Pulling stuck vehicles out of the ditch with a tractor

[BackRoad]

Awesome, I love the Unimogs! And that's quite the list!

You are now in first place for "...When I grow up, I want to be like him..."!

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Be careful what you wish for. The time spent on maintenance is a bit much, and takes some of the fun out of "having the correct tool for the job".

 

[selfsufficient]

I won't pull anybody I don't personally know and then I prefer to hook to their rear trailer hitch. Too much plastic on front of most cars to attach even to tow points need tow truck type chain to be safe on front pulls. Also remember your tractor has better traction pulling forward from tow bar not from front
Pulling backwards

Modern cars really are a joke. Recently a family got stuck on the forest road that crosses our property. I'm the only person around for miles, so I had to go help them. It was a Toyota SUV with "TRD" and "off road" badges all over it. It had no receiver for a hitch, and no provision even for one of those screw-in eyes (I made them get out the manual and check). I ended up having to use the skid steer to clear the road up to them, then looped a tow strap through a wheel and dragged them out of the snow by one wheel. I'm sure that wasn't good for the car!

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I ended up having to use the skid steer to clear the road up to them, then looped a tow strap through a wheel and dragged them out of the snow by one wheel. I'm sure that wasn't good for the car!

On a live axle, the wheel is usually a good place to strap to. IFS or IRS is a whole different matter, but sometimes the only logical choice.

 

[Tinhack]

On a live axle, the wheel is usually a good place to strap to. IFS or IRS is a whole different matter, but sometimes the only logical choice.

If you're pulling straight it shouldn't matter. Or pulling from the side of the opposite side wheel. Cars are made to turn corners and why they roll into a turn putting less force on the inside wheel. Pulling sideways on the same side wheel is a different matter as you say.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

If you're pulling straight it shouldn't matter. Or pulling from the side of the opposite side wheel.

If you mean on vehicles with IFS and/or IRS, I think it can matter.

It's much like when securing a vehicle on a trailer using straps through the wheels. Then I really don't dare to make the ratchets overly tight.

Yes, flooring the car or stomping on the brakes certainly puts quite large forces on the suspension parts, but at least they are momentary. Of course, when getting one unstuck there would be a huge difference between a gentle pull and a hard yank.

Coincidentally, I have been thinking about making a spreader bar to be able to drag a couple of our cars up on a trailer should the need arise. Through the wheels is about the only option, and the straps would have to stay outside of the sidewalls to clear the body parts. Sure hope I'll never need to use it.

 

[grsthegreat]

When you already have this….why bother with spreader bar

 

[Too many Kubotas]

When you already have this….why bother with spreader bar

View attachment 1818179

Fair question. And if I put the crane on the trailer first it could be used to lift rather than pull the front of the car up on the trailer.

But I'd still need a spreader bar to keep the straps from touching the fenders.

 

[Eebbee]

The draw bar... but let the driver of the car be the only one to touch his car and hook up the chain or tow strap, and tell them that they are fully responsible and you are only pulling whatever they attach and where they attach it, and you assume zero liability, preferably in writing or video, unless you know the person and are willing to assume whatever damages may result, or they say results.

Yeah...sorry but I have to disagree. "Telling them" does absolutely nothing to protect you legally. They only have to claim you never said that or they did not hear you.
It has to be either a signed document or a video where they state clearly that they won't hold you responsible.
Oh and the fact that the owner ties the car himself does not absolve you of anything. I have a neighbor that could attest that he ended up $5000 poorer after trying to pull someone out of a ditch where the owner had tied the car himself (and it failed miserably).