08-30-2016, 05:24 AM
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#1
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: PA
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: PA
Posts: 265
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Self-recovery w/ MaxTrax & open diffs advice please?
Hi folks
Can those w/ experience please share some advice, helpful hints, expereinces and things to avoid doing when using MaxTrax to self-recover in soft sand for an SR5 w/ open differentials?
I’m only buying one set as I don’t have the budget to spend $600 on two sets.
These look like a good option for a lone vehicle w/ out a winch that’s stuck in soft sand or even deep snow or mud.
Thanks!
JD
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2011 Classic Silver SR5. Bilstien’s all around. 2 1/2 lift in fron, 2” in back. Total Chaos uniball UCA’s. Metal Tech rock sliders. B&M super-cooler. Weather tech package. Frint hitch. 17x8 FN Konig Six Shooters. Cooper Discoverer AT/W 285. Rac-A-Rod surf rod roof rack.
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08-30-2016, 06:26 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 4,521
Real Name: Alex
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Senior Member
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Location: Seattle, WA
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Real Name: Alex
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JD-
I have only used my recovery boards (granted, they're TRED brand) in the snow. I used them on both my 4Runner (rear wheels) and a Subaru Outback (rear wheels as well).
On the 4Runner it was too easy... Simply scooped some snow out from behind the tire, and placed the boards as far under the tread of the tire as I could. I put it in 4lo and back out as if I had never been stuck.
The next time I made sure to get myself good and buried... Again, scooped some snow out from behind the tires and placed the boards as far under the tread as I could. However, this time I also dug a little ramp behind the front tires as I had buried my 33" tires so far that I was resting on my skid plates. Put it in 4lo, and backed out as if I had never been stuck.
The Subaru was a little more tricky. They had buried themselves to the point that their tires were not even touching the ground anymore. For this one I used their bottle jack and lifted the rear tires (one at a time) far enough off the ground to get some sticks underneath, then placed the board on top of the sticks, and lowered it down. Once both rear tires had the sticks/board under them, myself and another passenger pressed down on the hood of the car while the driver backed out. In this situation they DID spin their tires a little bit, but not enough to melt the traction "nubs" on the boards.
I was (and more importantly, my wife was) immediately sold on these things. Wish I would have had them when I was stuck in the dunes a couple years back.
The biggest thing, I think, is to avoid spinning your tires. If you're not getting traction on the boards, let some air out of your tires. If you're STILL not getting traction, lift the tire up and add some material (sticks, rocks, sand) under the boards.
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2006 Lexus GX 470 Sport- RR Diff Lock, Metal Tech Sliders, RCI Aluminum Skids, Front Runner Slimline II Rack, SCS F5s, 255/80R17 ST Maxx , OME BP-51s, Dirt King UCAs, Metal Tech RR Lower Links
2016 Lexus IS300 F Sport- F-Sport Air Filter RR Racing tuner
Last edited by A.Wilson013; 08-30-2016 at 06:29 AM.
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08-30-2016, 09:00 AM
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#3
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Great thank you Wilson. I appreciate you sharing real life experiences. One question I have is how does one decide which tires to put the boards / trax / treads under?
JD
__________________
2011 Classic Silver SR5. Bilstien’s all around. 2 1/2 lift in fron, 2” in back. Total Chaos uniball UCA’s. Metal Tech rock sliders. B&M super-cooler. Weather tech package. Frint hitch. 17x8 FN Konig Six Shooters. Cooper Discoverer AT/W 285. Rac-A-Rod surf rod roof rack.
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08-30-2016, 09:46 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Huntsville, AL
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Join Date: Nov 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A.Wilson013
JD-
I have only used my recovery boards (granted, they're TRED brand) in the snow. I used them on both my 4Runner (rear wheels) and a Subaru Outback (rear wheels as well).
On the 4Runner it was too easy... Simply scooped some snow out from behind the tire, and placed the boards as far under the tread of the tire as I could. I put it in 4lo and back out as if I had never been stuck.
The next time I made sure to get myself good and buried... Again, scooped some snow out from behind the tires and placed the boards as far under the tread as I could. However, this time I also dug a little ramp behind the front tires as I had buried my 33" tires so far that I was resting on my skid plates. Put it in 4lo, and backed out as if I had never been stuck.
The Subaru was a little more tricky. They had buried themselves to the point that their tires were not even touching the ground anymore. For this one I used their bottle jack and lifted the rear tires (one at a time) far enough off the ground to get some sticks underneath, then placed the board on top of the sticks, and lowered it down. Once both rear tires had the sticks/board under them, myself and another passenger pressed down on the hood of the car while the driver backed out. In this situation they DID spin their tires a little bit, but not enough to melt the traction "nubs" on the boards.
I was (and more importantly, my wife was) immediately sold on these things. Wish I would have had them when I was stuck in the dunes a couple years back.
The biggest thing, I think, is to avoid spinning your tires. If you're not getting traction on the boards, let some air out of your tires. If you're STILL not getting traction, lift the tire up and add some material (sticks, rocks, sand) under the boards.
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This is really good to hear. I've got a set of the new Treds and recently installed my winch. This has got me wondering if I really need a locker and if it would be worth all the effort to swap it. Also have TRAC on my 01 so that helps some too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jjdbike
Great thank you Wilson. I appreciate you sharing real life experiences. One question I have is how does one decide which tires to put the boards / trax / treads under?
JD
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Put them under both of the tires on the same axle. If you put one in the front and one in the back you could still just spin one tire on each axle since you're open/open. At least with them both on the same axle one of you wheels will be driving instead of just spinning.
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2008 Toyota 4Runner Limited 4x4 - Salsa Red, DD, Mostly Stock, 89k miles
2001 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4x4 - Not Stock, Lifted, Armored, 291k miles
1987 Toyota Supra N/A - Stock, 2nd Owner, 92k miles
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08-31-2016, 04:37 AM
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#6
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Good stuff & exactly the kind of info I was looking for.
Best Regards!
JD
__________________
2011 Classic Silver SR5. Bilstien’s all around. 2 1/2 lift in fron, 2” in back. Total Chaos uniball UCA’s. Metal Tech rock sliders. B&M super-cooler. Weather tech package. Frint hitch. 17x8 FN Konig Six Shooters. Cooper Discoverer AT/W 285. Rac-A-Rod surf rod roof rack.
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08-31-2016, 10:59 PM
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#7
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Elite Member
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Bend, OR
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The biggest thing to remember with any of the polymer recovery boards is NO WHEEL SPIN!
I love my MaxTraxx and played with them when I was in the snow after researching how to use them so I can get some practical experience. I was doing well until I had managed to get the 4Runner very stuck (high centered on a pack of snow, snow drift in the front and rear, and the tires had made a small ice patch under them trying to rock it out. I had to shovel a ton of snow to get the MaxTraxx securely shoved against the tires (or so I had thought) and I was so tired from physically digging I was heavy on the pedal causing the wheel to break loose and spoon that's why about 6 of my nubs are prematurely worn about half down.
The ramps are designed to be soft to aid grip and prevent damaging tires, so wheel spin will ruin them fast if you're not careful. Always make sure they are shoved as tight against the tire as you can get them and to go slow and stop/reposition the boards if the tires keep breaking loose.
Otherwise these things are great tools to have in your recovery kit and I am thinking about picking up 2 more to have 4 total!
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09-01-2016, 04:36 AM
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#8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackWorksInc
The biggest thing to remember with any of the polymer recovery boards is NO WHEEL SPIN!
The ramps are designed to be soft to aid grip and prevent damaging tires, so wheel spin will ruin them fast if you're not careful. Always make sure they are shoved as tight against the tire as you can get them and to go slow and stop/reposition the boards if the tires keep breaking loose.
Otherwise these things are great tools to have in your recovery kit and I am thinking about picking up 2 more to have 4 total!
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Thanks for sharing your experience.
Very helpful.
Sometimes it’s difficult to not spin.
JD
__________________
2011 Classic Silver SR5. Bilstien’s all around. 2 1/2 lift in fron, 2” in back. Total Chaos uniball UCA’s. Metal Tech rock sliders. B&M super-cooler. Weather tech package. Frint hitch. 17x8 FN Konig Six Shooters. Cooper Discoverer AT/W 285. Rac-A-Rod surf rod roof rack.
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