If you had doubts about pull ropes...

[DaveMueller]

When things go wrong:

 

[ruffdog]

Just a big rubber band. Add a clevis or hitch insert on the end and it becomes quite the weapon.

 

[SylvainG]

When things go wrong:

Two things, I hope nobody got hurt and I hate when they post in wide screen a video that was taken with the phone vertically. On Android YouTube, you can't zoom in so it's either very small vertically, or small horizontally. Either way, it can't fill the screen.

 

[DaveMueller]

I guess they cut out the part that showed the Jeep driver with his jaw ripped off. I didn't watch the hole thing when I posted, but saw it on a Jeep page a year or so ago.

 

[ovrszd]

I watched the first video thru the first vehicle pull. I couldn't stand it any longer.

I bought my first rope in 1979. I've owned several over the years. Have used them dozens of times.

I don't appreciate this man publishing videos using a product in such a dangerous manner!!! He is going to be responsible for someone's serious injury or death because they watched his videos and followed his lead. Bad, bad, bad man.....

Over the years I've saw a LOT of damage caused by rope failure. Vehicles destroyed. Fortunately no injury or death in our group. Many close calls before we learned what to not do. We still carry ropes and use them when necessary. But we exercise great caution and have definite rules.

Never put a chain in the mix!!!! I've saw chains get thrown past the tow vehicle 30 feet. I saw a chain and clevis go thru the back window of a pickup, thru the front window and lay out on the sand in front of the vehicle.

Every pull the drivers should be laying in the seats. Never sit upright and pull or be pulled!!!!

The more I type the more angry I am becoming...... Failure is going to happen with injury or death because of this man's videos.... Please review these videos carefully looking for the details. How the ropes are fastened to each vehicle. Position of drivers. And more importantly position of onlookers. Especially when multiple ropes are hooked together. No one should be in the "kill zone". That's the distance of the combined ropes....

Never, ever, ever use a clevis to fasten two ropes together!!!! There's a simple way to fasten them together that requires no metal and they are very easy to get apart.

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks for starting this thread James. Hopefully this will be educational concerning the safety aspects. I can't stress this enough!!!!!

 

[ovrszd]

It is soft and large in diameter and catches a lot of air, and very light. Nothing like a cable or chain.

If a rope breaks at full stretch and just the looped end hits you in the head you are dead.....

 

[ovrszd]

And their stored energy is in every inch of its length, immediately releasing within itself at failure.
I've only used the strap type and when they break it's an uneventful straight line recoil.

If it's just a rope, you have a chance of survival. But what about that 3lb steel clevis that he connects them with?

 

[blee03]

I’ve been using sling straps (flat yellow 3” wide or 6” wide for semis) since I got my license. We were always off-roading and mud bogging.

Too many stories about people dying when the chain breaks and goes flying thru the back window of the truck.

I’ve seen a few sling straps break, normally from being pulled hard against some metal edge of a vehicle, they’ll start to cut, rip or fray. Never seen any damage from one breaking though.

We always make sure to never use any metal ends or clevises.

 

[ovrszd]

I’ve been using sling straps (flat yellow 3” wide or 6” wide for semis) since I got my license. We were always off-roading and mud bogging.

Too many stories about people dying when the chain breaks and goes flying thru the back window of the truck.

I’ve seen a few sling straps break, normally from being pulled hard against some metal edge of a vehicle, they’ll start to cut, rip or fray. Never seen any damage from one breaking though.

We always make sure to never use any metal ends or clevises.

I've broke several chains using them without straps/ropes. Never saw much danger of them doing damage.

Now, hook a chain to a rope and have the chain break, carrying part of the chain or a clevis........ Bad, bad, bad....

 

[Rustyiron]

If it's just a rope, you have a chance of survival. But what about that 3lb steel clevis that he connects them with?

I've never used a clevis, just drop the loop over the ball and a tow hook. The failures I've seen are somewhere in the middle. Maybe I've been lucky, a flying clevis would definitely "leave a mark"

 

[ovrszd]

I've never used a clevis, just drop the loop over the ball and a tow hook. The failures I've seen are somewhere in the middle. Maybe I've been lucky, a flying clevis would definitely "leave a mark"

I've never tried the ball trick. We always use screw in shackles.

I've saw two rear bumpers yanked off trucks by hooking to the bumper.

Someone on here much smarter than me can do the math concerning how much energy is applied when you take a ten foot run on 40ft of stretch rope. It's many times more energy than can be applied on a tight chain pull.

I wouldn't even know how to mathematically compute that.

 

[Rustyiron]

Richard you speak of a rope, are you referring to the "new" (as far as I know) purposely made snatch type. I've only been aware of these for maybe 5 years or so. But then I don't get out much either.

 

[CobyRupert]

I've never tried the ball trick. We always use screw in shackles.

I've saw two rear bumpers yanked off trucks by hooking to the bumper.

Someone on here much smarter than me can do the math concerning how much energy is applied when you take a ten foot run on 40ft of stretch rope. It's many times more energy than can be applied on a tight chain pull.

I wouldn't even know how to mathematically compute that.

It’s easier to calculate the force than the energy.
One way would be to measure the acceleration (a) of the pulled vehicle, and knowing it’s mass (m), the force (F) applied was F= m x a. This assumes pulling vehicle came to a stop at maximum stretch. Trying to figure how much moving pull vehicle contributes on top of rope’s stored energy makes calculation more complicated.
Another way would be to consider the rope like a spring, and find its spring constant (k). This is a measure of how resistant it is to being stretched. And measure how much it got stretched during the pull. Assuming (k) is the same whether it’s stretched 1 foot or 8 feet, the force (F) required to stretch it “X” feet is: F= k times X. That’s the force it has at a particular stretched distance. The energy (E) over the length of the spring as it snaps back (various distances), involves integration (complicated math), but boils down to E=1/2 kX^2 .
Again, it’s easy to calculate stored energy contribution, but not moving energy contribution of the pull vehicle.
However, if we know how much the pulled vehicle accelerates beyond what the “spring” can contribute, the pulling vehicle must of contributed this.
.....of course, this assumes pulled vehicle was in neutral and contributed none.

In conclusion: Just floor it and let ‘er rip.

 

[Redlands Okie]

If it stretches it can hurt you on the snap back. That’s why there is a difference between slings and snatch ropes. Even chains will stretch then break. It’s just hard to tell unless you look closely at the links.

 

[Rustyiron]

I've never tried the ball trick. We always use screw in shackles.

I've saw two rear bumpers yanked off trucks by hooking to the bumper.

Well this was waay back, high school and after when we were kids, knew everything and also bulletproof.

 

[SylvainG]

I've never used a clevis, just drop the loop over the ball and a tow hook. The failures I've seen are somewhere in the middle. Maybe I've been lucky, a flying clevis would definitely "leave a mark"

You mean the ball of a hitch? If so, what I've read is this is not recommended. As you pull, the back will lower and the strap can break free of the ball.

 

[Farmer495]

I've never used a clevis, just drop the loop over the ball and a tow hook. The failures I've seen are somewhere in the middle. Maybe I've been lucky, a flying clevis would definitely "leave a mark"

Read an article about a clevis on end of tow strap coming off a hook (not captive) and breaking truck windshield and penetrating skull of truck driver. :-(

I've also worried about the ball some how breaking and becoming a 2 5/16" cannon ball.

I have a hitch slug with a screw in clevis for towing.

 

[ovrszd]

Richard you speak of a rope, are you referring to the "new" (as far as I know) purposely made snatch type. I've only been aware of these for maybe 5 years or so. But then I don't get out much either.

I first knew of stretch ropes in 1977. Not sure when they were first sold. They've been around a long time. The forces they allow the user to exert are extreme. That's evidenced in the videos posted. That force is extremely dangerous and should never be under estimated.

And I don't get out much either. But I somehow have history with these ropes.

 

[ovrszd]

It’s easier to calculate the force than the energy.
One way would be to measure the acceleration (a) of the pulled vehicle, and knowing it’s mass (m), the force (F) applied was F= m x a. This assumes pulling vehicle came to a stop at maximum stretch. Trying to figure how much moving pull vehicle contributes on top of rope’s stored energy makes calculation more complicated.
Another way would be to consider the rope like a spring, and find its spring constant (k). This is a measure of how resistant it is to being stretched. And measure how much it got stretched during the pull. Assuming (k) is the same whether it’s stretched 1 foot or 8 feet, the force (F) required to stretch it “X” feet is: F= k times X. That’s the force it has at a particular stretched distance. The energy (E) over the length of the spring as it snaps back (various distances), involves integration (complicated math), but boils down to E=1/2 kX^2 .
Again, it’s easy to calculate stored energy contribution, but not moving energy contribution of the pull vehicle.
However, if we know how much the pulled vehicle accelerates beyond what the “spring” can contribute, the pulling vehicle must of contributed this.
.....of course, this assumes pulled vehicle was in neutral and contributed none.

In conclusion: Just floor it and let ‘er rip.

And lay down.