Reader help: I have a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe and I want recovery points
Recovery points on the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe? It’s a fair question…
QUESTION: I have a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe DM3 series SUV and would like to know if I can get some Recovery Points fitted to the front of the vehicle. I have made enquiries to Hyundai Australia (suggested I talk to the service technicians on next visit) and organisations like ARB (no response) so would appreciate any info you can provide
ANSWER: Nobody is going to make recovery points for the Santa Fe because there is so little demand and the engineering is not easy as the chassis rails are not readily accessible. No amount of lobbying the likes of ARB or Hyundai will change that, so your only option is a custom design and that will start to get into the sort of cost that doesn’t make sense, so you’d be better off changing your vehicle.
However, all is not lost. First, the rear is easily sorted out. Just use a towhitch and recover off that, but NEVER use the towball itself.
More on strap use here, including use of recovery hitches -> How to Use a Snatch Strap.
The front can’t really be solved, but can be worked around. The only option you’ve got is a screw-in pin which is not designed for any form of recovery, so I wouldn’t ever snatch off it. It will take a small load, but it’s at your peril. If you did load it, doing so with a handwinch would be a better idea than the shock load of a snatch strap.
You can also avoid the situation entirely to some degree by carrying traction ramps like Maxtrax, and an airjack to go under the car. Often using these tools you can avoid the need for any pulling from the front.
I do have to advise you to look at cars more capable than the Santa Fe if you are at the stage where you’re wanting to add recovery points. But that said, the Santa Fe doesn’t have to stick to bitumen roads.
Here’s a gallery of images from a long-term test with a previous model Santa Fe. Click any image for a slideshow to prove that yes, Hyundais are capable of departing the beaten path!
Looking at the pic of the club trip, the Santa Fe looks like a fish out of water…..those trips must be either a walk in the park for the other vehicles, or a real challenge for the Hyundai…..it reminds me of when I had my GV and went wheeling regularly with similar vehicles…..
I also have first hand experience with a second gen santa fe offroad as my brother has one….the main thing that lets it down on his often muddy property are the highway tyres (I can’t convince him to get ATs)….
Combination of both. Had to work hard in the Santy at times.
G’day randomly searching the rules and regulations on light bars and driving lights for my hilux came across the front recovery point for Sante fe I am a metal fabricator by trade and would be interested in coming up with design that would suit wat u needed coming from a work shop that produces 30tonne plus tow bars I’m sure a recovery point should be in arms reach
Hi Carl, you might have just hit on a very niche business idea 😉 – Isaac
G’day as for “softroaders” they are more and more common if anyone has the same recovery point problem and would be a like to be a test dummy with there own car I would be happy to take a look
I’d see if a company like ARB, TJM or the like make a steel bar for the Santa Fe that includes Recovery Points…
No chance. No bulbars, just nudge bars.
I reached a similar point a number of years ago with a second gen Kluger. It was surprisingly capable offroad. But it was just too delicate to do regularly, combined with lack of recovery hooks, underbody protection, lack of low range, ground clearance etc etc. So I just bit the bullet and traded it on a dedicated 4wd.
This is a real problem with softroaders. They will tempt you with their offroad potential, but you will soon realise they just aren’t robust enough for proper offroad work.
That was the
type of informative reply that I should have been able to get from
Hyundai, ARB, etc. There have been many similar queries to mine re
the Hyundai Santa Fe on various forums, now hopefully a search
will also find your answer.