# Tow rope/strap/chain???



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Last spring I bought a 1996 Dodge Dakota 4x4. I have a good shovel but I want a good strap or rope should I find myself in trouble this winter.

I was looking at some stores and there is a lot of different options: straps without hooks, straps with hooks, ropes without hooks, ropes with them, chains.

What do some of you use, and what do you feel is the safest and most effective?

For what it's worth my pickup has hooks on the front and a receiver hitch on the back.

Thanks.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

Get the strap. With a couple of heavy duty clevis'you will pull anything out. Chain IMHO is way too dangerous.

If you had a GMC you wouldn't need it. :beer:


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

I agree I prefer the strap w/o hooks.. and a couple good clevis'

Stay away from chains.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Strap or rope.. I broke my strap and am now using a big asss rope with hooks. I like it better then the old strap. The rope seems to have some stretch and give so if you hit the end of the rope pretty hard it still has some give to keep a little momentum going yet puts all that tension on the vehicle you are trying to pull out as well.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I say strap with loops and no hooks. Hooks can quickly be added to each loop if desired. 
I don't think chains are dangerous to the user, but may be dangerous to the vehicle. If you jerk with a chain you can break something. Straps or nylon ropes with chains or hooks become dangerous because if you break a hook the part left on the strap comes back at you like a bullet. Many people have been killed with that type. 
Loops work perfect with the hooks on your vehicle. All you need is something to attach to a pull vehicle that may not have the hooks. Look in Cabela's at the loop fastener they have. I think they call it a Cinch Bone and when you can use it it's safer than a hook.


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

I like the straps because they have some rebound to them when you hit the end. For attaching to vehicles I have a short chain (5') that I use when I need to and I also have a couple of clevises in my box also.

There is not many places to hook a strap to a car. That is why I have the chain (I just used mine on Sunday to pull a girl out of the ditch) I will either put the loop over my ball or just put it in the receiver and put the pin through the loop if I am towing someone.

I have always meant to buy one of those receivers with the clevis but have never broke down and spent the $50.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Alright, well in my box I have 100 feet of chain, two of those 80,000 LB 30' stretch webbed straps, a 40 foot 2 inch rope with loops, and a 10 foot 1.5 inch rope with loops. I use a chain when I pull anything out that I know I won't need to jerk... aka cars, or trucks that aren't that stuck. Just tell them to put it in nutral tighten it and hammer down. I made the 40 foot rope for pulling out of the ditch, it is just long enough to get you up on top of the road. I have a bunch of clevis's and a reciever with a clevis built in.

I used the 40 foot rope yesterday to pull a fed ex SEMI, with two trailers up the 12th ave bridge. He was stuck and needed some tugging to get him up there. I would hit the end of the rope and get stopped like a rag doll, but it worked after about 30 tries. The check was nice! :lol:

SO all in all, I would have a few options. Yea you may drop a few hundred bucks, but a tow truck is not cheap, min of $80 and that is in town. Out plan on over $150 plus milage. Always have two, or one damn good one. Macs makes good ropes.


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## TK33 (Aug 12, 2008)

In my line of work we are frequently pulling machines out of mud and snow that weigh well over 100,000#, sometimes closer to 200 thousand.

Chains are never a good idea, they work but they will break especially when jerking in the cold weather. They will also break if you are pulling smoothly and then catch something and there is a sudden stop. I have seen chains fly all over the place and you never know where that broken link will end up flying. I know a guy who got a machine stuck and they used a rope with steel hooks and a chain, the chain broke and the rope flew into the back of the pull machine and decapitated the operator.

Plainsman was right, find a rope with eyes. Find something secure to hook them to, otherwise use shackles. Shackles, not clevises have a rating and a safety factor, clevises do not. As far as getting a rope, the macs ones are not the best but they will work for occasional use. Go to olsen chain, titan, rdo and find a good rope.

I have seen many methods tried and failed. Stick with the double eyed ropes and you will be safe.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

TK, I will say there is a huge difference between a 10,000 pickup and a 200,000 LB. STUCK in mud combine, or tractor. If you are using a large chain, and pulling smart you should be fine. I have looked at the ropes at RDO, and for a pickup they are going to be overkill. If you get to big you can't hook them anywhere. They had 3" plus. Even my 2 inch one won't fit most tow hooks.

My dad had a claim with a farmer a couple months ago that is or was in the hospital for a clevis rope break. Not sure if he ended up dying or what. the pin on the clevis broke, not the rope. That was a rope from Macs.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

hunt4P&Y said:


> TK, I will say there is a huge difference between a 10,000 pickup and a 200,000 LB. STUCK in mud combine, or tractor. If you are using a large chain, and pulling smart you should be fine. I have looked at the ropes at RDO, and for a pickup they are going to be overkill. If you get to big you can't hook them anywhere. They had 3" plus. Even my 2 inch one won't fit most tow hooks.
> 
> My dad had a claim with a farmer a couple months ago that is or was in the hospital for a clevis rope break. Not sure if he ended up dying or what. the pin on the clevis broke, not the rope. That was a rope from Macs.


probably why he advised using rated shackles instead of a clevis.

The original poster has a dakota though, I dont think he is going to need anything crazy. A good strap from the local tool shop will do fine.


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

Chains suck. I just broke 1 this morning trying to jerk out a tandem axle truck with a pickup. I was waiting for my bumper to rip off.

My brother made me a nylon rope years ago and I have pulled many things out with it. I am not 100% sure, but I think he bought 3 chunks of 3/4" 3 strand twisted nylon rope and weaved them together with a drill, and made loops at the ends. It's a little bulky but works damn good. Like mentioned before, it stretches nice and usually slingshots the other vehicle right out.

I have broken many tow straps in my day. It seems they get wet and dry out pretty quick and become junk, just snap on you the next time you use it...... A good nylon rope with loops gets my vote.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

AdamFisk said:


> Chains suck. I just broke 1 this morning trying to *jerk* out a tandem axle truck with a pickup. I was waiting for my bumper to rip off.


Thats the problem Adam.... Chains aren't made to jerk!


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

hunt4P&Y said:


> AdamFisk said:
> 
> 
> > Chains suck. I just broke 1 this morning trying to *jerk* out a tandem axle truck with a pickup. I was waiting for my bumper to rip off.
> ...


Thank you Captain Obvious. :wink:

I knew I shouldn't have been using the chain to jerk, but my rope wasn't on me at the time. Breaking that chain was inevitable.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

AdamFisk said:


> hunt4P&Y said:
> 
> 
> > AdamFisk said:
> ...


 :lol: Adam, I had to give you some Shat! :lol: At least it was a work truck huh?


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

hunt4P&Y said:


> AdamFisk said:
> 
> 
> > hunt4P&Y said:
> ...


No comment. :lol:

Let's just say if I was in my personal vehicle, I would have had a rope.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

AdamFisk said:


> hunt4P&Y said:
> 
> 
> > AdamFisk said:
> ...


 :lol:


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

> In my line of work we are frequently pulling machines out of mud and snow that weigh well over 100,000#, sometimes closer to 200 thousand.


Holy $hit thats a lot of weight!!!!! What kind of work are you into, coal mining?


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## coyote_buster (Mar 11, 2007)

have you never guys never heard of two chains with a tire in the middle??? but i still like a tow rope, and hey whats the difference between a chevy and a tampon, tampon comes with its own tow rope


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## TK33 (Aug 12, 2008)

> Holy $hit thats a lot of weight!!!!! What kind of work are you into, coal mining?


No, I have worked in the coal mines before. 200,000# is a little piece of equipment in the mines. Construction, namely cranes.

P&Y-
as I stated earlier the macs ropes are fine for occasional use, but if you are going to spend the money get a good one. I have seen people get hurt pulling small vehicles and it sucks. For and extra $30 your quality of life is worth it. I thought I was in RDO when I saw a nice rope/strap that looked like it would work on a pickup maybe it was titan, what ever. You can go to olsen chain or even acme and get a good strap or rope.



> My dad had a claim with a farmer a couple months ago that is or was in the hospital for a clevis rope break. Not sure if he ended up dying or what. the pin on the clevis broke, not the rope. That was a rope from Macs.


*That is why I made the differentiation between shackle and clevis*. Clevis is a piece of forged steel, a shackle has been designed, proof tested and rated. A 7/8" shackle is perfect for pulling pickups, the ones at fastenal or other stores would be great, it doesn't have to be a crosby but they are the best. I am not at all suprised that the clevis broke, once again wrong tool for the job.

NEVER USE A CHAIN! chains are for tying down loads to trailers. Their strength rating is for that purpose. Many companies have banned the use of chains for any application except tie down, too many injuries. You can buy overhead lifting chains but they are expensive and just plain not worth it. I have seen transport grade chains break pulling out skidsteers, there was no jerk, it was pulling smooth and hit a pothole or rut and just popped. The chain was in pretty good shape also, I never would have guessed that it would have broke.

You have to figure in the physics here. A 10,000lb pickup (that is a pretty heavy pickup?) is being pulled, there is more resistance than 10,000lbs.

Whether it is a pickup, dumptruck, or a crane pulling is incredibly dangerous. A lot can go wrong with no warning and have catastrophic results.[/b]


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

TK, I agree with most. The rope I had just bought was $350, so I would say another $30 isn't going to make a ton of difference.

There is a company on Ebay that makes a really good strap. They are 8 inches wide and 3 ply. I think they have a 200,000 load test. Good straps, my buddy has one on each of his loaders, used one of his yesterday morning to pull him out of a loading ramp. Not really sure how you get stuck in a loading ramp, but he did. :lol: Seemed to be a good strap. But once again, not cheap.


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## magnum3.5 (Sep 19, 2003)

I like a rope myself although they are dangerous they have that little extra spring when you are stuck bad. I use a 1 and 1/4" rope with a high test chain on one end and a loop on the other.
Keep the chain side on the pick-up thats pulling if possible. If the rope or chain breaks it normally goes toward the pick-up thats pulling. I used 3' of 1/2 high test chain with a grade 5 bolt through the loop.
If the vehical is stuck bad take the rope and the spare tire and run the rope through the rim of the spare tire and place the tire little over half way toward the pulling pick-up this will help keeping the rope from flying up hurting somebody.
Magnum 3.5


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

I bought a good nylon rope 8 years ago 2" 30ft with loops. I have used it numerous times pulling out others and even a couple stuck grain trucks and a fire truck that had its front wheels in a washout.

Care is the key to these ropes lasting and like anything they do break down with use. For connections I carry a couple clevis with heavy duty pins, and shackles and chain, along with a number of different size hook ends that I can change depending on need.

If I have to use a chain in the connection anywhere I also carry a couple of heavy blankets and drape them over rope chain connection. I have had a chain fail and by having this on top the rope or chain will not fly up and back, but will drop down to the ground. Tires work but are hard to store.

I keep my rope out of the sun in a dry container that is covered and I also hang it out and dry it before storing it again. Sun and moisture weaken ropes !


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

TK, When you get a 200,000 lb crane stuck how do you pull it out. Cables and winches chains ropes, straps etc. Just curious must be one hell of a feat.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

g/o said:


> TK, When you get a 200,000 lb crane stuck how do you pull it out. Cables and winches chains ropes, straps etc. Just curious must be one hell of a feat.


Toyota Tacoma


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Happy New Year Bobm


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

g/o said:


> :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> Happy New Year Bobm


Back at you :beer: its even cold down here today!


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

With these clevises and shackles do they hook up to your receiver hitch? Do you need a special attachement to attach them to your receiver? I am having a hard time picturing them.


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## magnum3.5 (Sep 19, 2003)

They make a receiver hitch they call a pintel hitch. Thats the best, you can put the loop of the rope through and lock it down. Thats why I have chain on one end you never know what you will be pulling with some of todays cars there is no place to hook up. The chain helps so you can wrap it around the frame. If you buy a clevis the very smallest I would buy would be 3/4 the ideal would be 1". Magnum 3.5


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I like to use a short chain, straps and clevises. I connect the chain at two points to the vehicle being pulled and attach the strap to that. From what I have seen most straps that break do so because of fraying from rubbing against something hard on the vehicle, often as a result of jerking. The chain solves that problem. If the chain breaks since it is fastened at two points generally only the strap will fly. If you have to jerk something the strap takes most of the strain off the chain. Even with a strap I throw a tarp or coat over it to absorb some ofthe energy if it breaks.


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## TK33 (Aug 12, 2008)

You guys have the shackle size figured out. It is called the D:d ratio. You want the Diameter of the shackle to be big enough so that is doesn't wear and/or cut the sling. you don't want the eye of the sling to be crushed on the edges by the shackle. A 1" shackle has an 8 ton rating with a 3 to 1 safety factor.



> With these clevises and shackles do they hook up to your receiver hitch? Do you need a special attachement to attach them to your receiver? I am having a hard time picturing them.


If you had a receiver hitch just remove the ball and insert a shackle in the hole for the ball.



> g/o wrote:
> TK, When you get a 200,000 lb crane stuck how do you pull it out. Cables and winches chains ropes, straps etc. Just curious must be one hell of a feat.
> 
> Toyota Tacoma


I read in peterson's off road that Ford and Dodge had filed a lawsuit over toyota's slightly outlandish commercials.

To answer the question we often times just call a heavy wrecker (Jims Towing in Fargo) to get it out. They have a winch and a block, we reeve the block in a 2 or 4 part to get enough snort to pull. We hook it to the tow hooks on the machine and they just pull a lever and get it out. It is pretty slick and the guys at Jim's make it look easy. There have been times where we got two D6 dozers and did a push pull. Usually that involves using the dozer to clear a path. Another of my favorite methods is to use a big loader (380 komatsu or 980 cat) with forks on the back, have them lift up as much as possible which is about 30,000lbs and then use the dozer on the front. This helps prevent dragging the driveline through the mud. wheeled equipment is almost completely worthless for pulling in the mud or snow. The worst one I ever had was on an outage for a power company, we were changing the big towers on the main supply line so it couldn't be shut down for too long. We got the old tower down and then the sky opened up, we got two inches while we were setting the tower. As I was putting the new tower the crane sunk down to the tires, but the tires hadn't sunk so I felt that it was ok. We got the tower up and I left the crane out there for a couple of days to dry the black dirt field. We went out with two dozers to push pull and we got it going but no one knew that rural water just put a new line in that field a couple of weeks before we were there. Sunk it 6ft into the dirt, the bottom of the cab was even with the ground. My boss was real impressed. :lol: Had to leave that crane out there for a few weeks and then took a backhoe out there and dug it out and used a dozer to pull it out.

My bad, to actually answer your question we use nylon endless slings. But if the rig is really stuck the size of cable you would need would take a payloader to get to the rig and an endless nylon sling with a 100k rating costs like $2,000 for one 20'. We like to use those for lifting only :roll: That is why it is faster, safer, and generally does less damage to just use the equipment, steel to steel.
Getting a crane unstuck just sucks. It is incredibly dangerous and there are many things that can and have gone wrong.


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