I know the standard recovery points are "for on-road use only" but is there a case for exposing them before going off-road?

Oh yes.......... saves wellies full of water and wet sleeves trying to remove the covers and attaching the recovery eye if you do need assistance! Even if they are the screw in eye type recovery points which aren’t that great but will get you out. If you have a pre 2010MY / Facelift RRS then you have permanent recovery points well up to pulling the car out that are fixed to the chassis. With my last RRS L494 I only had one recovery eye which seemed a bit pointless so I purchased a second one to have one in place at each end should the worst happen, never needed them in the end. I would be interested to know what the D5 has as RRS and FFRR both have screw in eyes now. If you have a fixed towbar at the back then that can be used too. Removable towbars can do the job but I was always a bit worried it might come adrift at a crucial moment! 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Last edited by Tim in Scotland on Wed Nov 14 2018 10:34am. Edited 1 time in total

Yes, I removed the front cover as soon as I bought the car, and the rear has a two attachment with recovery point.  --
2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear
2015 Range Rover Sport Supercharged V8 HSE Dynamic



Defender Puma Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zZ1en9
Discovery 4 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zXrtKO
Range Rover/Sport L320/L322/L494 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zc58JQ

Thanks.

On a mission to avoid getting muddy, I've just been out to see what's behind the panels - and knelt in fox
Mud would have been preferable!

Standard recovery points are plenty strong enough, see link below

 2003 BMW M5 - 5 Litres of V8 Optimax Slurping Goodness in Carbon Black

2013 SDV6 HSE Black Edition- Orkney Grey with Ebony & Ivory. LR Facelift RAI, Genuine G4 Expedition Rack, 4x Warn SBD-160 Spotlights, Warn 9.5XPS Winch, Mantec Underbody Protection and Sump Guard, Full Easy Lift Suspension Module, LR Light Guards, Light Force HTX230 Hybrid spotlights, 18” Compomotive PD1881 on 265/65/18 BF Goodrich KO2, ARB fridge, TuffTrek awning 😎

No recovery points used I that video, Chris. They bolted straight to the chassis.

However, the recovery points front and rear are fine for recovery of a stuck RRS (or someone else if you're being helpful). Obviously, if the thing is axle deep in sticky mud then care is required as the loads will get high very quickly, but otherwise no worries using the front or rear loops. Both are attached to the chassis cross members (a tube at the front, a bigger piece at the rear. The rear point is part of the casting that includes the tow bar receiver. Both points can be used dynamically but dynamic recovery needs to be done properly or it can get nasty very quickly. Don't try dynamic recovery with a standard rope, of course!

As always, use a decent rope with decent attachments at each end. A soft shackle is a useful thing and safer than a big metal one when it fails! (I don't currently have soft shackles but do keep thinking they would be a good thing to have). 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

spoil sport! They are very strong though  2003 BMW M5 - 5 Litres of V8 Optimax Slurping Goodness in Carbon Black

2013 SDV6 HSE Black Edition- Orkney Grey with Ebony & Ivory. LR Facelift RAI, Genuine G4 Expedition Rack, 4x Warn SBD-160 Spotlights, Warn 9.5XPS Winch, Mantec Underbody Protection and Sump Guard, Full Easy Lift Suspension Module, LR Light Guards, Light Force HTX230 Hybrid spotlights, 18” Compomotive PD1881 on 265/65/18 BF Goodrich KO2, ARB fridge, TuffTrek awning 😎

 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Tim in Scotland wrote:

With my last RRS L494 I only had one recovery eye which seemed a bit pointless so I purchased a second one to have one in place at each end should the worst happen, never needed them in the end.