Using a snatch strap

A snatch strap can get you out of trouble, but they can also kill you.

I've posted a video here showing a snatch strap in action, but here are a few key tips.

Lay the strap out between the vehicles with a one meter wide S bend in the middle of the strap. Make sure there are no kinks or knots in the strap. Align the vehicles no more than 10 degrees from straight.

Attach the strap to vehicles, normally a recovery hook or loop on the chassis. Use D-shackles if required.

• Don't attached it to the tow ball - it won't look good embedded in your girls friend's head when it breaks off and becomes a missile.
• Don't attach it to your bumper - it will rip it off.
• Don't use a rope - there is too much force involved.
• Don't use suspension components. Forces reach up to 8 tonnes.

Keep other people out of the way, seriously if something goes wrong your girl friend is dead.

A recovery damper bag or heavy blanket draped across the strap near its mid-point. If something breaks it will drop the strap to the ground rather than having it fly off and kill your girl friend.

Clear the path of the bogged vehicles - remove rocks or other obstacles, dig out mud that may be built up in front of the tyres.

Use low range. Accelerate forward at about 10 –12kph – a big ‘run and jerk’ shouldn’t be used. Steady momentum and strap elasticity does the job. The bogged vehicle’s driver also attempts to drive out of the bog.

If this doesn't get the vehicle out, back up and leave a 2 metre S bend, and this time accelerate harder. If this doesn't work then back up again, this time leaving a 3 metre S bend and accelerate harder.

You can connect two snatch straps together (see the picture) by threading each strap through the eye of the other strap, and put something light, even a rolled up newspaper, between the straps as they tighten down on each other so you prevent them binding together when used. Never use a "D" shackle to connect two snatch straps, it will kill your girl friend.