Snatch strap safety

SmokeyD

First of all Merry Chrsitmas..

This is a situation where joining a 4WD Club is an asset, guidance and knowledge given is worth a 1000 forums as they will be able to see your vehicle and talk one on one. They wil also ensure that you are taught how to use the equipment correctly.

You are correct with the recovery forces , but recovery forces are debateable and often not anywhere near what people may think. (that will stir up some responses).

Have a look ath the first coup of articles onJust Straps Web Site there is some great information directly from the industry and people who know.
This page on recovery forces (click here) will give you a good idea of the equipment that you may need.

A bridle will half the force on your front recovery points, (that is they are recovery not tie downs) again a club or 4WD outlet should assist you with this.

I am sure you will get many opinions, but if you get bogged to your floor pan, get the shovel out, because snatching will start damaging yours and your recovery vehicle.

May 2 cents worth, have a great New Year...

Quote If the vehicle weight is say 1835kg, then the strap should have MBS of between 4000kg to 6000kg - anything less would be in danger of breaking, and much more would endanger the vehicle's hitching points as the tougher strap wouldn't stretch as it's supposed to.
Quote
First I think that in practical terms the MOST important thing is that the strap does not break, so I would recommend the most popular size which is 8,000kg AFAIK. Seeing you do not know whether you will be the snatcher or snatchee, a car you snatch may be heavier than yours.

Most people use their rear HR towbars for snatching and many will just use the 1/2 inch high tensile pin and loop a snatch strap around it. The breaking strain of this pin is very high and I have never seen one bent. The inserts with shackle are popular but remember all the stress still goes through the pin and you are just adding more bits that may fail.
The strength of a towbar is usually far far more than the load rating although you should review the fixings to the vehicle as these are often the limiting factor and strengthen them if you consider either the mounting , hardware or chassis points to look a bit weak.
I think the most important thing with a snatch recovery is COMMON SENSE.
Clear everyone to the side at least 1.5 strap lengths.
At first try a slow snatch with moderate force . If this fails try once more with more force. If this fails and the stuck car does not move then you should
review the siituation, not keep on going until something breaks.
One important thing is that a snatch should always be in a straight line ie in line with the stuck cars wheels, not trying to pull it sideways.

It is about now you should decide whether another piece of equipment is necessary such as bull bag, high lift jack or a good old shovel.

You should fit one or two rated towing hooks on the front with adequate fixings, usually 5/16 plate and 1/2 high tensile bolts into/through the chassis. What is now popular are plates with large holes so that a shackle can fit through.
Most of the fatalities and damage I have read about are from using weak tow points such as towballs, bullbars etc. If a strap breaks it will do some damage to one or both of the cars such as a mashed tailgate but as long as there are no missiles attached noone gets killed.

Regards Philip A

Smokey,

Tony's suggestion of joining a 4WD club where you will get hands-on assistance is a good one. The answer to your questions depends especially on the state of your attachment points, something that's best assessed by an experienced person looking at them.

On the rear I use the HR towbar - just remove the towing hook and secure the eye of the strap with the standard HT pin usually used to secure the hook. Some oppose the use of a towbar because it's not designed for these sorts of forces, but I reckon it distributes the forces well and is as strong as anything else that would fit in the available space.

On the front I have the one chassis loop built into one side of the Troopy chassis by Toyota, but plan on a second one and a bridle to distribute the forces evenly.

I note the general feeling that a snatch strap should be a strong link in the chain of forces. This will probably start an argument, I don't agree with this. If something is to break, I'd rather it be the strap than any of the metal missiles it's attached to.

I agree very strongly with Phil - Try a gentle snatch, then a more enthusiastic one, but if that fails don't persevere until you break something. Stop and review, and start shoveling!

Cheers

John

Hi guys,

Take on board your insight - just not feasable for me to join clubs. I am not a total novice however - I did Navy driver training which included 4wding. We even extricated ourselves by using trees, rope and limb cross pieces.

I think I'll go with my factory recovery points and maybe add extra if needed. The strap must be I believe specifically suited to the own vehicle in terms of weight - not a generic weight.

If everyone had their own suitable snatch strap then that would help I'd reckon.

Hi SmokeyD
I think rangiephil has given a good answer and his methods are what I follow when using a snatch strap. However...I have recently converted to using MaxTrax. These are great and you can use them when you are bogged by yourself. They do cost more then a strap (about$300) but are worth their weight in gold when you are bogged on the beach by your self (been there). I now carry a strap and maxtrax and when bogged always get the trax out first.

just an alternative option

wizzer

Thanks guys,

Yes my recovery points are just that - recovery points. I am aware of the tie-down points (used to hold down vehicle while shipping), and they are elsewhere on my vehicle. Most cars will have them, but I don't believe that tie downs are designed to withstand such forces. Maybe for light vehicles you could get away with it - still a bit risky for larger 4wd's near 2oookg.

Have seen Max-tracks, rather heavy and cumbersome, $300! - another 4wd product designed to empty your pocket. Sounds harsh I guess, but I smell profiteering in every 4wd advertisement. When they bring out products at a reasonable price, then maybe I'll look at them.

The best advice I read in the above posts is to "join a club". Dont muck around with it. You also have to consider any other recovery means available to you. Also as you mentioned the "other" vehicle or tree etc must be considered.

Join a club and do some 4wd training. It will include recovery advice. Or, if you do not want to join a club, then at least do some training. Snatch and winch extension traps and other recovery means such as drag chains, shackles and winches can kill.

Recovery is not to be taken lightly.

Phil