Front Recovery Point Mod?

[DeserTrek]

Anybody know of a recovery point modification for the 5th Gens that are KDSS compatible?

I’m looking to beef up the recovery points without adding a bumper or much weight to the front of the vehicle.

 

[BobsTrail]

I have seen a big bracket someone on this forum offers, it's expensive but looks good.

I have used my front points 2 times, the last time in deep snow and had no problem reaching it. I was winched out by a built 1984 4Runner.

 

[Jetboy]

I use the OEM ones. Unless you're doing something very extreme - they should be fine. They're easily strong enough to lift the entire 4Runner. It would take about 15,000lb to break one.

 

[DeserTrek]

Thats good to know. The OEM does look pretty beefy enough as is.

 

[SpeedyKevin]

I've been using the OEM ones with a Bridle and it has worked well. It's a little low making mud recovery so so but it has worked.

 

[Jetboy]

The only way you could break one is to use something like a chain or a tow strap and hit the end of it at pretty high speed. I have a winch, so I almost never use them, but when I do I still use them in what I consider a reasonable way and I don't worry much about breaking them. In that picture I'm getting a winch pull from a friend because the approach to that ledge is so steep I ended up pinch cutting my winch rope between the bumper and the rock. It's hooked to the OEM hoop.

If it helps you sleep at night - they are about 14mm diameter. If the metal is A36 (mild steel) the ultimate tensile strength is about 58,000psi. Each side has roughly 0.25 square inches. Meaning in a direct pull each side of the loop would have an ultimate tensile strength of roughly 14,500lb. Assuming you're spreading the pull on the loop to both sides of the one loop (not both loops) it would be 29,000lb of force to break. And if you use both loops in the front with a bridle (I've never used a bridle or seen one used outside of what was basically just a demonstration of how you could do it) but if you did, you'd have more like 58,000lb of total strength. Now - the caveat that needs to be added is that ultimate tensile strength is NOT the same as a rated strength. That's a rough calculation of what load would cause a failure. Not what load is safe to use. You need to consider a safety factor. IMO they're perfectly adequate for normal vehicle recovery and I have no hesitation at all using as a winch point. I don't think it's a great idea to hook a tow strap to them and hit the end of it at 20mph. A 20,000lb tow strap probably wouldn't actually break until a lot higher value. But I think you can be pretty confident a 10,000lb winch will not have enough force to break one under almost any conceivable circumstance.

Hope that helps.

 

[Mutant138]

I use the OEM ones. Unless you're doing something very extreme - they should be fine. They're easily strong enough to lift the entire 4Runner. It would take about 15,000lb to break one.

Nar overload.

 

[SpeedyKevin]

Nar overload.

He does crazy things, you'll get used to it lol. Check out his Rubicon adventure with that nice rear bumper protector

 

[Jetboy]

In person I'm actually pretty conservative as a driver. I took a winch down that ledge too. That pic was on gold bar rim. That trail didn't used to be anything you'd call crazy at all. It's been so badly dug out by the side by sides that those ledges are now a lot bigger than they once were. Each side by side gets to the bottom and spins for a bit until they give up and pull a winch. The result is a lot of erosion of the trail. Just a few years ago you could literally just drive up that spot. It was basically a nothing obstacle. Now even most of the buggies are winching it. Kinda how Moab trails are trending these days.

10 years ago (not my pic) :

 

[Mutant138]

That pic was on gold bar rim. That trail didn't used to be anything you'd call crazy at all. It's been so badly dug out by the side by sides that those ledges are now a lot bigger than they once were. Just a few years ago you could literally just drive up that spot. It was basically a nothing obstacle. Now even most of the buggies are winching it. Kinda how Moab trails are trending these days.

10 years ago (not my pic) :

Damn I'm honestly sorry to hear that. I need to get out there before it gets worse.

 

[Inv4drZm]

That pic was on gold bar rim. That trail didn't used to be anything you'd call crazy at all. It's been so badly dug out by the side by sides that those ledges are now a lot bigger than they once were. Just a few years ago you could literally just drive up that spot. It was basically a nothing obstacle. Now even most of the buggies are winching it. Kinda how Moab trails are trending these days.

10 years ago (not my pic) :

Agree 100% about that trail and Moab in general.

Funny this exact obstacle gets mentioned because its the one my brother broke his front recovery point on his FJ.... By driving down and bending it on a rock, not winching from it.

 

[Jetboy]

Agree 100% about that trail and Moab in general.

Funny this exact obstacle gets mentioned because its the one my brother broke his front recovery point on his FJ.... By driving down and bending it on a rock, not winching from it.

Ouch. That's part of why I took a winch release down. When we got out there I was like WTF happened to this trail. I was concerned about setting off the airbags when I hit the bottom. Once you creep over the edge and start sliding you're committed to a pretty hard impact on the front end.

That does raise an interesting issue regarding the those tow points - you could partially damage one of them like your brother, but only have started a small crack and then go to pull on it and it fractures.

 

[sn_85]

This should work. Compatible with GX460 and 5th gen 4R. The GX460 has KDSS so I'm going to assume it works with a 5th gen with KDSS.
Treaty Oak Offroad — GX460/5th gen 4runner Recovery Point