Snatch straps rated

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

I think some of you are reading far too much into this. There's no way a NATA lab, who have their name published in the article, would let anyone influence their tests, regardless of who pays for them.

Tests weren't influenced, just the results spun. TJM or any of the others could read the same results and put their own spin on them which would be different to ARB's. NATA and the hundreds of other labs do the tests and as long as their results aren't interfered with they're happy to take the money.

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

I think it was a fair test of the straps, but I don't agree that the best strap is the one that breaks under the highest load.

An 8000kg strap breaking at more than 9500kg I think is dangerous. The strap needs to be the weakest link otherwise the next thing to break will be some sort of metal and if that becomes a projectile... well we all know what can happen.

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

As I said above, I think the article is very good in that it provides actual test data on various straps and allows people to make a comparison of straps and determine what they're getting when they buy brand 'x'. The issue of whether a strap breaks at higher or lower load than the stated load rating is good or bad is a much more complex subject.

This test (or let's say, for arguments sake, the suppliers load rating) provides an actual load capacity for one piece of the recovery chain. I'd suggest that for 99% of us it is probably the ONLY recovery item for which we know its breaking strain. If you're using rated shackles (whether a good idea or not) you might know the working load limit from what’s stamped on the shackle, but unless you've worked through the design code or seen the manufacturers test data you've actually got no idea at what load those shackles will fail. The same can be said for a tow ball (even though we all know that these shouldn't be used) or the hitch receiver pin or the recovery hook or whatever else you're attaching your snatch strap to. You have no idea at what load these will break.
So arguments about preferring the snatch strap to break at lower than rated load to ensure they are the weak link are completely moot because you don’t know what that load should be.

Moving on then to a preference for a strap that breaks at a lower load because it will do less damage, based on the assumption that there will be less stored energy than in a strap with a higher breaking load at the time that they each break. Let’s consider that you’ve selected a snatch strap based on the weight of your vehicle and some safety factor (the article suggests a 2-3 times multiplier). Assume an 8000kg rated strap satisfies this requirement and now you’re in a recovery situation. You perform the recovery and apply whatever load you apply to the strap when you accelerate and snatch the vehicle out. This load is what it is. Therefore the lower the actual breaking load of the strap the higher the probability that the strap will break, i.e. if your 8,000kg strap actually has a 7,000kg breaking load it is more likely to break than if it actually has a 9,000kg breaking load.

The question of whether breaking at lower load will do less damage than at higher load is much less clear I think. The damage (the result of how much of the energy stored in the strap gets transmitted to some object that it hits) will depend on a number of factors other than the load applied, such as the spring rate of the strap, how it fails and possibly the rate at which the load is applied.

So my assessment is that I’d rather have a strap that is less likely to break (but within reason, I probably don’t want my 8,000kg strap breaking at 20,000kg) than one that will do less damage when it does break, because I think whether the breaking load is 7,000kg or 9,000kg the outcome is going to be bad if someone is in the way.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

I don't understand your logic. I would have thought the strap failing at 7,800kg is a lot safer than buying a strap that fails at over 10,000kg like the ARB.

I understand that the strap breaking at 7,800 is poor form. It is suppose to be an 8,000kg strap so you would expect it to break at over 8,000kg.

As for it being dangerous, i think that depends on how you look at it. I think its less dangerous as it will break with less force therefore less chance of damage to your car.

Im saying I prefer a safety margin to below rate failure. I'd rather it break higher than expecting it to be ok and have it fail. If a strap breaks at 7.5t or 10t, it's still going to do damage to a person if they get hit especially if a bit of steel is still attached.

I doubt if any of us could guage the force by eye anyway.

TBH I hate using the things. They're my last resort. I get that they are a useful tool but people jump to them too quickly without appreciating the risks. . Case in point on Fraser at Indian head a 4x4 gets stuck. Everyone runs round screaming "get a snatch strap" blah blah. Wifey looks down and says youve not locked your left hub. Driver looks sheepish, locks it, 4 of us give it a push and away it goes and we've all seen YouTube vids of idiots and snatch straps

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

So we are saying that NATA technicians are in the pay of ARB?

No not at all, NATA did the test, but they didn't write the article

I actually think the results are probably around the mark, but anything written in a magazine that has sponsors needs to be treated with a bit of scepticism. Its unfortunate in this world that where there is a dollar to be made or paid, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth can sometimes take second place.

Cheers Andrew

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

TBH I hate using the things. They're my last resort. I get that they are a useful tool but people jump to them too quickly without appreciating the risks. . Case in point on Fraser at Indian head a 4x4 gets stuck. Everyone runs round screaming "get a snatch strap" blah blah. Wifey looks down and says youve not locked your left hub. Driver looks sheepish, locks it, 4 of us give it a push and away it goes and we've all seen YouTube vids of idiots and snatch straps

You hit the nail on the head there, when I was involved in 4wd driver training, we taught that snatch straps were your last resort, most people go to them as their first option, and god forbid you use a shovel first to ease the strain.

If you just need a gentle tug to get you out then fine, go the snatch strap straight away. But for serious recoveries, the ones where breaking a strap is on the cards, exhaust every other avenue first.

Cheers Andrew

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

You hit the nail on the head there, when I was involved in 4wd driver training, we taught that snatch straps were your last resort, most people go to them as their first option, and god forbid you use a shovel first to ease the strain.

If you just need a gentle tug to get you out then fine, go the snatch strap straight away. But for serious recoveries, the ones where breaking a strap is on the cards, exhaust every other avenue first.

Cheers Andrew

I have had to resort to the "last resort" twice whilst out with amatuer 4wders, both driving a white Prado with the number plate RUCNOZ2

[AussieAndy Find all posts View Profile Close AussieAndy]

Have any of you guys actually seen a strap break in real world conditions. I mean a new strap (was only opened that weekend) loaded to the point it snapped? I have and its damn scary! I would not want a strap to let go on me, and agree a strap should only be used after a shovel and various other methods to relieve the work on the strap. The strap that failed was a just straps brand and the recovery point it was attached to was one of the hooks that super cheap and similar sell. The hook had opened up significantly and I would not use it again. I have a couple of straps (old ARB the blue and red one, new ARB the orange one, just straps and a mean green one) but they rarely get used these days after seeing the one fail. I would not buy a cheap strap, each of mine cost me about $80 but at the end of the day if one fails it's going to do more than $80 damage to either you or your vehicle. Why would you buy a tigerz11 or similar strap? You get what you pay for. Just remember though, a strap with any, and I mean any damage is already significantly weakened. This includes sun damage, faded or even dirty.

[Rusty62 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rusty62]

Seen a couple of straps break over several years of offroading. I was the president of a north brisbane based club a few years ago as well as general and committee member of a sunshine coast club. Most resent failure of a strap was on the weekend where a friend was pulling timber out of the bush next door with a winch strap. Pulling way to hard, not snatching and the strap finally let go. The strap dampener he had in the middle of this strap did its job but the strap pulled through the middle but stayed low and fell under the car. Strap was very old and overdue for retirement.
As said above by others most people will use the snatch first and think second. When we were camped at Georges crossing over Easter the track to the creek became almost un drive-able. So what do they do, go straight for the snatch. No one person directing or ensuring others were well back out of the straps way if it was to fail. I couldn't leave them go so stopped them and directed all by standers to move at least 2 x strap length back.

So the key here is driver training. When to use, or not to use a snatch. How to attach, how much force to use but what can be done before this. Is a shovel going to make the recovery easier. Will a gentle tug be required or a bit more. Personally i will not allow anyone to 'snatch' my car. If i can't recover it with a tiny tug, will use other means of recovery such as shovel, winch etc.

My 2.6 cents.

Rusty.

[Ian Reid Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Reid]

I was on a 4wd course some years ago for work. We were doing snatch recoveries. The "bogged" vehicle was driven into a hollow which had a puddle where a 2wd could have driven out. On the second or third recovery the anchor point of the bogged vehicle leg go, the shackle and attached anchor point ripped through the recovery blanket, smashed the rear window and broke the cargo barrier where it remained imbedded. It was a very graphical demonstration of the forces involved in snatch recoveries and since then i have used them only as a last resort.
I was on Bribie island a few years ago where some guys were trying to snatch a bogged Zook by hooking onto its bullbar. They would not listen to any concerns about the dangers of what they were doing, and when they hooked 2 vehicles in parallel to the bull bar i told them they were morons and got everyone away from the area. Funniest bit was when the complete towbar came off the Pootrol ute. Most of the people out there have never done any formal training and have no idea what hazards are involved
As far as the testing goes the snatch strap shouldnt fail below its rated value which should be expected to be its minimum. If you are bogged to the point where you break an 8k line you should be expecting to be in the range where things will break so be aware of the dangers.
On a final note how does the stretching to breaking point of the straps compare to the almost instantaneous forces actually experienced during a recovery?



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

Don't want to be pedantic, but NATA didn't test the straps, a NATA accredited lab did the tests.

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

You should have seen the hole in the back of my old patrol when the frayed end of a snatch strap let go and recoiled into me. Could have easily been the shackle but it was just the frayed part, the hole was the size of a cricket ball and an inch deep right into the join between the barn doors, the stringers part of both doors.

Friggin scary. So I naught the Prado and don't get bogged now.


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[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

No not at all, NATA did the test, but they didn't write the article

I actually think the results are probably around the mark, but anything written in a magazine that has sponsors needs to be treated with a bit of scepticism. Its unfortunate in this world that where there is a dollar to be made or paid, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth can sometimes take second place.

Cheers Andrew

Yes. Sad but true

Don't want to be pedantic, but NATA didn't test the straps, a NATA accredited lab did the tests.

Ah missed that bit. Still reckon the tests were kosher, but will concede it's the interpretation of the results that's more open to question.

Apart from the ones that failed badly I'd be happy with the performance any brand there.

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

Still reckon the tests were kosher, but will concede it's the interpretation of the results that's more open to question.

Spin Doctor 101:

1. Run tests
2. Analyse results
3. Set criteria for judging!

This ends the lesson

Cheers Andrew