recovery question

[toddious]

would it be a bad idea, if you were pulling someone out, to do this:

take a tow strap, and hook both ends to the same vehicle (on an explorer, say, both tow hooks on your bumper)...... and then attach a winch cable, from the towing vehicle, in the middle of the tow strap? essentially, the two strap would make a big V, with the winch then tugging on the middle of the strap.

would this be bad for the tow strap? seems like it would let you pull the truck out a little straighter, as well as utilize two tow points. just wondering if it's a bad idea.

edit: might also be useful for areas with limited space....

 

[jimbo74]

normally people use chain for that in short lengths... how is the strap going to be connected to the hook?

 

[toddious]

well, probably throw a d-ring around the strap, and attach the hook from the winch to the d-ring. or even just hook the strap.

 

[jimbo74]

the hook might cut the strap, and if that strap breaks there will be a d-ring flying around... i personally would not try to do a recovery like that... there is too much recoil in a recovery strap, and should a problem occur death might result.....

chains tucked clsoe to the boy liek i said before dont recoil liek a recovery strap.....

 

[Blee1099]

Thats why you carry a 6', 20', 30' tow strap. Not to mention its good to have snatch blocks, d-rings, etc..

 

[toddious]

i was just trying to play it safe. currently i have a 20', 30', winch, snatch block, d-rings, and a hi-lift. i'm just trying to think of all situations.

 

[Jefe]

The combination of stretchable nylon tow strap, and a heavy D-ring or hook in the middle of everything make for a dangerous situation should something let loose. A short tree saver strap would be better as it is less prone to stretching, but I'd only do that if absolutely necessary

 

[toddious]

alright, thanks for feedback. i have two rear tow hooks, and thought this might be an option. i've never actually tried it.

how about this:

running my winch cable out, through a snatch block, then back to one of my front tow hooks. then putting a d-ring on the snatch block > tow strap > recovery vehicles tow hooks.

wouldn't this utilize double the pulling capacity (at half the speed)?
is the winch stronger with more cable off the spool? or more on it? (ex: stronger when 100' of cable are out, or 15' of cable)

 

[alexefron]

Winch is stronger with more cable off, and yes it would double the pulling power

 

[1991-4x4xplorer]

blee1099 your a smart wheeler your 3 steps ahead raedy for any thing i have that kind of ecuptment in a big rubber maid tub.

 

[nissanboy]

if you have a quality strap and it is a Tow Strap/Winch strap you should be safe withe your first scenario. I would however use a dring and both end attached to your tow points, and a nice smooth d ring in teh middle of the strap to hook the winch hook on.

Just remember the difference between snatch and tow straps. A snatch strap is made to stretch and give a good snap to pop a vehicle out of a bad situation while a tow strap is meant for constant load in 1 direction.

 

[Blee1099]

you want someone to have both loops of a tow strap on the stuck vehicle and a d-ring in the center of the strap? Bad idea. If the strap gives way you have a 2 pound projectile headed coming at someone. poor decisions will lead to deadly consequences. Best thing to do is read up on recovery techniques and follow their examples.

 

[toddious]

that why i asked on here. i would have never tried it without asking whether it was safe, effective.

 

[rookieshooter]

I used to carry an old beach towel along with the standard recovery stuff. The main reason was to wrap around the strap to deaden the recoil if it did break, or use sombody's jacket. And it does work. I used to carry vice grips also. Lets say your stuck and the wheel with no traction is spinning the one on solid ground is not. This happened to me when I was high centered and one wheel in back and one in front was up in the air. If you can get to the emergency cables attach vice grips to the cable that goes to the spinng wheel. On my vice grips I replaced the adjusting bolt in the back with eye-bolt so I could attach rope. then pull on cable this will transfer torque to other axel.

 

[nissanboy]

you shouldnt have a projectie going anywhere and it is an approved method for strapping/winching according to Petersen's, and The Offroaders Bible. If you have a projectile going anywhere you arent properly equipped to be winching in the first place.



Anytime you are winching you should have a winch blanket of at least 5 lbs for every 50ft of winch line. WIth a blanket and everyone out of the line of winching you shouldnt have any danger of injurys.

 

[ericradford01]

wow ...rookieshooter can you explain that again...what you mean emergency cables ... ? i got stuck once and only had one wheel turning and unfortunately it was the other one that needed to be turning.id like to know this since im 2wd...

 

[toddious]

yeah, i'm not sure either. are you talking about emergency brake?`

 

[ericradford01]

anybody care to explain....

 

[Jefe]

Yes, I'm sure he's talking about the parking brake. Granted this would only work sometimes, and only if your parking brake works well in the first place, and you were only stuck because two tires (or one tire, 2wd) were in the air spinning. By stopping the spinning tire with the parking brake the tire that still has traction would have to spin, hopefully moving you along. And if you did this too much your parking brake would not work so well afterwards. So basically, save the hundred bucks on rebuilding the parking brake and get yourself a locker.

 

[ericradford01]

haha i might have to do this sometime...