Recovery strap/tow strap

[Dhallftworth]

I'm looking for suggestions on what everyone uses for a recovery strap and a two strap. They are different straps, and I'm thinking 30,000lb 3"-4" wide. Does anyone have a strap that they have used to pull a deuce or bigger that was "stuck"? The two straps with hooks are definitely out, due to the flying hook issue.

 

[seano11]

220 thousand pound sling works wonders

 

[rosco]

I have, and used several times, an 1.5" nylon rope to pull out full sized OTR trucks, that were in the ditch, and stuck pretty bad. I have had the flying hook thing happen too. Regardless of wether there is a hook on the end or not, one should be extremely carefull when using straps, ropes, chains, or anything of the kind. When using a strap, the best shortest advice is to pull from the rear, not the front, in case the strap breaks - then the strap doesn't take out your radiator. However I have been where the roadway conditions were such that it was not possible to turn around. Also, its about manditory to use a clevis or other smooth type of fastener, on the end of the strap (pintle hook), for attaching chains, etc., to the other object or vehicle.

 

[seano11]

When a strap breaks worst it will give you his a Charlie horse and a bruise chain will kill you

 

[welldigger]

Most of the time when a strap breaks or poly rope (hookless) it just falls to the ground. Chains and cables become missiles. I almost exclusively use straps.

 

[ducer]

There is a video on you-tube some where of some guys trying to move a shed with a Hummer and a 3" nylon tow strap breaking and the end slicing through 1/2 plywood like nothing. There is a lot of stored energy in them nylon tow straps when they break, I have broken a few myself.
I now use a 6" strap and when it gets ratty I replace it before it can break on me.

Denny

 

[Hainebd]

I watched a 5ton pull a deuce out using a 100 foot long stretch strap it was rear t rear. First he tried to pull. No go deuce in up to doors in mud. Then he backs up to the deuce getting as close awe he could. He put in drive and maser the go peddle. Three maybe 4 gears later the strap is tight and stretched to 140 foot and the deuce does not move. On the next try the deuce jumped out of the mud wit all 10 tires in one motion. After things calmed down alittle I drove over to see that the strap was a good 8" wide 1/2 to 3/4" thick. From that day on I carry a stretch strap rated for 3 times the truck weight. I also carry other straps, schackes, 40,000 rope and chains. I have always had a winch with me may have been a come a long or boat winch but got me unstuck. Now I like to watch jersey mud can realy rejoin your day.

 

[Floridianson]

something like this

 

[XchaosX]

I use a 40,000lbs 6inch tow strap that is 20ft. I also have assortment of smaller straps, chains, clevises, and come along I keep in the truck.

 

[Floridianson]

Think I would have liked to have been there to see a hundred foot jerk snatch just for the laugh. I would never do something like that but hay whatever.
The thing to rember is you can leave parts behind by jerking to much not to forget if you don't pull on both frame rails together you can pull one frame rail out of place/ square. To be correct on a bad hole and pulling the stuck truck from the front you should have a bridal hooked to both D rings and equal pull on both. The best bridal would be one you can adjust to pull equal on the frame rails if the recovery truck can not get a straight line pull.

 

[Hainebd]

It was more funny watching the on lookers scatter as the 5 ton picked up speed the second time jerking. I know the deuce driver banged his head. The area is the power lines along side the GSPW in Lacey. Years ago you could dirt bike, jeep and have a blast. That ended one summer with two major accidents involving dirt bikes. Now off limits. The hole was all clay.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

At Rausch creek off road park (where you guys hold your rally's) they won't let you use chains or straps with hooks.

I do like chains they have their place but a strap is much much safer.

 

[John S-B]

If I can't pull something out easily the first time, I'll spend some time jacking the vehicle up out of the mud or digging it out some. I want to have as little resistance as possible when I pull. You're less likely to damage something or hurt someone that way. Brute force should be the last resort.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Also make sure of what your strapping to! There was a video one I saw one time on YouTube of a guy with a jk jeep (4 door wrangler) and they were pulling another jeep out of wet sand on the beach. He had the stick jeep hooked to the hitch with a shackle receiver which is perfect. But the pulling jeep wrapped around the rear bumper. Now since I had a jk I knew the rear bumper was just a junk of plastic with some steel reinforcement. He gave two good yanks and the stuck jeep didn't budge. On the third attempt he took a running start and ripped the rear bumper off and it went flying and took out two people in the legs. That had to hurt dumb asses!

 

[Another Ahab]

Most of the time when a strap breaks or poly rope (hookless) it just falls to the ground. Chains and cables become missiles. I almost exclusively use straps.

Different synthetic materials have different elasticities, and the issue is the potential energy stored in that material. Some synthetics stretch; some not so much. It's a matter of knowing which is which. "Synthetic" does not automatically mean "safe".

If a synththeic rope/sling stretches under tension and the line fails, then the sudden release of tension in that line can make it recoil like a cannon shot. Someone else will know the detail better than me, but there is a science here.

Some of the USN training films on fleet safety we were shown at Great Lakes were pretty sobering: heavy mooring lines snapping under high tension.

Believe me you did not want to be on-deck when something like that comes down; you could end up without a pair of legs, and "standing" on your hips.

 

[jw4x4]

Just make sure it's a strap that stretches. DO NOT use rigging straps. They are rigid, just like a chain. The beauty of the snatchin' strap is their ability to stretch and store energy, allowing more force to extract a stuck vehicle. Make sure to use secure mounting points. Above all, BE SAFE.

 

[steve6x6x6]

I have outfitted my truck with 40,000 lb straps, one 30' and 25'. I would not use anything smaller.

 

[Hainebd]

Easy does it best. I have been stuck many times in many different situations and the worst was been stuck without another truck with me. I have spent all night in the cold high centered in 3 ft of water with nothing but scrub oaks around. I have had 4 wheels brake through ice over water feet deep. I have taken many groups out. Blown my clutch, starter, snapped winch lines and slings. Hydro locked engines. Flooded automatic trans with swamp water. Rescued several people with broken bones. Righted several rigs. Found a few bodies. But never did I or anyone in my group get hurt (bee sting does not count) or leave a rig on the trail. Everyone I have ever encounter always got home, help, room, food, a shoulder to cry on weather with us or just on the trail. If I asked them or saw that they need help I did so with out the need for anything in return except for them to help anyone in need either on the trail or road. Out of the hundreds of people I have had the pleasure of helping I know that they to will lend a hand to a person in need to the extent of their skills and ablities

 

[Dipstick]

Different synthetic materials have different elasticities, and the issue is the potential energy stored in that material. Some synthetics stretch; some not so much. It's a matter of knowing which is which. "Synthetic" does not automatically mean "safe".

If a synththeic rope/sling stretches under tension and the line fails, then the sudden release of tension in that line can make it recoil like a cannon shot. Someone else will know the detail better than me, but there is a science here.





Some of the USN training films on fleet safety we were shown at Great Lakes were pretty sobering: heavy mooring lines snapping under high tension.

Believe me you did not want to be on-deck when something like that comes down; you could end up "standing" on your hips.

As an engineman, I frequently operated the wildcat and capstans my ship. I was always watching and listening to the tension on the line especially when the other end was connected to a tugboat. I had to slack it out quickly once. Glad I turned the trick wheel the right way! Great Lakes is frozen place in the Winter.

 

[Another Ahab]

As an engineman, I frequently operated the wildcat and capstans my ship. I was always watching and listening to the tension on the line especially when the other end was connected to a tugboat. I had to slack it out quickly once. Glad I turned the trick wheel the right way! Great Lakes is frozen place in the Winter.

You know, right?!

Did my basic training through a Winter there: Great Mistakes!