Tow Strap Safety PSA.....Stump 1, kickstand 0

[Sonicjay]

Originally Posted by tsaguy

Gas and oil mix.

Drill with large drill bit.

Lawn chairs.

HoseJockey on full alert.

Matches.

Beer.

Video camera

Fixed

[kickstand]

Originally Posted by Mr.Green again

Burning it is not good exercise. Unless you sit around it doing 12 oz curls while watching it burn. If this ends up being the case, I can come help with the removal.

would there be any other way to burn it out?

[kickstand]

Originally Posted by mtnbikinbryno

Damn Chad, glad you and anyone else who was around are OK.

No worries, proper safety precautions were exercised, I guess I just pulled a little harder than my strap was up for (4" strap)

[grnd93]

Originally Posted by BlooMule

Oh nonono, that brit special forces guy on tv said that a winch rope could kill the asian guy in the car so that strap would be far more deadly.....

I think what he actually said was "I want to strangle that Asian guy with the winch rope"...I know I do.

[chasetheface123]

You just need a bigger strap!

[BlooMule]

Originally Posted by chasetheface123

You just need a bigger strap on!

[Elvis13]

I dug one out but couldn't cut through all the roots underneath. Would not budge without every root removed. I ended up getting an excavator on the driveway and splitting it in place with the bucket. Next time i'll just use some dynamite.

[BlooMule]

Originally Posted by Elvis13

I dug one out but couldn't cut through all the roots underneath. Would not budge without every root removed. I ended up getting an excavator on the driveway and splitting it in place with the bucket. Next time i'll just use some dynamite.

NOW you're talkin!

Clearing stumps using Dynamite Indiana c1960 - YouTube

Clearing stumps using Dynamite Indiana c1960 - YouTube

[kb8ymf]

Originally Posted by kickstand

I have a stubborn stump in my front yard I wanted to give a tug on, short version.

Chain, D ring, Strap, superduty.......I grabbed a carhart to tie around the strap, decided i'd run the sleeve thru the D-Ring and tie the sleeves together just to be saf"er"...smart decision.

On about my 5th tug the strap snapped near the D ring end, the other 20 feet of strap came back and hit the truck, went under the truck, and ended up about 15 feet or so in front of the truck out in the road.

The jacket and clevis recoiled about 5 feet and fell harmlessly to the ground.

I did ruin my license plate though

HAha, Haha......it's all a big joke to some. You are very lucky that this wasn't the intro to your obituary.
Putting a 2 lb clevise or any metal object to the end of a nylon' rubber band is purely asinine!

Originally Posted by kickstand

I've never been hit by a strap, it's the second I've had break, the first dented the tailgate of my jeep.

That strap woulda stung, but it wouldn't have killed anyone....the D-Ring on the otherhand we all know how that can end up.

I disagree. Straps can and do mame and even kill. So you didn't learn the first time and you tried again!

Originally Posted by kickstand

No worries, proper safety precautions were exercised, I guess I just pulled a little harder than my strap was up for (4" strap)

You don't say.......... You'll have to show me that one.

For those of us who have had friends killed by a broken strap I'm sure they are all shaking their heads at such stupidity. It's one thing to be using a strap properly while trying to extract a vehicle. It's another thing all together using a strap for a purpose it was never intended for.

For any newbie reading this and might be even contemplating such an act: Do NOT use a strap in this fashion ever.

Jim-kb8ymf

[cj65]

Only way to remove a stump without a grinder is to dig it out with a backhoe. Trying to pull out a 10" round stump is way more than you are ready for.

My neighbor tried to pull out a 12" round stump with a 6" strap and his super duty about two years ago. Well let's just say after he dug on it for a week and tried to pull it out strap broke and now he has a home made flatbed truck.

[whiterhino]

I've done it many times. It can be done safely.

[kickstand]

Originally Posted by kb8ymf

HAha, Haha......it's all a big joke to some. You are very lucky that this wasn't the intro to your obituary.The clevis was connected to the chain that was around the stump, with a jacket tied through the clevis. It fell straight to the ground, the strap hit the license plate. Please explain in all your wiseness how this was any more dangerous then hooking a strap to a stuck vehicle?
Putting a 2 lb clevise or any metal object to the end of a nylon' rubber band is purely asinine!
Sorry, but considering it fell straight to the ground I think it was just fine. The heavy jacket wrapped around the clevis did it's job exactly as I intended it to in the case of a broken strap, sounds like a win to me.


I disagree. Straps can and do mame and even kill. So you didn't learn the first time and you tried again! Show me an example where a strap went through a tailgate, a window, 2 rows of seats, and killed. In fact, show me one example where a strap has gone through a window and killed? Show me an example where a strap alone has killed....explain to me how to properly protect ones self from a broken strap on a mission to mame and kill? please don't use the example of two straps with a d ring in the middle and the d ring going through the window, because clearly those people didn't have the foresight to use a little caution.....



You don't say.......... You'll have to show me that one.

For those of us who have had friends killed by a broken strap I'm sure they are all shaking their heads at such stupidity. It's one thing to be using a strap properly while trying to extract a vehicle. It's another thing all together using a strap for a purpose it was never intended for.
I wasn't pulling on my strap any harder then I would to free a stuck vehicle, something I've done numerous times over the last 16 years. Please provide some wise insight on to what forces were put on this strap that a stuck vehicle couldn't put on to them and how this was any different then freeing a stuck vehicle? 3-5 feet of slack, a firm tug, foot off the gas before the strap even came tight......please, educate me and the newbies.
For any newbie reading this and might be even contemplating such an act: Do NOT use a strap in this fashion ever.

Jim-kb8ymf

don't do it, jim says not to. He knows everything.

[kickstand]

Originally Posted by cj65

Only way to remove a stump without a grinder is to dig it out with a backhoe. Trying to pull out a 10" round stump is way more than you are ready for.

My neighbor tried to pull out a 12" round stump with a 6" strap and his super duty about two years ago. Well let's just say after he dug on it for a week and tried to pull it out strap broke and now he has a home made flatbed truck.

I've dug and chopped a lot with the axe, I can't visually see any other roots connected and it still doesn't want to move. I decided tonight to start burning.

[High Center Hancho]

you, green, and fire do not mix...ask me how I know

[kickstand]

Originally Posted by High Center Hancho

you, green, and fire do not mix...ask me how I know

Its OK, x was home and said "dad don't use gas to start your fire, you remember what happened last tine don't you?" Lol

[kb8ymf]

Originally Posted by kickstand

don't do it, jim says not to. He knows everything.

I never said I knew everything but I know enough to NOT try to remove a stump using a recovery strap, a chain and a clevise. Especially putting a shock load on a chain and a clevise. Two things that you NEVER do. Ask any tow truck recovery operator.
Recovery straps and loose metal connections dont mix well. I would never use additional hardware in a vehicle recovery situation. If you have to pull that hard, then winch it out.

Too many people think that pulling stuck vehicles out is a big fun game. Look how many people just stand in the line of fire when someone is yanking on a stuck vehicle. I see it almost every event or trail ride I go to. I'm honestly suprised more people haven't been killed. Talk to any vehicle recovery operator and they will tell you many horror stories of recoveries gone bad.

It's been quite a few years since the last incident that people in Michigan were aware of. You obviously never knew Jonathan Blystra. There have also been many close calls. I was even involved in one 15+ years ago with a factory vehicle hook that broke and went flying right by my head.

Did I post up proof of someone getting killed, nope. Many of those situations are fortunately not recorded. A simple Google search will turn up plenty of videos of people getting leveled. One popular one has two people getting killed at the same time. One of the individuals was killed by the metal that broke free of the vehicle it was pulling out. The second person was killed by speculation that the strap was to blame.

When freeing a stuck vehicle I never use a clevise to attach the strap to the stuck or pulling vehicle. To easy for something to break and go flying.

Every recovery situation is different. No two are identical. The problem in your example is that people forget or don't realize just exactly how the arrangement was configured. All they remember is that that dude has a strap, a clevice, chain and a jacket. All I got to do is just hook these things up and I'll be all set.

Can it be done, sure. Can there be disasterous results, yep. Why take the chance unless your trying for a quick exit from this world.

jim-kb8ymf

[kickstand]

Blystra was killed with a clevis if I recall, between 2 straps. No safety blanket or jacket. If im mistaken so be it. The point was don't forget the jacket or blanket it really does work. I've seen it work more than once. I've been around long enough to calculate my stupity and I think I calculated it just fine this time.

[BlooMule]

Originally Posted by kb8ymf

.....The second person was killed by speculation that the strap was to blame.....


jim-kb8ymf

Damn, straps are so dangerous that people die from speculation?

[kmanxj5011]

How do you attach a strap to a vehicle then Jim?

[whiterhino]

Originally Posted by kickstand

Blystra was killed with a clevis if I recall, between 2 straps. No safety blanket or jacket. If im mistaken so be it. The point was don't forget the jacket or blanket it really does work. I've seen it work more than once. I've been around long enough to calculate my stupity and I think I calculated it just fine this time.

You are correct, that is how Jonathan was killed. 2 totally different scenarios. I've pulled trees, stumps and bushes with a similar rigging as you with no problem. I typically wrap a logging chain around the stump about 6 times but only catch the strap loop with 2. That way, if the chain breaks at the joint to the strap, there are still about 4 wraps of chain around the stump that keep it secure. In addition, when doing it this way, after it's cinched up, the 4 loops around the stump dig in well and make it very hard to come loose.

For me, I hate D rings. To me, they are a loose item that is most likely to become a missile. Even when attached to a bumper they concern me. Oh well, that's just me.

Your precautions and answers show me that you gave thought to what you were doing.