Which Recovery Straps Should I look into?

[Trailmaster01]

This may be a great opportunity to justify a nice HD winch and HD bumper as a business expense.

(You, might even ask your boss if they would spring for it, since you'll be using the truck in adverse off-road condition and any long delays in getting to a job site would be costly. )

See these:

Warn HD Bumper and Winch Mount

http://www.quadratec.com/showcases/warn/mountsystems/heavy_duty_bumper/

WARN 16.5ti (Rated Line Pull: 16,500 lbs.)

http://www.quadratec.com/products/92138_00_07.htm

something tells me someone is going to be needin a winch):h...get the boss with deep pockets to pay

 

[921500Z71]

When I first started driving dad had a few company sponsored chains but after using a buddys snatch strap back in high school i stuck with those. I now have 4"x30' rated at i think 30k or 35k and a 6"x30' rated at 55k or 60k. Havent used the big one yet since i havent broke the small one or come across a stuck semi. Straps all the way unless we are talking about keeping something big secure on a trailer but thats a different subject...

 

[Ranger]

Huh, cool, I hadn't seen it in a recovery strap yet.

for higher end recovery straps for anything, including offroading, it's the standard to have damage/wear indicators.

I personally refuse to buy any straps that don't have them.


And as for chain... I don't think people are using big enough chain and that's 98% of the problem, the other 2% is the locations you're hooking to with the chain.

Here's a quick picture of my chain I use for recovery, with a quarter next to it. I have 100' in 20' lengths.

 

[83GMCK2500]

That's a proper chain, good and stout. I agree with the thought that people have in the past used too small of chain. The one I have available to me is used to pull railcars around a railroad yard...it's big, it's overkill, I don't have to worry about hurting anyone/thing.

 

[Ranger]

yah, this is chain that was donated to me by a M88 tank recovery vehicle operator

Figure if it's good enough to recover an abrams I think i can use it to get my truck out of stuff

 

[scoot]

yah im a fan of straps as well after seeing a chain break and go through a window. the wear indicator people are talking about is called a blood line it lets you know if the strap has been used past its limits, weather its overloading them or they are just worn out. we use them at work for flipping parts and moving things its a pritty cool setup they have for you to know when it needs to be replaced, and its very noticable.

 

[Ed HD]

Where do you get them?

 

[Detroit Dan]

I have a 30' 4 inch Keeper strap I bought years ago from JC Whitney. 30,000 lb rating I think, it's actually overkill for pickups. I've never even been able to stretch it. I think a 3 inch would be better, because the stretching actually helps in recovery from suction type mud. And when you are forced to yank, the strap absorbs and minimizes the shock load that transfers through the vehicles. Shock load is bad, it bends and cracks important things like frames. Yanking is really the wrong way to unstuck a truck, but unfortunately it is often necessary if you don't have the right equipment for the job (such as a winch, or a bigger truck pulling with good traction). Don't buy one of the cheesy braided $7 tow straps you see at Wal Mart. They have about a 750 lb breaking strength. Questionable for a full sized ATV.

Don't use the so-called "logging chain" that you get from hardware stores. It is actually what is known as proof coil and is not strong at all, it is the cheapest kind of junk there is. Everyone thinks that because it's a big heavy chain it's strong, but that's not how you judge it. You need to buy "graded" alloy chains, and alloy hooks. You should have a 4 to 1 safety margin, meaning the chain should have a breaking strength 4 times the weight of what you are pulling or lifting. This is why people talk about broken windows and smashed tailgates. You CANNOT buy a quality chain at Wal Mart or Lowes. When I make chains I like to use a grab hook on one end and a slip hook, or farm hook on the other.
I used to be a heavy duty recovery operator, I attended a lot of trainings and seminars, and a lot of it involved calculating breaking strength, static and dynamic loads, and so forth. Learned all about chain and wire rope (1 thing I remember is the instructors saying "don't call it cable, that's what brings TV into your house")

Ideally, a winch with a front and rear mounted receiver for those times when the winch is at the wrong end of the truck is what you need. If you hunt around you can find really good deals on 8000 lb winches, I like Mile Marker myself for electric winches, but Warn or Ramsey will work fine. Use a snatchblock to double your line pull. Best thing about winches is it only requires one truck, as long as there is something to hook onto. If you figure out the cost of a winch, then compare it to the cost of hiring an offroad recovery wrecker, it doesn't take long to pay for itself.
In a pinch a come-along will work, not fast like a winch but much safer and easier on the truck than chains. I've always got one in the toolbox, they come in real handy for a variety of things.
Anyway, good luck with what you decide, and remember to stay away from proof coil. It's really only made for light duty tie-down duty, not for pulling or lifting.
Check this site for cool recovery info. They sell straps too, top of the line stuff.http://www.wreckmaster.com/

 

[Detroit Dan]

this is not done with proof coil logging chain

if anyones interested, PM for a link to this companys website. (my old company) they have a ton of real-life recovery photos.

 

[DunesRunner08]

Hey...why is buckstop and warn coming up but no Iron Bull? You can get our bumper equipped with a winch to help... as for recovery straps... just about any winch company will make a kit that has shackles, gloves, recovery straps, chains and what not... they are a couple hundred bucks usually but a very good investment

 

[12ga diesel]

I got myself a few weeks ago a 3"x20' nylon recovery strap with a 27k break strength from Farm&Fleet. No hooks on the end of it, just the loops. I think it should to the job just fine with a break strength that high.

 

[Trailmaster01]

yea I would say so...anything like that from anywhere where 'farm' is in the title is prolly a good thing...lol

 

[Joey D]

I have a stretch rope from www.masterpull.com I have pulled and been pulled hundreds of times with it with no issues. It does not weigh much and you can throw one end to someone, like dry land.
The streching very usefull compared to useing a chain or a strap.

 

[woodchuck2]

I carry a 30'er, 4" wide and rated for 40k when i off-road. I broke the first 40k strap i had but i was really yanking hard with it too. I had bruises on my chest from the seat belt i was yanking so hard but i did get the guy out eventually. This fella's Chevy was buried in about 4' of mud and the truck was hydrolocked. We cold have winched it but there was too much booze involved and for us it bacame a Ford/Chevy thing so i just kept yanking him with my ole Ford until he came out.