USING KINETIC STRAPS!

Kinetic or tuggum straps are dangerous but highly effective. Because of the immense loads that a kinetic strap can store and release, breakages of the strap or mounting points during this kind of recovery can injure or kill. So often kinetic recoveries are done without a lot of thought as to what the consequences might be in the event of the failure of one component or other.

The pulling vehicle must be similar in size and weight to the vehicle being pulled.

Important rules for using kinetic straps:
•Do not use the snatch strap if the vehicle is badly bogged i.e. with its weight resting on its chassis. Use a jack and spade to put the weight back onto the wheels first.
•The pulling vehicle must be similar in size and weight to the vehicle being pulled.
•The pulling vehicle must run in a straight line. Do not attempt to pull at an angle of more than 10°.
•Use bow-shackles to attach the snatch strap to the vehicles.
•Always use safety loops on both ends.
•Do not compromise on the security of attachment points. Use both tow eyes if the vehicle is fitted with them.
Attach the kinetic strap to the front or back of the bogged vehicle. Consider first which will be the most effortless direction of travel.
Then follow this procedure:
•Manoeuvre the recovery vehicle to the bogged vehicle and stop at a point no less than half the total length of the snatch strap.
•Attach the snatch strap to the bogged vehicle, making sure that there are no knots in the strap.
•Lay a blanket over the strap or attach a safety line (ski rope is ideal). In the case of the strap breaking the weight of the blanket will rapidly absorb the energy of the broken strap.
•With a go-ahead signal from the driver of the bogged vehicle, the recovery vehicle moves off at normal take-off speed in first gear. Accelerate very gently and keep the speed constant. As the pull of the rope is felt, try to maintain a constant speed and continue to accelerate very gently – it is not engine power and torque that are doing the work, but the vehicle’s momentum and energy being transferred through the elasticity of the strap.
Unfortunately, if the bogged vehicle is badly stuck, something will break. If it is an attachment it becomes dangerous to both bystanders and drivers.

Double kinetic-straps used together.

Having the towing vehicle move off with excessive speed does not increase the pulling force. However, doubling the length of the strap together with a higher speed does have the desired result. To do this a joint must be made linking the two straps. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES join two straps together with shackles. Should one strap break the shackles become a deadly missile.

Never use shackles to join two kinetic straps together. Omitting the stick or grass will result in an undoable knot.

To make a safe join:
•Pass the loop of strap A through the loop of strap B.
•Take the end of strap B and pass it through the loop of strap A
•Place a stick or even a thick bunch of grass in the new loop made. This is so that the knot cannot over-tighten.



Safe use, care and maintenance of snatch straps

Never have a light vehicle try to ‘snatch’ a heavy vehicle that is deeply bogged. It may recoil and hit the bogged vehicle.

Case history: A Suzuki Jeep attempted to snatch a Land Rover Defender. The Suzuki took off at full speed from a distance of only about a metre from the Land Rover (which was the incorrect procedure anyway), The Suzuki came to the end of the stretchability of the strap and instead of the Land Rover moving forward the Suzuki recoiled and smashed into the Land Rover. Both vehicles, and the Suzuki driver, needed to be repaired.

Never have a heavy vehicle try to ‘snatch’ a light vehicle that is deeply bogged.

Case history: The SADF in northern Namibia some years ago used a military snatch strap, normally used to free armoured vehicles weighing up to 20 tons, on a deeply bogged Land Rover and an armoured troop-carrier was used as the tow vehicle. Instead of the snatch strap breaking, the Land Rover’s chassis was torn from both axles, which remained firmly stuck in the mud.

Clean nylon straps with washing-up liquid after use. Dirt abrades fibres and speeds deterioration. Beware of detergents attacking the nylon. With extended use their stretchability deteriorates and they quickly become dangerous.

Measure the static length before use. Write it down. When the length of the strap has increased by 10% of its original length, it is no longer suitable for snatch operations. However, it still has many uses; long distance towing, extra long tree protector etc.

Great guide and "how to". Fantastic information for anyone wanting to do some proper off roading