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By Ian Johnson
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This Two-part paper offers guidelines on the safe use of Recovery Straps (Snatchem Straps) and related gear. Thank you to all who assisted in the preparation of this handout - David Peck, Tony Richards, Stephan Millett, and Joy Unno.
Disclaimer: The material presented and the views expressed in this paper are not necessarily those held by the Subaru 4WD Club of Western Australia Inc. If you make use of this information it is at your own risk.
FIRST PART. Some considerations with particular reference to Subarus
SECOND PART - See separate post "Snatch Strap Guildelines/Regulation"
1. Please be aware recovery of a vehicle can be dangerous, and people have been killed by incorrect use of equipment and/or procedures. Please read this document in full. Please ask if you are unsure. Please attend a demonstration recovery day. Join a 4WD club.
Before doing anything dramatic try the easy options. Reduce tyre pressures, straighten the wheels, shift sand from wheels and from under the car if it has bottomed out, shift rocks/logs, use roll-up or rigid ‘track mats’, try pushing, etc.
3. Next try a gentle tow before moving to a Recovery Strap (Snatchem Strap) exercise.
4. Make sure you use a Recovery Strap with the correct rating. If the strap is too heavy for the weight of the car structural damage may occur to the Subaru monocoque ‘chassis’. A strap with a lot of stretch and rated up to 6000kg is suggested for a Subaru or other light SUV. See strap test for intriguing results on higher rated straps.
5. Subarus are not provided with attachment points rated for recovery. See also 8 below. What are commonly called ‘towing eyes’ are designed only to anchor the car during transport on import ships or tow/carry trucks. The mounting bolt threaded holes are relatively light as is the ‘chassis’ material they are connected to. I have only seen one Subaru break an eye; and one torn-off (rusted) ‘chassis’ since 1976 (out of 560+ Subarus through the Subaru club to date); so I will continue to use them. It is possible to reinforce towing eyes on some Subaru models. (See my 2000 Forester example Photo below).
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6. Use ‘Load Rated’ shackles which are marked as WLL (Working Load Limit). Bow shackles (photo above ) are suitable for this purpose and should be rated at least 3.25t for Subarus. To correctly tighten a shackle pin, screw the pin until it seats then back off ~ ½ to 1 turn. Over-tightening may lead to a seized pin due to the force exerted during recovery.
7. The towbar may be used. Use a rated recovery hitch with a square 50mm receiver and a rated shackle (photo above2). A second option, (though I don’t like it) is to use the original naked receiver through-pin, but if it bends it might not be removable on track side! Ditto the then trapped Recovery Strap! (One member has bent the pin and now uses the first option).
8. Late model Subarus are provided with a screw-in eye-bolt (Subaru call it a “Towing Hook”) which may be stronger than ‘towing eyes’ at the front/rear. When fitted it should be tightened with your wheel spanner. Subaru say “…make sure to recover in a straight line to prevent damage to the bumper and eye-bolt”; and “the towing hooks should be used only in an emergency (e.g. to free a stuck vehicle from mud, sand, snow)”; and warn that it should be removed “…as leaving it fitted could interfere with proper operation of the SRS airbag system in a frontal collision”. It cannot be used if a bullbar or towbar is fitted.
9. Never use the tow ball for recovery. People have been killed by the flying ball/bolt.
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10. An Equalising Strap (ES) or Bridle Strap is designed to link the front or rear pair of recovery points and create a centralised recovery point, thereby lessening the strain by spreading the load over 2 points. It is usually two layers of webbing sewn together with a wear protection sleeve for the area where the Recovery Strap is attached. The ES is threaded through an end loop of the Recovery Strap.
11. A Tree Trunk Protector (TTP) can be used as an equaliser/bridle but some protection should be considered at the Snatch Strap attachment area. It is usually one length of webbing and often does not have wear protection necessary for prolonged towing. The TTP is threaded through an end loop of the Recovery Strap. I know of one ‘towing eye’ that was bent using this method.