What towing strap?

Jugster

Jugster

Joined
Jan 29, 2020
Posts
107
Likes collected
69
Location
Evesham, UK
Funster No
68,399
MH
A Class Hymer 694SL
Exp
3 years
Hi

After, getting stuck in the mud twice, once in France and once in U.K. CL, I have decided it is time to invest in a tow rope/strap for our next outing ( whenever that is likely to be!)

I have a Hymer 694 SL which weighs 4.5 tonnes. Can any Hymer owners recommend a towing device for my vehicle.

much obliged, Merry Christmas to all, stay safe!
 
Cant advise on actual strap or rope.
But check the towing eye fits ok. Ours needed adjustment and tightening of the receiving nut on the chassis on first use to align with the centre of the hole in bumper.
The towing eye is quite long so a straight pull is essential or bending of towing eye and damage to bumper may occur.
 
Something like this
www.lifting-slings.org

4x4 Heavy Duty 10 Ton Recovery Tow Strap / Sling

Heavy Duty Tow Strap for use with off road vehicles & truck recovery. Made from the highest quality ensuring reliability & safety when recovering stranded vehicles. 10 Ton Minimum Breaking Force UK Manufactured Heavy duty eye protection We manufacture these products ourselves, should you require...
www.lifting-slings.org www.lifting-slings.org
Also a couple of D shackles for easy connecting
 
Don't want to tempt fate, but since buying ours have never needed it.
 
Loads of 5 and 8 ton straps with D shackles on Amazon.

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Ivory55 said:
Something like this
www.lifting-slings.org

4x4 Heavy Duty 10 Ton Recovery Tow Strap / Sling

Heavy Duty Tow Strap for use with off road vehicles & truck recovery. Made from the highest quality ensuring reliability & safety when recovering stranded vehicles. 10 Ton Minimum Breaking Force UK Manufactured Heavy duty eye protection We manufacture these products ourselves, should you require...
www.lifting-slings.org www.lifting-slings.org
Also a couple of D shackles for easy connecting
Click to expand...
10 ton MINIMUM breaking strain..... Can't even get the details correct.
If that a minimum I wonder if it can tow 150 tons then.
10 ton MAXIMUM.
 
From my experience with recoveries I wouldn’t buy any towing equipment from Amazon. You should have a strap with a certified weight limit and the shackles to match. I have seen recovery equipment I wouldn’t trust to hang washing on never mind towing vehicles with it.
I have seen some horrors when a towing strap snapped. The damage it can do to the vehicle it hits is nasty or worse it hitting a person.
The 4x4 magazines are a good source of adverts for recovery equipment.
 
Golden rule is stop as soon as it slips, otherwise you are trying to lift it up out the hole you have dug when you do get towed out.

Agree, get at least a 10 ton strop from a reputable place and avoid D shackles if you can and loop direct to towing eye. That way if it does fail, you only have a towing eye flying around.
 
Googlebot said:
loop direct to towing eye.
Click to expand...
Be interesting to see that done at both ends...... Never seen a vehicle being passed through the second loop.
One end at least needs a shackle or towball.
Oh, a shackle weighs a lot less than a towing eye.
Shackles are also max weight rated by size.
 
pappajohn said:
Be interesting to see that done at both ends...... Never seen a vehicle being passed through the second loop.
One end at least needs a shackle or towball.
Oh, a shackle weighs a lot less than a towing eye.
Shackles are also max weight rated by size.
Click to expand...

You are right, I always hope they have a tow ball. :-)

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A lot of problems with towing arises from the person doing the towing, too sudden of a start and most towing devices will give way
 
Instead of metal D shackles I would recommend these

www.winch-it.com

New Type Soft Shackles | High Quality Winch Accessories | Winch it

Take a look at our new type soft shackles along with our fantastic range of winching equipment and accessories. To find out more talk to our team today on 0800 234 3996.
www.winch-it.com www.winch-it.com

lot lighter, safer, and nicer to use.
 
I carry a military surplus tow strap rated at 14 tonnes. The thin Chinese jobs are very prone to snapping when you put them to the test in an emergency
 
pappajohn said:
10 ton MINIMUM breaking strain..... Can't even get the details correct.
If that a minimum I wonder if it can tow 150 tons then.
10 ton MAXIMUM.
Click to expand...

Nope! It us a breaking strain and it will take a minimum of 10 tonnes before it breaks. 👍

If it were a maximum of 10 tonnes, would it break at 2 tonnes?

Ian
 
Googlebot said:
Golden rule is stop as soon as it slips, otherwise you are trying to lift it up out the hole you have dug when you do get towed out.

Agree, get at least a 10 ton strop from a reputable place and avoid D shackles if you can and loop direct to towing eye. That way if it does fail, you only have a towing eye flying around.
Click to expand...
That’s one thing I noticed is the towing eye on vans are not that big, especially when it’s a 5.5 ton van

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None of them should have a breaking strain on if they are proper lifting /towing strops, they will have a SWL (safe working load) which for non manriding applications has a safety factor of 1.5 so let's say 10t swl it should be tested to15t before it fails, the same applies to shackles unless you go the ebay/ amazon route. A decent chandlers should get you sorted with the proper kit.
 
Good idea Andy. Soft shackles were not around in my day. Another point on this matter regarding towing or recovery is were to attach the strap. Most vehicles these days have a screw in tow hitch. I can’t see you looping a strap through the towing eye.
The worst incident I witnessed was some one trying to tow a builders Transit out of a building site with an Escort van. The Escort had a tow bar so they thought it would be a good place to fasten a rope to.
The Escort took off at a fair speed to gain some momentum. When the slack took hold the towing eye ripped off the Transit and took flight through the back window of the Escort van. They were lucky no one was in the way. The site boss was not amused.
 
You ”open“ it so the knot on the soft shackle comes out of the hole in the other end of loop, goes through what is required, then you pop it‘s knot through it‘s hole.
if that makes sense.
 
bigtwin said:
Nope! It us a breaking strain and it will take a minimum of 10 tonnes before it breaks. 👍

If it were a maximum of 10 tonnes, would it break at 2 tonnes?

Ian
Click to expand...
Sorry, but that is not believable.
Nothing has a MINIMUM limit.
That could be bought to tow a 30 ton truck because 30 tons is more than the 10 ton MINIMUM weight stated.... And it would be bearly strained before breaking.
A MAXIMUM limit is just that.... The maximum weight it can move.

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Snapped tow rope and a lethal D shackle flying around.
It won't fly anywhere if a towel or old coat is thrown over the rope.
Even professional recovery drivers do that for a flat winch or tow and you should be nowhere near the strap anyway. .
 
pappajohn said:
Sorry, but that is not believable.
Nothing has a MINIMUM limit.
That could be bought to tow a 30 ton truck because 30 tons is more than the 10 ton MINIMUM weight stated.... And it would be bearly strained before breaking.
A MAXIMUM limit is just that.... The maximum weight it can move.
Click to expand...

Last attempt; it’s a breaking strain, not a towing specification.

Ian
 
As a sailer, I would only use rope. No shackles or nylon type straps thank you, just 15mm braided rope used for the mainsheet etc will do. Its got just a little flex in it. So has mooring line of similar size. Climbing rope would also work as well I expect. I carry about a 20 metre length of it.

Tie to the tow car/van using a bowline knot (will never come undone under load), take to towed vehicle and put just two turns (no knot) around the towing eye or, better, a chassis member. then back to the tow car and another bowline. If it breaks, its just flailing rope that is very unlikely to damage anything.

I pulled a big old Swift Kontiki with three racing motorcycles on a trailer off a wet campsite pitch with it doubled as above. Being long, I was able to stay mostly on the tarmac. The lads who owned it looked with great suspicion at my rope. They couldn't thank me enough though when I hauled them straight out!

For on road towing. Just make it shorter.
 
Peppadog said:
As a sailer, I would only use rope. No shackles or nylon type straps thank you, just 15mm braided rope used for the mainsheet etc will do. Its got just a little flex in it. So has mooring line of similar size. Climbing rope would also work as well I expect. I carry about a 20 metre length of it.

Tie to the tow car/van using a bowline knot (will never come undone under load), take to towed vehicle and put just two turns (no knot) around the towing eye or, better, a chassis member. then back to the tow car and another bowline. If it breaks, its just flailing rope that is very unlikely to damage anything.

I pulled a big old Swift Kontiki with three racing motorcycles on a trailer off a wet campsite pitch with it doubled as above. Being long, I was able to stay mostly on the tarmac. The lads who owned it looked with great suspicion at my rope. They couldn't thank me enough though when I hauled them straight out!

For on road towing. Just make it shorter.
Click to expand...
No longer legal to tow on the road with a rope, hasn't been for a few years

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Jugster
I use a nylon duplex 2 tonne Swl 4 meter long with a breaking strain of 14 tonnes with 2 * 3.5 tonne Swl shackles breaking strain at least 18 tonnes green pin are best and not much more expensive
never had a problems yet such as these

Safety First Lifting Gear - 2 Tonne Duplex flat webbing slings

<ul> <li>Meets the performance requirements of EN 1492 Part 1:2000.</li> <li>Minimum breaking load is 7 times the W.L.L.</li> <li>Manufactured from 100% high tenacity polyester material.</li> <li>Available in simplex, duplex or endless type.</li> <li
www.safetyfirstlifting.com www.safetyfirstlifting.com

Safety First Lifting Gear - Green Pin Screw Pin Bow Shackle - Shackles - Blocks, Clamps and Accessories - Lifting

<div class="description "> <ul> <li>Grade 6 high tensile steel, quenched and tempered.</li> <li>Minimum breaking load is 6 times the W.L.L.</li> <li>Conforms to EN 13889 and meets the performance requirements of US Fed Spec RC-C-271 Type IVA class 2,
www.safetyfirstlifting.com www.safetyfirstlifting.com
 
Nothing on the police web about being illegal to use a rope or strap...

Not allowed to tow on a motorway unless in an emergency... :doh: would not think you would need a tow if it was not an emergency..:RollEyes:



.
 
Landy Andy said:
You ”open“ it so the knot on the soft shackle comes out of the hole in the other end of loop, goes through what is required, then you pop it‘s knot through it‘s hole.
if that makes sense.
Click to expand...

Anyone that can splice rope can make these.

My Uncle taught me years ago when I was a kid but I’ve forgotten now 🙄
 
Yes, you can. But not so easy with braided ropes, as the ones shown. If you use a rope for towing (if legal of course), you don't need them.

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