Proof of necessity for correct recovery techniques

png62

Your link takes us to a passworded page - would like to see it if you can finangle it.

Max

OK - can't grab the images that go with the report but the text is -
"Went for a weekend trip with a couple of friends last weekend down around the Arthur River region and had a good time until 2 mates got bogged in the sand nose to tail, i reversed back unrolled my ARB 11000kg snatch strap put one end on my bus and hooked the other loop on the cast iron tow hook (no shackles used) on my mates flat tray cruiser.
Went through a normal text book snatch procedure and "TWANG" the snatch strap hit my back doors and the hook which had broken went through my back window,ripped my roof lining,went through the sunvisor hit the roof, bleep tered the front window and smashed a hole in the dash and landed on the seat behind me.
My missus and i was the only people in the car and are very lucky to be alive. Everyone was so shocked on what had happened we packed up and went home with a horrible gut feeling of what could have happened.
Upon closer inspection of the tow hook we found that it had a tiny fracture where it had let water in rusting on the inside making it weak. After the trip all 4 4wd owners have removed there old hooks and replaced them with new ones.
Even though we used all the correct recovery equipment accidents still happen. I have sinced learnt from this accident that i will no longer carry passengers on a recovery mission and am installing a cargo barrier to hopefully stop any objects from coming through from the back (hopefully never again) .
The over all damage was $9000 which is nothing compared to someones life.
I urge to everyone check your recovery gear and hooks regurlary because i would hate this to happen to anyone else."

"Cast Iron" tow hook????

No wonder it broke, who in their right mind would use cast iron tow hooks???

obviously you are a member or registered to get access to the 4wd site.
contact them and see if they will release the details and images as a community service.
we all hear about incidents like this but without the "proof" a lot think they are urban myths like the winching of vehicles in half.

regards peter.

This sounds similar to your story
Youtube to the rescue
Shane

These are the pics from the above link


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Cheers......Borgy

on a recent trip we came across a group of 4wders that had a vehicle very stuck and noticed them using a d shackle to connect the snatch strap to the car.
we suggested they not use the shackle and received a serving from the group, they became very aggressive and repeatedly told us we had no idea and to go away, in much more confronting terms.

this is the kind of people who end up doing damage to there vehicles or them selves but they wont hear the opinion of others because they know everything already.

there is no teaching people like this and i have taken the opinion to leave them to there own devices and stay far away from them.

Recieved the same dint in the tailgate of our old 60 and that was with out a d on the end just the end of the strap. Puts shivvvers up the spine when looking at the above pics.
Stopped some idiots years ago from hooking on the the front of their bull bar. Should resend the pics on the forum.

1. Get an extra tree trunk protector & thread it through the loop in the end of the snatch strap (& or shackle if one is used) - do each end of the snatch strap.

2. Attach the two loops of each tree trunk protector to another point on their respective vehicle. Ideally a second recovery point/tow point on bull bar, but a tie down point will do if thats all that's left.


If the attachment point on the snatch strap fails then the tree trunk protector arrests the motion of the loaded snatch strap.

Another alternative is to triple the tree trunk protectors up and use a few cable ties to keep it that way. You end up with a 1 metre strap and if it gets loaded up the cable ties will let go giving a three metre safety tether.

Works well. Takes very little extra time to setup.

DJ