Our first real go at a snatch recovery

[nowoolies]

not being too rude mate you dont have a line damper in place and your snatch strap is twisted, good way to break em hay
but good to see you let a toymota driver have a play at pullin a real rig outta mud next time dont keep drivin forward on him hahahahahahahaah

[growler2058]

growler, where is your dampner?????????

not being too rude mate you dont have a line damper in place and your snatch strap is twisted, good way to break em hay
but good to see you let a toymota driver have a play at pullin a real rig outta mud next time dont keep drivin forward on him hahahahahahahaah

I hear ya fellas, and wont make excuse, however thats exactly why we kept everyone well back from the vehicles. The twist we discussed after watchin and wont happen again.

BTW ive got a heap of hessian sacks in the back now for using as dampner

[macca]

Growler, you did that text book (except for twist and damper, if things were getting worse you wouldn't worry about them, even though you should.)

I mean you progressively increased the momentum of the tow vehicle instead of going bull at a gate first up and creating bigger problems.

Thats the way I was taught and have done many times, towing or being towed.

If you got stuck you were giving it a go, campfire talk is allways of the tough bits or recoveries not the graded tracks

The other bloke may as well drive the black top letting you blaze the trail all the time LOL

Pretty damn good vid of how its done

Macca

[growler2058]

Cheers Macca, me ol m8 has promised to have a bloody go next time we out an about it'll be the border track and i know where there are some deep holes there that i can lead him astray into hahahahaha

[growler2058]

deleted me own double message der

[rkinsey]

Thanks Growler for the vid.

I havent had a chance to use my winch or do a recovery yet. I'm still learning, and videos like this one and all the comments along with it teach "L" platers like me of what not to do.

One question though if I may? Laying the snatch strap down in an "S" pattern between the vehicles prevents snags/knots correct?

Thanks also for the tip on the dampner fellas. I thought the dampner was only used on the winch cable. Every video I have seen using a snatch strap, no one uses a dampner. I will from now on.

Cheers,

Rob

[DX grunt]

Thanks Growler for the vid.

I havent had a chance to use my winch or do a recovery yet. I'm still learning, and videos like this one and all the comments along with it teach "L" platers like me of what not to do.

One question though if I may? Laying the snatch strap down in an "S" pattern between the vehicles prevents snags/knots correct?

Thanks also for the tip on the dampner fellas. I thought the dampner was only used on the winch cable. Every video I have seen using a snatch strap, no one uses a dampner. I will from now on.

Cheers,

Rob

Can't remember the principle behind the 's' in the snatch strap, but that's the way I was taught, too.
I'll be using a damper from now on. too. I've seen too many vids of late, with dangerous things happening.
I used to use a wet hessian bag, but now I've got a 'bought' damper.

Not worth the risk.

[growler2058]

Thanks Growler for the vid.

I havent had a chance to use my winch or do a recovery yet. I'm still learning, and videos like this one and all the comments along with it teach "L" platers like me of what not to do.

One question though if I may? Laying the snatch strap down in an "S" pattern between the vehicles prevents snags/knots correct?

Thanks also for the tip on the dampner fellas. I thought the dampner was only used on the winch cable. Every video I have seen using a snatch strap, no one uses a dampner. I will from now on.

Cheers,

Rob

Gday Rob, thanks for your comments, I believe the "S" is to stop konts and bundles from occouring and as mentioned we should have lay it out to remove any twists. It also gives you a bit of a run up so to speak. you wouldnt use as a tow rope as its the forces of inertia that a snatch relies on, and using as a tow rope will cause the snatch to stretch and loose its elasticity. I dont recall seeing too many snatches in vids I have watched using a dampner either however i think its a "best practice" situation to use some form or dampening, just in case it breaks. You definately cant be over safe when two 3ton vehicles are creating such forces. Hope that answers for you....Have a ball out there mate and remember if ya dont get stuck ya aint tryin hard enough!! HAHAAH

[macca]

There really is some energy stored in the strap, if it pulled a recovery point off it could be real bad. A damper is a good idea.
As for the loop we allways put it where the recovered vehicle can see it so they can see when the action starts. Not allways possible but if we can we do it.
A bigger loop or S for more energy transfered
Of course we also all have UHF to com between the 2 vehicles, radio silence for everyone else
Macca

[the evil twin]

At the risk of inciting a riot...
The "damper" mechanics or physics if you prefer are different between a Winch Cable and a Snatchie so I believe what applies to one doesn't necessarily appply to the other.

The damper on a winch cable is to defuse the energy in the cable if a point fails or the longer section of cable if the cable snaps. The ability of the cable to release the energy is a slow process compared to a snatch strap and the entanglement of the damper and intrinsic weight of the cable also get it onto the ground pretty quick.

Snatchies have the slingshot effect and by design are extremely efficient at transferring force to the end of the strap. When a point fails the energy is transferred VERY quickly into what ever object is left on the Snatch Strap. That is why it is MUCH more preferable NOT to use shackles in a snatch recovery. Hook style recovery points or similar are the go if you have them, still bl00dy dangerous tho.

IMHO a Snatch Recovery has heaps more potential danger than winching because the efficiency of damping is significantly less. Lets say a shackle and recovery plate rip out of a vehicle for whatever reason. That lump of metal is going to depart with maximum energy and acceleration and the damper will have no effect until the object has flown past the damper and taken up the slack which is usually about the same time it arrives at the other vehicle so a damper in the middle of the cable doesn't provide a terrible lot of protection.

Another consideration is this. The weight of any damper lying on the ground near the centre of the strap will be flung upwards as the strap takes up. So at the moment of maximum force when the system is liable to fail the weight of the damper is negated as it is still heading skywards.

Sooooo (dare I say it) in light Snatch recoveries I do not necessarily use a damper (I can hear the intake of breath already) BUT in heavy ones I advocate the use of two. One at each end close to the vehicles. 1/4 filled sand bags are perfect