Tow Rope

[busnut104]

Since I read the post of tow ropes I have been checking on different rope. Most of the 1" double or triple strand Nylon rope they tell me has very little stretch, am I looking at the wrong type of rope or what should I be asking for. Should I be asking for a nylon Bungy rope??

[H3Jim]

I got  mine from the Marine store (West Marine)  Three strand.  I think it was less expensive (but still very pricey) becuase of its 15% stretch.  The other weaves didn't stretch as much and were more $.

[DrivingMissLazy]

Since I read the post of tow ropes I have been checking on different rope. Most of the 1" double or triple strand Nylon rope they tell me has very little stretch, am I looking at the wrong type of rope or what should I be asking for. Should I be asking for a nylon Bungy rope??

Be sure you are looking at nylon, not propylene plastic rope. It needs to be three strand for ease of weaving an eye in each end and it is very soft and flexible and white in color is all I have ever seen.
Gumpy had a post a ways back that gave a good example of what it looks like.
Richard

[H3Jim]

West Marine carries black too, but teh rateed strength was about 5% less due to the process they used to color it.  So now I have dirty white.

[H3Jim]

Well DML, now I really need to thank you for saving me a lot of headache and expense.  Over the hoidays I went to the dunes, (Buttercup) and managed to find the one 20 ft section of very soft sand.  Pulled in fine, but when I went to leave, just a short easing on of throttle, the duals instantly dug a hole up to the frame.  My bus weighs 38,000 lbs.  Before I pulled in I had taken the wieght off the tag axle for better traction on the duals, but it didn't seem to make any difference. Not a good scenario.

However I had purchased that stretchy tow rope you suggested, and  my friends pulled me out quite handily with one 4wd pickup.  At first he could not bring himself to get a running start, and just dug 4 holes for himself.  Then with a little momentum, my bus popped right out.

That money I spent for the rope seemed pricey at the time, but now it seems like a real bargain!! My buddies are finally getting the idea about the stretch part of the equation.

Once again, thank you for your suggestion and information!

[msheldon]

OK, maybe someone can explain this to me? Why would you want stretch? My training in emergency services has always emphasized as *little* stretch as possible when pulling/towing. Stretch = heat, heat = failure, failure with significant stretch on the line = significant risk of damage/injury.

When I was doing serious 4 wheeling, nobody would touch ropes, only straps, and they had very little stretch. The heavy recovery guys I knew when I worked for the PD had some of the heaviest tow straps I've seen, and likewise, very little stretch.

[H3Jim]

Being stuck in deep sand is unique from all other forms of being stuck it seems.

Any non stretch rope, you must slowly drive forward until all the slack is out of the line or chain. Otherwise you risk breaking the strap / chain / bumper / axle etc.  Its difficult to get any forward mometum from a dead stop.  Unless the towing vehicle has massive traction, it too will just bog down trying to overcome the seeming suction of the sand on the stuck vehicle.  To transferring inertia of a moving tow vehicle seems to work.  As DML says, even a toyota can pull out a big motorhome and trailer with the right rope.

The rope I used has 15% stretch in it and is 60 feet long.  See an earlier post where there is much discussion about this.  DML used two for a combined length over 100 feet long.


We generally only have to get the stuck vehicle moving.  This is not a tow job for any great distance so  heat buildup does not seem to matter.

[NJT 5573]

sounds like a keepers tugem strap to me. available at any 4wd supplier in several strengths. I paid about 60 bucks for mine.

[Torquester]

Guys,

Straps work too, and yes they stretch. After our blizzards here in Colorado over the last couple of weeks, I pulled at least a half dozen 30K GVW busses out of drifts with a 4" nylon strap. 1 ton 4x4 pickup + 25 feet of strap works great! Kinda fun too  

Tq

[DrivingMissLazy]

Do not confuse snow with sand. Straps work in snow. They do not work in sand. It is a completely different situation with the coach buried up to its axle in sand. It takes a tremendous amount of inertia to get it moving.It is the initial burst of inertia generated when the rope stretches to its limit that is the secret.

I went to the dunes at Glamis several times a year for more than 20 years. Started with a pickup camper, then several motor homes and finally the 4104 and then the Eagle. Also to Pismo beach a couple of times each summer, so I have been there and done that in the sand.

During that period I think I saw every type of strap,chain, tow rope and anything else imaginable.

I will state with all honesty that there was nothing that I ever saw that came even close to performing like the nylon tow line that I discussed previously. Dozens of times we pulled out somebody when all the other straps had failed and a few times even a tow vehicle with a flat strap was still attached to the rig that was stuck. We had to pull them all out as the tow vehicle could not back up to release the tow strap.

I never really knew how much stretch was built into it. In describing it I can say that there were three major strands , each comprised of many very small strands that were almost like spiderwebs. Very light and fluffy. Not the hard propylene type line.

And Jim, I am so glad it saved you and you now know how well it works. And yes, the biggest problem is getting the tow vehicle to back up all the way and take a running start.
Richard

[msheldon]

Do not confuse snow with sand. Straps work in snow.

I've never used 'em in snow. All of my 4wd time was in the deserts surrounding Yuma AZ.