Tractor Pulling Tool Preferrence

duckngooser · Mar 20, 2012

I've been reading a few forums lately about what people use to pull tractors out of the mud.

So, the question is: chain, cable, nylon tow strap, or polyester tow strap?

Most of what I'm reading talks about how much safer the top straps are compared to chains/cable as they won't fire a chunk of metal at your head if something breaks!

So which do you prefer?

Also, I've read about people using chains hooked to wheel hubs chained to an anchor to pull themselves out. Has anyone ever tried this method?

RaydaKub · Mar 20, 2012

If anybody has told you that a tow strap isn't dangerous, they don't know what the heck they are talking about. They are stretchy by design so that 1) they absorb and cushion any big jerks and 2) allow the pulling vehicle's momentum to tug a little more than the brute force. Once they stretch out, if something gives way, look out! My strap was rated at 20,000lbs. But I've had my expedition to spin out in 4x4 pulling on it. If it broke with that much pressure, you better believe something is going to get slung.

Avondale · Mar 20, 2012

I agree about the poly straps. The Navy has a good training flick called "Synthetic Line Snap Back" which clearly demonstrates the destructive power of a poly line gone bad. There are types known as "dead" drops, which do not snap back, (well almost do not). The tow straps are very good with strength to weight ratios about as good as it gets. When one broke, the end put a sizable dent in my Ranger's tail gate.

Of course, the last time I got my IH 574 stuck I needed every thing I had to get it out, was pulling with another tractor using chain, an ATV and a UTV with winch wires and a Chev 1/2 ton with nylon straps.

bcp · Mar 20, 2012

Stretch a rubber band till it breaks. Does it just drop?

From:
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA174041
"Synthetic fiber rope snaps back at about 700 feet/sec; wire rope at about 450 feet/sec. Therefore, both ropes are deadly to anyone standing near them when a failure occurs. In the early 1980's several synthetic fiber ropes did fail. In one nine month period three sailors were killed and four had one or both legs cut off. "

-----------------------------------------------

There are tow straps meant to stretch very little, and recovery straps meant to stretch about 30%. But both stretch and recoil.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZF9V-YZx7E]Jeep strap snap - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAY0oVwuzNY]Tow strap breaks and goes through glass - YouTube[/ame]

Smallplot · Mar 20, 2012

To help when things go bad, keep a couple of heavy Carhart jackets, or similar, and hang them on the straps, chains, or cables. Be amazed at how well it keeps the straps from flying after breaking. We do this all the time with turn out gear.

Oldtractorfixer · Mar 20, 2012

I prefer a chain. If it breaks it usually doesn't fly like a cable or rope. Just get a very big chain and a tractor way bigger than yours and it comes right out.

Ford tractor · Mar 20, 2012

I prefer whatever I have to reach the next solid pull point!

Typically, a cable come-along, a couple chains AND a strap around the tree!

pat32rf · Mar 20, 2012

I always use nylon, big nylon that is properly secured to SMOOTH pull points. I have been using one inch nylon rope and have never had it break on a straight tug/jerk.
I have had people break it when they passed it over a sharp edge, or ran up on it while towing.
My rope had an eye splice at both ends and two short splices in the middle of its 25' feet when it got retired after 40 years of use. I also have another 100' piece that we used for longer pulls around the farm. Gonna be cutting 30' off to make a new 25' tow rope before I'm forced to use a piece of chain.
Over the years I have seen a few chains snap and fly, as well as various pieces of bumper/trailer hitch get ripped off by people jerking on a chain when a jerk on stretchy nylon would have got them unstuck safely.

Baby Grand · Mar 21, 2012

If at all possible, work a snatch block into the pull to redirect any flying bits away from the back of your head.

duckngooser · Mar 21, 2012

That's what I love about this site! No matter the question, there's several people with ways to get the job done! What's the heaviest anyone has towed? And what did you use?

I have a New Holland TB100 2 wheel drive.. When it gets stuck, I usually pull it out with my Massey 3660. The question I've been pondering is what to do if the Massey gets stuck. I don't think the NH would have the strength to pull it out if up to the frame..

Mace Canute · Mar 22, 2012

I recall one time years ago at work when I was driving across an open stretch during a snow storm. The "road" was blown in but it was soft enough that I could drive through it but so thick that the poor old Ford ingested so much it died on me so we called a tow truck to haul me out. Of course he didn't have a winch, just a wheel lift and he couldn't get in to pick me up so another co worker tried to give me a pull with a tow strap to get me out to where the tow truck could hook up but couldn't move me. Then we hooked up a tow strap to the tow truck and he proceeded to try to tow me out, him thinking he could since his truck was a 4X4. We attached the strap to the factory tow hook on the front of the Ford and he gave it a tug, no go, so he backed up and gave it a harder tug. This time the tow hook snapped off the Ford and went shooting towards the tow truck. It launched with an upward trajectory, blasted through the light bar on top of his rig and kept going! It happened so fast we didn't even see it happen, just heard a bang! When the tow hook failed and when it hit the light bar, there was so little time between the two events, it sounded like just one bang too. It's fortunate that it didn't happen to go through the back window of the tow truck and decapitate him.

We had quite a few incidences of vehicle damage (windshields, grills, and radiators and fans even) because of tow straps failing when they guys tried to get a stuck vehicle out, fortunately no one was ever hurt but the potential was there. It didn't take long before their use was banned.

Mark Page · Mar 23, 2012

I mark my recovery straps each time I use them. After 6 uses they get replaced. I alway leave a good bit of slack before I start the pull. I want to build up a head of steam before the strap comes up taught stretches and pulls out the stuck vehicle.
I've seen people try and pull a stuck vehicle out with just a pull and it rarely works. On one occassion a Camry was really hung up in snow bank created by a county plow. Guy tries to pull it out with a chain and p/u. He gets stuck too. Using as jerk strap, as they're called around here, got them both out in a few minutes using my Ram and a recovery strap.
It's a heck of lot of fun.

CJONE · Mar 23, 2012

Spent alot years pulling semis out of the mud. I always use braided poly/nylon ropes that "supposidly" did not recoil. Yea OK. They do. So I started braiding a kill rope, 25' 1/2" nylon rope into the end of the big rope. That way if/when the hook breaks or loop fails most of the energy is absorbed by the small rope. It works very well. I actually broke the small rope 1 time but it did it's job. CJ

RaydaKub · Mar 23, 2012

CJONE said:
Spent alot years pulling semis out of the mud. I always use braided poly/nylon ropes that "supposidly" did not recoil. Yea OK. They do. So I started braiding a kill rope, 25' 1/2" nylon rope into the end of the big rope. That way if/when the hook breaks or loop fails most of the energy is absorbed by the small rope. It works very well. I actually broke the small rope 1 time but it did it's job. CJ

Can you give some more details about your kill rope? Pics maybe? From the sounds of it, you wrap up one end of it, but how do you know which end is going to break first?

:confused3:

Mace Canute · Mar 23, 2012

Even big chains can break and recoil violently.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPnzjGNEXFo]Breaking of rig anchor chain. - YouTube[/ame]

pat32rf · Mar 24, 2012

I too have seen pieces ripped off by both chains and nylon. I still prefer large nylon with secure fasteners. IE- large clevises with screw pins. (1" is a good start sizewise)
With nylon I can "start gentle", then increase the force as needed. I can also tighten up with a winch, sretching the nylon, then feed in a bit of tire traction from the stuck vehicle if needed. This is a method I often use when I have one or more pulleys (snatch blocks) on a winch cable and the winch is getting pretty well loaded down. It often makes the difference as you can maintain the force for a few feet when you have 40' of 1" nylon stretched by a 8000lb winch (at the stall point) that has 2 or three pulleys on it. The winching vehicle at a time like this normally gets anchored to a large tree.

Baby Grand · Mar 24, 2012

Mace Canute said:
Even big chains can break and recoil violently.

Breaking of rig anchor chain. - YouTube

Dang, Mace. That looked bad.

RoyJackson · Mar 24, 2012

Baby Grand said:
Dang, Mace. That looked bad.

Yeah it does...looks like the guy who sat down near the end must have had a close call...

jpm1 · Mar 24, 2012

My preference is cable then big chains. I skid a lot of logs and my winch has 180' of cable. Its easier to drag a cable than a chain and a lot lighter too. I know i should get straps for tow jobs but old habbits die hard. Yea i have broke cables and chains before and its not pretty in fact darned dangerous but thats the way we roll. . .John