Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

me@privacy.net wrote:
> Mike Romain <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
>> He eventually put a front and rear receiver hitch on for a
>> powered winch mount....
>
> You think that better over all idea for a 2WD vehicle
> than all the other gear..... come along, jerk strap,
> chains?

Nope, not at all. It is a good idea to 'go along with' the come-a-long
jerk strap, tow hooks and chains. 'If you have a need for it'. It is
an expensive toy.

I wheeled in the deep Canadian Bush for many many years without an
electric winch and always made it home using the mechanical items. Now
some days were longer than others, but an electric winch was not on the
top of my list of thing to get. I actually only got it because a good
Jeeper friend who passed away left it to me in his will. I was in the
process of buying a bunch of cable or winch rope to extend the reach of
the come-a-long when Bruce passed away.

The come-a-long and cable will hook up to a telephone pole easily to get
you out of that snowbank.....

>
>
> Basically....I'm wanting to get rid of my FWD car and
> either get a RWD van or small truck such a 2WD Ranger

My son just picked up a 94 Dodge Caravan and it is front wheel drive.

Mike


>
> Intended use will NOT be off road..... just on typical
> snow small town street that don't get plowed well at
> all.
>
> I'm trying to get the advantages of a small pick (cargo
> carrying, more lift)...... but also the advantages my
> car has (good gas mileage, city driving).
>
> I'm hoping a small 5 speed 2WD Ranger...... used
> animally for city driving.... or a 2WD van..... again
> both stick.... would give me that.
>
> If it would.... I'm looking to outfit it with a few
> things for those once in a million times I could get
> stuck in huge snow bank at 2 am or so.
>
> Hence the gear questions
>
> I did think of a potable electric winch that could be
> installed on front or back of vehicle. What you guys
> think?

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

Come-a-longs are great, but you don't want that to be your first line of
defense. Four wheel drive, mud and snow tires and sand bags in the trunk
will all help you leave that come-a-long in the tool bag where it won't get
dirty. You can also argue that these things can help you get stuck even
deeper...

We don't have swamps in Colorado, we have marshes. The difference is the
presence or absence of woody vegetation.

Earle

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:45b7831b$0$3949$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshostin g.com...
> Come-a-longs are very useful tools. I carry one along with my Warn
> winch. On one RAMJ+W run, we needed my Warn HS9000i winch and two
> come-a-longs to keep an XJ from going turtle in a frozen swamp.
>
> The come-a-alongs were tagged sideways to a tree so the XJ moved on
> their arc as the Warn extracted him.
>
> Mike
>
> Earle Horton wrote:
> > There's the time factor too. Who wants to be stuck in the mud, cranking
on
> > a come along for what seems like (and could be) hours, when you could be
> > sitting at home, watching other people on the TV who are stuck in the
ditch?
> >
> > Earle
> >
> > "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> > news:45b776f1$0$27057$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> >> In my opinion chains are worse than useless off road, especially in a 2
> >> WD van. They just allow you to get in deeper before you really get
into
> >> trouble. They are useless once you are already stuck, no easy way to
> >> 'safely' get them on.
> >>
> >> If you come to a soft spot with chains on, the chains will just dig
> >> holes trying to plow the front wheels through the soft stuff, then you
> >> can't even back out. A fiend tried them on his 2 WD van with a Detroit
> >> locker. He got stuck 4 times in one truck length, then took the chains
> >> off... He eventually put a front and rear receiver hitch on for a
> >> powered winch mount....
> >>
> >> On road, chains are very useful in ice conditions.
> >>
> >> As far as the come-a-long goes, they are excellent, but you need a
'tow'
> >> rope or cable or chain to extend them. ]
> >>
> >> You also should invest in proper frame mounted tow hooks for all this.
> >>
> >> The 'snatch' strap or jerk strap is a very useful tool for hooking to
> >> another vehicle to get you out, but it does not work well with a
> >> come-a-long. The stretch factor can take up all the play in the winch
> >> before the vehicle moves. Been there, had to walk 5 miles to a camp to
> >> borrow a non stretch rope to walk back and finish the extraction.
> >>
> >> It is also very dangerous to hook a winch up to an elastic snatch strap
> >> because metal parts fly fast and hard when wound up by an elastic band
> >> and then suddenly released. (if something breaks)
> >>
> >> A spool of wire winch cable or even that rope winch cable would be best
> >> for extending the come-a-long.
> >>
> >> Mike
> >> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> >> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> >> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> >> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> >> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >>
> >>
> >> me@privacy.net wrote:
> >>> I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
> >>> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
> >>> vehicle such as van.
> >>>
> >>> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
> >>> wheel drive in a van.
> >>>
> >>> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
> >>> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
> >>> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
> >>> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
> >>> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
> >>>
> >>> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
> >>> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
> >>> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
> >>> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
> >>> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
> >>>
> >>> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
> >>> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
> >>> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
> >>> throw back in vehicle?
> >
> >

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

Come-a-longs are great, but you don't want that to be your first line of
defense. Four wheel drive, mud and snow tires and sand bags in the trunk
will all help you leave that come-a-long in the tool bag where it won't get
dirty. You can also argue that these things can help you get stuck even
deeper...

We don't have swamps in Colorado, we have marshes. The difference is the
presence or absence of woody vegetation.

Earle

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:45b7831b$0$3949$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshostin g.com...
> Come-a-longs are very useful tools. I carry one along with my Warn
> winch. On one RAMJ+W run, we needed my Warn HS9000i winch and two
> come-a-longs to keep an XJ from going turtle in a frozen swamp.
>
> The come-a-alongs were tagged sideways to a tree so the XJ moved on
> their arc as the Warn extracted him.
>
> Mike
>
> Earle Horton wrote:
> > There's the time factor too. Who wants to be stuck in the mud, cranking
on
> > a come along for what seems like (and could be) hours, when you could be
> > sitting at home, watching other people on the TV who are stuck in the
ditch?
> >
> > Earle
> >
> > "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> > news:45b776f1$0$27057$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> >> In my opinion chains are worse than useless off road, especially in a 2
> >> WD van. They just allow you to get in deeper before you really get
into
> >> trouble. They are useless once you are already stuck, no easy way to
> >> 'safely' get them on.
> >>
> >> If you come to a soft spot with chains on, the chains will just dig
> >> holes trying to plow the front wheels through the soft stuff, then you
> >> can't even back out. A fiend tried them on his 2 WD van with a Detroit
> >> locker. He got stuck 4 times in one truck length, then took the chains
> >> off... He eventually put a front and rear receiver hitch on for a
> >> powered winch mount....
> >>
> >> On road, chains are very useful in ice conditions.
> >>
> >> As far as the come-a-long goes, they are excellent, but you need a
'tow'
> >> rope or cable or chain to extend them. ]
> >>
> >> You also should invest in proper frame mounted tow hooks for all this.
> >>
> >> The 'snatch' strap or jerk strap is a very useful tool for hooking to
> >> another vehicle to get you out, but it does not work well with a
> >> come-a-long. The stretch factor can take up all the play in the winch
> >> before the vehicle moves. Been there, had to walk 5 miles to a camp to
> >> borrow a non stretch rope to walk back and finish the extraction.
> >>
> >> It is also very dangerous to hook a winch up to an elastic snatch strap
> >> because metal parts fly fast and hard when wound up by an elastic band
> >> and then suddenly released. (if something breaks)
> >>
> >> A spool of wire winch cable or even that rope winch cable would be best
> >> for extending the come-a-long.
> >>
> >> Mike
> >> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> >> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> >> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> >> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> >> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >>
> >>
> >> me@privacy.net wrote:
> >>> I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
> >>> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
> >>> vehicle such as van.
> >>>
> >>> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
> >>> wheel drive in a van.
> >>>
> >>> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
> >>> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
> >>> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
> >>> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
> >>> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
> >>>
> >>> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
> >>> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
> >>> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
> >>> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
> >>> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
> >>>
> >>> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
> >>> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
> >>> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
> >>> throw back in vehicle?
> >
> >

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

Come-a-longs are great, but you don't want that to be your first line of
defense. Four wheel drive, mud and snow tires and sand bags in the trunk
will all help you leave that come-a-long in the tool bag where it won't get
dirty. You can also argue that these things can help you get stuck even
deeper...

We don't have swamps in Colorado, we have marshes. The difference is the
presence or absence of woody vegetation.

Earle

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:45b7831b$0$3949$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshostin g.com...
> Come-a-longs are very useful tools. I carry one along with my Warn
> winch. On one RAMJ+W run, we needed my Warn HS9000i winch and two
> come-a-longs to keep an XJ from going turtle in a frozen swamp.
>
> The come-a-alongs were tagged sideways to a tree so the XJ moved on
> their arc as the Warn extracted him.
>
> Mike
>
> Earle Horton wrote:
> > There's the time factor too. Who wants to be stuck in the mud, cranking
on
> > a come along for what seems like (and could be) hours, when you could be
> > sitting at home, watching other people on the TV who are stuck in the
ditch?
> >
> > Earle
> >
> > "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> > news:45b776f1$0$27057$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> >> In my opinion chains are worse than useless off road, especially in a 2
> >> WD van. They just allow you to get in deeper before you really get
into
> >> trouble. They are useless once you are already stuck, no easy way to
> >> 'safely' get them on.
> >>
> >> If you come to a soft spot with chains on, the chains will just dig
> >> holes trying to plow the front wheels through the soft stuff, then you
> >> can't even back out. A fiend tried them on his 2 WD van with a Detroit
> >> locker. He got stuck 4 times in one truck length, then took the chains
> >> off... He eventually put a front and rear receiver hitch on for a
> >> powered winch mount....
> >>
> >> On road, chains are very useful in ice conditions.
> >>
> >> As far as the come-a-long goes, they are excellent, but you need a
'tow'
> >> rope or cable or chain to extend them. ]
> >>
> >> You also should invest in proper frame mounted tow hooks for all this.
> >>
> >> The 'snatch' strap or jerk strap is a very useful tool for hooking to
> >> another vehicle to get you out, but it does not work well with a
> >> come-a-long. The stretch factor can take up all the play in the winch
> >> before the vehicle moves. Been there, had to walk 5 miles to a camp to
> >> borrow a non stretch rope to walk back and finish the extraction.
> >>
> >> It is also very dangerous to hook a winch up to an elastic snatch strap
> >> because metal parts fly fast and hard when wound up by an elastic band
> >> and then suddenly released. (if something breaks)
> >>
> >> A spool of wire winch cable or even that rope winch cable would be best
> >> for extending the come-a-long.
> >>
> >> Mike
> >> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> >> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> >> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> >> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> >> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >>
> >>
> >> me@privacy.net wrote:
> >>> I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
> >>> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
> >>> vehicle such as van.
> >>>
> >>> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
> >>> wheel drive in a van.
> >>>
> >>> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
> >>> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
> >>> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
> >>> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
> >>> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
> >>>
> >>> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
> >>> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
> >>> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
> >>> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
> >>> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
> >>>
> >>> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
> >>> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
> >>> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
> >>> throw back in vehicle?
> >
> >

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

Come-a-longs are great, but you don't want that to be your first line of
defense. Four wheel drive, mud and snow tires and sand bags in the trunk
will all help you leave that come-a-long in the tool bag where it won't get
dirty. You can also argue that these things can help you get stuck even
deeper...

We don't have swamps in Colorado, we have marshes. The difference is the
presence or absence of woody vegetation.

Earle

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:45b7831b$0$3949$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshostin g.com...
> Come-a-longs are very useful tools. I carry one along with my Warn
> winch. On one RAMJ+W run, we needed my Warn HS9000i winch and two
> come-a-longs to keep an XJ from going turtle in a frozen swamp.
>
> The come-a-alongs were tagged sideways to a tree so the XJ moved on
> their arc as the Warn extracted him.
>
> Mike
>
> Earle Horton wrote:
> > There's the time factor too. Who wants to be stuck in the mud, cranking
on
> > a come along for what seems like (and could be) hours, when you could be
> > sitting at home, watching other people on the TV who are stuck in the
ditch?
> >
> > Earle
> >
> > "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> > news:45b776f1$0$27057$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> >> In my opinion chains are worse than useless off road, especially in a 2
> >> WD van. They just allow you to get in deeper before you really get
into
> >> trouble. They are useless once you are already stuck, no easy way to
> >> 'safely' get them on.
> >>
> >> If you come to a soft spot with chains on, the chains will just dig
> >> holes trying to plow the front wheels through the soft stuff, then you
> >> can't even back out. A fiend tried them on his 2 WD van with a Detroit
> >> locker. He got stuck 4 times in one truck length, then took the chains
> >> off... He eventually put a front and rear receiver hitch on for a
> >> powered winch mount....
> >>
> >> On road, chains are very useful in ice conditions.
> >>
> >> As far as the come-a-long goes, they are excellent, but you need a
'tow'
> >> rope or cable or chain to extend them. ]
> >>
> >> You also should invest in proper frame mounted tow hooks for all this.
> >>
> >> The 'snatch' strap or jerk strap is a very useful tool for hooking to
> >> another vehicle to get you out, but it does not work well with a
> >> come-a-long. The stretch factor can take up all the play in the winch
> >> before the vehicle moves. Been there, had to walk 5 miles to a camp to
> >> borrow a non stretch rope to walk back and finish the extraction.
> >>
> >> It is also very dangerous to hook a winch up to an elastic snatch strap
> >> because metal parts fly fast and hard when wound up by an elastic band
> >> and then suddenly released. (if something breaks)
> >>
> >> A spool of wire winch cable or even that rope winch cable would be best
> >> for extending the come-a-long.
> >>
> >> Mike
> >> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> >> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> >> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> >> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> >> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >>
> >>
> >> me@privacy.net wrote:
> >>> I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
> >>> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
> >>> vehicle such as van.
> >>>
> >>> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
> >>> wheel drive in a van.
> >>>
> >>> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
> >>> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
> >>> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
> >>> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
> >>> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
> >>>
> >>> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
> >>> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
> >>> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
> >>> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
> >>> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
> >>>
> >>> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
> >>> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
> >>> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
> >>> throw back in vehicle?
> >
> >

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:45b78e35$0$27028$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> me@privacy.net wrote:
....
> >
> > Basically....I'm wanting to get rid of my FWD car and
> > either get a RWD van or small truck such a 2WD Ranger
>
> My son just picked up a 94 Dodge Caravan and it is front wheel
> drive.
>
Not being a van fan I don't really know, but I was under the impression that
many of the minis came in FWD and 4WD, with a mileage penalty attached to
the 4WD version of course. The guy who cleaned our chimney had a 4WD Astro
that he said would go anywhere. He had it packed full of tools too. A 2WD
Ranger is going to get real good mileage, especially if you get the four
cylinder option, but that is going to go down with added cargo. If you buy
something too small, you are going to regret it, no matter how great the
unladen fuel mileage might be.

Earle

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:45b78e35$0$27028$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> me@privacy.net wrote:
....
> >
> > Basically....I'm wanting to get rid of my FWD car and
> > either get a RWD van or small truck such a 2WD Ranger
>
> My son just picked up a 94 Dodge Caravan and it is front wheel
> drive.
>
Not being a van fan I don't really know, but I was under the impression that
many of the minis came in FWD and 4WD, with a mileage penalty attached to
the 4WD version of course. The guy who cleaned our chimney had a 4WD Astro
that he said would go anywhere. He had it packed full of tools too. A 2WD
Ranger is going to get real good mileage, especially if you get the four
cylinder option, but that is going to go down with added cargo. If you buy
something too small, you are going to regret it, no matter how great the
unladen fuel mileage might be.

Earle

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:45b78e35$0$27028$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> me@privacy.net wrote:
....
> >
> > Basically....I'm wanting to get rid of my FWD car and
> > either get a RWD van or small truck such a 2WD Ranger
>
> My son just picked up a 94 Dodge Caravan and it is front wheel
> drive.
>
Not being a van fan I don't really know, but I was under the impression that
many of the minis came in FWD and 4WD, with a mileage penalty attached to
the 4WD version of course. The guy who cleaned our chimney had a 4WD Astro
that he said would go anywhere. He had it packed full of tools too. A 2WD
Ranger is going to get real good mileage, especially if you get the four
cylinder option, but that is going to go down with added cargo. If you buy
something too small, you are going to regret it, no matter how great the
unladen fuel mileage might be.

Earle

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:45b78e35$0$27028$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> me@privacy.net wrote:
....
> >
> > Basically....I'm wanting to get rid of my FWD car and
> > either get a RWD van or small truck such a 2WD Ranger
>
> My son just picked up a 94 Dodge Caravan and it is front wheel
> drive.
>
Not being a van fan I don't really know, but I was under the impression that
many of the minis came in FWD and 4WD, with a mileage penalty attached to
the 4WD version of course. The guy who cleaned our chimney had a 4WD Astro
that he said would go anywhere. He had it packed full of tools too. A 2WD
Ranger is going to get real good mileage, especially if you get the four
cylinder option, but that is going to go down with added cargo. If you buy
something too small, you are going to regret it, no matter how great the
unladen fuel mileage might be.

Earle

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

M,

I think you're over-doing the whole shebang. Assuming you had
(comparatively) little equipment in your FWD car, I'm questioning the
need to purchase so much (and carry it around) for the coming of the
apocalypse....and I am admittedly both "frugal" as well as the type to
buy tools that pay for themselves.

I spent ten years in a few 2wd Rangers in the Northeast, and often
learned the hard way what I really needed and what I shouldn't have
done in the first place. They've got halfway decent ground clearance,
and the "longbed" or extra-cab models really didn't need added weight
in the rear -- or rather I didn't see it as worth the trade-off.
Honestly, necessities boiled down quickly: a good set of snow tires, a
pair of gloves, a shovel, and tire chains. Having said that much, I
whole-heartedly agree that chains often will simply get you into more
trouble than you'd be in otherwise, but I never even had to mount both
at the same time -- when I had been plowed in, I'd shovel (or rock)
enough to get a few feet of movement and put one chain on the right
rear, and that was usually enough to extract myself from whatever icy
packed-in mess I was in. Quick and easy, and then you pop it off for
the commute.

If I were to be back in those situations, a set of cable-chains would
have made it even quicker and easier.

The vans I've owned and have driven had plenty of weight in the rear --
a cocky attitude and snow tires were all they ever required.

Now frankly if you're looking at breaking through mountain passes or
spending an entire winter going back and forth on a long, icy,
switch-back driveway, you might not be looking at the best choice of
vehicles -- but in anything less that that, I'd be confident tackling
the task.

It pains me to say so (and it sounds preachy) but I guess the big idea
is that if conditions are bad enough to make a) driving _that_
treacherous and b) getting stranded lethal, then you shouldn't go out
there in the first place.

Just my opinion,

Jon