Tow balls are not to be used as recovery points

There needs to be a national std and a national body
on all these things but I dont think it will happen

I'm greatly surprised that this is even an issue. Over here we never use the tow ball for recovery, as it is, well, a tow ball... And on most elder vehicles here, the tow ball has been mounted at the dealer, and not at the factory, in a way that strongly weakens the quality of the tow ball since it is put indirectly on the frame.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GabrielMk3

I'm greatly surprised that this is even an issue. Over here we never use the tow ball for recovery, as it is, well, a tow ball... And on most elder vehicles here, the tow ball has been mounted at the dealer, and not at the factory, in a way that strongly weakens the quality of the tow ball since it is put indirectly on the frame.

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You have cast iron towball set ups dont you ??
Any pics???

I will just leave this here....................




Attachment 60551

Just saw that on Facebook and was about to post it up but you beat me to it!

Good reminder that all metal fatigues, even when you can't see it! (Actually lots of stuff rusts inside out)

i am still shocked the about of people out there still using the tow ball to snatch cars out

Good reminder to never leave anything in the tow hitch,
remove it clean it and store it ready for next time.
Especially you boaties, might be best to maybe zinc
plate your hitch as salt water will kill it quick as.
Also remove all your tow bar bolts and replace with some
zinc plated one torque them to the right Nm and you should be right.
Id check all bolts if reversing into salt water a lot like some here.
they would be high on the list, You never know the next big snatch
recovery may end in disaster, just saying

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r2Z204GEIw

Another towball recovery, luckily the strap broke.

You can't win can you? No matter how many time it's published there are still going to be people that do stupid things. You can by a recovery kit from all sorts of places between $50 and $100 or so with no instructions and very little in the way of warnings either. The other thing that bothers me is if enought people get hurt or killed, somone in a white shirt and tie in an office somewhere will just ban the use of snatch straps, or legislate the use of reflective shirt, protection for the chest, steel toe cap boots, helmet and eye protection before you are permuitted to attach a tow line of any sort.

Haha, good point. But in this country that's not far from the truth.