X-Bull recovery boards on sale - alerting Sambanistas.

[IdahoDoug]

I have wanted a set of these for years as we wander afield and once spend 4 hours getting out of a mess in super remote country in our Vanagon. I purchased a set just a week ago for $104 on Amazon and was happy as they're often much more. I got on their factory website to ask a question on the mounting kit I bought and found they're selling the orange ones for $84 right now with free shipping. I research all my purchases and these did the best consistently of the MaxTrax copy cats. This is also the Gen 3 which fixed some breakage with extreme use prior generations had. Don't get the mounting kit for $35 which any of you could duplicate with bolts and nuts better optimized for wherever you're wanting to mount them. Cheers!

https://www.xbullauto.com/products/x-bull-new-reco...7055770721
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[Wildthings]

I have several two foot wide by 12' long strips of carpet, they work well and were free.

[uberaudi]

These do work well, even the older versions. Traction mats can get lost in the deep stuff, so having a budget friendly option makes the decision to purchase much easier.

While my old X-Bulls are still functional, I'll probably get another set for the other rig.
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'84 Adventurewagen 1Z Tdi, '89 Tintop ABA, and a 86 Syncro tintop WBX.

[4Gears4Tires]

[IdahoDoug]

Exactly. You won't look as cool with a hunk of dirty beige carpet hanging off your van as you will with a pair of these telling the world you are an unstoppable outdoorsman. Nothing says "I offroad a ton and you don't" like a set of brand new shiny recovery boards like these hanging off your Van.

Heh. No affiliation.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[Abscate]

[crazyvwvanman]

Thanks for the heads up.
The slightly shorter Gen2 are better suited to my Vanagon use and also on sale. $60 shipped
Have a Baja trip coming up and there will be some 2wd vehicles so even more likely to be needed.

https://www.xbullauto.com/collections/recovery-tra...ire-ladder

Mark

[dobryan]

[bobhill8]

l have had good luck with this budget brand as well. Helped me get out of some icy slop in my yard with my 2WD and my son steals them when driving his redneck truck on the powerlines. They have held up well.
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1986 Westy
1971 Squareback

[sanchius]

Plus, it's hard to use a carpet as a dinner prep side table like Jed the Spread does on his CampervanCulture.com VW Managon

I always learn something looking at JtS's material:
- Managon blog: https://campervanculture.com/category/campervanculture-com/the-managon-project/
- Video collection: https://www.youtube.com/user/jedthespread/videos
- Deployment images below taken from 2:09 from this video: https://youtu.be/8LM6Kz2kNL0?t=129
He cleverly plumbed his propane and water connections near the table so he can use them during meal prep.

Since I'm not a vanagon purist, I could see mounting some small clips on the slider door to use a recovery board as a prep/drinks table.
But I don't see the slider as a good place to carry recovery boards for everyday on-the-road transport.
And a lightweight top would probably be necessary to create a usable flat surface to minimize beverage spillage.

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The Syncro years (2005-16) - The 2WD years (2017-23) - Westy & WBX rebuild spreadsheet - Sanchius & Tuna: The Video
Your gold star membership keeps this awesome list going!

[joetiger]

As much as they might match your exterior color scheme, don't get the olive ones.

Take it from somebody who spent an hour digging in a sand hole looking for a lost one...Orange is your friend.
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Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[vanagonjr]

The number of broke on 1st use reviews is kind of disturbing.
For me, they would probably work, since I may never use them-although the idea of a single use big piece of plastic goes against my other efforts.

I'm going to look into some DIY before my next big trip.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/reviews/B01MS1SKIW/re...geNumber=2
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John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798

[joetiger]

[flomulgator]

Thanks Doug!, It's always nice when someone I trust does the research before me! Ordered a set.
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She's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro!

[dobryan]

[crazyvwvanman]

Mine arrived today, pretty quick!
They appear reasonably stout for my intended purposes.
Dave, I wouldn't expect them to support the weight of the van over much of a void.

Mark

[dobryan]

[WestyWanter]

I have these pretty sure I spent about that from amazon, used them twice first in my first trip in mexico... not for my syncro but for a sprinter that was stuck in sand and then some locals who had a bit too much tequila and drove their honda civic into a very large sand dune.

[Cdub!]

I've had these for about 3 years so far and have used them myself, as well as enable others to get out of deep sand in the desert in 2wd westys.

I will offer up, for those that wish to use them to bridge a gap or a hole, bear in mind these are not the same rigid maxtrax, there is a fair amount of flex to them - so buyer beware.

Additionally, they come in handy as a van leveler.

[ALIKA T3]

I use the Go Threads. They fold in a bag that fits under the bench.
I can't show them off on the side of my Syncro on Instagram though.
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Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget