Maxtrax vs snatch strap

Ricker

Ricker

Forum Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
27
Location
Sydney, NSW
I've started doing some more 4wd like trails and heading up to Stockton in a couple of weekends time. Would like to get something that is gonna help with recovery in the event I get myself bogged.

I know maxtrax are about 3 times the price of a snatch, but they also seem to be the ultimate way to get yourself out of any situation all by yourself. I don't have many mates with a serious 4wd and so I tend to go solo.

Will maxtraxs let me get out of any situation? I figured with a shovel on hand I should always be able to dig enough to get them under 2 tyres.

I will have a metal sump guard which I'm putting in this week.

Thoughts?

Not concerned with the cost of them. Figure they'll hold their resale value in the future enough, and if not oh well.
 
Gidday Ricker

The Maxtrax are an excellent idea. You can make your own out of milk crates ... :iconwink:.

However, a creeper winch is almost certainly a necessity if you are going places solo where walking out is not really sensible, safe or an option at all. One also needs a trenching tool; a tree hugger (protector, not the other kind ... ); load distribution strap for your vehicle; proper load-rated shackles; and a snatch strap in case some kind hearted passing soul should offer to help you ... :) :ebiggrin:.

Creeper winches suggested are something like the ARB Magnum (for our lighter vehicles) or the Tirfor (much more expensive; bigger; heavier). ARB sell both. Most others and the cheapies are apparently not worth a bumper. I have some links to creeper winch test/s if you are interested, and I can find them!

Another thing to think about.
Do you really want to chuck a set of Maxtrax into your car after they have had a mud bath?
Sort of mandates your having a roof basket and bars as well, IMHO.

One of the reasons for my trailer redesign/rebuild is to keep all the heavy, dirty stuff out of my car when travelling. This is as much for safety reasons as anything. Most of my expeditioning, as Barry calls it, will also be done solo.
 
Got roof racks already and plan to chuck them on there do they stay outta the car
 
Question hopefully someone can answer quick as I'm in the shop and will be close by for next 2 hours.

Do I want a ridge rider snatch strap of 5T or 8T. My car is 1500 sonim thinking 5T.

Secondly. Do I get a 4T safe workin load (8T breaking point) equalizer strap and then 4 bow shackles? Do I need 5T bow shackles to match the strap or can I just get 3.2T ones. The 4.7T ones are huge!
 
i got a 2.4T winch. snatch strap is 6t; equalizer? only had 1 choice and it was good enough for 3t "real" 4wd so i took it. I went with rated 3.2t shackles i think, good enough anyway. They are all SWLs. I didn't go too big on the snatch because i questioned if it was for an 8t vehicle would it stretch sufficiently for a 1.8t suby? That is speculation but it seemed logical to me.
 
4 milk crates = 8 x 750mm tracks, weigh very little and don't take up much room, all you need is a 4" grinder with a thin blade to cut them, best part is they are FREE ;) and work great.

We used mine on a couple of cars on some really soft beach and they were effortless and you can space them out a bit, only problem is I need to tie a bit of rope to them so I can see them because they disappear under the sand and are a pig to find lol.
 
Gidday DG

d_generate said:
4 milk crates = 8 x 750mm tracks, weigh very little and don't take up much room, all you need is a 4" grinder with a thin blade to cut them, best part is they are FREE ;) and work great.
Click to expand...

We already have three or four. Time to start asking around and watching the nature strips ... :iconwink:.

We used mine on a couple of cars on some really soft beach and they were effortless and you can space them out a bit, only problem is I need to tie a bit of rope to them so I can see them because they disappear under the sand and are a pig to find lol.
Click to expand...

Now that's a good point :rotfl:.
Perhaps loosely tie them together with light-weight, brightly-coloured nylon rope? Maybe use spring-loaded clips to hold the bits of rope together?
 
Yeah that would work but I'd end up getting them tangled, also the way I lay them across the floor in the back for storage above the wheel carrier it would be a pain, just a couple of feet of bright thin rope hanging out to the side will make them easy to find and join if needed, they don't seem to move back or forward much, just go under.
 
Ricker - Make sure the shackles actually fit your recovery points!
 
d_generate said:
4 milk crates = 8 x 750mm tracks, weigh very little and don't take up much room, all you need is a 4" grinder with a thin blade to cut them, best part is they are FREE ;) and work great.

We used mine on a couple of cars on some really soft beach and they were effortless and you can space them out a bit, only problem is I need to tie a bit of rope to them so I can see them because they disappear under the sand and are a pig to find lol.
Click to expand...

Hi d_generate, I know I'm being a bit blonde but could you put up a picture of your DIY maxtrax? I'd like to have a go myself but I can't visualize 750mm wide tracks. I think that maybe I'm thinking of a different milk crate.

Cheers
 
Smokebelch said:
Hi d_generate, I know I'm being a bit blonde but could you put up a picture of your DIY maxtrax? I'd like to have a go myself but I can't visualize 750mm wide tracks. I think that maybe I'm thinking of a different milk crate.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Cut off two square sides then attach them together with rope or cable ties or something i assume?

EDIT:

Heres a pic of some longer ones from this forum:

scaled.php
 
Yeah I was being blonde. They're 750mm long... not wide as I had in my head. I had a late night last night, sorry! I had in my mind some super milk crate.

Thanks I'll give it go if I come across some milk crates.

How sturdy are they when you drive over them. Do they have a limited life?
 
Hi Ricker, welcome to the club :) Would be good to see some pics of your XT when you get a chance!

If you're heading up to Stockton, a set of Maxtrax (or similar) are a great idea. I'd also recommend taking an exhaust jack if you are going at it by yourself because if you get bogged up to the diff and the wheels aren't contacting the ground, you want to be able to raise the car and dislodge the sand from underneath as a conventional jack won't work on the sand.

I've been there a couple of times in the past few months and my 17" inch XT wheels have done just fine :cool:
 
Shiv said:
If you're heading up to Stockton, a set of Maxtrax (or similar) are a great idea. I'd also recommend taking an exhaust jack if you are going at it by yourself because if you get bogged up to the diff and the wheels aren't contacting the ground, you want to be able to raise the car and dislodge the sand from underneath as a conventional jack won't work on the sand.
Click to expand...

Or a piece of wood under any normal jack will work.
 
Well I've bought the maxtrax! And they feel really solid, and have stacks of grippy teeth on top so I'm feeling it's money we'll spent for all my upcoming recoveries. Gonna do a run on Stockton with nothing but the max's and a spade. So I figure if I get stuck up to the diffs, I'll dig out the underneath for the next hour and drive Out on the max's. That'll decide whether I should get a jacking platform for next time. I guess I'll take a piece of wood just in case as well :)
 
Shiv said:
Hi Ricker, welcome to the club :) Would be good to see some pics of your XT when you get a chance!
Click to expand...

pics are not on hand but here's a vid of last weekend. Keep in mind I make my vids and their private jokes for those actually on the trip. So may be a little strange to outsiders.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kzXCwap9aI&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]Subaru Forester 4wd Macdonald Valley - YouTube[/ame]
 
Ricker said:
pics are not on hand but here's a vid of last weekend. Keep in mind I make my vids and their private jokes for those actually on the trip. So may be a little strange to outsiders.

Subaru Forester 4wd Macdonald Valley - YouTube
Click to expand...

Great vid mate, sweet water crossing/s! :cool:

Looks like you guys had a great time.

By the way guys did you see that Toyota Kulgar in the Video!!!! (We barely see them offroad :lol:)
 
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