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Grateful Girls in Bikinis Recovered at San Luis Pass

6K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  AlaskaErik 
#1 ·
Another day at the office.



It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

Have only had my first 4x4, a '98 Sahara, two months and bought a recovery strap two weeks ago. The above was my second recovery at San Luis Pass on the west end of Galveston Island this week. The expansive beach is deceptive to newcomers. A hard packed sand road leads to acres and acres of deep drift sand. Tips on this forum helped me make safe recoveries.

The first one was more difficult. A Toyota Tundra 2x4 deeply buried itself in a desperate effort to get out. We dug out behind the wheels and I yanked a few feet to no avail. Backed up farther and yanked about ten feet. It felt as if I had run into a tree and knocked me forward in the driver seat about six inches, but he popped out. Next time, I fastened my seat belt, but the Silverado was easy. My two family friends on far left did the shovel work.

Those girls were so cute. Now if I was only 50 years younger.
 
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#2 ·
Good show!

Years ago my family and some friends went up to Frazier Park California for some snow play.. We tried a couple of directions and got skunked (snow was 4' + deep everywhere). On the way back towards the highway some little car passes our caravan ('72 Landcruiser, Toyota minitruck and a Jeep Gladiator) and waves us down. Guy gets out and explains that him and his buddy got their four runner stuck in the wash....

So we take him back, they had this thing stuck up to the bottom of the door on the passenger side and the bottom of the window on the drivers side. Guy that was left there had spent the time trying to dig out with a piece of plywood. made good progress on that front. Ended up buckling his rear bumper and bending the frame getting him out (Gladiator had to take a 20' run to yank him).

I'd suggest your next item should be a hi-lift, and the base plate (maybe bumper and ez-lift accessories). And of course some way to carry it safely. Some people here will say they are dangerous... however that's only if you don't follow the instructions or otherwise do something stupid (in my opinion.. and 30 years of using them). Then when people dig themselves a grave, just lift up (one tire at a time) and full it back in. That should make the process much easier.

I presume you educated them on airing down as well...

And keep up the good work, the more people out there helping each other (freely) the better off everyone will be.
 
#3 ·
The Hi-Lift is a good suggestion and I do tout airing down. For the visits to the Pass, I have not bothered airing down myself as I have a 200 mile trip up the Interstate tomorrow. So far, no problem.

This morning, I recovered a 2x4 Toyota Tacoma. Was he glad to see us. My son-in-law supervised the pull standing on the ground up in front of both of us where we could see him. He is on the right.

The driver had managed to maintain his momentum long enough to make a U-turn but couldn't regain the hard surface before sinking in. He had already done the shovel work so the tow was easy, even though I was also in deep sand.



The sign in the background warns against swimming, but there is no mention of the deep sand ahead. This is my third recovery in five days. If you ever get down Galveston way, check out the west end and bring your salt water fishing gear.

The recovery strap is a $20 double-loop, 20-ft style from Tractor Supply. I made two dowels from an old rake handle. Works like a charm.
 
#6 ·
Correct.

Also, the odds are that the vehicle you recover will have no hooks. Instead of trying to pass 20 feet of strap through the eye, just tuck a bit of strap into the eye and secure it with a dowel as shown in the picture below.



My '98 has a trailer hitch receiver but I have yet to buy a hook or shackle for it. (As tempting as it may be, do not use a trailer hitch ball. They've been known to break off.) I wrap the strap around the receiver on the passenger side for safety in case the strap breaks and secure it with a dowel as shown. A receiver is stronger than a bumper and less likely to cut the strap.

Order passengers out of the vehicles and off to a safe distance. There is a lot of recovery information on this forum, YouTube and the Internet.

When I was at Armor Officer Basic, we had to learn how to recover tanks. One soldier, in our case one of us young lieutenants, stood in front of the two or sometimes three tanks where all the drivers could see him and directed the recovery with hand signals. That seems like a good idea in civilian life, too.
 
#7 ·
Correct.

Also, the odds are that the vehicle you recover will have no hooks. Instead of trying to pass 20 feet of strap through the eye, just tuck a bit of strap into the eye and secure it with a dowel as shown in the picture below.

My '98 has a trailer hitch receiver but I have yet to buy a hook or shackle for it. (As tempting as it may be, do not use a trailer hitch ball. They've been known to break off.) I wrap the strap around the receiver on the passenger side for safety in case the strap breaks and secure it with a dowel as shown. A receiver is stronger than a bumper and less likely to cut the strap.

Order passengers out of the vehicles and off to a safe distance. There is a lot of recovery information on this forum, YouTube and the Internet.

When I was at Armor Officer Basic, we had to learn how to recover tanks. One soldier, in our case one of us young lieutenants, stood in front of the two or sometimes three tanks where all the drivers could see him and directed the recovery with hand signals. That seems like a good idea in civilian life, too.
When you loop two straps to each other or loop a strap around an axle and feed it back through it's own loop you put a dowel in the loop. That way when you pull on it and it tightens up you have a handle to pry the strap(s) apart. If you don't, they can become so tight that you never get them apart.
Great info! Thank you!:)
 
#8 ·
Three recoveries in one hour

Actually an excuse to bump this thread, but here is my latest from Galveston. Two years ago was my first visit to San Luis Pass where I recovered those delightful young ladies and two other vehicles in three days.

Last year saw no opportunities to be a good Samaritan however this year in one evening we recovered three vehicles in about an hour. The first was a family in a mini-van near the bridge using my trusty yellow recovery strap. My '98 Sahara is in the foreground.



The second and third were pickups in what I call the Sahara Desert, about 400 acres of deceptively smooth, flat but deep sand that makes up most of the southwest end of Galveston Island. The second truck had set out to help the first one and both were up to their axles, fifty yards apart.

For these recoveries, I broke out my new Voo Doo Rope. Snatched 'em right out. Can't recommend them enough.

These chaps were very appreciative.



This image is sadly out of focus but has the lime green Voodoo Rope in the picture.

 
#9 ·
You may want to consider a place to hook your strap that doesn't have any 90 degree angles, tow hook, trailer ball or large D ring. You could also buy a large D ring for the vehicle that you are towing out so you have a place for your strap. I have seen where the strap will cut it's self on a sharp angle.
 
#10 ·
You are correct, Sir. Thanks for the tip. I have a tow hook draw bar in my rear receiver hitch and I provide a chain to the unfortunate driver to loop around his frame or whatever he chooses. A shackle for the chain will be my next purchase.

I tell helpers to stand well clear and I tie an old field jacket by the arms around the middle of the recovery strap to slow down the recoil if something gives way. In this video, a tow strap kills two spectators. Not for the squeamish. Click here to run video.

Trailer balls are tempting but have been known to snap off at the neck and have been responsible for at least one fatality that I know of. The article also has a link to a video of a tow strap penetrating a back window.

Take it easy, friends. Keep it safe. Enjoy your Wranglers.
 
#12 ·
I was too, until I used my Voodoo rope. A couple of years ago, I made dowels from an old broom handle and used them successfully with my yellow recovery strap. This year using the Voodoo rope, the dowels snapped like twigs. I plan to make more dowels from a harder, thicker hoe handle.
 
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