Recovery gear deep dive: shackles, straps and kinetic ropes, what to buy!

[Snacktime]

As more people keep posting about recovery gear I figure we should have a technical discussion.

1)First is making sure you control your failure point! You really want the strap or kinetic rope to be the yield point. People put to much emphasis on getting a big strap, you want to have the strap fail before anything else. This sounds dangerous, but a whipping rope is safer than a fly hitch or shackle.

2)Most receiver hitches are in the 40,000lb break strength, this is not deform and yield area. So at 40,000lbs a hitch can break, so if your new to recovery stepping down to smaller straps is highly recommend.

3)Shackles, you don't need the biggest ones ever made. You want to be under the 40,000lb breaking strength so that the shackle fails before the mount. At this time a 7/16 soft shackle is around 40,000lb breaking point and as big as you want to go for a Bronco(they lose strength as they are used so typical safe to assume they will fail before 40,000lbs). Goal here is to stay under the hitch or mounts strength. A 3/8 soft shackle is around 30,000lbs breaking point and also a good option if paired with the right size rope/strap. Same theory applies to d ring metal shackles, watch the rating(they are all different). I always carry a metal shackle because they don't cut on sharp edges. For a metal shackle you want to stay in the 40,000lb and above area. Metal shackles are rated on working load so a 40,000lb shackle has a factor of safety before failure and safe to use with 40,000lb soft shackle (usually rated to failure strength). I would stay large on metal shackles as if the mounting point fails I rather have hopefully a whole bumper attached to the shackle than the shackle(something to think about when hooking up to pull someone).

4)Strap / Kinetic Rope should have a lower yield than shackles. You are controlling the failure zone to the strap. 1" Kinetic rope is rated to 30,000lbs as large as you want to go. Do not think you need a bigger rope/strap, bigger is not better it just moves the failure. 7/8" Kinetic rope is 25,000lbs followed by a 3/4" Kinetic rope at 20,000lbs. Same with straps a 3" wide strap is good for 30,000lbs and 2" wide strap is good for 20,000lbs.

5) Putting it all together! You want a step down in strength at each connection. You are controlling your failure point (yes the most costly item is the failure point).
7/16" soft shackle (40,000lbs) => 1" or 7/8" or 3/4" kinetic rope (30,000lbs to 20,000lbs)
7/16" soft shackle (40,000lbs) => 3" or 2" wide strap (30,000lbs to 20,000lbs)
3/8" soft shackle (30,000lbs) => 3/4" kinetic rope (20,000lbs)
3/8" soft shackle (30,000lbs) => 2" wide strap (20,000lbs)

Take away,
If you are new to offroading a 3/4" kinetic rope and 2" wide strap are what you want. Its perfectly fine to break a strap/rope, that just tells you need to rethink how your pulling and that something is not right. I wouldn't buy a 3/8" soft shackle, 7/16" is pretty much the standard and do not buy bigger soft shackles as you don't want to exceed the mounting point (that is how you get flying metal). I always recommend matching straps to kinetic ropes in case you need to use both at the same time try and have them equal strength.

Bigger kinetic ropes are becoming a hot item, don't be pulled in. You want the rope to fail before you rip the frame or mounts!

I always buy 30ft straps/ropes you want some distance between 5000lb vehicles buy the extra 10ft!

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[Chief Dan]

I carry this kit: https://factor55.com/product/vehicle-recovery-kit-sawtooth/


A Yankum Kinetic Rope, and two additional soft shackles.

 

[BroncoAZ]

Good advise, and mimics what I keep in my Bronco and Tacoma for recovery.

 

[UtahBrandon]

As more people keep posting about recovery gear I figure we should have a technical discussion.

1)First is making sure you control your failure point! You really want the strap or kinetic rope to be the yield point. People put to much emphasis on getting a big strap, you want to have the strap fail before anything else. This sounds dangerous, but a whipping rope is safer than a fly hitch or shackle.

2)Most receiver hitches are in the 40,000lb break strength, this is not deform and yield area. So at 40,000lbs a hitch can break, so if your new to recovery stepping down to smaller straps is highly recommend.

3)Shackles, you don't need the biggest ones ever made. You want to be under the 40,000lb breaking strength so that the shackle fails before the mount. At this time a 7/16 soft shackle is around 40,000lb breaking point and as big as you want to go for a Bronco(they lose strength as they are used so typical safe to assume they will fail before 40,000lbs). Goal here is to stay under the hitch or mounts strength. A 3/8 soft shackle is around 30,000lbs breaking point and also a good option if paired with the right size rope/strap. Same theory applies to d ring metal shackles, watch the rating(they are all different). I always carry a metal shackle because they don't cut on sharp edges. For a metal shackle you want to stay in the 40,000lb and above area. Metal shackles are rated on working load so a 40,000lb shackle has a factor of safety before failure and safe to use with 40,000lb soft shackle (usually rated to failure strength). I would stay large on metal shackles as if the mounting point fails I rather have hopefully a whole bumper attached to the shackle than the shackle(something to think about when hooking up to pull someone).

4)Strap / Kinetic Rope should have a lower yield than shackles. You are controlling the failure zone to the strap. 1" Kinetic rope is rated to 30,000lbs as large as you want to go. Do not think you need a bigger rope/strap, bigger is not better it just moves the failure. 7/8" Kinetic rope is 25,000lbs followed by a 3/4" Kinetic rope at 20,000lbs. Same with straps a 3" wide strap is good for 30,000lbs and 2" wide strap is good for 20,000lbs.

5) Putting it all together! You want a step down in strength at each connection. You are controlling your failure point (yes the most costly item is the failure point).
7/16" soft shackle (40,000lbs) => 1" or 7/8" or 3/4" kinetic rope (30,000lbs to 20,000lbs)
7/16" soft shackle (40,000lbs) => 3" or 2" wide strap (30,000lbs to 20,000lbs)
3/8" soft shackle (30,000lbs) => 3/4" kinetic rope (20,000lbs)
3/8" soft shackle (30,000lbs) => 2" wide strap (20,000lbs)

Take away,
If you are new to offroading a 3/4" kinetic rope and 2" wide strap are what you want. Its perfectly fine to break a strap/rope, that just tells you need to rethink how your pulling and that something is not right. I wouldn't buy a 3/8" soft shackle, 7/16" is pretty much the standard and do not buy bigger soft shackles as you don't want to exceed the mounting point (that is how you get flying metal). I always recommend matching straps to kinetic ropes in case you need to use both at the same time try and have them equal strength.

Bigger kinetic ropes are becoming a hot item, don't be pulled in. You want the rope to fail before you rip the frame or mounts!

I always buy 30ft straps/ropes you want some distance between 5000lb vehicles buy the extra 10ft!

This is fantastic information and despite my experience with rigging as a former commercial diver, the concept of defining the failure point is so enlightening to me and a great concept. Now you have me evaluating the recovery gear I currently have and considering what I might need to replace.

With respect to the Bronco recovery points, how does this all factor in? On my Badlands with modular bumper, I understand the front recovery points are rated by Ford at the Gross Vehicle Weight, which is 6,100 pounds, give or take. I can only assume that's very conservative but that's what we have to work with. How do you factor that in? Same question goes for the rear recovery points (factory hoops), although I'm not sure what they're rated for.

Here's my current inventory. What would you consider changing out? Maybe a lower rating on the soft shackle, and similar rating on the kinetic rope?

• Rhino Soft shackles 1/2” 46,250 lb
• OVS Hard shackles 3/4” 57,000 lb
• OVS Tow strap 3” x 30’ 30,000 lb
• Kinetic rope - TBD

Oh, and for fun, here's an old pic of me when I was in diving school, wearing 196 pounds of vintage 1940s MarkV gear, mullet and all.

 

[Fivefingerheist]

Badland - Harbor Freight Tools

No kinetic rope in the Harbor Freight Badland line, but the strap & soft shackle I'd highly recommend. Also, the 10,000-snatch strap says it does have stretch for that added safety net.

 

[SS Bronco]

So are you suggesting I don’t bring this 30 ton on our next trip?

 

[USAGUY]

. All good information. Im Impressed with the level of thought & time some of your guys put into this topic.
I’m asking for a friend;
He wants to know, If your driving around in your Four door non squash badlands totally stock. And barley ever go off pavement. Maybe occasionally hit the beach with it, and perhaps help someone out of a ditch in a snow storm what recovery gear should he get? Like not $1000 worth more in the 200ish neighborhood.
Thx.

 

[BroncoAZ]

I’m carrying this 7/8” kinetic rope in each of my trucks. It looks like decent quality, but I haven’t had to use one yet.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grip-20-x-7-8-kinetic-tow-rope/t32116

. All good information. Im Impressed with the level of thought & time some of your guys put into this topic.
I’m asking for a friend;
He wants to know, If your driving around in your Four door non squash badlands totally stock. And barley ever go off pavement. Maybe occasionally hit the beach with it, and perhaps help someone out of a ditch in a snow storm what recovery gear should he get? Like not $1000 worth more in the 200ish neighborhood.
Thx.

I carry two 1/2” soft shackles, a 7/8” kinetic rope, a 2” tow strap, and a Glock E tool (military shovel). Total cost is well under $200. Those items will help extract a stuck vehicle with another vehicle in about 80% of situations. All of those items fit in the storage bin and jack compartment under the rear floor. I also carry a decent wilderness first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, a small toolkit, and a Gerber plier multitool.

 

[Snacktime]

With respect to the Bronco recovery points, how does this all factor in? On my Badlands with modular bumper, I understand the front recovery points are rated by Ford at the Gross Vehicle Weight, which is 6,100 pounds, give or take. I can only assume that's very conservative but that's what we have to work with. How do you factor that in? Same question goes for the rear recovery points (factory hoops), although I'm not sure what they're rated for.

Here's my current inventory. What would you consider changing out? Maybe a lower rating on the soft shackle, and similar rating on the kinetic rope?

• Rhino Soft shackles 1/2” 46,250 lb
• OVS Hard shackles 3/4” 57,000 lb
• OVS Tow strap 3” x 30’ 30,000 lb
• Kinetic rope - TBD

We don't really know what the factory recovery points are rated, assumption is they are made with quality steel. So I would put them in the 40-50,000lb category. The first time someone manages to remove it will be interesting to dig into.

However,
Rear mounting Points are mounted by 2 10.9 M14 bolts if I remember correctly will need to check size but I know they are 10.9. So 26977lb per bolt in tensile load so I am guessing in the 50,000lb area or so. Even with 46,000 soft shackles you should be good. This is basic guess-estimation engineering.

I wouldn't run out and change anything you have purchased. I would match the 30,000lb tow strap to a 30,000lb Kinetic rope. That way if you need more rope/strap for a recovery you aren't creating a failure point at one end.

Big thing with metal shackles of that size is not connecting them to anything of lesser strength or using them anyplace but connected to steel.

Really the big thing about this post is to think about what your buying and basic recovery like mounting points.

 

[Snacktime]

I’m carrying this 7/8” kinetic rope in each of my trucks. It looks like decent quality, but I haven’t had to use one yet.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grip-20-x-7-8-kinetic-tow-rope/t32116

Nothing wrong with using cheaper kinetic ropes, I drive over my own rope every now and then. These are consumable products that you want to fail before something bigger does. My Masterpull rope was the off brand when I bought it and now mainstream, times change.

 

[Haelous]

Take away,
If you are new to offroading a 3/4" kinetic rope and 2" wide strap are what you want. Its perfectly fine to break a strap/rope, that just tells you need to rethink how your pulling and that something is not right. I wouldn't buy a 3/8" soft shackle, 7/16" is pretty much the standard and do not buy bigger soft shackles as you don't want to exceed the mounting point (that is how you get flying metal). I always recommend matching straps to kinetic ropes in case you need to use both at the same time try and have them equal strength.

Bigger kinetic ropes are becoming a hot item, don't be pulled in. You want the rope to fail before you rip the frame or mounts!

I always buy 30ft straps/ropes you want some distance between 5000lb vehicles buy the extra 10ft!

I am an off-roading noob. There's some places for muddin, some wood trails, and fire roads around me.

I was looking through most recovery kits, and it seems like a lot do not have kinetic ropes, but straps of the length you're suggesting instead, like the FP:

https://accessories.ford.com/produc...35&nosto=productpage-nosto-1-fallback-nosto-1

Are these correct examples?

• 3/4" kinetic rope - https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/voodo...-with-rope-bag-green-1300009/_/R-HDRD-1300009
• 2" strap - https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/smittybilt-2-x-30-tow-strap-yellow-cc230/_/R-DSBP-CC230
• Soft Shackles 7/16" - https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/bubba...en-and-black-176745progb/_/R-FRSX-176745PROGB

Are there specific brands to purchase or avoid? It seems like 7/16" soft shackles are kinda pricey unless I'm misunderstanding. I see lots of soft ones of different sizes and metal ones for less money?

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/smitt...t-d-ring-shackle-black-13049b/_/R-DSBP-13049B

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/smitt...e-charcoal-gray-rope-13051-b/_/R-DSBP-13051-B

 

[rws]

As more people keep posting about recovery gear I figure we should have a technical discussion.

1)First is making sure you control your failure point! You really want the strap or kinetic rope to be the yield point. People put to much emphasis on getting a big strap, you want to have the strap fail before anything else. This sounds dangerous, but a whipping rope is safer than a fly hitch or shackle.

2)Most receiver hitches are in the 40,000lb break strength, this is not deform and yield area. So at 40,000lbs a hitch can break, so if your new to recovery stepping down to smaller straps is highly recommend.

3)Shackles, you don't need the biggest ones ever made. You want to be under the 40,000lb breaking strength so that the shackle fails before the mount. At this time a 7/16 soft shackle is around 40,000lb breaking point and as big as you want to go for a Bronco(they lose strength as they are used so typical safe to assume they will fail before 40,000lbs). Goal here is to stay under the hitch or mounts strength. A 3/8 soft shackle is around 30,000lbs breaking point and also a good option if paired with the right size rope/strap. Same theory applies to d ring metal shackles, watch the rating(they are all different). I always carry a metal shackle because they don't cut on sharp edges. For a metal shackle you want to stay in the 40,000lb and above area. Metal shackles are rated on working load so a 40,000lb shackle has a factor of safety before failure and safe to use with 40,000lb soft shackle (usually rated to failure strength). I would stay large on metal shackles as if the mounting point fails I rather have hopefully a whole bumper attached to the shackle than the shackle(something to think about when hooking up to pull someone).

4)Strap / Kinetic Rope should have a lower yield than shackles. You are controlling the failure zone to the strap. 1" Kinetic rope is rated to 30,000lbs as large as you want to go. Do not think you need a bigger rope/strap, bigger is not better it just moves the failure. 7/8" Kinetic rope is 25,000lbs followed by a 3/4" Kinetic rope at 20,000lbs. Same with straps a 3" wide strap is good for 30,000lbs and 2" wide strap is good for 20,000lbs.

5) Putting it all together! You want a step down in strength at each connection. You are controlling your failure point (yes the most costly item is the failure point).
7/16" soft shackle (40,000lbs) => 1" or 7/8" or 3/4" kinetic rope (30,000lbs to 20,000lbs)
7/16" soft shackle (40,000lbs) => 3" or 2" wide strap (30,000lbs to 20,000lbs)
3/8" soft shackle (30,000lbs) => 3/4" kinetic rope (20,000lbs)
3/8" soft shackle (30,000lbs) => 2" wide strap (20,000lbs)

Take away,
If you are new to offroading a 3/4" kinetic rope and 2" wide strap are what you want. Its perfectly fine to break a strap/rope, that just tells you need to rethink how your pulling and that something is not right. I wouldn't buy a 3/8" soft shackle, 7/16" is pretty much the standard and do not buy bigger soft shackles as you don't want to exceed the mounting point (that is how you get flying metal). I always recommend matching straps to kinetic ropes in case you need to use both at the same time try and have them equal strength.

Bigger kinetic ropes are becoming a hot item, don't be pulled in. You want the rope to fail before you rip the frame or mounts!

I always buy 30ft straps/ropes you want some distance between 5000lb vehicles buy the extra 10ft!

Greatly appreciate your insights and perspective. Your perspective on breaking rope, strap and/or shackles instead of my (or someone else's) Bronco has made me pause and say, "hmmmm". I need to revisit my recovery gear as I may be "oversized" in my tow straps and soft shackles.

 

[Snacktime]

I am an off-roading noob. There's some places for muddin, some wood trails, and fire roads around me.

I was looking through most recovery kits, and it seems like a lot do not have kinetic ropes, but straps of the length you're suggesting instead, like the FP:

https://accessories.ford.com/produc...35&nosto=productpage-nosto-1-fallback-nosto-1

Are these correct examples?

• 3/4" kinetic rope - https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/voodo...-with-rope-bag-green-1300009/_/R-HDRD-1300009
• 2" strap - https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/smittybilt-2-x-30-tow-strap-yellow-cc230/_/R-DSBP-CC230
• Soft Shackles 7/16" - https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/bubba...en-and-black-176745progb/_/R-FRSX-176745PROGB

Are there specific brands to purchase or avoid? It seems like 7/16" soft shackles are kinda pricey unless I'm misunderstanding. I see lots of soft ones of different sizes and metal ones for less money?

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/smitt...t-d-ring-shackle-black-13049b/_/R-DSBP-13049B

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/smitt...e-charcoal-gray-rope-13051-b/_/R-DSBP-13051-B

I will say buying a kit is not always the best way to go. I would start with just 2 soft shackles, 1 D ring shackle and 2" strap. Add things as you need them and a cheap tool is better than no tool.

Far as brands I just look for good reviews, or a reputable name. I am not going to push any brands as we will get into the China vs Usa debate but if they make winches they usually have decent recovery gear. I don't believe in max quality gear for basic recovery, if you think you need the best you better have help and double redundancy.

 

[darinhouston]

Curious about minimum useful winch capacity - everyone wants a big beefy winch for the look, but I want to hide it and stay minimal - there are some really inexpensive 3-4000# winches - how much do you really need to get a little assist in getting out of a "stuck in the mud" situation and that sort of thing.

 

[Haelous]

I will say buying a kit is not always the best way to go. I would start with just 2 soft shackles, 1 D ring shackle and 2" strap. Add things as you need them and a cheap tool is better than no tool.

Far as brands I just look for good reviews, or a reputable name. I am not going to push any brands as we will get into the China vs Usa debate but if they make winches they usually have decent recovery gear. I don't believe in max quality gear for basic recovery, if you think you need the best you better have help and double redundancy.

Thanks. I'm not too worried about that, I just want something that's not tons of money but safe to use as a first timer. I'd rather have the basics just in case.

That makes me think the Ford Performance Kit is overpriced just because it's Warn, even the basic one.

It looks like the Smittybilt stuff is priced acceptably for a beginner. 2"x20" for $34 or 3"x30" for $46. D-Ring 3/4" for $17.

I don't need a fancy bag, I have an old duffel bag I can throw this stuff in.

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