Recovery straps...?

[86bigred]

working with cranes, i use lifting slings,they work great and have never given me any problems.they have working load limits and a safety factor on the tags,plus they make great tree savers if you have winch yourself out.i carry a chain with me as well,but use it for towing and not yanking a vehicle out.and use the slings for yanking as they will Frey if your towing and they rub on the ground if your towing.

 

[xkotyx]

SCARY. good for towing a buddy home but not good for recovery. search on youtube for "tow chain breaks" and you'll think twice

getting a running start and yanking with a chain carries the chance of snapping the chain and send it whipping back at either truck or bystanders. i've been one of those bystanders when trying to pull stumps, we had a HUGE chain and a f350 with barely a rolling start and that thing snapped and went flying back into the f350, luckily the truck had a super heavy duty "bumper" on the rear its a flatbed

dedicated recovery straps also carry this risk, but they are designed to absorb the sudden jolt of force and stretch. a strap would also not do as much damage hitting your body as a heavy chain or hook slamming into you at high velocity.

as for the original question, there is a selection of recovery straps (usually keeper) at most auto parts stores for $30-$40. i think 3" would be ideal and as has been said, get the ones with the loop and not metal hooks

also the points where you attach the strap is important too, it must be strong enough for the load. the frame is ideal. you're not supposed to use a trailer hitch but most people do and don't have any problems

no no no, i wont yank with a chain.

i was referring to pulling someone out, not jerking them out.

 

[TheTopher]

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tow-strap-with-loop-ends-2-in-x-20-ft-18000-lbs-3040059


I use that one. I've never had to use it on the Ranger but it yanks my fully loaded half ton chevy around with no problem.

 

[4.0B2]

honestly i hate yanking on any recovery job... its just dangerous and i like my back glass to much.. and my custom painted liftgate.

i tore up a tailgate on a yota i had with a strap... a strap can do damage.

 

[Daven]

Ok thanks for the info. So im going to want to just get a normal recovery strap? not a whole lot of need for getting both...

 

[4.0B2]

most of the jeepers i ride with (and me) use just a regular recovery strap IF not a winch... usually we have a winch in the group so someone winches us out.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

SCARY. good for towing a buddy home but not good for recovery. search on youtube for "tow chain breaks" and you'll think twice

getting a running start and yanking with a chain carries the chance of snapping the chain and send it whipping back at either truck or bystanders. i've been one of those bystanders when trying to pull stumps, we had a HUGE chain and a f350 with barely a rolling start and that thing snapped and went flying back into the f350, luckily the truck had a super heavy duty "bumper" on the rear its a flatbed

dedicated recovery straps also carry this risk, but they are designed to absorb the sudden jolt of force and stretch. a strap would also not do as much damage hitting your body as a heavy chain or hook slamming into you at high velocity.

as for the original question, there is a selection of recovery straps (usually keeper) at most auto parts stores for $30-$40. i think 3" would be ideal and as has been said, get the ones with the loop and not metal hooks

also the points where you attach the strap is important too, it must be strong enough for the load. the frame is ideal. you're not supposed to use a trailer hitch but most people do and don't have any problems

Why do people always insist that chains are deadly and straps are inherently safe when this topic comes up? Do I REALLY need to find the story about a guy who was pulling someone out with a strap, the point the strap was attached to on the other vehicle (a shackle) failed, the strap went through the back window, through the seat back, through the guy's head, through the windshield out to it's limit, then snapped back under the truck and snagged. The strap had to be cut to free the body.

So yes, straps can be VERY dangerous too.

If you have to take a running start to free someone, then you need to rethink your strategy for freeing the person who is stuck. And you have to keep in mind that using ANYTHING to recover a person who is stuck carries some level of danger.

I have used chains, tow straps and snatch or tug-um straps to pull vehicles free and to pull other things free. Last thing I pulled was with my F-150 (300 I-6 FTW!), put a strap in a 30' tall oak I needed to pull out. Rolled forward to take out the slack and the tree came out like a rotted tooth. Leverage is your friend, the strap was tied halfway up the tree. Didn't even have to use 4x4.

Chains are safe for pulling (although not endorsed by TRS), but you need to have a high-quality chain rated for what you are doing and you need to know that you can't take a run at it, you have to ease into it and pull at a steady rate. If done properly a chain that breaks should more or less drop to the ground. But a cheap chain may cause damage and that's the rub. Most people that buy a chain don't buy something big enough and strong enough for their needs because it's expensive.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Ok thanks for the info. So im going to want to just get a normal recovery strap? not a whole lot of need for getting both...

Depends on how much you're going to be pulling people out or be pulled out. My gear box that goes in whatever truck I'm in has a 30' Keeper strap, a 10' tow strap, a 12' length of heavy duty chain, a 2' length of REALLY heavy chain with interchangeable hooks, and a couple shackles. I have another three straps (one tow strap, one recovery, one tug-um) at home and a winch. That way I can use the proper tool for the job.

 

[kolton]

For one man, yeah chains break, but if you buy a new logging chain, I don't care how hard you pull, your not going to snap it with your ranger, you'll pull your bumper off or something before it snaps. I keep a crane strap behind my passenger seat. Ill never break it.

 

[--weezl--]

as far as straps go, you want to get a dynamic strap, one that will stretch as you pull it, this puts the immediate jerk on the strap, not your frame, this causes less damage on any component that's being pulled, after that, the strech will return and pull the truck, it's like doing a bungee run, if you've ever done that, try to run with a big bungee cord on your back, see how far you can get before it pulls you back, and it WILL pull you back...

also, it's important you get the right size strap, too small and it's going to snap on you and leave one truck stuck, and no strap to get it out with... too big and it's elasticity won't be noticed and it will function like a static strap, or like a chain... you need to find one that fits YOUR vehicle, even if you are pulling out a unimog, your vehicle still only weighs what? 3600lbs? don't worry about the unimog pulling other unimogs, he should have his own straps for that... worry about what's best for your vehicle's weight (if you want to carry extra straps on top of that one, then that's fine...

 

[Daven]

as far as straps go, you want to get a dynamic strap, one that will stretch as you pull it, this puts the immediate jerk on the strap, not your frame, this causes less damage on any component that's being pulled, after that, the strech will return and pull the truck, it's like doing a bungee run, if you've ever done that, try to run with a big bungee cord on your back, see how far you can get before it pulls you back, and it WILL pull you back...

also, it's important you get the right size strap, too small and it's going to snap on you and leave one truck stuck, and no strap to get it out with... too big and it's elasticity won't be noticed and it will function like a static strap, or like a chain... you need to find one that fits YOUR vehicle, even if you are pulling out a unimog, your vehicle still only weighs what? 3600lbs? don't worry about the unimog pulling other unimogs, he should have his own straps for that... worry about what's best for your vehicle's weight (if you want to carry extra straps on top of that one, then that's fine...

So what would be some good straps in your opinion? The one that was posted before? i didnt check if it was dynamic. Know of any good ones offhand?

 

[--weezl--]

i went to my local 4x4 shop and got a 3" strap from them, i think it's 30 000lbs... i don't think there is a name brand on it...

and when you use it, it takes the "snap" out to an extent, bring the line tight and pull first, if that doesn't work, give it a slight tug, if that doesn't work a slightly harder tug... do not ever do what this guy does in his ranger...

 

[Daven]

i went to my local 4x4 shop and got a 3" strap from them, i think it's 30 000lbs... i don't think there is a name brand on it...

and when you use it, it takes the "snap" out to an extent, bring the line tight and pull first, if that doesn't work, give it a slight tug, if that doesn't work a slightly harder tug... do not ever do what this guy does in his ranger...

Lol for sure. I know not to do that, but if just lining up doesnt work, a "little" tug helps alot Thanks for the info guys

 

[mhughes165]

For a small truck u can't beat a snatch strap, if u have the money buy a nice on, I spent about 200 on my snatch strap and I could pull a much larger vehicle out due to the strap.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

A whole bunch of guys in the local 4X4 clubs were ordering a bunch of straps from harbor freight, said they were awsome especially for the price.

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?category=&q=strap