What tow rope??

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MikeV8SE

MikeV8SE

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OK, just wanted to know what tow rope would be best to keep in the car? I'm not planning of tugging drowned Defenders out of lakes or anything, just if I breakdown it may be useful to have, but also if I come across someone else stuck this winter and can help them out that would be good.

So, my main question is do I go for a static or kinetic rope? I understand kinetic ropes are great for getting people out of ditches as you can use the energy in the rope to help, BUT I've also seen what happens when they 'let go' and really don't fancy a rope through the windscreen/head.

So, am I better with a static rope, just like the AA ones and the like? Also, what weight limit - is 2 tonnes enough or should I be looking at more to safely tow a RRC?

Cheers!
 
Test various types out. Stand on a chair with an orange in your mouth and your dick in a hedgehog, you know the drill. Put rope around your neck and jump. If the rope snaps its not good enough, most RR owners weigh the same as their vehicle.
 
Do a search! and you will find my argument.

All Competition stuff is 24mm 3 strand nylon rated at 8 tonnes myself and Gibbo Phil have towed up a fully loaded Scania fire engine when it was stuck in the snow last year. Also dragged various arctics with no problem and complete faith in the equipment. Straps have different features semi kinetic straps are similar to rope but have other issues. Search and you will find both sides of the argumet
 
Thanks Jai! Have gone for a 50mm wide strap with a 5T rating for now, should be fine for my needs, will prob upgrade when needs and funds allow, but right now other issues are eating at the bank account!
 
MikeV8SE said:
Thanks Jai! Have gone for a 50mm wide strap with a 5T rating for now, should be fine for my needs, will prob upgrade when needs and funds allow, but right now other issues are eating at the bank account!
Click to expand...

they will do that alright :D

I went for a couple of ex army ladrover recovery strops, no need for em yet though thank God!!
 
5 tonnes but with astrop you cant use the weight of the tow vehicle to aid the recovery not as hard as a snatch but it helps when needs must and only when competant with towing. Seen too many accidents and numptys trying to drive off and when strops go tight they impose enourmous ammounts of strain upon the tow points vehicle can be many hundreds of tones and no give all transfered to tow points occupants (ideal for winching no good for towing unless the slack is taken up first ok if the vehicle isn't so stuck not so good if the vehicle is actually stuck or dead)
 
My personal opinion is 8 meter 8 or 12 tonne 24 mm nylon is a great size can be doubled up and still be a handy length because size length does matter and sometimes you need a bloody short rope and other times possibly you need a bloody long rope!
 
Key thing to keep in mind is that tow rope and recovery straps are NOT as simple as they may seem. The reality is that it's quite complicated and it involves more maths than you may think too. (see videos linked below) Another thing to keep in mind is that they can be lethal if you don't use them properly.

Also, what are you going to attach that strap to? You can't tie knots in it because that will damage it and will make it weaker and may make it a b*tch to undo. You should use shackles. Funnily enough, I researched this very same topic earlier today, and bought myself a nice recovery strap along with 4.75t shackles based on the advice given here.

It cost me more than I had hoped (spent £45 on it) but after seeing the dangers of tow rope/straps first hand, I wanted to be sure that I was buying fairly decent stuff.

Recovery strap:

PM642 Pro Comp Recovery Strap. 2in x 20foot. 20,000lb rating.

Shackles:

Bow Shackle 4.75t

I recommend watching these 2 videos:

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWlcGCzbyLo"]YouTube - How To Safely Use A Recovery Strap[/nomedia]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AQoBkDREwo"]YouTube - How To Choose A Recovery Strap Or Tow Strap[/nomedia]
 
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Pro Comp is about the best strop and I'd almost have one but I do not like strops. I have been attaching rated ropes and shackels to stuck vehicles in comps since I was 10Years old. The only Ropes I have seen actually fail were due to user error or poor quality/old ropes. if somthing lets go its usually the numptys tow point which should be inspected when YOU attach your rope to his and your Vehicle to ensure its 100% safe.

Its also your duty to make sure no numptys are standing near. When we use multiple ropes we attach a thin arrestor or catch rope just because if somthing was to let go it would be slowed down or stopped from flying in the air. The potential energy in even a normal nylon rope is huge and can hurt or kill somone. Only usually use an arrestor rope on more than two ropes joined. We also use wooden pins to stop the ropes crushing at the join and becoming damaged or undoable. Never use shackels you dont want even a small shackel flying towards you.

I find it oh so funny when some people dig out their winch rig it up and spend ages to free a motor when a rope and a decent tow motor would have done the job in less than half the time. When trialling ropes are used because you need to clear the course quickly for the next driver. Obviously saftey is the KEY point but a rope will almost certainly do 85% if not more of the stuck vehicles. I have only needed to winch 10 or 12 vehicles in a comp since I could drive, compete and marshall comps. you can always spot the guy who wants to use his winch as being well over keen yellow jacket beacons flashing usually just joined a response team and wants to use all his gear.

Normal winching stopes for winching Rated Ropes for towing, Pro Comp strops seem okish if you have to.
 
jai_landrover said:
My personal opinion is 8 meter 8 or 12 tonne 24 mm nylon is a great size can be doubled up and still be a handy length because size length does matter and sometimes you need a bloody short rope and other times possibly you need a bloody long rope!
Click to expand...

Something like this Jai ? but with some decent rated shackles!!
Its what i carry along with a shorter length to use as a bridle.


8 MTS X 24 MM 3 STRAND NYLON RECOVERY / TOW ROPE on eBay (end time 08-Dec-10 19:59:48 GMT)

BearDy
 
I take saftey oh so seriously and especially with the younguns are about when laning I'm the first to shout if somthing is wrong and I'm quite proud that nothing has ever gone seriously wrong. Yes I have done silly things but other peoples saftey has always been top priority. A few of us have done some difficult recovery work and gaining advantage over the situation by means of rope lengths, vehicle positions all helps oh so much. Also moving vehicles with questionable recovery points or none, which is common place when some people get stuck usually requires extra saftey precautions. All this is done as it should be safely. One person should be responsible and too many chefs in the kitchen makes hard work.

People to be wary of: Somone being a twot usually way OTT, yellow jacketed, flashing beacon'd all the gear and no idea with shiny equipment like a previous member of one of the clubs I was a member of. He almost made a job for himself chief recovery person I hate this kind of thing and I left the club for a while. You get the numptys out in the snow often too a guy in a disco was driving about telling others their tyres were crap and they should buy tyres like his which were colway mud terains and the other vehicle he was telling that they need better tyres were fitted with proper Snow and Ice tyres. (Spydermans) Numptys!
 
BearDy89 said:
Something like this Jai ? but with some decent rated shackles!!
Its what i carry along with a shorter length to use as a bridle.


8 MTS X 24 MM 3 STRAND NYLON RECOVERY / TOW ROPE on eBay (end time 08-Dec-10 19:59:48 GMT)

BearDy
Click to expand...


Yes that is exactly what we use. I brought some from ropeyboys on ebay they threw in a selection of rated shackels as I was buying 3 ropes last year free of charge instead of those cheap non rated ones. My last rope was from paddocks about 10 years ago lasted well has been used AOT and to be honest the last few years abused and never washed out fully. I lent it out and came back damaged so will re splice it to make a decent bridal.
 
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