Winch ideas: Come-A-Long

[CentAr712]

By "kinetic ropes" I assume you mean rope that naturally has some stretch to it, like Nylon. Typically those types of ropes are used to actually reduce the effects of a shock load, sort of act as a shock absorber, but they can be extremely dangerous if pushed beyond their limits. Google "nylon line snapback" and you will see how they will pop like a rubber band when they break. I know there is a tendency for people to use nylon straps for jerk / pull recovery and it may absorb enough of the shock to prevent structural failure, but then again it's hard to calculate when it will actually fail since it's very hard to know just how much shock-load you are applying. Again I will say that my opinion on this recovery method, whether using rope with stretch or not is to use the absolute biggest and heaviest gear you can find.

[TechMOGogy]

I think he is refering to kinetic ropes/straps that are "designed" to stretch and transfer "gently" the force to the stuck vehicle vs a sharp jerk.
I think they are dangerous due to the design - kinetic energy - if not released to vehicle then it can be release back at vehicle doing the recovery (or vis versa) esp if something breaks like a tow hook/point.
Eg:
http://www.masterpull.com/Off-Road/Kine ... ery-Ropes/

http://store.arbusa.com/ARB-Snatch-Stra ... P3621.aspx

From ARB website: "Specifically designed to stretch under load for maximum performance, an ARB snatch strap is a very effective method of extracting a bogged or immobilized 4wd when a second vehicle is present. How it works: the elasticity in a snatch strap is what makes it such an essential piece of recovery gear. The kinetic energy generated by the elasticity aids with the recovery itself, while at the same time reducing the likelihood of vehicle damage."

[krick3tt]

I was once involved with a 4X group that had a rule against recovery/tow straps with metal ends. So the pinz tow strap was out (?).
I purchased a 30K tow strap that had leather reinforced ends that was permissible. Very similar to the ARB strap. Looking back, the
no metal ends rule was, I believe, intended to prevent shackles from being used and becoming missiles if the strap were to fail.
I still follow this rule even though I am not with that group.

[GenevaPinz]

Tech' is right, these are the ropes I had in mind.
I guess that in the right hands they are a wonderful tool. But the idea of a rope designed to accumulate energy means that if it fails, the accumulated energy will be transferred into projecting a shackle or a tow hook, potentially at someone's head.

[TechMOGogy]

I was once involved with a 4X group that had a rule against recovery/tow straps with metal ends. So the pinz tow strap was out (?).
I purchased a 30K tow strap that had leather reinforced ends that was permissible. Very similar to the ARB strap. Looking back, the
no metal ends rule was, I believe, intended to prevent shackles from being used and becoming missiles if the strap were to fail.
I still follow this rule even though I am not with that group.

I think that would be regular nylon tow strap (that does not stretch).
2 different straps.
Here is ARB's non-kinetic strap (basically a winch extension/tow strap never to be jerked):
http://store.arbusa.com/ARB-Winch-Exten ... P3623.aspx

An ARB winch extension strap is perfect for extending the length of your winch's cable when the most suitable anchor point is out of reach. These non stretch straps are lighter and easier to store than additional lengths of wire rope.

They look the same but are VERY different
Dan

[edzz]

Using the snatch method of extraction should only be used with equipment specifically designed for the method. Use of a standard to strap will transfer much higher loads to the tie points. As has been mentioned hitch balls are not designed for this type of load. http://www.bubbarope.com/

Years ago I watched a cement truck become stuck with one rear wheel axel deep in mud. When the second cement truck showed up they decided to use it to pull the first still loaded truck out using heavy chain attached to the hitch of truck two and the front bumper of truck one. Truck one stayed in place however its bumper did not. After unloading truck one and using a solid point of attachment a gentle pull with truck two was successful in extracting the stuck truck. Fortunately this ended as a simple session of dumb and dumber and not a tragedy.

Most likely didn’t need to unload the cement once that pesky bumper was out of the way.


Now the answer to the question of why there was a patch of mud in a lawn in Calimesa CA in the middle of the summer.

Earlier in the morning the local water district had been purging a well and pumping the water out on the street, noticing all that water going to waste Bill and Susan decided that they could divert the water into their yard and not need to water the lawn for a week. Not thinking about what affect this may have on the trucks that were soon to arrive to shoot the new swimming pool they were building in the back yard. The gunite truck was the first to pull across the lawn he didn’t think too much of it when he left tracks a few inches deep when he pulled thru, the bad was his making no mention of the soft ground to the cement truck driver. I always enjoyed visiting Bill and Susan’s, events of this nature were very common around them, always good for a chuckle, nothing ever turned out bad, just nothing ever went as expected.

[Dreadnought]

I once watched a film about KERR recovery whilst in the British Army, subject was a Chieftain Main Battle Tank that was hull down in thick clay........Kerr ropes were attached and hooked up to a second Cheiftain.....which drove off at speed (relative) until the ropes stretched...... and stretched and then suddenly the hull deep Chieftain was flying!!!! it came up out of that mud like a cork from a bottle......don,t know how the occupants felt about it? Most impressive, wish I could see that film again...Chieftains combat weight was 55 Tons...tracks were hanging loose for a couple of seconds...again impressive.