Couple Q's on pulling people out of the snow

[man on the moon]

I'm toying with the idea of putting some serious snow tires on the Loyale this winter, and justifying/paying them off by pulling people out of the snow. I don't want to pull all the SD (small d*******) truck owners out of the bottom of the median, but I've heard enough stories about people doing simple stuff (road shoulders, small drifts, parking spaces, etc) with their Loyale/Legacy/etc that I'm sure the car can do it.

 

So far I have on my list of supplies:

 

--Tow line/rope

--Sand/kitty litter

--Shovel or two

--Jumper Cables

--Gas can

--Various comfort items (blankets, drink, granola bars)

--A girl, in case we meet any females who might be nervous about a couple strange guys 'walking up to her when she can't escape'. Also handy for driving, pushing, or watching out for vehicles that might hit us.

 

Any other ideas?

And what should I not do/what are the limits? I don't want to find out the hard way that the tow hooks on my car will pop off at some yet unknown load level, for example. I'm not gonna pull any Dodge Rams up steep medians, but anything to watch for besides that?

[cal_look_zero]

I'm toying with the idea of putting some serious snow tires on the Loyale this winter, and justifying/paying them off by pulling people out of the snow. I don't want to pull all the SD (small d*******) truck owners out of the bottom of the median, but I've heard enough stories about people doing simple stuff (road shoulders, small drifts, parking spaces, etc) with their Loyale/Legacy/etc that I'm sure the car can do it.

 

So far I have on my list of supplies:

 

--Tow line/rope

--Sand/kitty litter

--Shovel or two

--Jumper Cables

--Gas can

--Various comfort items (blankets, drink, granola bars)

--A girl, in case we meet any females who might be nervous about a couple strange guys 'walking up to her when she can't escape'. Also handy for driving, pushing, or watching out for vehicles that might hit us.

 

Any other ideas?

And what should I not do/what are the limits? I don't want to find out the hard way that the tow hooks on my car will pop off at some yet unknown load level, for example. I'm not gonna pull any Dodge Rams up steep medians, but anything to watch for besides that?

 

Well not that this helps much, but I nudged a big ol F350 out of a snowbank with my lowered 69 VW bug, some ratchet straps, and a look of sheer disbelief on Buford's face.

 

That said, I have to imagine the stock hardware on the car will suffice. If you're concerned and will actually make money at it, just have an exhaust shop weld some D hooks right to the frame. I would get one of those big ol water bags that you put in a pickup bed to add weight over the rear axle.

 

Is there really a "market" for pulling people out? I used to fund my snowboarding by chaining cars up for rich old skiers every morning when I was jobless, but never really heard of anyone but tow companies making money from pulling people out.

[Idasho]

If you can pull them out easy with an old Subaru, then they were not stuck enough to need a tug.

 

If I come across somebody that obviously needs a hand when Im in the Subaru, I break out my thick coat, Vodka flask, and shovel. I put the jacket on, and hand the guy that's stuck.... the shovel.

 

I wont hitch up to anyone if they are actually stuck unless Im driving my Powerstroke 4wd. Give them some company and help out sure, but to hitch up to a stuck vehicle with a little subaru? Your asking for problems. The kind that normally results in more broke/stuck vehicles than you started with.

[man on the moon]

It's more the nudging part you mentioned than pulling on a loose line and yanking someone out. More a "ok, when the line goes snug give the Accord a little gas and you should slide out of that parking spot/shoulder" than "Ok, I'm going to get up to 30mph, don't be in the way when the line goes taut and your F150 comes flying". As for dough, I don't expect to make much money, but people will sometimes offer. I just want meet people and do something worthwhile to make me feel better about spending a wad of cash when I don't *really* need to. It's not a certain thing! Just an idea I'm toying with.

 

I am slightly worried about the 'more broken vehicles than you started with' part. Not too worried I'll get stuck--I know where those limits are!

[man on the moon]

Something like this:

Edited December 26, 2011 by man on the moon

[l75eya]

I have the same idea brewing in my mind actually and already have a 3/4" braided steel cable rated for well over what the actual tow hooks on my car can handle I'm sure. Just don't yank people. Slowly taut the line and then begin to pull. Be aware that if you have a 5 speed, you are probably going to wear your clutch away a bit, and if so, while doing so, keep your nose keen for any signs of it burning.

 

Also, pulling vehicles can be dangerous for the other vehicle, know where to attach your line and where not to. The last thing you want is for your act of kindness to turn into a lawsuit when your tow line gouges the shi* out of somebody's bumper and they want it fixed. People take advantage of other people's kindness, and this is why people are being less and less helpful to each other (which is a damn shame).

 

On that note, use common sense, be careful, stand clear of taut lines just in case they snap, and be safe. Also, Merry Christmas

[Numbchux]

I think PLANNING on being a freelance recovery vehicle is asking for trouble.

 

There's a reason that a tow truck for a simple recovery costs so much more than the gas/diesel and the guys time. There's a LOT of liability (and therefore insurance) involved.

 

Most vehicles short of 3/4ton+ pickups do not have decent tow points (unless they happen to have a trailer hitch, but even then, backwards isn't always the way to go). So if you hook your tow strap up to something, and do damage, you've painted a law suit target on your back.

 

There's also potential for injury by pulling out a vehicle with a tow strap. A winch allows a degree of control and finesse that removes a lot of safety risk from the situation. With a strap, you will have to have someone in that other vehicle, and if they don't know what to do, EVERYONE is at risk. And if something happens, you will all be wishing they'd waited for the tow truck.

 

 

 

 

If you can pull them out easy with an old Subaru, then they were not stuck enough to need a tug.

 

This is just not true. I've pulled out a few vehicles from pretty nasty spots in subarus, and even my FWD Toyota Celica. It's all about having good tires, a good recovery strap, and safe recovery practices.

 

So while I agree it's a bad idea, I completely disagree with the logic.

 

 

 

 

Justify getting good snow tires with your safety, and that of the people around you. As soon as you drive one day in mediocre conditions, you will be amazed at how much more control you have, and how much risk you were taking by driving on anything else. A good set of snow tires will cost a few hundred bucks, and last at least 3 years if you only take mediocre care of them (I have Blizzaks, which are notorious for wearing out quickly if the weather gets warm. By only running them 3 or 4 months a year, I'm on my 5th year, and I'll be shocked if I don't get 2 more). A VERY small price to pay.

 

 

 

 

 

All that said. If you still think this is a good idea...

 

 

You will need BEEFY tow pionts, and the only way to do that is to build a new rear bumper. Use some "C" channel steel, and run it in where the old bumper bolted on, and drill holes in the ends. This way you can attach a shackle right to that, which will safely direct all of the load into the unibody. Then you can weld a couple pipes to the channel to make a bumper between that. Simple, and extremely strong. Like this:

 

Get a RECOVERY strap, not a tow strap. A tow strap has hooks on the ends, do NOT use one of these for recovery. A recovery strap has loops on the ends. You will then need at least 2 shackles to attach them to something. This will ensure that the strap stays attached to both vehicles, and drastically reduces your chances of something turning into a projectile.

 

When you're towing, always drape something (jacket, floor mat, etc.) over the strap, you're trying to weight the strap down to prevent the projectile issue. Also avoid snapping the strap at all costs.

 

 

 

 

 

I keep ragging on this projectile issue, but it's VERY commonly overlooked, and very dangerous. A member of our local club (Northern Minnesota Jeepers) died a few years ago pulling a couple kids out of a small mud hole. He hooked up to the tow strap on their poorly-built bumper, and gave it a tug. The welds holding the D-ring to the bumper tore, and the D-ring, and shackle, were launched. They hit him in the back of the head, and killed him on the spot.

Edited December 26, 2011 by Numbchux

[l75eya]

Yeah, it's easy to overlook the danger when you're just sitting in the car pulling, or being pulled, but just give a quick thought to how much strain and tension is on that cable or strap. Thousands upon thousands of pounds if you're giving it a real good pull, and if something gives, all that stored energy has to go somewhere, and you don't have any idea where it's going to go, but wherever it *does* go, it's going to go with some extreme force.

 

Think of having a remotely detonated gun, throwing it spinny style up in the air, and then setting it off. No clue where it's going to shoot, but regardless of where it shoots, it's not going to be safe...

 

But to tie this back into what you are thinking about doing, if you're like me, I don't think you're going to be the 911 recovery subaru getting every stuck vehicle out of it's hole. Just keep the stuff in the car, if you see somebody stuck, offer a helping hand, explain to them that there is a possibility to damage their vehicle, and if they agree, be careful.

 

This is why whenever I see somebody that needs some help, unless they're in a car that is equally as hoopty-looking as my car or worse, I won't offer any help that may end up damaging their vehicle.

 

Btw on a side note, some lady in a 2011 Charger backed into my Loyale in a parking lot. Split her bumper and spiderwebbed the paint. Did nothing to my bumper. Hoopty 1 Mopar 0.

 

 

Also: That is an AWESOME rig up there....

Edited December 26, 2011 by l75eya
Just thought to add...

[man on the moon]

F*ing lawsuits. I am more than careful--rule number 1a is "don't do anything you can't undo or redo". While I'm not a wrecker driver, it's not my first time around the block, either--just the first time with a smaller vehicle. I knew this was too simple to be a good idea, there is always a catch!...

 

Numbchux logic wins.

 

 

 

 

(You may now return to your regular programming)

 

(As to projectiles and snapping lines--I've been climbing a long while, enough to see poorly rigged lines do...bad things. This phenomenon I'm familiar with, sadly)

Edited December 26, 2011 by man on the moon

[man on the moon]

And don't worry--I'm not/wasn't planning on putting up signs or making dedicated trips just to pull people out--more "oh I'm on my way and this guy needs a push" type thing.

 

Anyway...yay lawsuits. Guess it's (mostly) shovels and muscles!

[cal_look_zero]

Being the litigious country that we are, just have a super basic waiver handy. A basic "I hereby waive any and all damages to my person or property during extraction of my vehicle" will keep out you out of the courtroom.

[bigjimd]

Ooops!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utXihnuAoIo

 

Found this a couple of years ago. Still makes me laugh. R rated for language.

[Cyfun]

A snatch strap is what you want. They're made of nylon webbing that's designed to stretch, so if you're on a low traction surface, you can build up a little speed and more gently pull folks out with your momentum. If you've ever watched Top Gear's race to the north pole, you'll know what I'm talking about, cept their was a proper giant bungee cord.

 

I keep a snatch strap attached to my tow hooks and coiled up in my trunk all-year round, cause you never know when you'll need it. Most folks who get stuck in the winter don't need much. They usually are just stuck on a small patch of ice or in a rut in the middle of the street. Often times it would be far more dangerous to leave them there blocking traffic and potentially causing an accident.

 

Having said that, there are also a lot of overconfident *********************es who drive big turbo diesel trucks and SUVs who think that just cause they're 4-wheel drive means they're invincible, and it makes it all the more satisfying to pull a big badass truck out of a ditch with my rusty little GL wagon.

 

Of course I'm in Montana so I'm not nearly as worried about sue-happy pricks.