Ranger Mods

I spent a long time looking at various recovery points and underbody protection before settling on the ARB products.

I know many on the Ranger Facebook groups moan about the position of the ARB Recovery point but as a mechanical engineer, I find it hard to understand why anyone would fit anything other than ARB, with the possible exception of the near-copy from Superior engineering. Yes, the placement isnt ideal but its nothing that can be solved by fitting a short extension strap before heading off-road.

Initially I had planned on designing my own bash plate but by the time I factored in a few hours of my time, parts and painting it worked out cheaper to buy from ARB, particularly at trade price, without GST, through work.

The ARB product is very good and the manufacturing quality, including welds is very good. A lot better than some others I've seen.

Some things that I'd do differently:

• You have to fit an adaptor plate to the second cross member before mounting the tail of the longest bash plate. This plate could have been 15cm longer and picked up on an existing threaded hole but instead they made it too short and give you a nut welded to a plate that has to be positioned inside the crossmember.

• The transfer case plate is mounted directly to the transfer case. This makes no sense as hitting it will transfer the force straight into the transfer case housing - Dont know why they didn't make it chassis mounted?

• I would have welded nuts onto the back of the plates rather than use silly clip-in captive nuts. I guess it's easier for them as they dont have to clean threads after painting but welded nuts would make installation and removal easier in the future.

Whilst I was looking around I couldn't find any decent photos of the ARB products online so I took some during the install to share with anyone else who may also be wondering what to fit.

It took 2 of us with occasional help from a third person about 2 hours to fit. You will need a ratchet spanner to tighten the two recovery point mounting bolts in the rear face of the cross member.

I had considered painting the plates black before fitting but now its on, I quite like the way it looks with the bumper skirt removed.

More photos

Goochie wrote: ↑Mon Oct 15, 2018 3:28 pm I find it hard to understand why anyone would fit anything other than ARB,

I do understand why, this is my view and not necessarily correct for everyone.

Was witness to a car bogged in sand and it had an ARB recovery point.

The only option was a fairly side on recovery and it damaged the suspension.

Sand doesn't slide like mud & dirt, it packs around the wheels.

I have two recovery points and with an equaliser strap between the two points pulling from the side is better, it tends to pull the far side around instead of dragging it.

Like I said, it suits me as I only go in sand.

Thanks for posting this Goochie.
I've had an ARB summit bar and underbody set up for a year or so now and I really like it. I had figured out the same as you, that the engineers were quite clever in putting the recovery point as both a pull point but also as a strengthener between the chasis rails. All double points require an equaliser sling and shouldn't be used from acute angles, due to past problems with twisting chasis'. I've always thought the ARB set up is an elegant solution, but nice to hear it from an engineer, not just my mug amateur mechanic self! Nice to see the "wings" ARB came up with to meet the PXII fire risks problem. Must chase them up.

RossPat, that also is a good explanation of why you went the other way, although I think if you are pulling off one side to get the effect described there are risks of loading one side up and twisting (although I guess not huge forces involved most of the time in sand and in that situation you've probably already developed a loathing for your shovel). If you are equalised then theoretically one side shouldn't pull round more than the other (but maybe there's more theory than I'm theorising) But I like the idea of rigging to deliberately pull the outside more than the inside, to pull in an arc when required. I imagine you could almost keep the inside wheel stationary and pivot the vehicle around it, avoiding the nasty side pull. I hadn't thought of it, as obvious as it might seem to you. So, thanks.

Cheers
PP

More forces in sand than mud, you slide in mud where sand compacts.

This might seem like a silly question - but can you buy just the ARB recovery point without all the other stuff? I just want a rated recovery point, or can anyone advise on what is available?

Hi para
Yeah, you can, but it would stick through the standard bash plate, not sure if you could do it too easily and would be messy. There are a few double points available, but you've got to be careful which bullbar you've got (if any) as some of them don't go on the ARB bars. And some stick down a fair way, as well. I couldn't find any I was happy with for the ARB summit bar. Good luck.
Cheers
G.

I have the full ARB underbody plates and the recovery point, after one unpleasant experience of having to connect my winch cable to the recovery point immersed under the Wildtrak in slimy liquid mud I went to my local crane rigger and had a short (1.5 metre long) synthetic rope made up capable of towing 50 tonnes dead weight - if I'm entering deep water or mud I connect this to the recovery point with a "D" shackle with the loose end tied to the bull bar with a cable tie - just in case ! This way if I ever need to winch myself out again I can run the winch cable to a dead eye I carry in my recovery kit along with a bark protector strap that I'd wrap around a suitable attached to a tree and then run the winch cable back to the rope connected to the recovery point, effectively doubling the winch from 12000 kg to 24000 kg. The ARB recovery point is great, but its location has to be considered.

These are handy, strong, light and they float
Rated to 23.3t
https://www.drifta.com.au/product/shoft ... gator-jaw/

RossPat wrote: ↑Sat Feb 29, 2020 11:03 am These are handy, strong, light and they float
Rated to 23.3t
https://www.drifta.com.au/product/shoft ... gator-jaw/

Get similar rated 10mm Dyneema ones on eBay for around $24. They are good though, much safer than shackles.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10mm-55cm-S ... %7Ciid%3A1

GerryP wrote: ↑Sat Feb 29, 2020 5:17 pm

RossPat wrote: ↑Sat Feb 29, 2020 11:03 am These are handy, strong, light and they float
Rated to 23.3t
https://www.drifta.com.au/product/shoft ... gator-jaw/

Get similar rated 10mm Dyneema ones on eBay for around $24. They are good though, much safer than shackles.

I have 6 of those exact ones in your link Gerry plus 2 ARB soft shackles as well.
They got a real workout in sand recoverys when beach fishing in November 2019
I would never use a metal shackle again.

I love the ARB underbody protection, have had for years now and it's certainly done its job. Hated the grey so I had them powder coated black before putting them on the car. The recovery point didn't make any sense at all to me with where it's placed, just too hard to get to when you need to imo.

I like using dual recovery points with an equaliser strap as mentioned already. It's far more accessible on a track on in a mud hole.