Need a new tow strap, American made. Recommendations?

[Flyinghunter]

I had to use my tractor to pull out my 4WD truck on my farm today. I noticed my good old tow strap is showing some significant wear marks and may be unsafe. I use this regularly on the farm with tree work, Polaris Ranger trail maintenance, and helping friends in need.
Can the Hide recommend an American made heavy duty replacement?

 

[fdkay]

I had to use my tractor to pull out my 4WD truck on my farm today. I noticed my good old tow strap is showing some significant wear marks and may be unsafe. I use this regularly on the farm with tree work, Polaris Ranger trail maintenance, and helping friends in need.
Can the Hide recommend an American made heavy duty replacement?

Depends where you are.
If you have any type of industry near you, try a local company that specializes in wire rope.
They typically work with straps as well and can even custom make a heavy duty tow strap.
For example, these guys are local to me:

Lifting and Rigging Supplies | Wire Rope Supplier | Kennedy Wire Rope & Sling Company, Inc.

Kennedy Wire Rope & Sling Company, Inc is one the leading suppliers of wire rope, rigging hardware, slings, and other oilfield and lifting products. Call us at 1-800-289-1445.

www.kwrs.com

 

[alamo5000]

It depends on what it is for.

A tow strap is one thing but a kinetic rope is another option if the primary purpose is to get vehicles unstuck. The kinetic rope is actually much better than a plain old strap.

If you are not sure watch Matt's Off Road Recovery on Youtube. He uses Yankum Ropes. They are not cheap but typically highly regarded...and they are 100% US made.

 

[alamo5000]

This is a video comparing snatch straps vs kinetic ropes. Both of those will stretch.

A regular old tow strap is static. It will not stretch at all.

 

[alamo5000]

 

[supercorndogs]

My old snatch strap is from Big R, a ranchers supply store. IT stretches out to store energy, I have no idea how it compares to the straps used in the videos.

Those guys from Matt's Off Road Recovery do some good stuff and have some entertaining videos on You Tube. They pull out vehicles stuck off road in Utah, and some in other surrounding states. They raised like 20k for charity around thanksgiving. They are gonna give me the bug to get my blazer up and running again. I decided to scrap the old one because I was tired of no top or doors. Its been on the back burner for about 5 years now. I haven't done anything but say, "You know, I need to work on that."

 

[ZiaHunter]

Bubba Recovery ropes also made in USA and like the one mentioned above not cheap.

 

[Bullfrog08]

Ive had good luck with my Rhino tow straps. They claim usa made.

 

[Holliday]

Yankum!

7/8" Kinetic Recovery Rope | Python | Yankum Ropes

Do you drive a Jeep, 1/2-ton truck, or SUV? This recovery rope for Jeeps is for you! The Python is our 7/8" kinetic recovery rope 9,000 lb max static weight, and a minimum breaking load of 28,600. Grab one of these to make sure your Jeep is prepared for any sticky situation on the trail.

buy.yankumropes.com

 

[Maggot]

Forget all that nylon garbage and get a good old American made steel chain.

 

[eflyguy]

Matt's or Yankum. Same thing.

 

[10ring'r]

Mine was always, either, Rhino or Warn, Flat Straps and I think they were 30k or 50k rated. Mine are a few years old, like 25 or so, still got em and they still work (I hope?). Mac

 

[fdkay]

This is a video comparing snatch straps vs kinetic ropes. Both of those will stretch.

A regular old tow strap is static. It will not stretch at all.

Many a sailor has lost life and limb to synthetic snap back.

 

[alamo5000]

Many a sailor has lost life and limb to synthetic snap back.

This is something designed from the get go to stretch. If you watch some more of those videos these were invented by the tug boat industry ages ago and have since been adapted to off road recovery.

They are very safe to use but regardless of the product one should always observe good safety practices. In other words, don't stand near the rope while a pull is underway.

 

[alamo5000]

Yankum!

You need a bigger one.

See the one second from the left...

 

[alamo5000]

Here is another interesting video.

 

[pk5333]

It depends on what it is for.

A tow strap is one thing but a kinetic rope is another option if the primary purpose is to get vehicles unstuck. The kinetic rope is actually much better than a plain old strap.

If you are not sure watch Matt's Off Road Recovery on Youtube. He uses Yankum Ropes. They are not cheap but typically highly regarded...and they are 100% US made.

Did he do a cobranding with them or something? I think he markets his own ropes now.

 

[Soulezoo]

Rope>strap.
No argument about it.
Especially if you use it often. A strap is typically only good (safely) for about a dozen yanks or so. A rope kept in good condition can last years with hundreds of pulls.

 

[300 grainpill]

Ashley Sling out of Atlanta… get a tear away type for equipment retrieval they’re way safer for everyone involved when they break

 

[alamo5000]

Did he do a cobranding with them or something? I think he markets his own ropes now.

Yankum makes Matt's ropes.

Zoom in and look at the tags... they are made by Yankum.

Matt's Recovery Rope®

Preorder This Signature Series Yellow Kinetic Matt's Recovery Rope by Yankum Ropes. This off-road recovery rope for 4x4 trucks, Jeeps, and SUVs with breaking strength 28,600 lbs.

mattsoffroadrecovery.com

 

[Hairball]

I carry a bubba rope (big bubba 52,300 breaking strength) on my F350 but I also carry a regular strap and I have a Warn winch. Bubba rope is great for getting someone out of a jam as long as you have enough room to use it. Mine was around 400 or so but you may also decide on synthetic shackles so that drives the price up. Other option is just a cheap strap and replace as needed without much cost.

 

[Duc]

GearAmerica

GearAmerica

www.gearamerica.com

 

[Hobo Hilton]

Wire rope.... Check your nearest logging rigging supply store.

 

[Devildog]

I use these guys products. They’ve been excellent https://www.rhinousainc.com/

 

[Flyinghunter]

Great information team. Thank you. I've always used flat straps so this is a solid education regarding ropes. Definitely would invest in a sheath to protect the rope e.g. wrapped around a tree.

 

[Holliday]

You need a bigger one.

See the one second from the left...

Ha! I don’t I would get much stretch with that….

 

[HeavyAssault]

I for one learned to use a variety of pieces when helping with pulling people out. No one wants their $400 rope/strap to get frayed. Use cheaper shorter straps on the stuck vehicle. Use a chain if you want....use a cheaper short strap on the stuck vehicle. Use a weighted bag on the chain to prevent a broke chain from coming thru the windshield or slamming into the tailgate. I got some HUGE shackles to tie/connect straps/ropes together to add length when needed. My buddy used old sections of fire hose to protect his straps.
There's never or VERY seldom a one-n-done piece of equipment.

 

[Major Wader]

Triple S Rope in Cummings, Kansas sells ropes up to 300,000 lb rating

Easy to deal with, quick shipping, USA made

 

[Holliday]

Great information team. Thank you. I've always used flat straps so this is a solid education regarding ropes. Definitely would invest in a sheath to protect the rope e.g. wrapped around a tree.

I have some straps for trees and hooking to vehicles then to the rope. The Yankum comes with a sheath that you can slide anywhere on the rope. It’s 3 or 4 feet…..

 

[Obone]

I have had great success with my Factor 55 stuff.

 

[TxWelder35]

After watching a Jeep pull a stuck big ass bus motor home out of soft sand, I’m pretty well sold on yankum ropes for vehicle recovery.

HeavyDSparks on YouTube (the diesel brothers guys) has posted some recovery videos using giant ropes also to recover buried semis, 5 tons, etc. pretty impressive piece of equipment.

 

[Ravenworks]

Forget all that nylon garbage and get a good old American made steel chain.

Steel chain is for ignorance, good way to get killed

 

[missed]

I have a big Yankum that's good for the 1ton trucks and the smaller one for UTV,,'s and cars. We also have quite a bit of 1.5" Dynema rope that we use for heavy equipment. The Dynema is not meant to jerk stuff out though. I got those ropes from one the rigging shops we regularly use.

 

[Mr. Z]

Forget all that nylon garbage and get a good old American made steel chain.

You’ve never had one of those come through the window after you huh?

 

[Beefmanne]

 

[Maggot]

You’ve never had one of those come through the window after you huh?

Nothing is unbreakable but I have some 80 year old logging chains that I'd put against any nylon you've got.

Its real steel with real welds not the garbage you get a t Lowe's today.

We used them to pull log skidders out when they got stuck in the swamps. Never saw one break.

 

[Average guy]

We run Dynema rope at work, commonly known as plasma line. It’s not meant for being shock loaded, but it’s awesome for pulling. Extremely lightweight. We buy from Wyoming Rigging, the can custom build and size/length you want.

 

[Holliday]

I used to log for a living in my youth. Apple and oranges between that and most vehicle extractions.

 

[Jefe's Dope]

The kinetic ropes are fucking amazing. Most people in the recovery vehicle describe it as a bunch of guys just lifting the vehicle out. There's not much whiplash. You do need to get some energy in it though. I tend to not give it enough the first two, but three I hit it and things happen.

Me and @Krob95 pulled a Subaru out of a snow bank using one last March coming down Squaw Pass during the HUGE storm.

 

[TxWelder35]

Nothing is unbreakable but I have some 80 year old logging chains that I'd put against any nylon you've got.

Its real steel with real welds not the garbage you get a t Lowe's today.

We used them to pull log skidders out when they got stuck in the swamps. Never saw one break.

Kinetic ropes are like rubber bands, and yank slowly but strong with built up kinetic energy. Your chain gives you whiplash and it hard on everything you yank with it, and when it breaks it’s a missle.

Kinetic ropes are the way to go. The future is now old man

 

[Maggot]

Kinetic ropes are like rubber bands, and yank slowly but strong with built up kinetic energy. Your chain gives you whiplash and it hard on everything you yank with it, and when it breaks it’s a missle.

Kinetic ropes are the way to go. The future is now old man

How do they do in the freezing weather. I seem to remember an article from years back about Dupont creating nylon rope before WWII because they knew they could sell it to the Navy. The navy found it was useless in very cold weather, it froze and broke, and switched back to hemp. I could be wrong on that, if so correct me but Ive used hemp and nylon ropes and will say the hemp is far better to work with.

As an aside, thats one reason Dupont teamed up with William Randolph Hearst (who had massive timber holdings to support his newspaper industry)to have cannabis outlawed. $$$ Per acre/year, cannabis produce far more pulp than pine and its actually good for the soil.

 

[thejeep]

Y’all got stuck?


Not mine.



My worst stuck I was wheeling the land cruiser my brother was spotting. 5’ deep gulley on drivers side. The road was angled down towards the gulley as to pull the drivers side in. I wanted to straddle it and asked my bro to direct the wheels. He directed the passenger side into the abyss. So instead the dash pointing down towards 7 like I thought would, worse case, the dash wash pointing down at 5.

Drove it out for a 50yards busted the ps trunnions. Wheel fell off. Chained vehicle to a tree, really steep, came back later x 3 times.




Another time we were pulling a jeep out. There front bumper let go and went sailing trough the air 12’ high and 45’ long right into my ps front door. Just below where my cousin with cerebral palsy was looking out the window. He thought it was awesome. Some folks from KY can’t read or weld?

 

[Soulezoo]

How do they do in the freezing weather. I seem to remember an article from years back about Dupont creating nylon rope before WWII because they knew they could sell it to the Navy. The navy found it was useless in very cold weather, it froze and broke, and switched back to hemp. I could be wrong on that, if so correct me but Ive used hemp and nylon ropes and will say the hemp is far better to work with.

As an aside, thats one reason Dupont teamed up with William Randolph Hearst (who had massive timber holdings to support his newspaper industry)to have cannabis outlawed. $$$ Per acre/year, cannabis produce far more pulp than pine and its actually good for the soil.

Things have improved somewhat over the last 80 years. There may have even been some developments in the synthetic fiber industry.
We even have jet aircraft, microwave ovens and watches with more computing power than all of Bletchely Park.

 

[hlee]

To the point about freezing weather. Matt's Offroad Recovery uses kinetic ropes to pull vehicles out of the snow all winter- and then out of the sand all summer.

 

[Maggot]

To the point about freezing weather. Matt's Offroad Recovery uses kinetic ropes to pull vehicles out of the snow all winter- and then out of the sand all summer.

As Zoo said and Welder said, I reckon things have changed,

Some, for the good, like car safety, others, like the state of our nation, not so much.

 

[TxWelder35]

As Zoo said and Welder said, I reckon things have changed,

Some, for the good, like car safety, others, like the state of our nation, not so much.

Like I said

Next time you bury a truck, if presented with the option between a chain and a kinetic rope you are now required to pick the chain. Hope you have your neck brace and whatever you hooked it to doesn’t get ripped off