Another reminder to stay safe when recovering another vehicle

[jazzeddie1234]

Sad story, experienced off roaders, but with a fatal ending. 4WD was very stuck and the many attempts to recover had failed. As a last attempt (probably exhausted) they connected to the tow hitch which did this, smashed the window of the vehicle behind, ricocheted of the steering wheel (now very bent) and killed the driver while has family watched.
Most times it's the ball that gives but this shows to never assume anything.



Stay safe out there

 

[Boots in Action]

Sad story, experienced off roaders, but with a fatal ending. 4WD was very stuck and the many attempts to recover had failed. As a last attempt (probably exhausted) they connected to the tow hitch which did this, smashed the window of the vehicle behind, ricocheted of the steering wheel (now very bent) and killed the driver while has family watched.
Most times it's the ball that gives but this shows to never assume anything.

View attachment 68511

Stay safe out there

Frightening @jazzeddie1234 . Would never have thought that tow hitch would have failed with a straight pull - most tensile strength that way. But when you have a bit of a lateral pressure - be it ever so slight - the extreme load will find the weakest point in the hook up, as tow hitch is not designed to handle that at the same time as a straight pull. Always a danger when doing recovery work, even with shear pins and other safety overload equipment. On a military training course in recovery, one had to do 50 push ups if you stepped into the bite, that area between winch point and tow load. When one has seen a 10,000 lbs stranded steel cable break under tension, the result is extremely sobering. Not only the rapid uncurling of the various strands in the cable, but the whiplash scything through solid tree saplings and the undergrowth. No spectators were allowed within twice the distance of the length of cable in use either!!!

 

[Drover]

Just so many people fail to recognise the dangers, if you look at 50mm recovery hitches they are solid billets, if its not solid then the pin hru the eye of the snatch, I have never liked recovery from a tow bar, they are not designed for that sort of loading, I prefer an eye on either side with the pull evenly off each point and certainly wth a chassis not a unibody set up.........
Wires and snatch straps have caused many fatals in recoveries even when done correctly, wire/cable/strap breaking or tow hook/eye, sling fail and all becomes a missile, was part of an recovery operation which saw a sling part and the strap actually picked up a lump of wood and hurled it into a bystander 50 mts away, luckily he was diving when it hit him and only a broken arm............. When a wire rope sings dive for cover, it will slice thru you better than any stay sharp knife...............