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Rivers, MB | First combine got stuck today. Broke the hook on the 70 grade 1/2 chain pulling it out. Had a tow strap for pulling our semi out. Tried that and it worked well but its a little short. Looking around and see that I can get a tow straps (12' x 50') that is rated for 200 000lb or a 2 3/4" tow rope (2 ply braded) that is rated at 160 000 lb. Any advantage either way besides the load rating?? I would think the tow strap is easier to work with. |
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NW Iowa | really like the big tow ropes. They stretch and store energy then you're combine pops right up out of there. Never tried the big straps but after using the ropes alot, don't feel like trying anything else. |
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| We bought a tow strap this winter when I hung my pickup,and my old rope was broke. Very nice thing about that strap, at least, is that it rolls up in a small package and stores nicely. Also seems like they have a lot of capacity for the weight. |
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Leeds, North Dakota | big cable, works best, tow ropes are fine but gotta be takin care of, can't lay outside, flat straps same way, work good, gonaa have to give a jerk tow rope is great, never hook a chain on them cause its not long enough, scott. |
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Lapel, In | Until they break. Once knew a guy using a wrecker to pull out a Cat dozer. Cable broke and cut his legs off at the knees when it recoiled. Would never have happened with a strap or rope.
Edited by msb 8/18/2010 19:44
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| I really don't want to coil a cable capable of pulling 20,000 lbs 25 feet long under the seat of my pickup. |
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Brazilton KS | Better not leave a cable laying outside, either.
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Leeds, North Dakota | yes ia agree, chain, rope or cable comin at ya not good, scott. |
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| Supposed to have a tow rope that lays flat if it breaks. Happened once and no recoil. Heard of a few other that have had recoil. I prefer the tow ropes probably because I have them but all have their advantages/disadvantages. |
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central alberta | We use a tow rope, rated at 160,000lbs. Have pulled the tractor and air seeder out with the other 4wd and it is nice. I will never use a chain or cable again, ever, way way to dangerous. Had a chain break once and luckily it was under an implement and stayed low to the ground, but wow would that have hurt!! |
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NW VA | We like our tow ropes really good, have a little give to take out the shock, but won't recoil like a strap if it breaks. Know of several stories from around here of towstrap disasters, clevises through radiators etc. Here's a clip of a rope in action:
http://www.youtube.com/fuelfarmer#p/u/27/HLvyPcS3i_w |
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Sumner GA, Located in southwest GA, | Snatch all the slack out of them at 20 miles an hour. Really, I've seen cables fly, chains, every single one I have seen break dropped on the spot, but that is geared down low and tensioned. Never used a tow strap, rope, but it sounds as if the way yall pull out stuff is different from the way I was taught. I'm just curious, just never had a disaster with chain like some of yall talk about. Sorry about the thread hijack. |
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| I like a strap , it stores nice I carry one in each machine, neighbor has a 3"x50' rope practically fills a pickup bed. it does stretch a little more to help "snatch the stuck machine out. |
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central alberta | JoshuaGA, we are not new to pulling equipment out!! I know how to pull equipment out with chains, and NO I don't take a running start, we always take the slack up slowly and then pull....just telling you that when the chain did break, it was a sling shot. |
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algona iowa | We use tow straps have used ropes, cables, and chains they all have there place. Straps are easier to store and we only use pins or threaded clevises to hook strap to I have broke one and it coiled up wright under where we had it hooked. There are times we will double them up and this has worked well. |
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| Try to size a chain to stop a 400HP 4wd, or even a 200HP FWA. The 7140 will make putty out of a 1/2 grade 70 chain. |
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Sumner GA, Located in southwest GA, | Just curious is all, I don't believe we have ever even snapped a chain, but we aren't pulling with anything bigger than 100 horsepower, nothing over 20 tons, and, right now I am using a 1/2 tow chain, but we used either a 5/8 or 3/4, cant remember, tow chain for years until it disappeared one day. Never dealt with big horsepower, heavy loads situation, maybe a chain reacts differently in that situation, never had the experience of it, so that is why I ask. I just can't understand how a chain reacts like some on here have said, looks like the links would dissipate all the energy before it flew. Maybe someone can tell me the science behind it, that is why I ask, don't get in too much of a tizzy about it.
Edited by JoshuaGA 8/18/2010 22:55
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Wallis, TX | I've posted this before but I want everyone to realize that tow ropes can break and will fly. My son took a brand new tow rope rated for 4wd tractor use and hooked his F-350 to a stuck 4440. The rope snapped with such force it forced the tailgate into the bottom of the bed putting a dent in the bed. It left rope impressions all over the tailgate. The rope had never been left outside and was a couple of months old. It did was not cut but rather tore. |
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ECIL | Knew a guy who got killed pulling a combine out with a tow rope. Something gave way and the hook on the end of the rope came thru the back window of the cab. |
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just a tish NE of central ND | A broken chain will recoil violently. Done it many times.Lived to tell aobut it but just ahte the thought.The stronger the chain, the worse the reaction. |
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| "Maybe someone can tell me the science behind it"
Metal stretches under tension, when a link breaks, that tensions is released, and the stored energy is going to go somewhere. Ever seen a guitar string break? |
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Southern MB | We used to use chains and cables till one day a hunk of chain went wizzing by the tractor cab. That ended the use of chains and cables for pulling equipment out. We now use a tow strap rated for 160000 lbs. Never have had any issues with it. Neighbours used it this spring to pull out a tractor and 60 foot airdrill that was well buried. I like the idea of a rope as well but it sure takes up alot of room if you want to haul it around with you. Hope things dry up for you out there. We have been lucky here but around niverville, brunkild, winnipeg its really ugly!! |
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Rivers, MB | I should have been more clear, we actually broke the hook. We had to pull on a bit on an angle. the pull hook on the back of the combine didn't allow the chain hook to rotate and it pulled the hook sideways and broke. That was my mistake.
I think your later post answers why you haven't broken a chain. Bigger equipment magnifies the pulling force required exponentially. And sometimes, its an inexperienced "puller" that doesn't know how to pull causes some chain difficulties. A strap definitely takes out some of the clutch work out of pulling.
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NE SD | You must buy some garbage chain because we put 400+ hp through a 1/2" chain many times. Finally broke it last fall pulling a combine out when the tractor hopped a couple times before it got shut down. Put a connector in it and it has been used at least 20 times since then with a 9400 or 9420 on the pulling end of it. When it get's serious, we use a 1" cable. Know for a fact it will hold 800hp....as will the hook on the back of a JD combine. |
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Wheatley, Arkansas | 800 engine maybe, 800 drawbar I doubt! |
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| Sort of depends on how much traction the pulling implement has.
Here's a link to the standards.
http://www.nacm.info/Downloads/NACM_Welded.pdf
1/2" grade 70 chain has a working load limit of 11,300 lbs, and a supposed minimum breaking force of 45,000 lbs.
Edited by Pofarmer 8/19/2010 08:57
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| These are as bad as cables and chains when the hook breaks or slips off the attaching point.
Nylon straps with loops stitched in both ends are the preferred recover tool in the offroad world. D-ring shackles are used to attach the straps to the puller and the pulled. An extra bit of safety is to hang a coat, tarp, or some other type of soft weight in the middle of the strap. This will absorb a lot of the energy if the strap does break.
Here is an article detailing the above: http://www.offroaders.com/tech/Tow_Straps.htm
Just do a search on youtube on the subject and see what the results can be... |
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ecmn | on the safety side of things on anything we use if it gets tough pulling we toss an old rug or coat over the rope, it helps lay it down so it dont snap back. in working with cable in construction for the most part a straight pull cable when braking likes to coil as it comes at you slowing itself down very fast. ropes are great becuase they are light and strong, compared to storing cable or chain in a cab they are easy to use. they work like a rubber band and can really get equipment out of bad places. only problem is for the love of god use a shackle with safety pin on them. a rope breaking isnt going to do much damage, a rope with them stupid hooks coming unhooked will pop your head like a teenager pops a zit. please if you buy a tow rope either make sure it has a safety latch on the hook or no hook at all.
chains will fly back pretty hard as well but there range is short because for the most part chains are heavy and want to get to the ground, and noone is really stretching 70' of chain out,
flat straps are very strong, light and easy to work with, again get the premade loops with no hooks and use shackles.
i personally have a 100' 1.5" boat anchor rope for the spots where the pull tractor cant get close. other wise i have a 20' choker 3/4" cable from work that i use. its nice to take the "bad" stuff from work, cable isnt cheap but when changing out the little 3/4" lines on the small cranes there is usually enough good cable to make 1 or 2 good 50' cables, then tie a flemish eye on each end and there you go. |
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NE SD | Well I'll guarantee you that your 7140 doesn't have near as much traction as our weighted up 4wd. If you're breaking 1/2" chains with your 7140 you seriously need to re-consider where you're purchasing them. |
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| These threads ALWAYS take the same path. Poster A says they got something stuck and tried to pull it out and broke chain/cable/rope/strap etc. Posters B, C, and D are usually about post A using the chain/cable/rope/strap and how he would have been much better off using other said devices. Sometimes there will be a post about poster A was using the right tool for the job, but that he was an idiot for trying to pull out something so heavy and should habe either A) used a heavier chain/cable/rope/strap or B) called a wreacker/tow truck to pull it out, or C) call the local crane service to lift it out, because that would be alot safer.
Starting with post E, the next 12 posts will a debate over the merits of each one, with some factual science thrown in about the physics and dynamic forces of towing. After that we say how everybody knows somebody that was seriously scared, needed new britches, seriously hurt, or killed pulling something with chain/cable/rope/strap and that they now only pull with something other than what was involved in the accident.
Then we can start comparing virtual penis size about how much our towing device is rated for and heavy of object has been pulled with it. "We pulled the combine out with the Dick's welding 700 bushel extensions on and it was full. It was sunk in clear up to the top of the ladder." First liar never stands a chance, so somebody has to top that. Before long, somebody helped the Navy pull a beached battle ship off the sandbar and out to sea.
Since the most disgust seems to be directed at chains, has anybody thought of using some of this to pull stuff out?
I doubt any of us own equipment that could come even remotely close to breacking this stuff.
But I think we would need Ritchs help to drag it out and get it hooked up! |
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Darke County, Ohio | And whats your point??. All these posters all trying to help someone from getting killed. Let it go dude |
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| My point is these threads always go the same way every single time.
Maybe I should have put a :) or ;) or maybe a :D at the end so you could catch all the sarcasm driping off. |
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Leeds, North Dakota | MY POINT WAS, chain or cable don't jerk, ya got good nylon rope different deal as long as its takin care of, all can be darn danagerous, QUESS ITS CALLED COMMON SENSE, scott. |
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Kittitas Co. Wa. State | best discription was pulling the beached battleship off a sandbar !! The only problem with the anchor chain is it wouldn't fit under the seat of a pickup... :-)) . |
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ecmn | we have broke anchor chain like that before, not pulling out a stuck tractor but a stuck clam bucket. its funny how much power a wild operator and a 165 ton crane can muster up! |
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central alberta | The tow ropes we use, don't have any metal hooks. The ropes are looped on each end, real good idea. We had a chain sling shot back 25ft, when it broke so, chains can really move. I like the idea of putting a blanket, rug, piece of carpet...or whatever to prevent recoil...good idea! |
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Kansas | Bud, I'm here to tell you, I don't think even I can eat enough wheaties in the morning to lug those things around and help hook up unless I'm manning the controls to a payloader. LOL |
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tow strap vs tow rope ??
