Re:Re:Recovery adapter.

The problem as I understand it is partly because the load on the towball is not acting directly in line with the mounting bolts of both the ball and the chassis ends of the towbar and so the force is applied in both tension and moment of rotation. The adapter I'm working on will have less moment force applied as the whole assembly will be applied effectively in the same plane as the cross bar of the towbar.

Another huge fan of Matt here, what a guy! I love watching his videos. That Jeep that fell into a sinkhole was pretty crazy.

Lambert - I had a similar idea for the towbar on my Grand Vitara, but ended up using a tow hook instead. To be clear I don't off-road my GV (that's what my Jimny is for) and don't think I'll ever use it, I just did this because I wanted a little project. I didn't use a steel bar and shackle as I couldn't work out how to do it without requiring an enormous shackle.

Phil, that is exactly what I do. I loop the end of the strap around the whole neck rather than just the ball part. But the only reason I do this is because it is less likely to fall off.
It seems everyone has an opinion on what is safe and best practice for recovery, and I'm sure some of the horror stories are true. But as with most things if you use a bit of common sense then you won't put yourself in danger.
Or even better, use maths!
For example, the safe dynamic load rating of a towball is normally written on it as a value "D=xxkN". Typically this is 17kN (17,000 Newtons) for a flange type towball. We are all taught that Force=Mass X Acceleration. A Jimny weighs 1200kg. So to generate 17,000N of Force with a Jimny it would need to Accelerate at over 14m/s, which is 0 to 30mph (or vice versa) in 1 second. And remember that is the safe working limit, not the breaking point! Clearly snapping off towballs is not something that's going to happen by accident. With Jimnys in particular, to get to the point where you are breaking the hardware of the car you are already far beyond what anybody would consider a safe recovery.

Personally if I attempt any recovery it will be closed loop. Whether that is winching or a more dynamic recovery, although absolutely go for low impact recovery.
I know the load ratings of each item in use and therefore the likely failure point.
I prefer soft shackles (168g 14tonne) to a steel shackle (998g 4.5tonne) .
In my opinion a tow ball is used / designed for towing, not for a recovery. Use the pin if you don't carry a suitable hitch receiver eg factor 55 hitchlink. All light weight with suitability designed in for soft shackles.


crash486 JB74W

Unfortunately we in the UK don't have the luxury of receiver hitches in the same way that you Australian and American types do so we are limited to either fixed swan neck, fixed bolted flange or demountable swan neck style. Square receiver types are simply not homologated for Jimny. Which is a pain.

Busta, leave the science out of it, you'll only upset people. :laugh:

Lambert wrote: Busta, leave the science out of it, you'll only upset people. :laugh:

:laugh: Sorry Lambert. Noting ruins a good scare story like facts and logic! My Winchit KERR arrived today. Now I need to get the landy stuck so I can yank it out with the Jimny!

Regarding receiver hitches, I have one that was factory fitted on a Rangerover so they are available. I think it's just that they haven't really caught on here where most people's preference seems to be a detachable swan neck type.

If I need to be tucked out this will be the recovery point. 50x50 solid bar.
Fits perfectly into towbar channell.



And if i am alone and need to recover myself



Hopefully by end of this weekend the front attachment will also be completed. Bought front winch plate from Jimny bits that is changed to have channel added, so that all fittings will work simmilar fashion like the towbar channel.