4: RIGHTING A ROLLED OVER 4WD

If you’re unlucky enough to roll your 4WD the first thing you will want to do, after wiping the tears from your eyes, is get that vehicle back on all four wheels! Like we mentioned previously, take the time to properly analyse the situation so you can implement the right recovery techniques. The first thing you’ll want to do, which will also make you feel a lot better, is to secure the 4WD so it can’t slip further down a hill or roll again. During one rollover recovery we had at least three winches working to make sure the recovery was as slow and controlled as possible. One of the winches was pulling the vehicle over, while another winch was letting winch rope out so when it finally did want to right back onto its wheels it didn’t go over again.

THEN WAIT!

Don’t attempt to start the 4WD for some time and until checks have been carried out and the damage assessed. There could be oil filling the cylinders and inlets as well as potential fuel leaks that could permanently damage your motor or cause a fire.

5: WINCHING UP AND OUT

Often when winching the angle of the recovery is far more important than pulling power. There have been numerous times where we’ve found that by simply altering the angle or direction of the anchor point to change the bearing of the stuck 4WD, the recovery has been simplified greatly. One particular occurrence saw us winching out of a swampy track in the deep south of WA. Due to the restrictive nature of the track and lack of anchor options, we were stuck with a single recovery angle, which just wasn’t working. The anchor point was lower than the bogged 4WD and as a result, was just pulling the vehicle down into the mud. Thinking outside the square I ran the winch rope out of the winch and up and over a spare tyre, thus essentially altering the angle of the pull to now be much higher. The result was the vehicle lifted up instead of down and was free within minutes.

6: USE A HERCULES PULLEY BLOCK TO STRAIGHTEN YOUR WINCH PULL

Steep country brings with it risks, not just when driving but also when the inevitable happens and you need to crank out your Domin8r X Winch. It’s vital that you recover directly up a steep slope and don’t risk pulling the 4WD across the slope where it could potentially roll. Of course finding suitable anchors for a straight line pull is not always possible. That’s where some creative thinking and a Hercules pulley block with a Hercules tree protector from the Hercules Essential Recovery Kit will save the day.

By running a strap out from the side of the track into the middle with a pulley block guiding the winch rope can bring the line of pull directly back into the middle of the track. It’s an invaluable technique to have in your arsenal.