PSA: Don't use chains to pull stuck vehicles out.

[turbo8]

Video description states the driver was killed.

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[Dorobuta]

this is why you always place a blanket over a tow strap rope, or winch line. the blanket will cause the line to drop instead of whip.

 

[Bumbo]

Sometimes I really hate watching recovery videos...

This was one of those times.

Thanks for the PSA

 

[stphnman20]

Damn...

 

[fourwd1]

Using chains is wrong to begin with.
Winch wire rope and snatch straps should have a towel/jacket/branch as a damper.
And then there's Hi Lift jacks, always a major accident waiting to happen.

Still, it's a rough way to thin out the herd.

 

[wcjeep]

Avoid straps with the metal hooks too.

That gooey mud in the video looks pretty horrible. A proper winch used safely would have been a safer option. I recently bought Bubba Rope. Have not used it yet.

 

[85RedRunner]

Maybe he ducked?

That was unfortunate.

 

[oddjob142]

ouch...that was terrible

 

[indawire]

Ouch

I'm sitting here covering my nuts just watching this.:fear:

 

[Newb99]

Is it just me or is the video gone? I do not see any video in the OP's post.

 

[stphnman20]

Is it just me or is the video gone? I do not see any video in the OP's post.

It's still there.

 

[Newb99]

It's still there.

Something is wrong on my end then...hmmmmm

 

[reelamin]

I found it on you tube. Looks like a conglomeration of tow items. Looks like a strap, cable, and chain not all chain. Chain itself does not store anywhere near that much energy along it. I have never seen a chain fly like that when it snaps...cable/rope/straps for sure not straight chain. Now that being said...snatch strap works so much better and does not tear things up so bad on your vehicle.

 

[RonJR]

I found it on you tube. Looks like a conglomeration of tow items. Looks like a strap, cable, and chain not all chain. Chain itself does not store anywhere near that much energy along it. I have never seen a chain fly like that when it snaps...cable/rope/straps for sure not straight chain. Now that being said...snatch strap works so much better and does not tear things up so bad on your vehicle.

I would agree. We extracted a lot of stuck vehicles on the farm using chains, and I never saw one fly like that. They usually just drop on the ground when they break. My dad also had a hard and fast rule that you NEVER took a flying run when pulling with a chain or steel cable. You always took up the slack gradually and then applied power. If you didn't get unstuck that way, you went and got a bigger tractor.

Mixing straps (rubber bands which store a lot of energy) and chains (linked grapeshot) is a recipe for disaster.

I'm convinced that most recovery accidents happen when trying to do the job with inadequate equipment - too small a tow vehicle, inadequate strap or cable, etc. That appeared to be the case here. Professional tow drivers use chains all the time as their interface between the winch cable and the stuck vehicle, but they always apply smooth steady power with those PTO-driven hydraulic winches.

 

[bmodo16]

Chains are safe when used properly. You cannot shock load a chain or cable like that because once its done, it is weakened drastically.

 

[Lindenwood]

Yeah, that kind of reaction is not inherent to chaind. I can't tell if there was some kind of additional strap on the Jeep end that was providing just a little bit of elastic tension, but those racing starts with a slacked chain were surely the main culprit!

 

[WxManEJ]

As someone who is fairly new at this still. Thanks for the PSA. No chains for me

 

[e60ral]

properly rated chains can be very useful if you use them properly, really the only downside is weight

 

[85_4Runner]

Yes, it's about using the right tool for the job. Chains are not for yanking. They should have been using a yanker strap for that instead of winch line and chain.

 

[Bumbo]

I just saw this website and it made me think of this thread...

I'll just leave this here.

Pirate4x4.Com - Extreme Four Wheel Drive