Expensive Mistake 2
Submitted: Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 11:13
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Member - Duncs
Following on from the Captains post about the failure of his ball coupling listen to this.
A mate of
mine recently went to the Pooncarrie Races. Couple of mates in the 4wd swags, bit of tucker and a box of matches.
While collecting fire wood they come up eith the idea of towing some large logs up out of the
creek bed. Using the snatch strap things were going
well until one got caught on something. A little more throttle and it should come clear right! Right! Freeing itself from the snag on which it was hooked the log leapt at teh back of the car norrowly missing those standignwatching, it also missed the spare wheel and took out the top corner of the large rear door on the Patrol. You know the corner with the brake light. He needs an entire new door.
He has vowed never to use the snatch strap in this way again and is very relieved that no one got hurt.
Be warned, snatch straps generate some serious energy.
Duncs
Reply By: Notso - Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 11:25
Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 11:25
Eeeeer, do you think we should get the manufacturers to put a health and Safety warning on the straps. Like do not tow objects less than 2 tonnes with this device, or perhaps something like they put on plastic bags?
not a toy?? do not allow children to play with it.
AnswerID:
198861
Reply By: Member - Captain (WA) - Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 11:54
Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 11:54
Hi Duncs,
Makes my dent sound small!!!
I remember years ago doing snatch strap demonstrations where you tie a thin rope (like a shoelace size) to say a tree and then do a "recovery". Even with that small amount of resistance by the shoelace before it breaks, the recoil in the strap is huge and people certainly got the idea of how dangerous it would be if anything came loose in a real recovery.
Cheers
Captain
AnswerID:
198863
Reply By: Member No 1- Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 12:30
Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 12:30
i used chain and still got some damage to rear..
the front of the log got snaged....the rear came up and fell against back narrowly missing the window...but none the less i recieved a dent.
AnswerID:
198866
Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 15:28
Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 15:28
Thats why "snatch" straps are called snatch straps and
"Drag" chains are called drag chains.
AnswerID:
198874
Follow Up By: Member No 1- Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 17:03
Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 17:03
i was dragging it...til it came up and hit the car in the rear......
now i carry a slip chain and get the front of the log up off the ground
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Reply By: Dave198 - Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 20:19
Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 at 20:19
I was told that if you use a snatch strap for any sort of towing, after you have finished the said 'towing' , write 'tow strap only' on the strap because it will have lost a lot of elasticity doing what it wasn't really designed for.
Not sure of the credibility of the story, but it came from a 4WD instructor, so assume it's for real.
Dave
AnswerID:
198910
Follow Up By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Friday, Oct 13, 2006 at 08:12
Friday, Oct 13, 2006 at 08:12
Interesting point Dave, I have used my'n for towing many times even behind the commodore and have found it still ok and have used it for snatching since, but yes can see the logic in that. Maybe if towing for long distance it will stuff the strap or maybe depends on quality of the strap. Very interesting point never thought of it stuffing it rendering as a tow strap only after that. Now that I think of it I do have some ockey straps at home that have lost there elasticity so yes may be a good point. Mind you we all know that it is totally ilegal to flat tow with a strap dont we ??
Well here in NSW anyway, But I'm sure most of us have done it some where along the line. Regards Steve M
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