Jack's Journey, another Poverty Pack

Jack is a one owner since new (me!) SG MY04 Forester X.
He's served us well over the years, mostly as a daily driver for SWMBO with a few camping trips towing a 7'x4' light off road camper trailer as well as board carrier and shuttle bus for the kids.
The last 18 months He's been reduced to Camper Trailer puller & Mal/Nipper (surf lifesaving) board carrier.
About 8 months back, SWMBO started raising discussions about trading Jack in on "Something Else" to the value of about $15 - 20ksecond hand, hiluxy sort of thing as she felt Jack was getting a little worn out.
This was to be used predominantly as a shuttlebus, camper trailer tower & board carrier mind you, but with a view to more adventurous touring..

With a little bit of effort, I managed to convince her that Jack was not in fact terribly worn out (backed up by the mechanic thankfully) but just needed a bit of a spruce up.

And thus the journey begins..

 

[Ratbag]

Thanks.

Getting old ain't for sissies ...

 

[havachat]

A creeper winch is invaluable as these can be used front, rear side on etc. this time last year I nearly didn't take my creeper winch on a high country trip and thankfully I did. A vehicle rolled and it was invaluable in recovering the vehicle. Make sure you get a snatch block as it will halve the load.
When you buy shackles make sure you get bow shackles and not D shackles.

 

[Ben Up North]

Make sure you get a snatch block as it will halve the load.

Snatch block! that's the one! I could possibly even go for two of them..

 

[NachaLuva]

RB is right, 3.2T bow shackles need to be used for the front tie down points with an equaliser strap. Use a 4.7T bow shackle for the rear...remove the towball & the shackle pin makes a perfect fit in the hole. Never ever place a snatch strap or tow strap on the towball itself, these are infamous for snapping & flying through the windscreen of the other car. Fatalaties have occured!

That strap is perfect. A snatch strap need to be 2-3x the laden weight of the LIGHTEST car in the recovery, so for us that's 5-6T (11,000-13,000lbs) max. This way you get the maximum amount of stretch for a soft recovery with the least risk of damage or injury.

Bookmark these so you can share them with others...

RIDGE RYDER 5,000KG SUV SNATCH STRAP - SCA

Ridge Ryder Equaliser Strap - 8000kg - SCA

BLACK RAT 3.2 TONS 16x19 mm x2 BOW SHACKLES - eBay

BLACK RAT 4.7 TONS 19x22 mm BOW SHACKLE - eBay

I suggest you also get some recovery tracks, great if you get bogged in mud or soft sand. Ideally get 2x sets so 1 track for each tyre. Less than half the price of Maxtrax or Treds. Only get the 10T ones, not the 5T

XBull Recovery Tracks - eBay

 

[Ben Up North]

Use a 4.7T bow shackle for the rear.

Gotcha, was wondering why you'd want a 4.7T bow shackle. Might get two..

That strap is perfect. A snatch strap need to be 2-3x the laden weight of the LIGHTEST car in the recovery, so for us that's 5-6T (11,000-13,000lbs) max. This way you get the maximum amount of stretch for a soft recovery with the least risk of damage or injury.

Now I'm confused...
Do you mean this one: RIDGE RYDER 5,000KG SUV SNATCH STRAP - SCA
Or the one I had which was SWL of 5T and breaking of 10? (which I refunded & instead bought the RR 5T SUV as above..

I really don't want to have to use any of this stuff, I certainly try and avoid large amounts of mud and other dirty goopy stuff
On the other hand, some of the tracks I've been on up here would be very very different in the wet. (And many of the crossings impassible, which sort of restricts the adventure) so it's best to be prepared.

SWIMBO is getting a little annoyed at the amount of recovery equipment I'm buying. Despite my reassurences that I don't want to get us in a situation where we need it..

Probably wise to have some tracks though. I'd feel pretty stupid if I did end up stuck and they would have helped. Those ones you linked are pretty reasonable in price too! Thanks for the links.

I'm definitely getting some decent snatchblocks. Friend of mine has a few double ones he uses for moving heavy stuff (i.e cars that aren't working) around on his own. They're awesome!

 

[NachaLuva]

The idea is not to get stuck but sometimes things happen. So it's better to have the recovery gear & not need it than to need it & not have it!

Yes you need a snatch strap of 5T breaking strain so the Ridge Ryder one is perfect

Only need 1x 4.7T bow shackle as there's only one spot to fit it. They won't fit in the front, that's what you need 2x 3.2t bow shackles for

 

[Ben Up North]

Only need 1x 4.7T bow shackle as there's only one spot to fit it. They won't fit in the front, that's what you need 2x 3.2t bow shackles for

Fair enough.

Thinking of getting these as well as a 8000KG snatch block: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-32KN...CE-Approved-/332359961605?hash=item4d62328c05
and some decent rope from a Chandlery

I could see myself using these a lot to move stuff around (i.e. fallen timber)

Still need to pick myself up a decent axe too, I used to have an ex AUS Army one (stamped and all) that was brilliant, but someone nicked it. I'd prefer not to go the chainsaw route and chopping timber is pretty enjoyable, not that I've done much for a few years.
Although I am tempted by a previous suggestion about a battery operated reciprocating saw, for smaller stuff

 

[Ben Up North]

Now the thing is, if I'm going to use a snatch block, how do I attach it to the equalizer strap? I doubt the strap would fit through the holes, so that means I'd have to use a bow shackle wouldn't it? - which means I would need another 4.7T!

 

[Ben Up North]

Plus I guess I'd need another tree protector too..
The entire cargo area is going to be full of ropes and straps. Awesome!

 

[jf1sf5]

You will be the official Subaru offroad rescue vehicule :biggrin:

 

[Kevin]

Also consider getting some soft shackles as they are much safer. I got mine here:

https://www.wettechrigging.com.au/product/dyneema-hardware/dyneema-soft-shackles

 

[NachaLuva]

Fair enough.

Thinking of getting these as well as a 8000KG snatch block: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-32KN...CE-Approved-/332359961605?hash=item4d62328c05
and some decent rope from a Chandlery

Don't use those pulleys, they're for rock climbing & rescue, not for 4wd recovery. You need something like this
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10-Ton-...462091?hash=item464ac9fc8b:g:dT8AAOSwvFZW7Qtx

Soft shackles are great for connecting ropes but be careful using them on anything sharp or anything with a small radius edge as this dramatically weakens it

 

[Ben Up North]

https://www.wettechrigging.com.au/product/dyneema-hardware/dyneema-soft-shackles

Ahh! cheers for the link!

Don't use those pulleys,

Oh, I'm planning on getting one or possibly two 8-10T snatch blocks as well as the climbing pulleys.

I'm not intending on using the twin sheave set up for recovery of vehicles (well... maybe, 32KN should be more than adequate if I need to lift the front or rear), I've seen what you can shift with the climbing pulleys though - just the ticket for moving fallen timber
Every time I"ve been on the tracks up here, I've encountered fallen timber. Last time I was out, I couldn't move one trunk so had to drive over it. Too big to move, but luckily not too big to get over, and no inconvenient branches otherwise I'd have had to go the long way back - which probably would have been almost as quick but boring.

The joy of the tropics, things fall over a lot when the ground is really really wet.

 

[Ben Up North]

So current shopping list is:
2 X 8-10T snatch blocks
30m Synthetic winch cable for use with snatch blocks and existing cable & cable puller
2 X twin sheave climbing recovery pulleys
30+M of rope to suit -could possibly use synthetic winch cable, but would prefer to have the climbing recovery setup permanently rigged.
Axe
Another spade/shovel, just for the car (already have one for the trailer and the house one as well)
That lot is probably going to set me back another $400.00 plus.
Hmm... perhaps would be better put aside for lower low range & diffs?
I've needed traction more than recovery gear so far and now I do have the basics of the recovery setup. I suppose I've got the basics of the traction too..
Gaah! Decisions!
Plus, I could always borrow one of my friend's climbing recovery setups - he does have two after all..!

 

[Ben Up North]

Something I've always though sets my MY04 Foz slightly apart from others is that mine never had any AWD badges (which I prefer not having, more 'stealthy'!)
Both Rally & MY04Tone's have them and they're the same year as mine (I think - does the 04 bit actually mean 2004? I just assumed it did!
Anyone know what models/series didn't come with AWD badges? Manufacture date on mine is 9/04 - I'm pretty sure it was a fairly small window and I'd love to know why.. Perhaps a supply issue of the AWD badges??

 

[Kevin]

With that build date it is most likely an "MY'05" - Subaru usually release next year's model mid-year in the previous year. And, yes, it does not have the AWD badge when looking at other MY'05s. Your car just went up in value! ;-)

 

[Ben Up North]

I wonder what other differences there were. Maybe they dropped OBD2 off that one, because I can't connect with my adaptor!

 

[Kevin]

I assume the adapter plugs in OK? Some of those cheapies are very dodgy!

 

[Ben Up North]

Yeah, works fine on a Hyundai, can't connect to ecu on foz.

 

[Ben Up North]

Phone finds the plug without any problems and then nothing. Have tried a few different apps, so I don't think it's a software issue on the phone side, and communicates to other ECUs. Could be a dodgy connection somewhere..?