Snatch
Thinking of Wheelin (aka Off-Roading, 4 byin etc etc) know what to do in case you get stuck. Remember Stuck Happens. (thanks to J. Harden)
Adavis99, here's a quick primer. You can find quite a lot of stuff out there on the internet that will help guide you. One thing I'd add would be that in most all situations, I would rather use my winch to get someone out versus snatching them with a strap. A snatch is a very fast method, but involves huge amounts of forces and stresses that hit all at once. Winching someone out involves a nice, steady increase of tension that gently and slowly frees the vehicle.
Do's:
Do use a high quality snatch strap or rope that is designed for this purpose.
Do tug and snatch in a straight line with the other vehicle.
Where possible, snatch or tug using a receiver shackle in a class III or IV tow hitch.
Make sure the strap is not all twisted prior to strapping. Lay it out flat.
If strapping at a slight angle, it sometimes helps to use two clevis shackles together in a line as this helps avoid twists in the strap.
When trying to free a stuck vehicle, start with a tug. Slowly put tension on the strap, then steadily increase tension. This may be enough to free the stuck vehicle. If the towing vehicle begins to experience wheel spin, stop and attempt a snatch.
To snatch, back up about 3-5 feet and drive straight forward at a crisp pace, similiar to how you would pull away from a stop light. You may need to repeat this multiple times, but it will more than likely, eventually free the vehicle. Avoid the temptation to back up further and take off faster.
Dont's
Don't use tow straps or straps with metal hooks on the end to snatch vehicles. These are not designed for snatching and will likely break, making the metal hook a missile.
Don't snatch or pull at a sharp angle as this will put undue stress on both vehicles.
When snatching, remember that tremendous forces are placed on both the strap and vehicles. Don't back up to where there is 10 feet or so of slack in the strap, then take off at dragster speed as this will very likely damage one or both vehicles.
Here's a great article that demonstrates that not all straps are made equal. It's interesting to note that even the ARB straps broke significantly below their stated breaking strength.
http://offroadrecovery.zoovy.com/cat...rystrapcomparo
Hope this helps
Regards,
John