Winter is coming...

[subquark]

Another option is four studded snows on steelies. I know ME allows them and I think NH does too

I believe NH does too, there are certainly enough out there that, if they don't, they don't enforce it.

In all my years of living in Canada, I've never had studded tires and I bet they grip like crazy!

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[SigOris]

I believe NH does too, there are certainly enough out there that, if they don't, they don't enforce it.

In all my years of living in Canada, I've never had studded tires and I bet they grip like crazy!

i think I replied on another post that four snow, steelies, and temps sensors at tirerack was about $1300.00 and I admit it’s easy to spend other’s money

 

[subquark]

i think I replied on another post that four snow, steelies, and temps sensors at tirerack was about $1300.00 and I admit it’s easy to spend other’s money

Not a bad price for a lot of piece of mind! Thanks!

 

[Canadian Ranger]

One written by a proffessional, and notarized? Sure. Bulletproof.

But whose to say I give you my real name? Whose to say I don't ask you to sign a release because my recovered car might roll into you? Whose to say a judge might think a dude rolling around with liability releases in his truck has put enough thought into this to require professional insurance?

Just pull out your phone and record a quick video of both parties saying that this is a mutual agreement and both parties acept responsibility for their own losses.

Or better yet, give them a ride down the road somewhere safe and warm. Offer them a phone if they need to make a call. Or a warm cab to wait in while a pro gets there.

Makes sense.

Good idea. Wonder what my boss would think of an axe on my milktruck?

Your boss shouldn't say anything, It's a tool, just like a shovel is.

 

[GTGallop]

I have...

• The D-Shackle in the hitch receiver all of the time.
• A static tow strap that's like 30 to 50 feet long.
• An E-Tool (shovel)
• Snow Chains for the REAR only (not enough clearance in the front with the Spindle)

Why does a guy in phoenix need with winter gear? Well Arizona is two states from a climate perspective. Around Phoenix or "the Valley of the Sun" as it is known (actually a larger area that includes Maricopa County, Pinal, Yuma, and La Paz) ranges in elevation from 400 feet above sea level to about 2000 feet above sea level. This is where AZ gets it's hotter than Satan's Nut Sack reputation. easily 115 to 120 in the summer and in the winter only as low as 35 on freak occasions. Once every 5 years we get a light dusting of snow.

But North of Phoenix, literally 20 minutes north of my house, it goes from 1,800 feet above sea level to 5,000 feet real quick and with that elevation change, the weather changes too. Eventually you end up in Flagstaff at 7,500 feet. The rule of thumb is that Northern AZ is usually 10 to 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix, so Northern AZ is no stranger to sub freezing temps and lots of snow. And that's where all the cool shit to do is located.

 

[JohnnyO]

Tow hook that slides into the hitch receiver and a 20' tow strap with loops. Loops are safer than hooks. Last used two years ago to pull my wife's minivan out of a drainage ditch she slid into despite the four Blizzak snow tires. Lots of steep hills in western PA.
Probably should get some D-rings but I don't off-road any more.
Problem with relying on AAA or whoever, that's not real good when there's a blizzard or ice storm and they can't get to you for 8 hours so you need to take care of your own self. We don't get that too much here but I lived briefly in the Northern Tier of NY state and been in some bad sh*t.

 

[Synfulz]

Yepp winter is here. ????
It is getting quite cool tonight

 

[Msfitoy]

Yup...God forbid, if it snows here in central NC, store shelves are emptied the night before and everything shuts down...snow day,on the way to work, everyone is driving 30mph on the right lane leaving the left wide open for me to set cruise control at 70mph...I get to work and the only people there are from Michigan, like me...by noon, the snow's melted and just a memory...but the schools will be closed until further notice...

 

[Cabose-1]

I use this. I have used the red hooked hitchb3 times. Twice to pull out full sized trucks and once to be recovered. The other shiny d ringed hitch is a harbor freight 20 dollar cheap recovery point, have used it to pull out one full size and used it to tow a small suv and car. All haved worked as advertised. Did some small momentum pulls with the red hook and it worked great. The rope is a tow rope, not kinetic, and is too short, but all i have. And have used it for years. Broke it pulling a tree stump. With the cheap harbor freight hook. Dont know the brand of the red hook. Got it for sale on Amazon day. All the recoverys i do are tow, not momentum. Do not have a rope for momentum. Carry my old army folding shivel in truck. For recovery too

 

[canyonslicker]

My experience with “helping “ someone out because of their dumbass. A group of about 25 years old guys got stuck at a top of a mountain because they punched a hole in their oil pan because they shouldn’t be driving a Subaru wrx in rocky terrain. I towed them seven miles with a tow strap down the mountain and another 6 miles of road to a phone to call a tow company. I disconnected them put the gear away. So I asked “any tip for the truck and driver?” The owner looked at me and said “f’ no now I have to pay for a tow truck” I wish I would have just left them stranded and the owner of the store heard the conversation and told them to pound sand when they wanted to use his phone. I also gave them a piece of my mind as well. Yeah dirtbags…

next a young kid with a buddy and 2 girls hit a water hole too deep and got stuck, about a foot above the door sill on the driver side but passenger side above water. Nice clean and not wet bunch, yet. I told him for 40 bucks I’ll pull you out. Not a problem then I told him he had to get in the water to his truck up. I got the FU look so I said cash up front or I m leaving, Got my money and watched him squirm in the water to hook it up. Clean pull no damage but it’s amazing these people think 40 bucks is too much when it have cost them well over 300 bucks for a tow company.

 

[Msfitoy]

Don't let this happen to you or someone you're trying to help...

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

I spend a lot of time over the winters at the dairy helping drivers who've managed to get themselves stuck.

I've always found a flat edge to be best for hard packed snow and ice. Like this garden spade...

.

Round headed shovels never worked as well for me as the flat edge. You're relying upon the blunt force of the tiny point to break that stuff up.

Whereas, with the flat edge above you have 7 ¼" of contact area when used for "chopping ice."

This one...

...won't get more than a couple of inches contacting the ice unless you penetrate pretty deep.

Am I missing something?

I carry a long handle round mouth (Fiskars Pro 60 inch) because most snow stuck or ditched vehicles are a snow depth/volume problem, more so than an ice problem. Round mouth is generally easier to remove snow, especially if you are reaching underneath the vehicle. A spade does cut better, but less effective at pulling material out from under something.

 

[D Fresh]

I carry a long handle round mouth (Fiskars Pro 60 inch) because most snow stuck or ditched vehicles are a snow depth/volume problem, more so than an ice problem. Round mouth is generally easier to remove snow, especially if you are reaching underneath the vehicle. A spade does cut better, but less effective at pulling material out from under something.

That makes sense. Most of the extractions I deal with are ice related. Although I haven't had issues with a spade when it comes to volume. Also, once you remove the majority of snow you'll usually find a nice layer of ice from the stuckee trying to self extract. If still on a paved surface that is. Spade comes in handy to remove that. Maybe I'll start carrying both.

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

im not saying or claiming a pin is the best choice. it is not. however, the pin is a much better, safer and stronger option than placing a strap or chain over a hitch ball or hook. hitch balls are not designed for the type of stress involved with recovery. here is an image of the result of an attempted recovery using a strap over a hitch ball. from what ive read this happens several times every year in the states. results in injury or death. in this case the driver was impaled direct to his face and head. his wife and kid were in the truck and watched it happen... soap box point is if you do not have the correct stuff to do recovery safely do not do it. if you must try recovery and use a pin in the hitch, a ruined hitch is a lot easier to deal with than injury or death.

The problem in this event wasn't the hitch or ball, but the drop adapter being used, and how far they exceeded the capacity rating. He had an ?8" drop receiver rated for ?7,000 lbs to pull a ?9,000lbs vehicle that was stuck in ?2.5 feet of mud, which effectively doubled the weight of the vehicle.

With that said, I'd agree a hitch ball is not ideal, but in that particular case they well exceeded every rating on every component. The adapter broke at the receiver not the tow ball. That sent a ?30lb piece of steel flying through the air, but the tow ball is still fully intact.

Here is a video showing what it takes to break a tow ball. The first ball takes 8 attempts which he notes the ball was damaged and loose after the 7th attempt. The video IMO shows that unless you are a complete moron using unbelievably stupid methods, with damaged gear in your recovery attempt, they are perfectly capable.



It's also worth noting a winter snow recovery isn't the same as a 3/4T monster buried in mud recovery weighing in at 15,000+lbs. 2-3,000 lbs of pull is generally enough to get your average car out of a ditch, and a 6,000 lbs tow ball is more than adequate.

 

[Friday yet?]

Yup...God forbid, if it snows here in central NC, store shelves are emptied the night before and everything shuts down...snow day,on the way to work, everyone is driving 30mph on the right lane leaving the left wide open for me to set cruise control at 70mph...I get to work and the only people there are from Michigan, like me...by noon, the snow's melted and just a memory...but the schools will be closed until further notice...

I lived in Charlotte for many years. PERFECT description of a snow day. Except I think the right lane folks are running 20 mph at best... while maintaining a white knuckle grip on the wheel.

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