Car accidents can happen on the road whether it’s your fault or not. Moreover, you may come across vehicles stuck on the road that may need your help towing them out. This is where using recovery straps becomes necessary. It is important to take proactive measures to deal with inconvenient situations in the middle of the road. You can do this by keeping all the useful tools and auto accessories including recovery straps in your car.
How to Use a Recovery Strap
Made from nylon, recovery straps are available in different sizes. Some straps are as wide as 12 inches while others are 2-3 inches long. As for length, recovery strays are 30 inches long in general. However, there are straps available in lengths of 16, 20 and 25 inches. The size of the recovery strap depends on the vehicle that needs to be towed. Pulling a large vehicle like a truck will require a wider strap than usual. On the other hand, towing a regular car requires a regular-sized towing strap.
Now that you know about what this strap is made of, let’s discover the right way for using recovery straps:
- Lay the car recovery strap flat on the ground. It shouldn’t be folded or twisted
- Each end of the strap has two hooks. Attach one hook to the mount that is located below the stuck vehicle’s rear bumper
- Do not try to attach the hook to the rear bumper itself. The bumper might not be able to handle the pressure. This can also damage the rear bumper. If you cannot determine where the exact mount is, refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual. Trailer hitches will have a spot to place the hook as well.
- Attach the other hook to the mount located beneath the front bumper of the pulling vehicle
- After securing both hooks, both drivers can start their cars
- The pulling vehicle should move forward at a slow pace to straighten out the strap to its full extent
- The vehicle that is pulling the other car should drive at a safe slow speed to reach the nearest destination
- Keep protecting the strap from rubbing against sharp edges
When to Use a Recovery Strap
Recovery straps are used to recover vehicles that are stuck. These straps also known as snatch straps are made from nylon fabrics that are really stretchy. These with loops on each end have the power to take a vehicle out of a situation where it’s stuck. Don’t try using a tow strap for the purpose of recovery because tow straps are not as elastic as recovery straps and might just damage both vehicles.
Using recovery straps becomes necessary in the following conditions:
- When a car stops or breaks down on an unknown road with no auto shops or mechanics around
- Off-roading vehicles getting stuck on rocky terrains, desserts or ditches
Additionally, apart from using recovery straps, here are a few tips to help take your car bogged in sand.
Difference Between a Tow and Car Recovery Strap
Many people think tow straps and recovery straps are interchangeable terms – they are not. There is a difference between the two straps. The most prominent difference is in the elasticity of fabric. Tow straps are made of less-stretchy polyester, and their main purpose is to tow a freely moving car behind another car.
You should not try to recover a stuck vehicle with a tow strap as it’s less stretchy and can break off easily.
On the other hand, recovery straps are made to handle the pressure of recovering a jammed vehicle out of a problematic situation. These straps have metal hooks on each end are used to recover regular cars as well as off-roading vehicles.
That is all about using recovery straps, the difference between a car towing and a car recovery strap and when each of them are to be used. Here are a few general car towing tips.
If after getting your stuck vehicle recovered you came across several damages that are either beyond repair or too costly, it is best to consider buying another vehicle. Take a look at this list of used cars for sale in the UAE and buy a car of your choice.
If you’re into everything cars, stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more on car parts and solutions.
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