What is a Good Way to Attach a Pull Line to a Trailer Hitch on a Pickup Truck?

[squisher]

Ha ha ha. Gary that last photo of your son. I'd be surprised if there isn't a bit of a mischievous streak in that boy of yours.

 

[pantheraba]

Yep...you read that one right.

 

[rfwoody]

Not the same tree.

ha, got it! Thanks Brian.

 

[rfwoody]

You can chain your rope-puller to the hitch.

Three strand is very dynamic. If you break it, it will rocket àpart. A piece of plywood to protect the operator of the puller is advisable for hard pulls. Ropes lose strength.

With anchoring the RP with knotted half- inch rope, as an anchor sling, you are maybe not making the rigging rope the weak link in your system. If your anchor sling breaks, the RP will be part of the rocket.

As Brian said, appropriate line angle, slightly upward to hitch if possible, is important.

Thanks for the safety tip, SeanKroll.
I had wondered about that aspect, but I figured Maasdam sold a lot of these rope pullers and if there were a lot of accidents they wouldn't sell them.... yeah, I know, pretty naive.
Got to get a piece of plywood now.

 

[SkwerI]

I've seen people hang a big towel or something over the pull rope as a precaution against the rope breaking and whipping back into the pull vehicle.

 

[rfwoody]

Order 150-200' of half inch stable braid. Might hurt at first but good equipment always does. 10k breaking.

Thanks Willie. I've got some 3/4"(?) (what I believe is) stable braid.
I like the idea of the rope puller (for smaller things) because I can control it a little better than pulling with my pickup.
But I definitely appreciate the idea of having *more* heavy-duty than less.

 

[rfwoody]

Tirfor over Truck for me , between traction issues and communication , plus slop in the drive train I feel more confident w out rocking the work on the hinge.

ha, maybe one of these days for the Tirfor.
I'm a very small operation.

 

[rfwoody]

Probably hang the porty directly on the ball or small pintle

Ok. I get it now. Thanks!

 

[rfwoody]

I've used a porty plenty when available. I had a monster shackle that I haven't seen for a while, given to me by a customer. I liked that for a connector to a pintle hitch because it was a little fatter, big enough to fit over the ball on a combination hitch (ball and pintle), and would never slip out of a loose pintle. So that was quick, easy and reliable..

When there is no pintle or porty and all you have is a ball hitch for half inch line, I use a doubled bowline, which is like a bowline on a bight, except it has three loops instead of two. Doubled bowline is a great midline knot, the only problem it can have is if one of the tree loops slips off the anchor, then it will lock up hard! And there is a tendency for one loop to slip off a ball hitch, when just laid over top of the ball, especially with a high angle of the pull line. So it's much better to drop the three loops over the side of the bar, using the ball to hold the top of the loops and the nut on the bottom of the ball to hold the bottom of the loops... ( a picture would be so much easier) Then to ensure that one of the loops doesn't slip off, use the tail of the rope to whip the loops with a couple of doubled half hitches.... Again picture would be better...

Fairly quick and easy, and 100% reliable, and will never lock up...

I think I get this concept exactly from your description, murphy4trees. Thanks!

 

[rfwoody]

Here is one years ago when Alex and I used a porty on his Bronco to belay a broken limb:

Thanks Gary. That picture with the portawrap affixed to the bumper with that large carabiner device totally explained what I wasn't getting. Thanks!

 

[rfwoody]

I've seen people hang a big towel or something over the pull rope as a precaution against the rope breaking and whipping back into the pull vehicle.

Thanks Brian. Yes I have too and I have done it before, and heard it a lot, but something in me always is wondering if this is a real thing or just an old wives tale if it really works.
But thanks for reminding me!

 

[SeanKroll]

I've seen people hang a big towel or something over the pull rope as a precaution against the rope breaking and whipping back into the pull vehicle.

You can use chaps, ropes (including the one you're winching with, etc to this end. Good point to bring up, Brian.




An emt I know arrived at an truck in ditch scenario. The teens had used a second truck and attached to the bumper ball, or something. Pulled and ripped the ball of the of the stuck vehicle bumper, and it flew into the cab of the pull vehicle, killing an 18 y.o. (or close to that story).

 

[Al Smith]

FWIW 3 strand nylon has about 70 percent elongation limit.The strands will be about parallel .Way back when I wore the bell bottom blues we used to splice 17" of white line ahead of our eye splice ,spaced at 10" apart on our 2" nylon mooring lines .When those strands were just about parallel the white line was tight .Made me a tad bit nervous .

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've seen people hang a big towel or something over the pull rope as a precaution against the rope breaking and whipping back into the pull vehicle.

If I had to do that, I would try to rethink my Plan.

 

[Mick!]

The towel/chaps thing over the wire/rope is a standard practice for winching (at least it was when we did some stuff about it at college)

 

[pete mctree]

I usually hang something on the pull line if it is going to be a heavy pull - a coat usually. It is amazing how much energy is stored in a line prior to failure

 

[squisher]

Or like when I pulled my barn down with my tractor, I wore a motorcross helmet and a big baggy winter jacket. You know just in case.

 

[SeanKroll]

I duck down behind my mini when its time. I've broken one old rope with the mini, right at the knot, in a no-worry situation. I was happy to have a lot of steel between me and it.



Why would you re-think it, Butch?



One item of clothing would seem to only effect the one side of the break.

I have a 4x8 sheet of plywood cut into (4) 2'x4' panels, hinged with para-cord. I've slipped the rope through a gap in the folding screen at the pulling area and into my Maasdam. The hinging nature of the screen allow it to bend and self-support.
The screeen is dirt cheap, and useful for all sorta of things. 3/8". Last week, used it two layers thick over an exposed irrigation hose for the Arbor Trolley to roll over. Stump grinding screen. Various shielding, like over lights shining up at the base of the tree, windows, etc. Backstop for chipping on-site.

 

[MasterBlaster]

If it's a SOP safety thing, no problemo.

But if I thought I was actually gonna break the rope, that's when I'd want to rethink it.

 

[SeanKroll]

I think of it as added safety in case something unforeseen happens, still keeping in mind the WWL.

I remember really covering the winch cable on the front of the bucket truck once, when it was really tight. I was ducked down behind the dashboard operating the winch. No problem, extra insurance.

 

[MasterBlaster]

It makes plenty of sense!

 

[Limbrat]

I built a bollard that plugs into the hitch receiver. Works good for pulling or lowering.

 

[stig]

That would be the best way to do it.
Unfortunately my truck doesn't have a hitch reciever.

 

[Altissimus]

If there's another Tree around I anchor to ... Truck pulls and anchors are last resort to me if I'm running the show. Big shackle makes the day though when it's someone else's show who prefers the Truck. ( Ball , even Pintle hitches just aren't designed for anything but trailering IMO )

 

[SeanKroll]

I flip my pintle hitch, pulling up into the hook, rather than against the gate, if I don't have a horizontal pull.