tow strap

[stanw909]

I 've been taking my 2WD. Dodge down some dirt roads and have come upon some iffy situations. I would like to buy a tow strap but don 't really want to bring chains. I found a strap at Harbor Frieght rated st 3,500 lbs. But van weighs 5,800 lbs. They have tow chains rated at 5,500 lbs. With the van helping to extricate plus a kind soul pulling would the 3,500 lb. Strap be enough or should I bite the bullet and get the bulkier,heaver chains?

[BroncoHauler]

Neither. Buy an appropriate tow strap, which for you should be something like a 10,000lb rated tow strap. Lowest price for extraction gear is typically not the best choice.

Chains can break, and when they do under tension, just like metal winch cables, release their tension with a vengance and can cause personal injury or death, or cause significant vehicle damage. For a similar reason, I'm not a fan of tow straps with metal hooks attached.
http://www.amazon.com/WARN-11391-Recove ... B000CQFTQC


Herb

[Millerfish]

The only way I would use the HF tow strap is if I took it someplace and had it proof loaded. But that would cost as much as the strap...

[rob_gendreau]

A problem you'll encounter whilst shopping around is the variation in specs of various straps. Max breaking strength is way higher than say the nominal strength of a strap used for lifting, etc. I don't think there are formal specs for offroad use unlike material handling.

What you may want is a polyester tow strap as opposed to what is often called a "recovery" or "snatch" strap, which is usually nylon. The former stretches less, so is better for towing without sudden loads, and for rigging in winch situations. More energy- absorbing snatch straps are better for snatching.

Harborfreight's are more like towing straps and they have some pretty beefy ones; I agree that with either kind try to avoid ones with metal fittings. And you could try http://truckandwinch.com/, they have both kinds at good prices.

[Millerfish]

etrailer.com has some good deals also...

[stanw909]

Thanks guys. I'm going to order the strap from truck and winch.

[jage]

No metal hook ends either- they'll kill you.

[stanw909]

Right. No hooks.

[TwoVans]

ARB isn't the cheapest brand. But, they have a good reputation.

http://www.google.com/shopping/product/ ... CAsQqA0oAw

[BajaSportsmobile]

I agree, buy a quality strap online, or being in So Cal as it says in your profile, you could go to Off Road Warehouse or 4-Wheel Parts and they will have what you need.

When it comes to recovery pulls it is important to exercise extreme caution. Contrary to what many believe, a chain of appropriate rating is the safest to use, although it can also cause the most damage to either vehicle because there is no "give" or stretch - but, for this same reason a chain by itself will not recoil, but will simply fall to the ground.

The danger is in the abrupt release of stored energy; a chain stores the energy in each of the links separately and each releases it separately. Because the chain dose not stretch much if at all, and each individual link stretches imperceptibly the stored energy in each link is negligible.

On the other hand, a strap can stretch considerably and store lots of energy (think of stretching a rubber band) which can be very dangerous if that energy is released all at once. That is why you don't want a heavy object on the end of a strap, like a hook or even worse, a chain.

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

Neither. Buy an appropriate tow strap, which for you should be something like a 10,000lb rated tow strap. Lowest price for extraction gear is typically not the best choice.

Chains can break, and when they do under tension, just like metal winch cables, release their tension with a vengance and can cause personal injury or death, or cause significant vehicle damage. For a similar reason, I'm not a fan of tow straps with metal hooks attached.
http://www.amazon.com/WARN-11391-Recove ... B000CQFTQC


Herb