Recovery Techniques in an 80 (1 Viewer)

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The other day, following a sizable snowfall, a buddy calls me and asks if I could assist his wife who had gotten her Honda Civic stuck in a snowbank. Since my truck was still on the disabled list, I wasn't able to do anything for them; however, I got to thinking that I really wouldn't have known proper and/or safe ways of recovering another vehicle. I'm fairly confident that I'll be getting this request again and thought I'd seek the wisdom of the mudders on how to properly and safely recover a variety of vehicle types from a variety of problems (snow/ice being the foremost concern for me) using a variety of methods (straps, winches, chains?) with an 80. Also, any techniques related to unlocked vehicles are especially welcome since I didn't get mine locked and can't afford aftermarket yet.

And Merry Christmas to all:cheers: .

-Sully Claus
 
Always pull in Drive, never reverse.

Anchor to a SECURE spot on the stuck vehicle and to pulling vehicle.

Use a strap, moderate tension. Only snap it if it doesn't move with a gentle tug.

That will pretty much cover you in most cases for snow.
 
I've seen straps with and without hooks. How would one attach a strap lacking a hook? Would you have to use some from of a shackle?
 
After our big blizzard here recently I realized that SO MANY MODERN CARS HAVE NO HOOKS!!!! Yea, I'm that perplexed and pissed at the same time. Seriously, car after car after car either had no hooks or the ones there were too tiny to fit the bolts on my shackles. I ended up rocking and shoveling and swearing just like I would have without my rig around! There was truly nothing to hold to without doing real damage to the vehicle. After awhile I simply suggested leaving the cars there cause it was too much trouble otherwise. Pretty aggravating.
 
Do NOT use a hook, they're very dangerous if they slip off. Use D-rings on straps with loops.

Avoid using chains. They're heavy, a pain to work with, and invite damage.

Dig the stuck vehicle out as much as possible.

Pull in straight lines whenever possible.

If you happen to be using a winch with steel cable, place a blanket or coat over the cable, near the center of the pull or towards the stuck vehicle. This will slow the cable if it, or the attachment, breaks. Flying cables are nasty.

Stay out of the way of any cable, strap, or chain when under load.

Other than that, what Dan said.

-Spike
 
We do a lot of recoveries in sand, deep sand, down to the axles sand, and here's a few tips:

Do not mess with weak tow points - they become a deadly missile if they snap off. It does happen, it happens a lot. If in doubt tie a secondary rope to another part of the car or drape a heavy blanket or mat over the strap about halfway between vehicles.

Better than towing in a straight line is to tow at a slight angle, even just 5 degrees off straight - if the strap or tow point gives way, it will miss the cars.

Nobody must stand next to or behind the cars, safest place is at 90 degrees to the strap, and far away.

Keep windows down and establish a communication system: e.g., puller honks ready, stucker honks acknowledgement, go! puller honks stop, stucker stops.

With a rigid strap don't use a run-up, unless desperate. With a flexible kinetic rope (26mm mooring rope is perfect!) take a run-up, when the pulling car comes to a stop apply full brakes and the rope contracting will gently pop the stuck car out.

A little bit of strategic digging before the pull works wonders, and always pull downhill if possible.

Hmmm... I'm sure there's more...

Oh, and if it's a Civic you're recovering, don't forget to stop and untie him before driving home... :)
 
I pulled a mini van out of the snowy ditch last night, I first used his tow strap with hooks. I didn't even give it a jerk and the hook came off. I finally pulled out my rope and he was out in less than a minute. The moral of this story, DO NOT use tow straps with hooks for real recovery.
 
There are no tow hooks on cars and minivans et al. Those are tie-down points and they are not safe to pull on.

Shovels, kitty litter, sand, carpet are your friends. I would suggest digging and clearing as much snow as possible then push the car out.

I'm sure most folks will disagree, but I would not hook up to anything but a truck/SUV with real recovery points, then use the advice given above.

I gently pulled a car out of a bank a few years ago, then a few weeks later I was served with papers. Owners claimed I damaged their car when I tugged it, that was a PITA to fight, thankfully my insurance company took it on and got it thrown out. Now I'll help anyone with digging and pushing, I'll let them use my cell or wait in my truck for help to arrive, but I won't tug them unless it is a very good friend.
 
The reason I know is that the diff gears are cut in favor of forwards drive, so in reverse when you accelerate forcing torque down the driveshafts, if the wheels can't spin, a lot of stress builds up in the differential gears - and they could slip, meaning you get to re-gear.

I'll tow in reverse, but it's on sand so the torque spins out.
 
I puled out 3 cars the other night and in each case looped the strap around the axle. I wanted to keep this distance shorter than the 30 foot strap so I looped it back to my bumper connecting with a D ring.
 
Cory,
I am no gearing guru, and I am sure someone will give a much better technical explanation. The quick answer: the way the 80's gears are cut they are stronger in the foward direction.
 
Why are there hooks on the front of the 80? They sure aren't for trailering the thing!
 
Why are there hooks on the front of the 80? They sure aren't for trailering the thing!

To hook a strap to so someone can use them to pull you out, or you can pull in reverse.
 
You're right. Most modern cars don't have anything to connect to. They're all unibody so there isn't even anything to wrap something around that isn't a steering or suspension component. Then, even if you do connect to something, you're going to destroy the plastic bumper cover.

There is something sad about having 4 guys hand pushing behind a stuck Mercedes while the idiot behind the wheel floors the accelerator and a locked 80 on MTRs stands idleing 15' away.

I was bent down on the back bumper pushing like hell under the wing so I didn't snap it off and one of the other guys there said, "Why don't you just push him out with that?" That being my truck. I looked up, smiling, thinking it was a joke. From his face it was clear that he was not only serious about it but was ticked that I wasn't doing it.

I just said, "The bumpers won't line up," and kept pushing.

I feel that there are a lot of people who derride large 4x4s as being a waste of resources (gas) and space (parking). Often these are the same people who will demand and expect you to use your equipment to assist them. They're also the same ones who will sue you if their tie rod is bent after you gently pull them out of a ditch that they flew into at 50mph.

If you're driving a moded truck/ute and are stuck or broken down when I'm driving by and don't have the kids with me, then I'll stop to help extract/trouble shoot/jump start/fetch gas, etc...

If you're driving a car, I'll likely stop long enough to see if I should call 911 or give you a ride to the next gas station/phone.
 
The front diff is weak when putting stress onto it in reverse. I can tell you that. I haver broken two front diffs by pulling out someone in reverse. Once from a snow bank, the other a broken truck on the trail.
 
My personal experience is unless you have a winch and can gently pull with the winch, don't mess with it (that is on general cars) they don't have strong enough point to attach to. when you think you are gently pulling with a strap first thing you know is that you've rip what ever you were attach to. Or later on the owner notice you've bent something.

A good shovel, lots of patience and a winch, thats all i would have to offer.

If it would be a truck to pull that is a other story, but even large SUV don't have good tow point.
 
PDoyle, my understanding is when you press on the power pedal and the wheels can't turn, the sheer turning force that the engine pushes through puts the whole drivetrain under a lot of stress. The engine tries to turn the wheels, but the wheels won't turn. Now, in forwards drive the differential gears (both ring and pinion) are cut slanted in support of forwards torque, so that's fine (the weakest link might be the driveshaft u-joints, or the axleshafts...) - but in reverse gear, the differential gears are now cut facing the wrong way, and that would be the weakest link, causing the gears to slip and be damaged.

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That's why you don't want to tow hard in reverse, especially on high-traction terrain where the wheels can't spin.
 

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