Thread: Recovery points on trailer

Originally Posted by DiscoStew

Does anyone have any experience on putting recovery points on a trailer for a rear recovery?

I am also interested in opinions on the wisdom of performing a recovery on vehicle plus trailer via the trailer, or should you always unhitch and do two separate recoveries.

Come to think of it, is it wise to snatch from the front of the vehicle while the trailer is attached. I know they have electronic brakes but would that be enough to stop it jack-knifing.

The Adventures have them here (highlighted by the mudflaps!)




Not having had to recover from the rear I am not able to give you definitive instructions but I would have thought that if the vehicle is stuck then separate would be the way to go.

Again I have not had to do the second scenario but personally I would uncouple.

It might depend if the tides coming in

If the camper has a full chassis and the points are suitably attached then I cant see why not,,
but if its built that well "IT" may be the reason you're stuck in the first place

One of the reasons I bought mine is after looking underneath, short of a D9 rolling over it I could never bend it. you pay for it at the pump though---

I must be reading the last part wrongly,, why would a normal snatch make the trailer jack knife/brakes come on?

Possibly if the trailer was disconnected, the vehicle would be able to be driven out of the situation and then the trailer could be towed out/through and reconnected to continue on your way.

If a combined recovery was the only option, I would need to carefully consider how they were coupled together - remember, standard tow balls are unsafe to snatch be involved in a snatch recovery. Not sure about Tregg type couplings but feel that seperate recoveries would be far safer and less stressfull on the recovery vehicle.

Roger

I know its slightly different but on my offroad boat trailer I have a small stub axle with bearings and hub situated on the draw bar.

It is mostly used when launching over long mudflats or supidly steep banks. Remove trailer from vehicle, bolt on a spare wheel and with the three wheel trailer it can pushed / winched or pulled into and out of the water without putting a vehicle in harms way.

Obviously when stuck good and proper, I attach the spare to the trailer and can easily do two recoveries. I think most jockey wheels wouldnt like to be dragged through a mud hole...

Steve

Depends on a miriad of variables.

The thing to keep in mind is how stuck is stuck, the force required to get unstuck, and the minimum ratings of the equipment involed.

Recovering from the front on the vehicle, if lightly stuck you could probably leave the trailer attatched. I don't know if you have ever seen me recover someone Stew, but there are a couple of vids on here, I always start the first recovery very gently, as that is all it needs sometimes, if that doesn't work, I give it a little more, so on and so forth. You do reach a point if they are really stuck, that you need to investigate a different method. this is where you disconnect the trailer, or start winching.

You will need to have an attatchment point on the front of the trailer somewhere around the coupling, though not interfering with it to give a central pull, and a rope to attatch for steering. Off road when skulldragging a trailer, the jockey wheel is useless, so make sure it can be dragged on it's drawbar.

Recovery from the rear is different. Your hitch will probably be only a max of 2t capacity as it is only a light trailer, so again how stuck. If only light and the force required will be less than this you could leave it attatched, but most times the weight of your vehicle and the mutiplaction of forces depending on terrain, incline and depth of mud will be greater than this.

To be able to recover your vehicle with it attatched in most situation with the trailer attatched you will need a full length chassis, large rated points, a large capacity hitch and coupling. So in reality, your minimum recovery point will only need to be sufficient to recover the trailer itself.

Winching and dragging a trailer around off road is cumbersome and a pain. More hands make it easier, as do lots of options to attatch your recovery and steering lines. You can also use these points to drag the trailer sideways to clear obstacles.

CC

As always, depends on the situation.

It's not easy to control/steer/brake a trailer when it's been disconnnected from the vehicle. It would always be a nice slow winch recovery in this situation.

A recovery may not be safe or possible with the trailer connected.
What is your winch/straps/shackles/chains rating ? (Car + Trailer + slope + friction = ???)

It may be possible to use the rear recovery points on your trailer to recover someone else without the need to disconnect.
If my disco and camper are through the obstacle and on firm flattish ground and someone behind me is hung up or simply without traction, I'd be happy to snatch recover them from the back of the trailer and not bother unhitching. I'd assess the situation and then decide if the Treg hitch (3000kg) is up to it(...also towbar, mine's 4000kg ...bolts,attachment good too??).
If they were up to the belly in mud with a trailer on I'd definitely unhitch before trying to recover them.

Horses for courses

Stevo

Thanks for all the replies. I am gathering knowledge as their are a few of us taking trailers on the Cape Trip.

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

I must be reading the last part wrongly,, why would a normal snatch make the trailer jack knife/brakes come on?

My concern was that a snatch may involve a fair amount of deceleration of the vehicle once you are free and probably on slippery ground, so the likelihood of a jack-knife is much greater than an emergency stop on bitumen.

I am just one of those guys who tries to think of all the things that might go wrong so that I can be better prepared. Sometimes this means I worry about something that I don't need to simply from lack of experience. So feel free to say so if I am.