Chassis Caravan Recovery Points

[GregW]

Hi All,

After your opinions / advice.

I want to put recovery points on the rear of my new Jayco Starcraft 20.62.2 OB.

My idea is to bolt 2 rated recovery hooks to / Through the main steel frame near the rear of the van, probably to the outside of the frame, so the equalising strap will not pull off. The bolts will go through both sides of the frame tube.

You may think over kill and why, but have you ever had to pull a van backwards out of a creek etc, no place to put recovery straps.

Thanks

Greg

 

[AndrewC]

Sounds logical to me but if your going to bolt right through, add some crush tubes inside the chassis so you can get the bolts real tight. This will also help prevent any distortion in the chassis rail under high loads

 

[GregW]

Sounds logical to me but if your going to bolt right through, add some crush tubes inside the chassis so you can get the bolts real tight. This will also help prevent any distortion in the chassis rail under high loads

Great point, i will do that.

Thanks Andrew

 

[Drover]

You will also need to look at the angle which your strap could be at when in use, you could be restricted to a flat pull only to keep away from the rear panel since the hooks would be some distance from the rear.
One's I have seen are more like a rear tow bar with a hitch fitting so winch/strap won't foul the body and give better angle to pull.

 

[achjimmy]

I'd be tempted to look at drilling a 5/8 hole through one side of each chassis rail to be able to fit a decent shackle for the odd emergency. You are only going to be doing a gentle pull, no way would I snatch a van

 

[Drover]

You are only going to be doing a gentle pull, no way would I snatch a van

Oh it would be something to see, snatch a van out of a bog !!!!!!! Would love to see the before and after photo's of inside, it would be a classic shot............................I wonder if the dunny would eject ????????

 

[17triton]

Oh it would be something to see, snatch a van out of a bog !!!!!!! Would love to see the before and after photo's of inside, it would be a classic shot............................I wonder if the dunny would eject ????????

That or you are left with just the chassis as the rest of the van slides along the aframe up to the back of the car:eek-53:.

 

[peterg]

Bolt holes would need to be around 10 times their diameter from the end of the chassis to make sure any towing forces are distributed to the chassis and not to tearing the bolt through the chassis tube.

I'd also place a cross tube between the bolt points to prevent the tubes from pulling inwards.

 

[GregW]

Thanks all.

I dont think i will be snatching the van out of anything. I dont even want to be recoverying the van out of anything.
Im just one of "those" guys thats wants to be prepared for the worse.

 

[Fabulous]

Not sure the chassis would be strong enough. There is a hell of a lot of force required to pull out the van and car.

 

[mfexpanda]

Lotus do it on their trooper vans

 

[Drover]

Not sure the chassis would be strong enough. There is a hell of a lot of force required to pull out the van and car.

Chassis would be good on an even steady pull on both rails, my worry would be the vehicle hitch but then you wouldn't have a tow ball, would you ?..... in those situations though you would have to use an off road block or two otherwise you would be popping shear pins, bogged van + bogged tug would be a lot, better to split and use the Barbie plate as skid for the van.

 

[Fabulous]

I had some recovery points on our old cub camper, but think it would be a lot easier to separate van and vehicle. I would be worried about the tow ball and the standard hitch. Not sure how often you can get an even pull on both rails.

 

[achjimmy]

On a standard pull a towball will be fine, I know what the modern millenium thinking is re towballs but that's using snatchs.

 

[17triton]

I had some recovery points on our old cub camper, but think it would be a lot easier to separate van and vehicle. I would be worried about the tow ball and the standard hitch. Not sure how often you can get an even pull on both rails.

Probably a equaliser strap or tree trunk protector would help. Agree with @Drover unhitch and skid. @BUSH PALACE would be the man to ask about bogged vans.

 

[achjimmy]

The whole "RATED " recovery points are a wank tbh. Yep the bit of steel you are buying is rated by some knob " so what" how and what are you attaching it too??? Is that rated?