Best tow rope setup
 

Hey everyone,

I just realized that I no longer have a decent tow rope to throw in the back of my truck. Are there any thoughts as to the best setup? Looking for something to primarily be used for pulling/being pulled out of the ditch. Would you recommend rope, chain, or strap? What about length? I can't seem to find a quality one to purchase commercially so figured I would make my own.

Any input would be appreciated.

Smithy

Get a tow strap from Princess Auto, I believe there made by Erickson. I use a 3 inch 30 ft for my Dodge diesel. Very strong, they have all different sizes.

X2.

Yup x 3

for pulling folks out of the ditch you want a recovery (kinetic_ strap and not a tow strap, they are very different and rated differently, check out "bubba Rope" and make sure you have good recovery points. :)

Hutterite straps
 

I always use tow straps. way safer then chains and they have some elasticity that helps the tug. There is a hutterite colony in central alberta that has bought a big sewing machine and builds tow straps. (Can also repair tents or anything you can imagine!) He has some straps on hand or will build anything you want. He gets straps by the roll in any width from 2" to 12"!!The big ones work awesome with the tractors. I normally get a 2" by 100' and he folds it in half and gives it 2 or 3 stiches the full length so its a doubled strap for 50'. There is no way you will break it! They roll up nice and fit under the seat. Very quick with orders and very reasonable on prices

Thanks for the great info everyone. That certainly helps me out. Cougar, do you know which colony it is?

Thanks,

Smithy

use a tope strap that has its own loop made of the same fiber. If you use metal clevices, hooks etc attached to tow straps and the anchor point lets go it ll make a chain link flying off seem not so bad lol

I like chain for the convenience of length, but if it lets go it's a scary sight watching it coming at your face. Had it happen last week, got a few marks on the grill on a small dent on the hood. Luckily the hook just sailed past and never hit anything. A strap is definitely a better option though, safer and not as jarring as when a chain goes tight, damn near get whiplash yanking with chain.

Most company safety manuals state tow strap only with non metal ends. Seen chains break as well, but if that's all I got.......... I goin to use it.

Remember there is a difference between a tow strap and a recovery strap. Tow strap should have no stretch and typically come with hardware, like hooks. Recovery straps should have good stretch and no hardware just loops, they stretch so you can yard on em and snatch the vehicle, the stretch protect the vehicles being recovered, and provides some more kinetic energy when the vehicle being recovered starts to come unstuck.

Good example of some proper recoveries done off road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Oin_iHzPgA

i think about 5-6 month ago one Husky truck was pulling another one out, and i think they were using hooks on the straps and/or the trucks. so one of them slipped off and went through back window, and i think front window as well.
i have 2 clevises in my truck, and when i needed a tug the strap wasnt going anywhere. I have the hitch without the ball, and clevis fits there perfectly. Lots of trucks i see have closed loop "hooks" in front and or in the back. Make sure get the strap with the loops, not hooks. 30'-50' long is enough (IMO), and make sure it's not a sissy one. Get 3" wide or bigger.

30' "Bubba" rope or master pull "Super Yanker"

We have used some of the 2" ropes at work behind a d10, and I was often scared the truck would pull into 2 before the rope broke...

J

Very true we had a truck break down in a SAGD project they would not let us tow it to the gate with one of our other pick ups to be loaded on a low boy to be hauled to Edmonton. Had to be a authorized tow truck to haul it to the gate. Then once outside the gate loaded on a low boy. All our trucks are serviced in Edmonton we haul em there . This safety crap is out of control nowa days. That was a $600 tow bill to haul it less than 1 mile.

So how would you move equipment around in the mud? I don't think a cat is an authorized tow truck.

Depends what day it is. LOL Otherwise I don't know. They searched the tow truck and our pick up coming off the site though. We had some test core hole samples that were quickly confiscated. LOL I think they were in that truck for months because they weren't even from that project. LOL.

I like the tow strap with 2ft of chain at the ends. Picked it up at peavey mart for 100$

I put a 5/16" sythetic on my 10000 lb warn. Good for 20000 tensile. Im even hinking about getting a extra 125 feet as a towstrap or a extension for longer pulls. 125 ft would occupy a space behind the seat no bigger than a loaf of bread. And weighs three lbs.

Princess Auto had a wicked deal on tow straps a couple months ago; forget what the rating was, but they were 4" wide and 25 or 30' long, closed loop straps. On for about $15, should have been more like $50. Grabbed 3 of them for the various "adventure vehicles" hanging around. I like something with some stretch; saves on breakage, big time.

PA, also stocks some heavy clevises as well. Go on the heavy end for tow straps, skip the wimpy ones and chains, not worth tearing the wimpy ones in half or ripping out a recovery point to save $20.

Being in the towing and recovery industry, I like a 50" X2' recovery strap with a towmans cluster on it. A cluster attaches with a small clevis and has a J hook, a mini J hook, R hook, along with a regular chain hook on it. With this set up you can recover 99% of vehicles as you can use the proper recovery points and double reinforced holes to pull the disabled vehicle. All to often I have seen people try to do things themselves and end up bending tailing arms, ripping frames, etc. you can also pick up a cluster at any towing supply store or online.

The company I work for we use the "ditch hitch" recovery system. This is the only system we are allowed to use.

The Erskine colony does all the sewing. About 40 min east of Red Deer ask for martin