DupermanDave

When towing a car out of a ditch or a short trip down the road, where's a good place to hook the tow strap on the truck? I have a tow package with the tube bumper. I dont want to end up like these kids [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8hGafZ6ul0[/YOUTUBE]

Phoenyxinferno

Ive always liked that video lol

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

Does it have a reciever hitch? Just stick the tow strap inside and secure it with the pin.

Dont' use the ball!!

DupermanDave

Why not use the ball? Isnt that what you use to pull trailers with, and wouldn't that be good to tug someone out of a ditch?

I believe it does have a receiver hitch. Never looked at it much (it needs a good wash. THe entire rear is covered with soot)

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

lol! Well, sometimes balls on a good yank came come flying off and become cannon balls. It's not good practice.

mattaway

sounds so wrong....

but anyways.... i always use the reciever ball. i've got the baby reciever on my truck and i've pulled out a stuck 3/4 ton chevy, no problems. been pulled out by a 1 ton dodge and an f250 daisychained together, no problems. a buddy of mine bent the rear bumper on his 1/2 chevy swapped jeep trying to pull me out, no problems on my end.

the ball comes flying at you when you have one of those fancy 6" adjustable aluminum deals on your reciever. if you use just a regular ball you'll be fine.

the factory front tow hooks work good too....

iamsuperbleeder

Invest in one of these baby's!





freek'n love mine; it's great!

RobD

A little more than 5 years ago, there was a fatality in a town not far from here caused by a trailer hitch ball shearing at the base.

A forklift had gotten stuck in a yard, so two employees grabbed a 1/2 ton Chevy pickup, attached a chain to the back of the forklift, then the chain was hooked to a strap, and the strap dropped over the ball on the hitch.

The first time they tried this, they successfully got the forklift unstuck. The second time they tried it, the ball failed at the narrow part and the strap essentially sling-shotted the ball into the head of the guy on the forklift, killing him instantly.

Bottom line is that any recovery has a potential to go wrong. Hooks have sheared off trucks, chains have snapped (which is why we never use them), shackles have gone flying...

The bottom line is to attach to the strongest point you can, which is usually the frame. If not the frame, then often the axle can be used (read the manual), crossmember, or trailer hitch. Our trucks at work have tow points attached to the rear (imagine a trailer hitch, but instead of a receiver, there is a giant ring welded to it) so that the vehicles can be pulled out of mud or pulled into an oil lease by a Cat.

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

eh ...LOL!!!

x2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DupermanDave

Where do you buy those? Those are neat

-edit-
found some on amazon.com. $36. anywhere you can get them cheaper? This one is a smittybilt

Tubbyfatty

Wait....so the trunk latch isnt a good point to pull from? HAHAHHA.

That video is a classic!!!

Trail-gear sells that one in the pic, im sure other places do too.

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

Weeeeeell, that one looks like it came from Trail Gear.

http://www.trail-gear.com/trail-armor.html

edit: oops Tubby beat me to it! lol!