snatch strap ratings

Submitted: Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 09:34

ThreadID: 53955 Views:10005 Replies:6 FollowUps:12

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Member - bungarra (WA)

Hi all

curious what rated snatch straps you carry for your vehicles......seems to be at least 3 available (maybe more?) 8,000kg....11 and 15. Have carried and used the 8,000 with a hilux and used successfully on similar size vehicle recovery (nissan of course...lol)...actually to be honest, it was me, the hilux, needing the snatch out of a quicksand type situation in a flowing river xing

am now upgrading to LC cab chassis 4.5 TDV8.....I realise the answers will all be very subjective because it may be your vehicle on either the snatching or recovery end and the other vehicle considerably heavier or lighter

and secondly dry loose sand may be less dead weight than water and or mud situations

am opting at this stage for an 11,000 ARB

Thanks

Life is a journey, it is not how we fall down, it is how we get up.
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Reply By: Mike Harding - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 09:46

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 09:46

There is no Australian Standard for snatch straps so any "ratings" are the musings of the manufacture/seller and should be treated with extreme caution.

Mike Harding

AnswerID: 284039

Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 10:03

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 10:03

Thanks Mike

The packaging states that they are "tested by a NATA approved laboratory" (to ARB standards)

Your point however is very valid

Cheers

Life is a journey, it is not how we fall down, it is how we get up.
VKS 1341

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FollowupID: 548771

Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 10:05

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 10:05

Does it say if they passed? : (That's half a smiley)

FollowupID: 548773

Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 10:14

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 10:14

of course not...it is just a nice motherhood statement :) thats worth a whole smiley

Life is a journey, it is not how we fall down, it is how we get up.
VKS 1341

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FollowupID: 548774

Follow Up By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 11:16

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 11:16

I have been involved with some engineering tests on the loads that can occur during snatch recoveries and also load to failure tests on tow hooks. believe me, you want a strap to fail before any metal fails and flies through the air ! I would stay with the 8,000 straps - have never seen one that was in good order fail unless the driver was on the point of over stressing their vehicle.

FollowupID: 548800

Follow Up By: robak (QLD) - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 11:31

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 11:31

I'm with kiwi kia on this one.

treat the snatch strap as your "fuse". which breaks before something on your car does.

FollowupID: 548806

Follow Up By: splits - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 12:08

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 12:08

I also agree. The funny thing about snatch straps is you see people with the highest rated ones they can find connected to a shackle with about one third the rating. They then take off like a bat out of hell and the stranded vehicle damm near leaves the ground when the strap pulls tight.

If something is going to break then it will most likely be the shackle, possible with disasterous results.

Another point is has anyone ever seen a rating marked on a factory fitted recovery hook? None of the cars that I have owned had anything on them. My Hilux owner's manual even says " do not jerk the hook" when towing!

Brian

Brian

FollowupID: 548817

Follow Up By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 12:48

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 12:48

You are right Splits. The so-called 'Factory Recovery Points' are usually just tie down points for when the vehicle is being transported. We did some tests to destruction on some aftermarket recovery hooks and found that they all met the ratings stamped on the hooks but note that they did not have a built in safety margin. That is, the hooks started to fail shortly after the rated load was reached. Fortunately all of the forged hooks 'unwound' and did not break. Cast iron hooks are prone to snapping and flying through the air !

FollowupID: 548821

Follow Up By: Rob from Cairns Offroad Training & Tours - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 17:21

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 17:21

As a trainer I have done literally hundreds of snatch recoveries. I get the cars in as straight a line as possible, fasten to recognised recovery points or in the towbar tongue with the pin thru it. A snatch works, you dont have to go fast, a series of small pulls is safer than 1 massive one. Interestingly I have had my strap 8t strap for years and it has always had a much smoother progressive action than newer ones I have used. My strap was given to me to torture test to by TJM before they put them on the shelf. They now sell them as Just Straps. Cheers,
Rob Berrill
Cert IV Instructor\Assessor
Accredited instructor cars\motorcycles\4wds
http://www.cairnsoffroad.com.au
http://www.aussieat.net
http://aussieadtours.blogspot.com/

FollowupID: 548864

Follow Up By: Crackles - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 19:58

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 19:58

"The funny thing about snatch straps is you see people with the highest rated ones they can find connected to a shackle with about one third the rating"
Not that funny really as an 8 tonne strap breaks at around 8 tonne where a 3 tonne bow shackle breaks at around 32 tonne.
Straps have no safety factor where as rated D or bow shackle can have a safety factor of up to 8 or 10 times the point of failure. These ratings are a guide for the lifting industry.
Cheers Craig...........

FollowupID: 548925

Follow Up By: splits - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 21:55

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 21:55

That may be true Craig but it does not change the fact that many shackles have flown through the air and caused a lot of damage to both people and property. It makes no difference whether the shackle holds and the recovery point lets go, the result is the same.

Unfortunately few people have the engineering qualifications to accurately calculate the breaking limits of the recovery points on their vehicles. I asked Toyota when I bought my Hilux and they told me to see a 4wd training school.

We would all like to think the factory points will be ok with the lightest size strap but I think it is asking a bit much to expect them to hold against an overly enthusiastic person in a heavy car with the largest of the straps behind it.

I think I will stay with the small size and hope it is the weakest link in the chain.

Brian

FollowupID: 548963

Reply By: Hairy (NT) - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 17:53

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 17:53

Gday,
How many people could actually gauge how many Kgs they are putting on the strap when you use one! Its fine to say your strap is rated at 8,000kg but it means nothing if you dont know when your putting 8,000kg of pressure on it. Id rather the stronger or higher rated strap...It doesnt mean you have to try and hit it flat out just because your strap has a high rating.
It all comes down to that not so common sense.

Cheers

AnswerID: 284140

Follow Up By: Member - Olcoolone (S.A) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 13:51

Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 13:51

Mitsubishi did a test with 2 x 2005 Pajero's using strain gaugers and with a vehicle bogged down to the under body in sand they could only get a figure of 2.35 tons of force at the conection points on both vehicles.

Regards Richard

FollowupID: 549285

Reply By: Dave from P7OFFROAD Accredited Driver Training - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 18:06

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 18:06

A bigger strap does not make for a better recovery, just a bigger bang!

As above, I have done many, many snatch recoveries. I hate snatch straps and will go to great lengths to avoid using one!

Buy yourself some Maxtrax.

cheers

AnswerID: 284149

Follow Up By: Rob from Cairns Offroad Training & Tours - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 20:29

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 20:29

I am surprised to hear you say that Dave, I think a snatch strap used sensibly and correctly is one of the most effective and efficient recovery tools available. They are inexpensive, light and easy to store and when looked after and treated with respect they will last indefinitly. I agree Maxtrax are great and perfect for when stuck while alone The only disadvantage of snatch straps when used sensibly is that you need 2 cars. Cheers Rob

FollowupID: 548940

Reply By: Crackles - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 19:43

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 19:43

I'd suggest carrying one 8 & one 11 tonne strap.
For the vast majority of recoveries the smaller strap will do but in difficult conditions with a heavily loaded Cruiser it's better to use a larger one. In my experience the bigger 10 tonne strap I have does not improve a recovery unless both vehicles are heavy (3+ tonne) as they obviously don't stretch as an 8 tonne does.
An important proviso... Both the tow & recovered vehicles need to have suitable upgraded recovery points & mountings to take the increased strain or you risk tearing the tow point or barwork off the car.
There is an increased danger using a bigger strap so many simply reasses their options when an 8 tonne strap is not big enough and either dig or winch the car out for a safer recovery.
I'd see the 15 tonne strap is for small bus's or light trucks with an appropiate heavy chassis & recovery points.
Cheers Craig.............

AnswerID: 284179