[QUOTE="Sooke, post: 10766853, member: 84720.
I use the chain hoists in the fire service fairly regularly for vehicle extrication/rescue/recovery.
Cody
Do you have a recommendation in terms of the size of the chain hoist? I was going to get a 3 ton but if I could get away with a smaller one I'd rather save space in the truck.
Pete[/QUOTE]
I use 2.5 and 3.5 ton hoists at work and there is not too much of a difference in size albeit in weight. Personally I wouldn't go smaller than the 3 ton you were thinking of.
If it has a safe working load (SWL) of 3 ton with a 4:1 safety ratio, and you use a 2:1 or even 3:1 mechanical advantage system when using the device to extricate your vehicle, you could expect a "pull" factor of roughly 6000lbs for a 2:1 or 9000lbs for a 3:1 not including your losses to friction. If you feel that this would be a reasonable amount of force to possibly "free" your stuck vehicle, then I would not go any smaller.
With the 4:1 safety ratio built into the device you could even push the working limit of the unit past the rated 3 ton limit in rare circumstances and get an even higher "pull" factor with a 2:1 or 3:1 mechanical advantage.
Cody