Author Topic: variable length strap / chain? (Read 4771 times)

Womble · « **on:** March 03, 2015, 02:02:07 pm »

I'm sure somebody will know the answer to this! We moved a static caravan yesterday using a wee come-along winch:

However, it only pulls about 1 metre at a time, so we had to keep chocking the wheels on the van, loosening the come-along, shortening the rope it was attached to and resetting the pull (about 20 times!). It's even worse for recovering anything from a ditch or slope, to the point of being nearly useless IME.

So, short of forking out for a proper winch for the Landy (not going to happen unfortunately), does anybody know where I can get hold of:

a) A multi-loop strap like this, but with a safe working load of about 5 tonnes?

b) A long chain and some shortening hooks like this, so I can walk the load, rather than have to keep releasing the tension to reset it:

c) A hand winch with a longer pull, like this: (not a Tirfor - I really don't like wire cables!)

d) Something else entirely that I haven't thought of yet!

Any ideas folks?

stufe35 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2015, 07:25:52 pm »

Womb le

I'm unclear what you want it for ? To move the caravan some more or to rescue your landrover from ditches.

Why didn't you just hook the landrover onto the caravan ?

Picture a. hasn't uploaded can you try again ?

Womble · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2015, 07:36:08 pm »

Hi Stufe35,

I've used the come-along or hi-lift jack numerous times so far, to rescue other folks from ditches, myself from ditches, the static caravan from a ditch (hmm, trend developing here!). The caravan took 15 minutes to get stuck, and six man-days to get unstuck, since we had to jack all three tonnes of it up onto a contraption and slide it out sideways!

I've also used it to move big rocks, fallen trees, a Rayburn cooker, etc etc.

The reason we couldn't just hitch the static up to the Landy for most of the job is that the van is 34 ft long, and we only just had space for the van, with no room in front for a vehicle. Overall I'm just frustrated with how clunky my current solution has been, and wonder if there's a way to do it better. Also the caravan is only half way to its new home, and necessity is the mother of excessive credit card spending.

Picture a is attached BTW. Shame it didn't upload the first time - it was my favourite

.

stufe35 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2015, 07:45:27 pm »

Though you don't like the tirfor solution I think it's probably the cheapest , maintenance free reliable and most versatile solution. I often fancied one in my old off roading days.

The other thing I fancied was a tow bar mounted winch so you can pull from front or back of vehicle (put tow bar on front bumper of landy) if you google image search "tow bar winch" I see these days there are electric and hand versions. Good because you normally keep the winch in the vehicle or shed out of the weather, so it's more likely to work when you need it. Install electric points front and rear to run one and you'd have a right fancy set up.

stufe35 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 04, 2015, 01:43:14 pm »

Of course the other solution to moving the caravan quick is a long rope and a few pulleys. Fasten pulley to convenient tree (or other anchor point) in direction of pull, another pulley to one side perhaps, thread rope right round and then onto your landy. Drive away carefully in 1st low !

Womble · « **Reply #5 on:** March 04, 2015, 02:30:34 pm »

Darn! that's so obvious - I wish I'd thought of that the other day!

Perhaps there is a Tirfor in my future though. I just wish they weren't as big and bulky to cart around.

stufe35 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 04, 2015, 08:09:35 pm »

Tirfor scan be huge num old things, but I think there's quite a small model suitable for the uses you are thinking of.

Catweazle · « **Reply #7 on:** March 12, 2015, 08:10:47 pm »

I have a few winches: the hand type pictured above I have found next to useless ( very cheaply made ), the Tirfor is excellent but the wire on mine is 20mm thick and difficult to handle, it also takes a "set" if you're not careful to bend it round a large radius pulley. The Tirfor itself is damned heavy ( 4 ton model ). The most useful for me is the chain winch - the type with one endless loop of chain for raising and lowering and a decent length of chain for lifting / pulling. Mine has seen service moving all sorts of equipment into my van, used for tensioning wire fences, and hanging up heavy ewes from the barn RSJs for butchery.

Mine is old, but this is similar: http://www.safetyliftingear.com/products/chainblocks-1-5-tonne--length-options-3mtr-to-30mtr/cb1-5x