ROPE, simple and often forgotten!

You vehicle is stuck and you need away to get it out. Easiest way to do this is get pulled out by another 4x4 with a rope. But not just any rope!
Simple Halfords generic 12mm diameter rope will not do. You need something that has a load and working rating.

Everyone has different needs, applications and vehicles. For my current vehicle I like to use something that has a 10.5 ton braking load. This type of rope is usually Nylon &/or Kinetic based, 2-8meters long and is 23-25mm in diameter. Cost around £25-£35 depending on brand or company.

It is also useful to have 2x Shackles with a decent rating to accompany your rope just in case the vehicle in need of recovery has no tow bar.

2x of the most common things I hear of have come across is failure of recovery or even leaving the rope at home in the garage.
If the recovery rope is small in diameter (under 20mm) or has tears of splits then bin it, it could do more harm than good.

Before you go out on any off road adventure or road based tours just do a check on your equipment and make sure you have your recovery rope the back and if possible in a bad or box because they do get wet, smelly and muddy.

Its also a good idea to familiarise your self with your own vehicle's recovery points. These are usually mounted on the chassis under the bumpers. I usually paint or spray the recovery points yellow to ease location of these points when dark, muddy or in poor weather conditions.



One of the best Recovery ropes I personally have used if you can come across it is boat mooring rope. Heavy, Strong, tough against the elements.
{Noted that the metal inserts are not necessary and could be dangerous}


TJ

Good advice. BTW, when you say, "For my current vehicle I like to use something that has a 10.5 ton braking load", should that be 'braking' or 'breaking' as both seem very apt!

Anyone else been watching the Dakar on TV? A few nights ago they had a buggy that had to have a tow of of the mud (yep, mud on the Dakar). In fact it was a 'river of mud' due to a flash flood turning a thick layer of dust into a quagmire. The point was, all the towing vehicle managed to do was pull the front end off the buggy!

Very dangerous, no so much for the buggy occupants, but for the towing vehicle as towing points still fixed to the tow rope tend to fly though the air in the general direction of the tow vehicle. The results can be deadly as they can smash through the back window of the tow vehicle!

Three ways of avoiding this:-

1. Make certain your vehicle has sturdy towing points. An obvious statement you might think, but something that still needs to be checked, especially if you've just purchased the vehicle.

2. Likewise, check to see the vehicle you're towing has sturdy point you're attaching your rope to.

3. Fit Jate rings to your vehicle. What are Jate rings? Well, many 4x4's have lashing eyes fixed to the front of them - Land Rovers and Range Rover Classics are a case in point. These are not meant for towing or vehicle recovery (although a lot of people use them for exactly that purpose), these were solely designed to "lash down" vehicles when there are being delivered.

For example, the lashing eye can be clearly seen here protruding from under the front bumper ...



Instead what should be used is an item called a 'Jate ring'. Not expensive but very effective ...



This is simply fixed to the chassis with a high tensile nut & bolt. Here a Jate ring has been installed directly alongside to a lashing down eye. I have to say the chassis itself doesn't look brilliant in this photo, but it is a good photo for showing both the new Jate ring and the original lashing eye ...



A newly-fitted Jate ring can be seen a lot more clearly here ...



Now, with FOUR Jate rings attached to the chassis front and rear on each chassis rail, your vehicle can be pulled from the muddiest of holes. It's obvious the strain is now taken up by two towing points, thus halving the load on each point. This photo 'borrowed' from the website of recovery experts Nomad Webbing clearly shows that with the addition of a towing sling, towing is a whole lot safer than just attacing a rope or winch cable to a lashing eye ...



There are of course many other types of towing points that can be fitted to 4x4's, but by far and way the cheapest/most effective are "Jate rings".

Off course a simple heavy rope can be sufficient. But I've learned through the years, a kinetic rope makes a BIG difference. when pulling you have more and longer momentum. Shocks won't be so strong. Demonstrated this once during landyrally. The belly of the 133"got stuck (what else can you expect?) on a ridge. Someone with a Disco 1 on mudtyres took out a strap to pull me off. 5 Runs later the car hadn't moved an inch. Finally took out my kinetic rope, same car pulled me of in one pull.
Better invest some more in good rope.

BTW, as Tom already said, please make 2 towingpoints on each side of the car. If you really are stuck use them both using an extra strap, prevents the chassis from bending

Tom Mc wrote:

Good advice. BTW, when you say, "For my current vehicle I like to use something that has a 10.5 ton braking load", should that be 'braking' or 'breaking' as both seem very apt!

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, Which ever one relates to vehicle tow ropes........

My third attempt to post on this thread.


TJ, your second photo shows a heavy metal thimble being whipped into a rope. That may be suitable for boating but NOT for 4x4 recovery. If that rope end flies then it has a lump of metal attached to wollop someone around the back of the head! 4 x 4 recovery ropes have a soft eye for a good reason.

Quote :

Best Tow & Recovery rope I have used if you can come across it is boat mooring rope.

Boat mooring ropes may well be Nylon, however general purpose boating ropes are often polyester and polypropylene.

I would not knowingly use a polyester or polypropylene rope for recovering a 4 x 4


Buy GOOD gear from people who know the why and how you are going to use that equipment and understands the differences in materials and construction

Use SAFE techniques


One of the most under rated and under used bit of recovery gear is the shovel. I do not mean those tri folding shovels often sold as recovery shovels, there use as digging a 'dump' hole is ok, digging out a stuck vehicle and they show there limitations. Get a proper recovery shovel.


LEARN what is GOOD and SUITABLE equipment and practice SAFE techniques


Brendan

Didn't spot that 'boat rope'. What Brendan said is bang on, those ropes with a metal sheath inside the loop are mooring ropes, definitely not designed for towing or recovery.

There is also a big difference between 'towing' and 'recovery'.

Personally, I wouldn't have this type of strap or rope in my kit either ...



It may have a 3 tonne rating, which I accept is fine for road-going towing, but for off-road recovery far better to have this 10 tonne beauty without fixed lumps of metal each end. When used with good quality rated shackles this can be used to towing, recovery, stringing up smug traffic wardens/wheel-clampers/lazy footballers on £100,000 a week/any number of up 'emselves celebs/etc./etc./etc. ...

Also be aware of the weakest link when buying towing ropes / straps.
I have a 7.5 ton rated strap which came with 3.5 ton rated shackles now uprated with 4.5 shackles which were the highest rated I could find.
This is fine for towing the Frontera out of most things but I would not trust it for towing the ML on anything other than the road.

And I totally agree with the shovel comment I have a folding shovel which cost about a tenner off a well known auction site and it's only really good for digging a small hole for burying the obvious no good whatsoever for trying to dig a vehicle out of anything other than soft sand then you have a really good chance of losing the skin off your knuckles, not ideal

wideformat4x4 wrote:

Also be aware of the weakest link when buying towing ropes / straps.
I have a 7.5 ton rated strap which came with 3.5 ton rated shackles now uprated with 4.5 shackles which were the highest rated I could find.

RANT WARNING


THAT wonderful word rated

Rated for what?

Rated for what purpose?

Rated to what standard?

There are many other words and expressions thrown about with wonderful abandonment, used to describe things with great glee but are sometimes used to mislead people.

We are dealing with the LEISURE side of motoring, involving 4 x 4, possibly on non sealed surface roads and possibly off road totally.

Many things which are governed by strict laws/industry guidelines do NOT apply to this market area


TOWING or RECOVERY?

These expressions are used interchangeably by people. On road the RECOVERY company comes to recover or tow your vehicle away.


Basic distinction in the 4x4 world is that TOWING means pulling a vehicle which will move freely and low forces are involved. Any change of forces is relatively gradual

RECOVERY means pulling out a stuck vehicle which is not free to move. Forces are very much HIGHER then those involved in towing. This force may be applied slowly and more controlled by use of a WINCH, or it may be more rapidly by using a snatch type recovery

RATING

That first strap Tom shows is RATED at 3,000kg but what does that actually mean? It is rated for TOWING a 3,000 kg vehicle which is free to move on a sealed surface. It is nothing to do with its STRENGTH! On a smooth level sealed road the force required to pull a 3,000 kg would be about 300kg

That hook on that 3,000 kg strap is smaller then the hooks on my winch RATED at 2,000kg WLL (more later)

That strap probably has a maximum strength of about 2,000 kg and the failure mode will probably be by the webbing going where it is badly bunched to go through the hole in the hook.

To my knowledge there are no legal guidelines/test methods for these types of 'towing straps'

That second strap is more then likely a POLYESTER LIFTING strap rated at 2,000kg WLL with a UTS of 14,000 kg when new. Being designed as a lifting strap, stretch will be low, good for lifting, debateable for towing, will generate much higher SHOCK loads when used in snatch recoveries.

WLL = Working Load Limit = maximum load that it is permitted to lift! Replaces the old SWL = SAFE WORKING LOAD, as no such thing as SAFE working load

UTS = Ultimate Tensile Strength, = force required to break it under CONTROL, TEST environment. Sometimes BS is used meaning Breaking Strain or Stress (BS also stands for Bull poopie and could be used to describe this expression) Would suggest people look up meaning of stress and strain.




Shackles in general have a WLL on as most go into industry for lifting purposes so H & S rules apply. Depending on quality of the shackle there will be a SAFETY Factor of between 6 to 9 between the WLL and UTS


Now wide strap rated at 7.5 tonnes, is that a WLL or UTS? IF 7.5 tonnes WLL it would be a MASSIVE strap to carry in a 4 x 4 as it will have a 50+ tonne UTS

Ropes in general are rated by the UTS so a 24 tonne rope UTS is safe with a 4.75 tonne WLL shackle (6 x 4.75=27) Have not seen rope slings around for a while

I hope that clears some of the confusion about ratings



Proper recovery straps are made from nylon for their stretch and are typically rated at 8,000, 11,000 or 15,000 kg and that is UTS. The only official guidelines on snatch straps I have seen is from the Queensland government and that is strength of strap should be 3 times the weight of vehicle. Normally the 8,000 kg one is used in the 4x4 world


Someone on ebay sells 'rated' 5 tonne towing/recovery straps and price is cheap. Part of his hype is that is all the strength you need to recover a 4 x 4 (BS!!!!). Price is cheap admittedly. Then admits te strength is 6 tonnes or a safety factor of 1.2



As said earlier

Quote :

Buy GOOD gear from people who know the why and how you are going to use that equipment and understands the differences in materials and construction

Use SAFE techniques

IF you do not then someone could get seriously hurt!


Brendan


PS Edited to add

Some of the so called 'recovery' straps available. Somebodys else bargepole springs to mind!

Quote :

5 TONNE 5T 4.5M Tow Towing Pull Rope Strap Heavy Duty Road Recovery Car Van 4x4

Quote :

50mm wide- 4.5 metre length

For cars, vans, 4x4 and agricultural vehicles

UP TO 5 TONNES

2x heavy duty forged steel hooks for easy on/off operation

Come in a nice storage bag

WARNING:

1. Never use it on heavier vehicles than specified

2. Do not use it on rough surface

3. Do not use repaired tow rope

4. Tow the rope slowly, do not tow it suddenly

5. Check the rope regularly to assure it's function

Quote :

This a specialised product

Please do not be fooled by other tow ropes that by the price will tell you they are cheap.

This product is fully manufactured by the UK's finest webbing converters. This is the very best you can buy please check my 100%. Only the best webbing is used for my products so please buy with confidence.

2 METRE BLACK RECOVERY STRAP/TREE STROP 50MM(2INCH)WIDE WEBBING

THIS STRAP COMES WITH A LABEL WITH SAFE WORKING LOAD, MANUFACTURED DATE & SPACE FOR YOU TO FILL IN YOUR OWN NAME OR CLUB DETAILS TO STOP IT BEING BORROWED PERMANTLY .........

THIS WINCHING STRAP/TREE STROP COMES IN A 2M LENGTH AND IS 50MM (2INCH WIDE). HANDY WHEN YOUR VEHICLE IS STATIONED A LONG WAY FROM AN AVAILABLE ANCHORAGE POINT, AND YOU HAVE FULLY WOUND OUT YOUR WINCH CABLE YET STILL SHORT OF REACHING IT OR AS A TREE STROP TO PROTECT YOUR ANCHORAGE POINT FROM YOUR WIRED WINCH.

THIS ITEM WILL MAKE A GREAT TOW ROPE AND IS VERSATILE RECOVERY STRAP.

THE WEBBING HAS A BREAK OF 6 TON (STRAP RATED AT 5 TON) WHICH IS ENOUGH FOR ANY STRANDED VEHICLE, DONT PAY EXTRA FOR MORE BREAK STRENGTH AS IT IS NOT NEEDED UNLESS YOU HAVE A VERY LARGE 4X4.

5 TON RATED IS ENOUGH TO PULL MOST 4X4 VEHICLES.

MADE OF POLYESTER LOW ELONGATION WEBBING IT HAS TWO RE ENFORCED EYES AND HAS EASY CONNECTION TO A SHACKLE, HOOK OR TOW BAR BALL WITH ITS RE ENFORCED EYES.

I think its now illegal to use ropes or straps to tow on the road? Don't fixed bars have to be used? If this is the case then wouldn't use of a rope on a greenlane be technically breaking the law? Not saying its right just puttin it out there.
Personally i use the lifting straps that have the weights on a label on them. Pretty cheap to buy these days and some are massive. As 4x4 overlander says they aren't great for snatch recovery but then thats not what they are designed for. Pulling is fine. If you want to snatch i'd suggest a proper kinetic rope over anything thats going to reach the end of its stretchyness and snap in those conditions.
Our american friends demonstrate here just why you dont use winch cables to snatch!!!! Doh wheres my gun....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1NnL83UpuQ

Sorry but tow ropes are legal. Yes conditions apply re length etc, visibility markings etc. On motorways will be to nearest safe place which could be construed as the hard shoulder or NEXT slip road/service station. So are LEGAL on greenlanes

Now that begs the question about straps!

That video shows amongst other things a soft loop on the wire, no safety catch on hook, now is that hook a wide mouth one or has been distorted? Also begs the question why did he drive into the gloop in first place? Why was that recovery attempted at an angle?


OK vehicle stuck, lets not bother engaging brain, lets use inferior gear, lets use inappropriate recovery methods. Lets go rednecks!


Brendan

I keep in my car at all times; 3 x 3.25T shackles. 1 x 4M /6T strap with reinforced eyes + 1 x bridle. 1 x 10T/10M tow rope and various other odds and ends - especially GLOVES-always make sure at least 2 pairs in case you soak a pair/misplace a pair. And a pair of pliers for doing up shackles nice and tight.

When I go out "laning" I always take an Irish shovel (long handled) and that got me out of a real pickle once.
I usually take a pair of home mead waffle boards too.

Also "standard" kit is at least one amber strobe type emergency light - one of these; www.intalight.com they are excellent and cheap too.

I have 2 recovery points at the front-designed by myself and tow hitch at the rear (my car is a monocoque so recovery points are tricky!)

[quote="4x4overlander"]Sorry but tow ropes are legal. Yes conditions apply re length etc, visibility markings etc. On motorways will be to nearest safe place which could be construed as the hard shoulder or NEXT slip road/service station. So are LEGAL on greenlanes


Thanks for clearing that up for me, its been bugging me for ages.

maadmaan10 wrote:

And a pair of pliers for doing up shackles nice and tight.

NO


Do shackle up hand tight, then back pin off a quarter of a turn.


Do shackle up tight, put large load on shackle then threads can stretch etc making it difficult to undo.

If you are concerned about pin coming undone then get a small shackle, and lock the larger shackle pin off with it by putting small shackle pin going through hole in the larger shackle pin. Body of small shackle around one leg of larger shackle.


Use MINIMUM number of shackles as possible


Brendan

Have to agree with 4x4overlander. DO NOT TIGHTEN UP SHACKLES,

roamingman wrote:

Have to agree with 4x4overlander. DO NOT TIGHTEN UP SHACKLES,

I have to agree I was told to only do the pin up finger tight and secure it with a cable tie through the hole in the eye and around the "D".

The strap I mentioned in the previous post was brought at the overland travel show last year and so were the shackles from one of the vendors not far from a couple of exhibtors who contribute to this forum so I'm hoping it's the proper job.

The pins on the "D" shackles are also coloured which I took to mean they were tested to the appropriate rating stamped on the side, is this the case or is that just hype ? as some other shackles I brought off eblag a few years ago have plain pins and I binned them as I thought I don't fancy getting one up the side of my head at speed in a cold desolate place at some point.

How do you attach the Jate Ring to the other side of the chassis?

Terracan Jas wrote:

How do you attach the Jate Ring to the other side of the chassis?

Mmmm, hard to say as every manufacturer's chassis and models are different. This is typical of a ladder chassis, you are going to have to inspect yours to find out more.



Brendan - thanks for taking the time and effort to expain better about ropes, shackles and the terms towing and recovery ... very enlightening!

Shackles can come natural colour pin, blue pin, green pin and what I found out recently yellow pin

Natural colour pin shackles are 'economy' shackles. Would suggest you consider seriously if you really want to use an economy shackle.

Blue pin shackles are made in the Far East. MBL (Minimum Break Load) is six times WLL.

Green Pin shackles are made in the Netherlands. I always thought Green Pin had a 9:1 safety factor. Have just checked on the green pin site and they quote 6 times. Ooops


Yellow pin shackles are new to me. Will have to check them out.

Brendan

4x4overlander wrote:

Natural colour pin shackles are 'economy' shackles. Would suggest you consider seriously if you really want to use an economy shackle.

Green Pin shackles are made in the Netherlands. I always thought Green Pin had a 9:1 safety factor. Have just checked on the green pin site and they quote 6 times. Ooops


Brendan

Thanks for that Brendan mine have green pins (when not covered in mud) that has put my mind at ease and it would seem right to bin the natural colour ones.

On the Frontera I have located the shackles on the front chassis rails would I be better off swopping them for jate rings and just using the shackles for fastening the strap onto them ?

Sorry but I have not got a clue about Frontera's chassis rail.

Must admit I am surprised you could get a standard shackle around a chassis rail.

When attaching any recovery points to a vehicle make sure that the recovery point and what it is attached to is suitable for a possible shock load of a few tonnes. If not there is a rel risk of flying hardware.

Brendan