i'm looking to get a recovery strap, mostly for de-sticking people from snow and that sort of thing and would also like to have them for off roading.

i have 2 choices...

2x20 w/ 17,600 lb break strength (orange) for $25
or a
2x20 w/ 6,600 lb break strength (yellow) for ~$25

is one better than the other? would 17,600 be considered overkill of playing it safe?

17k. Always go with overkill for a strap. I have one strap that is 3x30 with a 30,000 lb breaking strength.

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are they all manufactured the same (generic vs name brand) w/similiar quality?

generic?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 992&rd=1,1

name brand?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/59500-Re ... enameZWD1V

You may want to get a 30', as 20' can be a little short some times (like plucking your buddie out of a too deep mud hole and you just don't want to get in that goo)

This is safety equipment. You can go cheap, but if it fails - accept the damage. I went with a name brand 3x20 (27k), and have used it bunches. It has no sign of being used, other than the oil a Wrangler put on it when I towed him home (That was a photo op!). My only regret is not going 3x30...

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My opinions & advice are taken at your own risk.
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2002 Patriot Blue KJ - Coming soon!
2006 Black LJ (Wrangler Unlimited), auto, custom skids, 3.5" Rubicon Express, Aussie D30, Rocker Guards & Cooper AT3 235x85r16
2009 Patriot Blue D2500, 5.7L Hemi, 4x4, Quad Cab
1967 Alberg 37' Masthead rigged Sloop

buting tow straps is a tricky game and it's intended use will play a big part in what you should buy
the reason that you see the different straps is that some are rated for lifting and some are not
the problem with the ones for lifting is that they do not strech like the others
I almost never use a strap when we wheel we only need to strap when some one gets hung up on a root or if there is a hill climb that is wet and steep and all thay have are AT's

if you dont plan on getting into "mud bogging" then you will never need a big huge 3" wide super heavy duty strap
In the past few year I have only seen the need for a slight tug or a strap would not help cause the only safe spot to pull from was 75' away in wich case you need a winch

it sound like you want something to pull folks from the snow if so then you can go with the lighter dutty strap ,I would think, unless you plan to pull 18 wheelers out
The bigger problem will be that most cars do not have a hook to put the strap on in wich case you will have to break one of the age old strap no-no's
and get one with metal hooks I would get both in that case one for when you go wheelin and one for others

You want a nylon strap the will stretch a little especially if you will be doing more than just a light tug. Most of the cheap ones are polyester and will not stretch. They are fine for most light applications to medium applications. However, a strap that stretches reduces the shock load to recovery parts during a snatch.

I have the Erickson strap and it is an excellent strap.

so i wouldnt really want something wider than 2"... say 4"x30' ?

also, could i take 2 20' straps and interloop them to make 1 40' strap (for when/if more length is needed) or is that unsafe...

You could but you would need to do it using a good pcs. of wood
I will try to find the pic of how jeep jamb/Mark Smith offroad recomends doing it and it is the only way that I will do it

Ok pic found
I used the pink net for illistration only
I keep a handel from a 10# sledge that I cut to about 18" in my jeep

From what you posted, 2" wide sounds OK (I just like the 3", but I see JasonT's points). You could get two 20' straps, and a clevis (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/19000-pound-towing-clevis_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ50072QQihZ019QQitemZ290056888024QQrdZ1
And as stated above, you'll find you will need one of them with hooks for autos.

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My opinions & advice are taken at your own risk.
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2006 Black LJ (Wrangler Unlimited), auto, custom skids, 3.5" Rubicon Express, Aussie D30, Rocker Guards & Cooper AT3 235x85r16
2009 Patriot Blue D2500, 5.7L Hemi, 4x4, Quad Cab
1967 Alberg 37' Masthead rigged Sloop

Be careful how you use a clevis people have been killed with them when they come loose and go through a window. I knew of a guy that killed his wife trying to free a stuck car. It scares me to death watching people use chains.

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Growing up on a farm (in BG) and using chains to pull stumps... I agree, thus I would rather just get the 30' to begin with. I guess you could ue the loop ends and square knot it together, or just make sure you get a 30k+ clevis and trust in steel.

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My opinions & advice are taken at your own risk.
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2002 Patriot Blue KJ - Coming soon!
2006 Black LJ (Wrangler Unlimited), auto, custom skids, 3.5" Rubicon Express, Aussie D30, Rocker Guards & Cooper AT3 235x85r16
2009 Patriot Blue D2500, 5.7L Hemi, 4x4, Quad Cab
1967 Alberg 37' Masthead rigged Sloop

I broke close to 20 of those cheap straps pulling people out. Just invest in a 3" quality strap. Plus pick up a smaller one about 10' or so with the hooks that way you can use the hooks to attach to a car with no tow points.

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what are you doing pulling them out of 6' deep mud with a tractor?
I dont think that I have even stressed mine close to the breaking point and I have used it to put rigs back "rubber side down" and then pull said rig out of the trail up some real steep hils with them dead in the water

When I find some one that is that stuck I tell them that I will do what I can to help but I would not put my self or my rig in that situation
I like my rear window and rear gate just like they are

with a record of breaking things like that you need a winch

I can't believe I am actually seeing people recommending straps with metal hooks on them. You NEVER use any sort of metal weight or hook or anything else with an elastic strap! I know that some of you guys may not be hard core wheelers and may not have experience in the area of heavy off road recovery, but you need to learn this lesson here on this board and not out in the field while you are desperately searching for cell service to dial 911 because one of your buddies just took a hook to the face and is bleeding to death. I'm not kidding, this stuff happens more often that you think and the only way to prevent it is to not use straps with hooks. It's dangerous and irresponsible. You might get away with it 100 times, but all it takes is one failure and someone to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's not that hard to find a spot to loop the strap over and run it back through itself in a choker to tie off without hooks or shackles. In my years with the mud bog crowd I have seen more sliding back windows busted out and dented tailgates than I care to count from using straps with hooks on them and rope and other stupid things with shackles and other oddities. Now days if I'm around and someone whips out some redneck crap like that, I tell them no, and if they don't listen, I leave them there and I head out. Call me an ( * ) or whatever you wish, but I speak from honest experience and with a genuine desire to not see anyone get hurt. Frankly, I don't know why some over active lawmaker doesn't outlaw the darn things instead of outlawing everything else. I'm not going to argue with anyone here about the merits of straps and hooks and the dangers therein, I just want to caution you. Take this very seriously. Please.

Other than that, you get what you pay for with recovery straps. Save yourself some trouble and get a decent strap like a Keeper brand for at least 3 times the weight of your vehicle. I like to carry two lengths because sometimes you need length to stay out of whatever mess you are pulling someone out of, lest you get stuck in the same spot and sometimes you need a shorter one because you don't have a lot of room to pull.

Just my .02

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#074642

So what about the 25' log chain that you can get at almost any farm auction?

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My opinions & advice are taken at your own risk.
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2002 Patriot Blue KJ - Coming soon!
2006 Black LJ (Wrangler Unlimited), auto, custom skids, 3.5" Rubicon Express, Aussie D30, Rocker Guards & Cooper AT3 235x85r16
2009 Patriot Blue D2500, 5.7L Hemi, 4x4, Quad Cab
1967 Alberg 37' Masthead rigged Sloop

i found a new set (2) 2"x30' 20,000lb keeper straps on ebay for a good price and, if need be, i can join them together for a 60 footer


is it possible to unstick a snow trapped car using the loop straps and looping around something on the frame?

good for you on the strong point
I only recomend it for cars in snow NOTHING else
and if you are looping a strap on something then you are not so smart as you think what happens when it pulls so tight that you can not get it off?
this may not happen as much when what you have to wrap it to is big but what if it is a small little what ever? That is all you will find on a car

and if you are carring a strap rated for 3 times your rig then you are carring a 3" wide strap that is 1/4" thick or bigger where do you store 2 of them?
the one in my pic is only rated for 12K and it is 15' long and takes up twice the space of a "cheep strap"

Again, I'm not going to argue but I will give my .02 worth.

The logging chains are heavy and don't have the elastic qualities of a strap. They will fly around but will loose a lot of their energy quickly. In a lot of ways a heavy chain is a lot like a properly weighted winch cable. It's still not the safest thing in the world but a lot of times it's the best you can do and with the proper precautions it can be done with minimal danger to everyone around you. I myself still use a lot of large chains.

As far as using a choker on a car, yes it can be difficult. I have used a block of wood stuck in the choke point to be able to pry on something to get the choker to slip loose. And yes, I have had to cut straps before. There is almost always something you can hook to. I've even looped a strap under the front of a car, over the front suspension on one side, then down under the frame to the other side and back over the suspension on that side and slipped it through a choker under the front. It was an odd situation and it took a little bit of work to get it around there but it worked. I have somewhere an old large flat bladed screwdriver that I snapped the tip on that I ground down the end until it had a narrow round point but with a slightly blunted tip to keep from digging in the weave. I originally made it to do rope rigging but it worked well in two situations that I know of to work a choker loose.

As for the choice of strap, I use the 3 times rule as a simple safety margin. With a base curb weight of 4066 lbs and a GVWR of 5650 lbs, a common 16K is fine and a 20K lbs strap is overkill and doesn't take up that much space when rolled up and properly stored.

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#074642

instead of getting a separate set of straps w/hooks for aiding cars, would it be doable to just get a hook and attack to the look of the strap?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-2-Clev ... enameZWD1V