i know the basics.

never use a chain
never use a tow strap
nothing with metal on the ends... ect.

ALWAYS USE A RECOVERY STRAP

you guys dont have to bash that stuff in my head... its already been done.

is it a bad idea to use a thick rope, if i have nothing else? like a good one inch in diameter rope, and tie it off at the end, if you know what kind of ties to do? is there any risk in that?

 

It will snap but you could try it.

 

I know everyone says to use straps and I agree they are safer. But, I still use chains and stuff on the farm and nothing can beat them.

 

Why don't you just buy a recovery strap? It is a great investment.

 

i was asking cause i have seen it done before.

a friend of mine pulled out a girl that was stuck in the snow with a nice heavy duty rope... and it worked.

if, and eventually it does break, will it recoil? recoil hard too?

 

i have. i have it sitting in my truck...

i was asking cause i have seen it before. and wanted to know what could happen.

 

decent 2"x30' strap is like $30. Not all that expensive...I'd trust it more than a knot of mine

 

We always used chains because thats what we normally have laying around. Its bad I know. A buddies z71 was buried and we hooked the chain up to his drop hitch and it broke and dented the crap out of another guys tailgate. Moral of the story, use rope or straps and NEVER get stuck where it takes a ford 4000 tractor, a z71 and a f150 tied to each other to get out.

 

If guess if the rope is big enough you are fine.

 

READ ME

 

or if you have connections like i do. i have a tow strap from a tug boat that i use.

 

If you use a rope and tie a knot in it, you'll likely be cutting it to get it off. Once you load a knot with the force of yanking a truck, its probably permanent.

 

whats the differance between a tow strap and a recovery strap.

 

Tow strap have metal hooks and recovery strap does not.

 

Recovery straps also have a bit of stretch in them so you dont jerk stuff.

Rope is fine. If it brakes, it will whip back if you dont put at towel over the line or if it is really stretchy rope.

 

AKA 'knife knot"......lol

 

if you know how to tie a knot that won't happen

 

In the link Redneckstone posted, you can clearly tell that the rope is made of nylon.

Nylon is the best material because it stretches, and even if it does snap, the recoil is nothing near the velocity of any other material. Still, put a towel, coat, tarp, whatever on it.

Clevis' are ok as long as they are securely attached to the truck rather then the strap/rope.

 

my buddy used to have a 20 ton rope we used to pull eachother out. it was about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. no matter what kinda knot you tie, it was easy to un-tie. obviously it depends what kinda rope you're using. it's got to be something awful big to get a truck out of the mud w/o breaking.

 

Werd.


Also, chains are just fine for pulling, just dont ****** with them. Unless you are pulling with some serious earth moving equipment or something, you will not brake a decent sized chain by PULLING. If you start jerking and snatching, though, something is going to brake. Chains offer no give and when they snap they snap.

 

I have a tow strap. I cut off the hooks because I was afraid of them snapping and the recoil afterwards. Now I just tie it around the frame in a knot.

 

Actually, I've seen chains snap just pulling stuff. And it wasn't equipment. We used the chain for a tow strap. Dumbest thing I've ever seen. It snapped, recoiled, but didn't do any damage.

 

Wow, I work on a farm and have never ever broken a chain and I do some serious stuff with some big equipment.

 

We have a old logger 30ft chain,dont use it unless we have to cause it weights 200lbs.

 

i too worked on a farm growing up and use a chain to tighten our auger down to the shaft. i don't know how you haven't broken a chain but we always broke one. atleast one a day.