GTG 2012 Minimum Vehicle Requirements

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

While I am not convinced of the total inadequacy of the Toyota tow points, the committee set requirements for the GTG and I agreed to comply. I have now fitted "suitable recovery points". A small extra cost for attending the GTG.

Is there a procedure for updating our vehicle compliance?

To let us know you now have them?

I believe on the form you had to click yes you have them or will have them fitted by gtg so we expect everyone will have done it by then.

So no need to inform us really.

[A10 Member Find all posts View Profile Close A10]

OK. Thanks Wooley.

[grandeandy01 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grandeandy01]

Just so everyone's aware the wife's not coming,so just want to be sure that she is not classified as a recovery item cause on other trips she definately has been.

[Jeffers Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jeffers]

Here is a result from a tow ball recovery....

Serious stuff!



Cheers,

Jeff

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

Here is a result from a tow ball recovery....

Serious stuff!



Cheers,

Jeff

OUCH !
They really pick up bit of speed when they let go!
Was this from a snatch Recovery?.
Cheers
Phil

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

From memory that picture is a couple of years old and was taken after a failed recovery in the Simpson desert involving a stranger being a good samaritan. Fortunately only panel damage that time.

On average 2 people a year die in Australia from mishaps during snatch recoveries. Hopefully people can appreciate why we have made the minimum vehicle requirements to include recovery points.

The minimum vehicle requirements for this years event are just that, very minimal, in previous years "brand name" snatch straps have been mandatory as well as full vehicle servicing by qualified mechanics prior to the event, and these things were checked (so I have been told). There ahve also been minimum tyre requirements in past years as well.

So if you are registered and roadworthy and comply with the short list of vehicle requirements everyone should have a good week.

Cheers Andrew

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Yep, we went through a check list with each car at the beginning of the GTG. It was lighthearted but we were looking not only at the checklist but also the drivers attitude to the minimum requirements list.

Glad to say we had no problems with attendees meeting or exceeding the minimum requirements.

It also gave us a chance to meet each of the drivers on a face to face level

[VKPrado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close VKPrado]

Yep, we went through a check list with each car at the beginning of the GTG. It was lighthearted but we were looking not only at the checklist but also the drivers attitude to the minimum requirements list.

Glad to say we had no problems with attendees meeting or exceeding the minimum requirements.

It also gave us a chance to meet each of the drivers on a face to face level

I like this idea. After years of racing bikes and going through scrutineering at every meeting I am just used to the idea. It would then let the committee know first hand who complied fully and who didn't before anyone was in a situation that needed recovering.

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

From memory that picture is a couple of years old and was taken after a failed recovery in the Simpson desert involving a stranger being a good samaritan. Fortunately only panel damage that time.

On average 2 people a year die in Australia from mishaps during snatch recoveries. Hopefully people can appreciate why we have made the minimum vehicle requirements to include recovery points.

The minimum vehicle requirements for this years event are just that, very minimal, in previous years "brand name" snatch straps have been mandatory as well as full vehicle servicing by qualified mechanics prior to the event, and these things were checked (so I have been told). There ahve also been minimum tyre requirements in past years as well.

So if you are registered and roadworthy and comply with the short list of vehicle requirements everyone should have a good week.

Cheers Andrew

Thanks Andrew,
Funny thispiccy came up as only a couple of weeks ago I found myself in need of a snatch after bellying out in a drift of snow, a local bloke was happy to help but when I gave him my snatch strap he placed it over his towball. I begged with him and offered a shackle to attach another way but he insisted " I've done this heaps of times " he said.
all went well and I put my bonnet up as a safety precaution . Will be showing this photo to him
Cheers
Phil

[brogers Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close brogers]

I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again, in more graphic detail...twice I have recovered dear folk with tow balls embedded in their body. one had it through the head and was killed instantly, (actually they took two more "brain stem" type gasps before dying according to the bystander), and the other had it embedded in their abdomen and survived a painful experience with permanent scarring. Both were snatching a bogged 4wd using the tow ball....please, just never, ever attatch a snatch strap to a tow ball! Even the bonnet raised may not provide enough protection to save you as in one instance the tow ball went through the front guard before hitting the victim!

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again, in more graphic detail...twice I have recovered dear folk with tow balls embedded in their body. one had it through the head and was killed instantly, (actually they took two more "brain stem" type gasps before dying according to the bystander), and the other had it embedded in their abdomen and survived a painful experience with permanent scarring. Both were snatching a bogged 4wd using the tow ball....please, just never, ever attatch a snatch strap to a tow ball! Even the bonnet raised may not provide enough protection to save you as in one instance the tow ball went through the front guard before hitting the victim!

Yeah thanks brogers, I was pretty wary of the whole situation. I now make sure I have my maxtrax with me at all times as they make a perfect snow shovel as well as a recovery tool. The whole situation made me very nervous as I have read horror stories of this type of thing before. Will have to be a little more insistent next time!
Cheers
Phil

[brogers Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close brogers]

I guess its seems so intuitive to actualy use the tow ball for the snatch strap...after all it is the point that we tow heavy trailers etc, unfortunately a tow ball is rated for 3.5 - 5 tonnes (or therabouts), and a snatch recovery can exert the combined weight of both vehicles plus the stored energy from the towing motion,...ie more than 6 tonnes or more....hence causing a fractured tow ball becoming a lethal missile.

I have, on several occasions, begged others to stop!, and asked them to move the strap from their tow ball, but some people can't be told, so I say, please wait until I drive away as I don't want to picking up your guts or brains or attempting a futile resuscitation....that usually does the trick.

I wonder if you can actually get a extreemly highly rated tow ball that could withstand the forces involved in a snatch?
Might be worth investigating perhaps? Probably cost the earth no doubt. In the mean time, rated recovery points shoudl be mandatory on all 4wds.

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Correct, some people just can't be told...

We saw some fools attempt a snatch recovery last time the PP crew were down at Beachport, can't say that they were attaching to a snatch strap to a tow ball but one car was in reverse and mo ing in the opposite direction to the vehicle doing the recovery.. Had us collecting kids and diving behind our own vehicles in the event of something tearing loose...

There seems to be a general lack of understanding with the whole setup and procedure of snatch recoveries...

Comes back to the old "if you don't know, ask!"

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

Sounds like an interesting technique ( reversing away from the recovery vehicle), remind me never to try that one! In my case I had my 2 tin lids with me as well. I made them stand about 50m away, which they were happy to do playing in the snow anyway. I then instructed the guy to "tow" not " snatch" as I was super paranoid about the whole thing.
Anyway it sounds like none of these types of foolish behaviors will be seen at the gtg, thank god!
Cheers
Phil

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

Thanks Woolley,
Will start trolling eBay
Cheers
Phil

Found one on ebay for $33 easy fix!
Cheers
Phil