How are you towing someone out of a ditch, where are you hooking to on your truck, what are you using and are you 4x4ing it..

I have had an ongoing traction error popping up once in a blue moon, and today it was on, just happenstance while i was helping some kid who was changing a flat, his truck fell off the jack and sank into mud. It was a jobsite with lots of mud that had been removed and put back , gravel put on top.

Anyway, i came to the realization that your 4x4 doesnt engage if you you have a traction light on.. I had to act like a freaking pilgrim and get my *** out and manually turn my hubs like it was 1892.
After doing that, the situation we were in was like a clay mud, I was starting to free spin. I ended up locking the rear diff and slowing weaseling my way out without him, turning around, and pulling him out with the front of my truck on the eye hooks, and my back tires on dry ground.

The front eye hooks seem to be the safest, the rear hitch safety chain holes are too small for almost anything, i didnt wanna use my drop hitch or a ball, I've heard horror stories.

 

Don’t be bitchin’ about 1892 ‘technology’ (hubs) when they saved your ***!
LoL

 

These day where everyone is so sue happy I just use google to assist them……..give them the phone # of a tow company.

 

Use a Moose Knuckle or similar via your hitch receiver.

Moose Knuckel

Here is a complete setup. Those loops can just drop over your hitch ball, or loop around your tow rings in the front.

 

They shoulda called that a ball hitch, because it looks a lot more like one than the other…

 

My suggestions:
1) Carry a short strap with eyes. I wrap/loop it around the receiver hitch or the front loops. Then I use a heavy shackle to connect a larger/longer strap or chain.
2) If you use any chain/strap you better have a safety device hanging or wrapped around the chain/strap. Think of a half filled sand bag. Cause when the chain/strap fails, it's not going to hit the truck (or you) with the device on the chain/strap.
3) Front end loops or the rear receiver are equally good points but you need to use some smarts to setup the correct angle to pull effectively.
4) 4wd needs to be engaged WAY before you are ever wanting to get stuck or pull someone.
5) I've used the ELD alone to pull people out the ditch. No need to shift to 4wd.

BTW the rear hitch safety chain holes ARE NOT for pulling people out the mud.

In the end there's people who could care less you are helping them, others will deeply appreciate the effort. I had a neighbor who slid into the ditch, I pulled them out. they asked what I wanted for my help. With the ice on the ground and snow dropping, the family around thanking me I told them...."When you see me just wave." After that even when the kids were waiting for the bus, they waved "Hi". I've pulled people out who just drove off. F-them....

 

I guess I should expand on my previous comment.
Rule #1 is just for me.
I never pull anything in reverse. Eliminates chance of something flying thru windshield. Differential gears are much weaker in reverse.
2. If I don’t know them…..they MUST have their own tow strap, and be able to hook it to their own vehicle. I will connect to my vehicle.
3. If I know them, yes, then I will do what is necessary to help them; unless I know them to be arseholes! LOL

 

I'm in same camp of them hooking it to their own vehicle but I will look just to make sure it's a "safe" hooking location.

I only use chains but have 1/2" chain with big hooks. These chains are the same chains I use for pulling rail strings with a wheel loader that weigh near 23,000#.

 

I generally I only pull forward BUT I was on site to see a Tacoma pull a Dodge dually up a snow covered hill in reverse, gravel was flying, Dodge came out, Toyota didn't break even though it probably should have.

I would never ever pull someone out hat brought there own strap. I know my equipment, I do not know yours. I will also hook it up because I do not want that done incorrectly, the consequences could be severe.

I have driven by the a-hole already strapped and waiting because if you are a dumb a-hole like that guy, being stuck needs to suck. Most people are pretty grateful and I am happy to rescue them.

Most of my rescues are from snow so I have four tire chains, three 30' straps and a 30' bungee recovery strap rated for WAY more than my truck. If you use a good hitch in back you can pull from it. Parts rated 10k or better will do the job unless you are jerking hard on them with a chain or non stretch strap, you could break a hitch but it is really rare.

All just depends... I had a plow clients adult children get stuck on the county road in a big drift at 3am one night. My son and I went out, I needed to get him back to his truck around 4am anyway so... I hooked her VW Atlas up, had to go to a front suspension arm, not ideal but it worked. I told her to keep the wheel pointed towards the center of the road and NOT to start spinning the tires. She did the opposite of what I said, gunned it and her car started sliding further off. I also gunned it at that point, buried the front of her car in snow and gravel but got her up on the road. Charged her $100 for being an idiot, went on my way, sent them back to California...

 

This is the reason for comment in post #3 of this thread. Let ‘em sue the tow company!

 

Be smart, it isn't that big of a risk. I have been pulling people out for 30 years, never had a problem, never been sued. If it is too much or the stuck person prefers, then call the tow but around here it could be 3-4 hours easy to get them to show up. The ones I think might sue just get left for dead... Often times, there is no google service where I am pulling people out.

 

I thought using a hitch ball as a loop point was a big no no

 

For the most part it is a no no. A D ring shackle reciever hitch, similar to the one shown above is a good option. That paired with an appropriate sized kinetic rope and maybe some soft shackles and a tow strap would be a pretty effective recovery kit.

 

I carry a hitch link, a dynamic rope, and a couple soft shackles with me as part of my standard loadout. Honestly its more for my benefit than anyone's...if I get into a bad situation, I want to make sure if someone helps me, they have the proper gear.

That's not to say I don't gladly give assistance to someone else in need...but their vehicle would has to be equipped with proper tow points and I have to feel confident in their skills to navigate while being recovered. Otherwise I'm happy to call a tow truck for them.

 

From the website:

I guess there's a niche in every market