recovery/towing techniques?

adrenalnjunky · Post by **adrenalnjunky** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 1:00 pm

I have a question -- where can I find some info on PROPER towing/recovery techniques.

Mainly I'm talking about pulling a vehicle out of a ditch or out of the mud.

Today I was running by the UPS place and a guy in a fullsize Medical Equipment delivery van didn't cut the turn sharp enough and managed to drop the driver's tire into the ditch, which was a good 2 foot dropoff. Front passenger tire was on the edge of the drive/ditch, and one rear tire was on pavement, other was 2 feet in the air. The van didnt have very good articulation I guess.

First off, the guys been in the ditch 2 minutes and has already called his boss. Wuss. He looked like a redneck, but ain't no redneck gonna give up on a stuck vehicle that easily. Esp when it involves calling the boss with a fleet vehicle in a ditch.

I pull up in my truck and tell him I have a strap in the back, and I'd be happy to pull him out.

He takes a step back and actually looks my truck over and says "umm.. I dunno Boss has a 1 ton Dodge dually and he said stick tight, if he can't find anyone else to come help, he'd come over."

That almost ticked me off, but again with the all season tires on, my truck doesn't exude "macho pulling power". but I brushed the comment off and got out and went to pulling the strap out anyway.

Hooked it up, Only place I felt safe pulling from in the van was around the axle - nothing else looked structural enough. Is that a no-no? I was mildly worred about bending an axle tube, but I figure it's his van , not mine.

Anyway with my truck in 4 hi, it pulled the van out wit just a nudge of throttle off idle.

Hopefully he'll respect the S10 a lil more in the future....but I doubt it.

Retep · Post by **Retep** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:14 pm

Good question. I would like to know this as well.

With the way all the yahoos around here drive in the winter,

I have plenty of oppertunities to be a good samaraton and pull people out of ditches or snow banks.

Pete

Conman · Post by **Conman** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:19 pm

probably that was the only place you could have hooked if you can't get around the real frame rails.

So them up!

Cheers,
Con

adrenalnjunky · Post by **adrenalnjunky** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:22 pm

van appeared to be unibody -- go figure.

quickbiker · Post by **quickbiker** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:51 pm

Nothin wrong with the axle. It takes the brunt of all the forces anyhow. If that's all ya got. People don't understand that pulling out stuff. Heck, a Geo tracker could pull it out in low range.

adrenalnjunky · Post by **adrenalnjunky** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:58 pm

It's a lot harder when you've just driven your FWD car off in 6 inches of mud and have it bured over the bottom of the airdam.

There's NOTHING on the back of a Cavalier to tie a rope to.

AZS10Crew · Post by **AZS10Crew** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:40 pm

adrenalnjunky wrote:There's NOTHING on the back of a Cavalier to tie a rope to.

There's always the bumper. Just remember to have a video camera there for our enjoyment later on.

Mike H. · Post by **Mike H.** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:16 am

Yeah, or tie to the trunk lock plate or maybe the trunk hinges, then send the video to AFV and maybe win $10,000

Those guys should have sent in theirs, but probably thought they might look a little silly.....

adrenalnjunky · Post by **adrenalnjunky** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 6:50 am

Mike H. wrote:Yeah, or tie to the trunk lock plate or maybe the trunk hinges, then send the video to AFV and maybe win $10,000

Those guys should have sent in theirs, but probably thought they might look a little silly.....

*cough* ummm..I did that once -- the striker plate in the trunk *cough*

Won't do it again, took me hours of "massaging" with a 3 pound hammer to get it all lined back up again

marks10cc · Post by **marks10cc** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:50 pm

There's one thing to tie too on the back of a Cavalier.

I kid you not... AAA pulled my Z24 out of a snowbank this way...

I lowered both driver and passenger window, ran the belt through the windows, and attached the clip to a slip knot about 10 feet away from the rear window. He moved VERY slow, never let the strap loose tension, and pulled me out. I am no longer a AAA member