Why you DON'T use a winch as a recovery strap and the importance of torquing U-bolts

Here’s the actual link where he chimes in.

 

Remix of it
https://instagram.com/p/BhX1Q4lndIk/

 

He decided not to sell it on Friday. Now, if he changed his mind he may take a hit

 

When I wheeled my Tacoma, I only went with guys I knew and trusted. Guys that aren’t reckless, patient, and will never, ever just sit there and let that happen.

 

Sounds like the guy busted his rear driveline. In the process losened the leaf springs. He strapped the dive line up to not drag but didn’t strap the axle to the leaf spring.

 

So. Much. Fail. Amateur hour warning.

I have been thinking about this little video since it was posted everywhere. I feel really bad for the guy...and here is why:

- Everyone starts out wheeling sometime. I have yet to meet anyone that built a full on crawler, desert racer, or mall crawler that didn't go through some growing pains getting to where they are today.

- Breakages happen. I have seen way worse on harder trails than that. Some were from neglect, some were from "shit happens", and sometimes someone else causes your issues.

Lessons learned:

- Know the limits of yourself/vehicle.

- Carry spares. I can't say I have ever carried U-Bolts, so I'm talking out my ass. However, I have seen more than one set of U-bolts sheer off. Some had spares, some didn't and we just used ratchet straps to center the axle and wheel it out to the trailers.

- Think twice before going out with a vehicle you have a lean on and need it for transportation the next day to work. I can't remember how many Sunday evenings that went into Monday mornings wrenching on my Toyota Tacomas so I could get to work the next day. I quit that insanity back in 2000. I have had a dedicated rig for off-roading purposes only and usually a truck/trailer combo to get my junk home. Now I'm not saying never take your mid travel, nicely built Tundra off-road...believe me, these trucks can go places.

- Know whom your wheeling with. I just don't wheel with anyone. On this board, there is only two (one Jeep, one Toyota) and possibly one is being built by our own legendary @Thegr8punkin. Most people on here do light offload or the go fast stuff, so they don't do what I do and visa versa. Some of these trucks are really built and are works of art. Spotters are everything. If I can't trust you to guide me and not have me on my lid, I have no reason to wheel with you. I can screw shit up enough all by myself.

- I wasn't there at all, but dragging this truck down a steep hill was a huge mistake, and they really got lucky. Did anyone see a winch line hooked to the front of the Tacoma? Anyone? Did you see how fast that truck took off and was out of control once the rear axle broke free? The fucking dumb is endless in this whole ordeal. If this had been my Tacoma, it would have been sitting right where the breakage was before the catastrophic axle removal, or if at possible, a slow winch up the hill to a flat spot if available. This way he could stay off the brakes, get pulled up at a controlled speed. This is a common mistake of get out of the way so others can get by mentality. I have had really bad breakages and had people be total assholes and say shit like "move it or we will move it for you"....

- Know and understand proper rigging techniques, and trust me, it isn't a cable wrapped around the axle or driveshaft. Everyone should have a winch of some sort, recovery gear, mounting locations. I used to hate when a group of people would go out for a trail run and it never failed, 50-70% of people didn't have a winch, spare tire, first aid kit, jack. It really kinda pissed me off when my winch would always get "volunteered" to help. Of course when a new 400.00 synthetic rope was needed, there was no volunteers to help with that "recovery". Some clubs have a winch jar. Every time you take the rope, 25.00 goes into the kitty. Someones winch or rope breaks and it's covered. I hardly see these kinds of wheelers anymore. Where I go, a winch is not an option.

 

Lately, it seems to be the 3rd gen Tacoma and 5th gen 4R guys. They get the vehicle and just get to wheeling hard without a trusted group, or from what I have also seen- by themselves, at night.

A few years back I was wheeling when we came across some younger kid walking down from 14k feet. We contacted him...turns out, he went and bought a new (to him) Jeep. Decided he’s going to wheel by himself, at night. Goes wheeling with zero supplies and gets a flat. He did not have a lug nut key so he slept overnight in his Jeep.