Sometimes the best thing a strap can do is break. Unlike a chain or an over-rated strap, a lower-strength strap can act as a fuse when
goes south.
Long story short, I was towing a stranger's motor home through the sandhills on a 20' 20K lb rated strap with a 68 year old guy driving the motor home. It had no power brakes because the engine wasn't running because it had a bad fuel pump because it hadn't been run in 10 years the tank was feeding it rust.
I had gone over how we were going to keep the speed under 25 and that he would have to break hard on the downhill - no power brakes - to keep the strap tight and not drive up on me.
10 minutes into an hour long haul he ran over the strap. I am -so- glad that strap broke before he could reel me in. All I felt was a tug when it went. If we'd have used the ancient log chain that he had wanted to use, I'd probably not be writing this.
I re-tied it with a water knot and we went the next 20 miles into the next town at 15mph on a now 16' strap. It was a long afternoon in 105* heat.
A 30' Class B motor home looks REAL big in the rear view mirror 16' away at any speed.
I bought another 30' tow strap just like the one that broke.
Tow Strap, Recovery Strap, Vehicle Tow Straps, 4x4 Recovery Strap, Off Road Recovery Strap
I do not use it for recovery. Only for towing. The strap makes a great fuse in that kind of situation.
For recovery, I have an ARB 24K lb snatch strap.
Sorry 'bout the hijack, but I thought it was an important bit to interject before everyone throws out their lighter duty tow straps and buys giant crane slings.
Regardless, use a strap with loops on the ends and real shackles. Never buy a strap with built in metal hooks.
IMHO YMMV - I am not a mechanic nor a crane operator.
Back to pretty pictures from a trip I wish I had been able to go on. I keep telling myself, "maybe next year...?"
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