MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: DX grunt on July 12, 2012, 09:17:20 AM
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Thanks to ARB 4 X 4 Accessories for posting this pic on their Facebook page, about the dangers of snatching with a towball.
'A picture is worth a thousand words', they say.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=431275326916688&set=a.327646243946264.81274.313208172056738&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=431275326916688&set=a.327646243946264.81274.313208172056738&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf)
Take care out there.
Rossco
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Just saw that myself, serious though what idiots would snatch from their towballs.
I have said it before society is becoming dumber because of OH&S, mainly because all the dimb people got injured or killed doing dumb stuff, sorry if I have offended anyone. Maybe this is just natures way of squaring the ledger.
Cheers Rod.... 8)
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Unfortunately I see it all the time on the beach. When I point out how dangerous it is, some look at me like I’m an idiot.
If I need to recover anyone and they go to use the towball, I tell them either we use a proper recovery point, or I’m going to drive away and leave you here stuck.
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Old news and even older photo, been on here a few times before, however, some people never learn
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Since becoming a 4wd enthusiast, I've learned not to snatch or recover via a tow ball.
Given that a tow ball is used to attach things we tow to our vehicles, it seems obvious to me that many would assume a tow ball is a great thing to use when snatching/recovering.
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pretty sure a young women was killed when the tow ball came thru her windscreen and hit her.......
I think it was Stockton beach in NSW
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Snatching with a towball probably wouln't be so bad if you didn't have a spring washer under it.
It's gotta be the spring washer pushing the broken towball through the air, something like Newton's seventh law of motion........... come on, prove otherwise.
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Snatching with a towball probably wouln't be so bad if you didn't have a spring washer under it.
It's gotta be the spring washer pushing the broken towball through the air, something like Newton's seventh law of motion........... come on, prove otherwise.
So a spring washer is going to push a tow ball 50 metres thru the air and thru a windscreen or sheet metal and potentially kill someone......MMMM
So its like when i pull the trigger on my .243 rifle..its not the explosion happening inside the chamber that releases all that energy to propel the projectile....its the spring on the firing pin.......
Man....i have been wrong all these years
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Think about it.
its only logical.
Its not going to go anywhere,there's nothing stopping it.
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So a spring washer is going to push a tow ball 50 metres thru the air and thru a windscreen or sheet metal and potentially kill someone......MMMM
So its like when i pull the trigger on my .243 rifle..its not the explosion happening inside the chamber that releases all that energy to propel the projectile....its the spring on the firing pin.......
Man....i have been wrong all these years
Yep, definitely wrong unless proven otherwise. Just imagine how your .243 would go if you had a spring washer behind the bolt.
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(http://www.msghelp.net/files/index.php/dl/zzmk8h9z-dont-feed-the-troll.jpg)
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(http://www.msghelp.net/files/index.php/dl/zzmk8h9z-dont-feed-the-troll.jpg)
thats funny D4D :cup:
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Good to see this message is getting around. Too many people still don't understand the dangers of snatching from tow balls.
Thanks for sharing DX Grunt.
Cheers, Sam.
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This happened even more recently in WA. I've seen many guys start to do it, and the question I always ask them is, "Mate, would you rather lie down in the sand and attach that via a shackle that's made for this, or do you want to go hold someone's hand while they die, then explain to the kids in the back seat what just happened?"
pretty sure a young women was killed when the tow ball came thru her windscreen and hit her.......
I think it was Stockton beach in NSW
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Went out on the weekend, playing around in the mud, and someone in a standard ranger decided to join. Went into a mud bath without even getting out to check depth or the exit... he got stuck, then asked for a pull out. he hooked up to the towball, clearly no idea on the danger, so i explained what could happen... he ended up getting into the mud to hook up to a recovery point...
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I well recall thinking that the towball would make a pretty good recovery point. Fortunately for me and others, people in the know soon put me straight on that one. :D
But being the type who needs convincing, I jumped onto the internet to check the facts. I found heaps of really terrible outcomes on YouTube. Believe me.......... I am now convinced. :'(
I then figured well 'if I didn't know about the towball, then what else don't I know' and took several 4x4 training courses. I'm far from an expert but I'm at least competent. Most importantly I'm now at least aware of the dangers that come from enjoying a 4x4 and recoveries. :police:
Best tip - Stop, relax and think about your next course of action. :-*
Of course nothing beats experience. Sadly inexperience & one bad decision can cost lives.
Happy trails - Wayne D
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And it still happens and this could of gone really bad
https://www.facebook.com/pnt.panels/videos/109710036036205/ (https://www.facebook.com/pnt.panels/videos/109710036036205/)
GG
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And it still happens and this could of gone really bad
https://www.facebook.com/pnt.panels/videos/109710036036205/ (https://www.facebook.com/pnt.panels/videos/109710036036205/)
GG
what would you expect from a stalkerbook user.... ;D
Did I miss something, nothing happened... ???
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Classic what not to do
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Remove the warnings and let Darwin do his work!!!!
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And it still happens and this could of gone really bad
https://www.facebook.com/pnt.panels/videos/109710036036205/ (https://www.facebook.com/pnt.panels/videos/109710036036205/)
GG
We have a saying in Renmark.... "Wogs n water don't mix".
Generally it is reference to their lack of ability to drive their overly expensive speed boats in a sensible and social manner.
Also, we watched an 'Ethnic' bloke load his brand new boat onto his trailer at the local boat ramp a few months ago.
Boat worth about $80k ended up in the back of his brand new Ranger. Wrecked the front of the boat, and back of the ute. Was fairly funny to see.
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snatch straps can just be dangerous http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/man-hurt-in-bogged-4wd-in-sydneys-west/story-e6frfku9-1227439387018 (http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/man-hurt-in-bogged-4wd-in-sydneys-west/story-e6frfku9-1227439387018)
their is also a pretty nasty video floating around with the results of a tow ball hitting someone
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More pics here
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/07/13/04/26/man-suffers-life-threatening-injury-in-nsw-four-wheel-drive-mishap (http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/07/13/04/26/man-suffers-life-threatening-injury-in-nsw-four-wheel-drive-mishap)
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I well recall thinking that the towball would make a pretty good recovery point. Fortunately for me and others, people in the know soon put me straight on that one. :D
But being the type who needs convincing, I jumped onto the internet to check the facts. I found heaps of really terrible outcomes on YouTube. Believe me.......... I am now convinced. :'(
I then figured well 'if I didn't know about the towball, then what else don't I know' and took several 4x4 training courses. I'm far from an expert but I'm at least competent. Most importantly I'm now at least aware of the dangers that come from enjoying a 4x4 and recoveries. :police:
Best tip - Stop, relax and think about your next course of action. :-*
Of course nothing beats experience. Sadly inexperience & one bad decision can cost lives.
Happy trails - Wayne D
Hot the nail on the head........I was about to say the same, k used a snatch strap a couple of times before I found out the rights and wrongs......from memory way back than there wasn't instruction or video or you tube.
I have driven away from recovery requests where the other party wasn't interested in learning........did feel uneasy about it hoping nothing went wrong even though I could not have changed a thing.
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You can't beat a good snig chain combined with slowly taking up the strain IMHO.
None of this sling shot type action for me.
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snatch straps can just be dangerous http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/man-hurt-in-bogged-4wd-in-sydneys-west/story-e6frfku9-1227439387018 (http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/man-hurt-in-bogged-4wd-in-sydneys-west/story-e6frfku9-1227439387018)
their is also a pretty nasty video floating around with the results of a tow ball hitting someone
I'll second that one.
When I was an apprentice at Cunnamulla, we were over here in St George working & I bogged the bucket truck. We were trying to snatch it out with a cruiser, they had a rectangular hole cut out in the back gate then for a step, when I was relieved of driving the bucket (due to burning the clutch ::)). After getting out, two other newer apprentices were standing fairly close to the action, so I let them know to clear out as if it breaks & hits one, it'll kill them. They had a laugh & kept talking so I let them know it wasn't a gee up & get out.
You couldn't have gotten better timing, a couple to snatches later, the strap snapped & the cruiser end flew back through the hole in the tail gate hitting a hard hat. The damage it did to the hat was amazing, stoving in one side of it. It's scary to think what it would do to an unprotected head.
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Regardless of what some people think it's another reason you use a dampener on a strap or winch cable. Better to be safe then sorry.
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Unfortunate incident thats for sure.
I think the media has it wrong. They are saying the strap broke, if it did both shackles would still be attached to the recovery points.
So something else has gone a miss.
I think this is a timely reminder to check your recovery gear and the recovery points on your rig what ever the case.
Think safe stay safe when playing guys.
Neil
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Unfortunate incident thats for sure.
I think the media has it wrong. They are saying the strap broke, if it did both shackles would still be attached to the recovery points.
So something else has gone a miss.
I think this is a timely reminder to check your recovery gear and the recovery points on your rig what ever the case.
Think safe stay safe when playing guys.
Neil
agree, I'm wondering if they were snatching off a tie down point instead of a rated recovery point. For the strap and shackle to come through the back and hit him in the back of the head, it has to have broken away from the tow vehicle. So sad that things like this happen.
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agree, I'm wondering if they were snatching off a tie down point instead of a rated recovery point. For the strap and shackle to come through the back and hit him in the back of the head, it has to have broken away from the tow vehicle. So sad that things like this happen.
Yep agreed
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how much force??
Have a read...
http://www.whyalla4wd.org.au/Shackles.html (http://www.whyalla4wd.org.au/Shackles.html)
Determine Speed of Shackle if Snatch Strap Breaks.
If all the Elastic Energy of the Snatch Strap is transferred to Kinetic Energy in the Shackle then the peak Speed of the Shackle as the Snatch Strap returns to it's 9.0m length can be determined. (Assuming no losses due to friction)
From Energy Conservation,
Elastic Energy in Snatch Strap = Kinetic Energy of Shackle
PEStrap = KEShackle
1/2 k x2 = 1/2 m v2
where k = spring constant
x = distance stretched (meters)
m = mass of shackle (kg)
v = velocity of shackle (m/s)
1/2 (20750N/m) (0.579m)2 = 1/2 (0.68kg) v2
v = 101m/s
or Peak Speed of Shackle v = 364 km/h
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how much force??
Have a read...
http://www.whyalla4wd.org.au/Shackles.html (http://www.whyalla4wd.org.au/Shackles.html)
Determine Speed of Shackle if Snatch Strap Breaks.
If all the Elastic Energy of the Snatch Strap is transferred to Kinetic Energy in the Shackle then the peak Speed of the Shackle as the Snatch Strap returns to it's 9.0m length can be determined. (Assuming no losses due to friction)
From Energy Conservation,
Elastic Energy in Snatch Strap = Kinetic Energy of Shackle
PEStrap = KEShackle
1/2 k x2 = 1/2 m v2
where k = spring constant
x = distance stretched (meters)
m = mass of shackle (kg)
v = velocity of shackle (m/s)
1/2 (20750N/m) (0.579m)2 = 1/2 (0.68kg) v2
v = 101m/s
or Peak Speed of Shackle v = 364 km/h
Hope that was a cut n paste >:D
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Whilst we have a nanny state where the manufacturers in China etc have to print THIS IS NOT A TOY KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN on throwaway plastic bags whose purpose is packaging. .... dreadfully there is no warning printed permanently on snatch straps etc....
How wretched that the importers of these products are not sued into oblivion for putting 50 cents or so additional profit (aka the cost of printing a warning notice on the strap).... ahead of customers' and other victims' lives and wellbeing....
Sadly in this case the industry's gross negligence cannot be laughed off as a case of group incompetence ...
They (4WD accessory importers) know about the dangers..... They will happily package and market tree huggers becuase it represents an "add on sale" -- surely? ...... grrrr
Shake&Bake BB
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............dreadfully there is no warning printed permanently on snatch straps etc....
It wouldn't make any difference. (Sadly)
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This happened yesterday, last night 9.20pm
sounds like it may have been a tow ball recovery gone real bad.
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3206068/flying-tow-strap-hits-teen-on-head-after-4wd-bogged-in-castlereagh/?cs=12 (http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3206068/flying-tow-strap-hits-teen-on-head-after-4wd-bogged-in-castlereagh/?cs=12)
I hope the young man recovers.
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There's a lot of rumours going around at the moment. From what I gather, it was something that went wrong with a shackle, not a tow ball.
Either way, lets hope the young lad pulls through.
Aaron
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Sadly in this case the industry's gross negligence cannot be laughed off as a case of group incompetence ...
They (4WD accessory importers) know about the dangers
So your saying they should run full training on the use of every single item (Duty of care) or stop selling it.... ??? At what point do you draw a line and realise people need to take *some* responsibility? I bought a dozen forks the other day, no warning label on them... **** I should sue em.
Stop the world, I wanna get off.
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So your saying they should run full training on the use of every single item (Duty of care) or stop selling it.... ??? At what point do you draw a line and realise people need to take *some* responsibility? I bought a dozen forks the other day, no warning label on them... **** I should sue em.
Stop the world, I wanna get off.
for the forks sake don't injure ya self ;D
Totally agree with ya here Bird. Common sense is spiraling downwards these days for a fast buck
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Heard a rumour that they may have joined 2 straps together with a shackle...
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Bird - did I mention ANYTHING about (a) full-blown "duty of Care" issues being needed; (b) a suggestion that a full training programme on the safe use of everything 4WD was required...
No, of course I didn't..
What I was saying was that in this "World Gone Mad" Nanny State we live in - the greed or couldn't-care-less attitude of 4WD accessory importers means that no 50 cents is spent (on permanently printing warning notices) -- that will warn of the dangers of incorrectly using snatch straps....
Shoot - the warning could be as simple as a Stick Figure's brains coming out of its skull being illustrated ... as an airborne high velocity, incorrectly attached snatch strap is shown...
It may not be immediately evident to weekend warrior 4WDers that attaching a snatch to a tow ball is dangerous and potentially lethal...
After all; they may have already (a) seen their mates do it a few times; (b) seen in done plenty of times in social media such as the clip above on fugbook; (c) done it a few times already themselves - 'without consequence or tragedy'; (d) it seems a 'logical' thing to do eg: "I pull and tow with that thing [the tow ball] -- how could this be any different [snatching from a bog]; (e) then yuk - given the choice of recovery; (rummaging around under the vehicle in the mud vs wrapping the snatch strap quickly and conveniently around the tow ball -- of course you can easily guess what will be their default position...; (f) then the media reporting these tragic incidences such as Channel 9 in the post above don't help either... reporting what happened as "freak accidents"; or "tragic accidents".... These things are no "accident"...
No Bird; clearly we all need to unite in this matter with better attitudes and concern regarding the safe use of some of the equip we use..... and what the suppliers are going to do about it....
So your saying they should run full training on the use of every single item (Duty of care) or stop selling it.... ??? At what point do you draw a line and realise people need to take *some* responsibility? I bought a dozen forks the other day, no warning label on them... **** I should sue em.
Stop the world, I wanna get off.
yeah... we'll gladly show ya the door... ;D ;D ;D
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agree, I'm wondering if they were snatching off a tie down point instead of a rated recovery point. For the strap and shackle to come through the back and hit him in the back of the head, it has to have broken away from the tow vehicle. So sad that things like this happen.
Just remember, that just because you have a rated recovery point it doesn't automatically mean it is stronger than the original tie down point......if both of those points were attached to the chassis by two 10 or 12mm bolts, then the weakest point MAY be the bolts securing it ?? Or the strength of the chassis at that point ??
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This happened yesterday, last night 9.20pm
sounds like it may have been a tow ball recovery gone real bad.
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3206068/flying-tow-strap-hits-teen-on-head-after-4wd-bogged-in-castlereagh/?cs=12 (http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3206068/flying-tow-strap-hits-teen-on-head-after-4wd-bogged-in-castlereagh/?cs=12)
I hope the young man recovers.
The herald needs a new informant, it happened the night before last ;). Same story we have been talking about yesterday in this thread. :D
Edit. It says Sunday night in the report. My bad herald :)
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What I was saying was that in this "World Gone Mad" Nanny State we live in - the greed or couldn't-care-less attitude of 4WD accessory importers means that no 50 cents is spent (on permanently printing warning notices) -- that will warn of the dangers of incorrectly using snatch straps....
Shoot - the warning could be as simple as a Stick Figure's brains coming out of its skull being illustrated ... as an airborne high velocity, incorrectly attached snatch strap is shown...
It may not be immediately evident to weekend warrior 4WDers that attaching a snatch to a tow ball is dangerous and potentially lethal...
Pointless, because the weekend warriors and Mr Testosterone's in their 5" lifted hilux/GQ on 37" tires won't read the warning label anyway. They just need 'the berries'.
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Heard a rumour that they may have joined 2 straps together with a shackle...
i've been wondering if they may have been the case, sort of explains how a shackle could have hit him, if one strap end broke where they were joined. Explains the strap broke reports atleast, but only those that were there know for sure how it happened at the moment I guess.
If it's the case, it's a shame they didn't know the simple safe way of joining them
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Was there something more sinister here or just a case of an educated idiot editor?
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Was there something more sinister here or just a case of an educated idiot editor?
Just words. They're examining an accident scene which may or may not be the scene of a crime
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Heard a rumour that they may have joined 2 straps together with a shackle...
This would be on the top of my list now you mention it. In the photos the bog hole looks long enough for a double strap.
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links
http://madmatt4wd.com.au/2014/01/27/is-a-hitch-pin-acceptable-as-a-snatch-recovery-point/ (http://madmatt4wd.com.au/2014/01/27/is-a-hitch-pin-acceptable-as-a-snatch-recovery-point/)
https://www.facebook.com/madmatt4wd/videos/898094186927205/?fref=nf (https://www.facebook.com/madmatt4wd/videos/898094186927205/?fref=nf)
http://www.4wdingaustralia.com/4x4/20-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-4wd-recovery/ (http://www.4wdingaustralia.com/4x4/20-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-4wd-recovery/)
https://www.facebook.com/4wdnow (https://www.facebook.com/4wdnow)
http://tenplay.com.au/news/sydney/2015/7/13/teen-clinging-to-life (http://tenplay.com.au/news/sydney/2015/7/13/teen-clinging-to-life)
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Whilst we have a nanny state where the manufacturers in China etc have to print THIS IS NOT A TOY KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN on throwaway plastic bags whose purpose is packaging. .... dreadfully there is no warning printed permanently on snatch straps etc....
How wretched that the importers of these products are not sued into oblivion for putting 50 cents or so additional profit (aka the cost of printing a warning notice on the strap).... ahead of customers' and other victims' lives and wellbeing....
Sadly in this case the industry's gross negligence cannot be laughed off as a case of group incompetence ...
They (4WD accessory importers) know about the dangers..... They will happily package and market tree huggers becuase it represents an "add on sale" -- surely? ...... grrrr
Shake&Bake BB
There is a warning on my strap, you do have to look for it tho.
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Has anybody here ACTUALLY seen a towball shear off while being used as a recovery point ??? Lots of rumour, innuendo and "youtube" which of course haven't been faked or staged have they >:D methinks it's an old wives tale propagated by marketers of 4wd accessories. Think about it, how is a 20mm bit of plate steel (recovery point ) stronger than a 20mm towball shank ??? It's a bit like "rated" shackles, the instant that stamp goes on the side the price triples, it's all bullshyte, bullshyte I say
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Has anybody here ACTUALLY seen a towball shear off while being used as a recovery point ??? Lots of rumour, innuendo and "youtube" which of course haven't been faked or staged have they >:D methinks it's an old wives tale propagated by marketers of 4wd accessories. Think about it, how is a 20mm bit of plate steel (recovery point ) stronger than a 20mm towball shank ??? It's a bit like "rated" shackles, the instant that stamp goes on the side the price triples, it's all bullshyte, bullshyte I say
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-21/freak-accident/2848762 (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-21/freak-accident/2848762)
"Investigations are continuing into a freak accident on a Geraldton beach which claimed the life of a 29-year-old mother of three.
Police say the woman was sitting in the passenger seat of a car being reversed by her partner as he attempted tow a friend's car out of sand on a beach at Drummond Cove yesterday morning.
Senior Constable Darryl Peedan says the rope was attached to a tow ball, which broke off under the strain and shot back through the front window of the car, hitting the woman in the throat."
Anyone that thinks its fake or staged, just to sell 4wd accessories is an idiot
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Has anybody here ACTUALLY seen a towball shear off while being used as a recovery point ??? Lots of rumour, innuendo and "youtube" which of course haven't been faked or staged have they >:D methinks it's an old wives tale propagated by marketers of 4wd accessories. Think about it, how is a 20mm bit of plate steel (recovery point ) stronger than a 20mm towball shank ??? It's a bit like "rated" shackles, the instant that stamp goes on the side the price triples, it's all bullshyte, bullshyte I say
The engineering differences between the two parallels you have drawn are vastly different.
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I'd agree with both camps xcavators dead right that just because somethings got a stamp on it it can be charged at a premium.
My 80 series tow points didn't look to me to be very strong but because they came with the vehicle I have recourse (possibly) if they failed.
After getting my new xrox front bar and making my own rear bar I went shopping for recovery points and they are lighter weight than a tow hitch and ridiculously expensive.
I've built in 18mm plate recovery points on my rear bar and they are bolted by 3 bolts into the chassis at factory locations, are they rated...no, are they fixed by more points and thicker steel than a tjm recovery point that costs 175 bucks yes. Are they rated , no.
Do I trust them..... from an engineering perspective they are almost infallible, but not rated....
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I wonder the ratio is to the number of times a snatch strap gets used compared to incidents/near misses.......we will never know as they are not reported, authorities can only go on the odd one that makes the news which is probably not enough times to make changes
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Has anybody here ACTUALLY seen a towball shear off while being used as a recovery point ??? Lots of rumour, innuendo and "youtube" which of course haven't been faked or staged have they >:D methinks it's an old wives tale propagated by marketers of 4wd accessories. Think about it, how is a 20mm bit of plate steel (recovery point ) stronger than a 20mm towball shank ??? It's a bit like "rated" shackles, the instant that stamp goes on the side the price triples, it's all bullshyte, bullshyte I say
I've never seen a nuclear explosion personally, so all of this stuff about it being bad and killing lots of people is just lots of rumour, innuendo and youtube. I think it's an old wives tale propagated by nanny staters. It's all bullshyte, bullshyte I say. NOW PASS ME THE PLUTONIUM.
See how ridiculous your argument is? Just because you haven't seen it, or understand the physics behind it, doesn't mean that it does not, or has not happened before.
I'd agree with both camps xcavators dead right that just because somethings got a stamp on it it can be charged at a premium.
Rubbish. If it has a stamp on it then it has been tested (or a sample has been tested) to prove that it complies with the relevant standard. That gives you a degree of confidence that it will bear the load that you are putting on it. Your home made unrated gear may well be stronger, and that's great, but if you are going to sell it then you need to prove it will take the load you say it can.
This is called consumer protection, and it is the 'premium' you pay for when you buy a rated shackle, recovery point, whatever.
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I've never seen a nuclear explosion personally, so all of this stuff about it being bad and killing lots of people is just lots of rumour, innuendo and youtube. I think it's an old wives tale propagated by nanny staters. It's all bullshyte, bullshyte I say. NOW PASS ME THE PLUTONIUM.
See how ridiculous your argument is? Just because you haven't seen it, or understand the physics behind it, doesn't mean that it does not, or has not happened before.
You got a time machine also? ;D :D. Coooool
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Please forgive a possibly silly question here :-[
The recovery hitches with shackle attached that go into your tow-bar mounting bracket instead of the towing hitch - they are rated & safe?
I mean these: (http://b.cdnbrm.com/images/products/large/winches/bestop_highrock_4x4_receiver_recovery_hitch.jpg)
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Only if the hitch pins rated
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I do a lot of beach driving and remote beach camping, so sometimes we push our luck getting trailers into certain camping areas. So sometimes our plans come unstruck and get bogged.
No big deal as normally we go away with a group so we always have someone close by to help, but originally my mates originally got cranky with me because I wouldn’t be lazy and cut corners with the recovery (IE: always used the pin on the tow bar even though it meant someone unhitching there trailer which can create it’s only problem in soft sand, winch dampener comes out and on my Cruiser I replaced the front tie down/recovery points with proper rated recovery points)
When I explained my reason for not cutting corners was I didn’t want to kill any of my friends or have to explain to their children why Daddy/Mummy/Brother/Sister wouldn’t be coming home or vice versa, they agreed another couple of minutes is worth it.
A guy got killed at Moreton Island by a snatch strap & tow ball, so that’s enough for me to be a believer.
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Has anybody here ACTUALLY seen a towball shear off while being used as a recovery point ??? Lots of rumour, innuendo and "youtube" which of course haven't been faked or staged have they >:D methinks it's an old wives tale propagated by marketers of 4wd accessories. Think about it, how is a 20mm bit of plate steel (recovery point ) stronger than a 20mm towball shank ??? It's a bit like "rated" shackles, the instant that stamp goes on the side the price triples, it's all bullshyte, bullshyte I say
Haven't seen it actually happen but here's picture of it.
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We carry rated gear, and when someone hasn't got a hitch block, we use the strap eye in the receiver pin. The reason towballs break is that the spring washer allows upward movement creating a fulcrum. The kinetic energery exerts a moment on the fulcrum and a shear occurs. Rated gear with a recovery hitch still carries risk, but it is a lot less than people using towballs for things they are not designed to do.
Comparing the towball scenario at 20mm to flat plate at 20mm is nonsensical, as the forces at work, load and and the surface areas are different.
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Nothing wrong with this hitch point ;D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9f4G-D7g-c (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9f4G-D7g-c)
GG
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poo stains
(http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp300/jeeps_photo/Other%20Vehicles/Snatchbreakwindscreen.jpg)
(http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt164/ferret/strap.jpg)
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Haven't seen it actually happen but here's picture of it.
is that factory fitted?
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Hey Beachman - I have just sent you an (off topic) PM - fyi... many thanks :cheers:
I do a lot of beach driving and remote beach camping,
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is that factory fitted?
Nah, I think it's an after market fit ;D
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xcvator you must be looking for some one to bite so ill play the game YES have seen a tow ball pierce and wedge it self half way through a landcruser's rear door
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Rubbish. If it has a stamp on it then it has been tested (or a sample has been tested) to prove that it complies with the relevant standard. That gives you a degree of confidence that it will bear the load that you are putting on it. Your home made unrated gear may well be stronger, and that's great, but if you are going to sell it then you need to prove it will take the load you say it can.
This is called consumer protection, and it is the 'premium' you pay for when you buy a rated shackle, recovery point, whatever.
I agree that if it has a stamp of some sort then you would think that it complies with some sort of standard. Only problem is that there are companies out there that will copy a rival company product right down to the approval markings. I am aware that treg type couplings have been copied and fitted to imported campers and it is something that the relevant govt authorities seek out at various exhibitions, caravan shows etc. So you can't always guarantee that the test stamps are genuine.
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xcvator you must be looking for some one to bite so ill play the game YES have seen a tow ball pierce and wedge it self half way through a landcruser's rear door
Like the photo dave posted? So it is definitely aftermarket ;D ;D
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Since this was a response to my original comment I felt I had to respond.
Symon my post was in agreement with the OPs post about pricing not quality.
You'd think when you paid for certification that you'd try to recover your costs once not off every customer.
There is something very wrong with the status quo in Australia when it comes to value/worth and cost.
It's a horrendously expensive place to live or do business compared to the rest of the world...Red tape and bull Shit only makes it worse