Hey, I'm just wondering how you guys hook up your tow straps (or would that be Furd straps ) when you pull someone out of the ditch? I have looped ends, so I anchor it to the car/truck, and then put the loop in my reciever hitch and put the pin through, I have always heard that the hitch ***** are dangerous to yank from.

 

We use 3/8" T-1 Steel chain and usually wrap it around the cross tube of my Hidden Hitch, and then either around the ball of my dad's truck (or his Hidden Hitch, if his receiver isn't in) when I'm in a stuck, or wrap it around the turn table of his blade, depends on the situation.

We used the first one last year when I fell off an old foundation that's been filled in and used for a parking lot that we plow. We decided to use the second one when I was stuck on ice going down hill against a snowbank at one of the schools this year.

 

"put the loop in my reciever hitch and put the pin through"

I do the same. I have a front receiver also which is handy. The tubes had a sharp edge all around so I filed a small radius to avoid cutting the strap.

To those who use a chain, don't, unless you know it won't snap. (But how would you know that?) I've seen them ruin a tailgate. People get hurt.

 

true that rare, Ive seen waaaaaay too many tailgates get popped with broken chains/ropes/straps. Always make sure that you know for a FACT that it will hold. If not, then find something/someone that will hold, Remember, a $40/50 pull out fee is cheaper than a new/used tail gate or read window.

The way I use my 3" diameter rope is via a 1/2" chain on both loops of the rope. I use the chain on both vehicles, then the rope in between, no prob so far.

Good luck, Hunter

 

I've had more trouble with straps snapping and causing damage than chains. Unless you are using a chain that is designed to tie up a dog most chains stretch so tight that you can stand them up against a wall before they break. When they do break after stretching they fall straight to the ground.
Years of pulling things with dozers have taught me to only use chain.

 

I use 1" steel braided rope with loops on each end. This "rope" weighs close to 75lbs and is used on crains to pick stuff up with. I'm not really worried about it snapping.

 

When I tell people that I get run off the thread. A grade 80 3/8 chain is not going to break. Pulled many a 80,000 pound semi out of the mud with them. A grade 80 5/16 chain will pull anything that the Dodge will move. You want to get hurt, use steel cable and break it, done that too.

 

I use one of these


never had a problem with my 4" strap breaking, it's rated for 30,000lbs

and I agree you'll never break grade 80 chain with your ram but a strap is a lot lighter and easier to handle

 

I use something very similar. I took an extra hitch (w/o the ball) and put a shackle/D-ring through the ball hole. Works great and cost about $15. I also use a 3" strap and I love not having to worry about something snapping when pulling something or being pulled (assuming I am not pulling a semi)

 

Just to make sure things are straight, I was pulling the semi's with my semi, not the Dodge.

 

They make a chain bag to help hold the chain down if it does break, but you gotta guess where is gonna break for it to work??

 

Not neccessarly. We've used similar things to dampen the "whip back" from a broken chain or steel cable.

We would use our fire fighting jackets (2 on the 1/2" winch cable) as a "bag." When that cable did snap, the 2 jackets caused it to pop back only to where we had the jackets placed (middle of the cable btwen the 2 trucks). These jackets together are pretty heavy, and from now on, I will always use something to dampen a cable or chain, just in case.

 

Yeah, it is always a good idea to weight down the chain or cable. It works well to keep a duffle bag with some weight in it (tools work good ), and run the chain/cable through the straps. I snapped the winch cable on the 4 wheeler, and it lashed back around the bag. Good thing it was there

 

This was a good thread about this topic on TDR many of you may have seen.
http://www.turbodieselregister.com/f...threadid=94129

 

If that is the case, then you are either not hooking the strap up properly, or you are using a strap that is not rated high enough to do the job (see your own "dog chain" reference).

a 3-5" wide 30,000+ lb rated tow strap with looped ends is more than enough to extract any of our trucks, period. If the strap fails, it is due to operator error or a damaged strap. if you are pulling a truck/trailer/load, then step up to a higher rated strap - just like you would step up to a higher rated chain.

Straps are lighter, easier to carry, easier to store, and easier to work with.

BTW - I mention sewn-loop straps, because the cheap ones with the metal hooks on the end are generally CRAP, and they WILL fail.

I have been using straps in my off road travels for the last 10 years (As well as plenty of winching, up-side down extractions, etc.) and have never had one fail when used properly. Good luck