One never knows when help will be needed:

 

I've actually broken those hybrid pintle/ball hitches using them as recovery points. Most hitch ***** are rated to 3000-6000lbs, a decent tug from a recovery strap attached to something large (say... my Cat D8T) will snap them clean off. Most Class III hitches are easily bent or torn from their frames when used as recovery points, and I have found that the recovery holes (t/j hook points on the frame) are quite useless as well. On the farm, most vehicles have been fitted with Tow Rings (NOT hooks) up front with grade 8 hardware and plates to reinforce the frame. If the vehicle doesn't have a Class IV or Class V hitch and recovery ring installed, we use either one of the big recovery slings (i have both 40k, and 120k lb slings for farm implements) wrapped around the rear axle, or j hooks.

Different levels of stuck require different tools ;P That said, all of my farm hands have been trained to NOT trust hitches. Unless you are quite familiar with them, most laymen would have a hard time telling the difference between a 5000lb rated class III hitch, and a 10,000lbs rated class IV.

 

The little pin that goes through the receiver has a sheer strength or 15,000 to 30,000 pounds. The ball shaft is probably 4- 10 times that. The working load may be 5000 pounds but the weak point will be the attachment of the hitch to the rig not the ball shaft breaking off. Viewing the one video that is always cited for this unfounded fear it appears to us that the whole receiver came off. So, if one wants to worry about strap connections to the hitch, it is not the ball that one would worry about.

Having said that, the idea that one would wrap a strap around an axle to ****** a vehicle out of the mud is pretty odd to say the least. The leaf sping mounts are the point that would disconnect and they are not much compared to a ball shaft.

 

Actually, connecting to the dug in axle makes more sense than trying pull against the frame. The force is applied to Tires -> axle -> Strap vs Tires -> Axle -> Suspension -> Frame -> Attachment Point -> Strap. Most of the large vehicles on the farm are 2WD, or manage to get one of their traction axles buried.

I have a receipt right here on my desk from an attempt to pull the small (26,000lb box) international out by its frame last month. We needed new bushings, a new airbag, and 3 new links.

The rated shear strength of a pin relies on how you apply the force. Either way, in this case you are not applying shearing load if you are using it to anchor a strap inside the receiver. You are applying side load. I HAVE bent high quality pins using the recovery strap into the receiver method. If you are talking jeeps or other light SUVs, taht fine. if youa re talking about, say, a 15,000lb RV or a 10,000lb fully loaded van, that's different.

 

Well, big problems require big solutions.

But, I think a truck axle would be a pretty expensive tow point. I have a 33,000gvwr Volvo FE with an Eaton air bag drop rear axle and I sure would rather fix some other parts than wrap the axle and yank on it. My Umimog has pulled some pretty heavy rigs out including M352A and the like. But, I do loop the strap through two very large frame welded d shackles.

I think the frame is always the best tow point and tie down point, but like I said, big problems require big solutions and sometimes I am sure there is room for a recovery using some other points.

As to the original point, I think the ball shaft is the least likely problem in the chain of weak links.

 

I agree. There are worse ways of doing it. Just pay attention to your pull or have a spotter and make sure you aren't bending the hitch downwards or about to slip off.

Harbor Freight/Northern Tool's cheap *** 'tow ropes' with their potmetal cast hooks scare me way more. I almost want to jump out and smack someone when I see a car being pulled/recovered with one of those cheap, lose weave, nylon rope, cast hook 'tow ropes.' They cost like, 10 freakin dollars. Do people think ANY Certification/QC/Testing went into that?


Emergency Tow Rope — 14Ft.L, 6000Lb. Capacity | Tow Chains, Ropes Straps| Northern Tool + Equipment

 

These are the devil's work. I have actually bought these off of guys at off road parks and cut them up. Virtually all serious strap and rope accidents are caused by these. Not one person in my club with 90 members owns one of these. Walmart sells a yellow strap with a 2" poly (18,000) which is what one also sees among guys who don't know what is needed for a safe recovery. And, in addition to the skull crushing pot metal hooks, at 14', which is usually what they sell, it is too short for a good ****** strap.

For the novices who might come across this thread, a 30 foot 4" polyester yellow strap, permanently sewed loops at both ends, and 2 3/4" D shackles are the starting point for safe snatching. A real recoil ****** strap is expensive and mostly unnecessary but a luxury to have.

 

For those of you who INSIST on being cheap, dont get chain or anything with hooks on it. Get straps with sewn loops or a recovery sling. Whatever the 'breaking' strength is, divide by 3 to get working strength. If you have a 22,000lb breaking strength strap, you shouldn't be pulling more than about 7000lbs with it.

Make sure its a RECOVERY strap. TOW straps,CARGO straps, and TIE-DOWNS are dangerous as hell for this kinda work. THEY CANNOT HANDLE THE SHOCK LOAD OF RECOVERY.

For anyone who thinks its okay to use straps with unrated hooks for recovery work, I'll be happy to PM you an image of one of my neighbors ranch hands who didnt make it. The tow hook was embedded in his skull.

 

I think its time for the funniest snow bank recovery of all time. Note the strap is the yellow Walmart special I described above. Lucky for them, it was the car that broke not the hook.

GEO stuck in snow bank, - YouTube

Of course, if they had hooked the strap to the passenger side and not the driver's side, it would have pulled it right out, safety concerns notwithstanding.

 

^^^^^ those guys were totally idiots.

 

Ok, ok. Can we get back on topic? Girls as recovery tow straps -- who's next?

 

Hahahaha this has got to be the most random and interesting thread in the whole van forum! Who knew we even get into offroading stuff in a van forum?

 

Uh, muh van is stuck. Can I get a push?

 

I have returned! Made it ever further now... but stopped here, no way I was even trying in this!



To bad about that bad spot, looked great onwords.

 

Well I'm still with ya Henry----you DO raise an interesting topic! Where do we go from here?

Love the photos BTW!