Tow balls are not to be used as recovery points

[4bye4]

Folks, I just saw something a little concerning.
I was just Driving behind a 4wd who had a snatch strap hanging out of his canopy ...
Car was putrid so he's obviously been off the tarmac.
Nothing unusual , see that often.

However . At the end of the strap was flat plate with an eyelet that was hooked over his towball.
It almost looked like a huge bottle opener. And this didn't look like a home job either , looked like a professionally made bit of gear.
I couldn't take a snap of it as I was driving ...
But has anybody seen anything like it before ???

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from the description it sounds like an eye we use to lift skips/bins. We have four lock posts on each side of a bin and two chains with the eyes on each side. These lock over the posts and the boom lifts the bin. If you use the outer posts on esch side the lift is higher allowing you to kift the bin to the front of the tray. Anyway thats what it sound like. On the bins you are slow lifting a known max weight not a stretch/snatch pull, so they are rated differently to a tow/snatch device.

[the evil twin]

The item described is what is/was known in my experience as a Recovery Plate but will have other nsmaes as well I reckon.

They are designed to drop over the Tow Ball and then slide back so the shank of the Tow ball is in the narrow keyway of the plate.
Recovery Plates pre-date kinetic recovery and most Billet Hitch Receivers, indeed they probably date back to the 1930's.

Like anything, when used correctly on maintained equipment fit for purpose and by trained people they are perfectly OK.
When wrongly used for kinetic recovery or by untrained people they are indeed a potential missile if the Ball lets go.

On the Farm in the olden days we would have a couple in every Tractor (usually home made jobbies).
They were only recently removed from Emergency Services Recovery Kits (last 5 maybe 10 years or so) over here but even when available were only for use by Recovery Techs and not general members

They are readily available commercially (here is one version) https://www.theballhooker.com/

[Hodge]

Damn. So It's its more common than I thought.




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[MB]

Slowly does it ‘dragging’ as ET and his kind link describe would be key here. We have ‘drag chained’ decent logs off ball chain hooks and it certainly does give a scary chassis stretching wallop if over 5kmph. Pays to chamfer off the logs leading edge and just slowly chug along in case a nasty big rock is hiding under the paddock!


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[Hodge]

https://mr4x4.com.au/tow-dawg-no/

[the evil twin]

There is a fault in their logic...

I quote
"The moment the throttle is blipped or traction changes, stresses beyond the towball’s capabilities will be introduced,"
I call Bullshit.
There will be absolutely no difference in the 'stress introduced' when the "throttle is blipped or traction changes" whether the load is connected directly to the Ball (think A frame or Tow Hitch) or by the Tow Strap to the Ball.

Totally different matter if some numpty uses a Kinetic Strap or Rope tho.
I absolutely agree that will not end well.

I know of no fatalities or injuries over the many, many years of use of Recovery Plates due to a Plate or Ball failure in static operations (winching, towing, stump pulling, fence straining, water skiing (don't ask!!!)...
BUT
In this world where we need to protect people from themselves agree they probably shouldn't be commercially available.

Disclaimer... there may have been injuries/deaths and if so feel free to pop up a linky

[Plasnart]

There is a fault in their logic...

I quote
"The moment the throttle is blipped or traction changes, stresses beyond the towball’s capabilities will be introduced,"
I call Bullshit.
There will be absolutely no difference in the 'stress introduced' when the "throttle is blipped or traction changes" whether the load is connected directly to the Ball (think A frame or Tow Hitch) or by the Tow Strap to the Ball.

Totally different matter if some numpty uses a Kinetic Strap or Rope tho.
I absolutely agree that will not end well.

I know of no fatalities or injuries over the many, many years of use of Recovery Plates due to a Plate or Ball failure in static operations (winching, towing, stump pulling, fence straining, water skiing (don't ask!!!)...
BUT
In this world where we need to protect people from themselves agree they probably shouldn't be commercially available.

Disclaimer... there may have been injuries/deaths and if so feel free to pop up a linky

Sense and sensibility. Tow with a tow ball. Revover sans towball.

[NissanGQ4.2]

https://www.facebook.com/35637584441...6175514890756/

[Jakeguy49]

Good video to show to those who are still inclined to use tow balls for recovery....and those who are too stubborn to believe it's dangerous.

[MudRunnerTD]

This should not have happened. A Daughter A Sister, A Friend. A Young life Lost.

Think about what you are doing. Always consider the worst case scenario and clear the safety zone.





RIP

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