Recovery hooks

OK thanks for your response.

I understand that your tow bar (not ball) is good to use as a recovery point.

Cheers

Gday kG
we have a letter from hayman reese stating that their tow assembly is in no way rated for snatch recovery, so if you use it you are at risk of be held liable if anything goes wrong, so while they have been used for recovery by heaps of poeple it may be worth a second thought . imho its worth spending the $$ to have a rated hook fitted having had aclose call when a il fitted mount gave way ilearnt that there is no substitute for the proper way hope this is of some help
Regards Bruce

Hayman Reece, understandably, take that position so they aren't liable for recovery stuff ups.

Fact is that their towbars are ideal for a rear recovery point because they distribute the load to both sides of the chassis and are usually held on by 8 HT bolts directly to the chassis. Some people argue that you can bend the Hayman Reece Pin, but I'd suggest that is impossible with a stretch device like a snatch strap.

I have a Prado and rated hooks can be bolted straight on to the chassis front and rear, but I still prefer the square hitch at the rear for the reasons above. Its not the strength of the hook that matters here, its the strength of the two bolts and whatever it is bolted to that matters.

Never just use the pin to hold your snatch strap in the Haymen Reece. If... and it can happen.... the pin bends...just slightly.. you will have a helluva job getting the pin out. I have bolted a tow hook to a spare Haymen Reece tongue, using highest grade high tensile nuts and bolts. I slip it in when I need it, and slip it out when I'm finished!
I always think of what could go wrong with recovery and never take short cuts..... that way I hope to live a little longer!

Brian,

I respect your opinion but have to disagree. A hook, attached by two bolts to a tongue, welded to the square tube, and held by the HR pin, has more potentially weak links than a strap attached directly to the pin. Too many chances for a potential missile, and its unnecessary. HR Tongues are built primarily to support a vertical load, and are not rated sufficiently for a longitudinal pull of the magnitude generated by a strap.

Pins don't bend when a snatch strap is used. Pins will bend if someone uses a chain, winch strap or something rigid instead.

Phil
i have to agree with brian regarding the pins in fact they do bend this i can state from having seen the pin in question bent by a recovery,as i said before if you have ever been on the end of a recovery gone wrong you do everything in your power not to end up their agian, peoples lives are just not worth the risk
Regards Bruce

Phil G
Just another suggestion......... :-)
I understand your comments here Phil, and maybe another way to get around the pin dilemma is to attach your snatch strap to your HR two bar via a rated bow shackle. I was originally taught this method by the club I belong to. The shackle is attached to the bar so that the threaded "pin" goes down through the top of the shackle, through the bar and through the other side of the shackle. Tighten it finger tight then back off one full turn to prevent the thread binding. Obviuosly the shackle has the eye of the snatch strap through it as well. This is an altrnative to simply using the HR pin to hold your strap. If you can't get the pin out, what do you do with 9 metres of strap behind your truck?.. and if you sacrifice the strap by cutting it free.... what will happen if you get stuck again???
Being relatively new to 4X4 driving, I have tried to learn as much as I can about it..... and share it!!
I ain't trying to say my way is best or anything....

Cheers
Brian

Brian,

Nothing like a bit of healthy debate!!! But I'll stick to my pin. I'm an instructor with our State's driver training unit and we advocate the pin inside a square hitch as the safest method. Our club videotaped a demonstration of what damage a shackle can do on the end of a snatch strap and its fairly horrific.

Plenty of ways of doing these things and gladly, many are relatively safe, but I prefer to keep it simple and use a method that I know won't result in a lethal missile. My Prado also has a chassis mounted rated hook at the rear, but I still use the square tow hitch as it distributes the strain evenly across the chassis.

gee s guys this must make it hard for the novices
it seems that we cant even agree between the state 4wd training course as to this practice,phil just out interest which state are you with

Fair enough Phil...... I guess we will agree to disagree... it comes down to what we're taught.. and as long as we're doing it "right" then in theory, we should be safe....... we hope!

Cheers
Brian

Phl, I am in South East Queensland.... where are you??

Yes it does make it hard for novices. Problem is theres a lot a heresay, and not much hard science. Its hard enough trying to get info from manufacturers on the rating of their "recovery" points. I'm in SA.

P.S.
also think of being recovered backwards as in sand you have already made some tracks to follow! Unless your Tail end Charlie,
I have been recovered backwards with the Reece Hitch and Pin Method a few times no problemo!Keep It On The Rough Stuff

Matt (W.A.)

Hope you mean a bridle arrangement, they work reliably to share the load, now Bridal I amnt so sure........

Laterally literalSo many places to go!
So much work to do :0(

matt
ah the joys of modern 4wding , i have yet to find a solution to the problem of hooks for the paj,but my advice to you would be to aviod using snatch strap recoveries like the plague i would try everything else posible before i reached for a strap its just not worth the risk.

Cheers Bruce,
it's only been required a couple of times usualy between Wedge and Lancelin! and then i spend a fair bit of time digging, more often than not I'm the Recoverer not the Recoveree.Keep It On The Rough Stuff

Matt (W.A.)

Sorry for getting of the subject,
I wouldn’t use the Winch hook, the hook will be fine (As they are designed for that sort of thing) it’s the Winch Drum, clutch, and also the cable on the drum. By exerting that much force on the cable will force the cable to bite into the existing cable on the drum and make it quite difficult to get the cable out also the clutch will not stand up to the "Explosive" force of the Snatch strap. I wouldn't do it if I were you.

HTHKeep It On The Rough Stuff

Matt (W.A.)