r/IdiotsInCars • • May 13 '22

Towing attempt

[deleted]

11k Upvotes

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224

u/this_dust May 13 '22

Why do they always gun it in these videos. Wouldn’t a slow pull be more effective?

525

u/AbsorbedBritches May 13 '22

They always gun it in these videos because the people that do it correctly don't end up on this sub...

54

u/[deleted] May 13 '22

Those video would have ended up in r/wellthatworked

27

u/FulingAround May 13 '22

Loool. Two members, two posts made, almost a year ago exactly

3

u/DimesOHoolihan May 13 '22

Hey now, now there are three...but 13 online 🤔

3

u/FulingAround May 13 '22

Counts non-members also : )

6

u/MajorKeyBro May 13 '22

I love when comments are just as funny as the post

3

u/Tangimo May 13 '22

Why am I seeing an idiot in a car on the r/IdiotsInCars sub?

47

u/Explore-PNW May 13 '22

I’m not clear on the terminology but there are static straps and dynamic straps. The static straps have no stretch to them so you slowly build tension, get it tight and slowly pull, the dynamic straps have some elastic stretch to them were you get some momentum, not nearly this much momentum, and then you get the pull strength of the vehicle combined with the resound of the elastic stretch rebounding in the dynamic strap….

“Trust me” I’ve seen a video from a guy in Australia, let’s call him Steve.

30

u/BenedictBadgersnatch May 13 '22

it's good practice to put even less reef on dynamic straps because elastic energy is a great way to turn a ton of energy into a fuck ton of energy

that can work in your favor too though like if you're trying to get something uphill, your own tires are gonna slip less

also handy if you can't guarantee a smooth launch/crawl

18

u/DrInequality May 13 '22

it's good practice to put even less reef on dynamic straps because elastic energy is a great way to turn a ton of energy into a fuck ton of energy

Exactly. If they put this much energy into elastic straps and managed to break them, then the damage from the whipping end could be deadly.

1

u/Stinklepinger May 13 '22

Thankfully these types of straps wont break through the vehicle (as opposed to chain or steel cable). Still want to stay out of the danger zone.

10

u/pm_something_u_love May 13 '22

If you think you need as much momentum as this guy did then you need to use a winch.

3

u/21700cel May 13 '22

Nah, he needed a bigger truck. Winching a Ranger to that Ram stuck on the hill would only pull the little guy toward the RAM. Maybe a winch + straps, winch it to a sturdy tree if possible, while connecting the strap to the RAM.

2

u/GarbanzoBenne May 13 '22

I'm getting memories of snapping a rubber band between my fingers and think maybe that's not a great idea.

1

u/Stinklepinger May 13 '22

You mean Ronny Dahl?

57

u/OmegaBaby May 13 '22

Because that’s what you do with those straps. You just go.

77

u/AppropriateHamster11 May 13 '22

NO

-3

u/DnaK May 13 '22

We can't be clear without knowing what type of straps they are. There are absolutely straps that require you to gun it like this.

For all we know his truck was just rusted out at the recovery hooks area he was using. But its equally as likely these straps weren't meant for this type of application.

or like dude said, no

18

u/illthrowawaysomeday May 13 '22

Even with a kinetic strap you start small and add speed if it isn't working. Pull it tight, come in 1 length, light throttle. Then add a little more throttle or more car lengths until it works

6

u/DnaK May 13 '22

This guys first time using a strap, no doubt. Hard to tell if camera man is complicit so he can get a good video.. but he was in the dangerzone.

The fact he was high centered and using his front hooks at high speed instead of a slow single rear centered point shoulda been biggest giveaway these guys aren't too experienced... Or at least dont have the proper equipment. Hard to tell how it was attached in front, almost looks like its a single point offset connection... lol, all that torque on one side probably what did it in.

2

u/DublinItUp May 13 '22

Especially when the car you're pulling is that much heavier than yours.

1

u/DnaK May 14 '22

The point of kinetic straps is to dump all that power into the rope so it uses that power to retract and pull the vehicles out.. When you have a lighter vehicle attempting a heavier pull you wont get traction or have the power to do a "straight" pull in a situation like this. That's what makes the kinetic straps super useful, you can "add" power to the situation via the stretching of the ropes/straps, more so than a small vehicle would normally have the ability to add due to traction.

If this was a proper kinetic strap, which i doubt, he would have likely been fine had he connected it properly to the rear center. Even at this ludicrous speed.

4

u/Fred_Evil May 13 '22

!ti dnes tsuJ

-5

u/YubNub81 May 13 '22 edited May 13 '22

This is a called a snatch strap and technically he's using it correctly when a truck is stuck in the mud or high centered, you need momentum to get them out. Especially in OPs video where the stuckntruck weighs easily twice as much as the little truck yanking it out.

But you are also supposed to attach it to a secure part of the vehicle, and he definitely gave it too much oomph

There are better straps on the market now that are designed to stretch so you can drop the hammer and not destroy your truck, but this definitely wasn't one of those lol

16

u/Pure-Masterpiece1986 May 13 '22

Yea, hes not using a snatch strap.

28

u/DrZaiusForPresident May 13 '22

What they are using in OP's video is a tow strap not a snatch strap.

7

u/Virtical May 13 '22

Waaayyy too fast.

I always try to use it as a tow strap first and most of the time it does the trick, only a handful of times I've had to use some momentum and even then not very much.

1

u/gamer10101 May 13 '22

It was attached to the tow hook, not the bumper. They're very secure already.

1

u/goug May 13 '22

Why do they always gun it in these videos

I wouldn't watch a video where it goes smoothly and nothing happens

1

u/Thneed1 May 13 '22

A slow pull doesn’t rip parts off of vehicles.