Using the Towbar as a recovery point.

[Kevin B]

Hi all,
I totally expect to get smashed for this but here goes, I do not have a hayman Reese style towbar on my Discovery (something im going to soon correct) so I cannot use one of those recovery tongue fittings with the D shackle attached, I understand and am fully aware that attaching anything to the towball bar a trailer is a no no, ive seen the vids and read the forums, mini cannon balls when they break, ok hers my question

Can I REMOVE the towball and put the pin of the D shackle though it and use it as a recovery point now, the tongue is attached to the main bar with 2 bolts which I have recently replaced with high tensile ones as I didnt like the look of the ones on there, can anyone see a problem with this,

Feedback appreciated. .

[Homestar]

Personally, I can't see why not. As you mentioned,the tongue bolts have been replaced, and the hole where the towball goes is plenty big enough for a good sized, rated shackle.

Certainly better than using the tow ball I would think.

Cheers - Gav.

[Eevo]

yes, what you have mentioned is ok, not perfect.

post a pic of your towbar please

[Sue]

Don't put a shackle through the pin as all you are doing there is just adding one more piece that could well fail... but you can (if you don't have or can't use a recovery block) put the pin (or bolts that hold the towball in pace) through the loop in the snatch strap... I have heard of pins bending this way (which would make them very difficult to remove) but have never personally met anyone who has seen it happen ..(it's always been a friend of a friend kind of story)..

[Kevin B]

yes, what you have mentioned is ok, not perfect.

post a pic of your towbar please

Ok ill go snap one tomorrow sometime, thanks

[Hall]

Also to consider is the rating of your tow bar and how it is attached. Then there is the distance from the centere of the hole in the tounge to the edge of the tounge. Will there be enough space when a shackle is fitted for a sling as well ?
Cheers Hall

[Kevin B]

Don't put a shackle through the pin as all you are doing there is just adding one more piece that could well fail... but you can (if you don't have or can't use a recovery block) put the pin (or bolts that hold the towball in pace) through the loop in the snatch strap... I have heard of pins bending this way (which would make them very difficult to remove) but have never personally met anyone who has seen it happen ..(it's always been a friend of a friend kind of story)..

Your assuming I have a HR style towbar I "DO NOT"...the shacke will go throught the hole in the tongue were the towball would normally go...

[Kevin B]

Also to consider is the rating of your tow bar and how it is attached. Then there is the distance from the centere of the hole in the tounge to the edge of the tounge. Will there be enough space when a shackle is fitted for a sling as well ?
Cheers Hall

Thanks, ill try find the rating plate on it and replece the mounting bolts too, also if I need to get a supersize shackle to account for this then I will

[turkeybrain]

While putting the shackle though the plate is a big improvement over using the tow ball, still be very careful about it; things can still go horribly wrong.

As happened to a couple of my mates a few months back...


Note the bent rear door, broken windscreen, and the passenger seat was also badly bent (not visible).



Thankfully there were no injuries.

-Martin

[ramblingboy42]

there are so many variables in a recovery.....it appears your recovery strap is rated higher than your tow hitch mounting bolts, which apparently failed......many people neglect to consider where the weakest link is....and that is not meant to be a personal attack on you turkeybrain. (jeez that sounds like one). my snatch strap is rated below my other hardware purely because of what happened above.....but if the other person has a failure, you may wear it.....its a big double bind......btw suggest you use 8.8 or 10.6 bolts if you havent already.