Best gear to pull cars out of snow banks?

[GordoJay]

They are using a winch with chains, not jerking and pulling with a half ton pick up truck, I think a big difference. They always pull from the back where all of the heavy rigging and steel protecting the body is as well. I've seen first hand a chain break and take out a windshield and could be worse. I wouldn't take the chance.

Avoid steel cables, too. I once watched a heavy hook fly through the air toward my back window when a cable broke. Happily, it was a long cable. Had it been shorter, I'd have been buying a new window. Cables store energy.

 

[smurfslayer]

How do you attach to low slung cars?

I don’t. The driver of the stuck vehicle does. I’m there to help, not do everything for them.

 

[Diesel71]

I carry a quality tow strap and a shackle. I personally would never use a chain, but thats just me. I also carry and electric blanket and a first aid kit. People get stuck in the mountains here and there is bad cell reception. I always carry extra water and snacks.

Do you drive around with a St. Bernard with a whiskey barrel on it's collar as well?

 

[CoronaRaptor]

Do you drive around with a St. Bernard with a whiskey barrel on it's collar as well?

No, but my Belgian Malinois will lick you to safety.

 

[CoronaRaptor]

Do you drive around with a St. Bernard with a whiskey barrel on it's collar as well?

FYI, this stretch of mountain highway has a tv show about it, called "highway to hell" , its one of the worse stretch's of highway in North America. There's always death every winter, the road is always closed because of major accidents. Its the main artery for truckers from the west coastal states when they enter BC and then heading east.

 

[Diesel71]

FYI, this stretch of mountain highway has a tv show about it, called "highway to hell" , its one of the worse stretch's of highway in North America. There's always death every winter, the road is always closed because of major accidents. Its the main artery for truckers from the west coastal states when they enter BC and then heading east.

Sounds like a job for a Raptor

 

[SilverBolt]

Use a recovery strap. They are designed to stretch when loaded. I would also have the vehicle owner make the connection on their vehicle. If you end up causing damage they can't blame you.

 

[Ski4Ever]

Use a recovery strap. They are designed to stretch when loaded. I would also have the vehicle owner make the connection on their vehicle. If you end up causing damage they can't blame you.

Exactly...use a recovery strap, NOT a "tow" strap. As @SilverBolt said, the recovery strap is designed to stretch and provide extra pulling force (as well as not be one jarring motion for both the recovery vehicle and the stuck vehicle). And yes, I agree, have the vehicle owner make the connection on their vehicle.

 

[The Real Coolbreeze]

I NEVER use hard or steel rigging. NEVER. Lost a good friend when a cable snapped and it cut him most in half as it snapped back... The steel and cable and chain can build energy and hurt things and injure people. I only use fiber or fabric ropes.. Snatch straps and long tree straps and lift rigging straps are great. (tow ROPE for your winch is remarkably inexpensive and a LOT stronger than cable, and it won't snap back) I use soft shackles hooked to frame mounted brackets on the victim vehicle. Then it's down to ... pull first, then a little bouncy pull, on through to flailing at the end of the rope trying to build (just barely) enough kinetic energy.... I think the OP's question was what to tie to... I hunt for the lowest frame mounted thing I can find that doesn't have body work or steering parts attached to it and always try to pull as soft as I can and still get the job done.

Having a damage waiver for idiots to sign is a good idea too... Most of the time you'll never need it, but when you do you'll be glad you did! After all... they were snowflakey enough to get there in the first place, they may also thinks its your fault they're stuck too...

 

[TurboTJ]

Try using two of these: http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/product/transit-cluster/Towing
One on each side of the frame connected to a short flat strap. Then connect them to your tow rope with a soft shackle. You still have to be careful when putting upward pressure on poly bumpers though.

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!


I should add that my typical recoveries involve moving forward until the tow strap is tight and then idling forward until the vehicle it out. If it takes much more than that, I leave it to the pros.

I was digging through snow at midnight with bare hands trying to hook up a Honda in -18F by Kremmling and started thinking, I should have a better system than this!