles weight, something like the Hercules Complete Recovery Kit offers a good warranty and is usually available for a steal! We encourage you to spend your time comparing prices, because getting the right gear for off road recoveries could save you thousands of dollars down the track!

SNATCH STRAPS VS. WINCH RECOVERIES

There is nothing like a huge bungee cord for extracting a stuck 4WD from a bog hole. The best technique for harnessing the pull of a snatch strap is to store and release as much kinetic energy as is required, without breaking things – The challenge truly is, in the knowing of when and how to extricate your stuck 4WD efficiently.

A general rule of thumb is that if you have a winch, you should use it, a winch provides a massive amount of pulling power and instant traction whatever surface you are stuck on, however for quick and dirty recoveries where time is of the essence and your vehicle just needs an extra bit of “Push” then snatching it out is the go!

If a vehicle is on its chassis on a beach or belly deep in a bog hole, using a winch or snatch strap may only pull more sand and mud forward with the vehicle; it is better to extract it after digging a clear path in-front of your tyres at a more shallow angle to the tyres, this means that your winch won’t be overloaded and your tyres will gain traction sooner, allowing your 4WD to drive free with less likelihood of breaking gear or vehicle parts.

As mentioned before, a winch gives you instant traction in the direction of pull, because it does not rely on your tyres tread for grip. These rules were meant to be broken, and for the most part, it comes down to experience and knowledge and trial and error – whatever you do, make sure your recoveries are SAFE and not too complex!

HOW TO PERFORM A SNATCH RECOVERY

First things first – when undergoing a Snatch strap recovery assess the situation and reduce any risk of injury. Make sure passengers and the vehicle are safe at all times, ensure all bystanders are well clear, you’ve cleared all the boggy material and created a neat channel in front of the tyres and the diffs to make pulling your 4WD free that much easier!

As basic as it sounds, check that you’re using a Rated Snatch Strap that is rated to your vehicles loaded weight and not any other type of strap. The main point of difference is that a snatch strap has approximately 30% stretch to help store as much energy from the vehicle recovering which is released smoothly and in control to pull the stuck vehicle free!

Always attach any recovery gear to a rated recovery point on both vehicles and never use unnecessary metal equipment in a recovery

Make sure your Snatch Strap is flat and not twisted at all and ensure you give yourself around 1m of ‘Z’ overlap in the middle, this allows the towing vehicle to build up some momentum before the strap gains tension, this will not only increase the likelihood of getting free the first go but will also decrease the potential load on your 4WD by many factors!  and don’t try to performance a recovery in reverse unless you have no other choice, as your reverse gear may shear as it is not  typically designed to take the kinds of loads encountered.

Jump on the UHF and establish a clear line of communication so both drivers know what’s going on, then start with a gentle pull for your extraction. Most of the time this will be 2^nd gear low range and this should be all that’s needed to get the stuck vehicle out of trouble. If it doesn’t, back up and give it a few more herbs. If you try two or three times with no luck, reassess the situation and look for ways dig the stuck vehicle out before trying again,

Even the best snatch straps won’t stand up to neglect, so as soon as you get home, give yours a bath to ensure it lasts. Fill a bucket with water and gently massage any mud, dirt or sand out of the fibres. Avoid pressure washing it, as it only pushes the dirt further in. Rinse it a few times until the water comes out clear, then let it dry in an airy position out of direct sunlight.

TOP 5 TIPS FOR SAFER RECOVERIES

• Don’t panic! The second you get into trouble, stop and calmly assess the situation.
• Only ever use rated recovery points. Tie down points will break and could turn into deadly projectiles.
• Carry a quality comprehensive kit like the Hercules Complete Recovery Kit that includes everything you’ll need to get yourself out of any situation.
• Use a rated recovery hitch to help distribute the load of the recovery evenly across the rear of the vehicle.
• Utilise a Hercules snatch block with winch recoveries wherever you can to reduce the load placed on your winch.