Advise needed after the fact

[stlcruiser]

Greetings:

One of our work trucks, (14 foot box truck, Izuzu) got stuck yesterday. It was off pavement rear wheels in the mud about 4 inches with front of the rear tires touching concrete. Front tires were on pavement. Get the picture.

Before I got there, a F350 hooked up to it and it wouldn't budge with chains. Here's what I did and want to know if this was correct, stupid, could have caused damage, etc.

Strapped my rear tow eye to a tree with a strap. Strapped the Izuzu to my winch, put the Landcruiser in neutral and tighted up on the winch. My truck moved forward as all the slack was taken up. Then really started to work the M12000. With a little accelerator from the Izuzu, it was sucessful.

There was a lot of stress on my frame, winch, etc. and at one point, I was worried the tree would be uprooted. As the outcome was sucessful, what was the potential risks that I did not take into consideration either personal safety of equipment wise. Should this type of recovery be attempted in similar circumstances?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[e9999]

well, of course it's better not to stretch (figuratively and literally speaking). Not worth twisting your frame if it's not a serious situation. (You tree killer, you! )

but if you have to do it, it may have been be better to tie yourself up using both tow loops, not just one, to keep things symmetrical, I would guess. And better still would be to use a spreader bar on top of doing that to prevent the frame rails from wanting to squeeze together. Or an equivalent would be to use a serious tow hitch receiver if you have one since that will function as a spreader bar but you are then dependent on how strong the bar or bumper is.

Either way, if you have an M12 struggling you are up there in stress. Probably not a good idea to insist.

 

[CruisinGA]

Done the same plenty of times. No sweat.

Whats the difference between your winch straining with your frame tied to a tree and pulling someone else out, or your winch straining to pull you out of the mud?

Answer- Your suspension doesn't see any forces.

So, one could make the argument that it is easier on your truck than just winching yourself out.

 

[e9999]

Done the same plenty of times. No sweat.

Whats the difference between your winch straining with your frame tied to a tree and pulling someone else out, or your winch straining to pull you out of the mud?

Answer- Your suspension doesn't see any forces.

So, one could make the argument that it is easier on your truck than just winching yourself out.

sorry but I have to disagree.

by tying yourself to a tree on one side and winching you put asymmetric forces on the frame, which could potentially lead to distortions. If you are winching without being tied down, the stress is put equally on both sides, and yes, you may slide, but you won't make your frame twist in weird ways.

 

[stlcruiser]

Thanks for the replys.

E999, I see your point to evenly distribute the force to the frame and go through both tow eyes. As the winch is pulling from the center, even stress on the frame would then be possible. As the winch moved my cruiser to "line it up" when it was tighting up, it was not perpendicular due to the fact I was only secured at one side of the vehicle.

Steve
94' 202,000

 

[CruisinGA]

I agree about loading the frame differently.

It would be better to hook up to a point in line with the winch. Necessary? I think not.

The center of the winch is offset what, 12" from a framerail? That's a pretty small moment acting to distort the frame compared to it's strength.

 

[e9999]

I agree about loading the frame differently.

It would be better to hook up to a point in line with the winch. Necessary? I think not.

The center of the winch is offset what, 12" from a framerail? That's a pretty small moment acting to distort the frame compared to it's strength.

only 12,000 ftlbs of torque...

 

[solidfrontaxle]

Thats what tow hitch clevises are for. That'll center you right up.

 

[CruisinGA]

only 12,000 ftlbs of torque...

About the same as me and a breaker bar... right?

 

[e9999]

About the same as me and a breaker bar... right?

possibly... how long is the bar?

 

[shelfboy1]

ive used the rear pintle for 35 years on my pto powered 40 and have winched out 1 dozer,1backhoe,several cement trucks and countless other vehicles .it has been tied to trees other trucks and buildings and never bent .i think it depends on how much your truck is rusted.last winter using a 6" strap and a 30 ft run pulling out my gmc it finally bent a little.its been it the salt since new so ihad to reinforce the back.good luck

 

[lcruzrlvr]

How about putting your cruiser off to the side, running a tree-saver strap around the base of the tree, attaching a snatch block to the strap, attaching another snatch block to the Isuzu, and running the cable through both snatch blocks and back to the tree-saver strap?

 

[Greenweenie40]

I have winched trees down before and pulled out other rigs with my rear end anchored to other trees, no problems, I have broken the cable before and I would expect somthing else to break before any frame damage would occure.