Rated recovery points explained

Most people buy recovery gear in the wrong order. The snatch strap and shackles come first because they're cheap and they look the part. The thing they attach to gets thought about later, usually on a beach with the tide coming in.

The attachment point is the part that matters most. A strap rated to eight tonnes is only as safe as what it's hooked to.

Tie-down points are not recovery points

Look under the front of most 4x4s and you'll find one or two steel loops. On many vehicles these are tie-down points. They exist so the vehicle can be lashed to a ship or a truck on its way to the dealer. They're made to hold a stationary vehicle still, and they're often thin plate with a single bolt or a few spot welds.

A snatch recovery puts a sudden load of several tonnes through the attachment point. A tie-down loop can tear off under that load, and when it does it leaves on the end of a stretched strap. Recovery injuries and deaths in Australia have involved exactly this.

Some vehicles do come with factory recovery points. Your owner's manual will say which you have. If it calls them tie-downs or towing eyes for on-road towing, treat them as unrated.

What "rated" means

A rated recovery point has been designed and tested for a stated load, and it has that load marked on it. It's made from thick plate, it bolts to the chassis rail with high-tensile hardware, and it's shaped to take a shackle properly.

The ATI rated recovery points we stock are rated to 5,000kg each. They're made from 10mm plate steel, come as a matched left and right pair with high-tensile bolts, and bolt straight on with no drilling. They carry a 5 year warranty.

Why you want a pair

Two points let you share the load across both chassis rails. Connect them with a bridle, sometimes called an equaliser strap, and attach your snatch strap or winch line to the middle of it. Each point then carries roughly half the load, and the pull stays centred so it doesn't try to twist the chassis.

A single point takes the whole load on one rail. In a hard recovery, that's a good reason to fit both and use both.

Don't forget the rear

Half of all recoveries are backwards, pulling a vehicle out the way it came in. The tow ball is never the answer. Tow balls are made for a steady downward and rearward load, and they can snap off under a shock load.

If you have a tow bar with a standard 50mm receiver, a recovery hitch slides in where the tongue goes and gives you a rated point for a shackle. Check that the tow bar itself is in good condition and properly mounted, since the load goes through it.

Which vehicles we cover

Recovery points are made for each chassis. We list them for:

• Landcruiser 200 Series
• Landcruiser 70, 76, 78 and 79 Series V8
• Prado 150 and FJ Cruiser
• Prado 120
• Hilux N70
• Patrol GU
• Navara NP300 and X-Class
• Navara D40 and Pathfinder R51
• Triton ML and MN

If you run a bullbar, check that the points clear it. Some bars come with their own rated points built in, and in that case you don't need a second set.

Using them safely

• Use a rated shackle, and match it to the point. Soft shackles are lighter and carry less energy if something lets go.
• Check the mounting bolts are tight before a trip, and again after a hard recovery.
• Lay a dampener over the strap or winch line.
• Keep everyone well back and out of the line of pull.
• Try the gentle options first. Lower your tyre pressures, dig, and use recovery boards before you reach for a snatch strap.

For winch recoveries, our guide to snatch rings and snatch blocks covers the rigging, and what size winch do I need? covers the winch.

Common questions

Does my 4x4 already have recovery points?

Check the owner's manual. If the front loops are described as tie-down or transport hooks, they aren't for recoveries. A rated point will have its load rating stamped or labelled on it.

Is one recovery point enough?

One rated point is far better than none. Two with a bridle is the safer setup because it shares the load across the chassis.

Can I fit them myself?

They bolt to existing chassis holes with the supplied hardware. Torque the bolts to the figure in the instructions and recheck them after the first few uses.

Can I use the tow ball for a recovery?

No. Use a recovery hitch in the receiver.