This is why you never recover w/ a chain! [Not Clickbait]

Do you have something that states this? I have the Hi-Lift offroad kit but I've never used the tree saver since I have another that is more substantial. But if the eye-to-eye sling they include isn't just a regular sling I'd like to know.

My assumption was the weak point would be the shear pin in the jack itself, which is supposed to go at 7,000 lbs. The working load rating on a Hi-Lift is 4,660 lbs.

Normally a single ply 2" nylon sling is rated for a working load of 6,200 lbs in a basket sling and technically it should be proofed and have a much higher design factor. The double layer one I have would be twice that.

Therefore I'm wondering if I ever do use the Hi-Lift to pull if I need to rethink my loads. Or at least know the real rating on the sling they include.

 

Not really, no, that’s just my opinion based on some old thread on another forum I read a while ago.

It could be that hi-lift just cheaped out and includes a shitty item in the kit, but I’m willing to bet if you called them up, they’d tell you something different. But I couldn’t find anything that specifies the actual strength of the tree strap.

So like always, I could just be talking out of my ass.

But to be honest, if I had a more substantial tree saver already, I would probably use it, too. But I also would only use the hi lft winch system when I didn’t have any other method at my disposal, which, is kinda the point. If you can’t afford a winch, here you go, but even if you have a winch, this system might still be more useful in some situations, or if the winch fails.

 

I agree, the strap they include is pretty low quality. So it wouldn't surprise me if it breaks well below others. It doesn't have a tag or any capability label, so I don't trust it. In fact the whole kit is really only useful IMHO for the custom end adapter and the bag.

It's actually useful to have rigging to make your Hi-Lift into a winch even if you have a bumper mounted one. It's handy for stabilizing from the side, pulling logs, pulling you backwards or as a second winch for unusual recoveries.

 

My friend was doing an analysis on a hi lift from a safety factor standpoint when looking to make a UTV sized one. His analysis revealed the safety factor on a high lift was like 1.1...not surprised. They have their place....a very sketchy one at best.

 

Based on what criteria, though? I'm honestly not sure there's anything that could be made better or safer, the concept itself doesn't lend to being particularly safe. But I do trust a real Hi-Lift (we need to be clear, there's a Hi-Lift jack and there's generic farm jacks) to do what it says it can do. But you definitely need to be careful with them.

 

It was awhile ago, I don't remember. I want to say he said the shear pins were not going to be the part that broke more than likely.

 

I've seen the bar bend on a Hi-Lift without the shear pin letting go. But otherwise the only other failure I've personally seen was the pin and the jack failed safe and jammed on the bar like it was supposed to. I'm not doubting there are probably all sorts of red flags when you run an FMEA. The thing was designed back when Moses came home from the hospital in the back seat of a Land Rover. Not sure if someone wanted to build one from scratch in 2017 that there'd be any engineering analysis that would get it past the company legal department. But I guess what I am saying is that if you treat it with respect and use it within its capability it's still a useful tool.

 

Dammit I couldnt see the aftermath

 

Found full video again right now

 

This doesn't actually really do much. Too much energy stored in the material, just sends the weight flying too

 

I was thinking more along the line of a winch, which this obviously wasn't. Using a weight on a winch line does help as long as it's heavy enough, not just someones jacket. Although I was thinking something similar after I posted it. I'm use to a strap that is much lighter. The chain alone is quite heavy, they would almost need something on the order of barbell weights to get it onto the ground. And if using a chain isn't dumb enough, attaching weights to it is..... well let's just say it's Darwinism at work.

 

Maybe this is a discussion for a different thread, but I'm honestly curious: have you seen the weighted line work in a winching situation? I hear the advice to weigh down your line all the time, but I've also seen some testing with recovery straps (obviously a MUCH different animal than a winch line), and even with a 15 pound sand bag in the strap, it just flung the bag when the strap broke. I'd love to see the same kind of test done with winch lines...

 

I don't know, I think this topic works with this thread. I can't say that I've seen a winch line break, only run across it on the trail. A few years ago I was out with some friends and came across a group with a stuck rig. The winch line was broke and laying under the jeep with a bag of rocks for weight. They were in the middle of turning one of the jeeps around to try winching again when we showed up.

As for a tug strap, I have to admit that I've wondered if a weight would work. The testing you have seen would lead me to believe that this hunch is correct. Maybe on a gentle pull a weight would work, but anything with a hard hit would increase the load on the line by a lot. This along with the line going from on the ground to up in the air would create a lot of upward inertia.

 

A strap doesn't store nearly the amount of energy that a steel cable/chain/etc does, so a fabric strap wouldn't really need the weight. A synthetic winch line is similar. If they break, they often don't have enough power to do much damage, unlike a metal chain/wire rope

 

For a dead pull and using the right grade chain it’s ok, but typically only ones with that set up are on wreckers. That’s what I used to use and it is fine. When your jerking it, it’s not designed to withstand that impact and then snaps. I’ve seen that break and when people use the tow ball as the hook.

 

I would never pull with a chain, no matter what. A chain is meant for a static load, not a varying one. Just not worth it

 

We never jerk on chains during a recovery. Slow steady tension, match your chain to workload. Standard on tow truck is grade 70 transport chain . You can get grade 100, but it ain't cheap,heavy and rated for overhead lifting.you can buy it thru awdirect.com.they supply tow companies

 

It was 70, used to get that and the bridal in a place in dallas and the bridal was 150$ and each tie down chain was around 100$ if I remember correct. That was just for snatch trucks and light duty. I don’t even remember what the heavy fleet guys carried for tractors and busses. Slow and steady is correct but the biggest help for us was the snatch block and a cut 4x4 block to straighten the vehicle out.

 

20yrs doing this. I still love the it's just "2 feet from roadway" calls

 

When I did heavies it was grade 100.