Tow rope- it's extremely useful thing which should be in every car. If you get stuck, a tow rope can be a lifesaver to help get your car out. If the car breaks down, then the tow strap will save at least a thousand rubles that you would have to spend on a tow truck to take the car to a safer place. Therefore, you should not skimp on buying such a cable - fortunately, it costs from 100 rubles (however, here you should also think about the quality of goods and remember the saying about the miser who pays twice, because the belts are torn, wear out at the most inopportune moment, and their cheap models may simply not have special hooks at the ends). Therefore, carefully approach the issue of buying a towing cable.
At correct use, a tow strap (mostly heavy duty nylon rope with hooks at each end) will last long years. And using it incorrectly, you can damage not only the cable itself, but also your car.
Where to attach the tow rope to the back of the car?
Most vehicles have a strong attachment point at the rear of the vehicle. It is usually located under the bumper or inside it (in this case it is closed plastic lid directly on the bumper, which is easily removed with a screwdriver) and is a ring. In addition, if the attachment point is inside the bumper, special extensions are often included in the kit (look for their presence, most likely in the organizer where the spare wheel is located), which are twisted into the attachment point of the tow strap. In any case, we recommend that you carefully study the service book for this part.
Attach one end of the cable to this anchor point.
Where to attach the tow rope to the front of the car?
Now you will need to attach the belt to the front of the car that needs help. Again, here should be similar towing hook(most often a steel loop) installed directly under the bumper or inside the bumper, similarly to the rear. Moreover, it is in front that most often in modern cars such a hook is hidden inside the bumper.
Now that you have both ends secure, you are ready to tow. There are a few things to remember:
- Never tow a vehicle without a driver.
- Never use the tow rope for towing at high speeds.
- Soft, smooth movements of cars - a guarantee that the belt will not break at the most inopportune moment.
One more thing: very often the attachment points of the towing cable are not in the center of the car, so you should not forget about the simple laws of physics - if the driving force is not in the center, then the car will slightly pull in the direction from which the distance to the attachment point is greater ( if, for example, the attachment point is located a little to the right, as in the figure above, then the towed vehicle will pull not only forward, but also to the left). This will be especially noticeable when starting and braking, and even more noticeable - in winter period and on a slippery road, and on both cars. Therefore, you should never brake sharply on a towed (as well as on a towing) car, as well as accelerate sharply.
And yet, never attach a towing strap to those places that are not intended for this - you can easily tear off these very places when trying to tow, especially the bumper - remember, modern cars have mostly plastic bumpers.
A tow rope can lie around in the trunk for years, and when you need to not be at hand. steel rope, nylon rope and tape from synthetic fibers- Varieties of tow ropes. A few tips on how to choose and tie a tow rope.
When towing, the cable is not heavily loaded, but when jerking, the effort is comparable to the weight of the car. There are no standards for cable strength. The rules have only a safe length: from 4 to 6 meters.
The steel cable is the weakest. It can withstand a little more than 700 kilograms. By the way, four pairs of women's tights can withstand a load greater than such a cable.
The nylon rope withstands 2 times greater loads and breaks at about 1300 kilograms. It is better to fasten the cable with a balloon. The usual knot will be tightened and the rope will have to be cut. Good for emergencies knot"bayonet".
The most durable is a nylon tape, such a cable can withstand about 2000 kilograms.
Video
See also review - tow rope test. There are more than detailed information on the reliability and performance of cables.
The tow rope is relevant not only in construction work, we recall that thanks to it, very huge loads are dragged, but it is an important attribute for lovers of roads, outdoor advertising, maritime navigation. Therefore, you always need to make the right choice and purchase one that will be more powerful, and therefore more reliable. A cheap product is made of low quality material, so it wears out quickly. Its wear is affected by temperature fluctuations, mechanical damage, damp.
So there are two options right choice towing cable: either make it yourself or buy it in a store. Both paths are correct.
1. Materials for creating a cable
Towing ropes differ in the material of manufacture. Modern manufacturers offer the following materials to create a rope: stainless steel (i.e. coiled steel wires) and synthetic materials (this is kevlar and nylon). The first type is very strong and reliable, however, its main disadvantage is rigidity and flexibility. When making a choice on a stainless steel cable, it is necessary to take into account the traction force. Since it steel product, it poses a danger to a person at the time of the break. The injury can be serious. By the way, good cables are made of anti-corrosion and heat-resistant steel. Then such a product is durable and it is able to fulfill its main purpose - securing cargo and lifting equipment. The cost of such a cable is democratic compared to what is made of synthetic material.
And now a few words about synthetic cables. They are safer because the tension of the synthetic rope is stronger. Therefore, these cables are very popular among drivers, as well as specialists who use them in the course of their work. Now in more detail. Synthetic towing cable is made from PVC, Kevlar or nylon fibers. Synthetic cables can be both twisted and made in the form of a pigtail. This is a special type of weaving made from synthetic fibers. When making a ribbon cable, specialists use different types sewing materials from synthetic threads.
The following is important: the strength of the Kevlar cable is not inferior to steel.The trouble is this: it is short-lived, so it fails over time. But PVC and nylon cables are durable. However, they also have their own drawback - they are not always able to withstand the declared load, therefore, they are torn as a result of an attempt to move a two-ton car.
By the way, in the process of creating a cable, it is important from what material its core is made. It can be organic or metallic. The first provides elasticity and flexibility to the rope, and the second increases its structural strength.
The weak point of the tow rope is hooks and grips. The fact is that the hooks on the towing cable are made in the form of carbines or grips with reliable latches, which prevent them from slipping off the eyes.
When deciding between forged or solid cast grips, preference must be given to the first, since they are more reliable. A cast hook is distinguished from a forged hook by weight. Usually, the weight of a cast light alloy hook is a maximum of 100-150 grams, while a forged steel hook weighs, on average, 500 g.
Summing up the information about what material it is better to create a cable from, it is important to say the following: the quality of the goods is in the first place here, then buyers will trust, and the demand for the goods will be great. Therefore, when choosing a material for a rope, always be careful and show special interest in manufacturers.
2. How to make a tow rope
You can make a tow rope with your own hands. Above, we described what material is needed to create it and its main characteristics, and now we will try to make it. After all, not everyone buys a tow rope, there are those who are trying to make it with their own hands.
Having decided on the material steel rope, thimble and clamp High Quality, otherwise the low one breaks very quickly), let's try to combine these parts together, so that we end up with a steel towing cable. Next, prepare a vise and a workbench. Anyone who plans to make a cable must have strong hands. The process itself is not difficult, and it does not take much time. Therefore, having decided on the material and having acquired indispensable tool, you can start tying the cable. It is necessary to learn how to do it right. It's about the towing unit. True, it also happens that motorists buy towing cables, preferring cables with metal hooks and carabiners. The fact is that such a cable simplifies its use.
So, for example, in rain or frost there is no need to knit knots. However, now let's try to make them. We throw the end of the cable onto the hook of the towing machine. We do this from left to right with a loop, so that the free right end of the cable can stretch from below from under the stretched cable to the left side. We make a very simple loop on the free left end, put it on the hook with an overlap, pull the free end from under the stretched cable on the right side. Then we make a simple loop from the free end of the cable on the right, and again we overlap it onto the hook. Then we fix the free end with a regular knot.
When tying a towing cable to a car, several proven knots are used at once. For example, it can be a bowline (in other words, a gazebo knot, or a towing knot. Let's try to make a gazebo knot or a bowline. We take one end of the cable in our hand, bend it, twist it with a loop. Bending the loop to the cable, we pull out another one through it. We do it like this this loop should be movable.Then we put the remaining end of the cable into this loop, stretch it until a loop of the required size is formed and put it on the towing hook.The knot comes out strong, it is very well untied after towing.
As a result of towing, the cable is hooked obliquely, that is, it is pulled from the left eye of the towing car to the right eye of the towed one. This should help dampen the force of the jerks, thus allowing the co-driver a much better view of the road behind the towing vehicle. There are motorists who justifiably believe that the place where the carabiner is connected to the cable will reduce its reliability.
Disadvantages of a tow rope
When tying a cable, it must be remembered that there are disadvantages even for the most durable steel cable. It usually rusts over time. Including, using it you need to apply additional precautions. The fact is that a rebounded steel cable can break a person’s bones.
By the way, this topic was not ignored by the rules traffic. When towing a car, pay attention to the length of the towing cable. It must be at least 4 m, and the cable is marked with red flags. We will talk about this in more detail later.
3. Towing cable length
The length of the tow rope is one of important criteria his choice. It is necessary for traffic safety reasons. So, for example, if the cable is too short, that is, its length is less than 4 meters, there is a very high probability that the driver of the towed car will not be able to apply the brakes in time, so he can hit the towing car from behind.
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According to the bookLev Scriabin "Sea Knots"
2. Non-tightening knots.
Simple half bayonet(Fig. 9). A simple half-bayonet, being the simplest of non-tightening knots, is widely used in maritime affairs. It serves as the final element of many knots. Enclose the running end of the cable around the object to which you want to tie the cable, then around the root end of the cable and pass it into the loop formed.
After that, attach the running end of the cable with a grapple to the root end. The knot tied in this way reliably withstands strong traction. It may move towards the subject, but it will never drag on.
A simple half-bayonet is used to connect two cables with “alien” and “own” ends.
Rice. 9. Simple half bayonet
simple bayonet(Fig. 10). Two identical half-bayonets make up a knot that sailors call a simple bayonet. The expression “throw half a bayonet” means to add one more run-out and crossing of the running end around the root end of the cable to the already made knot. The diagram shows a non-tightening knot widely used in maritime affairs - one of the simplest and most reliable knots for attaching mooring lines to mooring bollards, bitten, guns and bollards. To distinguish a correctly tied bayonet from an incorrect bayonet, the two loops of the knot must be brought together. If this turns out to be a knotted knot (see Fig. 48), then it means that a simple bayonet was tied correctly. For such a bayonet, its running end, both after the first and after the second peg, should exit equally above or below its end. An inverted, i.e., incorrectly tied simple bayonet (Fig. 10, b), the running end after the second pebble goes in the opposite direction, not like after the first one. When two loops of an inverted knotted bayonet are brought together instead of bleached it turns out bovine node (see Fig. 46). If the half-bayonets of a simple bayonet are made in different directions, then when the cable is pulled, they will converge together, and the knot will be tightened. The main use of a simple bayonet in the navy is to fasten the mooring ends to the mooring fixtures, fasten the falls of the guy lines of cargo arrows to the butts and eyelets, and fasten the cargo pendant to the load being lifted.
Maximum number half bayonets in such a knot under any circumstances should not exceed three, since this is quite enough and the strength of the knot as a whole will not increase with a larger number of half bayonets. The reliability of this mooring knot is eloquently expressed by the old English maritime proverbs: “Two half-bayonets saved the queen’s ship” and “Three half-bayonets are more than enough for the royal yacht.”
Sailors often use two simple bayonets to temporarily connect two mooring lines, cable lines and perlines.
On the shore, this simple but reliable knot can be used in all cases when the cable needs to be temporarily attached to some object for strong traction, for example, by a hook when towing a car.
Rice. 10. Simple bayonet:
a - properly tied; 6 - inverted (wrong)
Bed bayonet(Fig. 11). For many centuries, sailors on ships were bedded by a hammock-shaped canvas hanging bunk with a thin crushed cork mattress. On the plan, it looks like a rectangle, on the small sides of which there are eight eyelets for the so-called stentros. These shkentros are connected in rings, which, in turn, are hung by the bunk posts to special eyelets in the beams or to rods made in the cockpit of the ship for hanging beds for the night. During the day, rolled-up bunks, along with pillows, blankets and sheets, were stored in the so-called bed nets along the side of the deck and served as a reliable parapet from cannonballs and shrapnel during the battle. In the evening, before lights out, at the command "Bunks down!" they were carried below deck and hung. Tying a knot to hang a bunk is serious business. Here you need to use a knot that would not be tightened, easily untied and held securely. The most important thing is that it does not untie itself under the influence of the continuous pitching of the ship. Sailors used various knots to hang their beds, but the bayonet was considered the most reliable.
rice. 11. Bayonet
A simple bayonet hose(Fig. 12). This knot differs from a simple bayonet by one additional hose around the object to which the cable is attached. It also serves mainly for fastening cables and pearls when mooring for bollards, bitengs and pals, but, unlike a simple bayonet, it is used in cases where there is no need to quickly give up the mooring lines. This knot is also convenient for attaching a cable to a hook, fire, eye, etc. Two hoses around the object make this knot more reliable during long stops, in any case, due to the additional hose, it will not fray as quickly as a simple bayonet.
Rice. 12. A simple bayonet with a hose
A simple bayonet with two hoses(Fig. 13). In fact, this is also a kind of simple bayonet. The difference from the previous node is an additional, third hose. It increases the strength of the knot if the cable experiences constant friction against the bollard or bitten. Attaching the cable to the hook using this knot is a very reliable method.
Bayonet(Fig. 14). If for a simple bayonet with two hoses the latter pass to the side of the attachment point of the root end, then for this knot they are placed one on each side. This gives the knot greater symmetry, the knot, in the event of a change in the direction of the thrust, moves less along the object for which it is tied.
To tie a bayonet with a fence, you first need to make one hose around the object with the running end, surround it behind the root end and make the hose again, but in the other direction. This is followed by one or two half bayonets.
Rice. 14. Bayonet
Fishing bayonet (anchor knot)(Fig. 15). One of the most critical cases of using a knot in maritime business is tying an anchor rope to an anchor. For five thousand years of the existence of shipping, people for this purpose could not come up with a more reliable knot than a fishing bayonet. Proven by centuries of experience in maritime practice, this knot is recognized by sailors of all countries as the most reliable for attaching a rope to an eye or to an anchor bracket.
The fishing bayonet (or anchor knot) is somewhat similar to a simple bayonet with a hose (see Fig. 12). It differs from it in that the first of the two half-bayonets passes additionally inside the hose that wraps around the object. When using this knot for anchoring, it is always necessary to grab the running end with a scrum to the root. In this case, even with a very strong pull, the fishing bayonet does not tighten and holds securely. It can be safely used in all cases when working with cables, when they are subject to strong traction.
Back bayonet(Fig. 16). When mooring ships to marinas and berths, a situation often arises when it is very difficult to enclose the running end of the cable around a bollard or log. Sometimes you have to literally crawl under the pier in order to thread the end of the log or eye from the bow of the boat or boat. Using a reverse bayonet, you can wrap the cable around the desired object once and at the same time tie a knot with two hoses around the object to which you are attaching the moorings. To do this, the running end of the cable must be doubled over a length of 2-3 meters and, looping forward, passing it around the object, pull the loop towards you. Now the running end of the cable must be threaded into this loop, and for the root end, take out the slack and finish the knot with two half bayonets. The reverse bayonet is convenient for use in cases where access to the object to which they want to attach the cable is difficult or inconvenient for tying a knot, such as a tow hook, for some car brands.
Rice. 16. Reverse bayonet
mast bayonet(Fig. 17). Here is the original combination of two good knots gives a reliable and simple knot. First, a bleached knot is tied around the object to which the cable is attached (see Fig. 48) and an ordinary bayonet is made at the root end of the cable, which, as you know, is also a modified bleached knot. To prevent the mast bayonet from being tightened, the first knot is not fully tightened.
Rice. 17. Mast bayonet
Towing knot(Fig. 18). This knot is used to fasten the cable to the towing hook or bitten. They can delay or bleed the towing line. Due to the successive application of several cable hoses to the bit, the towing end can be etched from the bit, and when the tension of the tug is loosened, it can be selected again in the form of loops thrown over the bit from above.
Rice. 18. Towing knot
Port node(Fig. 19). To hold the mooring synthetic end on a twin bollard is a simple matter. But what if, instead of a double bollard, you have a single bollard (or biteng) at your disposal, and there is no fire at the end of the mooring line? For this purpose, there are several original knots in marine practice. Let us explain the principle of one of them, which can be attributed to the number of non-tightening knots.
First, around a single bollard, you need to make several hoses with the running end of the mooring cable. After that, fold the running end in half and in this form, in a loop, pass it under the stretched root part of the cable, turn the loop 360 degrees and throw it on top of the bollard. This knot does not slip, holds securely. The cable can be given away at any moment, even if the mooring lines are under strong tension.
To do this, you need to slightly select the running end passing under the root end and increase the loop, after which it will not be difficult to throw it off the bollard.
Rice. 19. Port hub
I. Zhupansky, Veliky Ustyug
UAZ Patriot constantly requires minor improvements. When I had to change the torn rubber door sills, I decided to further strengthen the new ones. To do this, I bought two duralumin door sills in a building materials store and, having cut it to size, fixed it with self-tapping screws. I think the tires will last longer. (Slips are best made from a material that is not afraid of corrosion, such as durable plastic. - Note. ed.)
Another easy fix. From time to time you have to carry luggage in the trunk, and the Patriot does not have a shelf or curtain that hides things from prying eyes. I decided to make it plastic window sill. Shortening it, put it on the ends of the folded side seats. Now intruders do not see the contents of the trunk: there is less likelihood of theft - and I'm calmer.
OWNER - BARIN
I. Zamuruev, Tver region
I have no luck with the purchase of spare parts! Just six months ago, I changed the heater radiator to the VAZ‑2114. The work was done in the service - with the removal of the dashboard and, believe me, for a lot of money. But the other day the radiator started to leak again. This time I decided to do everything myself. I just took it and cut out a part of the lower shelf of the panel under the glove box just enough that now I can solve any problems with the stove in five minutes. Someone will tell me that the aesthetics have suffered, but I believe that this is far from the main thing for my workhorse. By the way, there is more space in the cabin.
SCRAP VS SCRAP
A. Karpenko, Mordovia
After replacing the rear pads, it is sometimes quite difficult to put the brake drum back in place. Even if the parking brake cable is completely loosened, it is not always possible to plant it with your hands. Usually, in such cases, it is recommended to slightly file the edges of the pads into a cone with a file. But this does not always help. In order to carefully (without distortions) plant the drum, order bolts with the same thread as the wheel ones, but longer in the workshop. Knowing the depth of the drum, it is not difficult to calculate it.
From the information department ZR. Often the friction linings are too thick, and they need to be filed over the entire working surface.
RIDING A SHOVEL
V. Kondrashov, Mtsensk
In winter, battery problems are more common, forcing you to remove it for recharging. To do this, the battery has to be carried home. The mass is about a pood, the handle is either very uncomfortable, or it does not exist at all. Carrying a battery with you is a test even for a young and strong man, let alone women and the elderly. In this situation, a wide shovel for snow removal helps me a lot. I put the battery on it and carry it like on a sled.
AS SAILORS AND CLIMBERS
V. Kashkin, St. Petersburg
Let's imagine that a negligent motorist, who doesn't even have a cable with him, asks to have his car towed. You are ready to help, but the hook of your cable to someone else's eye does not fit. Moreover, a tightly tightened hook knot cannot be untangled in any way. But someone who knows how to knit special knots will not encounter such a situation. Take, for example, the gazebo knot, or bowline (English bowline). Its feature: the end loop does not tighten under load and at the same time does not slide along the cable, does not spoil it. And without a load, even a wet knot is easy to untie. Just keep in mind that tied loops reduce the overall length of the cable. I remind you that according to the Rules of the Road, the distance between the towing and towed vehicles should be from four to six meters.
BRAIN ATTACK
A. Maslov, Magnitogorsk
When assembling the 1.8 TSI engine on my Octavia, I ran into a curious problem. In order to properly tighten the control valve of the phase regulator (tightening torque 3.5 kgf m), a torque wrench with a ratchet is required. But it is intended only for right-hand threads, and this is logical, because in most cases it is cut in this direction. The valve has a left hand thread. How to be? If your torque wrench, like mine, is collapsible, then making it work to the left is a matter of five minutes. It is only necessary to rearrange the toothed roller in the ratchet with a square in the other direction. Returning the ratchet to its original position at the end of the operation is just as easy.