Maxtrax/treds and a shovel

I would hate to use a come-a-long to winch myself out.

 

Maxtrax/treds and a shovel . . . .

This, and follow the well-established safety rules for offroading, the first two of which are:

1. Let someone know where you will be and when you expect to return.
2. Always have at least one other vehicle along.

See:

Safety Rules for Off Road - Top 10
Trail Tips 10 Safety Rules for Off-Road Driving: Off-Road.com
Ten Safety Rules for Off-Road Driving - | TAP Into Adventure!

 

A come-along works fine, but you have to follow the same rules for sizing as with a winch and carry enough straps to work in whatever situation you find yourself in. You just have to remember that the $20 2 ton job isn't going to be enough when you are buried to the hubs in gumbo type mud since the effective weight of your vehicle includes breaking the suction that has you mired. Hi-Lift jacks can be used for pulling, but you have a very short pull with them. There are ways to hook up straps to make the length quickly adjustable over short distances which can be handy too. Traction boards are also a plus and there are some very affordable options out there right now.

I keep my Hi-Lift under the back seat and have been shopping for a 4 or 6 ton hand winch to carry when things might get more hairy.

 

I was staring at all the trees in anger lol. I think a hand winch would have helped a lot. Max treads would have worked good too.

 

MaxTrax or Treds are a good start. Also, you can get a chain winching set for your Hi-lift jack as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Hi-Lift-Jack-ORK-Off-Road-Kit/dp/B00042KQ58/ref=bdl_pop_ttl_B00042KQ58

Luck

 

I always let me wife know where I'm going. I'm sure I am not the only one to go out by myself exploring. I am fairly well equippped. Always have shovels, axe, lots of survival supplies ect. I could have walked to a busy highway and I was in cell reception. Worst case scenario I could have posted on the 4x4 Facebook group for help. If I'm alone I never venture far, I do like being self sufficient thou.

 

I always let me wife know where I'm going. I'm sure I am not the only one to go out by myself exploring. I am fairly well equipped. Always have shovels, axe, lots of survival supplies ect. I could have walked to a busy highway and I was in cell reception. Worst case scenario I could have posted on the 4x4 Facebook group for help. If I'm alone I never venture far, I do like being self sufficient thou.

Guilty for that as well. I have no local friends that like to offroad so if I go somewhere it's solo. That said I have recovery stuff, axe, shovel, camping/survival supplies, a baofeng ham radio and a get home bag in the truck if I have to trek it back. One time I went wheeling pretty far up this old logging path and it ended up turning night so rather than come back I just put down my back seats and slept in the truck till morning. Granted I normally let someone know if I'm wheeling somewhere though.

 

I have used my maxtrax a handful of times, and they are like magic.

 

Very cool setup!

 

Here's a primitive yet ingenious back country winch alternative called the Flip Flop Winch.
BYO rope/cable.

 

I've been wanting one of these for a while: https://www.wyeth-scott.com

6 ton dead lift rating, with a 30' of synhetic line.

I dont want to carry a winch day to day. It also appeals to me as an object of beauty to be honest, but $300 is a little steep.

 

That's pretty cool, especially since it has synthetic line. Seems ideal for situations like the OP describes. If it really is that powerful then I don't fault the price too much. Compare it to the cost of a proper winch/mounting solution.

 

I've got the Wyeth-Scott 3T Power Puller with the AmSteel line and it's a hefty piece of equipment. It comes with a snatch block for a double line pull. I wasn't ready for/didn't want the bumper & winch solution at the time and didn't want to deal with using the Hi-Lift 4 feet at a time to winch myself out of what could be a tricky situation so this was the best option out there for me short of a winch. Plus, you can easily winch from the rear without needing 3 snatch blocks & tree savers like you would with a winch.

It's not exactly cheap and that's one point that hung me up too but I have no regrets whatsoever having bought it. I also carry the Smittybilt version (lifetime warranty!) of the MaxTrax, a shovel, and Hi-Lift.