(These are informational guidelines – you need to decide on what you personally need for your own safety)
Again, please note that this list is NOT intended to be a complete inventory or taken as a guarantee in any way for every situation. As always, it is your responsibility to have your own equipment and know how to use it. Training and practice are a must!
Your Rover must have “Real” recovery points both front and rear that are attached to the frame. Tie Down points are not recovery points and not safe to pull on.
Basic Recovery Gear (Important!! Only buy from a reputable company i.e. ARB, Factor 55, Bubbaropes, etc.)
• Tow Strap-30 foot by 3 inch wide rated at 20,000 lbs. or more. Tree strap is a good idea, too.
• Sand recovery boards (avoid cheap imports if you want multi-use boards)
• Hitch receiver shackle
• At least 2-3 D Shackles- Crosby is a good brand made in the USA. (avoid cheap import stuff)
• Soft shackles as an option to D Shackles
• Leather Gloves – fit for handling wire rope and sharp rocks
• Shovel with a sharp point – preferred for digging in our hard DG ground in SoCal
• Jack-Tall enough for any modified suspension lift (if not stock) with base
• Second jack (either bottle type or trolley type) to fit under a stuck vehicle (can’t have too many jacks)
Winch Recovery Gear: Requires Training
• Winch controller
• Snatch block
• More D-rings (they come in handy)
• Winch line dampener
• Winch extension strap
Other Gear:
• First aid kid – expanded with personal meds and OTC meds (Tums, Maalox tabs, Benadryl, Aloe cream, etc.)
• Oil, antifreeze, water and other spare fluids
• Tools suitable for your vehicle – number and type as you wish
• Spare parts as desired
• Tire repair kit
• Air compressor or CO2 Tank
• Fire extinguisher (2 lbs. min – 5 lb. preferred – ABC Type) or New Element E50 type
• 3 lb. mallet
• 1 1/16 socket and breaker bar
• Driveshaft socket tool
• Battery-Highly recommend having a heavy-duty deep cycle or dual battery set up.
• Battery jump starter pack
• Hub Nut Socket (if applicable)
Extra Stuff:
• Cordless Impact gun (much easier changing a flat tire with this!)
• Pry bar
• High Lift Jack – training required
• Electrical parts, such as fuses, relays, bulbs
• OBD 2 scanner – training required
• Shop towels
• Zip lock bags
• Plastic bowl/Container to catch oil
• Wheel chocks
• Zip ties, duct tape, bailing wire (especially for old rovers!)
• Cleaning wipes i.e. Gojo
Personal Gear:
• Drinking water, water and more water
• Sunscreen and shade hat
• A buddy to help you (and vice versa) when things happen in the field
