Member Since: 11 Jan 2006
Location: Goulburn, NSW
Posts: 161
When is a Tree Protector not a Tree Protector
Hi all, we are in the process of installing a rain water tank that will be fed from the stormwater pipe. The area chosen to locate the water tank was somewhat infested with granite rocks and by a redundant concrete fence post and straining post. It was the boss at home who suggested using the D3 to pull the rocks out. After much digging to free up the first rock, the question was what to use to pull it. I recalled the ARB recovery kit, that I had frequently taken with me on various trips, but had never used in anger. The obvious thing to do was to wrap the tree protector around the rock, initially low down to help pull it up, then and connect it to the winch tender strap and hook that onto the rear recovery point. With someone else working a crowbar, the rock came up and after repositioning the strap, the rock was hauled to the boundary of the area in question.
To achieve this, I left the vehicle in access mode to keep the strap as low as possible. I let down the tyres by about 10psi to give more grip on the grass and selected third gear in low range. This did the trick and it similarly worked to remove the concrete fence and another large rock. The photos below are of the removal of the second rock. After pulling the rock out far enough, the tree protector was looped around the rock, but lower down to enable it to be dragged away from the hole. I had a couple of smaller rocks in the hole for the larger rock to slide over so it did not dig itself into the front of the hole. Yes, the shackle connecting the tree protector to the winch extension strap is not round the right way.
There was a third rock, but it was larger and deeper than expected and did not want to budge. A few blows with the sledge hammer took enough off the top to bring it down to the required level.
The tree protector, or should I say rock protector, has taken a bit of a beating, but the important thing was that it is rated at 4000kg as was the winch extension strap. The weak link were the shackles, that, from memory are rated at 3.5T SWL.
In all cases I was fortunate to have a smarter and more practically minded friend helping out.
Disco 3 TDV6 HSE, Auto, White, Rear Diff Lock. ARB BB, Traxide DBS, GME TX3540S, Safari Snorkel, IIDTool-BT, Doran TPMS, Rijidij Spare Wheel Carrier, Two side by side Drifta drawers, cargo barrier and drop down fridge slide, ARB 47l Fridge, Yokohama A/Ts and out of date 17" Cooper STTs.
1st Jun 2016 5:17 am
RBP
Member Since: 29 Aug 2012
Location: N Yorks
Posts: 1936
Good work
Was there any danger of the whole lot slipping off, catapulting the shackle towards your pride & joy?
1st Jun 2016 7:04 am
rsp
Member Since: 11 Jan 2006
Location: Goulburn, NSW
Posts: 161
Hi RBP, in all cases there was someone watching the rock/fence post to avoid an accident. Using the tree protector and the winch extension strap meant that there should not have been any significant elasticity in the set-up. For the first rock, the task team leader was using the crowbar to get it moving. For the fence post and second rock, once they were sufficiently freed-up in the hole, the tree protector was looped around them so it tightened as the strain increased. Fortunately they all ended Up in their target locations as the fence post aside, they are very heavy. This is not to say that the fence post is a light work, but it would be easier to lift.Disco 3 TDV6 HSE, Auto, White, Rear Diff Lock. ARB BB, Traxide DBS, GME TX3540S, Safari Snorkel, IIDTool-BT, Doran TPMS, Rijidij Spare Wheel Carrier, Two side by side Drifta drawers, cargo barrier and drop down fridge slide, ARB 47l Fridge, Yokohama A/Ts and out of date 17" Cooper STTs.
1st Jun 2016 7:31 am
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
Having a practical friend is always handy!
No need for the metal shackle/weapon though - just use the loops provided and slip in a bit of rag or similar into the join to make it easier to undo afterwards.
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 11 Jan 2006
Location: Goulburn, NSW
Posts: 161
Hi Robbie, thanks for that tip. Having practical friends is indeed very handy and most of my friends have no problem being well past me!Disco 3 TDV6 HSE, Auto, White, Rear Diff Lock. ARB BB, Traxide DBS, GME TX3540S, Safari Snorkel, IIDTool-BT, Doran TPMS, Rijidij Spare Wheel Carrier, Two side by side Drifta drawers, cargo barrier and drop down fridge slide, ARB 47l Fridge, Yokohama A/Ts and out of date 17" Cooper STTs.
1st Jun 2016 9:08 am
seer
Member Since: 23 Sep 2014
Location: herts
Posts: 112
I'm sure it's been posted before - but beware the elastic rope when pulling trees!
At least it wasn't a Disco.
C
1st Jun 2016 10:36 am
garrycol
Member Since: 06 Dec 2010
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1130
The shackles were rated well above the tree protector and the winch extension strap. The straps have a minimum failure load of 4,000kg and who knows what they actually break - media testing shows about 4001kg. There is basically no regulation of these,
The 3.5t shackles however are regulated and with a a SWL annotation means that its breaking load is between 4 to 6 times (depending on its physical size) so using the same standard as the straps, the shackles will break at between 14,000kg and 21,000kg so much greater than the straps.
I am glad you used a winch extension strap than a snatch strap because there would be a real chance of launching the rock out of its hole and into your vehicle.
Garry
2nd Jun 2016 8:37 am
audiobull
Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 384
deleted
Last edited by audiobull on 3rd Jun 2016 6:23 pm. Edited 1 time in total
2nd Jun 2016 8:42 am
audiobull
Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 384
deleted
Last edited by audiobull on 3rd Jun 2016 6:24 pm. Edited 1 time in total
2nd Jun 2016 8:43 am
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
garrycol wrote:
The shackles were rated well above the tree protector and the winch extension strap
The relative strength of the shackle is immaterial in this context. The shackle is a lump of metal that should not and does not need to be there. Shackles do not have to fail to become dangerous when used as above. If the tree protector fails the lump of metal is still coming to get you.
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
How would you gave connected it all Robbie, what replaces the shackles to connect the strop and rope?Altox GSM FBH controller thread
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2nd Jun 2016 10:09 am
garrycol
Member Since: 06 Dec 2010
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1130
Robbie wrote:
garrycol wrote:
The shackles were rated well above the tree protector and the winch extension strap
The relative strength of the shackle is immaterial in this context. The shackle is a lump of metal that should not and does not need to be there. Shackles do not have to fail to become dangerous when used as above. If the tree protector fails the lump of metal is still coming to get you.
You make a good point and the basic philosophy should be be followed but does not apply in the above as neither a tree protector or a winch extension strap are kinetic so no energy is stored (unlike a snatch strap) - so if one broke the lot just falls to the ground.
Having said that the job could have been done without a shackle - by feeding one end of the tree protector around the rock and back through the loop in the other end and then joining the loop of the tree protector with the loop in the extension strap the same way you join two snatch straps with a rolled up magazine or a sizeable stick.
Or more simply - in the pic above remove the shackle and feed the loop of the extension strap through the loops of tree protector and as mentioned above use a stick or magazine through the loop of the extension strap to take the weight.
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