One of the first things anyone ever buys for their 4WD is a nice shovel to proudly strap to the roof rack to make it look like a serious adventure machine. It is also the one piece of recovery equipment that I rarely see being used. Taking as much of the load out of the situation as you can by digging the restrictions out from under the 4WD, can be the difference between a deadly snatch and a simple tow out of a hole.
I agree with @badadventures. I have saved a lot of recovery effort by using a shovel, it is especially useful in soft sand. On top of that, it is super handy around the fire.
I use a grade eight bolt holding my hitch in. It will be a hassle to remove the ball hitch and change it to a pintle type. But i change it during winter since i don't pull a trailer in the winter, but the pintle is good to attach a tow strap to.
Have always wondered about the integrity or a hitch pin if used as part of a recovery system. Your explanation is so logical that it left me wondering why I hadn't found the answer myself. Cheers
The "change of attitude" is a great point. I wish everyone took the time to watch your recovery videos before they start wheeling. I'm so glad that I did. Thanks for what you do.
Great info! Brilliant!! When I was young and foolish, I took all kinds of dangerous short cuts. Now that I’m older and wiser, I’m thankful when I find safe and proper info like this. Thank you!
No matter if you are the person who is recovering the vehicle or are the person in the vehicle that is getting recovered it is important to have the correct gear. As a complete newbie to this I just learned a lot. Subscribed.
70,s, no info, no internet, no gear, no warries.. mates, adults, pulling a car out of salt pan, guy holding cable, for some reason, cable snapped, went sideways, lucky..
I usually use just the pin when I happen upon a stuck car in a place it shouldn’t be. To be clear, I remove my receiver and ball and use just the pin. Again, I have never seen a pin fail but I have seen balls break and damn near hit people. I saw a ball break and go into a tree so deep we had no chance of getting it. I have also seen cheap amazon D rings (clevis hook) bend open and release. Recovering a stuck vehicle is just potentially really dangerous if taken lightly or done without care. Appreciate you shedding light on good safety habits.
You hit the nail on the head. It’s all in the preparation. Sort your gear out and inspect it as part of your service or pre trip inspection. Well informed Matt you are an ambassador to the four-wheel-drive community. Well done keep up the great work 👏👏👏👍
5:55 The pin bends after exceeding the snatch strap's rating by over a ton; it seems that pulling by the pin is safer than the rest of the video claims. It would be interesting to know how much more it takes to break the pin since a bent pin doesn't create a hazard.
@thegunsngloryshow Stainless is often weaker than steel, tho it depends greatly on the type of steel used. Locking pins with the push button release are hollow so they'll be weaker. One could get a tool steel or other high grade steel for the pin.
@@MadMatt4WD I was going to mention those Factor55 stuff. I flew out to the 2022 Florida Tow show earlier this year. It's kind of like a SEMA convention for the American tow truck industry. I approached the Factor55 booth and they had some damaged samples of their gear. I asked why they would display such items. They replied by saying to show that this stuff is actually tested and certified correctly. I'm a fan of their stuff now that I know that. And, you're correct if you get stuck, play time is over and you need to look at it as a serious recovery. Don't just wing it, throw a chain on it and yank. Vehicle damage is almost guaranteed but loss of life is very real.
Really good video Matt. It's one thing most tutorials don't cover, they generally all show text book situations assuming everything is perfect, the vehicles have all the correct gear, they are on flat ground, perfectly aligned etc. But it doesn't always work out like that, and you often come across stuck ill prepared vehicles in non-textbook situations. So it's good to see someone tackling these scenarios. When i done road crash rescue and 4wd recovery certifications back 25 years ago we done a lot of improvisation techniques, and also had rescue and recovery hierarchy. It's invaluable information, thanks for addressing this topic.
I had to use this method in the St George Sand Dunes to recover a van. He wanted me to use the ball mount on the hitch but I thought that was dangerous. This pin only totally worked!
I wanted to cheap out, but having had some engineering training, your excellent explanation sold me. I'll buy the correct Shackle Hitch Receiver. Thank you for your wise guidance.
I had the same issue with wanting to be cheap. Especially since I have 3 different receiver sizes (2", 2.5" and 3"). It ended up costing me $350 to get all three from Factor55.
its still the shear kg of the pin. your hitch is good for say 5t, what is the pin good for.. being an engin neer.. you should know the shear of different steels, or if chinese, plastic..
Glad you mentioned DOUBLE SHEAR, as a steel shackle receiver has SHARP EDGES, and IS MUCH MORE LIKELY TO SHEAR THE PIN THAN ANY ROPE, EVEN BEING A SINGLE SHEAR SET UP....Do as you wish. I've used recovery ropes and pins thousands of times for over 40 years, and never even bent a pin badly enough that it was difficult to remove. If something is going to shear a pin is likely going to be wedged in the hitch, or eject sideways, away from the drivers. I'd rather have a rope that weighs next to nothing flying around than a 15 lb shackle receiver on a rope coming directly towards the drivers heads.
Very informative video. I've revamped my own kit for recovery. For me, it's usually a winter, snow situation. It's not hard nor expensive to get prepared to do something potentially dangerous. It does take a certain mindset to go home home without trauma. Always try to imagine the worst outcome. A flying tow hitch toward the windshield is the nightmare scenario.
I have also noticed most people are not using sand bags on the winch lines any more. They should be used to help keep the line low or on the ground in case it fails.
My thoughts exactly on your assessment! The pin in only useable for low energy straight line pulls. I did nicely radius the edges on my receiver and upgrade the pin to a grade 8 bolt but still would only use it in a low energy, emergency situation. Great video!
Thanks for the video, I asked the question in another video and you replied with a link to this video. I have done this for years and never thought to ask if it was wrong. Thanks again for such an educational video 👍❤️👍
A good educational video on a bit of a contentious topic. One of the arguments for not using the hitch pin is that it is not rated and tested for that sort of load. That is reasonable, but that logic can also be applied to the whole Toyota/Hayman Reece/'insert brand here' tow assembly. AFAIK, these are also not tested or rated for the forces of a kinetic recovery. So it comes back to common sense, education and risk mitigation, which is i guess part of the reason you do these videos. So thanks. 👍
People should always remember that in most cases only 4-6 bolts are holding those hitches onto that vehicle. 8 if your lucky. I had a hitch on my F250 almost fall off after towing a trailer through the mountains because the bolts stripped out of the holes in the frame. It had been removed by a body shop for service and then put back after the repairs and instead of them replacing it with new bolts they had put it back with the original bolts and I’m assuming tightened everything up with an air impact that probably stripped out the fasteners 😮 II towed that trailer all through the smoky mountains like a death trap not realizing it was wiggling it’s way loose. Safety chains are no help if the whole hitch falls off the vehicle. I would advise anybody who’s doing off-road recovery on a regular basis to just have their hitch welded to the frame to make sure it can’t shear off. Especially if you do a lot of these recoveries and then go pull a trailer.
The key to keeping gear/kit in top condition is to clean and inspect it regularly especially after a hard pull or recovery keep it out of sun and elements
You may have just saved a life. Thank you for vid's like this, the info need's to get out there. I don't know why I have not seen any of you vid's, but after I saw this one I knew I had to subscribe.
Thanks Matt. I have been using that pin way more often that I should. I have one of those Factor 55 hitch attachments, that's what I will always use from now on for any kinetic recovery. I also agree with your suggestion to increase the attempt force a bit at a time.
The pin on its own is something I've always done, and I've always debated in my head whether it's necessary to buy a receiver. But after this really simply explained video, I will go buy one. They're not expensive so we really don't have any excuse. I just always left it as the pin because I figured I'm just eliminating the hitch receiver and thus its one less thing to fail. But your points outway my one thought. Thanks again Matt. 👍👍
Thanks Mad Matt for covering this subject as the tow bar pin hasn’t been recovered in depth of detail as you can provide The reason I asked about this in the last video was because I forgot my tow bar recovery hitch And unfortunately had a situation we had a vehicle heavily bogged and winching forward was not available at this point abs I did use the pin as my point of contact for the snatch strap but use very lightly as a drag not as much as a full snatch Thanks Matt
I used the pin a few times without drama, but that was only in a 2wd VW Transporter that doesn’t take much to get bogged and with a hand winch. I also filled the edges of the inside of the hitch receiver. But I never considered the radius of the bend of the tow rope on the pin.
This is good advice for the energy created by a kinetic recovery from mud. In rock crawling we generally just need a little tug to get a light weight jeep off a rock. This is well within what the hitch pin is designed for and much less than what it would be subjected to towing a 10k pound trailer thousands of miles. Thanks
What you’re identifying there is the difference between what we call a tow recovery and a kinetic recovery. And yes for a tow recovery the pin would be fine as you say. But best practice still suggests we use a hitch link.
Excellent suggestions, all around! Your discussion makes perfect sense. Thank you for taking the time to do the research and make this video, it's appreciated!
It's also important to define your terms. What is a "4x4 Recovery"? The first example given, it's what I would consider a Standard Recovery because it doesn't require Four-Wheel-Drive and it isn't off-road if you can pull from the pavement. I had something similar happen to me, it was a minivan slid in a creek and I had a rear-wheel-drive pickup truck and 75 feet of 5/32" Polypropylene Diamond Braid Rope for tying down loads. I tripled up the line and looped it from my hitch to their hitch.
I have a Cast Steel Pintle Ring with a frozen hitch pin stuck in my class III receiver. We tried induction heating then air hammering the pin with out success. At some point I will have to cut off the outer ends of the pin and drill it out, but since I usually just skid logs or pull a car out of the snow once in a while and haven't done any towing in years I'm not in a rush to drill the pin.
Terminology always gets me and even though you are a world away I still believe "receiver" is the hitch attached to the vehicle and the hitch attached to vehicle is not a "tow package" or "tow pack". A tow package is a mounted reciever, added cooling under the hood and trailer light wiring. Possibly gear ratio change. All installed at the factory.
I have one tow strap I have with a hook on the end I don't even plan on using it for recovery's but for pulling cars around the yard I have been sticking the hook though the hitch and simply hooking it on the back
Great presentation. Safety first with a calm, cool and collected thought process is what is needed. I look forward to the hierarchy of recovery. Snatch always last. Shovel first and then the between.
It way past time somebody addressed this issue. Most people today have no idea what not to use for recoverys. More and more people are getting into off road driving. They have absolutely no idea about safe use of recovery equipment. If people are not taught how to use this equipment we are going to see more deaths and life changing injuries than ever before. At least half of the people off road today don t even have sense enough to get out of harms way when a rope or chain or winch line is being used. A lot of the time you don t get a second chance !!!!
Noob to my 4x4 and you just saved me from cutting tow straps or killing anpin AND strap. I could see me welding a square of pipe halves for a smooth insert to protect a strap, but you brought up the pin itself as another problem! I will rather weld up a square tube hitch, with an extension welded to a large piece of pipe, with a keeper plate on top?
I use a recovery hook from a semi-truck. I welded a sleeve over it as a shim to fit the 2 inch receiver tube correctly. (the weld is at the back end of the hook and only serves to hold it in place). Overkill? maybe but I believe overkill is good practice, for example, if your equipment is rated for the work you are likely to be doing use a higher rated device, it could significantly increase your margin of safety.
I dont think i have ever used a snatch strap recovery. Granted i travell alone so would use a winch for self recovery i have come along once to a bogger prado or something. Yep used the winch. Snatch strap is bogs on sandy tracks not stuck on a beach to the sills. I think there is a limit to snatch strap and anything past a Sandy track should be the winch
Great point..if you know you know.if not,you probably don’t know you don’t know. When I go wheeling I see p platers with a breaka iced coffee and no gear or it’s built cars with drivers who are experienced.
A fundamental of industrial safety (preventing accidents) is a vigilant awareness of stored energy and the consequences of that energy being released. It can be a suspended load, a loaded gun, 480 volts, airing up a 10-20 truck tire, or getting stuck against a submerged tree in a river. Where is the energy? What happens if things go wrong? A little forethought can make a big difference.
I saw someone bend a pin being way too aggressive on a pin hookup and it still didn't break or pull out. That's when I started doing it. There are many occasions where it is perfect for, even when out on an offroad trip. That said I have the gear to do it how it needs to be done or I don't do it. If a pin hookup and pull from stoped is enough I use that if not I usually prefer to just switch to the winch, let a heavier rig do it, or have 2 rigs pull together if its a traction issue. In the sand is my exception to not bumping, and even then I never go over 2mph. Like you eluded to, at a certain point you rip things apart or start bending other stuff. A complex recovery takes carefull monitoring of changes to the load and recovery points, if the recovery is going to bend the pin its probably best to not be hooking to the hitch at all but instead to a couple of places on the frame. If off angle the recovery receiver is the best thing since sliced bread, it was the first recovery peice that I got and is always in when offroad... also it protects my spare tire from catching on drop-offs which is nice. A great follow up for this would be a video called. 'Where should I have recovery points?' Or something similar.
Good advice. In addition, it’s important to point out that all hitch pins are not of equal strength. I have a steel hitch basket. It’s rated for 350lbs load. The receiver pin included with the basket is the cheapest, lightest pin I have ever encountered. If that’s your only pin you have for a recovery situation, it will fail to some extant, and that would be an unhappy moment. The basket is only designed to carry a moderate percentage of tongue load, without dropping the basket. Not for pulling a fully loaded trailer.
If you are concerned about the sharp edges on the hitch receiver, you can easily file them down in as little as 5 to 10 minutes. In case your vehicle gets stuck in sand and you have a clear straight path, using the hitching method is a good option. However, I believe that one of the most effective recovery methods for sand is to use Maxtracks or Treds. Remember to use the ribbons that come with them because once you are out of the sand, finding them without a shovel could be challenging. A shovel can be the best recovery tool you could ever have. Usually, I do not need to use the hitch pin method as I have enough recovery gear for both my 4WD and the person I am pulling out. The only time I would not use the hitch pin method is if the person is stuck in the mud. Anyone who has done off-roading before knows how much suction mud has on a bogged 4WD. In such situations, I use a winch, and if that fails, I use the tyre method to lift the stuck 4WD and break the suction. If that still doesn't work, then you may have to camp on the side of the track for the night.
In 1973 our neighbor got his tractor stuck in the field. They tried pulling it out backwards using a stretchy rope and the rope snapped a flew into the cab of the stuck tractor and instantly killed the guy inside. After then my dad would never let anyone use a stretchy rope on our farm. I’m guessing that the stretchy rope that they use now are safer.
When I began in the tow industry my boss used to warn me of the dangers of a snapped cable, flying hitch, or flying bumper. Any of those situations should obviously be avoided.
Sad story. But was it the stretchy rope that killed the guy or the attachment device? If it was the attachment device I'd say equal risks exists shock loading a cable or a chain the same way. I'd argue probably more so because a cable or chain breaking has a lot of weight on its own, whereas a rope would have a fraction of the kinetic energy.
The key really, is to be equipped so you can use the correct recovery equipment for emergencies as well as weekend wheeling trips. Keep a short load out in your daily driver and have the full load out in your wheeling vehicle. Safety all the way around. We all should be ready for emergency situations. Emergency gear... don't leave home without it. ;)
Agreed. I was just out on a trip and came across a poor bloke in an old Cruiser with what appeared to be water in his fuel. He was stuck in the middle of the road, pointed up hill and those stupid wire rope barriers on the side, preventing him from pulling over. I had a snatch strap and a couple of soft shackles with me and I had him off the road in a couple of minutes. You gotta do what you gotta do.
This is a great video to get people thinking a bit more before undertaking a recovery, however there seem to be inconsistencies in the logic and figures (please correct me if my thinking is wrong!). First - under test conditions the tow bar pin bent at 9000kg, which was stated as being too low to use in a recovery situation, however the recovery tongue was stamped with a Max Load of 9500Lb (approx 4300kg). Surely that would mean the recovery tongue isn’t suitable either when using an 8000 - 15000kg snatch strap?? I have always used the tow bar pin - through the eye of a snatch strap. The strap eye is the same width at the internal size as the receiver - so in my thinking, it spreads the load over the full width of both the pin and the snatch strap eye. My thinking is the less metal bits attached (recovery tongue and/or bow shackle) the better… As far as recovery speed goes - be careful of going too slow when recovering in soft sand with a snatch strap… I have seen both vehicles stuck with the snatch strap under tension between both cars, and unable to be removed without a lot of mucking around to move one vehicle backwards - I find it better to use a bit more speed to allow one vehicle to ‘spring’ back a bit, removing tension from the strap. Keen to hear your thoughts! Regards Drew
Hey Drew. Read this from factor 55. Then watch Roberts video linked in description which talks about the forces involved in recovery and every moment of speed is dangerous. The 2” hitch itself is rated for 9500 lbs. that’s the max load. That’s why the 2” HitchLinks, all of them have 9500 lbs machined into them. Our parts have not seen yielding in testing until just before breaking. What’s this mean? Every other item you have attached to the HitchLink and pin will fail before either of those do. Standard duty soft shackle - 39K Tow Strap- 31K KERR- 29K HitchLink 2.0 - 51K Hitch pins- 50+K The entire off-road industry functions off break strength not WLL. 3/8 Synthetic rope breaks between 18-22K so a 5:1 means it’s WLL is only 4.4K on a 12K winch? It’s about quality of materials and validation through testing.
Factor 55 has videos of the destructive testing they've done on their hitchlinks. They've sustained above a 50K pound load before ultimate failure. In testing, their hitch pins have a double shear strength somewhere in excess of that. Other quality hitch pins can shear at a lower load. Factor 55 posted results years ago of a US Army destructive test of their hitchlink 2.0, which had a different type of hitch pin double shear at 47K pounds, without failure of the hitchlink itself. That's still a lot higher than the point at which a pin would fail from directly attaching a recovery rope to it- double shear compared to single shear.
It speaks volumes to the level of technical skill involved in off road recoveries that most military forces around the world have dedicated recovery mechs and dedicated recovery vehicles - including tracked recovery vehicles. I've worked with them many times over the years and because the 'Reccy Mechs' live and breathe recoveries of heavy vehicles the safety factors they work with are substantial. As you correctly point out, people can use recovery equipment recreationally with no formal training, no scheduled inspection or testing of recovery equipment, and no understanding of the forces involved. As we have very recently seen it can be a lethal combination. Let's hope people watch and absorb the messages you are sharing.
I have a rhino USA solid steel receiver. I have a excursion so my hitch is meant to stop a car at 70 MPH from sliding under me so its meant to do it. I have a v10 and 430s. Tones of torque and rpms. My first pull is always slowly pulling with the brakes still on slowly inching forward. 4 low for really slow and steady pulling.
I’m always surprised how few people try a gentle pull before they back up and hammer down. I always say try doing it gently first, then work up slowly until it comes out or reveals that you’re hooked on something and need to Jack it up or dig.
I can anecdotally say I’ve ruined a number of straps early by ignoring the bend radius issue. I’ve had a number of them fail right where I regularly bend them sharper than they want. They have always taken it for years, but maybe not as many as they should.
Hitch pins are for towing. "With great caution" in an emergency is spot on. Replace your hitch pin with a grade 9 bolt with correct shoulder length and you'll feel better about the contingency. Further, your emergency gear does not work if it isn't in the rig.
Matt, Great video and you were doing some homework about hitch pin as the recovery point! My argument would be for incorporation of the ‘hitchchunk 2.0”. Would be that you are introducing a projectile. Where as just using the hitch pin standalone, with a soft shackle and a kinetic rope. It keeps the working bits all made of speed reducing fibers. I know I know, emergency only for the pin. But I’ve been doing it for yyyyearrrs. Most I’ve ever done to a pin on bogged 6600lb rigs. Is slightly bend them. Never had one snap and that is because of its Rockwell hardness being in the 20’s. They’re just not brittle and have a nice elasticity to them. And when they do finally give up the ghost. Very cheap to replace. That’s my 2cents. Thanks for listening:-)
I appreciate you proposing the argument. Have a read of this from Factor55 re the breaking points of things. The hitch ain’t coming flying any time soon. The 2” hitch itself is rated for 9500 lbs. that’s the max load. That’s why the 2” HitchLinks, all of them have 9500 lbs machined into them. Our parts have not seen yielding in testing until just before breaking. What’s this mean? Every other item you have attached to the HitchLink and pin will fail before either of those do. Standard duty soft shackle - 39K Tow Strap- 31K KERR- 29K HitchLink 2.0 - 51K Hitch pins- 50+K The entire off-road industry functions off break strength not WLL. 3/8 Synthetic rope breaks between 18-22K so a 5:1 means it’s WLL is only 4.4K on a 12K winch? It’s about quality of materials and validation through testing.
@@MadMatt4WD I’m my defense, I don’t buy garbage hitch pins and not a kamikaze recovery dude. Slow steady, baby pulls and usually have the winch helping too. I’ve watched the original video from where this PSA started from. And it is very unfortunate. It needs to stressed as well as all this great recovery gear. But you cannot go gangbusters with the throttle. The suction needs to be broken. As you know, the factors of this tragedy are numerous. Hope you and yours stay happy and healthy -PS Heading up to Vermont USA for 4-5days. If your ever in the states again remember this road. RISKY RANCH RD. it’s an amazing gateway to Vermont wheeling👌🏼
I’d never even thought about using a hitch pin like that but I get why someone thought of it…..it’s probably better than hooking to a corner suspension piece. Maybe a follow up to this video would be a “recover vs getting recovered” like who’s pulling who. I’ve seen so many people hook up to pull an IFS suv out and they go right to the a-frame.
Most hitch pins aren't that strong. An ARP grade 9 bolt in the receiver is another matter! A grade 9 bolt with a nut to secure it will pull thru the receiver before it bends-ask me how I know!!! Hey, I got the 4-wheeler out with my 2 WD truck and he paid me for a new hitch and gave me $500 to boot. My new hitch has a "sacrificial" receiver that can be replaced-great idea Reese!
america, has the best content,, seeing they make all the gear we use.. & vehicle mods, that are totally illegal here in aus, cos our laws are for cars,, not 4x4rs.. vast difference..
One detail. The bend radius on the 5/8 pin would be much greater than the radius on that receiver adapter, especially on the outside corners. I do agree that beam loading the pin is a big problem and the VERY sharp radii on the edge of the receiver hitch itself.
@@MadMatt4WD If they are getting those results, that's great. It does go against what generally every rope manufacturer will list for bend radius as far as max strength and long term life of a rope section. The small radius might get you a good result once, but the tighter radius will break fibers down over time causing accelerated wear. Generally, that accelerated wear will indicate that MBS would make a correlating drop. Just like with the hitch edges, we should also be considering that the pull won't always be straight, adding a softer outside edge would help increase soft rigging life and strength also. I'm just trying to make sure everyone is making the best products possible.
@Metcalf Factor 55 has an updated design in their hitchlink pro, with a better radius on the corners. Haven't seen testing on how much less stress it places on the fibers in soft shackles, but the difference in radius is significant.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video and explaining it. It is something that I have been wondering about for some time now and there was nothing on this topic that I could find. My thought was always, why carry the extra piece of metal receiver around with you if you could just recover of the pin. Thanks Matt
I agree with the change of heads pace when doing anything other than driving. The other weekend I went bush to cut wood and had to drag two trees onto the road to cut up. First one I used a drag chain to the hitch on my trailer, no hitch pin used just run the slip hook through the back of the hitch and hook to the back. Light load with not much force required. The second tree I unhitched the trailer, removed the towball and put the recovery hitch in and hooked the drag chain to that. 4x4 low 1st and had to give it a fair bit of welly after the first slow attempt didn't work. The hitch on the trailer might have taken it but it's not connected front to rear of trailer so I don't use it for anything but light weight work. Just stop and think about everything your doing often hours from help or even mobile service.
I know I've said it before, but having good connection points is a must (I have 2 square hitch points on the front of my rig & 2 & the rear, PLUS my tow bar. All 4 points are directly connected to my chassis rails, it means I can spread the load evenly & safely. I even have one on the rear of my car carrying trailer (for Justin!) As I've also said before, I absolutely love your passion for safe 4wding & the fact recoveries are serious stuff! I totally agree with the correct head space with recoveries, one of the worse things is having mates around being D*ck heads & forgetting about safety all together! Great Stuff Matt!! Stay on the mission, you could certainly save some heartaches, if not maybe a life by your continuous campaigning!! 👍
Love all your tec tips 👍unfortunately more 4x4 owners die on there way to the bush rather than when there actually 4wheeling or recovering there vehicle 😥 no need to rush to the bush it will still be there even if your late your alive
Thanks for the video Matt, In a past life as a paramedic I’ve seen how dodgy recoveries can go wrong and it’s not pretty. Decent recovery gear is now quite affordable so why risk a life? Great channel mate keep them coming 👍🍻 Stay safe everyone DK
Fantastic video as always Matt, I love this one especially after commenting on a previous video stating that I had used a pin and kinetic strap in a recovery before 👌 Will definitely make sure that the correct equipment stays in the vehicle maybe in with the jack or something 👍
I've bent a hitch pin with a too heavy snatch strap,(10tonne strap} will never do it again, just got the pin out. It was a Wally stuck on the beach entrance completely bellied out, I had forgot my recovery hitch. Rushing is a recipe for disaster.
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
One of the first things anyone ever buys for their 4WD is a nice shovel to proudly strap to the roof rack to make it look like a serious adventure machine. It is also the one piece of recovery equipment that I rarely see being used. Taking as much of the load out of the situation as you can by digging the restrictions out from under the 4WD, can be the difference between a deadly snatch and a simple tow out of a hole.
Totally agree. I did a video the other day showing getting unbogged with just a shovel.
@@MadMatt4WD link?
I agree with @badadventures. I have saved a lot of recovery effort by using a shovel, it is especially useful in soft sand. On top of that, it is super handy around the fire.
Something that always gets used when you're alone but when you get to camp it's the first thing off the roof ready for a fire or bog hole.
Mine folds and sits in the back, use it every time I'm stuck pretty much... I find those plastic boards people carry to be far more obnoxious.
I use a grade eight bolt holding my hitch in. It will be a hassle to remove the ball hitch and change it to a pintle type. But i change it during winter since i don't pull a trailer in the winter, but the pintle is good to attach a tow strap to.
Have always wondered about the integrity or a hitch pin if used as part of a recovery system. Your explanation is so logical that it left me wondering why I hadn't found the answer myself. Cheers
The "change of attitude" is a great point. I wish everyone took the time to watch your recovery videos before they start wheeling. I'm so glad that I did. Thanks for what you do.
Thanks kindly
Great info! Brilliant!! When I was young and foolish, I took all kinds of dangerous short cuts. Now that I’m older and wiser, I’m thankful when I find safe and proper info like this. Thank you!
I have used the pin to snatch out few vehicles several times and have had great success. But I agree, using the correct gear is always a must.
No matter if you are the person who is recovering the vehicle or are the person in the vehicle that is getting recovered it is important to have the correct gear. As a complete newbie to this I just learned a lot. Subscribed.
Yes indeed
join a club with trainers.. we have 3. s.a. & books, to get signed off.. cowboys with 4x4 stikers, get track closed for being rtrds & dieing..
Great info! We started wheelin in the early 70s and didnt have this kind of info. We are truly lucky to be alive today.
Right on!
70,s, no info, no internet, no gear, no warries.. mates, adults, pulling a car out of salt pan, guy holding cable, for some reason, cable snapped, went sideways, lucky..
I usually use just the pin when I happen upon a stuck car in a place it shouldn’t be. To be clear, I remove my receiver and ball and use just the pin. Again, I have never seen a pin fail but I have seen balls break and damn near hit people. I saw a ball break and go into a tree so deep we had no chance of getting it. I have also seen cheap amazon D rings (clevis hook) bend open and release. Recovering a stuck vehicle is just potentially really dangerous if taken lightly or done without care. Appreciate you shedding light on good safety habits.
Thanks mate.
You hit the nail on the head. It’s all in the preparation. Sort your gear out and inspect it as part of your service or pre trip inspection. Well informed Matt you are an ambassador to the four-wheel-drive community. Well done keep up the great work 👏👏👏👍
Thanks Jack
5:55 The pin bends after exceeding the snatch strap's rating by over a ton; it seems that pulling by the pin is safer than the rest of the video claims. It would be interesting to know how much more it takes to break the pin since a bent pin doesn't create a hazard.
@thegunsngloryshow Stainless is often weaker than steel, tho it depends greatly on the type of steel used. Locking pins with the push button release are hollow so they'll be weaker. One could get a tool steel or other high grade steel for the pin.
Or a grade 8 bolt? 😂
@@garychandler4296 And if you snug it down with a nut it'll take even more pulling to bend it.
This is the exact content we need :)
Clearly explained and no short cuts .
Thanks again !
Stay rad Dad. 😁 cheers
@@MadMatt4WD
I was going to mention those Factor55 stuff. I flew out to the 2022 Florida Tow show earlier this year. It's kind of like a SEMA convention for the American tow truck industry.
I approached the Factor55 booth and they had some damaged samples of their gear. I asked why they would display such items. They replied by saying to show that this stuff is actually tested and certified correctly. I'm a fan of their stuff now that I know that.
And, you're correct if you get stuck, play time is over and you need to look at it as a serious recovery. Don't just wing it, throw a chain on it and yank. Vehicle damage is almost guaranteed but loss of life is very real.
@@xmo552 well said. You can support us by getting gear from our gear store. Cheers
Really good video Matt. It's one thing most tutorials don't cover, they generally all show text book situations assuming everything is perfect, the vehicles have all the correct gear, they are on flat ground, perfectly aligned etc. But it doesn't always work out like that, and you often come across stuck ill prepared vehicles in non-textbook situations. So it's good to see someone tackling these scenarios. When i done road crash rescue and 4wd recovery certifications back 25 years ago we done a lot of improvisation techniques, and also had rescue and recovery hierarchy. It's invaluable information, thanks for addressing this topic.
Thanks and I’m glad I’m being part of the solution not part of the problem.
I had to use this method in the St George Sand Dunes to recover a van. He wanted me to use the ball mount on the hitch but I thought that was dangerous. This pin only totally worked!
Well done.
I wanted to cheap out, but having had some engineering training, your excellent explanation sold me. I'll buy the correct Shackle Hitch Receiver. Thank you for your wise guidance.
Thank you for being willing to learn. We all have to grow.
I had the same issue with wanting to be cheap. Especially since I have 3 different receiver sizes (2", 2.5" and 3"). It ended up costing me $350 to get all three from Factor55.
its still the shear kg of the pin. your hitch is good for say 5t, what is the pin good for.. being an engin neer.. you should know the shear of different steels, or if chinese, plastic..
Glad you mentioned DOUBLE SHEAR, as a steel shackle receiver has SHARP EDGES, and IS MUCH MORE LIKELY TO SHEAR THE PIN THAN ANY ROPE, EVEN BEING A SINGLE SHEAR SET UP....Do as you wish. I've used recovery ropes and pins thousands of times for over 40 years, and never even bent a pin badly enough that it was difficult to remove. If something is going to shear a pin is likely going to be wedged in the hitch, or eject sideways, away from the drivers. I'd rather have a rope that weighs next to nothing flying around than a 15 lb shackle receiver on a rope coming directly towards the drivers heads.
So you had good success with a pin only and a hitch receiver will be stronger and better but you don’t want to use it?
If you don’t have respect for what your doing and the dangers involved that’s when you get hurt, that’s when you have failures. Great video
Very informative video. I've revamped my own kit for recovery. For me, it's usually a winter, snow situation. It's not hard nor expensive to get prepared to do something potentially dangerous. It does take a certain mindset to go home home without trauma. Always try to imagine the worst outcome. A flying tow hitch toward the windshield is the nightmare scenario.
Great comment
I have also noticed most people are not using sand bags on the winch lines any more. They should be used to help keep the line low or on the ground in case it fails.
Go to my recovery playlist and see my testing on this.
My thoughts exactly on your assessment! The pin in only useable for low energy straight line pulls.
I did nicely radius the edges on my receiver and upgrade the pin to a grade 8 bolt but still would only use it in a low energy, emergency situation.
Great video!
Thanks for the video, I asked the question in another video and you replied with a link to this video. I have done this for years and never thought to ask if it was wrong. Thanks again for such an educational video 👍❤️👍
I’m happy to help and love that you’re prepared to learn. We’re all learning.
A good educational video on a bit of a contentious topic. One of the arguments for not using the hitch pin is that it is not rated and tested for that sort of load. That is reasonable, but that logic can also be applied to the whole Toyota/Hayman Reece/'insert brand here' tow assembly. AFAIK, these are also not tested or rated for the forces of a kinetic recovery. So it comes back to common sense, education and risk mitigation, which is i guess part of the reason you do these videos. So thanks. 👍
Yes it’s difficult when so much of what we’re doing is not real good but works if we’re careful
And kinetics RULE! 😂
People should always remember that in most cases only 4-6 bolts are holding those hitches onto that vehicle. 8 if your lucky. I had a hitch on my F250 almost fall off after towing a trailer through the mountains because the bolts stripped out of the holes in the frame. It had been removed by a body shop for service and then put back after the repairs and instead of them replacing it with new bolts they had put it back with the original bolts and I’m assuming tightened everything up with an air impact that probably stripped out the fasteners 😮 II towed that trailer all through the smoky mountains like a death trap not realizing it was wiggling it’s way loose. Safety chains are no help if the whole hitch falls off the vehicle. I would advise anybody who’s doing off-road recovery on a regular basis to just have their hitch welded to the frame to make sure it can’t shear off. Especially if you do a lot of these recoveries and then go pull a trailer.
Doesn't welding the frame, weaken it? Best off checking and replacing the bolts as required.
Don’t weld to frame
The key to keeping gear/kit in top condition is to clean and inspect it regularly especially after a hard pull or recovery keep it out of sun and elements
Good on you Matt. You've probably saved at minimum one person's life with this video so kudos to you.
Thanks mate. Just doing what I can to help
You may have just saved a life. Thank you for vid's like this, the info need's to get out there. I don't know why I have not seen any of you vid's, but after I saw this one I knew I had to subscribe.
Thanks mate. TH-cam is a bit odd in how it shows videos but I’ve got lots of content along these lines. Thanks for the sub.
Thanks Matt. I have been using that pin way more often that I should. I have one of those Factor 55 hitch attachments, that's what I will always use from now on for any kinetic recovery. I also agree with your suggestion to increase the attempt force a bit at a time.
I’m pleased I could help you
Very clear and no-nonsense explanation of the limitations of connection to the pin alone. Thank you. I have subscribed.
Thanks for the support mate
The pin on its own is something I've always done, and I've always debated in my head whether it's necessary to buy a receiver.
But after this really simply explained video, I will go buy one.
They're not expensive so we really don't have any excuse.
I just always left it as the pin because I figured I'm just eliminating the hitch receiver and thus its one less thing to fail.
But your points outway my one thought.
Thanks again Matt. 👍👍
My pleasure mate. Only trying to help
Thanks Mad Matt for covering this subject as the tow bar pin hasn’t been recovered in depth of detail as you can provide
The reason I asked about this in the last video was because I forgot my tow bar recovery hitch
And unfortunately had a situation we had a vehicle heavily bogged and winching forward was not available at this point abs I did use the pin as my point of contact for the snatch strap but use very lightly as a drag not as much as a full snatch
Thanks Matt
Glad to help
Thank you for answering my question in such detail. You have convinced me to go out and buy a hitch receiver recovery point
My pleasure. . Head to my gear store at madmatt4wd.com.au
Thanks Mate, you and Robert Pepper do excellent work, I appreciate what you do.
Much appreciated thanks for saying so.
I used the pin a few times without drama, but that was only in a 2wd VW Transporter that doesn’t take much to get bogged and with a hand winch. I also filled the edges of the inside of the hitch receiver.
But I never considered the radius of the bend of the tow rope on the pin.
Excellent information and concept, through and through. Especially the "headspace" idea.
This is good advice for the energy created by a kinetic recovery from mud. In rock crawling we generally just need a little tug to get a light weight jeep off a rock. This is well within what the hitch pin is designed for and much less than what it would be subjected to towing a 10k pound trailer thousands of miles. Thanks
What you’re identifying there is the difference between what we call a tow recovery and a kinetic recovery. And yes for a tow recovery the pin would be fine as you say. But best practice still suggests we use a hitch link.
Have always used it for small things, Like pulling the tree limb across the yard, Good to know the strenths/ Limitations.
For that sort of application it’s fine.
Thanks Matt. As always you are looking out for all of us.
Thanks kindly for recognising that.
Excellent suggestions, all around! Your discussion makes perfect sense. Thank you for taking the time to do the research and make this video, it's appreciated!
Glad it was helpful!
It's also important to define your terms. What is a "4x4 Recovery"?
The first example given, it's what I would consider a Standard Recovery because it doesn't require Four-Wheel-Drive and it isn't off-road if you can pull from the pavement.
I had something similar happen to me, it was a minivan slid in a creek and I had a rear-wheel-drive pickup truck and 75 feet of 5/32" Polypropylene Diamond Braid Rope for tying down loads. I tripled up the line and looped it from my hitch to their hitch.
I’ll be very happy to go 4x4 driving with Matt
I have a Cast Steel Pintle Ring with a frozen hitch pin stuck in my class III receiver. We tried induction heating then air hammering the pin with out success. At some point I will have to cut off the outer ends of the pin and drill it out, but since I usually just skid logs or pull a car out of the snow once in a while and haven't done any towing in years I'm not in a rush to drill the pin.
I bent a pin once, I never did it that way again. I saw the potential for what could have happened.
Well done
Terminology always gets me and even though you are a world away I still believe "receiver" is the hitch attached to the vehicle and the hitch attached to vehicle is not a "tow package" or "tow pack". A tow package is a mounted reciever, added cooling under the hood and trailer light wiring. Possibly gear ratio change. All installed at the factory.
Ha ha ha. Yeah I try to use language or you lot but dang it’s tough. 😂😂😂 nice comment
I have one tow strap I have with a hook on the end I don't even plan on using it for recovery's but for pulling cars around the yard I have been sticking the hook though the hitch and simply hooking it on the back
Great presentation. Safety first with a calm, cool and collected thought process is what is needed. I look forward to the hierarchy of recovery. Snatch always last. Shovel first and then the between.
I'm definitely going to get one of those recovery receivers now.
👍
It way past time somebody addressed this issue. Most people today have no idea what not to use for recoverys. More and more people are getting into off road driving. They have absolutely no idea about safe use of recovery equipment. If people are not taught how to use this equipment we are going to see more deaths and life changing injuries than ever before. At least half of the people off road today don t even have sense enough to get out of harms way when a rope or chain or winch line is being used. A lot of the time you don t get a second chance !!!!
Well said. I’m trying my best
Great info, always kind of thought the same thing, good to hear my theory backed up
100% completely agree. I only intended it as a better solution than a hitch ball.
👍
facts always win, great episode on something so important in recovery
Noob to my 4x4 and you just saved me from cutting tow straps or killing anpin AND strap. I could see me welding a square of pipe halves for a smooth insert to protect a strap, but you brought up the pin itself as another problem!
I will rather weld up a square tube hitch, with an extension welded to a large piece of pipe, with a keeper plate on top?
Welcome. For the cost just buy the right tool designed for the job. It’s not worth the risk.
This video will definitely help saving lives and 4wds. Good stuff 👍
Great video man, great point on the double sheer. Thanks for the info 👍 👍
I use a recovery hook from a semi-truck. I welded a sleeve over it as a shim to fit the 2 inch receiver tube correctly. (the weld is at the back end of the hook and only serves to hold it in place). Overkill? maybe but I believe overkill is good practice, for example, if your equipment is rated for the work you are likely to be doing use a higher rated device, it could significantly increase your margin of safety.
I dont think i have ever used a snatch strap recovery. Granted i travell alone so would use a winch for self recovery i have come along once to a bogger prado or something. Yep used the winch. Snatch strap is bogs on sandy tracks not stuck on a beach to the sills. I think there is a limit to snatch strap and anything past a Sandy track should be the winch
I’m with you. A snatch is only used when I have to. I also travel alone a lot
Same, sand is the only place I will 'snatch' I call it bumping. Anywhere else it's tire traction or winch %100.
Safety is everyone's responsibility.
Nationally accredited training and education in 4wd is important.
Great point..if you know you know.if not,you probably don’t know you don’t know.
When I go wheeling I see p platers with a breaka iced coffee and no gear or it’s built cars with drivers who are experienced.
A fundamental of industrial safety (preventing accidents) is a vigilant awareness of stored energy and the consequences of that energy being released.
It can be a suspended load, a loaded gun, 480 volts, airing up a 10-20 truck tire, or getting stuck against a submerged tree in a river. Where is the energy? What happens if things go wrong?
A little forethought can make a big difference.
Well said
Great delivery, on point and concise. Well done.
Thank you Matt. I'd love for you to come to Cruiserfest and do a recovery seminar.
You know I’m keen Dan. I’d be happy to chat about how we can make it happen. Madmatt@madmatt4wd.com.au
I saw someone bend a pin being way too aggressive on a pin hookup and it still didn't break or pull out. That's when I started doing it. There are many occasions where it is perfect for, even when out on an offroad trip.
That said I have the gear to do it how it needs to be done or I don't do it. If a pin hookup and pull from stoped is enough I use that if not I usually prefer to just switch to the winch, let a heavier rig do it, or have 2 rigs pull together if its a traction issue. In the sand is my exception to not bumping, and even then I never go over 2mph.
Like you eluded to, at a certain point you rip things apart or start bending other stuff. A complex recovery takes carefull monitoring of changes to the load and recovery points, if the recovery is going to bend the pin its probably best to not be hooking to the hitch at all but instead to a couple of places on the frame. If off angle the recovery receiver is the best thing since sliced bread, it was the first recovery peice that I got and is always in when offroad... also it protects my spare tire from catching on drop-offs which is nice.
A great follow up for this would be a video called.
'Where should I have recovery points?'
Or something similar.
Great comment. Cheers
Good advice. In addition, it’s important to point out that all hitch pins are not of equal strength. I have a steel hitch basket. It’s rated for 350lbs load. The receiver pin included with the basket is the cheapest, lightest pin I have ever encountered. If that’s your only pin you have for a recovery situation, it will fail to some extant, and that would be an unhappy moment. The basket is only designed to carry a moderate percentage of tongue load, without dropping the basket. Not for pulling a fully loaded trailer.
I’ve not seen that design but it sounds concerning for use outside of its design. Thanks for the encouragement.
If you are concerned about the sharp edges on the hitch receiver, you can easily file them down in as little as 5 to 10 minutes. In case your vehicle gets stuck in sand and you have a clear straight path, using the hitching method is a good option. However, I believe that one of the most effective recovery methods for sand is to use Maxtracks or Treds. Remember to use the ribbons that come with them because once you are out of the sand, finding them without a shovel could be challenging. A shovel can be the best recovery tool you could ever have.
Usually, I do not need to use the hitch pin method as I have enough recovery gear for both my 4WD and the person I am pulling out. The only time I would not use the hitch pin method is if the person is stuck in the mud. Anyone who has done off-roading before knows how much suction mud has on a bogged 4WD. In such situations, I use a winch, and if that fails, I use the tyre method to lift the stuck 4WD and break the suction. If that still doesn't work, then you may have to camp on the side of the track for the night.
Sure you could file the receiver but that only solves one potential issue.
Great teaching on this. Love your channel.
Really high quality information well presented 🙏🏼
Glad it was helpful!
In 1973 our neighbor got his tractor stuck in the field. They tried pulling it out backwards using a stretchy rope and the rope snapped a flew into the cab of the stuck tractor and instantly killed the guy inside. After then my dad would never let anyone use a stretchy rope on our farm. I’m guessing that the stretchy rope that they use now are safer.
That's sad mate. Sounds like heavy-duty cable winches would be needed on that kind of job.
That’s so sad and unfortunately still happens way to often.
When I began in the tow industry my boss used to warn me of the dangers of a snapped cable, flying hitch, or flying bumper. Any of those situations should obviously be avoided.
Sad story. But was it the stretchy rope that killed the guy or the attachment device? If it was the attachment device I'd say equal risks exists shock loading a cable or a chain the same way. I'd argue probably more so because a cable or chain breaking has a lot of weight on its own, whereas a rope would have a fraction of the kinetic energy.
@@JimP226
I don’t know which as I was 6. The tractor just sat there for about 10 days with its duals stuck deep into the ground.
The key really, is to be equipped so you can use the correct recovery equipment for emergencies as well as weekend wheeling trips. Keep a short load out in your daily driver and have the full load out in your wheeling vehicle. Safety all the way around. We all should be ready for emergency situations. Emergency gear... don't leave home without it. ;)
Agreed. I was just out on a trip and came across a poor bloke in an old Cruiser with what appeared to be water in his fuel. He was stuck in the middle of the road, pointed up hill and those stupid wire rope barriers on the side, preventing him from pulling over. I had a snatch strap and a couple of soft shackles with me and I had him off the road in a couple of minutes. You gotta do what you gotta do.
This is a great video to get people thinking a bit more before undertaking a recovery, however there seem to be inconsistencies in the logic and figures (please correct me if my thinking is wrong!).
First - under test conditions the tow bar pin bent at 9000kg, which was stated as being too low to use in a recovery situation, however the recovery tongue was stamped with a Max Load of 9500Lb (approx 4300kg). Surely that would mean the recovery tongue isn’t suitable either when using an 8000 - 15000kg snatch strap??
I have always used the tow bar pin - through the eye of a snatch strap. The strap eye is the same width at the internal size as the receiver - so in my thinking, it spreads the load over the full width of both the pin and the snatch strap eye. My thinking is the less metal bits attached (recovery tongue and/or bow shackle) the better…
As far as recovery speed goes - be careful of going too slow when recovering in soft sand with a snatch strap… I have seen both vehicles stuck with the snatch strap under tension between both cars, and unable to be removed without a lot of mucking around to move one vehicle backwards - I find it better to use a bit more speed to allow one vehicle to ‘spring’ back a bit, removing tension from the strap.
Keen to hear your thoughts!
Regards
Drew
Hey Drew. Read this from factor 55. Then watch Roberts video linked in description which talks about the forces involved in recovery and every moment of speed is dangerous.
The 2” hitch itself is rated for 9500 lbs. that’s the max load. That’s why the 2” HitchLinks, all of them have 9500 lbs machined into them. Our parts have not seen yielding in testing until just before breaking. What’s this mean? Every other item you have attached to the HitchLink and pin will fail before either of those do.
Standard duty soft shackle - 39K
Tow Strap- 31K
KERR- 29K
HitchLink 2.0 - 51K
Hitch pins- 50+K
The entire off-road industry functions off break strength not WLL. 3/8 Synthetic rope breaks between 18-22K so a 5:1 means it’s WLL is only 4.4K on a 12K winch?
It’s about quality of materials and validation through testing.
Factor 55 has videos of the destructive testing they've done on their hitchlinks. They've sustained above a 50K pound load before ultimate failure. In testing, their hitch pins have a double shear strength somewhere in excess of that.
Other quality hitch pins can shear at a lower load. Factor 55 posted results years ago of a US Army destructive test of their hitchlink 2.0, which had a different type of hitch pin double shear at 47K pounds, without failure of the hitchlink itself.
That's still a lot higher than the point at which a pin would fail from directly attaching a recovery rope to it- double shear compared to single shear.
It speaks volumes to the level of technical skill involved in off road recoveries that most military forces around the world have dedicated recovery mechs and dedicated recovery vehicles - including tracked recovery vehicles. I've worked with them many times over the years and because the 'Reccy Mechs' live and breathe recoveries of heavy vehicles the safety factors they work with are substantial. As you correctly point out, people can use recovery equipment recreationally with no formal training, no scheduled inspection or testing of recovery equipment, and no understanding of the forces involved. As we have very recently seen it can be a lethal combination. Let's hope people watch and absorb the messages you are sharing.
Well said. As an ex-reccy-mech, I shudder, sometimes, at what I see happening out there in "no idea land".
I have a rhino USA solid steel receiver. I have a excursion so my hitch is meant to stop a car at 70 MPH from sliding under me so its meant to do it. I have a v10 and 430s. Tones of torque and rpms. My first pull is always slowly pulling with the brakes still on slowly inching forward. 4 low for really slow and steady pulling.
Excellent. Slow is the go
I’m always surprised how few people try a gentle pull before they back up and hammer down. I always say try doing it gently first, then work up slowly until it comes out or reveals that you’re hooked on something and need to Jack it up or dig.
I agree. Reduce recovery load. Follow the hierarchy of recovery and don’t got faster than 10mph for a kinetic recovery.
I can anecdotally say I’ve ruined a number of straps early by ignoring the bend radius issue. I’ve had a number of them fail right where I regularly bend them sharper than they want. They have always taken it for years, but maybe not as many as they should.
Hitch pins are for towing. "With great caution" in an emergency is spot on. Replace your hitch pin with a grade 9 bolt with correct shoulder length and you'll feel better about the contingency.
Further, your emergency gear does not work if it isn't in the rig.
Matt,
Great video and you were doing some homework about hitch pin as the recovery point! My argument would be for incorporation of the ‘hitchchunk 2.0”. Would be that you are introducing a projectile. Where as just using the hitch pin standalone, with a soft shackle and a kinetic rope. It keeps the working bits all made of speed reducing fibers. I know I know, emergency only for the pin. But I’ve been doing it for yyyyearrrs. Most I’ve ever done to a pin on bogged 6600lb rigs. Is slightly bend them. Never had one snap and that is because of its Rockwell hardness being in the 20’s. They’re just not brittle and have a nice elasticity to them. And when they do finally give up the ghost. Very cheap to replace. That’s my 2cents. Thanks for listening:-)
I appreciate you proposing the argument. Have a read of this from Factor55 re the breaking points of things. The hitch ain’t coming flying any time soon.
The 2” hitch itself is rated for 9500 lbs. that’s the max load. That’s why the 2” HitchLinks, all of them have 9500 lbs machined into them. Our parts have not seen yielding in testing until just before breaking. What’s this mean? Every other item you have attached to the HitchLink and pin will fail before either of those do.
Standard duty soft shackle - 39K
Tow Strap- 31K
KERR- 29K
HitchLink 2.0 - 51K
Hitch pins- 50+K
The entire off-road industry functions off break strength not WLL. 3/8 Synthetic rope breaks between 18-22K so a 5:1 means it’s WLL is only 4.4K on a 12K winch?
It’s about quality of materials and validation through testing.
@@MadMatt4WD I’m my defense, I don’t buy garbage hitch pins and not a kamikaze recovery dude. Slow steady, baby pulls and usually have the winch helping too. I’ve watched the original video from where this PSA started from. And it is very unfortunate. It needs to stressed as well as all this great recovery gear. But you cannot go gangbusters with the throttle. The suction needs to be broken. As you know, the factors of this tragedy are numerous.
Hope you and yours stay happy and healthy
-PS
Heading up to Vermont USA for 4-5days. If your ever in the states again remember this road. RISKY RANCH RD. it’s an amazing gateway to Vermont wheeling👌🏼
@@johneden7975 great comment and it’s good to see you’re playing the game well. Risky ranch it is.
I’m guilty to be honest never thought it would be an issue, will be changing thanks Matt for the info.
We all have to learn. I thought it was good for a long time too
I’d never even thought about using a hitch pin like that but I get why someone thought of it…..it’s probably better than hooking to a corner suspension piece. Maybe a follow up to this video would be a “recover vs getting recovered” like who’s pulling who. I’ve seen so many people hook up to pull an IFS suv out and they go right to the a-frame.
Great info. I’ve got the F55 hitch link in my recovery kit, luckily haven’t needed to use it yet.
At least you’re prepared. Well done
I learned something today,thank you for posting this video.
Glad it was helpful!
Before watching this, 100% yes every time, if that's the only option.
Most hitch pins aren't that strong. An ARP grade 9 bolt in the receiver is another matter! A grade 9 bolt with a nut to secure it will pull thru the receiver before it bends-ask me how I know!!! Hey, I got the 4-wheeler out with my 2 WD truck and he paid me for a new hitch and gave me $500 to boot. My new hitch has a "sacrificial" receiver that can be replaced-great idea Reese!
great video, im glad i got a proper recovery points
america, has the best content,, seeing they make all the gear we use.. & vehicle mods, that are totally illegal here in aus, cos our laws are for cars,, not 4x4rs.. vast difference..
I would of done that if haven't seen your video thanks I will always put in a receiver in to make the connection
Glad we could help you stay safe
One detail. The bend radius on the 5/8 pin would be much greater than the radius on that receiver adapter, especially on the outside corners. I do agree that beam loading the pin is a big problem and the VERY sharp radii on the edge of the receiver hitch itself.
I don’t think that’s the case Factor55 designed and tested this for soft shackles. The bend radius to maintain 100% strength is 1:1.
@@MadMatt4WD If they are getting those results, that's great. It does go against what generally every rope manufacturer will list for bend radius as far as max strength and long term life of a rope section. The small radius might get you a good result once, but the tighter radius will break fibers down over time causing accelerated wear. Generally, that accelerated wear will indicate that MBS would make a correlating drop. Just like with the hitch edges, we should also be considering that the pull won't always be straight, adding a softer outside edge would help increase soft rigging life and strength also. I'm just trying to make sure everyone is making the best products possible.
@@brennanmetcalf great points and I don’t disagree. I’m not a rope expert and relay on those I believe know this stuff. I’m always looking to learn
@Metcalf Factor 55 has an updated design in their hitchlink pro, with a better radius on the corners. Haven't seen testing on how much less stress it places on the fibers in soft shackles, but the difference in radius is significant.
@@Anathoth It's good to hear they updated their design.
Cheers for making a video on this!
If it’s not bogged down and is not a dynamic pull from a strap or very limited kinetic rope. For light pulls.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video and explaining it. It is something that I have been wondering about for some time now and there was nothing on this topic that I could find. My thought was always, why carry the extra piece of metal receiver around with you if you could just recover of the pin. Thanks Matt
I agree with the change of heads pace when doing anything other than driving. The other weekend I went bush to cut wood and had to drag two trees onto the road to cut up. First one I used a drag chain to the hitch on my trailer, no hitch pin used just run the slip hook through the back of the hitch and hook to the back. Light load with not much force required. The second tree I unhitched the trailer, removed the towball and put the recovery hitch in and hooked the drag chain to that. 4x4 low 1st and had to give it a fair bit of welly after the first slow attempt didn't work. The hitch on the trailer might have taken it but it's not connected front to rear of trailer so I don't use it for anything but light weight work. Just stop and think about everything your doing often hours from help or even mobile service.
It sounds to me like you’re respecting the force.
@@MadMatt4WD definitely when you as know one mistake can kill, I don't want that being my father who is usually with me.
I know I've said it before, but having good connection points is a must (I have 2 square hitch points on the front of my rig & 2 & the rear, PLUS my tow bar. All 4 points are directly connected to my chassis rails, it means I can spread the load evenly & safely. I even have one on the rear of my car carrying trailer (for Justin!) As I've also said before, I absolutely love your passion for safe 4wding & the fact recoveries are serious stuff! I totally agree with the correct head space with recoveries, one of the worse things is having mates around being D*ck heads & forgetting about safety all together! Great Stuff Matt!! Stay on the mission, you could certainly save some heartaches, if not maybe a life by your continuous campaigning!! 👍
Thanks heaps for such a positive encouraging comment.
Great advice with lots of information
Love all your tec tips 👍unfortunately more 4x4 owners die on there way to the bush rather than when there actually 4wheeling or recovering there vehicle 😥 no need to rush to the bush it will still be there even if your late your alive
Great point
Great video Matt!!!
Awesome video mate always good to watch you
Glad you enjoyed
As you said earlier.
Use the safest stuff you have.
Thanks for the video Matt,
In a past life as a paramedic I’ve seen how dodgy recoveries can go wrong and it’s not pretty.
Decent recovery gear is now quite affordable so why risk a life?
Great channel mate keep them coming 👍🍻
Stay safe everyone DK
Thanks
Excellent video and potentially life saving info.
"four wheel drive recovery professionals"
perfect
Fantastic video as always Matt, I love this one especially after commenting on a previous video stating that I had used a pin and kinetic strap in a recovery before 👌
Will definitely make sure that the correct equipment stays in the vehicle maybe in with the jack or something 👍
Great stuff mate. Glad to help
I've bent a hitch pin with a too heavy snatch strap,(10tonne strap} will never do it again, just got the pin out. It was a Wally stuck on the beach entrance completely bellied out, I had forgot my recovery hitch. Rushing is a recipe for disaster.