troyboy

I read once that you shouldn't attach a tow strap to a ball hitch because the could break pff and kill someone. Where is the correct places to attach straps?

Are tow hooks any better? What is the correct way to use a towstrap?

wayoflife

This is correct. You should strap up to tow hook or a hitch with a D-ring mount whenever possible. Also, you need to make sure to get a tow tow strap that DOES NOT have metal hooks on the ends and to make sure that it has a 10,000 lb. capacity or more. If you need to connect more than one strap or need a way to hook up the strap to a tow point other than a hook, be sure to use a 3/4" D-ring for this task.

For more recovery info, check out the article I wrote earlier in the year:

http://project-jk.com/jeep-jk-access...ear-essentials

rdrubi

Yep to the NO on the ball hitch and yep to the Yes on tow hooks. Towstrap... steady pulling. Recovery or Snatch strap... try steady pulling first. If that doesn't work... use a bit of slack and then pull from there. A bit of physics involved in Snatching. Couldn't do it justice by trying to explain it. Many others (much much smarter than I) have already done it.

Try a Google or Yahoo search for "Recovery Techniques" and between reading and videos you will find enough to keep you busy for hours.

troyboy

Nice write-up. Thanks

troyboy

on order

troyboy

thanks, i have a lock already. I pull a boat and a utility trailer. I had to get a ball hitch with an 8" drop!

sQuid

I wondered about this... if someone has slid off the side of the road, a normal car for example... what is the best way to try and pull them out? I wouldn't think there'd be a d-ring mounting point so would you use the tree strap around their frame and hook on to it? What if I only have the recovery strap without hooks... would I loop that around the frame of their vehicle?

I want to be able to help people this winter but don't want to do more harm than good, you know?

troyboy

exactly, not everyone has tow hooks so how do you hook up safely?

This is my 100th post

tgrt

I've hooked up a chain that wraps around and hooks back unto itself with it attached to a d-ring that is attached to my tow rope. There's a lesser load with a small vehicle and even if it breaks it's under the vehicle so it should be contained.

I cannot say this is the best method, but it worked for me in the past on several occasions in Minnesota.

kerryp

could always get you one of these. tow truck drivers use these in their recovery efforts, you can hook the hook in various ploaces. They alos make different style hooks and I think they make hooks that fit into frame holes, just depends how much you want to carry

just keep in mind it does have metal on the end and thus requires some serious thinking on hook up points for safety reasons. I don't like metal on the end of things, but you have to realize winches have a metal hook and tow truck drivers use metal recovery equipment, but they are trained to do it safely (at least some of them are).