Recovery gear location in/on the truck

rlynch356

rlynch356

Adventurist
Thinking about moving my “soft” straps, dynamic rope, and some other bits to a box on the roof..

In the truck I now and will keep a small bag with a pulley, 2 hard shackles, tree strap, and extension…

any real cons to just getting all on the roof
(other than my small bag) - the 2 recovery gear bags I use now take up valuable space inside the 90 (where the dog gets about 1/2 the cargo area :)

looking for some thoughts on it..
 
I keep mine all in one bag. Typically, it’s never buried so that I can’t get to it, and usually it’s in my driver’s side storage box on my Leitner rack.

The biggest points I emphasize are to keep it ALL together so it’s accounted for, and portable. It’s important to store it dry as well.

And never bury it away under a bunch of other gear. Keep it at the ready so if the situation arises and you need to use it, you don’t have to “yard sale” everything out of the truck (and into the mud) to find what you need.

And don’t forget gloves. I probably have 5 pairs in the truck. And one pair lives in my recovery bag full time, just in case the other four pairs go missing :lol
 
Dave said:
I keep mine all in one bag. Typically, it’s never buried so that I can’t get to it, and usually it’s in my driver’s side storage box on my Leitner rack.

The biggest points I emphasize are to keep it ALL together so it’s accounted for, and portable. It’s important to store it dry as well.

And never bury it away under a bunch of other gear. Keep it at the ready so if the situation arises and you need to use it, you don’t have to “yard sale” everything out of the truck (and into the mud) to find what you need.

And don’t forget gloves. I probably have 5 pairs in the truck. And one pair lives in my recovery bag full time, just in case the other four pairs go missing :lol
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Access to the kit. This is one of the main reasons why I'm making a major revision to my Tacoma and undoing some mistakes and going with a tray and canopy.

I like to keep food and clothing in the cab and the Access Cab, with the ARB Fridge behind the drivers seat doesn't have a lot of space. So recovery gear goes in the bed protected by the camper shell. The camper shell doesn't have side access. Big mistake. That means I can only get to the recovery gear through the back after opening the swing out. What if I slide back into something? What if it damages the swing out so it can't open? What if I can't get enough distance off the object to open the back? Another mistake is driven by convenience. Since I allowed myself only one way to access the contents of the truck bed. Everything is loaded by order of need to make it convenient. The recovery kit isn't the first item. It should be but it isn't along with other things that should be but aren't because I don't want the yard sale every time the S doesn't hit the fan.

The way Dave has his set up and your plan to put it on the roof would mean things have gone pretty bad as opposed to be simply backed up against an obstacle. I think my scenario to block access to the recovery kit is far too easy to get into and needs to be addressed. I also think the ideal location would provide multiple ways to access the recovery kit. If that's not really practical then having some sort of plan to gain access to the recovery kit is necessary should access be blocked.
 
I think I’m going to plan on moving to the roof and see how that works (in an alubox) should be fine except for situations like this (not my truck but it did take us a while to right it safely and without a scratch, 2 winches and some creative line runs got it sorted)

8A2B8307-B38C-4206-9C57-07FBEA325804.jpeg


E93E8F2D-1EB7-4B01-87EB-11F72300DD91.jpeg
 
Dave said:
I keep mine all in one bag.
Click to expand...

One note on this. I keep my kit complete however, I also keep a “mini kit” under the drivers seat or behind it with two soft shackles, a screw pin bow shackle, and spare winch controller. This is for quick grab when I need to hook on to someone else fast (prevent rollover etc). It also ensures that even if the main kit is lost or inaccessible, I have an insurance policy.
 
Under normal circumstances it's safely stowed in the back. When I'm off-pavement I usually pre-prep what I think I'll need which could be as simple as moving my strap bag to the bumper, or stashing the winch bag behind the seat. For more technical terrain I'll usually pre-rig my winch remote and possibly even unspool 50-60' of cable - just in case.

I do plan on building a rack for the rear of the '04 LJ which will allow me to better pre-stage gear. That won't happen till I get the new cage in though.
 
Dave said:
One note on this. I keep my kit complete however, I also keep a “mini kit” under the drivers seat or behind it with two soft shackles, a screw pin bow shackle, and spare winch controller. This is for quick grab when I need to hook on to someone else fast (prevent rollover etc). It also ensures that even if the main kit is lost or inaccessible, I have an insurance policy.
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I’ve considered this also, if my primary gear is not accessible thanks to a flop, tree…cliff. Good idea!
 
I have my SX20000 kit in a hutch directly behind the passenger seat accessible from both left and right passenger doors or in extreme cases I could reach it from both front seats. I also keep a soft shackle on the drivers and passengers headrest. I no longer use the second or third rows seats and they have been removed this allows the space for the hutch.
 
in the flop picture above, i grabbed my primary small bag with an extension, soft and a hard shackle, and a tree strap.. that was all the extra gear we needed to get it on its wheels.. The hard part was figuring out the rigging. Pro-tip make sure the tree you are attaching to is alive! - I had to move some of the rigging when the team at the top of the sluice attached to a dead one without realizing it before we pulled.
that small bag will always live behind the drivers seat and is assessable from either seat. i also keep a couple of soft shackles on the shifter which are also handy for the dog.
 
Greg said:
Access to the kit. This is one of the main reasons why I'm making a major revision to my Tacoma and undoing some mistakes and going with a tray and canopy.

I like to keep food and clothing in the cab and the Access Cab, with the ARB Fridge behind the drivers seat doesn't have a lot of space. So recovery gear goes in the bed protected by the camper shell. The camper shell doesn't have side access. Big mistake. That means I can only get to the recovery gear through the back after opening the swing out. What if I slide back into something? What if it damages the swing out so it can't open? What if I can't get enough distance off the object to open the back? Another mistake is driven by convenience. Since I allowed myself only one way to access the contents of the truck bed. Everything is loaded by order of need to make it convenient. The recovery kit isn't the first item. It should be but it isn't along with other things that should be but aren't because I don't want the yard sale every time the S doesn't hit the fan.

The way Dave has his set up and your plan to put it on the roof would mean things have gone pretty bad as opposed to be simply backed up against an obstacle. I think my scenario to block access to the recovery kit is far too easy to get into and needs to be addressed. I also think the ideal location would provide multiple ways to access the recovery kit. If that's not really practical then having some sort of plan to gain access to the recovery kit is necessary should access be blocked.
Click to expand...

My current is similar to yours - I have been thinking about a better setup as well.

My newest idea is to build a platform behind the seats, similar to what @Greg did. Then, store the "emergency" recovery gear under the platform behind the driver's seat. The grab-and-go, if you will.

The duplicates/extras/'big stuff' can remain in the back.

So what should the emergency (fast to grab) gear be?

Gloves
Winch controller
Screw pin shackle (2)
Soft shackle (2)
20' recovery rope

Extra gear

30' recovery rope
Tree saver
50' Winch line extension
Shackles (?)
Hi-Lift
etc.

Thoughts?
 
Scott B. said:
My current is similar to yours - I have been thinking about a better setup as well.

My newest idea is to build a platform behind the seats, similar to what @Greg did. Then, store the "emergency" recovery gear under the platform behind the driver's seat. The grab-and-go, if you will.

The duplicates/extras/'big stuff' can remain in the back.

So what should the emergency (fast to grab) gear be?

Gloves
Winch controller
Screw pin shackle (2)
Soft shackle (2)
20' recovery rope

Extra gear

30' recovery rope
Tree saver
50' Winch line extension
Shackles (?)
Hi-Lift
etc.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
If you use t-slot railing like I did don't use inch and a half. You can get by with 1" or 25 mm.

Splicing tools in the fast grab. Not that you'll probably need them fast. Just more convenient if you're fixing somebody else's stuff.

A sharp knife. You may keep a knife on yourself at all times but you may not be the person grabbing and using the kit.
 
Maybe a knife/multi-tool instead of just a knife. I wouldn't throw $100 Leatherman in there but maybe a cheaper $40 one.
 
Greg said:
If you use t-slot railing like I did don't use inch and a half. You can get by with 1" or 25 mm.

Splicing tools in the fast grab. Not that you'll probably need them fast. Just more convenient if you're fixing somebody else's stuff.

A sharp knife. You may keep a knife on yourself at all times but you may not be the person grabbing and using the kit.
Click to expand...

Good point. I do have a Fast Fid in the back. Probably makes more sense to have it up front.

BTW, anyone looking for a fid to splice line, look at the Factor 55 Fast Fid. It's one of the best I've seen and used.

Greg said:
Maybe a knife/multi-tool instead of just a knife. I wouldn't throw $100 Leatherman in there but maybe a cheaper $40 one.
Click to expand...

I always have a knife on me, and I have an EMT Leatherman on my immediate FAK on the cab wall.

Which reminds me - I need to update my build thread. I don't think I posted my cab MOLLE panel.
 
Dave said:
One note on this. I keep my kit complete however, I also keep a “mini kit” under the drivers seat or behind it with two soft shackles, a screw pin bow shackle, and spare winch controller. This is for quick grab when I need to hook on to someone else fast (prevent rollover etc). It also ensures that even if the main kit is lost or inaccessible, I have an insurance policy.
Click to expand...

I have a similar system, I keep two soft shackles, one screw pin and a snatch rope in a separate bag. In the RV, this is behind the driver seat, in the Tundra, its in the canopy, next to the fridge, its accessible from the tailgate or windoor on the drivers side.

My full kit is a little buried. More one bag or box and its accessible. Winch controller is in the cab at all times, wireless and wired.
 
My in cab kit (behind drivers seat always)
BF8C2CC6-3736-4BD4-A379-043068332592.jpeg

Blue ridge bag
Pulley
2 green pins
2 soft shackles
Tree strap
30’ extension
2 pairs of gloves (another 2 pairs live in the center console with the winch controller. 2 more soft shackles are on the gear lever but mostly for the dog and if I need to tell someone where to find one quickly.
I follow bill so I usually pre-rig the winch if I know there is some chance of needing it.

This serves for 90% of the recovery’s ..
 
rlynch356 said:
My in cab kit (behind drivers seat always)
View attachment 56789
Blue ridge bag
Pulley
2 green pins
2 soft shackles
Tree strap
30’ extension
2 pairs of gloves (another 2 pairs live in the center console with the winch controller. 2 more soft shackles are on the gear lever but mostly for the dog and if I need to tell someone where to find one quickly.
I follow bill so I usually pre-rig the winch if I know there is some chance of needing it.

This serves for 90% of the recovery’s ..
Click to expand...

Which BROG bag are you using?
 
Yep - Large recovery bag.. I like it because its fairly thin packed right and fits the limited space between the seat and the bulk head role bar tube.
After this last weekend I am going to move to the passenger side for easier access when stuck in the cab. .... "cough, cough" and all you need to do is hand out a Tree strap.. :)
 
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