'Pigtail' recovery loops

[clivehorridge]

It's surprising that there was almost no KE in that chain when it broke Clive. It just fell on the ground in a dead straight line. I assume it's impossible to measure how much KE you are putting in to a stretchy rope and therefore impossible to gauge when it will break. I assume that's how they work I've never heard of them before.

It's like a giant elastic band Frank, as you stretch it, you store engergy in the elastic until you're at the extreme of the elasticity of the rope, then all your pull (kinetic that is because you're moving when the rope stops stretching) is exerted on the rope plus the force of the elastic. It's quite a release of energy at that moment, enough to shift most bogged vehicles in one snatch.

A chain, on the other hand, is a direct transfer from the tow truck to the bogged truck. Even if you coil the chain and take a run at it, you'll get the sudden jolt of your kinetic energy, but it's like hitting something with a hammer, the impact is instantaneous, and then it's over. If that doesn't pull the stricken vehicle out, you have to repeat the process, and the hammer effect is very damaging to both vehicles, nothing to spread the impact shock.

Chain is very unforgiving when towing, unlike a rope.

 

[Towpack]

There's virtually no give in a chain and hence virtually no recoil when something lets go. Due to this lack of elasticity they're also very good at transferring any shock loading straight into the anchor points so are not the best choice for towing and probably the worst for a 'kinetic' recovery! The whole point of a KERR rope is there should be no shock loading as the force required to move the stuck vehicle is built up gradually.

Reviving an old post but useful info I think.

It appears the front tie down / recovery points on JDM 80's are more substantial than UK versions. While attempting to fit an Ironman winch bumper to my 80 today I discovered it was impossible to use my existing recovery / tie down points as they look like this:
View attachment 113791
Clearly a solid wrap around attachment to the chassis but as the Ironman winch mounting plate slides over the end of the chassis I cannot refit them. Guess I will have to have something made . Bit of a challenge as I am very short of time. May have to forgo this bumper and winch for my trip to Western Sahara .

That looks little more than a tie down point to me. I wouldn't trust it for anything more than an on road tow and certainly not a heavy duty off road recovery of ant sort.

I guess any towing or recovery operation requires only common sense to make it safe, the problem being, when you're in a fix and desperate with limited options, good old common sense can get diluted out of necessity.

 

[Cptsideways]

Nylon 3 strand or braided ropes double in length before breaking point, these are your usual KERRs rope.