Rear Recovery Point in Tow Hitch

[satyx]

I have a question regarding the recovery points like the one below used in tow hitches. I was ready to buy one untill my old man pointed something out. The point is held in the hitch by the pin, so why not use the pin to hold the stap, ie feed the loop into the hitch and lock it inplace with the pin. Ive seen him do this before so it has made me wonder what the benifits of the recovery point is?

[satyx]

[Bob]

I have a question regarding the recovery points like the one below used in tow hitches. I was ready to buy one untill my old man pointed something out. The point is held in the hitch by the pin, so why not use the pin to hold the stap, ie feed the loop into the hitch and lock it inplace with the pin. Ive seen him do this before so it has made me wonder what the benifits of the recovery point is?

I always use that method when snatching someone.

[Bigrig]

Using the pin is sort of ok except for two reasons:

1. The strap around the pin is smaller in width on the pin than a recovery hitch, hence placing greater strain on the pin across a smaller surface area
2. Further to point 1, in doing so, you run the very real prospect of bending the pin in the tow receiver - ever tried to get one out that's bent?? Be bloody hard mate.

The recovery hitch is solid through the centre where the pin goes and places surface area strain across the pin equally from side to side and having the snatch rope attached to the bow shackle allows slight angled movement of the snatch from side to side (if not a dead straight recovery) without placing too much strain directly on the pin and tow receiver.

Add to that trying to attach a snatch strap to a receiver pin whilst you waist deep in water and/or mud - no fun!! Far easier to a recovery hitch.

I'm sure there's a more scientific reason, however that's my philosophy and I personally never use just the pin - $50 for a recovery hitch is money well spent.

[satyx]

Using the pin is sort of ok except for two reasons:

1. The strap around the pin is smaller in width on the pin than a recovery hitch, hence placing greater strain on the pin across a smaller surface area
2. Further to point 1, in doing so, you run the very real prospect of bending the pin in the tow receiver - ever tried to get one out that's bent?? Be bloody hard mate.

The recovery hitch is solid through the centre where the pin goes and places surface area strain across the pin equally from side to side and having the snatch rope attached to the bow shackle allows slight angled movement of the snatch from side to side (if not a dead straight recovery) without placing too much strain directly on the pin and tow receiver.

Add to that trying to attach a snatch strap to a receiver pin whilst you waist deep in water and/or mud - no fun!! Far easier to a recovery hitch.

I'm sure there's a more scientific reason, however that's my philosophy and I personally never use just the pin - $50 for a recovery hitch is money well spent.

See thats why this fourm is gold. I knew there had to be a good reason for them to be available, I had thought of the side to side movement of the strap, but the old man just said "every snatch should be straight on". The contact surface of the pin and strap v pin and block makes sense. Ill slip that one if he coments about it. lol. Thanks BigRig

[Bigrig]

See thats why this fourm is gold. I knew there had to be a good reason for them to be available, I had thought of the side to side movement of the strap, but the old man just said "every snatch should be straight on". The contact surface of the pin and strap v pin and block makes sense. Ill slip that one if he coments about it. lol. Thanks BigRig

Pleasure mate - slip this one in also - when Haymen Reece invented his tow assembly and receiver, he did it with "towing" in mind and subsequently the pin is meant to have load spread on it and generally speaking, those loads (towing) are substantially less force than an attached snatch strap recovery. Spreading the load by using appropriate equipment might seem an overkill, however if it means being able to use something that was designed for another use (towing), then what is $50 in the scheme of things??

A bent pin (or worse, a complete snap or separation) versus $50 ...

[Chappa]

Also ever tried hooking a winch hook over the pin in the reciever not going to happen, just alot more versatile i reckon.

[04OFF]

I just removed my tow "ball", and found a 4.7T rated bow shackle pin fits in the remaining tounge hole perfect ($15 Total)

And you only need keep the "towball" (and a spanner) in the car should you need to convert it back to a standard towball (instead of a complete tounge and ball)





The problem often overlooked, is with regard for the car you are recovering (or thats recovering you) , you may have a strong tow point, but if their "weaker" tow point breaks, its ALL coming YOUR way !

I keep a towball spanner and a spare 4.7T Bow shackle in my car, this way, i can easily convert anyones towbar into a safe recovery point in the same manner, should the situation arise.

[Sir Roofy]

All points of recovery are good here
but for my money i like the hitch reciever most
its solid and very little wear points on the bow shackle
as well

[BillsGU]

One point you are missing is that the HR bar is not rated for snatching. It is generally accepted in the 4WD world that a properly fitted HR bar (with high tensile rated bolts) is suitable for recovery - but you will never get it on paper from Hayman Reece.

The fact is that every time you introduce another link in the recovery chain you are introducing another place where something can go wrong. These adaptors (the ones I have seen) are well made, but they are welded (which can let go) and you are then also introducing a shackle (is it rated or a cheapie from China / India?).

When using this adaptor the force of the recovery is not spread over the entire length of the pin - it is focused on the holes in the HR bar and the holes in the adaptor (much like a shearing action happening on the pin).

I have never used an adaptor - I always feed the loop of the strap into the HR hole and feed the pin through it.

I have done dozens (maybe hundreds?!) of snatches in the course of the Off Road Training and Recovery courses that I have conducted and I have never seen a pin bend or break. I have however seen a couple of shackles distort to the point where they are difficult to undo.

Lastly - the adaptor is another heavy lump of metal floating around in the back of the car.

Just my two bobs worth.