Pulling Safely

nwngunner · Mar 7, 2012

I have never had anything that stuck where a 5/8 chain would break. I have snapped small 3/8 chain pulling logs and stuck trucks. I havnt seen one recoil so that is my bad. I know a buddy in SD, his neighbor had a big 4x4 tracked tractor trying to pull a combine out. They had a one inch steel cable to pull the combine out. The cable snapped at the hook on the combine. It recoiled came though the cab and killed the operator. Cable scares the **** out of me. I try to wrap a chain around a cable when i am doing heavy pulls.

SandburRanch · Mar 7, 2012

I've started wearing a good quality motorcycle helmet when pulling. At least it might give what remains of my brain a fighting chance.

Case485Guy · Mar 7, 2012

I would not use chain or wire rope for pulling. You are better off using a nylon sling or nylon rope. I have had a back window and passenger side mirrors taken out by chain in my personal experience years ago.At work in our pull test beds when we are pulling to destruction testing various slings etc. You definetly would chose the nylon sling or 3 strand nylon rope after seeing the results of wire rope,chain, nylon slings, nylon rope breaking. The best I think is a 1" double braid polyester or samson rope...tad expensive, but strong, light weight.
Why is it said chain does not store energy? When a chain is under full load and breaks, it is moving fast. More times than not when pulling out stuck equipment, its the jerking or shock load to the chain or wire rope that will break it.

nwngunner · Mar 7, 2012

I think its because of the links. Each link starts to move on its own dissipating its stored energy. I have seen of the heavy duty tow straps, they stretch to over 1/3 of their own length. So i bet if they snap they retract and not allow them selfs to go whipping around.

I know on my truck winch i want to get a syn rope so if it breaks it just drops. I remember mythbusters doing a show on the damage a snapped cable can do.

bcp · Mar 7, 2012

nwngunner said:
I have seen of the heavy duty tow straps, they stretch to over 1/3 of their own length. So i bet if they snap they retract and not allow them selfs to go whipping around.

And if whatever that strap is fastened to breaks off, that item will go through your back window at about 800 mph.

Some good information about joining straps:

http://www.tektrek.com.au/images/4WD RECOVERY_How to join recovery straps.pdf

Bruce

pjbci · Mar 7, 2012

bcp said:
And if whatever that strap is fastened to breaks off, that item will go through your back window at about 800 mph.

Bruce

I saw a trailer ball snap off a reciever hitch one time attached to a nylon strap. I assume that trailer ball is still in orbit around the earth because when it left the sling it was moving too fast to see it.

Case485Guy · Mar 7, 2012

pjbci said:
I saw a trailer ball snap off a reciever hitch one time attached to a nylon strap. I assume that trailer ball is still in orbit around the earth because when it left the sling it was moving too fast to see it.

Thats why its not a good idea to hook to a trailer ball with anything to be pulled out.All that shock load on a 1-1/4" or less diameter shank...not the smartest tow point to use.

Jamming · Mar 7, 2012

I only use spectra and plasma rope in the maritime tug boat ops. A chain is a good second choice and a cable is never used for towing unless it's underwater with a plane and not under a static load.
Rule: if it will stretch it will kill you when it lets go.

I use equipment "tug" that can pull 165 thousand pounds of material on a weekly basis, don't hook to a non pull point on any tractor, even a riding mower with a 3/8 rope can kill you if a metal part gives first.

Case485Guy · Mar 8, 2012

Jamming said:
I only use spectra and plasma rope in the maritime tug boat ops. A chain is a good second choice and a cable is never used for towing unless it's underwater with a plane and not under a static load.
Rule: if it will stretch it will kill you when it lets go.

I use equipment "tug" that can pull 165 thousand pounds of material on a weekly basis, don't hook to a non pull point on any tractor, even a riding mower with a 3/8 rope can kill you if a metal part gives first.

Plasma, now there is a cool rope.....stronger than same diameter wire rope and floats on water!

Another option over nylon would be going with a polyester strap.Polyester comes in the same widths and same weight ratings as its nylon counter parts, just no stretch.

I preferr the something that has some stretch to it when pullling out stuck equipment for the reason that will help reduce shock load if you have to jerk on it. In most cases that will happen in my experience, especially if no winch is available. Tow point securement has to be considered and done right, does not matter if you are using chain, nylon,plasma..whatever. Shackled into the frame,.... on a 2" reciever--pull the reciever hitch out, insert the eye into the tube, run hitch pin through the eye.