Self Help Gear for Getting Unstuck

[ByeBye]

Since I'll be a solo travel whose vision involves lots of isolated camping I have started focusing on recovery equipment and found this thread. Lol, just ordered a Wyth 3 ton hand winch w/ synthetic cable (not cheap but raving reviews of a USA made product and I think it'll hold a lot of value if I look to get rid of it. I considered a mounted electric winch but I don't plan on getting stuck much and I think the come along design will be more practical for other things if needed. I don't have a very big budget but don't mind paying for quality USA made.

Unfortunately, I've got 19.5 tires which don't air down so until I can change that I'll just have to stay aware. I've got chains, shovel, still need traction mats.

 

[highdesertranger]

why are you saying you can't air down 19.5's. while it's true 19.5's have very stiff sidewalls you can still air down. you need a real compressor or an engine driven one to air back up.

also I assume you read my post #20 about synthetic vs wire rope/cable. do not use synthetic if your line is active. that's why I prefer wire rope/cable, it's more versatile. highdesertranger

 

[ByeBye]

why are you saying you can't air down 19.5's.  while it's true 19.5's have very stiff sidewalls you can still air down.  you need a real compressor or an engine driven one to air back up.

also I assume you read my post #20 about synthetic vs wire rope/cable.  do not use synthetic if your line is active.  that's why I prefer wire rope/cable,  it's more versatile.  highdesertranger

Tbh, I'm not really sure what you mean when you say 'active'. Is that dynamic vs static, stretch vs non-stretch? When I read #20 I googled the terms and still not. sure. Iirc, this is the same syn cable as used on bumper winches.

Everything I've read discourages airing down 19.5 due to the lack of a bead. How much airing down are you talking about?

 

[highdesertranger]

ok when a winch line is static it does not move in relation to the ground under it. as in when you are pulling a vehicle out and you hook the come along/winch to the vehicle and the cable to a tree. the cable does not move in relation to the ground.

if however you hook the come along/winch to the tree and the cable to the vehicle then the cable is active. it IS MOVING in relationship to the ground. that's all fine and good as long as the cable never touches the ground. as soon as your cable touches the ground while pulling, now besides the stress you are exerting by the pull you are chafing your cable. this is very bad for the cable ESPECIALLY synthetic cable. I have seen a guy ruin his brand new syn cable with one pull. your cable is also active when you are using your winch to move obstacles like a tree or rock out of the way that is blocking the road. I use my winch much more for moving obstacles then for pull myself out.

so in review syn cable must be treated carefully, very easy to damage. highdesertranger

 

[ByeBye]

ok when a winch line is static it does not move in relation to the ground under it.  as in when you are pulling a vehicle out and you hook the come along/winch to the vehicle and the cable to a tree.  the cable does not move in relation to the ground.

if however you hook the come along/winch to the tree and the cable to the vehicle then the cable is active.  it IS MOVING in relationship to the ground.  that's all fine and good as long as the cable never touches the ground.  as soon as your cable touches the ground while pulling,  now besides the stress you are exerting by the pull you are chafing your cable.  this is very bad for the cable ESPECIALLY synthetic cable.  I have seen a guy ruin his brand new syn cable with one pull.  your cable is also active when you are using your winch to move obstacles like a tree or rock out of the way  that is blocking the road.  I use my winch much more for moving obstacles then for pull myself out.

so in review syn cable must be treated carefully,  very easy to damage.  highdesertranger

Thx HDR, gotcha. I was actually thinking about that his AM before this exchange. Used to use come alongs a lot and had the misfortune of being injured by one when the point of attachment failed, no cable sail, and the cable snapped back. In retrospect I was not smart in the application, by myself and in a hurry. However, the experience affected my selection. 

On the other point of 19.5 tires, I'd love to hear your ideas

 

[highdesertranger]

for the tires you will need to experiment. do you have a way to pump them back up? what do you normally run them at? to improve the traction you don't need to air them way down like some do, you just want to take the stiffness out. is your F-450 a dually? I would imagine there is an easy way to add an air compressor to your 7.3, that will give you a real air. highdesertranger

 

[ByeBye]

for the tires you will need to experiment.  do you have a way to pump them back up?  what do you normally run them at?   to improve the traction you don't need to air them way down like some do,  you just want to take the stiffness out.  is your F-450 a dually?  I would imagine there is an easy way to add an air compressor to your 7.3,  that will give you a real air.  highdesertranger

Yes, dually for now and run them 90-100 lbs on hard surfaces. The compressor has been on the 'get' list since beginning to plan, just got a limited budget and higher priorities. Eventually would like to have an underside mounted one.

I thought the principle behind airing down was to increase the footprint and I just don't see that happening much w/ these hard Continental commercial tires but this is my first time running them so I have limited first hand experience.

 

[highdesertranger]

then I wouldn't air down until you have a reliable way to air back up. what you gain the most from airing down is the tire conforms to irregular objects better increasing the rolling resistance. if you air down enough it does increase the footprint but more important it also greatly increase traction by increasing rolling resistance. does that make sense? highdesertranger

 

[ByeBye]

then I wouldn't air down until you have a reliable way to air back up.  what you gain the most from airing down is the tire conforms to irregular objects better increasing the rolling resistance.  if you air down enough it does increase the footprint but more important it also greatly increase traction by increasing rolling resistance.  does that make sense?  highdesertranger

Perfectly, yes.
Appreciate ya!

 

[bullfrog]

So I guess synthetic line would require an unobstructed path to use a snatch block as well. Good thing I couldn't afford it!

 

[Gr8ful]

I have 12,000 & 17,500# winches for my trucks with front & rear hitch mounts. For the anbo I'm having a locker installed & if I start to get stuck lock the rear end & get out. Never blast into anything, go slow enough you can back out. I'll carry a jeep jack, snatch block, a hand comeAlong, a roll of cable with a one way lock so you can make it grab anywhere on the cable & move that point to anywhere along it's length, a 3" tree protector stral & a HD T fence post cut off & a slegde. If you get stuck where they are no trees drive the T post at an angle to hook the winch hook or cable. Works well. Anytime you use cable throw jackets, rugs blankets etc over the cable so it doesn't whip if it greaks & hurt someone. In WW2 the 176' wimgspan wooden gliders towed by bombers were supposed to cut away from the bombers but many of the bombers were taking fire so they cut away & the cable would whip around thru the flimsey thin wood of the gliders & cut all 13 men in the glider in two.