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CUCV in action

Cucvnut

Well-known member
Please read this! Using chain to recover a vehicle is a bad idea, it could snap and hit the person filming, fly back and hit the other vehicle and cause lots of issues, please use a proper tow strap. (I no longer have a friend because some one used chain to recover a vehicle)
 

jedawson1

Member
Is that an chevy "Avalanche" LOL. Had the grill of my Toyota busted out by an improper tow strap, enough force to break ribs and we were pulling relatively light trucks out.
 

Skinny

Well-known member
Please read this! Using chain to recover a vehicle is a bad idea, it could snap and hit the person filming, fly back and hit the other vehicle and cause lots of issues, please use a proper tow strap. (I no longer have a friend because some one used chain to recover a vehicle)
Agreed, chain really has almost no use being in a recovery bag other than to loop around an object to pull like a down'd tree or object. I've seen people pull up to a truck, unspool some winch cable, and yank in reverse. This shock loads the steel cable...bad idea. Even doing that with a normal strap can be dangerous. A kinetic strap is best in this scenario. Luckily no one got hurt but your video demostrates what not to do. Tough to say but it looks like the chain was attached to the tow hitch safety chain loop which would not be the strongest POA. A strap through the receiver with the pin in it works great in a pinch.

On the plus side I dig your service box tail lights.
 

wayne pick

New member
Although straps or cable would be preferred, I saw nothing wrong with this recovery other than the bystanders being a little too close to the chain. One continuous lenth is safer than multiple lenths as using two lenths or more may part at the hook during a slack moment in the pull. standing anywhere outside the distance of the total lenth of the chain is the safest place to be.

Cheap straps like the one pictured here are more dangerous than anything as the breaking limit is grossly exaggerated. Shackles, softeners, or chafing gear should allways be used with straps as sharp edges will cut them. Cut or frayed straps should be cut in half and discarded. I prefer cable, 7/16 or 1/2' would be more than adequate for this type of recovery, but the chain worked out fine. Nice job.
 

Attachments

In the Army we used strap or cable. But if chain is what you have, you have to be super careful. We were towing a Chevett across a yard with one wheel damaged and not turning. That big chain snapped and fired through the windshield. Lucky for us, it just meant more work and no one was hurt. Since chain was all we had, we should have used as short a length as we could to reduce the potential energy. Of course a cheap strap or cable is dangerous too.
 
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