Recover the 4Runner?!
So.. you're stuck?
More then likely if you're stuck and reading this you don't have the proper recovery gear and its too late for anything on this list to help...
Lets talk about what is worth carrying to me and why, I personally base alot of my recovery gear on being able to sell recover because I do find myself in many situations where I am by myself without another rig to winch to or a buddy with gear. I do find myself very glad that I have a winch in most of those situations.
Which winch?!
As far as personal recovery goes a winch is by far the best investment you can make, there is quite a few options out there which of course opens up a wide price difference. The biggest difference you’re going to see in different models is a weight rating or label, the most common way of deciding which weight to choose is using a rule says the winch should be rated for 1.5k to vehicles weight. For example if you’re 4runner is stock it will weigh between 3700-4000 lbs, so the winch should be rated for 5550-6000lbs MINIMUM. Most 4runners I find myself recommending winches for weigh around 5500 lbs which makes a 9k lb winch the minimum go too. SO for most rigs, even stock, I would recommend at least a 8000-9500 lb rated winch so there is room in the 1.5x rule for some added gear, bumpers, and friends!
Starting off this list is the easiest to get, cheapest, arguably most common? Priced from 329.99-349.99! it is the badlands 9.5k/12k winches, these guys are available at your local harbor freight and are super common among lots of people. I myself have the 12k and a good buddy of mine just installed the 9.5k, between us no complaints! Ive been using mine for a little over a year and probably close to 10 recoveries out of sand, mud and snow. Out of the box they come with a steel cable which is a downside due to the added risk of running a steel cable. But with proper maintenance and use it doesn’t have to be something you replace out of the box. Check them out here! And here
Next up is another winch from the good ol' Harbor Freight. Priced at 599.99! it is the Badlands Apex winch with a 12k lb rating. This 250 dollar price jump comes with some major perks, synthetic line, waterproof, and a cleaner design. The synthetic line is a huge jump in safety and reliability, with steel you have to watch for frays, tight turns, and be sure you're wearing gloves when handling it! Gloves are probably still best practice but much less of a concern with a synthetic line. With the design change mounting this winch on the front is a little more tricky especially for bumpers like ARB which mount the winch bottom-side forward. But most other aftermarket bumpers and winch plates fitment is much less of a concern and well worth the upsides! Check it out!
Now were leaving Harbor Freight and checking out a very popular winch manufacturer. Priced at 899.99 Carbon off-road has a 10k winch that is sleek, lightweight, and FAST! Beating just about every other winch maker the Carbon weighs in it just 42lbs! This winch sells itself on Carbons website, check it out here!
Moving up in price here for winches were starting off with a Warn which thats still in the sub 1-thousand category with an 797 dollar price tag, the Warn VR EVO 12-s. This winch gets the Warn name which is arguably one of the longest standing names in the winch industry. Known for reliability and performance since starting their production of winches in the late 1950s. The VR EVO gets backed by that type of history in the business all while being on the "budget" end of their products. Check one out!
After learning the history of length of experience it makes sense to top off this list with a Warn winch, the Warn Zeon XD 12-s hits it home hard. Beating almost every other winch in its category in almost every aspect it does not come cheap... with a price tag of 1,779. Buying a winch of this caliber it has all the reliabilty and strength you can ask for. With this winch having the 12k lb rating it is a vert solid choice for the 3rd generation 4runners that are a little on the heavier side. This winch leaves all the room you can ask for when installing drawers, tent, racks, and bumpers, this winch will not care. Check it out!
Ropes!
Sometimes even when having a winch you need a little help from a friend, in this situation your friend is kinetic energy. Kinetic ropes do a very good job of getting a stuck truck out from mud or snow, they do this by stretching out a little bit then pulling together to increase the amount of energy your car is able to create vs a solid rope or chain. They are super popular because they just work so well! Recovery experts like Matts Offroad Recovery use then in many of the situations they work in. Personally I have had many experiences using a kinetic rope to unstick cars much bigger and heavier then my own, biggest to this date was pulling a Ram 2500 from a mud pit in Northern Texas mud. Most kinetic ropes are fairly equal but the more specialized companies may be a more reliable/safer option.
At just below 100 bucks this kinetic rope from All-top would be my go-to if I were to be in the market for another kinetic! It has a max break strength of 48k lbs which is high enough to supposedly pull a semi! This rope even includes 2 soft shackles which are very handy to attach a rope to smaller tow points and much lighter to carry around then a classic d-ring. This is a wonderful thing to have on hand that you'll be very glad to have when you need it, even if its just pulling someone up a hill in the snow this winter! Check it out!
Lastly for kinetic ropes it is worth putting a kinetic from one of the first companies to do it, Yankum ropes offers a 1" kinetic with a brake strength of 33.5k lbs. At just under 200 bucks this could be worth it for the peace of mind you're buying from a well known company that is definitely one to test their products and be proud of what they sell. Check them out!
The little things
Beyond your main winch and kinetic rope there is going to be a wide range of items that are worth carrying but don't need an explanation. We've all seen traction boards mounted to someones roof and wondered if they've ever been used.. chances are they haven't! But some things are worth carrying just in case and just to look cool if nothing else, grab a pair here
soft shackles: here
Factor 55 fairlead: here
Factor 55 ultra hook: here
Winch mount lo pro: here
ARB front bumper: here