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My truck just proved itself big time

Kittamaru

By Kittamaru,
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Kittamaru NPORA Old-Timer

Kittamaru

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Woo, NorthEast PA just got slammed... and as I was bringing my fiance's sister and her baby home, we came across a big snag - a dozen or so cars had wiped out on a big hill.

 

Being the chivalrous sap I am, I got out and started pushing... pushed half a dozen cars up a 1/8th mile long hill (by hand... alone... cause apparently none of the other guys around could help... :thumbsdown: ) and the other half managed to turn around and go back. When our local DoT and plow/salt trucks came, the first thing they said to me was "We need you to move your vehicle"... I'm like uh... the people in front of me can't move, those behind me are barely able to turn around, and YOUR OWN DAMN PLOWS are skidding around and sliding down the hill... but I got in, 4x4 Low and left, bringing my sister-in-law and her kid home.

 

On my way home, I helped a little Latino girl who barely understood english get up an even bigger hill... finally managed to make her understand that she had to stay half off the road and in the grass where I could get a foothold to push her up the hill.

 

Oh, and my truck? Might as well been on dry pavement for as well as she handled :D

 

From now on, I'm carrying a heavy chain and a waiver form with two options.

 

1) For $10-20, I'll dig your car out, spread salt, and push you out by hand.

 

2) For free, I'll hook a chain to your vehicle and pull your ass out. However, I won't be liable for any damages that may occur during the tow.

 

I'm going to carry a few dozen waivers with me in my glove box from now on.

 

Oh, and the chain is a 25 ft length of I think 7/8ths inch thick link. Was more than enough to pull tree stumps out, so should work great for pulling other cars out :D

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nunya NPORA Old-Timer

nunya

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If your more north than I-80 I can belive getting it a little worse, but south of 80 wasn't exactly slammed, just enough to make the roads icy and make non-drivers cause mishap. I got home with ease in 2wd, having to go around spun out awd's and phsycos. Did lead to som eamusement for me though after I got home, watching everyone on my bend...

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Kittamaru
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Kittamaru

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If your more north than I-80 I can belive getting it a little worse, but south of 80 wasn't exactly slammed, just enough to make the roads icy and make non-drivers cause mishap. I got home with ease in 2wd, having to go around spun out awd's and phsycos. Did lead to som eamusement for me though after I got home, watching everyone on my bend...

 

 

Well, only reason I needed 4x4 was

 

1) My tyres (BFG A/T's) are more for off road than snow I think

2) Starting from a stop on an ice-covered 40 degree up slope with other vehicles in close proximity on either side... didn't want to risk spinning and hitting them :)

 

And we're far south of I-80... but we got mostly ice and low temps (plus our road crews weren't out before it hit... and when they DID get out they were sliding around... bunch of muppets XD). We're at the I-81/I-83 split off Route 76 (PA Turnpike) exit 247. Eg, Harrisburg PA :) Bunch of ice with a few CM of snow on top of it with a lot of stupid people :)

 

And, I guess technically I should say "For this time of Year we just got slammed"... we don't normally even have flurries till after Christmas... least we haven't the last few years (excluding last year when we had lots of ICE storms... heh)

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RedPath88 NPORA Old-Timer

RedPath88

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1) For $10-20, I'll dig your car out, spread salt, and push you out by hand.

Make sure that covers your time, materials and their attitude!

 

2) For free, I'll hook a chain to your vehicle and pull your ass out. However, I won't be liable for any damages that may occur during the tow.

 

 

I gotta say, your cheap... lol

 

 

I used to do that with my yota (have not done much with the Pathy) and my "fee" was based more on the situation and THEM. The more attitude they had the more I asked for. If they were to big of an ass then I would wish them luck and leave. I did it for free many tiems and only a couple times did I refuse any payment, all but one was because it took next to nothing to get them out.

 

The other was when I pulled a lady all the way up a big hill... she was a wreck, not the car, her... she was fresh out of the hospital with a newborn, her husband was supposed to pick her up but never showed and she could not get a hold of him and she had no family in the area (this all according to her of course) But two things were for sure, she could not make it up the hill and she did have a newborn in the car.

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zonianbrat NPORA Old-Timer

zonianbrat

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Good on ya for helping people out. I did it two years ago when we got like 3' of snow over 3 days. My opinion though would be to get a nice tow strap. I've seen a chain brake and it is scary. I am not saying that it would break as it sounds like a somewhat stout chain. I just believe in being safe. Plus chains gets to be a pita after you have used it a few times in the snow and it's all cold and wet. Not to mention the rust factor.

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Precise1 NPORA Old-Timer

Precise1

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From now on, I'm carrying a heavy chain and a waiver form with two options.

 

1) For $10-20, I'll dig your car out, spread salt, and push you out by hand.

 

2) For free, I'll hook a chain to your vehicle and pull your ass out. However, I won't be liable for any damages that may occur during the tow.

 

Fair enough, but I'd just go with a flat rate or it's for free...

 

My opinion though would be to get a nice tow strap.

 

Absolutely!! Don't bother monkeying with chains...

 

what is snow?

 

Yeah, that's the other option... Why live there is my question... :D

 

B

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Kittamaru
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Kittamaru

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I used to have a nice tow strap actually... was a nice nylon, flat-weave strap rated for I don't remember how much. Was enough to pull an F350 out of a snowbank though.

 

Wound up snapping it trying to help a some wannabe with a wannabe SUV... looked like the Nissan Xterra or Rogue, but was only front wheel Drive (think it was a Ford).

 

The idiot driver NEGLECTED to inform me his rear wheels were frozen to the ground by 2 inches of ice. He just asked if I could help him "get over this hump".

 

We'd had a bad ice storm earlier (I'd say at least a good 2-3 inches on everything) and I saw where he was surrounded on all sides by a little wall of ice where his truck had gotten covered by left him boxed in. Didn't even think to check his rear tires since his fronts were spinning freely.

 

Hooked him up, reveresed out, engaged 4x4, and picked up the slack. Told him to steer towards me (was about a 30 degree angle due to the road design) and to give it a little gas. Checked to make sure the road was clear behind me and gave him a tug - nothing happened, all four wheels spun. So I pulled up a little, and gave him a tug - the nylon rope split in the middle. :owned:

 

I don't remember what it was rated for, but it was, as I said, strong enough to pull a F350 out of a snowbank it had nicely burried it's plow into... so I knew there was a problem. Got out to look around his truck and sure enough :angry: dippy driver's rear wheels were frozen solid by nearly an inch and a half, maybe 2 inches of ice.

 

I told him about it and he said, and I quote:

"Oh, I didn't think that mattered" :suicide::stickwack:

 

Next time I buy myself a true tow strap, it'll be at a minimum 15,000 pounds with a block n tackle. Oh, and I'm also sure to examine peoples vehicles now :itsallgood:

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adamzan NPORA Old-Timer

adamzan

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Good job, last time I went to pull some friends out, the police came, stopped me, and told me I wasn't allowed, because "I'd never get it out". It was a jetta just barely in the ditch. Dumb cops...

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BowTied NPORA Old-Timer

BowTied

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I pulled a jetta out of the heavy shyte the plough had put at the side of the road. I warned her (in front of a cop that eventually showed up) that I was happy to help, but I would not be responsible for any damage.

 

I pulled her out by hooking on the tow hook at the rear - once moving, the front bumper cover caught the hard packed snow and ripped it right off. :D Typical Jetta, they are only held on with like 4 plastic rivits...

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zonianbrat NPORA Old-Timer

zonianbrat

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Next time I buy myself a true tow strap, it'll be at a minimum 15,000 pounds with a block n tackle. Oh, and I'm also sure to examine peoples vehicles now :itsallgood:

 

 

Go to a farm supply store. They have straps that are rated for like 80k + lbs for pulling stuck semi's and tractors etc. 15,000 lbs is really not alot for a tow strap. I have a cheapo (kinda like a harbor frieght) nylon flat weave strap that is rated at 12,000 lbs and I would not rely on that to pull somebody out from being stuck in mud/snow. I trust it to tow somebody a short distance with no obstruction of being stuck. They can get kinda pricey depending on how much they are rated for but if you go ahead and spend a little $ on a good one then you wont have to worry about it ever. Here is a website containing good tow/recovery straps.

http://www.uscargocontrol.com/recoverytows...CFQrFGgodGiIeiw

 

I'm just throwing this out there becuause you said you are willing to help people any time they need it which I think is a good thing. If you think your going to be doing it often enough then why not buy a strap that you will never have to worry about when pulling somebody out, or when you get stuck yourself. I have been using an old semi strapping strap for the last 3 years that I got from work. It is rated at like 16,000lbs or something like that. It was old and last year when I pulled out my father in law's ranger it broke. I had enough of it where I just tied another loop and it still works. I will be buying a nice one here one day when I get actually get back to goin wheelin once in a while. I will probably not buy one rated for less than 40,000 lbs+. I have a small flat tote that I keep mine in also. It helps out cause even a strap will get wet and covered in snow and it makes am mess just being in the back of your pathfinder. Chain on the other hand gets to be a pita after pulling out just one person cause it gets wet and extremely cold. Not to mention it is heavy! Plus if your roads use alot of salt it just makes it rust 10 times faster. you can prolong the rust by rinsing them off with warm water every time your done using them but that sucks too! I have used both chains and straps. My buddy only used chains in his K-5 Blazer to pull people out. I helped out a few times and it was just a pita. Not to mention I forgot gloves like an idiot so my hands were absolutely frozen to the core after handling that chain.

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Kittamaru
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Kittamaru

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Yeah, the chain is a heavy SOB at it's length... plus it uses bolts to secure the hooks to the ends, which concerns me.

 

I'll have to look into those semi recovery straps... any ideas for a recovery system? Block+tackle setup?

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Mr. Pickles NPORA Old-Timer

Mr. Pickles

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Woo, NorthEast PA just got slammed... and as I was bringing my fiance's sister and her baby home, we came across a big snag - a dozen or so cars had wiped out on a big hill.

 

Being the chivalrous sap I am, I got out and started pushing... pushed half a dozen cars up a 1/8th mile long hill (by hand... alone... cause apparently none of the other guys around could help... :thumbsdown: ) and the other half managed to turn around and go back. When our local DoT and plow/salt trucks came, the first thing they said to me was "We need you to move your vehicle"... I'm like uh... the people in front of me can't move, those behind me are barely able to turn around, and YOUR OWN DAMN PLOWS are skidding around and sliding down the hill... but I got in, 4x4 Low and left, bringing my sister-in-law and her kid home.

 

On my way home, I helped a little Latino girl who barely understood english get up an even bigger hill... finally managed to make her understand that she had to stay half off the road and in the grass where I could get a foothold to push her up the hill.

 

Oh, and my truck? Might as well been on dry pavement for as well as she handled :D

 

From now on, I'm carrying a heavy chain and a waiver form with two options.

 

1) For $10-20, I'll dig your car out, spread salt, and push you out by hand.

 

2) For free, I'll hook a chain to your vehicle and pull your ass out. However, I won't be liable for any damages that may occur during the tow.

 

I'm going to carry a few dozen waivers with me in my glove box from now on.

 

Oh, and the chain is a 25 ft length of I think 7/8ths inch thick link. Was more than enough to pull tree stumps out, so should work great for pulling other cars out :D

 

 

Excellent arrangement, and kudos for your helping out the strangers.

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k9sar NPORA Old-Timer

k9sar

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In the winter, along with my normal strap, I have a heavy-equipment tiedown chain that I found out in new Mexico. I'll always stop to pull someone out of the ditch or snow unless they seem to have too much damage to be able to continue to drive. All for free but I have them crawl under to attach the strap to their vehicle. With payment comes responsibility. Stronger case against me if I charged someone and yanked their bumper off their little rice burner. Another reason I let them hook it up.

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Kittamaru
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Kittamaru

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Most of the people round here I rescue are older (60+) drivers who's vehicle can't handle a hill or somesuch. I think for the most part a 20k, 16' nylon strap would work fine for the hill-helpers, and the heavy chain for the real stuck crowd :)

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