never jerk a stuck truck with a chain

mr heavy-chevy said:

i love my bungie recovery rope...

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i just wish it was longer

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That's what she said! Haha haha sorry had to do it! Lmao

Chains are for tying down equipment when hauling. Chains are designed for static loading. Not for shock loading, such as when used to jerk on anything. There are correct types of recovery straps for that. However, the best plan of attack, to reduce the damage risk to vehicles, or folks standing in the kill zone. Is the good old fashion worm gear drive winch. Gear drive winches produce a slower line speed. And more often than not, have a much lower gear ratio than other type winch drive system. Safety is more important than speed when moving any object that has became part of the ground. Carry a couple of 4 ton snatch blocks, tree saver strap, a 6"X30' recovery strap, 4 ton rated shackles, a pair of heavy duty wrecker style chock blocks, a high lift jack, and a round point shovel on your rig. With just that small amount of recovery gear, and knowing how to use it correctly. You will not be calling folks to get you out. It will quickly become you, that are being called to get others out. Semper Fi. OUT!!!!!

in my 40 years of pulling crap out with a chain ive never broke one.. but i use grade 100 chain too and i never yank. been towing recovery for 30 some odd years............
straps do work better for yanking... but ive busted a few of them (way too much weight )

My chains are for pulling ME out. Winching never hurt me yet.

PrairieDrifter said:

That's why I roll with a 6x30 recovery strap..

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6 as in 6” wide? Could pull a stuck D8 out with that!
Holy crap. Old thread

I had a different issue. I did use a chain to pull a guy out who was stuck in a snow drift. We tried to dig first and just couldn't get it so I was tugging on him for quite some time and did yank him a few times. After a while my truck started running really rough and died. At first I thought it was over heated. It would start up and run rough at idle but would run fine once the RPM's were up. For the next couple of YEARS I had the issue, at idle it was rough but as soon as you added some RPMS it would smooth out. Replaced everything we could and even rebuilt the carb after talking to Edlebrock. I was at my wits end as nobody could find it after having it in multiple shops and seen by multiple "chevy guys". The last shop I was at two guys were looking at it. While it was idling, one guys was underneath and another guy up top. The guy underneath noticed I had a motor mount that was messed up and he put a jack under it to mess with it while the other guy was looking at the plugs wires, etc. As soon as he lifted up the slightest amount on the motor mount with the jack the engine smoothed out perfectly. When he let it down it started running rough again. They replaced the motor mount and never had the issue again. They theorized there was a wire pinched somewhere and when the RPM's would pick up it was un pinching but the motor would settle at idle. Craziest thing I had heard of but the motor mount fixed the issue.

I must be the only one here with farm experience. Chains are the only thing that will move a 30k tractor

After being in towing I have seen lots of broken chains and cables. Be extremely careful when under a load. Need to use properly sized equipment with good attachment points and stay in a safe area. If a person doesn't understand that you have no business pulling anything.

3/8 cable normally used on most light duty recoveries breaks surprisingly easy. One case I can remember we had 200' out and broke the cable at the stuck truck. Every bit of the 200' ended up under the truck pulling. That will get your attention.


Somewhat off topic but should be considered.
In most cases newer cars do not have solid attachment points. If you charge a fee and damage anything your likely liable.

In this state [Washington], any vehicle in the ditch is considered an accident, damage or not. State wants to investigate for excessive speed and check for impairment. Not saying this is good or bad just an FYI.

snatch out straps have been around for at least 60 years

Chain? Doh!

Another dumb arsse

77Dmax said:

I must be the only one here with farm experience. Chains are the only thing that will move a 30k tractor

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Those are two bold statements bud. Chains are NOT the only thing that works. Maybe y'all should come into the 21st century.

Just like a farmer though "I've been doing this my whole life" so I'll give you that. But we are far past the days of chains being the only option. Why dont you join the rest of us here in the future lol

Also plenty of famers here.

Edit- east coast. Now it makes sense

Grit dog said:

6 as in 6” wide? Could pull a stuck D8 out with that!
Holy crap. Old thread

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6 inch wide yep! It's a cheap unit for what it is. But it's held up great and works. Doesn't even budge in strength with pickups lol

PrairieDrifter said:

6 inch wide yep! It's a cheap unit for what it is. But it's held up great and works. Doesn't even budge in strength with pickups lol

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Wow, well use whatcha got I suppose. If you were closer I’d give you some more manageable sized old lifting slings to pack around.
Fortunately I don’t use tow straps much (knock on wood) and there’s always an ample supply every time a sling gets a cut or nick and isn’t osha legal anymore.

I don't agree with insulting someone else's opinion, I don't agree with anyone who says there is only one right way to do something. After a lifetime of pulling heavy things I have used winches, chains, straps, and ropes. I have broken straps, I have broken chains and I have broken a winch cable. I have made stupid decisions and I have learned (hopefully!) from those mistakes.

Straps have zero stretch and they will break. They especially do not like to be "snatched". I only use them for rigging if possible.
Chains are not for snatching but because of their weight they can absorb a small amount of momentum. This can be very dangerous though.
Winches are fantastic but can kill you. I have seen a man die when his winch cable broke. I have seen a man that was scarred for life when his winch cable broke and came back through his windshield. He nearly died from blood loss.

I use ropes a lot when felling trees and have used ropes and a series of pulleys/snatch blocks to move some very heavy, very stuck things. When those trees get on the ground they get moved with chains.

I am about to drop some cash on a good Kinetic Energy Rope. Yankum, Factor 55 and several others work almost unbelievably well. If I invest in a new winch it will definitely have a modern synthetic rope instead of a steel cable.

A little time watching Matt's Off Road Recovery on Youtube would help some of you a lot. I find it very instructive as well as entertaining.

Grit dog said:

Wow, well use whatcha got I suppose. If you were closer I’d give you some more manageable sized old lifting slings to pack around.
Fortunately I don’t use tow straps much (knock on wood) and there’s always an ample supply every time a sling gets a cut or nick and isn’t osha legal anymore.

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I've got a smaller strap for pulling cars and small stuff out of ditches and snowbanks. Usually just static pulls or small bumps. I wouldn't trust a stuck stranger to not ruin my nice rope anyways. You must be very careful helping strangers.

But a truck I use that big strap. I just haven't coughed up the cash for a kinetic rope yet.

In my opinion kinetic ropes are the only way for non winch yanks. Winches still have their place. But these days chains and straps really should be frowned upon when we have very safe ropes that perform how a snatching device should.

For everyone. Use physics to your advantage, get a kinetic rope and stop tearing stuff up, and being dangerous. Kinetic ropes are very safe as long as you have it hooked up to a proper place, otherwise it will be a guided missle. Soft shackles have also been proven.