Offroad recovery

[T&M]

G'day all,
With more Tiguans being "tested" offroad, I thought I would ask if there is anyone that has attached a recovery hook to their vehicle in case it needs to be "rescued" ?

You know something like this perhaps where a snatch strap can be attached and vehicle recovered easily...

[Arctra]

In a word: No.

I have been wondering aboutdoing so though. Given that the only "off-roading" I've done so far has been alone, I was pretty much goping to be up the perverbial creek without a paddle if I did get stuck anyway, so not having a recovery hook wouldn't have made a difference.

I believe there is a recovery connection under the front of the vehicle, though I have not gotten underneath to check it. At the rear there is a "tow eye" hole hidden behund a little square panel. In the tool bag there is a "tow eye" which you screw into the threaded hole and you can use that for being dragged out backwards.

As a matter of interest, where would you propose getting the hook you show placed without it affecting your ground clearance?

[T&M]

Hi mate,

The hook that I have shown (only as a guide) is off my Nissan Patrol. I was just wondering the same thing myself - as to where a recovery hook could be installed.

Even travelling on your/our own, you never know who can come along and help, or maybe pull out the hand winch.

Just a thought at this stage.

[NZTiguan]

The NZ ones have a screw in recovery "eye" in the tool kit and a location point (with a clip on cover) under the driver's side headlight and in the bumper under the driver's side reversing light. Don't the Ausi ones have that ??

Cheers

[Arctra]

The NZ ones have a screw in recovery "eye" in the tool kit and a location point (with a clip on cover) under the driver's side headlight and in the bumper under the driver's side reversing light. Don't the Ausi ones have that ??

Cheers

We definitely ahve one at the rear, but I haven't checked at the front. I'll try give it a look this weekend.

[NZTiguan]

We definitely ahve one at the rear, but I haven't checked at the front. I'll try give it a look this weekend.

oooooops I see you had said this earlier, apologies for being a bit slow on the uptake !!!

I would have thought these points would have done the job for any off road recovery though I wouldn't trust one with a snatch strap I don't think !!

Cheers

[T&M]

Given that most "light" recoveries are with a snatch strap, I hope they are OK...

Like I mentioned only doing some checking at the moment and will advise what we decide on. Maybe these 'standard' locations will be OK with a solid replacement screw in hook or eye bolt. The standard ones don't look like they are rated bolts do they.

[Arctra]

Hey mate, was wondering whether you'd made any progress on this front? Have you found a suitable "rated" screw in eye bolt anywhere? If so, could you let me know where so I can go out and get 2 (one for front and one for rear)?

If you managed to fit a hook, would you mind posting a pic so I can decide whether to copy you or not?

[Moonan]

Hi,
We went through the same discussion when the Touaregs first started to be used off-road. All sorts of people passed comment on the "flimsy" screw-in tow-eye and some even had "rated" ones manufactured.
Since that time, many recoveries have been done using the genuine eye, including (as you would expect) with snatch straps.

Now without looking, I don't "know" (I have experience with both Touareg and Audi Q5, but not Tig) - but I am 100% sure that there will be a screw-in socket for the towing eye front and rear - as NZTig has said, (I have to remove the entire fog-light surround to find the one at the front of the Q5) and also I am 100% sure that its purpose is to recover an immobilised Tiguan...and so I would pose the following question:

You drive your Tiguan every day, and you absolutely trust the VW engineering with your life at freeway speeds, confident that every single component of this vehicle (eg steering, suspension, brakes, engine etc) has been designed to adequately perform the task allocated to it. Why then do you doubt that the recovery eye has been engineered adequately to do the job? Don't be fooled by the dimensions of the supplied eye, it wil have been made of some pretty special steel I expect.
BTW, I don't admit it very often, but I have had my Touareg snatched out of an "eyeballs-deep" soft sand bog in the Stockton Dunes access by an Nissan Patrol monster truck using just the supplied tow eye!


cheers,

..Neil

[Arctra]

Fair call Neil. Guess I should trust the VW eye. I'd definitely like to get a second though, so I can have both front and rear screwed in before heading offroad rather than having to screw it in when already stuck.

[Moonan]

Just to make it easy for first-time users... (and correct me if I am wrong) but I believe the eye bolt has a left-hand thread...... So, when you are bogged on a beach somewhere and the tide is coming in fast, you can turn and turn but the thread won't start unless you notice this little "feature"

cheers

[Flipper Dog]

I have found the recovery points on the Tiguan.
This first image show the recovery point on the inside of the front drivers side fog light.

http://paultan.org/carphotos/displayimage.php?pid=2454&fullsize=1

The next image shows the recovery point at the rear between the 2 parking sensors also on the drivers side.

http://paultan.org/carphotos/displayimage.php?pid=2444&fullsize=1

Point to remember is if you fit the recovery eyelets it may affect your approach/departure angles. Very important for sand dune driving.

http://paultan.org/carphotos/displayimage.php?pid=2468&fullsize=1

[duncan]

One thing to bear in mind when only using one recovery eye to snatch a stuck vehicle is the loading on the chassis.

If you just need a gentle tug to get the car over a lump it 'should' be fine, but if the car is stuck to its belly pan in gloopy mud the amount of force to get the car unstuck can twist the chassis. That's why most experienced 4WDers will only recover using two hooks and a bridle to spread the chassis loads.

I'd suggest carrying a shovel to dig out in front of the wheels and a strong flat plate to put the jack on be able to raise up the car and put rocks under the wheels to make the recovery as stress free as possible.

Cheers

[Arctra]

One thing to bear in mind when only using one recovery eye to snatch a stuck vehicle is the loading on the chassis.

... but if the car is stuck to its belly pan in gloopy mud the amount of force to get the car unstuck can twist the chassis. That's why most experienced 4WDers will only recover using two hooks and a bridle to spread the chassis loads.

That's fair enough, but do you have any suggestions on where you would attach the bridle on the Tig?

I'd suggest carrying a shovel to dig out in front of the wheels and a strong flat plate to put the jack on be able to raise up the car and put rocks under the wheels to make the recovery as stress free as possible.

I think that's pretty sound advice. Thanks. Of course, it means more things to carry though

[duncan]

That's fair enough, but do you have any suggestions on where you would attach the bridle on the Tig?

Yep, thats the tricky bit. I not sure you'd be able to do it without removing the front bumper. You'd be better off using the spade and jack to make sure the recovery is as easy as possible prior to doing the snatch.

The rear is easy as a towbar will act to equalise any forces on the chassis. Just don't use the towball to attach the strap