Towing

[Twisty]

Had to tow my truck this morning to get the new 3" mandrel exhuast put on (it won't run yet as the Engine Management hasn't been tuned to the new bigger injectors). We had a car tralier organised but it fell through so we had to tow it with a Snatch Strap, and still have to tow it home tonight yet!!

I've heard from a lot of people that you are not supposed to use a snatch strap for towing so I was just wondering why??

I would have hate felt what it would have felt like using a chain, winch extension strap or something with no give in it!!!!

[Wilesy]

Buggered if I know,

I have used a snatch strap for towing (Someone else...) and haven't got a problem with it.

It's a lot more user friendly to the vehicle than a solid rope or chain.

As a matter of fact, I used one on the weekend to push start Roger's XR 250 ::)

Damn Hondas, they never start, should buy a real bike like a Kwaka :P

[LoveMyLux]

You stuff the snatch strap that's why.

Snatches are somewhat 'elastic' and stretch a little when under load. The more often you use them the more damaged they become. Don't know how many normal recoveries you get but I wouldn't use mine past about 25 per strap. Some of the new ones come with warning threads built in, when the colour changes, you ditch the strap. I'm getting one next time, so if anyone can help with brand names I'd be grateful.

If you do tow with it, you can in an emergency but... you destroy the elasticity. Your snatch has now become a tow rope. Better go buy a new snatch.

Hope it helps, RD

[Twisty]

That's the only thing we could put it down too, that it buggers the strap. I was also thinking that the strap dragging along the highway (when it occasional went slack) at almost 100km/hr wouldn't be too good.

Luckily it was one of those TUFF ARB straps ;D

[Wilesy]

Yeah,

I agree with that, though I would prefer to destroy a reletively cheap snatch strap, than to put excess stress on the chassis of the towed vehicle.

Regardless whether you have a recovery point fitted, with the constant "Tug" from a chain towing a possible 2.5 ton of 4by, would in my humble opinion do nothing for the vehicle's alignment.

A bit like giving your truck a few small accidents in the same spot I should imagine. I think I would prefer a snatch strap during the emergency, and then as you say, ditch it.

[oiler]

I keep my old snatch straps just for towing as they still have some give and are much easier on the vehicles.

[LoveMyLux]

Don't think I'd like to be in either vehicle using a chain, no stretch at all really so from slack to tight would be one awful thump. Couldn't be good to either truck or person really, I like my kidneys where they are!!

Look on the bright side, you now have a tree protector for a really big tree!

Seriously though, I'd ditch it after the towing is done, I wouldn't want to need a recovery and have confusion. To think "now which one is the dodgy?" Trying to snatch with anything other than a reliable snatch is bad news. (danger :o!!). Safety first, I like to get home alive.

RD

[DrTCM]

snatches are not good for towing due to the unloading of the elastic chains are not good due to they are very stiff what you need is a thick ope just a little give is needed and they are cheaper then snatches

[oiler]

I don't have any trouble sorting the old straps from the new as the new one always looks newer. When they are really stuffed I throw them out anyway. So I guess there are no straps in my kit that couldn't be used for snatching.

[nischev]

Apart from all that technically it is illegal to tow any vehicle with anything other than a car trailer or straight arm due to the risk of collision.

Some of the new ones come with warning threads built in, when the colour changes, you ditch the strap. I'm getting one next time, so if anyone can help with brand names I'd be grateful.



The Black Rat snatch straps have wear/overload threads in them... the straps display red or yellow threads when they have been overloaded or are beyond safe useage lifespan.

Posted by: nischev Posted on: Today at 04:15:04pm
Apart from all that technically it is illegal to tow any vehicle with anything other than a car trailer or straight arm due to the risk of collision.


Correct, it is basically because a vehicle without the engine on has bad breaking abilities

[taziiy]

Apart from all that technically it is illegal to tow any vehicle with anything other than a car trailer or straight arm due to the risk of collision.


i was going to say the same too slow again

[oiler]

Maybe there is a market for someone to make and sell a stowable straight arm for towing or is there one available?

[Twisty]

The towing we did last night is something I never want to do again. Picked it up from the exhuast shop around 6pm and it was strating to get dark by then. Since my truck hasn't run in 5 months my battery was practibly dead shortly into the 1/2 hour trip. The UHF was playing up due to there being not much current so I couldn't quite here what Brendo (the guy towing me) was saying.

Then the worst bit was coming off the Bruce highway onto Maroochydore Road thru Kunda Park, the traffic was pretty bad, I only had a very dull glow from my lights and the road aint very wide. It was not fun at all, and I'll never do it at night again. Day time is fine, it's still a bit dodgy but not night time.

Anyway my truck arrived home safely and I should finish the timing belt tonight, then one more tow tomorrow morning to get the new ECU tuned and I should be on the road again for the first time in about 5 months (under the trucks own power anyway)

I bet you will be real glad to be back behind the wheel too!! hope it goes well :)

[taziiy]

sounds like u need to refer to the pucker scale on that trip ;D

[kitch76]

The best straight bar tow rig I've seen was a 50mm trailer coupling bolted to 6' of heavy wall pipe, then it had a short chain on the other end. good thing with this is you have a positive conection on at least one car and being 6' long you can throw it up on your roof racks or in a ute tray.

GOTHETOJO

[Twisty]

sounds like u need to refer to the pucker scale on that trip ;D


I'd say most of the trip would be a Pucker Factor 6, but going up 8 for a phew moments at Kunda Park.

As for my truck, it's all been delayed agian, would have had to do an all nighter to have it ready to be tuned this morning, so opted to take my time and put the tune off till next week. That way I can double check I've installed all the crap that I've never done before corectly.

[taziiy]

yeah its always good to double check things

[luxute]

My lux has been of the road for 2 weeks and i'm p***ed off. Stuff 5 months.

[Twisty]

Yeah it's not good luxute, not good at all, probably most of the cause of my grumpy mood for at least the last 2 months. :'(

I tell you what but after driving my girlfriends mirage around for all that time the bloody thing felt like driving a sky scraper when I was getting towed. I was loving it!! ;D

[Sanchez]

twisty_toy94, I'm a Noosa boy (working in Sydney at the moment) was wondering if you got any goss on the 4wd tracks around the coast. The last I heard was some were being closed due to the greenies having a bitch.
Sanchez

[Twisty]

twisty_toy94, I'm a Noosa boy (working in Sydney at the moment) was wondering if you got any goss on the 4wd tracks around the coast. The last I heard was some were being closed due to the greenies having a bitch.
Sanchez


Hey Sanches, I'm really not sure about all the tracks at Noosa. Have never done much up that way except for one cool track near the hospital, I think??? SO yeah can't really say?

We usally go out around Peachester/Woodford/Glasshouse Mountains, and a lot of the tracks out there are getting gated and fenced. But they are still yet to do that to the good tracks.

Having my truck off the road for the past 5 months doesn't help with track upodates either. But I drove it to work today!!!!!

[LoveMyLux]

Here's the LAW on towing... Pt1
Straight from the police website (it's their dictionary that it refers to... not the Oxford ok)

294 Keeping control of a vehicle being towed
(1) The driver of a motor vehicle must not tow another motor vehicle unless:
(a) either:
(i) the driver can control the movement of the towed vehicle, or
(ii) the brakes and steering of the towed vehicle are in working order and a person who is licensed to drive the towed vehicle is sitting in the driver’s seat of the towed vehicle, and is in control of its brakes and steering, and
(b) it is safe to tow the towed vehicle.
Offence provision.
Note. Motor vehicle is defined in the dictionary.
(2) The driver of a motor vehicle must not tow a trailer unless:
(a) the driver can control the movement of the trailer, and
(b) it is safe to tow the trailer.
Offence provision.
Note. Trailer is defined in the dictionary.

[LoveMyLux]

The LAW on towing Pt2

295 Motor vehicle towing another vehicle with a towline
(1) The driver of a motor vehicle towing another vehicle using a chain, rope, fabric, strap or wire (the towline) must comply with this rule.
Offence provision.
Note. Motor vehicle is defined in the dictionary, and vehicle is defined in rule 15.
(2) If neither of the vehicles is a motor bike, the driver must keep a distance of not over 4 metres between the vehicles.
Note. Motor bike is defined in the dictionary.
(3) If at least 1 of the vehicles is a motor bike, the driver must keep a distance of not over 2.5 metres between the vehicles.
(4) If the towline is longer than 2 metres, the driver must attach a white or brightly coloured flag, piece of cloth or other similar material (the warning material) to the towline in accordance with subrule (5).
(5) The warning material must:
(a) be substantially square or rectangular with 2 adjacent sides at least 300 millimetres long, and
(b) be attached midway along the towline, and
(c) be visible for at least 100 metres from either side of the warning material.
(6) Subrule (2), (3) or (4) does not apply to a driver if the driver is exempt from the subrule under another law of this jurisdiction and is complying with the conditions (if any) of the exemption.

hope it helps someone.

[LoveMyLux]

So..

seeing as though a snatch is usually a lillte bit longer than 4 metres (oops) I'd say it's a no go after all.

Unless you hatch a cunning plan like doubling it over, which of course I would have done when I was towing ...mmm ;).

But driving (ie steering and hopefully braking) a towed vehicle, 4 metres (ie less than my truck length) from the back end of a fourby that I can't see past is not my idea of a fun time!! Worse that Sydney peak hour huh

[taziiy]

no i would not try it in peak hour

[kitch76]

4m eh, you'd nearly get booked for tailgating

You stuff the snatch strap that's why.

Snatches are somewhat 'elastic' and stretch a little when under load. The more often you use them the more damaged they become. Don't know how many normal recoveries you get but I wouldn't use mine past about 25 per strap. Some of the new ones come with warning threads built in, when the colour changes, you ditch the strap. I'm getting one next time, so if anyone can help with brand names I'd be grateful.

If you do tow with it, you can in an emergency but... you destroy the elasticity. Your snatch has now become a tow rope. Better go buy a new snatch.

Hope it helps, RD
i reckon ive done at least 50 recoveries with my snatch strap, it still seems to have good elasticity and has no visible signs of wear in it

[FJ60]

We towed a zook onroad with a TJM OX snatchemstrap and the olcrusier didnt even knowit was there!!! I thought i might have damaged the strap though