Winch & line used like a tow rope?

[ntsqd]

To me the primary reason for not using the winch line is that the line is spooled on the drum of winch, which if a jerk was attempted the line will try to get between the underlaying wraps causing bad things to happen to the line and the winch frame takes all of the jerk force, which it was not designed for.

Given your distinctions and qualifiers I don't see a problem with using line extender to gently pull on a stuck vehicle. I do think that using a snatch strap is the better option for even a gentle tug, but one may not always be available.

 

[jh504]

Everyone seems to agree you did the right thing, and I certainly won't argue with that. But there's a kind of generalization to the responses that I'd like to express (and receive) opinion on. The responses in some cases seem to equate towing with yanking or towing with recovery or recovery with yanking. So, that's my concern.

In the Ancient Times, there were no synthetic lines and we never had cables, either. We had chains. So, 'yanking' wasn't an option. People often tried it with chains, even some folks who were in the business and should have known better. My point here is that extraction and towing can both be safely done with virtually no yanking (even though I'll concede extraction might not be successfully done without a nice jerk). While I'll agree right up front that during a tow jerking can occur, it's something that can be avoided rather easily if the towed vehicle has adequate braking ability.

So...my Big Point is, I see little or no difference between the use of a winch extension line and the use of chain. The winch line is far stronger than most commonly-used chain, and will likely absorb some jerk better than chain. But, again, yanking is just ONE technique for recovery--it's just an option you don't have available to you using a winch line (or a chain). I'm NOT saying 'chain makes a great tow strap', I'm saying I think similar rules apply in using chain and winch line this way.

The comments above about not using the winch line this way make sense to me, but I guess I'd like to distinguish between use of a winch line on a winch and a winch line extension, used as the equivalent of a chain, and not attached in any way to the winch.

If I'm off-base here, let me have it. I'm only saying that yanking isn't always needed and isn't always that great an idea anyway. Where a pull for recovery or for a tow is sufficient, I don't seen how use of a winch line extension is any problem provided the driver of the tow vehicle understands how to maintain a jerk-free system.

I'm asserting that "never use a winch line as a tow line" is not a good, blanket statement. You need some qualification. Comments?

I have no knowledge or experience with what I am about to say but maybe someone who is very familiar with the engineering of winches can chime in. It seems to me that the problem would be more with damaging how the winch works, which has been pointed out before. The winch brake is what I would be concerned with more so than the cable strength. I dont imagine the brake is designed to be used as a towing point, rather more so just to hold a load, and not be put under a load by pulling with the truck.
Any thoughts?

 

[highlandercj-7]

There's nothing wrong with pulling in reverse. I have done so tons of times. In fact most vehicles are geared lower in reverse. I wouldn't try to pull out an oak tree that way but a mild tug is nothing.

 

[Bongo Boy]

The winch brake is what I would be concerned with more so than the cable strength. I dont imagine the brake is designed to be used as a towing point, rather more so just to hold a load, and not be put under a load by pulling with the truck. Any thoughts?

Yes, that seems reasonable. I was trying to say, in a long-winded way, that there's nothing inherently bad about using winch-type rope for recovery or towing...given you understand it doesn't absorb or store much energy. Attached to the winch (ie, not a winch line extension) or as a yanker, bad juju.

 

[jh504]

Yes, that seems reasonable. I was trying to say, in a long-winded way, that there's nothing inherently bad about using winch-type rope for recovery or towing...given you understand it doesn't absorb or store much energy. Attached to the winch (ie, not a winch line extension) or as a yanker, bad juju.

I got you. I have used winch line style cable as a recovery tool at times where I didnt have another option. Worked fine for me, course I didnt do any snatching. On construction sites and that sort of thing you have to make do with what you have, and sometimes that means raiding the Demag rigging.

 

[michaelgroves]

It's not that unyielding ropes or chains can't be used for pulling one vehicle by another, it's just that it's far from ideal, and can end up doing quite a lot of damage. The more careful you are to keep slack from being taken up suddenly, the less of a problem it is. But anything more than the simplest straight pull often involves a few jerks on the towing line, and chain or winch line absorbs none of the shock load. Then all your rigging and recovery points get subjected unknown shock loads, probably far higher than the continuous loads that they were designed for.

I've broken a synthetic winch extension line (rated at over 8000kg), pulling another vehicle out of a rocky riverbed, because of the jerking as the two vehicles bumped over rocks out of sync. I'm guess glad it wasn't chain!

So, my take on it is - avoid using winch lines for towing if possible, but obviously, if it's a case of no choice, use whatever you have to...