I like a chain better than a strap myself. You have to be snatching REALLY hard to break a good chain, which isn't good when they do break, they don't stretch which puts a strain on the vehicles bumpers/hitch. An advantage though is you don't have to worry about a chain dry rotting like a strap that can fail when you need it the most. Plus you can use a chain to drag bushes and stumps out of the yard and not worry about it wearing like a strap can. That said a buddy of mine has a used coast guard mooring line, bar none the BEST I've ever used. We pulled a dodge 3/4 ton 4wd out with a 2wd nissan pathfinder! Backed up about 15 ft, slammed it to the floor and it stretched about 10 ft and snatched that dodge up out of the hole, we broke 2 ****** straps before we hooked up the mooring line. If you get a chain get a "tow chain" about 30 or 40 bucks that already has the hooks and carry bag ready to go, mine has a coating to keep it from rusting too.

 

I did break a 40K strap once.....was pulling a semi off of a snowbank....got him free with the last pull and the strap broke....lol
Driver did give me $50 so it was worth it to see my F-150 pull a semi out

 

for a number of years, every time it snowed, me and a buddy would put the tow strap on my d-ring hitch and travel the highway looking for idiots in the ditch. then we would pull them for cash (unless they were cute girls, they were usually free) the first pull paid for the gas and coffee. and the rest of the pulls were profit. some nights we would make $200-300.
and it was good fun, we helped out, and met a bunch of good people along the way

 

You're not talking about the safety chain hooks, are you?

If so, don't use those. Pull with something substantial. I have a shackle that is attached to a draw bar to put in my hitch.

 

i hate chains, they break windows, bumpers, lights, etc.
if it is a beat up woods truck, or a work truck with a flatbed and its built for abuse then maybe i would use it.but not if there is a strap available
also if you are going out to buy a chain to pull with, buy rigging chain. its built at higher quality, and higher working loads. costs more but it will take a LOT more to break it

 

agreed, use your hitch or a shackle. and if you pull from the front use both tow hooks whenever possible

 

Chain is really just not a possibility. I need something small and compact that I can store in the cab. I keep my truck very clean so having a dirty, rusty old chain in the back isn't going to fly. Plus, I don't want to throw in the bed. The strap will be just fine in my case. It's basically a "just in case" item. If I don't feel comfortable using it for a certain situation, I won't. Simple as that.

 

Cabela's: 30' Recovery Strap with Sewn Loops

That is what I have in my pickup in addition to a couple of shackles, 2" x 20' strap and 20' of log chain. $50 at Cabelas

 

Buy a strap, with loops sewn in both ends. And buy as big of one as you can afford as i've broken 30,000 lb straps before. Anything less than 20K is asking for trouble.

 

Sorry to veer off topic, just noticed you are in somerset, KY I am from Henderson KY been to Somerset a time or two very pretty city.

 

Alright, you're not to far away. Yea, it is quite pretty up here, that is, once you get off highway 27 and onto some of the more rural roads. I enjoy it. There's not a whole lot to do, but i'll be up in Lexington this time next year anyway.

 

This is a good thread.... This gives me good reason to buy one and replace my actual chain which is quite dirty and heavy to leave under my seats.

 

Yeah its a drive from here to there as well. I rode up there and picked up a dump truck at a car lot. Pretty much you stay on that main rode where all the businesses are if I remember right, and you go across a bridge, and directly across the bridge is a gas station on the right, and a car lot on the left.

 

Well, sadly we have more gas stations and car lots here than anything else combined I'd bet, so I don't exactly were you would have been, but basically Somerset consists of Highway 27 since that's where almost everything is at.

 

Where is it that the average truck weighs just 3K pounds?

Get a 12K - 15K snatchum that's at LEAST 20' long, 30 wouldn't hurt.

I'ld rather have rope / strap that eventually breaks before the truck.

If they need more than that, they need a winch.