I know it's a bit of forward thinking, but for the winter I wanted to get a recovery strap to keep in the Jeep for helping out some stuck vehicles (Canadian winters, eh?).
I've done a bit of research online and it seems the best strap to get is one with loops, so I'm thinking this one? Just Jeeps :: Tow Straps & Recovery :: Smittybilt Tow...
I'm just wondering how to hook it to the other vehicle. I know the Jeep has tow points on it that come standard, but how would I attach this to a Honda civic for example?
Some people online suggested d-rings or attaching a chain to the end of the tow strap.
Any advice is appreciated
Let them hook it up on their end and only agree to pull them out if it looks right. Unfortunately in this day and age you never know when your good deed can turn into a lawsuit because you damaged someone's vehicle.
American keeper has a great point !!!! My dad pulled over for everyone and passed the torch to me... So I pull over for everyone. But you do have to look at it case by case because it is a messed up world now.
I believe the best thing to pull vehicles without recovery points out of a stuck situation is with a chain bridle
but sadly American Jeeper is correct you need to be really careful about doing the good deed because people are sue happy now for the smallest of things
"ZOMG! You pulled my car out of the ditch so I could make it to my kids first recital on time! but you scratched the paint on the bumper - I'm SUING you for everything you got!"
We are not nearly as litigious in Canada as you are in the US. Still it does pay to take precautions. You can have the other driver attach the strap to their vehicle but most don't have a clue and you end up doing it or them. You could carry a a damage liability waiver and have them sign it.
The strap you identified is a recovery strap and therefore it will stretch which is good in most cases. A straight pull on snow in 4WD may not be enough to recover some vehicles. However, with the recovery strap you can use momentum to provide more than enough energy to recover someone. That being said you really want to attach the strap to the centerline of the Jeep. If you have a hitch stick the loop of the strap inside the hitch and put the pin through the loop. Now when you pull your jeep won't be yanked sideways like it would be if you used the recovery point on the rear bumper.
I would also get a tree saver strap and a 3/4" D-ring. Use the tree saver around the frame or axle of the stuck vehicle and connect it too your recovery strap with the D-Ring. Throw a heavy towel over the D-ring as protection if something breaks. Any sharp edges will cut into the tree saver strap and not your recovery strap.
The best recovery option for beginners is when you are pulling the stuck vehicle out backwards and they also have a 2" hitch. A recovery strap between their hitch and your hitch is simple and usually safe. Do not use the ball but rather insert the strap into the receiver and use the pin to hold it in place.
Lots of vehicles are made with shipping hooks front and rear that are made to be used to secure the vehicles in transit when new. These rust quickly, they are designed to last long enough to get the vehicle to the dealer for sale when new, after a few years you can easily pull some of these off with a good tug. So use them only if they look secure and up to the task.
Problem with so many cars is they are so low that its hard to hook up without the chain/strap etc oushing uop on the vehicle fascia or bumper. They really dont have much to hook onto, im always leary about being a good citizen cause most people will blame you for any damage.
From a self preservation standpoint, I tend not to stop and pull people out that are stuck. And I have a winch. I'll help dig/push etc but I don't want to open myself up to the potential issues if any damage/injury occurs. Now that is in the city where getting a tow truck is a non issue. Out in the country I would take it on a case by case basis, and only use the winch where it is a slow and controlled pull.
Thanks everyone who responded! It seems like my best bet would be to keep with me some d-rings and a heavy duty chain? I'll probably just be helping out friends and family, but it seems like the safest thing to do with strangers is let them attach it themselves.
If I was to attach my end of the strap to my trailer hitch, where would I attach it? And would I just thread one end of the strap through the loop to secure it?
Id never loop the strap through itself unless its a total emergency, they stretch and can really tighten down on what ever they are hooked to, so much so that you have to cut them off. A clevis connecting to another short axle strap or chain wrapped around axle etc it they dont have recovery points is the best bet and ALWAYS make sure to hang something over the center of the strap when pulling. If they break loose/snap its like a cannon!
Where I live, it's at least a hundred bucks to get a tow truck to come out here. I've seen people stuck in places that a tow truck won't even go! Most of us have 4wd trucks and even 4wd tractors, and when someone gets stuck (mostly in the winter or during mud season) we end up doing the job. Usually they get pulled out for nothing, and given the "pay it forward" routine. If they are jerks, then it's "money up front", but less than they'd pay for a tow truck.
Pulling out a vehicle that has tow hooks or a trailer hitch is relatively easy. It's the cars that don't have any visible secure attachment that can give you problems.
I know it's a bit of forward thinking, but for the winter I wanted to get a recovery strap to keep in the Jeep for helping out some stuck vehicles (Canadian winters, eh?).
I've done a bit of research online and it seems the best strap to get is one with loops, so I'm thinking this one? Just Jeeps :: Tow Straps & Recovery :: Smittybilt Tow...
I'm just wondering how to hook it to the other vehicle. I know the Jeep has tow points on it that come standard, but how would I attach this to a Honda civic for example?
Some people online suggested d-rings or attaching a chain to the end of the tow strap.
Any advice is appreciated
I picked this up at a local Rigging and Tools store. It's high quality 3/8 chain. Note the "locking" grab hook. That is very important. This chain, 2 good clevis's, snatch strap, tree saver, and a winch is what I carry.
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