How to Install Recovery Points

frizzen · Post by **frizzen** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:26 am

Ok, so I know from time to time you're out wheelin' with some of the guys.

For whatever reason, you get stuck... Stuck bad. One of the guys has a winch, so you should be good, right? Once you're stuck up to your ass in alligators, you realize that a winch doesn't do much unless it can be fastened onto your rig, and you finally realize why he's got those silver things under the bumper.

Those are "Recovery Points" so he can hook on a winch, a rope, a chain, or whatever else it takes to get his ass unstuck. Right now you really wish you had a set. Sure, you could call in for the "Big Giant Hand" to assist you to the other side of the obsticle, but it sure isn't gonna make you look cool. Now, if the "Big Giant Hand" only had to drop a hook into your recovery point, and let you get yourself out; you wouldn't quite be as wicked as if you'd driven through it yourself, but you won't be the loser that has to have the "Big Giant Hand" pick him up at every scary obsticle!

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The first thing is deciding if you want your hooks Inboard (like on the front picture), or Outboard (like on the rear picture). Once you know that, you need some chain, mine is chromed steel and came out of a $0.25 gumball-style machine that sold fake jewlery for kids. Then you need some kind of glue, CA, Epoxy, Testors red, doesn't matter just as long as it'll bond between plastic and metal well enough to hold about 90 grams (zz-m only weigh around 70 grams)

Set your chain in place, dot of glue, hold until it cures/flashes.

Repeat for the other 3, then give it a few days incase the glue has to harden further.

Then you should be ready to mount body and hit the Trail!

If there's interest, I'll elaborate on building hook ends for winches, tow-straps, or chains.

And (since every article about anything not on pavement ends with it) remember, tread lightly.

DarkTari · Post by **DarkTari** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:47 am

Now see, that's what I'm talkin about......"Realism"
Even though they're only 1/64 scale, I always try to make them
look as 1:1 as possible with accessories & detail.
Great Job Pimp

(I'm diggin that train dude)

Maxximum Attack · Post by **Maxximum Attack** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:46 am

DarkTari wrote:(I'm diggin that train dude)

I'd let the RWD guys head to the front tho

I wouldn't want to have to turn around to be fishing them out all the time

Maxx

frizzen · Post by **frizzen** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:54 pm

I first decided to do them (sometime back in 2005 while Desperado's winch was still a headache) to copy the "JATO Rings" that most of the winch bumpers are made to work with. I guess they went unnoticed as I've yet to see anybody else try install some, so I figured a Tut would be in order.

I feel they do add a LOT of realism just static, though it multiplies exponentially if you run two of them and have a 1-2" chunk of chain or yellow embrodery floss with hooks at both ends. Speaking of realism, I probably should take the Trail Train outside for pics...

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Maxx, you have a good point. I suppose I should have thought more about what I was doing, I just wanted a photo-op with the badass sitting on top of some impossible obsticle, with the others struggling. However, if you do a dead-line pull from the rear of the front truck to the front of the rear truck, you don't have to turn around.

So I guess it'd be best with a ZZ-M running point, and a ZZ-M running sweeper, with the dirty bits in the center. OR if there's a wide enough trail the dirty bits as lead, and the ZZ-M chasing and hope they can pass to pull the stuck one through the obsticle. Maybe I'm just thinking too hard.