By Clint on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 05:12 am: Edit

Most "recovery straps" that i have seen do not stretch enough. How can you tell if a strap will stretch?
Masterpull has super yankers. Anybody used these? They seem pricey. Can I just make my own from nylon double braid rope?

Thanks,
Clint

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 06:50 am: Edit

Recovery straps stretch a little, but they are not supposed to behave like a rubber band. Kinetic ropes on the other hand, stretch and store kinetic energy in them. Think about that for a second, you have a lot of kinetic energy stored in that rope, what is going to happen if it snaps or breaks loose whatever it is attached to. Instant slingshot.
There is a reason why good recovery equipment is expensive, by cutting corners or using the equipment wrong, you are putting yourself and others around you at risk. Spend a little more for good equipment, and learn how to use it correctly.
As for kinetic ropes in general, allthough I suppose there is a place for them, I am not a big fan, and have never been in a situation my Warn could not get me out of.

By Cbrowne on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 02:51 pm: Edit

Best to have both the masterpull and the regular strap. There are moments that you don't need the stretch of a yanker. Nicest thing about the yankers is the lack of a jerk. completely unavoidable with regular straps even with a light foot

By nadim on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 02:55 pm: Edit

By no means are you supposed to accelerate like a dragster when you are towing someone out of trouble!...neither with a kinetic rope, nor with a normal strap.

Moreover, kinetic ropes need a lot of TLC, or else, slingshot! And with our Discos taking up all the TLC we have, I have no more to give...now my girl friend is complaining!

Go figure!

By Joe Casey on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 04:08 pm: Edit

I personally like the kinetics. i used them at the MAR rally and was quite impressed. it cuts time by a lot. and the yanker can get some momentum and make the tug a little bit easier. as for strength, most are rated well beyond what most use them for. just remeber, neglect and care is worse than abuse.

JC

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, April 20, 2001 - 04:55 am: Edit

So , what I am thinking is that most of the Rover world already knows that they have some issues with stuff breaking , just trying to ride around unhindered. Mounts , axles , diffs ,etc etc. Why would you want to add that much more stress and increase your chances of breakage when a winch is purpose built just for such occasions? While in Moab a few weeks ago at Rocker Knocker in Pritchett canyon we saw a guy with a jeep that had a winch on the front trying to "Yank" some other poor bastard up the obstacle with a rubber band. He had the rubber band hooked right there on the front of the truck right next to the winch. After 4-5 tries and almost turning the poor bastard over he got him up. I was just scratching my head. Also , we hear all the time about someone that had a friend that had a second cousin that knew someone that once was cut in half by a flying winch cable. WHich do you think is more dangerous? That rubber band stores a whole shit load of energy and after the point where you have taken out the slack and are in forward motion there is really no turning back. You aint gonna find out something is wrong with the strap or the recovery point until it comes up and tells you all on its own. In that respect I guess you will be the first to know.

Kyle

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Friday, April 20, 2001 - 05:06 am: Edit

I am with Kyle here. I am more concerned with safety and a controlled recovery than I am with saving a few minutes. All that stored up kinetic energy in that rubber band concerns me.

By Rob Davison (Pokerob) on Sunday, April 22, 2001 - 03:56 pm: Edit

J.C. i was the one getting tugged with brians kenetic strap at MAR. i recall it doing some damage.

when brian pulled me it stretched his disco and popped the plastic rivits that helg on the door sills....

though not anything serious, it makes you wonder what other kinds of stress it causing

not too safe.

rd