Rear recovery point options?

[JFinCA]

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on them. NYTOP has several products I’m interested in, especially the fender flares.

The installation was direct bolt on. An impact driver made quick work of installing the front recovery points. They are low profile and discreet. The red color is just a little bit of bling. They have nice radiuses in the inner loops. I think they would be soft shackle friendly.

I ordered, changed my mind, and then ordered the Bonobo rear recovery points instead. I slept on it, and then a revelation came to me regarding the Bonobo design. I was good with the Bonobo and the 11,000 lb rating for a straight pull, but my mechanical side was uncomfortable with the Bonobo configuration for an off axis pull. The way I see it, an off axis pull (left or right) will pivot around the main bolt. A rear plate attaches on the back of the recovery point to stabilize any up and down (vertical) pull, but I think it will be compromised on any lateral pulls.

I quickly reversed course and decided that the NYTOP was a better design for a rear recovery point because the "blocks" will provide better support for any lateral forces than a plate, despite the lower 10,000 lb rating compared to Bonobo's 11,000 lbs. This is too close to fuss with in my opinion.

However, in the end, I just ordered a Yankum receiver recovery point, aluminum, 13,000lb, less expensive, and stash when not in use. No bling here but I do like red. I will go with function over form. 2" Hitch Receiver Recovery Point | Yankum Ropes
This has nice big radiuses at the loop. Definitely great for soft shackles and it will still fit bow shackles if you want.

 

[Ed1]

I think someone posted above that the shear rating of the mounting bolts also needs to be considered when judging the overall weight-pulling strength of any recovery point. How would one determine this? Some recovery points come with their own bolts, but most use the OEM bolts already on the vehicle.

I also am wondering how to judge the strength of the hitch pin when using a hitch-mounted rear recovery point (with a hole for a soft shackle). Isn't the hitch pin the weakest link in that setup? Is a bolted-on rear (slightly sideward) mounting point stronger/better than using a hitch-mounted point?

None of the specs for available recovery point options discuss bolt or hitch pin strength.

Has it been determined that replacing the OEM recovery points does in fact provide increased pulling strength limits? I know someone mentioned that the OEM points might only be good for tie downs, but I think someone else mentioned that he has used the OEM points for multiple recoveries without a problem.

(My potential recovery situation would be soft beach sand.)

 

[grandsons]

None of the specs for available recovery point options discuss bolt or hitch pin strength.

Some design rules apply to joints in which a fastener (such as a bolt or pin) resists a load acting in a single shear plane. In this case, the fastener would need to fail in single shear for the joint to fail. Under these conditions, it is possible to estimate the allowable load based on the fastener size, the direction of the applied force, and the relevant mechanical dimensions.

In practice, the user should aim to remain within the elastic range of the materials. After each pull, the components should be inspected to ensure that the applied load was not excessive and that no plastic deformation has occurred.

It is certain that pulling from an unspecified or single recovery point represents the worst-case scenario when compared to using two recovery points. Whenever possible, the load should be shared between multiple points. In addition, the applied load should be kept under control, with a preference for a direct, steady pull rather than a dynamic pull using an elastic recovery rope.

 

[Ed1]

Thanks, @grandsons Does anyone know (or have any opinions on) whether posted weight limits for recovery points consider mounting bolt or hitch pin strength?

 

[RideWithYanu]

Thanks, @grandsons Does anyone know (or have any opinions on) whether posted weight limits for recovery points consider mounting bolt or hitch pin strength?

Do you mean the OEM tow points? If so I am certain Toyota considers the bolt strength in the rating.

 

[Ed1]

Do you mean the OEM tow points? If so I am certain Toyota considers the bolt strength in the rating.

I was thinking more about the three OEM recovery points (two in front, one off-center in the rear).

Just trying to figure out if the strength of those is increased by replacing the OEM loop-type points.

 

[EOD Guy]

IDK what the shear strength of OEM bolts are, but if you are concerned with them breaking you can always replace them with some Metric class 10.9 bolts, but consider this........... it'll take a lot of force to snap the OEM bolts off (IDK how much) and putting higher grade bolts on, might bend frame parts rather than snap a bolt. I can replace a snapped bolt with a higher grade, once it fails vs I can't straighten the frame without outside help........ which is big bucks. I have never seen a snapped OEM tie down point or a aftermarket tow point either.

If you're snatching like a crazy person....... anything can break / bend and kinetic ropes tend to absorb the shock unlike a chain/strap.

 

[grandsons]

Does anyone know (or have any opinions on) whether posted weight limits for recovery points consider mounting bolt or hitch pin strength?

This is almost impossible to answer definitively, as it depends on several factors, like the direction of the applied load and the selected safety factor. For example, I have seen hydraulic presses rated for 20 tonnes where one model secures the top beam with twelve M16 bolts, while another manufacturer, offering the same load rating and a very similar design, uses only eight M16 bolts.

If we examine the front recovery points on the Toyota Land Cruiser, there are two recovery points, likely because the mounting design is relatively weak. In this configuration, the bolts are primarily loaded in shear, and the mating surfaces are painted. Painted interfaces tend to slip easily, and bolts generally have a much lower load capacity in shear than in traction.

At the rear, however, the assembly is different. The L-shaped design limits slippage, and one of the bolts is loaded in traction rather than shear, which significantly improves the overall load-carrying capacity. In my opinion, this explains why two recovery points are used at the front, while only a single recovery point is fitted at the rear.

I cannot and will not estimate a weight limit. I can only suggest general principles to improve recovery safety: share the load whenever possible; improve load distribution into the chassis using a thick, machined recovery point and high-strength bolts (grade 10.9 or 12.8); and remove paint at the contact interface, as steel-to-steel contact provides better grip than painted or galvanized surfaces and can delay bolt shear slightly.

Above all, use caution, as recovery forces can increase very quickly, even in light sand.

 

[RideWithYanu]

Or just send it

 

[sweet5ltr]

IDK what the shear strength of OEM bolts are, but if you are concerned with them breaking you can always replace them with some Metric class 10.9 bolts, but consider this........... it'll take a lot of force to snap the OEM bolts off (IDK how much) and putting higher grade bolts on, might bend frame parts rather than snap a bolt. I can replace a snapped bolt with a higher grade, once it fails vs I can't straighten the frame without outside help........ which is big bucks. I have never seen a snapped OEM tie down point or a aftermarket tow point either.

If you're snatching like a crazy person....... anything can break / bend and kinetic ropes tend to absorb the shock unlike a chain/strap.

If I'm pulling someone out hard enough to shear bolts on my recovery point, there's something seriously wrong. As mentioned, kinetic ropes and snatch straps place far less load on the vehicle.

Even a standard, non-elastic tow rope would snap ten times over before a OEM bolt would shear on a recovery point.

On another note, rated recovery points are on an entirely different level. There are (5) bolts that attach the front recovery points to the frame on my Ironman bumper.

 

[turbo8]

IDK what the shear strength of OEM bolts are, but if you are concerned with them breaking you can always replace them with some Metric class 10.9 bolts, but consider this........... it'll take a lot of force to snap the OEM bolts off (IDK how much) and putting higher grade bolts on, might bend frame parts rather than snap a bolt. I can replace a snapped bolt with a higher grade, once it fails vs I can't straighten the frame without outside help........ which is big bucks. I have never seen a snapped OEM tie down point or a aftermarket tow point either.

If you're snatching like a crazy person....... anything can break / bend and kinetic ropes tend to absorb the shock unlike a chain/strap.

Toyota uses a proprietary rating system and kind of hard to determine the actual strength rating on these bolts. They have 1 dash which doesn't show up on this diagram from a fsm.

Toyota says to torque the bolts to 64ft lbs, which puts them into the 8.8 strength category. Since these are fully threaded M12x1.25 bolts, that should give them around a 10,000lb shear rating each.

 

[Ed1]

Thank you everyone for all of your posts. And special thanks to @turbo8 for such detailed info.

This forum is amazing!!

 

[ultane]

If we examine the front recovery points on the Toyota Land Cruiser, there are two recovery points, likely because the mounting design is relatively weak. In this configuration, the bolts are primarily loaded in shear, and the mating surfaces are painted. Painted interfaces tend to slip easily, and bolts generally have a much lower load capacity in shear than in traction.

I cannot and will not estimate a weight limit. I can only suggest general principles to improve recovery safety: share the load whenever possible; improve load distribution into the chassis using a thick, machined recovery point and high-strength bolts (grade 10.9 or 12.8); and remove paint at the contact interface, as steel-to-steel contact provides better grip than painted or galvanized surfaces and can delay bolt shear slightly.

Above all, use caution, as recovery forces can increase very quickly, even in light sand.

I guess I need to take the OEM tie down hooks off and remount them using JB weld… JK

Have you ever seen SandTow recovery videos from Daytona Beach? They are on YouTube, and all of the other social media locations. They use Yankum kinetic recovery ropes, exclusively, and pull (snatch) one ton trucks and larger, out with Tacomas and Tundras.

 

[grandsons]

Since these are fully threaded M12x1.25 bolts, that should give them around a 10,000lb shear rating each

In Europe, for an M12 bolt with a standard 1.75 mm pitch and a tensile stress area of 84.3 mm², the allowable shear force is approximately 32.4 kN for a grade 8.8 bolt and 33.7 kN for a grade 10.9 bolt. This corresponds to roughly 3,200 kg per bolt, acting in a single direction only (no combined loading), and with no safety margin applied. In tension, the same M12 bolt can withstand approximately 4,800 kg.

However, the assembly must comply with specific preload requirements, which is why tightening torque is critical.

In real-world conditions, the forces applied to a recovery point are rarely purely unidirectional; combined (multi-axis) loads almost always occur.


Toyota, like other vehicle manufacturers, follows automotive design standards. Toyota typically uses fine-pitch bolts, which provide a slightly larger effective cross-section, allow higher preload, and offer improved resistance to vibration compared to standard-pitch bolts.

 

[Ed1]

With all of technical specifications being provided about properly installed Toyota OEM bolts, it seems to me that the same or similar strength issues would apply to a hitch pin holding a hitch-mounted rear recovery point. Hitch pins are constructed of different metals (steel, aluminum - no standard specs), sometimes threaded into the receiver but most often just inserted loosely.

It strikes me that a hitch (pin) set up would have a potentially much lower pull weight rating than a good bolted on recovery point. Trailer pull weight rating for the LC is 6,000 pounds. Some of the third-party bolt on recovery points are rated at 11,000 pounds. (Not sure of the rating for the OEM recovery points.)

But I’m not sure of this. Any comments?

When recovering at the rear, would it make sense to use a “bridle” to share the load with both the bolted on off-center rear recovery point AND a hitch receiver mounted recovery point?

 

[EOD Guy]

With all of technical specifications being provided about properly installed Toyota OEM bolts, it seems to me that the same or similar strength issues would apply to a hitch pin holding a hitch-mounted rear recovery point. Hitch pins are constructed of different metals (steel, aluminum - no standard specs), sometimes threaded into the receiver but most often just inserted loosely.

It strikes me that a hitch (pin) set up would have a potentially much lower pull weight rating than a good bolted on recovery point. Trailer pull weight rating for the LC is 6,000 pounds. Some of the third-party bolt on recovery points are rated at 11,000 pounds. (Not sure of the rating for the OEM recovery points.)

But I’m not sure of this. Any comments?

When recovering at the rear, would it make sense to use a “bridle” to share the load with both the bolted on off-center rear recovery point AND a hitch receiver mounted recovery point?

A few things for consideration ............Tow rating isn't the same thing as shear strength. Certainly the shear strength of the hitch pin can't be exceeded or a catastrophe would result. That being said they sell the exact same 5/8" hitch pin for a class 3, 4 hitch as they do for a class 5 hitch. I have no idea what material a hitch pin is made of, but the ones I use can't be cut with a hacksaw, so I assume they are hardened. According to Google, the shear strength of a standard 5/8" grade 5 bolt is:

"45,000 to 50,000 psi, calculated roughly as 60% of its 120,000 psi minimum tensile strength, resulting in a shear load capacity of approximately 20,000 to 25,000 lbs".

Depending on the brand and how they market it....... are they referencing the bolt shear strength or the actual cast/forged material break strength (which is tensile strength) of the tow point itself.

A hitch pin installed in a receiver hitch is a double shear vs a bolt which is a single shear.

 

[Q8_250]

When using recovery points it's better to distribute the weight if you're doing a recovery, I carry a recovery bag whenever I go off road or camping, it contains a kinetic robe, 4 soft shackles and 2 equalizer straps, so whenever I'm pulling someone i use both straps on the cars and kinetic robe, that way the weight would get distributed on 2 points.
Now with the LC250 I'd use recovery hitch and recovery point for recovery situation.

 

[grandsons]

NYTOP mirrored recovery point — I’m really looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

A quick word about NYTOP: they’ve been incredibly responsive and supportive. They clearly explained the potential challenges of mounting the mirrored recovery point, but were fully on board when I decided to move forward. From order to delivery, everything was done in just four weeks. Great experience so far!

 

[RideWithYanu]

When using recovery points it's better to distribute the weight if you're doing a recovery, I carry a recovery bag whenever I go off road or camping, it contains a kinetic robe, 4 soft shackles and 2 equalizer straps, so whenever I'm pulling someone i use both straps on the cars and kinetic robe, that way the weight would get distributed on 2 points.
Now with the LC250 I'd use recovery hitch and recovery point for recovery situation.

What equalizer straps are you using? This isn’t a part of my recovery kit, would love to learn more.

 

[Ed1]

What equalizer straps are you using? This isn’t a part of my recovery kit, would love to learn more.

Would this work for pulling a stuck LC from the front? Loop one of the looped ends of a long (20 foot) dynamic recovery rope around a short (10 foot) dynamic recovery rope. Attach each end of the short rope to each the LC's front 2 recovery points, probably using 2 soft shackles. Slide the looped end of the long rope to the middle of the short rope. Pull out LC with another vehicle attached to the other end of the long rope with another soft shackle.

For pulls (either of a stuck LC or another vehicle) using the LC rear, use the same method with the LC's off-center rear recovery point and a hitch receiver mounted recovery point.