Winch Recovery - No Trees

**chazza** · 17th July 2010, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by mike_ie

Chazza, I don't suppose you have any pictures of the 3:2:1 setup that you use? I have a fair mental picture of what you are describing, I haven't seen one in action, and I wouldn't mind getting a look....

The only drawing I have Mike is a poor one and subject to copyright, so it wouldn't be much use to post it.

RELEVANT POINTS IN CONSTRUCTING A PICKET HOLDFAST
1. Three star pickets are driven into the ground as close as possible to each other (touching) at an angle of about 45deg. pointing away from the car. The vee-face of the pickets faces the car, so as to maximise the grip in the soil i.e. harder to pull through the ground. The pickets must be at least 1200mm long and buried for 2/3 of their length.
2. About 1m away and directly in line with the direction of pull, two pickets are driven in and the same process is repeated for the last picket. All must slope away from the car and be perfectly in line.
3. A 16mm sisal rope 12m long (in perfect condition) is then tied near to the top of the group of 3 pickets with a clove hitch (we protect the rope from the pickets by wrapping a sandbag around the pickets first). The rope is then passed down to the base of the group of 2 pickets (suitably protected) and returned back to the top of the group of 3. This is repeated until four turns have been completed; an assistant is handy here to keep the turns tight and stop them falling out of place.
4. When the four turns have been done, the excess rope is wound round-and-round (frapping) the turns from the top of the group of 3; the assistant is invaluable for making the frapping quick and easy. The frapping is tied-off with a clove hitch about the turns.
5. The process is repeated with another rope from the group of 2, down to the single picket.
6. The chain or recovery strap is attached to the base of the group of 3 pickets. When the load comes on, watch the base of the pickets for any excessive movement and stop winching if they appear to be losing their grip. I have never had one come loose and a cobber of mine told me that he winched a bogged Land Loser out of a salt lake using this type of holdfast!
7. Star pickets are near to impossible to remove without mechanical assistance, so a simple cam-action device that grips the base of each picket works every time with a hi-lift jack.

SAFETY
1. All ropes; shackles and slings etc. must be rated and in good condition. Natural fibre ropes should not feel soft to the touch and should not smell mouldy - if they are don't use them, because if they break someone will die! Similarly synthetic ropes must be rated and protected from heat; chemicals and sharp edges as with a natural fibre rope.
2. Keep bystanders 1 1/2 cable lengths away from the recovery, in case the rope or hardware breaks.

Cheers Charlie

**alien** · 17th July 2010, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by mike_ie

Chazza, I don't suppose you have any pictures of the 3:2:1 setup that you use? I have a fair mental picture of what you are describing, I haven't seen one in action, and I wouldn't mind getting a look....

Take a look at this...FIELD-ERECTED HOISTING DEVICES @ 1/2 way down the page.
In the 4th pic it shows the snatch block on the top of the leading picket, I was taught it should be on the bottom.
I have never built or taught it using the "rake stake", only fraped it as chazza said.
We used hex pickets so you could loosen them with a shifter when done.
Space each group of pickets the same distance they are in the ground.Ie, 2/3 their length.
If you have the angles right the rope should be at right angles to the pickets.

A couple of other ideas on that link too.
6 pickets that aren't used for much else is a lot of dead weight IMHO.
Don't use a Mag. wheel for burying either, they fracture

I agree that the high lift bar may bend too.

Intersesting thread

**chazza** · 18th July 2010, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by alien d2

Take a look at this...FIELD-ERECTED HOISTING DEVICES @ 1/2 way down the page.
In the 4th pic it shows the snatch block on the top of the leading picket, I was taught it should be on the bottom.

Intersesting thread

Well spotted!

Putting the snatch block where they suggest is the worst possible place, because the load is then gaining maximum leverage on the anchor

The load should always be placed as low as possible to the ground.

I don't like their idea of using a Spanish windlass to tighten the ropes either because it puts unnecessary strain on the rope fibre (twisting) and it will pull the pickets together, which is pointless and may loosen the pickets hold in the ground.

As far as the weight of the recovery gear is concerned i don't think 6 pickets and some rope is too much to bear; the heaviest thing will be a sledge hammer and a winch.

My ideal recovery gear would be a: Tirfor; Hi-lift jack; pickets and rope; and recovery kitbag. The pickets could live under a camper trailer, or in a rack behind a roo-bar, or on a roof-rack.

When the ice outside melts, I will go and find my picket puller and post a photo,

Cheers Charlie

**chazza** · 18th July 2010, 11:24 AM

Here are the photos of the picket puller I made;

[IMG]

The assembled puller - the pointy bit slides over the picket and is dropped as low as it will go, or until it meets the hi-lift jack. If the top of the picket is damaged, the puller can be disassembled and fitted lower down the picket.

[IMG]

The component parts - the pin is a 3/4" Bare-co one, as found at agricultural parts dealers; the pointy bit and lifting block are made from 50 x 10 flat bar; on the block the bottom piece of round bar is to stop the jack slipping off and the piece at the front grips on the picket as the block swivels on the pin. This latter part can be ground after welding it on, until it is a sliding fit on the picket but not too loose.

At the SES depot for training we drive the pickets through bitumen and into heavy clay beneath; the jack and puller always get them out again. This tool is also useful on the farm and can be used by 1 person and requires no other machinery

**woody** · 18th July 2010, 05:51 PM

please be careful with the 3-2-1 picket holdfast according to all the EAM's that have been published they call for the use of "STEEL" pickets not star pickets. The steel pickets they refer to are of 1" diameter and about 5 Foot long and driven in about 2/3 of their lengh.

although star pickets will work they will not have the same safe working load

**windsock** · 20th July 2010, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by mike_ie

Australia, New Zealand - there's a difference?

May have to get you to guide me down some of these tracks when I'm over there after Christmas...

Oh aye, the difference is clear once you're here and not there...

Send us a PM when your plans are sorted. I am sure we can show you around one or two wee spots and maybe even catch a trout or two while there.

Would you be starting your global Land Rover expedition in NZ or is it a flying visit?

**DeeJay** · 20th July 2010, 08:55 PM

There are a few variants.

**spudboy** · 20th July 2010, 10:06 PM

Chazza - this is going to be one of those dumb questions, but I can't see from your pictures what you use to do the pulling on your picket puller. I can see how the grey "V" bit goes around the picket and can grip it.....

Is there some handle you attach to it somehow to get leverage?

Sorry if I have missed something obvious

**chazza** · 21st July 2010, 06:25 AM

G'day Spuddie,
A hi-lift jack fits under the piece with the hole in it, when it is installed on the picket. When you jack, the picket is lifted out of the ground,

Cheers Charlie

**mike_ie** · 21st July 2010, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by windsock

Oh aye, the difference is clear once you're here and not there...

Send us a PM when your plans are sorted. I am sure we can show you around one or two wee spots and maybe even catch a trout or two while there.

Would you be starting your global Land Rover expedition in NZ or is it a flying visit?

No, from here on in, where I go, the Land Rover goes, so I'll be getting it shipped to New Zealand. I'll most certainly drop you a line when I'm in the area.

Thread: Winch Recovery - No Trees

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