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repairing recovery/tow strap


swynx

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2008
Messages
2,401
Age
33
City
lewiston idaho
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1994
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have an old recovery strap laying around thats a 30 footer, its good for 25k lbs, last year i ripped one of the loop ends off of it. was wondering if anyone has ever made a new loop and sewed it back together with some super strength fishing line or something else?

i bought a ditch pig kinetic strap and soft shackle last month, which are far better. but id hate to throw out a back up strap over one bad end.
 
You could take it to a rigging supply company and have it seen. I wouldn't rely on seeing it myself. Having the proper material and making enough stitches in the right pattern aren't something to guess at.
 
You could take it to a rigging supply company and have it seen. I wouldn't rely on seeing it myself. Having the proper material and making enough stitches in the right pattern aren't something to guess at.
It doesn't appear to me that they are a wayward entity. Although I know they are showing some top notch work in their photo, and advertising this to be their norm, I really wouldn't expect them to be totally off.
Stitching is a profession, and seen some up close, very, and theirs does look very good.
I have no idea what thread they use but if it's as good as the stitching they show, and as strong as the original would be, I see no reason why I'd hesitate to use their service :)
 
First off... How old is old? If it’s OLD, throw it away.
2nd... What were you pulling that ripped a 25k strap? Was it something you did, or was it because the strap is old or worn? If it’s old or worn, throw it away.

We break 25k straps 2-3 times a year at work... When you’re pulling an 80k loaded tri-axle in and someone hits the brakes in the truck, the truck stops and the forklift tends to keep going... Just tie a knot or two into it and try again.
 
Knots reduce the strength of a rope or strap by at least 50%. Knots are bad.
 
Knots reduce the strength of a rope or strap by at least 50%. Knots are bad.
Then knots must be a necessary evil ;) Else why would they teach us bowlines and half hitches. Or maybe just weave an eye, whether it's wire rope or manila, there are actually some with ratings upwards of 95% ;)
First off... How old is old? If it’s OLD, throw it away.
2nd... What were you pulling that ripped a 25k strap? Was it something you did, or was it because the strap is old or worn? If it’s old or worn, throw it away.

We break 25k straps 2-3 times a year at work... When you’re pulling an 80k loaded tri-axle in and someone hits the brakes in the truck, the truck stops and the forklift tends to keep going... Just tie a knot or two into it and try again.

Sorry I overlooked your main point there sir, pardon me, but in your big rig you will held to higher standards, best wishes with that :)
 
For tow straps, I prefer these over knots. Knots are to be avoided as much as possible when it comes to tow straps.


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As far as repairing the strap. If you can find a qualified, reputable place to do it, then go for it. Otherwise, for cheap insurance, I would just replace the strap with a new one.
 
I once googled how to weave an eye. I had a 5/8" lifeline used for roof work that the end got trashed. So I fixed it. I don't used it for roof work anymore but its a servicable 48' tow rope. The weave looks like crap but it's held just fine.
 
Then knots must be a necessary evil ;) Else why would they teach us bowlines and half hitches. Or maybe just weave an eye, whether it's wire rope or manila, there are actually some with ratings upwards of 95% ;)

Yes. Knots are a necessary evil in many places. But they should be avoided in cases like tow straps and rigging gear. This is safety equipment and the risk is high. Especially with tow straps, you don’t really know how much force you are applying to the strap. When a nylon strap or rope breaks under tension, the energy released will cause the broken pieces to fly and they can cause great damage and injury.

Yes. A properly woven eye splice in a rope is much much better than knots.
 
General these types of straps break at the loop where the hook is because of dirt grinding away the strap fibers between the metal and strap
 
I once googled how to weave an eye. I had a 5/8" lifeline used for roof work that the end got trashed. So I fixed it. I don't used it for roof work anymore but its a servicable 48' tow rope. The weave looks like crap but it's held just fine.

We sell tow ropes where they make the loop by weaving the rope back into itself.

Biggest one they make is 62,500 lbs, most common use is pulling out combines.

The only broken one we have had got caught between a tire and axle knee and was cut. You can send broken ones back in and they will weave it back together.
 
I prefer rope to straps any day. Rope can be re-looped, tied, taken apart etc without the need for special repairs. My static lines are 3/4" spectra. My dynamic lines are 2" poly.

I worked with a company deploying massive bouys, I just welded them but when they launched them somehow they told me I was the rigger... ZERO experience rigging these massive loads on a crane. I was given a credit card to purchase all the equipment and I went with all spectra lines. That stuff is insane strength for its diameter. (I know this from fishing) 200 pound spectra fishing line is like sewing thread.
 
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Sorry I overlooked your main point there sir, pardon me, but in your big rig you will held to higher standards, best wishes with that :)
We have no standards in our yard... We are the government.
 

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