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Quick answer: For most drivers a set of quick-release locking pins is the best pick: they hold the boards tight and deter theft for little money, provided your boards have matching mount holes. Roof-rack clamp brackets suit anyone already running a rack, a spare-wheel carrier keeps the weight low on a bulky rig, and universal strap kits are the flexible fallback when nothing brand-specific fits your boards or bars.
Everyone notices the rattle first. Two boards buzzing against a steel rack all day is the soundtrack nobody wants, but the noise is the least of it. A recovery board is four or five kilograms of hard, sharp-edged plastic, and a board that is only bungee-strapped to a rack becomes a projectile in a heavy stop or a rollover. The bracket is not a tidiness accessory; it is what keeps that weight where you put it, and what stops the boards walking off the rack at a trailhead while you are away from the vehicle.
The decision comes down to three things: whether the bracket matches the mounting holes moulded into your boards, where on the vehicle it bolts, and whether it locks. Get those right and the boards ride silent, stay put, and pull free in seconds when a wheel is spinning in soft ground. Get them wrong and you either cannot fit the bracket at all, or you gift your boards to the next person who walks past. This guide sorts the mounting types and the traps.
Quick Picks
- Best overall: quick-release locking pins that match your board’s mount holes.
- Best for rack owners: clamp-on roof-rack brackets that bolt to the crossbars.
- Best for keeping weight low: a spare-wheel mount carrier.
- Best for easy reach: canopy or side-bar mounts you can grab without a ladder.
- Best flexible fit: a universal strap-and-bracket kit for mixed gear.
How to Choose Recovery Track Brackets
Start with your boards, not the bracket. Maxtrax, TRED, ARB and Saber boards each have their own pattern of moulded mounting eyes, and a pin kit or bracket set is built to line up with a particular spacing. A Maxtrax-pattern pin will not drop cleanly through a board with eyes in a different place, so check that the bracket names your board or lists a universal fit before you buy. This is the single most common reason a bracket turns up and never gets fitted.
Then look at material and the lock. Powder-coated steel is strong and cheap but chips and rusts at the edges over time; stainless and anodised aluminium cost more and shrug off the weather better, which matters for hardware that lives outside in salt air and dust. Whatever the metal, treat lockability as essential rather than optional. Exposed boards on a roof or a rear bar are an easy grab, so choose pins or brackets that take a key or a padlock, and use them every time you leave the vehicle.
Here is a myth worth busting: boards do not have to live flat against a hot rack. Clamped tight to bare steel in full sun, some boards will slowly bow, so a mount that supports them evenly and lets a little air move around them is kinder over a long trip than one that pins a single point. Quick release matters too, because a mount that needs two spanners is a mount you will not bother re-securing at every stop. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the recovery track mounting brackets.
The Brackets
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Quick-Release Locking Pins
The neatest answer for boards with moulded mounting eyes. A pin drops through the eye into a base you have bolted to the rack, then locks with a quarter turn and a key. Nothing rattles, nothing needs a spanner, and a thief cannot lift the boards without the key. Maxtrax mounting pins are the reference here, and other brands copy the idea. The one rule is to match the pin to your board’s eye pattern and to your rack’s tube size. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the recovery track mounting pins.
Roof-Rack Clamp Brackets
If you already run a platform or bar rack from the likes of Rhino-Rack, ARB or Front Runner, clamp-on brackets bolt straight to the crossbars and cradle the boards flat on top. It keeps them out of the cabin and off your gear, and it suits vehicles with roof space to spare. The trade-offs are the height, which eats into your clearance under branches and low entries, and the fact that you are lifting a heavy item up high each time. Pair them with a lock. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the roof rack recovery board bracket.
Spare-Wheel Mount Carriers
Mounting the boards on the rear spare keeps the weight low and within easy reach, which is a real plus if you run a rooftop tent and want nothing else fighting for roof space. These carriers strap or bolt around the wheel or its carrier and hold the boards vertically against the back of the vehicle. Watch two things: that the mount does not block access to the spare itself, and that it clears any rear door or tailgate swing. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the spare wheel recovery board mount.
Canopy and Side-Bar Mounts
For a tray-back with a canopy, side-mounted brackets on the canopy wall or a headboard put the boards at chest height, reachable without climbing. They keep the roof clear for a tent or solar, and quick-release versions let you pull a board free in seconds. They do add width, so mind the boards on tight tracks and in the shed, and again, fit a lock, because a board at chest height is even easier to lift than one on the roof. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the canopy recovery board mount.
Universal Strap-and-Bracket Kits
When nothing brand-specific fits your boards or your bars, a universal kit of adjustable clamps and straps gets you mounted for the least money. They flex to suit odd tube sizes and older boards without moulded eyes, and they move easily between vehicles. The catch is that a strap is never as positive as a pinned mount, so they are more prone to working loose on corrugations, and they usually rely on a separate padlock for any security. Check them at every stop. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the universal recovery board mount kit.
Comparison
| Mount type | Where it fits | Security | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Locking pins | Boards with moulded eyes | Keyed, excellent | Seconds |
| Roof-rack clamps | Platform or bar racks | Good with a lock | Overhead lift |
| Spare-wheel carrier | Rear spare or carrier | Good with a lock | Low and easy |
| Canopy side mount | Canopy wall, headboard | Good with a lock | Chest height |
| Universal strap kit | Almost anything | Padlock only | Varies |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will these brackets fit my recovery boards?
Only if the mount pattern matches. Boards from different brands place their mounting eyes differently, so a pin or bracket built for one may not line up with another. Check the bracket lists your board by name, or is sold as a genuine universal fit, before you buy.
Can the boards really be stolen off the roof?
Easily, if they are only strapped on. Bright recovery boards are a known target at trailheads and car parks because they lift straight off. Locking pins or a padlocked bracket turn a ten-second grab into far too much effort, which is usually enough to send a thief elsewhere.
Roof or rear mount?
Roof mounting frees interior space but adds height and lifts a heavy item up high; a spare-wheel or side mount keeps the weight low and within reach. If you run a rooftop tent, mount low. If your roof is clear and clearance is not tight, up top is fine.
Will mounting them warp the boards in the sun?
They can bow if clamped hard and flat against bare steel that bakes all day. A mount that supports the board evenly and lets a little air around it is kinder over a long trip. Storing spare boards out of direct sun when you are camped for a while helps too.
The Bottom Line
Match the bracket to your boards first, then to your rack or carrier, and never skip the lock. For most people quick-release locking pins are the clean answer: silent, fast, and hard to steal. Rack clamps, spare-wheel carriers and side mounts each suit a particular build, and a universal strap kit covers the odd cases. Spend a little more for a lockable, quick-release mount and the boards ride quiet, stay yours, and are ready the moment a wheel starts to dig.
Related: traction boards and maxtrax alternatives.