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Recovery kits, saws and trees
Hi Guys,
In recent threads a few of you (mainly Jalal) have been giving me some curry about including some sort of axe or saw in your recovery kit.....chainsaws especially!!! 
Don't get me wrong....I was in the joke too!!! Anyway, Jalal suggested that I should start a new thread on why I reckon you need something to deal with trees as a part of your recovery gear. So I've gone for this section of the forum. (Hope this is OK Jalal).
I'm getting more experienced in this off road caper and I can think of only 2 major off road trips where I haven't needed to deal with fallen lumber across a track. In every other case, a fallen tree had to be dealt with in order to continue along the track. In one case, (see the bottom pic) if I didn't clear the tree I was in real trouble, because the return route included a major clay step that I got down, but would have had real trouble in getting back up.
So, when no alternative roads are available and remembering that cutting new tracks is a big no no, how do you deal with fallen trees? On the recent Forum trip to the Watagans, we had enough people to shift the tree we came a cross by hand. But, as you can see from above...there's no way the trees I am cutting up could be moved by hand. In the top picture, a family group were stuck behind this massive tree and could not get through to meet relatives for a canyoning weekend. Luckily for them, my mate and I had 2 axes and a couple of bush saws in our recovery kits and in 90 minutes we had the road clear. After this experience, my mate went and spent a few hundred bucks on a chainsaw!!!
Anyway, that's my two bobs worth. I swear by a big axe and a bush saw as part of any recovery kit if you're going into the forest. Remember: they are not used for cutting new tracks, but merely clearing existing tracks safely so that a trip can continue.
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Dave X-774
2006 T30 STS Extreme 5 Speed Platinum. Yokohama G012 AT-S
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23/Apr/2008, 5:04 pm
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Re: Recovery kits, saws and trees
Hey Dave,
You seem to have taken my comments too close to heart, when all I meant was that it is OK to use the needed equipment to get yourself out of trapped situation, but exploring other alternatives first and using common sense, if there is no other alternative to get yourself out of trouble but to cut the fallen tree, then by all means cut it as it is dead anyway.
First thought, you will need to flex a bit of muscles and try your luck lifting it....with some help of course. 
The little bushes you showed in that trip report did NOT justify a chainsaw not matter how thick they looked and considering there were so many of you on that trip, I agree though that having a chainsaw on the day would have sped-up the process a little, but hey, what is a bush run without getting dirty a bit? 
It is your call to include a chainsaw as part of your recovery kit, but for me it is an expensive piece of kit to have when an axe and/or a handsaw can do the job and is cheaper to buy.
Hearing you going on about chainsaws makes me worried about our future trips. hahahahahaha (just kidding) LOL
Last edited by jalalski, 23/Apr/2008, 7:10 pm
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23/Apr/2008, 7:09 pm
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Re: Recovery kits, saws and trees
Naaaah..... I knew you were mostly kidding. I was too! No worries at all. I just wanted to add some serious comments about dealing with trees as part of a recovery strategy. I lot of guys pack a snatch strap, a shovel and the like, but not often a saw. I've never dirtied a shovel and never hooked up a snatchy when off road, but my saw is going blunt from all the use it's had on my trips.
You are 100% right about the tree on the Watagan trip. It was a tree by the way (a black wattle - Callicoma serratifolia - to be precise).....but only a section of it had fallen. The bush saw never even left the back of my Exy. We picked it up and moved it. However, if I was on my own I would have had to cut some of it, but yeah, a chainsaw would have been way over the top.
"Move first" is always the best option with a fallen tree. But it's not always possible. If you look at the bottom photo of my thread, the other guy in the picture and I almost busted our boilers trying to drag that tree free, but it wasn't happening. In the end we had to cut some of it until it was small enought to drive over. Nothing short of an Abhrams tank would have shifted the tree in the top picture. It had to be cut.
By the way...I'm too cheap to buy a chainsaw and I'm happy making do with my hand saw and blockbuster, but I do know guys who will not go into the bush without a chainy.
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Dave X-774
2006 T30 STS Extreme 5 Speed Platinum. Yokohama G012 AT-S
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23/Apr/2008, 8:30 pm
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Re: Recovery kits, saws and trees
This offroad caper sounds like hard work!
I prefer to wait for a Landcruiser with chainsaws hanging out each side to go through first. That way all my paintwork stays in pristine condition.
Then again, maybe there is an idea her for nudge bar chainsaw mount ??
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Ray
2004 Silver X-Trail
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25/Apr/2008, 2:07 pm
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Re: Recovery kits, saws and trees
Hi Guys & Gals,
There's currently a special on at BCF for recovery equipment if you are a member. The 'Standard Recovery Kit' looks like a good buy (I might be wrong).
HERE
it is.
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12/Jun/2008, 2:12 pm
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Re: Recovery kits, saws and trees
Hi Nathan,
Is the 2.5m length of the equaliser strap a little short for the Xtrail or just OK ?
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Kev X450(c)
2003 Titanium Ti Luxury Series 1 |
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12/Jun/2008, 10:26 pm
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Re: Recovery kits, saws and trees
Dunno to be honest, maybe Brett or others can answer you Kev. I figured it was a handy set to have. Given the weight rating on the straps I thought it was on the heavy duty side.
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12/Jun/2008, 11:21 pm
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Re: Recovery kits, saws and trees
Scot,
I was once told, that you only need two things, in your toolbox.
WD40 & Gaffer Tape.
If it should move & doesn't, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move & does, use the gaffer Tape. 
--- John & Melinda. X970 (c)
2007 STS Exy, Diamond White.
Bonnet Protect. Member No's, Forum & URL Stickers. T/Bar. Side steps.
S/Line W/shields, S/roof Deflector (Lost); Brake Decal. |
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4/Jul/2009, 9:39 pm
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Cheers David
