How to use recovery boards — step by step
Boards work when the wheel rolls over them. Everything else in this guide expands on that one sentence. Below are seven steps worth practising before you really need them, and five mistakes that cost you teeth or a tyre.
Seven steps
Stop before you dig yourself in deeper
The first reflex — more throttle — is the worst possible one. Every second of wheel spin is a few centimetres deeper and a hot, glazed surface under the tyre. Lift off and get out to look.
Check which wheel is spinning and why
Look under the vehicle. Sometimes the problem is not traction but the chassis resting on a ridge — then boards alone will not help until you dig out what is blocking it. Also check there is no wall of sand in front of the wheel that will stop you anyway.
Dig out a place for the board
Clear sand or mud in front of the tyre so the board can be pushed in as flat and as far under the tyre as possible. The better the board meets the wheel, the less the vehicle has to fight to climb onto it.
Slide the board under the wheel, teeth up
The board goes under the part of the tyre that will roll forward. If you are reversing out — under the rear part. With two wheels without traction you use two boards. Place the metal-teeth version so the end with 18 teeth sits under the tyre.
Straighten the wheels and pull away gently
Turned wheels push the boards sideways. Pull away at the lowest possible revs, smoothly, with no jerk. Engage low range if you have it. The point is for the wheel to roll along the board rather than spin.
Do not stop on the board
Keep going to firm ground, a few metres past the boards. Stopping halfway usually means repeating the whole operation.
Collect the boards and rinse them
Boards can be shot several metres backwards — always check where they landed. Wash off sand and mud before they go back on the roof; dried mud on the teeth wears them faster.
Five costly mistakes
Full throttle
The most common and most expensive mistake. A spinning wheel can grind the teeth off in seconds and damage the tyre. The manufacturer explicitly excludes teeth burnt by excessive spin.
Turned wheels
The vehicle climbs on at an angle and pushes the board into the sand. Straighten the wheels before pulling away.
Board placed too shallow
The wheel hits the edge and pushes the board backwards instead of rolling on.
Forgotten boards
A tan board shot out onto sand can genuinely disappear. Bright colours are easier to find, dark ones show less on the roof — a real argument when choosing.
Stopping on the board
Stopping halfway means starting from zero, only now with a board under the wheel.
Before you head out
The manufacturer warns that inexpert use of recovery boards can damage tyres. That is not legal boilerplate — a spinning wheel on metal teeth does real damage within seconds. If you have never used boards, practise on soft ground before it actually matters.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use recovery boards without damaging the tyres?
Pull away at the lowest possible revs and smoothly, so the wheel rolls along the board rather than spinning in place. Wheel spin grinds off both the board's teeth and the tyre tread in seconds. Engage low range if the vehicle has it.
Which way round do the boards go?
Teeth up, pushed under the part of the tyre that will roll in the direction of travel. When reversing out, the board goes under the rear of the wheel.
How many boards do I need?
The standard set is a pair and that covers most situations — you place them under the two wheels that lost traction. On very soft ground or over a longer stretch it is worth having two pairs and joining them with the quick-link system.
Do boards replace a winch?
They do not, but in most ordinary bogging situations they solve the problem faster and without needing an anchor point. A winch is needed when the vehicle cannot move under its own power — boards only restore traction.
Can I drive on the boards on a road?
No. They are recovery equipment for covering a few metres once, not a road surface. Once you are out, you collect them.
Other guides
Airing down your tyres — how much and how
The cheapest way to avoid getting stuck at all. What pressure to drop to, how to do it without a gauge and why you must re-inflate afterwards.
Read ›Next levelTips and techniques: bridging, cross stacking, ice
What to do when one board is not enough: bridging a hole, cross stacking, using a board as a jack base, and driving on ice.
Read ›PracticalMounting and carrying the boards
Roof, tailgate, spare wheel or boot — the trade-offs of each. Mounting hole spacing and which off-the-shelf brackets fit.
Read ›