ie both loops on one tow hook or two different hooks on same vehicle, shortening length by half, wraping folded end around or through secure point such as tow hitch, frame or even tow hook on second vehicle?
Does this double or increase the tensil strength of a 30,000 # rating?
Can this be used on a vehicle whose tow hook is unaccessable or constitutes a full circumfrence?
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C6H5OH

[This message has been edited by Takeabreath (edited 02-23-2001).]

I use nylon slings all the time at work with a 75 ton crane and they all have three ratings.
1.vertical-normal-30,000
2.basket-double-60,000
3.choker-@80% of vertical-24,000


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Kevin
00' Super Black SE 5 speed
31" BFG M/T's, ARB, Rancho RSX's
superblackxterra.tripod.com



[This message has been edited by gearhead1972 (edited 02-23-2001).]

I've had to do this a couple times as well. Mostly to pull cars out of ditches. Most cars have tiny holes to use for recovery so a shockle won't fit. I bought a strap with hooks just for this. I hook both ends to the car and pass the strap through a loop on my good strap. Then shackle the good strap to the X. This way you can also get a good straight pull instead of sideways.

And no the strap with hooks never gets used offroad.

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Depending on how you do it, it generally doesn't increase pull strength. But I do a similar setup all the time. My X has two tow hooks in the front and two in the rear so I can cross-tie the frame. I hook a 6 foot 30,000 lb tree strap to the hooks and loop the strap through the tree strap. This allows an even pull on the frame, which makes pulling easier on my X. You just have to be willing to go to the effort to put the hooks on the rear. It required some imagination and work, but they are very effective now that they are on.

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Gordon "The Warmonger" White

Dude.
NEVER use your tow hitch ball as an anchor point for a tow strap or winch hook to recover a vehicle.
The ball WILL come off in the middle of the pull and go through whatever is nearby.
If you're lucky it will go through a vehicle.
If your not it will go through you.
Ouch.
The ball is for towing trailers ONLY.
Do whatever it takes to not use it for vehicle recovery.
If you already know this and I misunderstood your posting - I'm sorry.

Green Xtreme
Gary

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First: Never use a strap with hooks, the hook can become projectiles and can travel over 300 mps.

Second: Doubling a 30'/30K lbs, strap doesn't make it a 15'/60K lb strap. It DOES make it a 15'/30K lb strap.

For example: If you were stuck, and I looped my 30' strap around your tow hook and then attached the two loops of the strap to my 2 front shackles. I would be putting all the stress on the strap right at the point where it goes around your tow hook. The same stress would be felt by the strap if it were straight.

A 30' strap should be plenty strong for an Xterra, unless you are having to snatch a vehicle (If you don't know what a snatch recovery is, don't try it). If you do have to preform a snatch recovery it is better to use several straps parallel to each other. Or a 2' (or larger) diameter nylon rope.

And remember, The stock tow hook will break before a strap will. If it does... you will have a metal projectile traveling in excess of 300 mph with severl thousand pounds of force traveling right at the Xterra that is trying to recover you.

I have seen several stock hooks snap right off just by hitting a rock.

Remember to place a towel or **** over your tow strap when recovering, if it does break, the towel/shirt will take some of the whip out of the strap.

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Goliath the X
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Cloud White, XE, V-6, Auto, 3-Pack
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31 X 10.5 M/T, Cobra 75
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MAXC Member
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http://members.aol.com/goliaththex/xhome.html

Last weekend I saw a very clever/cheap idea for hooking up a tow strap to a trailer hitch safely.. I'm not taking credit for this.
Use a tow strap with the loops on both ends 30' 30,000 lbs.. Put the loop inside the receiver and insert the dowel through the loop and put the cotter pin into the dowel.
A cheap alternative to a D-shackle.

You can also use a big D-shackle through the receiver but they cost money..
I hope these ideas help a little.

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Ken
'01 Salsa Xterra
4x4 5spd 3 pack

Could you please Explain.Then what your saying would mean if you took a 8000lb winch with 100ft of cable and put a snatch block on it you then have a 50ft 8000lb winch?I just didn't pull those numbers out of my a&$ on all slings used for industrial lifting they must have the three ratings printed on them and I have yet to see a nylon sling that is not double the rating when doubled.
Just my two Lincolns...


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Kevin
00' Super Black SE 5 speed
superblackxterra.tripod.com

Kevin,

There is a HUGE difference between hooking a block and tackle to a truck and double looping a strap. Block and tackle on a winch does in effect double the pull of the winch (or triple or quadruple depending on how many loop backs) due to leverage.

Using a standard winch cable straightline pull gives the maximum weight pull the winch was rated for, say 8,000 lbs and it will pull at full speed. For hypothetical purposes, let's say it pulls the truck at 1 foot per minute.

If you loop the cable through block and tackle at a tree strap and loop it back to the truck, you are decreasing the pull speed of the winch from 1 foot per minute to 6 inches per minute. But the leverage caused by the block and tackle increases the pull strength of the winch by double it's rated pull weight before it hits stall speed.

By tripling or quadrupling the line, you can further increase pull strength but subsequently reduce speed.

One of the best examples of leverage I have found is at the local museum. They have a VW on a platform that using a series of block and tackle arrangements I can actually lift with one hand. I know for a fact on a straight line pull I couldn't lift a VW, but using leverage I obviously can because I have.

Unless you can increase leverage on a pull strap by using block and tackle, you can't increase the pull strength. It's a matter of physics. You can use a few tactics to help out the pull in some ways, but without increasing leverage, you can't increase pull. Although double looping the strap may increase the WEIGHT rating, it still will not increase the pull ability of the vehicle doing the pulling.

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Gordon "The Warmonger" White

[This message has been edited by warmonger (edited 04-11-2001).]

I'm with you on this one. I also work in construction, and this is pretty much standard print on all slings, including OSHA certified safety harnesses. If it can get through OSHA, then it's definately a safe working load.

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'00 4x4 V6 XE
Yella 3pack

Thanks lighting. Warmonger I just used that as an example and a bad one at that. In climbing we use what is called a z-pulley system where you use two pulleys to form a z with the rope. a light and effective block and tackle.a person can pull up another one with a lot less effort. Just a little cranky yesterday.

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Kevin
00' Super Black SE 5 speed
superblackxterra.tripod.com

Kevin,

No sweat. You are right in essence though. You can double the rating of a strap. It was just the example that went awry.

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Gordon "The Warmonger" White

In my high school physics class we found that if you strap from your vehicle to a tree and have a buddy strap to the middle of your line (perpendicular) you create a lot more pulling force. Though, with the increased tension in the your strap, I suppose you'd be closer to breaking the strap or hook.

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blueghost
'01 Xterra SE 4x4