Off Road/Recovery Kit

LocoLobo · Feb 24, 2012

Mind you, this is not a complete kit, but I thought I would share what I have put together so far, and my storage for it. I do have one of those store bought disaster kits as well, with a blanket and jumper cables/first aid kit. That resides under the wonderfully designed spare tire.

This however, is my towing/recovery kit. I took an 81 mm mortar crate that I had laying around from my military days, lined it with that soft rubberized toolbox liner stuff you can buy at Menards or Home Depot, and added some stuff to it. I may cut a pice of plywood to fit in the middle, and make it a double decker. Then I could add the emergency start battery pack that I don't have yet, and my regular battery charger.

Just thought I would share.

Oh and Nickm? There is a pic for you at the end also....

lml999 · Feb 25, 2012

LocoLobo said:
Mind you, this is not a complete kit, but I thought I would share what I have put together so far, and my storage for it. I do have one of those store bought disaster kits as well, with a blanket and jumper cables/first aid kit. That resides under the wonderfully designed spare tire.

This however, is my towing/recovery kit. I took an 81 mm mortar crate that I had laying around from my military days, lined it with that soft rubberized toolbox liner stuff you can buy at Menards or Home Depot, and added some stuff to it. I may cut a pice of plywood to fit in the middle, and make it a double decker. Then I could add the emergency start battery pack that I don't have yet, and my regular battery charger.

Just thought I would share.

Oh and Nickm? There is a pic for you at the end also....

Nice. And depending on where you are, that piece of plywood might come in handy some day as a stable base for your jack!

It's actually required for beach cruising on Cape Cod.

R-53 · Feb 25, 2012

Where did you get those recovery bolts from if I may ask and for how much?

Yeti · Feb 25, 2012

R-53 said:
Where did you get those recovery bolts from if I may ask and for how much?

You can get them from your dealer. Same ones that are already in with your tools in the spare tire well. I bought mine I think from 1st VW Parts.

LocoLobo · Feb 25, 2012

Yeti is correct, they are the same as comes with the vehicle....I bought mine from a member on here with the shackles, but I think new they go for around $22 apiece. The shackles can be found online at any towing/offroading site. I can't remember what size they are, but it seems they are 4 3/4 ton shackles...which have a 48,000 lb break point. Way overkill but rather a strap breaks than a shackle gets flung threw a windshield.

R-53 · Mar 1, 2012

Thanks, the shackles are what threw me off, I didnt recognize those were factory tow screws!

nickm · Mar 1, 2012

I appreciate the luber!!! where do I get an 81mm mortar crate?

LocoLobo · Mar 1, 2012

nickm said:
I appreciate the luber!!! where do I get an 81mm mortar crate?

Sign your life away to Uncle Sam's Misguided Children for 4 years....You pick up all kinds of interesting stuff along the way....although my wife did take a wooden ammo crate I had and planted flowers in it....

Seriously though, I suppose some army surplus stores might have some...maybe not in Canada....do they have surplus stores up there?

Patr80l · Mar 1, 2012

R-53 said:
Thanks, the shackles are what threw me off, I didnt recognize those were factory tow screws!

How could you mistake them! Their 17mm left handed thread makes them unique! Impossible to buy other than from VW. (Around $45 in au.)

newtdi · Mar 1, 2012

secure the kit

Can you tell me how you are securing the kit in the back?? In any sort of a rollover collision it will become a 100lb weight ready to take off your head as it gets tossed around...

good idea.....just can't see having is just sitting there in a big a** metal box...

my 2 cents...

LocoLobo · Mar 1, 2012

newtdi said:
Can you tell me how you are securing the kit in the back?? In any sort of a rollover collision it will become a 100lb weight ready to take off your head as it gets tossed around...

good idea.....just can't see having is just sitting there in a big a** metal box...

my 2 cents...

Ahem...this is why I share things..because to be honest with you, I have never tied any thing down in any of my suv/crossovers when I have carried stuff in the back like this.

Thank you for pointing out something so obvious that I did not think of it! There are handles on each side that I can run straps to the tiedowns on the edge of the cargo area which will still allow the box to be opened without undoing the tiedowns. If I don't like that, I may grind two slots into the bottom of the sides on each side, and run straps through the bottom of it, to attach to the tiedowns. As far as the crate itself coming open if it flips upside down, unless something hits the lid latches directly and pops them off, it should stay closed.

Now that my pride is humbled....I shall undertake this task tomorrow.

newtdi · Mar 1, 2012

i feel better....

Ahhhh....I now feel better!! I have just been at too many rollover collisions ( yes....collisions and not accidents!!) where serious injuries have been had by the contents of the vehicle coming loose and smacking everything in the interior....everything meaning the people inside the vehicle.

http://www.drivingtoday.com/features/archive/killed_by_cargo/index.html#.T0-JmJjTFSk

And in an off road situation.....

As long as the box is secured, and the contents can't get out ( just think of one of those big metal tow hooks coming at your head at 30 MPH!!) all will be good...

newtdi · Mar 2, 2012

enough waiting!!....i must see pictures of your retention system!!

OILSLURPER · Mar 2, 2012

nickm said:
I appreciate the luber!!! where do I get an 81mm mortar crate?

Afghanistan! You paid for 'em in your taxes. They're free....watch the land mines!

OILSLURPER · Mar 2, 2012

The snatch strap (as we call them here).....a word of caution. A safety measure is to carry a hession or similar sized bag to throw over the strap under tension. If it lets go, it'll dampen the energy as strap tears.....and they do part at a great rate of knots! Another caution is to NEVER attach the eye end of the strap to a tow ball. The load can shear the ball - an Aussie died a little while ago when the tow vehicle ball sheared, the ball flew through the windscreen of the vehicle being snatched, instantly killing the driver.

LocoLobo · Mar 2, 2012

Strapping the handles didn't work, so I need to get the grinding wheel out. Didn't have time today so it is sitting at home waiting for the retooling. I am going to play around with positioning before I start cutting though, and see where I can support it best with as much of it against the sides/seatback to help immobilize it, and leave as much cargo area free.

@ Oilslurper - Yes, I am aware of the safety aspects of using a snatch strap and putting something on it, even if it is a heavy coat. I worked some with recovery vehicles (LVS - Dragon Wagons Logistics Vehicle System Replacemt (LVSR) these are the newer ones...mine had 8 wheels and articulated Yaw steering...) in my younger years and saw my fair share of log chains break yanking trees out of the woods as a kid. But it is always worth a reminder.

Off Road/Recovery Kit

LocoLobo

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