Anyone Snapped a Tow Ball.

[Patty]

I know we shouldn't do this but I'm sure we have all been guilty of using the tow ball to pull someone out.

Has anyone snapped a tow ball here?

My friend has an idea of a contraption to put over the tow ball for easy access to strap on the snatchem, etc.

My concern is snapping the tow ball which will fly towards the stuck car like a cannon ball.

Infact, I don't think It's even legal???

Any thoughts on this?

[patch697]

G/day Patty. I've had a 50mm pulling 4ton plus & have never ever snapped one but I still would not be in support of your friends idea. Cheers Paul

[Woof]

Hey Patty, you may get away with it but it is definately not worth the risk, those things can kill.

[GU89]

This is the kind of thing I use, only about $50

[robsgq]

Hi Patty if ya google death by tow ball you might see that your mates idea is not that great.

[AB]

Hi Patty if ya google death by tow ball you might see that your mates idea is not that great.


Agreed, flying cannon ball through the windscreen!

[IP-GQ]

Correct me if I'm wrong but are tow balls themselves only rated at 2 tonne.

The hardened steel can easily sheer off and break.

Keeping in mind 2 tonne is bugger all when the snatchem tightens and the weight of the car first pulled out versus the stretch and pulling of the other 4x4 would create a force of atleast 4-5 tonne.

Especially if the contraption would most likely be a steel object placed at the bottom of the ball that sits in the tounge like a knife pushing against the shaft...

Not sure if that makes sense...lol

[Pitbull]

A tow ball may pull 3 to 4 tonne of weight but its not made to snatch from , its not a rated recovery point and if any idiot thinks that it is they are only playing Russian Roulette with their or someone else's life

[Pitbull]

Hey Patty , maybe suggest to your mate to go do a 4wd recovery course

[the evil twin]

Well, this subject gets flogged to death evry three months or so on every Forum so why should we be different...

The guys who do the recovery training in my Club have a "contraption" rigged up to demonstrate why you NEVER do a full snatch off a Tow Ball... everyone who has witnessed a demo goes away suitable impressed when the tow ball lets go of the vehicle still attached to the strap and at only about half load (around 2 or 3 thousand KG) travels like a Cannonball and goes clean thru the bonnet placed at the other end of the strap anchored to a skip bin full of ballast acting as the 'stuck' vehicle.

At a load of 6 to 9 thousand KG (and some straps are rated up to 12 thousand) the results would be awesome... goddam deadly but definitely awesome. Remember that the rule of thumb for a vehicle bogged to the axles is twice the weight so a Patrol is going to load the snatch to about 5,000 KG

Tow balls being rated lower than the straps and shackles in use should technically therefore be the first point of failure and I don't think you will see any appearances for the device 'cept on Utube and the Coroners Court.

Mind you hardly any Tow Bars are rated above 4,000KG which is where the Billet Hitches and the like which we all use are attached either but they don't tend to fly thru the air as far as a Tow Ball altho a recent fatality about 6 or 12 months ago did involve a Bull bar letting go with a Snatchie attached and killed a young lass

[portal pat]

We had a fatality here in Tas. last year from snatching whilst using a towball. Towball broke and hurtled through rear window of towing car, through the head of a passenger. Took Police a week of searching with a metal detector to find rest of ball. Using a towball deserves a big slap!

[patch697]

Well, this subject gets flogged to death evry three months or so on every Forum so why should we be different...

The guys who do the recovery training in my Club have a "contraption" rigged up to demonstrate why you NEVER do a full snatch off a Tow Ball... everyone who has witnessed a demo goes away suitable impressed when the tow ball lets go of the vehicle still attached to the strap and at only about half load (around 2 or 3 thousand KG) travels like a Cannonball and goes clean thru the bonnet placed at the other end of the strap anchored to a skip bin full of ballast acting as the 'stuck' vehicle.

At a load of 6 to 9 thousand KG (and some straps are rated up to 12 thousand) the results would be awesome... goddam deadly but definitely awesome. Remember that the rule of thumb for a vehicle bogged to the axles is twice the weight so a Patrol is going to load the snatch to about 5,000 KG

Tow balls being rated lower than the straps and shackles in use should technically therefore be the first point of failure and I don't think you will see any appearances for the device 'cept on Utube and the Coroners Court.

Mind you hardly any Tow Bars are rated above 4,000KG which is where the Billet Hitches and the like which we all use are attached either but they don't tend to fly thru the air as far as a Tow Ball altho a recent fatality about 6 or 12 months ago did involve a Bull bar letting go with a Snatchie attached and killed a young lass

Thanks for all the typing ET although using tow balls as snatch point is not something I practice, your post made for some very interesting read as Im sure others will agree.

Cheers
Paul

[patch697]

We had a fatality here in Tas. last year from snatching whilst using a towball. Towball broke and hurtled through rear window of towing car, through the head of a passenger. Took Police a week of searching with a metal detector to find rest of ball. Using a towball deserves a big slap!

I agree Pat & when something like that happens its pointless saying sorry cos its to bloody late & if I was to see anyone doing it a slap is exactly what thay would get & a bloody BIG SLAP at that.

Cheers
Paul