I have a 4 ton "come a long" aka cable pull
one of these whatever you call it


Can you use these for recovery ? Are they really any good for recovery ?

 

I used one last weekend when I was down to my frame and It worked well enough for me to not be stuck still! Just make sure you attach the other end to something sturdy!

 

They suffer from some of the same problems as using a HiLift for recovery:

1. The first part of each pull is taking up "slack" and "stretch" in any cable or strap. You don't end up moving things on each pull as much as you might think.

2. If you don't pull something all the way out in one pull, you need to do something to keep it from rolling back while you hook up for the next pull. If you have some good chain you can make something that "holds the load" between pull setups. That's how the HiLift recovery kits work.

3. Not as strong as a winch, no matter what they rate it.

I've recovered my truck with a HiLift for about 75 feet of pulling and it was a lot of work. Better than being stuck, but it's tricky to get out of some stucks using one.

 

had one before i got my winches better than beeing stuck but i would save up and buy a winch. The high lift jacks are worth the 40$ at harbor freight

 

I have a high lift also, i have the chain kit for it also, i was thinking about getting a run of chain for it, harbour freight has a chain rated at 5400 lbs do you think that is strong enough ?

I plan on getting a winch one day, i think before then i want to do a dual battery setup and front reciever.

 

I saw that. It's 5/16" chain. Get some 3/8" chain if you can find some. I scrounged some at work, but there are different grades and make sure it's the strong stuff.

Still, the 5/16" will do in a pinch -- as long as you aren't trying to drag it up a rough, steep hill or from a stuck with a lot of suction.

 

Harbour fright also has a 3/8

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40462

is that ok in more then just a pinch ?

 

they work, as long as you have plenty of time.....

 

Yes, 5400 pounds is okay I suppose -- but be careful. Look up the grades of chain and see what's available overall. GOOD chain is not cheap, as a rule. But -- I don't know what's available.

 

we don't have a TSC around my home
I would go to a Home Depot or Lowes and get some proof coil
cheap and you can buy what you need by the foot

 

Oh, my chain is grade 70 transport chain. It's rated I believe around 6500-7000 pounds or so.

 

that's what i've got and i've used it at least 10-15 times already, and i've towed everything from a 2500HD to a Massey 155...no problems whatsoever

 

remember to throw a towel over the chain incase it snaps so it doesnt whip and kill someone

 

Must be different for you guys out east who mud a lot. Come alongs are freakin killer out here. Especially in the sand. I've pulled more trucks out with one of those than I have with tow straps.

 

yeah...sand is alot more forgiving than say sloppy mud, or silt when it comes to getting out of it

 

Where there is sand...where is a tree to hook the other end to?

lol...I just picture someone out in the desert stuck...with a come along with nothing to wrap it to...

Ive used them to get out of mud holes, i dont trust them that much because they snap easily if there is too much weight, but under emergency situations it can be usefull..


Rocky

 

You hook it to the front tow hooks of your f-250 have somone in there with it in Reverse and the hubs locked and start comming....

 

there are only a few really sandy places like that. most places in the "desert" have either trees or something

 

we use come alongs around here often. though, I think our heaviest is 2 ton. use em for moving the old truck - 1977 E350 - 14,000 lbs. tranny is SCREWED... im innocent, i swear! =) staighten trees, or pull out stumps.... i remember my neighbor redid his front lawn, and there was this HUGE tree, that died, and he cut it down, then used his lil baby o2 red ranger to pull the stump... after laying rubber in the neighbors driveway, we switched to or come along, and after moving the telephone pole 4 inches, we got out the stump... heh... dad couldnt believe we moved the pole, till he seen the gap on the otherside of the pole.

now, as far as recovery? well, someone here, i think it was ne3lz, that has this neat little equation for figuring out how much um, positive weight? strength? to pull out a truck in mud. cause mud = suckage, so, ya, go talk to ne3lz.

 

Those things are handly little tools. I carry one in the truck. I've used it a couple times for dropping trees. I also once recovered a tractor I flipped (don't ask) using the pickup as an anchor. In that case I tried two times unsuccessfully before I finally found a good angle so I could lift the tractor.. and in both cases I managed to drag the truck while it was parked, engine off, in gear, in 4Lo, w/ the ebrake set!

Although I've never used one for recovering the truck. In fact I've yet to have my truck recovered.. I've yet to have it stuck!

But yeah, that'll work..

 

this link may be useful... http://fordtruckworld.tenmagazines.c...me_along_winch

also what i consider a recovery essential guide: http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Recovery/

 

I wouldn't own or use one. You're standing right next to the cable. If the cable snaps, the part of the cable attached to the come along could whiplash back at you and cause injury or death.

 

Ive unstuck myself with a come along and a highlift jack before.. better than being stuck and have nothing.

 

I've used a come-a-long for years now with no problems and no situation I couldn't get out of. One time I went down a huge dirt/rock valley and couldn't get back up either side (2wd sucks sometimes). I used my come-a-long to pull about 10 feet, step on the e-brake, re-set on the next tree, and pull another 10 feet. It took me 2 hours to get all the way up, but there was no way a tow-truck was gonna make it to where I was, I was alone, and had no cell phone (very stupid, huh?)...so with some patience, caution, and the right one, a come-a-long is a VERY useful tool.

 

John MacMaster has a point though: it's NOT as safe as a winch. Neither is a HiLift either since you operate it "inline" with the pull.

One should consider the possible risks and strive not to overload the comealong, cabling, chain, strap, etc. There are times when it may not be appropriate to even TRY to get out with such devices, and it's time to call/hike out whatever and get a buddy who is better equipped to do a recovery.