Tow Strap

[woodhog]

Can someone recommend a good quality tow strap to carry for our TC
setup. The whole outfit weighs about 12,000 pounds.

I see all kinds for sale on Amazon etc, some with hooks, some without.

Do you need heavy duty shackles if you buy one with no hooks .

Are some better quality than others, they all look about the same.

[Bedlam]

I mentioned using other anchor points. If you you are snatching a vehicle, it will put serious shear on the towball shaft that is not typical of trailer towing. When that shaft fails, It becomes a projectile with a great amount of force behind it.

[Grit_dog]

AnEv942 wrote:
Ive bitten my tongue for 2 days, waiting for the sages to step in and counter. A lot of good advice but seen two mentions of using a tow ball as an anchor point and no one said anything?

And what's wrong with that? (In general. Specifically some people could break an anvil, but what would be a better tow point than the trailer hitch on the back of a vehicle?)

[AnEv942]

Ive bitten my tongue for 2 days, waiting for the sages to step in and counter. A lot of good advice but seen two mentions of using a tow ball as an anchor point and no one said anything?

[discovery4us]

bubba rope makes a good product. Have also used Kinedyne straps with good results.

[theoldwizard1]

IMHO, stay away from hooks ! They put an enormous amount of pressure on a small spot. They will tear through metal.

Loops at each end and shackles are much safer.

HF "recovery" straps are not bad. These are NOT yank/snatch straps and I would not trust their "working load".

[wcjeep]

For recovery I like something like Bigfoot Rope. For flat tow avoid anything with metal hooks. When airborne they carry extra kinetic energy for removing body parts.

I use Bigfoot Rope. You can also use soft shackles. High end rope is typically safer. It carries less energy.


Bigfoot Rope

[Rubiranch]

Trackrig wrote:
.

Buy a 4" by 30' strap.

Bill

[TJMarc]

I carry two different types depending on what recovery I intend/anticipate to do. I carry a ker rope (I have a masterpull and a bubba rope in different dia depending on vehicle) and std 3" recovery strap. The ker ropes are good for "snatch" type recovery in mud/sand and the strap is more used to drag people over an obstacle they are hung up on.

[tad94564]

woodhog wrote:

I see all kinds for sale on Amazon etc, some with hooks, some without.

Never, ever use a tow strap with a hook.

Those are missiles waiting to happen (seen that, watched it go straight through the windshield, and out the back window..

Always use a D-shackle. Always.

Also make sure you've got the tow points ready. I've seen them also ripped straight out of the frame.

[woodhog]

Trackrig wrote:
Nylon slings and nylon tow or recovery straps are two entirely different things - apples and oranges.

Slings do not have give in them or not enough to make them worth using, maybe just a little more than chains.

On the other hand nylon recovery straps are woven differently to allow lots of stretch.

Buy a 4" by 30' strap.

Bill

Thats the size I thought might work well, I have a 2"tow ball that I
keep on the back when the camper is on and the truck has its two
factory mounted tow hooks, well not really hooks , mounted on the front.

I hope I can be pulled from both ends...

Last year we had to pull it out of the mud with the rear tow ball attached to a fellows horizontal chain hoist, we were lucky he had some extra chains...
I wanted to be better prepared this season.

[Grit_dog]

True, recovery straps have elasticity and good ones are not cheap.
As mentioned above, load rated nylon lifting straps/slings are the next best thing and not horribly expensive if you have to buy new, or if you know anyone in heavy construction, get a used one that is no longer legal to use for hoisting.
By law we are supposed to cut them up once work beyond their service limit, but everyone takes them for tow straps. 2" double ply or 3" eye to eye sling is perfect.
But the bigger the better. Endless slings work well also. All provide more cushion and less shock than a chain, but we've all probably used chains before. Just put a dampener over it so if it comes apart under load no one or nothing is eating a high speed chain!

[Bedlam]

You really need the 6" wide straps to stay within your working load for your GVW. For me, I need the 8" wide or better. I still question whether you will successfully snatch a 12k+ lb truck loaded with a TC.

[TxGearhead]

We call them: "snatch 'em strap".
http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Towing-Auto-Hauling/Recovery-Straps-Tow-Straps/Recovery-Straps-W-Cordura-Eyes-3x30
Actually reading more on that item, it doesn't stretch. But this one does:
https://www.4wd.com/p/smittybilt-30-foot-snatch-strap-cc120/_/R-DSBP-CC120?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping&emlprox=out&ppcfon=1&gp=1&scid=scplpS%2FBCC120&sc_intid=S%2FBCC120&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkcuYhqfD1QIV04KzCh2zSAu2EAYYAyABEgKNs_D_BwE

[Bedlam]

I have lifting slings that have aged out for commercial use. I'm not going to do a snatch and grab recovery on the truck with TC, so I carry a combination 25K lb rated chain and lifting straps. Most likely any recovery will require a double line pulled winch to a solid anchor or to vehicle of similar size to mine that is blocked in place.

The front recovery hooks on a chassis cab are strong enough for a 19K+ lb GCW while I question some of the hooks on pickups. I would not use the safety chain loops on the back of a receiver. Assuming your receiver is strong enough, either slip the the strap into the receiver and pin it or use a stinger with a hook or ring rated for your GVW. If your receiver has less capacity than your current GVW, add recovery hooks to your rear frame rails.