How to recover a vehicle

[ghuns]

I keep a tow strap in the trunk of my Audi A4, and have used it pull a couple stranded motorists out of a snowy ditch.

It actually works really well. It's AWD, weighs 3500 pounds, has a frame(well, unibody) mounted anchor point, and I run snow tires in the winter.

 

[Fargo]

I keep a tow strap in the trunk of my Audi A4, and have used it pull a couple stranded motorists out of a snowy ditch.

It actually works really well. It's AWD, weighs 3500 pounds, has a frame(well, unibody) mounted anchor point, and I run snow tires in the winter.

Is the anchor point the transport tie down loop?

 

[Alamo]

I have reached an age and physical status that behooves me not to pull strangers, or even people I know, out of a ditch or push them out of a snowbank. I'll be happy to call them a tow when we're in cell phone range.


This does remind me of when I was an age to think pulling someone out sounded like "fun." Some friends and I were roaming around Morgan-Monroe State Forest one night (on relatively solid gravel or paved road) when we noticed some lights down a fire trail. We walked down the trail a bit to see what was going on and came across this jeep (hereafter "First Jeep") stuck in a huge muddy water-filled jeep-sized hole. The jeep was tilted to the right so that muddy water was sloshing in around the driver's feet.

Another jeep (hereafter "Second Jeep"), was directly ahead of it on the slightly less wet and muddy part of the fire trail, with a short tow chain attached to FJ. SJ revs up, takes slack out of chain, and marches forward, pulling FJ out of his hole.

But, just as FJ made it on to solid (relatively speaking) ground, SJ slid into ANOTHER big muddy water-filled jeep-sized hole in front of him and became stuck, complete with muddy water flooding the floorboards. So FJ put it in reverse, took up the slack, and pulled SJ out of his hole...only for FJ to slide back into the first big muddy water-filled jeep-sized hole.

The chain and the distance between holes were such that only one jeep could be unstuck at a time. There were enough trees close on either side that neither jeep could leave the trail to pull from anywhere but straight ahead (or behind) on the trial. We watched them alternate getting jeeps stuck for about three cycles, then got bored and went back to our vehicle and headed back to civilization. They pretty much ignored us and declined our offers to go call someone else for them (this was 30 years before any kind of cell phone), so we just shrugged and moved on.

For all I know, they kept at it until they died and their ghosts are still stuck in Morgan-Monroe State Forest, condemned to trying to pull each other out.

 

[ghuns]

Is the anchor point the transport tie down loop?

I'm sure it is. But the manual has a picture with an arrow pointing to it and makes reference to vehicle recovery.

 

[Fargo]

I'm sure it is. But the manual has a picture with an arrow pointing to it and makes reference to vehicle recovery.

Interesting, I am kind of surprised since most manufacturers run screaming at the first hint of anything involving recovery because of liability. I have a buddy who works for Audi, I will have to ask him about it if I remember.

 

[ghuns]

Interesting, I am kind of surprised since most manufacturers run screaming at the first hint of anything involving recovery because of liability. I have a buddy who works for Audi, I will have to ask him about it if I remember.

Might be part of the "cold weather" package.

 

[cmann250]

I laughed this off until I broke a clevis pulling out a 15,000 lb bucket truck today. Snapped it like a twig.

I did not think a 7400 lb F250 would have enough traction on ice to break anything, but I was wrong.

Shackles inbound.


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[ghuns]

I laughed this off until I broke a clevis pulling out a 15,000 lb bucket truck today. Snapped it like a twig.

I did not think a 7400 lb F250 would have enough traction on ice to break anything, but I was wrong.

Shackles inbound.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Living on a farm, I have broke lots of things pulling stuff. Log chains, nylon straps, tow hooks, etc. But I have never broke a clevis.

Maybe cause I've never bought a new one. My grandpa amassed quite a collection of them over the years. I'd guess they mostly date from the 1950s-60s. Doubt they make 'em like they used to.

 

[cmann250]

Well 40,000lb sleds and decades of shock loading may have compromised this clevis.

By any rate, it got my attention and I’m trying to be safer.


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[JeepHammer]

That's why I use shackles instead of clevis, shackles can't spread because of screw in 'Bolt'.
I grew up on a farm, HUGE tractors that go down like the Titanic in quick mud, and the tendency for farmers to use chains that are clearly damaged (more repair 'Quick Links' than chain links) and farm use clevises instead of shackles.

While 4 wheeling I saw (drove up on) a recovery gone bad, the hook straightened out and went through the back window, head rest of front seat, and out the windshield, stopped about 15 feet in front of the vehicle.
Opened about a 2" gash on the driver's shoulder, but if he hadn't been leaned over looking at the mirror it would have went into the back of his head...

Again,
I use closed shackles with screw in pin (Crosby is suspended load rated, break strength is at least 4 or 5 times the rated load),
I use 'Lift Straps' rather than 'Tow Rope' or 'Tow Straps'.
Tow rope & tow straps DON'T HAVE ANY verifiable rating, lift straps generally have failure ratings 4-5 times the rated load.

 

[BluedSteel]

Not much you can't move with log chains and a Hi-Lift jack.

The Hi-Lift jack is Bloomfield's great contribution to society. For those who don't know, it not only serves as a jack, it can also be used as a manual winch. I think they still make a bracket that lets you carry one mounted on the bumper.

 

[jbrooks19]

I am very heavily involved in offroading and proper recovery techniques if anyone has any questions, just PM me.

If i had to give two pieces of advice it is this:

1) ONLY buy good, reputable branded products (No Harbor Freight or Rural King crap)

2) Use as little gear with metal as you can- I have soft shackles and synthetic line on my winch and kinetic ropes for snatching people out.

NEVER USE CHAIN and try to reduce using any metal D-Rings and Winch hooks (even with latches) as much as possible.

 

[jbrooks19]

[video=facebook_share;1417499825056519]https://www.facebook.com/SteerSmarts/videos/1417499825056519/[/video]

Here is a video from a yearly Offroad/Camping trip I do up in Michigan with a bunch of friends, most of which build Jeeps for SEMA..we do a long weekend of camping and wheeling in the snow, this year was the worst in years
of people (including myself) getting stuck. Constantly running winch line to yank myself and others out.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

I ran across this how to some years ago. It accurately illustrates the correct way to apply the practices pointed out in the previous posts. Quite the "Expert Guide".

Extracting Stuck Equipment Safely

Now that I've scrolled thru all 96 pages... I think I will take a close look at straps, chains, etc. lying around and toss some with knots, bad links, etc...

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

Is the anchor point the transport tie down loop?

I'm sure it is. But the manual has a picture with an arrow pointing to it and makes reference to vehicle recovery.

It threads into a point in front or back for recovery. The A6 is the same.

 

[hopper68]

[video=youtube;pjjGBO791IQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjjGBO791IQ[/video]

 

[Clay Pigeon]

I am very heavily involved in offroading and proper recovery techniques if anyone has any questions, just PM me.

If i had to give two pieces of advice it is this:

1) ONLY buy good, reputable branded products (No Harbor Freight or Rural King crap)



2) Use as little gear with metal as you can- I have soft shackles and synthetic line on my winch and kinetic ropes for snatching people out.

NEVER USE CHAIN and try to reduce using any metal D-Rings and Winch hooks (even with latches) as much as possible.

The problems with using synthetic winch line is heat ( 150* ) if the winch has a internal brake or rubbing a simple burr anywhere from the winch drum, fare lead, mounting plate to what you are winching out or connected to will cause rope failure. Chain and steel cable are dirt and mud compatible and will give advance warning before failure.
Synthetic rope doesn't get along with anything abrasive at all.
I'm a sailboat guy, lots of catastrophic failures in recent decades with folks using dyneema or spectra ropes. Nothing quite like a burr on a piece of rigging to cut synthetic rope and the end result is a demasting.
I get it that its easier and lighter to use, but dont kid yourself that its a better product than wire rope or chain..

 

[Fargo]

It threads into a point in front or back for recovery. The A6 is the same.

That’s pretty cool, most manufacturers seem to do their best not to provide a safe recovery point.

 

[MarkC]

It threads into a point in front or back for recovery. The A6 is the same.

BMW also includes the threaded point and a tow hook in the tool kit.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

BMW also includes the threaded point and a tow hook in the tool kit.

Nice idea, but that looks like a pretty light duty aluminium piece.

If so, even a slightly off angle pull could damage it, if not cause it to fail, and sent it flying.