All Hat No Cattle

After over 5 years on this forum, this is my first Off-Road post, so take it easy on me.

Yesterday, I spotted a Jeep Rubicon stuck in a mudhole up to its axles. He couldn't even run it because his exhaust was buried in the mud. He was maybe 50' off a paved road.

I had a 30' recovery strap, but I didn't have my hitch on the truck. So I nose in to pull him out, using my front tow hooks, and just as I was starting to pull, another Rubicon from the local Jeep club pulls up.

We decided that 2 is better than 1, and we both pulled him out with no problems.

Now, my inexperienced questions.

If I had my hitch with me, would I have been better off pulling with it? My specs show that my first gear is lower than my reverse gear, so logically it should pull better. Am I thinking right?

And if I am right, what is the main reason for the front tow eyes?

Thanks.

JCFindley

To be honest I don’t think the difference in gearing between first and reverse is all that much an issue one way or the other. You are right that first is better but it is not a huge difference especially if you have a 4x4 and put in in low range.

I prefer to pull people out with me going forward so I can see where I am going and the hitch insert shown below.

Why there are tow rings up front and not in the back I can’t answer.

MGD

^^^^ To allow someone to pull you out

Good job, btw. And I agree wif the other feller - use 4LO, lock the diff and go forward.

Did you disable any of the traction nannies? Do ye have a ELD?

Cheers
MGD

techrep

iTrader: (1)

Another plus is if the strap breaks pulling forward it cannot mess up your front end...ie hood and windshield ...

All Hat No Cattle

Thanks for the replies.

I was in 4 LO and have a 3.55 limited slip. The rear left an equal rut both sides. We pulled him out so fast I did not even notice the traction control doing anything.

Looks like I will be carrying my hitch with me 24/7, and pulling forward, the broken strap protection is something to consider.

130428

be careful with the hitch, if you just run the strap around the ball, and the ball breaks first, well, that's an ugly piece of metal flying back to the stuck Jeep...

grss429

thats why i like the smittybilt shackle/receiver setup

sigma pi

I do not recover with the hitch, I use the strap with a pin in the receiver.

Congrats on your first recovery!!

sigma pi

I have that too

tareed94

Until I moved my tow hooks to the rear hitch I would always just wrap the strap around the hitch and pull. I've heard that pulling in reverse can blow your reverse gear. I debated a smittybilt shackle hitch but then I decided to put my front tow hooks that had been removed due to my bull bar on the rear hitch.