Vehicle Recovery and Tow Record
Settle 'that scratch was not there when you collected it' with a signed condition note taken before the vehicle went on the bed.
GV-22 1 page
Outdoor pursuits · OP-33
Winch and Recovery Gear Inspection Record
A free printable winch and recovery gear record: rope, hook, snatch block, shackles, straps and kinetic rope with ratings as marked, checked before and after use.
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2 pages. Choose your paper size — both versions are laid out identically, so neither one gets shrunk to fit.
Print it and write on it
Fill it in type and save
The fillable versions have real form fields — open them in any PDF reader, type into them and save. Printing help.
What this sheet is for
Look over the winch rope and kit before and after every use, and record what you find. Anything worn out is retired with a date and a reason.
Who it is for
4x4 and off-road drivers, overlanders, green laners and recovery club members.
How to use it
- Copy the winch details and each item's rating from its markings onto page one.
- Look along the rope and heat sleeve and try the hook latch before winching.
- Do it again after winching, and write a line on page two for each use.
- Retire anything on the stop list, with the date and why.
- Keep the sheet with the recovery bag, so the next driver sees it.
What is on the sheet
2 pages, in this order:
Page 1
Printed under the title: A vehicle winch and its recovery kit listed once with the ratings marked on them, then a line for every use on page two: the rope and heat sleeve looked over before and after, damage found, and what was retired.
Write-on lines: Vehicle · Winch: make & model · Serial · Fitted (date) · Rope: synthetic or wire · Rope length & diameter as supplied · Rope fitted (date) · Hook type
Recovery kit — ratings copied from the markings on each item, never guessed
Also printed: Item · Make or marking · Rating · Bought · Last checked · Retired · Notes · as marked · date · date, why · Winch rope · Hook and latch · Snatch block · Soft shackles · Bow shackles · Tree trunk protector · Recovery strap · Kinetic rope · Line damper
Stop and replace it if you find — the rope and winch maker's manual comes first
- Rope frayed, kinked or badly abraded
- Cut strands next to each other
- Flat spots that stay flat
- Melted, glazed or fused fibres
- Heat sleeve worn through or missing
- Hook latch bent or not closing
- Shackle pins bent or threads damaged
- Straps cut, burnt or stitching torn
Page 2
Use and check log — before and after every winching, and after any recovery
Also printed: Rope looked along
Table, 21 rows: Date · Where, what · Before · After · Sleeve · Latch · Kit used · Damage found · Retired · By
Questions
Why are no load ratings or rope lengths printed?
Ratings differ from one item to the next and must come from the markings on the item or the maker's paperwork. A guessed rating is dangerous, so the sheet only has a box to copy the marked one.
How do I know when a winch rope needs replacing?
Follow the rope and winch maker's manual. The stop list on the sheet gives the common signs: fraying, kinks, cut strands side by side, flat spots that stay flat and melted fibres.
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