Pulled out a guy yesturday, 3/4 Chevy 2wd, dump trailer, AND a NH loader tractor

[LD1]

Pulling in reverse used to be the preferred way because your gearing was lower. Now with these modern 6 or more gear transmissions you more than likely have lower gearing in forward.

If towing in reverse I always use the passengers side tow hook just in case something gives way and comes through the windshield.

Chris

Around here, pulling is reverse isnt about gearing, its about proper technique. Which I have had to show people a few times.

If trying to pull a car out of a ditch going forward, MANY times the car just likes to run the ditch and sometimes can slide/suck you into the ditch also.

By pulling in reverse, you can use your front tires to steer. Hook fairly short, maybe 10' chain/strap. And hook to the far side tow hook. As you are pulling, cut the wheels in the direction that will pull the vehicle out of the ditch.

Last winter, We had a ~10" or so event and I was sent out to do a lot that was missed. They had 3 semi's stuck. (no trailer). Back in between two buildings and drifted pretty bad. They were gonna call a tow service in but needed plowed to get back there. I was already out for more hours than I wanted and just wanted to get done. I backed up and handed the guy a chain. The look on his face was priceless. One of those "you got to be kidding me" looks. Truck had no problem pulling him out to where I had plowed a clean path (so he could get the rest of the way out). Did that to the other two trucks also. One of the hillbilly drives kept going on about cummins and how he knew it would do it blah blah blah. I told him the engine I had has nothing to do with it. ITs all about weight in the right place and traction. Was glad to get that day overwith:laughing:

 

[diesel lover]

I have a strap that looks very much like that one, may be it in fact. Has worked well for random tree work pulling trees of houses, etc. I use it at the end of my logging rope to take the abuse. I have only pulled out a couple of people, but what I noticed is that in 4WD low with an auto transmission, you can really apply a lot of grunt getting people out when going slow and steady. I'd like to get a better rear hook or shackle for my truck though. Probably one of those drawbars with clevis for the trailer hitch would be best.

Anyone know if it's OK to pull someone in reverse? I thought I remembered hearing that this was potentially bad for the transmission.

Lighter pulls can be done in reverse, something that would not stress your vehicles. Sometimes reverse is better when you need to get someone out of a ditch quickly when its not going to be a tough pull.

If your going to be stressing your vehicle/ jerking and tuging do not do it. I knew a guy with a 90's Chevy pickup and he was pulling a dually 1 ton plow truck out of a spot. The blade was holding the plow truck even worse in the spot. They attached two or three straps and he was pulling and pulling in reverse. On the third jerk he cracked the case on his transmission, a 700r4. It immediately started to leak fluid and leave trails.

On the slow and steady comment, if I could have I would have pulled him from the road. His vehicle remaining stationary and mine gaining ground on the strap would cause building up of pressure on the strap. The constant pressure would have sucked him out of the spot as well. I like this method a lot when using two great anchor points on the vehicles. Unfortunately the years have changed, people like to drive way to fast and pay attention to the screen on their cell phone. I got him out the first time but had to back up from the road due to a car coming. This is when my strap came disconnected. When I pulled him the second time with my front tires on pavement it was a breeze!

 

[diesel lover]

Rural King carries the Erickson straps. I've been thinking of buying one but haven't decided on a size. 20' or 30'? 2" or 3"? After reading this, I think the 30' would have more material to stretch. And I think 3" might be overkill for most jobs, and probably restrict some of the stretch on lighter pulls.

If you can't decide the 30 foot works well in either 2 or 3 inch. If pulling with a 3/4 ton truck or 1 ton the 3 inch strap will work better and hold up better but does have less stretch. You can always double the line and have a 15 foot pull when there is limited room such as pulling a guy out of a ditch. Don't forget additional chain, shackles and other hardware as sometimes you need a chain to protect your strap from being torn by another vehicle.

 

[diesel lover]

Around here, pulling is reverse isnt about gearing, its about proper technique. Which I have had to show people a few times.

If trying to pull a car out of a ditch going forward, MANY times the car just likes to run the ditch and sometimes can slide/suck you into the ditch also.

By pulling in reverse, you can use your front tires to steer. Hook fairly short, maybe 10' chain/strap. And hook to the far side tow hook. As you are pulling, cut the wheels in the direction that will pull the vehicle out of the ditch.

Last winter, We had a ~10" or so event and I was sent out to do a lot that was missed. They had 3 semi's stuck. (no trailer). Back in between two buildings and drifted pretty bad. They were gonna call a tow service in but needed plowed to get back there. I was already out for more hours than I wanted and just wanted to get done. I backed up and handed the guy a chain. The look on his face was priceless. One of those "you got to be kidding me" looks. Truck had no problem pulling him out to where I had plowed a clean path (so he could get the rest of the way out). Did that to the other two trucks also. One of the hillbilly drives kept going on about cummins and how he knew it would do it blah blah blah. I told him the engine I had has nothing to do with it. ITs all about weight in the right place and traction. Was glad to get that day overwith:laughing:

GLAD you mentioned that. Im tired of cummins this, cummins that blah blah. The engine does not do anything. Its all in technique. Without proper technique you won't be getting far or damaging your equipment. When possible sometimes a 4wd loader tractor, backhoe, or wheeled loader can work better in some cases due to the weight and power of the machine. I have noticed sometimes a tractor or constrution equipment works better. I broke a ball joint on my 1/4 ton isuzu truck when I was in highschool. It broke on a super icy day and it was in the ditch. Tow company wanted $200 to tow my truck 1 mile to my home. My buddy called and said "were picking you up" they picked me up at my house, we hooked the front of my truck to a 3 point box grader on his 4wd tractor, and towed my truck to my home so I could replace the ball joint. A year later we had to do the same thing with his chevy mini van when a front wheel came off and he waited on the side of the road 2 HOURS for a wrecker.

 

[LD1]

GLAD you mentioned that. Im tired of cummins this, cummins that blah blah. The engine does not do anything. Its all in technique. Without proper technique you won't be getting far or damaging your equipment. When possible sometimes a 4wd loader tractor, backhoe, or wheeled loader can work better in some cases due to the weight and power of the machine. I have noticed sometimes a tractor or constrution equipment works better. I broke a ball joint on my 1/4 ton isuzu truck when I was in highschool. It broke on a super icy day and it was in the ditch. Tow company wanted $200 to tow my truck 1 mile to my home. My buddy called and said "were picking you up" they picked me up at my house, we hooked the front of my truck to a 3 point box grader on his 4wd tractor, and towed my truck to my home so I could replace the ball joint. A year later we had to do the same thing with his chevy mini van when a front wheel came off and he waited on the side of the road 2 HOURS for a wrecker.

Yep, engine only comes into play when you have enough traction to run out of power. Very unlikely in winter conditions. Guy was just an idiot. 8000# of truck, 1000# of plow up front, and 2000# of concrete in the back is what was able to pull them out. Wasnt much load on the engine at all. I bet my 100HP saturn 4-cylinder would have made that pull if it was dropped in place of the cummins.:laughing:

 

[diesel lover]

Yes, that's no joke. Working as a truck mechanic I have used semi trucks to try to pull things before. The engine does not play as much into play as people like to think. If that were true semis without trailers would pull great but they don't. Using a 1984 international old highway plow truck I was able to pull a single drive axle sleeper truck hooked to two pup trailers when it was stuck. I am afraid that when I was pulling him even with salt in the bed my tires were spinning and spinning. I was pulling him slowly by surely when I heard my co worker start yelling at the driver "release your trailer brakes!" oooops he didnt even release his trailer brakes so I was dragging to axles across the ice.

Similar situations preformed with a Komatsu wa180 pay loader are a cake walk (when the driver releases the brakes!). I can have a 360 deg range of vision, and even with the lug tires they seem to get decent traction on the ice. Even with a much smaller 5.9 liter cummins there is plenty of power there. And I love the feeling of the powershift transmission as well. When you do get stuck with a wheeled loader like this that has center pin steering you can shift it side to side with the steering wheel and get it unstuck.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Lighter pulls can be done in reverse, something that would not stress your vehicles. Sometimes reverse is better when you need to get someone out of a ditch quickly when its not going to be a tough pull.

If your going to be stressing your vehicle/ jerking and tuging do not do it. I knew a guy with a 90's Chevy pickup and he was pulling a dually 1 ton plow truck out of a spot. The blade was holding the plow truck even worse in the spot. They attached two or three straps and he was pulling and pulling in reverse. On the third jerk he cracked the case on his transmission, a 700r4. It immediately started to leak fluid and leave trails.

On the slow and steady comment, if I could have I would have pulled him from the road. His vehicle remaining stationary and mine gaining ground on the strap would cause building up of pressure on the strap. The constant pressure would have sucked him out of the spot as well. I like this method a lot when using two great anchor points on the vehicles. Unfortunately the years have changed, people like to drive way to fast and pay attention to the screen on their cell phone. I got him out the first time but had to back up from the road due to a car coming. This is when my strap came disconnected. When I pulled him the second time with my front tires on pavement it was a breeze!

Not a 700R4....

Chris

 

[RobertN]

Have to be careful; good way to blow spiders.

Blew front spider in my old Jeep. When I had front diff rebuilt at ring/pinion shop, they said it was common. Reverse stress on gears.

Pulling in reverse used to be the preferred way because your gearing was lower. Now with these modern 6 or more gear transmissions you more than likely have lower gearing in forward.

If towing in reverse I always use the passengers side tow hook just in case something gives way and comes through the windshield.

Chris

 

[r8nger]

When pulling in reverse , it tends to push the pinion gear away from the ring gear, the way the gears are designed. In foreword, it pulls the teeth into each other. That is why pulling forward is the preferred method.

 

[Diamondpilot]

When pulling in reverse , it tends to push the pinion gear away from the ring gear, the way the gears are designed. In foreword, it pulls the teeth into each other. That is why pulling forward is the preferred method.

Makes sense!

Thanks. Learned something new today.

Chris