Pulling A Stuck Vehicle - Gear and Procedure?

bluesun · 05-17-2004, 12:07 AM

Seems like I have a 4wd with tow hooks that eventually someone will ask me to pull them out of something. What kind of equipment does this require (website reference?) and how do you do it from the rear, as there don't seem to be tow hooks there, and I don't think your supposed to use the tow hook. Just looking for a simple tow strap and whatever else you use to wrap it around I guess. Thanks.

Austin · 05-17-2004, 02:54 AM

Assuming you have a receiver hitch mounted on your truck, get a ballmount that has as little drop as possible (straight is best):

A shackle with at least a 10,000lb load rating:

A good tow strap with loop ends:

Loop your tow strap around the anchor point on the stuck truck (so that both ends of the tow strap are at your truck), and then secure the strap to your truck with the shackle. At that point, your truck is ready to pull.

I always let the guy who is stuck hook up the tow straps to his own vehicle. You'll want to check where he has them hooked to make sure they're secure. If pulling out someone's stuck vehicle results in damage to their vehicle, better it's not your fault.

Tow hooks are much less secure than tow loops, as the tow strap/cable can easily slip off, so you want to make sure the towstrap isn't going to whiplash back and smack into your truck if it should break - put a heavy towel or jacket over the strap and this'll keep it from flying too far.

If you're using good quality tow straps, they're made to stretch. Rock your truck front to back and let the stretching work for you.

If you've got 4x4, shift into 4LO for the most pulling torque.

If you've got a locker in either axle, lock 'em up.

If you're in sand and you need a bit more traction, lower your tire pressures. Less than 5psi and you run the risk of popping the bead, so don't go too far down.

If you're in mud, keep tire pressures up.

It's usually easier to pull out a stuck vehicle in the reverse direction it was goint when it became stuck.

rrumaner · 05-17-2004, 06:51 AM

This is excellent information. I am going to sticky this so that it doesn't get lost.

I think this should also be included in the FAQ.

Half Shovel · 05-17-2004, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrumaner

I think this should also be included in the FAQ.

Done. I'll reference this thread for now, until Ekool gives me FTP space.

One note of caution. DO NOT USE CHAINS!!! Chains (even heavy ones) can break. At their breaking point, they will be stretched, and they will snap like a big heavy whip if they break. Back in my TundraSolutions.Com days, a member who was always doing stupid stuff did just that. The chain broke and came through the back of the cab, and through the roof, just missing his head. He would have been history.
HS

FLfinfan · 05-17-2004, 07:00 AM

So where do you recommend to hook up the strap in the front (or back) when you don't have a hitch? Tow hooks in front? Around the axel or frame in back? I had a guy pull me off a sand pile by my axel in my Frontier. Just had to make sure we didn't pinch the brake line that ran through the area.

hawkeye680 · 05-17-2004, 07:04 AM

Austin that was a very good set of instructions. One question I have that probably is a stupid one, maybe I just haven't thought it all out. Why not lower your tire pressures in mud like in sand? And like I said, I know I am probably missing something PAINFULLY obvious.

bestatchess · 05-17-2004, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesun

Seems like I have a 4wd with tow hooks that eventually someone will ask me to pull them out of something. What kind of equipment does this require (website reference?) and how do you do it from the rear, as there don't seem to be tow hooks there, and I don't think your supposed to use the tow hook. Just looking for a simple tow strap and whatever else you use to wrap it around I guess. Thanks.

The best thing to do is let them borrow your cell to call a tow truck. If you really want to pull somebody out, you need to make sure they know how to drive as you risk getting rammed if they are excitedly gunning the engine and then suddenly get traction. I have seen this happen on several occasions. When I had a winch equipped vehicle I used to make them put it in neutral and swear not to touch the gas pedal before I started reeling them in.

Austin · 05-17-2004, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawkeye680

Austin that was a very good set of instructions. One question I have that probably is a stupid one, maybe I just haven't thought it all out. Why not lower your tire pressures in mud like in sand? And like I said, I know I am probably missing something PAINFULLY obvious.

That was given as a general rule. There are types of mud and muck where you'd want to try lower pressures, but generally mud is of the type that is better done with higher pressures.

The air pressure in the tire affects how stiff the tire and sidewall are, and ultimately the contact patch, or the amount of tire rubber that is in contact with the ground. With higher tire pressures, the tire is kept more rigid, giving a more narrow contact patch. With lower tire pressures, the tire squats/sags/droops, which widens out the contact patch

It's a matter of force applied per area - as in pounds per square inch. Your truck weighs 5000 to 5500 lbs. Assume for a second (and this is *not* a correct assumption) that you have perfect weight distribution and 4 equal corner weights. You've got 1250lbs resting on each tire. On a P285/70/17 tire at 35psi, I'll guesstimate you've got about a 9" wide by 4" long contact patch, or about 36 square inches. The same tire on the same wheel at 5psi, you've got about a 12" wide by 9" long contact patch. That's the difference of your truck exerting 35 pounds per square inch on the ground and only 12psi.

In sand, the objective is to float. With higher pressures and a narrow contact patch, the tire will dig in and the truck will go straight down. Lower your tire pressures, the truck will float on top of the sand. The increase in traction more than outweighs the loss in ground clearance.

In most mud (and snow) you want higher pressures. With the more narrow contact patch, the tire will actually dig through the loose stuff on top and get down to a harder surface below.

If the mud is deep enough that you can't dig through the loose stuff on top, then you're better off trying a lower pressure. To find mud this deep, though, you usually need to look for it.

If you do lower your tire pressures to play around in the sand, though, you need to remember to raise them back up before you start driving fast again.

Tires blow out due to heat. Heat is caused (among other things) by the movement of air inside the tire (air being pushed out of the bottom part of the tire). With lower air pressures, any tire will flex more while driven, and the result is more heat generated. If you generate enough heat, the tire will blow (ala Ford Explorer with 22psi tire pressure).

JerseyDirt · 05-17-2004, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austin

If you've got a locker in either axle, lock 'em up.

Just a word of caution, If the pulling vehicle (your Titan) is on pavement, I would discourage locking the differntial. If you need to turn while pulling out the locked diff will put uncessasry stress on your diff gears as the left and right wheels will want to turn at different speeds but will be unable to do so. You also wont need the additional traction on pavement.
If the pulling vehicle is on snow, dirt, mud, etc., then by all means lock 'em up.

JD

bluesun · 05-17-2004, 02:25 PM

Thanks Austin, excellent info. Should I also get a short length of strap with d-rings, in case I need to wrap around the axle of the vehicle? I guess if it's a car I should just stay away, but even many trucks do not have tow hooks, especially in the rear.

Austin · 05-17-2004, 06:24 PM

Personal preference, I don't like any straps with metal ends.

Get 2 30 foot lengths of 3" wide strap. Loop one around the stuck vehicle so that both ends are together, between the stuck vehicle and the recovery vehicle. Thread the 2nd strap through both ends of the first strap, with both ends of the 2nd strap secured to the recovery vehicle via the shackle.

If a strap should happen to break, there won't be any metal flying towards *your* vehicle.

Like these:
http://www.truckaddons.com/Catalog/E..._towstraps.htm

Another great tool to have with your tow straps is a hi-lift jack:
http://www.hi-lift.com/

You can use it as a poor-man's winch.

pciley · 05-17-2004, 07:37 PM

ABSOLUTELY AGREE!!! No metal!

Everyone has probably heard grandpa's story of someone getting cut in half while spectating a recovery. Stand clear cuz straps can break too.

3" is thick, I think mines 2.5" with a working load of 7000 lbs. The max is probably 12-14k lbs. I don't think I'll be putting that much weight on it, even with the "stuck" aspect of a situation. Not until I get the HD Titan in a few years

bestatchess · 05-20-2004, 01:29 PM

"In most mud (and snow) you want higher pressures. With the more narrow contact patch, the tire will actually dig through the loose stuff on top and get down to a harder surface below. "

Absolutely correct. This surprises alot of people. I used to have an old Land Cruiser with tall, skinny knobbies that could not be stopped. The guys with big wide tires that were stuck could not understand how this worked.

hawkeye680 · 05-20-2004, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bestatchess

"In most mud (and snow) you want higher pressures. With the more narrow contact patch, the tire will actually dig through the loose stuff on top and get down to a harder surface below. "

Absolutely correct. This surprises alot of people. I used to have an old Land Cruiser with tall, skinny knobbies that could not be stopped. The guys with big wide tires that were stuck could not understand how this worked.

Makes perfect sense now. I told you I was probably missing something obvious.
That also explains how you never see "the world's finest 4wd's", the range rovers, with the skinny knobbies out in the jungles and crossing rivers. Not some bubba-truck with 44x15 thornbirds.

Austin · 05-20-2004, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawkeye680

That also explains how you never see "the world's finest 4wd's", the range rovers, with the skinny knobbies out in the jungles and crossing rivers. Not some bubba-truck with 44x15 thornbirds.

Did you mean to put the word "never" in there?

Big tires do have their place - like rock crawling, for instance. You can't have too much tire (assuming you have the engine and the gearing to spin the tires) on rock. More rubber = more traction.