Rear recovery point and steering guards

[arrolman]

Hi,

Im looking for some sort of rear recovery point for my Discovery as there is nothing to enable me to get pulled from the rear.Anyone got any ideas?

Also,looking today at steering guards on Paddocks website,I quite liked the look of the steering guard with built in jacking and recovery points. Has anyone got one? If so,is it a bolt on job and is it quite strong? This would be cheaper solution than forking out for a bumper meaning I can spend the saved pennies elsewhere.

Cheers,
Iain

[Paul Holtom]

The easiest way to do rear recovery points is to fit a set of Jate Rings to the chassis. They bolt on using the same mounting points on the chassis rails that the towbar fixes to.

With regard to steering guards, they are certainly a straight forward bolt on job and depending on model will be more than strong enough.

[arrolman]

Hi Paul,

Had thought of that for the rear but wasn't sure if it was strong enough to take the punishment. Any ideas on the best place to get the eyes from? Some of them look decidedly dodgy for there supposed ratings.

Cheers,
Iain

[Paul Holtom]

The nicest ones I have seen are the ones Scorpion Racing do, but guess they will probably be the most expensive as well. I got a set from Billing this year but cannot remember the name of the stand that they came from. Have been used a couple of times and all seem to work fine.

[arrolman]

Well,i've ordered the steering guard from Paddocks,hopefully should arrive for the weekend. Now im just after half decent JATE rings,Scorpion ones look good but I don't want to phone n find out the price!! I'll have a look elsewhere first and see whats available.

Cheers,
Iain

[wackyone]

Hi,


Also,looking today at steering guards on Paddocks website,I quite liked the look of the steering guard with built in jacking and recovery points. Has anyone got one? If so,is it a bolt on job and is it quite strong? This would be cheaper solution than forking out for a bumper meaning I can spend the saved pennies elsewhere.

Cheers,
Iain

Put one on my 300 tdi about 2months ago, nice and easy to fit and its built to last ;) if you fit a winch bumper as well you will have to bend the steering guard mounts in about 10mm each side and trust me it takes some doing.

[roverX]

No! No! No! Jate rings are not strong enough (even though they may have a certain load rating). They break and a lot of damage occurs when they do break. You are better off going with a rear hitch attachement. I will try to find a picture and edit it in to this response.

[arrolman]

Hi Wackyone,

Not planning on putting a winch bumper on it at the moment so it shouldn't be a problem. Do you find the jacking tubes easy to get too? Do they protrude out of the front any great length?

Cheers,
Iain

[arrolman]

Roverx,

What do you use than if JATE rings aren't strong enough? Bow shackles? I'll need something like JATE rings or bow shackles for the front recovery eyes and I believe bow or D shackles are a lot better and stronger?

Iain

[roverX]

Try this but make sure you use bolts that are rated for extra weight. Oh yeah, the rear shackle hitch set up I pictured before is about $50 US. I am sure they are available worldwide though. But try this for the front until you get a heavy duty bumper:

[arrolman]

Hi RoverX,

How does the rear shackle reciever fit? And too what?

Iain

[wackyone]

Jacking points are a far way under the front when fitted, I take a pic of it fitted for you and post it in a few mins

[roverX]

Hi RoverX,

How does the rear shackle reciever fit? And too what?

Iain

Sorry, I should have explained that clearer. It fits right into the standard 2" tow socket that is standard on a rover - at least the LRNA rovers. I will try to fins a pic of the rearend (of the rover, not me).

[laalmarra]

Hi RoverX,

How does the rear shackle reciever fit? And too what?

Iain


Or you could go for a tank guard with recovery hitch like mine

http://www.landrovernet.com/forum/showpost.php?p=217869&postcount=29

I didnt bother with a steering guard but went for sumo bars from Ian Sykes (http://www.4allfours.co.uk/masterfr.htm) (of scottish hill rally fame) and relocated the steering damper at the same time

The tank guard and recovery came from southdown (http://www.southdown4x4.co.uk/DetachableTowing.htm)

[wackyone]

The jacking points are about 10 cm back from my bumper, but if you look in the pic you can see the ones i use on the winch bumper.

[arrolman]

Hi laalaramma,

How much did that set you back? Can you fit a recovery point to it?

RoverX,That would be helpful,don't think the reciever you have is a standard item over here

Wackyone, Thanks for the photo,Im planning on putting a heavy duty bumper on my Disco so the jacking points might only get used if I need it that bit higher

Iain

[roverX]

Seems like laalaramma's setup would impede on your angles too much, but it does look good!


Arrolman, you can go to www.expeditionexchange.com (http://www.expeditionexchange.com) They have a lot of ideas. Also, go to www.landroversonly.com (http://www.landroversonly.com) and post some questions too. Seems us American chaps are a little harder on our rovers than you English chaps! I think we tend to do some more rock crawling stuff. One of the guys from this forum is over on that forum too and introduced me to this one! It's nice to have different opinions and views from different parts of the world dealing with different types of terrain.:)

[DEANO3528]

I can't agree about the weakness of Jates. The rebel/scrapiron type are fine but I do have reservations about the single piece curved type. It all comes down to the fixing bolt. High tensile rather than a length of studding (yes I have seen that done and he did get refused at scrutineering)!

[laalmarra]

Hi laalaramma,

How much did that set you back? Can you fit a recovery point to it? Iain


I'll look out the invoice and pm you later think it was about a ton and a half
which I thought was good value for a damn good piece of kit if you compare that to the cost of a new tank fitting it and then putting 85 quids worth of diesel back in :eek:

but if you go back to my other post in this thread - I've made Southdown clickable email Dave from the website and ask for a quote

The recovery is in the detachable tow pintle set up takes a shackle and the tube takes a highlift jack i'll see if i have a better shot of it somewhere

as for the departure angle it is an improvement over the standard(stock) UK spec tow hitch and doesnt give a ploughshare effect :D

hth

[arrolman]

Update, got my steering guardnice bit of kit. Heavy duty front bumper ordered tonight as well. Now I am looking at Shackles to fit to my recovery points. Discoparts.com has got some good ones but whats the best rating too get? Bigger the better im presuming?

Iain

[Fettler]

Laalmarra

PM Sent

[Bush Tucker Man]

I've got a pair of the davd Bowyer 'Jack-Mates' on the front of mine.
Very discreet, solid & very strongly mounted (5 M14's & the steering box bolt)

[arrolman]

Hi,

Have seen them about in various shops. Look good. I've got ones built in to my steering guard and front bumper.They are a good option if you want to retain your standard bumper setup.

Iain

[Sandy M.]

Iain, you should be able to get the standard Military JATE rings easy enough ;) ;) , they will work fine, especially if you are using two of them coupled to a bridle.

[arrolman]

Hi Sandy,

Thats what i've done for rear recovery points at the moment. Plan on getting a tank guard soon with something like laalmara's

Cheers,
Iain

[Gretl]

Hi all,
with much interest i was following your discussion on rear end recovery points. But what about the original LR towing hook?:rolleyes:
rgds

[Zac]

Hi ,
just thought I'd mention that although many people use the JATE rings for recovery , they are actually tie down points designed to allow the military to air drop land rovers on pallets from plains, etc , the term JATE is actually fron the unit that designed them ( Joint Air Transport Evaluation Unit) and again although these are also used a lifting points for heli lift as well, they were not designed to be snatch towed etc. although in my mind I have no doubt they would take it.
just though I'd clarrify there official use as these are so often refered to as a recover point , when they were not designed as such. they are primarily lashing or tie down points .
to me the best recovery point is a well built tow hitch fitted with a NATO tow hook with a 5 ton rating these are superb , and I've never broken one yet.

zac

[Sandy M.]

Hi all,
with much interest i was following your discussion on rear end recovery points. But what about the original LR towing hook?:rolleyes:
rgds


The main problem with the "standard" types of towing / recovery hook [at least here in the UK], is that they come with a large "drop plate" to allow the hook to sit down from the crossmember, at a height suitable for coupling up to trailers.

That is fine if all you are doing is pulling trailers around on the road every day. However it does reduce the vehicles departure angle [especially on the longer wheelbase models]. Take the vehicle off-road, and you may find that the drop plate transforms into a very capable ground anchor, digging into the dirt at every available opportunity, especially when driving along rutted tracks. or starting / finishing a steep climb.

In the old days when I took my Disco off-road, I used a standard multi position drop plate, with the 3 bottom sets of holes cut off. That way I was using the original factory mounting points, but with increased ground clearance compared to the original set up.

[arrolman]

Hi,

Rear recovery points that are both strong and don't enroach upon the departure angle are few and far between. The only options really available are a tow hitch mount of some kind(removable hitch) or JATE rings. I am going to incorporate both into my Disco as I always like an alternative. JATE rings for normal recovery work and tow hitch/recovery mount for snatch or heavy duty recovery.

And if that fails my rear and front bumpers have built in jacking points so theres another option again. Always better to be safe than sorry ;)

Iain

[kingsfpa]

No! No! No! Jate rings are not strong enough (even though they may have a certain load rating). They break and a lot of damage occurs when they do break. You are better off going with a rear hitch attachement. I will try to find a picture and edit it in to this response.


Where can you buy these bad boys? look much cooler than my tow bar.

Slim

[arrolman]

Andy at www.landroverheaven.com does some good ones

Cheers,
Iain

[kingsfpa]

what are they listed under? I have looked all over the place and cant see them on there.

Slim

[arrolman]

Oops,

My mistake,thought you were looking for JATE rings!!:rolleyes:

Try www.southdown4x4.com or www.devon4x4.com

Cheers,
Iain