Vehicle recovery gear and tips

[vezePilot]

This thread is a treasure chest full of knowledge.

One more data point, albeit already mentioned elsewhere: Stock 265/60R-20 Wrangler Territory MT tires can be run at 16 PSI without trouble.
I drove more than 10 miles on very demanding, terribly rocky, steep, 4.5-5 Rated Jeep trail, Friday 18 APR 23. (These are not Duratracs.)

We have discussed this measure, running stock tires/wheels aired down with NO Bead locks. I use a RhinoUSA Deflator Kit, for about 10 mins to Air Down.
And then a Milwaukee cordless Compressor that takes about 20 minutes to air back up to 35 PSI. There are dirt roads back out, often ... and not airing all the way back up to 41 PSI helps reduce aggravating the washboard road surface. Got em back up to 41 once I was home.

 

[JD319]

I curious what are you all using for communication for those time you are out of cell range? it seems like CB's have died off over the years.

 

[PHXPHOTOG]

I curious what are you all using for communication for those time you are out of cell range? it seems like CB's have died off over the years.

These radios have taken the outdoor world by storm. Don't be fooled by the dirt cheap price or Chinese build. They are a quality product. I have mine programed for FRS, GMRS,, MURS, and NOAA.

https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-Portable-Rechargeable-Handheld-Antenna/dp/B09CTSBHMR/ref=sr_1_3?crid=Y28FEUHWMYYR&keywords=baofeng%2Bradio&qid=1692561970&sprefix=baofeng%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-3&th=1

 

[JD319]

These radios have taken the outdoor world by storm. Don't be fooled by the dirt cheap price or Chinese build. They are a quality product. I have mine programed for FRS, GMRS,, MURS, and NOAA.

https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-Portable-Rechargeable-Handheld-Antenna/dp/B09CTSBHMR/ref=sr_1_3?crid=Y28FEUHWMYYR&keywords=baofeng%2Bradio&qid=1692561970&sprefix=baofeng%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-3&th=1

Thank you, those are on my list to get very soon

 

[vezePilot]

... I have mine programed for FRS, GMRS,, MURS, and NOAA.

How do we do that programming for FRS, GMRS, etc. ?
I have a pair of the OLD version of UV-5R ... there is supposed to be a difference. But I don't use them 'cuz I don't have a ham license. FRS is very compatible, and license for full GMRS is easy to obtain. But what Frequencies to use on these DC-to-Light radios?

 

[PHXPHOTOG]

How do we do that programming for FRS, GMRS, etc. ?
I have a pair of the OLD version of UV-5R ... there is supposed to be a difference. But I don't use them 'cuz I don't have a ham license. FRS is very compatible, and license for full GMRS is easy to obtain. But what Frequencies to use on these DC-to-Light radios?

This guy on YouTube has an answer for everything you can imagine about these radios. His videos are quirky and dry humor to make them palatable. It is all here:

https://www.youtube.com/c/NotaRubiconProductions/videos

 

[vezePilot]

Thanks! This is great! I would really like to use my UV-5R's, and not buy another pair of walkie-talkies. I have a pair of FRS ... sort of. Mine are XRS, er TXRS or XFRS ... somethin like that. NOT VERY compatible with others, cuz they're Frequency Hopping.

Well, maybe handy in certain circumstances ...

Today I changed the oil, mileage at 29,540 (about 5,000 since last). While underneath I inspected the Skid Plates, Drive Shaft, Exhaust parts, my cool sort-of-DIY Front Receiver and Step Rails. The step rails are cheap, rusted, bashed up and brackets nearly ripped away. Everything else is fine. Awesome.

And, I checked out what it might take to Disconnect one end of my Front Anti-Sway/Torsion bar. I've seen this recommended ... somewhere, for more serious off road while-driving-with stock suspension vehicles. Anybody tried this?

(I've also seen instances where doing this produced really bad outcome for the guy ... )

 

[Gangly]

With our IFS suspensions, increased "flex" or travel, is not really something we will gain a lot of by removing the front sway bar, its primarily beneficial to solid axle vehicles. Also, you would have to be doing some SERIOUS off road trails to see any gains from removing your sway bar, and our trucks are not built to traverse those terrains. Now, that didn't stop me from trying some stupid off road trails when I first got the truck. However, I learned pretty quickly that the truck can traverse in stock form just about anything a reasonable trail might consist of, but they are without a doubt not flex kings or rock crawlers.

 

[vezePilot]

I curious what are you all using for communication for those time you are out of cell range? it seems like CB's have died off over the years.

I can also use my CB radio, and I bought it ... because I saw that Rory Irish (TrailMater) has a CB radio.

This short thread includes the low-cost radio I decided on and the convenient way that I mounted it. No drilling holes, no wire routing through the firewall, and short little (8 inch) antenna providing an SWR of well below 1.5:1 on a magnetic mount.

CB Radio install

I did a search and found nothing RE a CB in a Trail Boss here at the forums. Did I miss something? There is a utoob video where a guy installed a mobile HAM in his TB. The difficult part was routing wires through the firewall in order to get at the battery to power the radio. And his antenna...

www.trailboss.org

edit: Wow, that radio guy is next level. And ... the difference between my old UV-5Rs and new ones is that new ones are locked from transmitting on many frequencies, including GMRS frequencies. My old UV-5Rs were never locked. I'll be looking to get the GMRS license. Recovery work as a Volunteer is kind of a gray area as far as being "emergency" efforts. It would be best not to be using that as an excuse to transmit without the license.

 

[vezePilot]

... the truck can traverse in stock form just about anything a reasonable trail might consist of, but ...

I found in a recent excursion that a Trail Difficulty Rating of 5 is demanding but doable. On video channels like Matt's or TrailMater, the trails rated at 8 and 9 are crazy, hair-raising dangerous and intended only for radical Buggies and such.
(Ever wonder why Ian Johnson's hair is like that? https://www.youtube.com/@BigTireGarage/videos )

What do you suppose was the highest rating you have had your Trail Boss over?

 

[Gangly]

Clarification: I have a lifted Z71, not a TB, the only difference being our CV's at this point, so my answer still applies.

I don't look for difficult trails, and I rarely look at difficulty ratings, I simply explore where I want to and look for what might be interesting.

With that being acknowledged, I have managed to high-center it on a rock ledge while exploring solo (which SUCKED doing a self recovery), framed it out multiple times in sand with multiple recoveries throughout the day, bottomed it out in mud multiple times, and done some cool recoveries for others resulting in snapped winch ropes and broken recovery gear.

The truck gets used when it needs to be used, but maintained meticulously and babied for the other 99% of its life. Of those instances mentioned above, not once was I trying to go mudding, dune racing, etc. and I generally try to avoid mud like the plague. However, when your buddies like to off road and your the only friend with a 4X4 and winch.......

 

[vezePilot]

Clarification: I have a lifted Z71, not a TB, the only difference being our CV's at this point....

I'm glad that you feel welcome here, because you are. It seems that I treat mine in a similar way. I don't worry about risks or slight damage, and wheel it as necessary. But it gets washed at least once a week, vacuumed often, inside wiped down for dust, engine bay scrubbed and kept clean.

 

[Gangly]

I'm glad that you feel welcome here, because you are. It seems that I treat mine in a similar way. I don't worry about risks or slight damage, and wheel it as necessary. But it gets washed at least once a week, vacuumed often, inside wiped down for dust, engine bay scrubbed and kept clean.

Thanks.

I was looking for other Silverado off road forums when I came across this one. Knowledge is where you find it, and there is definitely some of it to be gained, and given, here.

The members are nice and eager to help and be helped, so I joined

 

[Gangly]

I'm glad that you feel welcome here, because you are. It seems that I treat mine in a similar way. I don't worry about risks or slight damage, and wheel it as necessary. But it gets washed at least once a week, vacuumed often, inside wiped down for dust, engine bay scrubbed and kept clean.

Same here. I do maintenance religiously and keep the powertrain and drivetrain as clean as possible in hopes of catching leaks early. I cant stand needing something and not having it work when I need it to, and proper maintenance is the best preventative measure that can be taken.

 

[Elk Hunter]

Have you had the opportunity to run your Piedmont chains, and if so, did you experience any interference problems with the stock suspension and tire size?