Ridge Ryder 4WD Recovery Kit

Dedman

Dedman

Forum Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
766
Location
Perth Western Australia
Car Year
1999
Car Model
Forester
Transmission
5MT
Super Cheap auto is currently having a sale and selling their Ridge Ryder 4WD Recovery Kit for $150. It contains
1 x 9m 11,000kg Snatch strap
2 x 4,700kg Bow shackles
1 x 2.5m 8000kg Equalizer strap
1 x 3m 6,500kg Tree trunk protector
1 x 20m 4,500kg Winch extension strap
the picture also shows a snatch block and gloves but they are not listed on the ad.

Has anyone had any experience with Ridge rider gear/would you recommend it?

If it included the snatch block then its a damn good price me thinks.


 
4.72t shackles wont fit the tie down points or the rear towbar. But you've got the winch so still handy for a if there is one snatchblock and anchor. used the straps and tree trunk protectors and haven't had any issues, 11t snack might not have much flex for the forester
 
I have Ridge Ryder snatch strap (5,000kg), equalizer strap (can use as a tree protector), & extension strap (20m).

I got
BLACK RAT 4.7 TONS 19x22 mm BOW SHACKLE - eBay
BLACK RAT 3.2 TONS 16x19 mm x2 BOW SHACKLES - eBay

The 4.7t pin fits in the towball tongue fine & the 3.2t x2 are for the front using a distribution strap.

I'd advise very strongly against getting an 11t snatch strap for our little Subies...it has no give & the risk of damage is too high plus when it stretches like a rubber band the kinetic energy it stores is what pulls a stuck vehicle out, not the static pull force. The 5,000kg is perfect for us.
 
Hmmm I didnt actually think about the rating on the snatch... With the winch I probably wouldn't be using it much anyway but it would be nice to have a suitable one.
 
I have the ridge rider SUV recovery kit, came with a 5t snatch strap and 2 x 3.2t shackles some gloves instructions etc. I added an equaliser strap and two extra bow shackles. Quality seems alright.
 
Gidday Dedman

I agree with NL and others. Get a 5,000 kg snatch, etc.

If you need to be dragged out by some big, heavy vehicle using their recovery gear, it could rip your car to bits, or pull it out of alignment, rather than stretch ... :(

Ditto if you need to help a bigger, heavier vehicle - you should use your recovery gear (very gently ... ) rather than theirs.
 
I would steer clear of the super cheap ridge rider stuff. After being away this weekend we had to recover a Jeep Cherokee that had driven into a swamp totally unprepared by an idiot that thought his Jeep could go anywhere. In the process we got a troopy and a 60series stuck and unstuck. It was a SWAMP! The Jeep had some ridgerider gear. A snatch an air jack and a winch, all where destroyed in the process of extracting the Jeep and the 5000kg snatch snapped like a rubber band first pull. My 8000kg strap that I have used many times (load lock brand) pulled them out no worries. Havent had any issues with it pulling the Suby.
 
hydrowill said:
The Jeep had some ridgerider gear. A snatch an air jack and a winch, all where destroyed in the process of extracting the Jeep
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info everyone.

The question is hydrowill, was all of that gear being stupidly used/abused when it broke. Im very interested what happened to the winch as im doubting mine is much better build quality than a supercheap one :eek:...
 
The snatch literally just snapped. The air bag held for about a minute then popped, spit right down the side. Luckily no one was near it when it did. It was rated at 3t. The winch was a hand winch that simply jammed up in the mechanism. Surely it could be re built and freed up however not something you want if you are relying on it.
 
hydrowill said:
The Jeep had some ridgerider gear. A snatch an air jack and a winch, all where destroyed in the process of extracting the Jeep and the 5000kg snatch snapped like a rubber band first pull. My 8000kg strap that I have used many times (load lock brand) pulled them out no worries.
Click to expand...

Dedman said:
The question is hydrowill, was all of that gear being stupidly used/abused when it broke.
Click to expand...

There's too many variables here. The snatch needs to be matched to the lighter of the 2 vehicles...if it was a troopy or 60 series that was snatching the Jeep then 5000kg is too light.

Also, how much momentum was used...some (most!) of the big fourbie drivers have no idea about finesse!

What condition was the snatch in? If it gets dirty it must be washed or the dirt particles cut the fibres & weaken it. I would get very upset if anyone stepped on any of my straps :(

How old was it? Age weakens the strap as does UV from sunlight. It also has a limited number of snatches in its "life" before it loses strength.

These things go for all snatch straps, regardless of brand....

I wouldn't feel comfortable using a 8000kg snatch strap on my Subie...I'm just not willing to risk having the tie down points ripped out of the chassis! I have confidence in my Ridge Ryder straps as they are selected for my particular vehicle & looked after, not just thrown in the back & abused as I've seen so many others do
 
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The hand winch failing I can understand as cheap hand winches are useless at best. Ive bent a few in my time on subies that are not that stuck... And the snatch... well a led foot bloke in a cruiser will break anything if its attached to something that is stuck well enough.

Jeez the exhaust jack failure sound sounds like it was complete crap though.
 
Just looked up the RR air bag jack...its only rated to 1250kg. No wonder it split (compare this to a typical 3000kg hydraulic jack in your garage). Proving you need to research & get whats appropriate for YOUR vehicle
 
Hi Hydowill,
I assume the Ridge Ryder hand winch was the Tufor style ? If it is, the Ridge Ryder working loads is not that high.
Cheers
 
I can't see the Cherokee weighing much more than my suby when loaded up. The jeep was empty. The air bag was without a doubt rated at 3t. What is tufor style? It was a one leavers style that wrapped the cable round a small drum. Lets be honest you really can use what you like however I will be steering clear of the ridge rider gear.
 
I also agree that there are too many variables :cool:

NachaLuva said:
What condition was the snatch in? .............

.............. How old was it? Age weakens the strap as does UV from sunlight. It also has a limited number of snatches in its "life" before it loses strength.

These things go for all snatch straps, regardless of brand....
Click to expand...

Well said mate.
I also have the impression that many people think a snatch strap will last forever, when they don't.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
^ Gidday Id

AFAICT, there are only two of these creeper winches that are worth a bumper: Tirfor and ARB Magnum. I have a review of them all somewhere.

Both the Tirfor and Magnum (I have a Magnum) are rated devices - and work ...
 
Yea i think SCA sells a tirfor copy as well (tirfor style works great) i was wondering because hydrowill mentioned the winch had a small drum. I've seen people buy those little ratcheting hand winches for vehicle before, they're meant for light farm work like straining a fence. Useless for getting a 4wd unstuck

https://www.wyeth-scott.com/index.asp <-- that company make a ratchet style winch suitable for pulling out a 4wd,
 
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