Apologies if this is not the proper NG for this question.
>
> Here in Australia we use our 4WDs in a lot of offroad
> situations where we can become bogged and one of
> the ways of extracting a bogged vehicle is a Snatchum
> Strap; basically a piece of elasticated webbing about
> 10m long and 75mm wide. One end of the snatchum is
> attached to the bogged vehicle and the other end is
> attached to the towing vehicle parked about 5m away
> to allow slack in the snatchum. The towing vehicle drives
> away moderately quickly takes up the slack in the
> snatchum then stretches it and "snatches" the bogged
> vehicle out - we hope! :)
>
> My vehicle has a closed loop tow hook and the Snatchum
> also has a closed loop on each end, the usual way to
> connect snatchum to vehicle is a metal D shackle, which
> although pretty tough does have the notable drawback
> that if it, or the tow hook break you have 1kg of metal
> doing it's own thing at very high energy! My (perhaps
> not so :) brilliant idea is to thread the snatchum loop
> through my tow loop and connect the two with a piece
> of 25mm hardwood dowel. So the dowel will be pressed
> against the two sides of my tow loop (about 60mm apart)
> and the snatchum will exert all it's force against that
> section of the dowel.
>
> I appreciate there are so many unknown variables in
> this it's impossible to calculate with any accuracy if
> the dowel will break but I would appreciate group
> experience as to whether the idea is _completely_
> doomed to failure or whether it might work. I'm thinking
> that even if the dowel does break it's not going to be
> anywhere near as dangerous as a broken D shackle.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Mike Harding
Try this link
formatting link