A tow rope and a snatch strap look alike but do different jobs. A tow rope or static strap pulls a car that can roll along a road. A snatch strap stretches and uses that stored energy to pull a stuck 4x4 out of sand or mud. Using the wrong one, or hooking it to a tow ball, is how straps break and parts fly. Tell us what you drive and what you need, and suppliers near you will send free, no-obligation quotes for ropes, straps, shackles and full recovery kits.
Which strap for which job
- Tow rope or static strap: little or no stretch, for flat towing a car on the road at low speed. The towed car needs someone steering and braking.
- Snatch (kinetic) strap: stretches under load, for pulling a stuck vehicle out with a run-up. Never use it for road towing.
- Tree trunk protector: a wide, flat strap that wraps a tree as a winch anchor without killing the bark.
- Equaliser or bridle: spreads the load across two recovery points.
Ratings and shackles
Choose a snatch strap with a breaking strength of about two to three times the stuck vehicle's mass. Use bow shackles with the working load limit stamped on them, or rated soft shackles, and screw the pin in then back it off a quarter turn. Connect only to rated recovery points bolted to the chassis. Never use the tow ball for snatch recovery: it can shear and become a projectile.
Safe recovery
Clear everyone well away, at least one and a half times the strap's length to the sides. Lay a damper or a heavy jacket over the middle of the strap. Start gently and add speed in steps rather than one hard snatch. If the vehicle does not move after a few tries, dig, lower tyre pressures or use a winch. When it is beyond your kit, call a vehicle recovery operator.
Price and care
Snatch straps are about R840 to R1,770 and tow ropes about R1,850 to R3,680, depending on length and rating. Wash mud and sand out of straps, dry them out of the sun and store them in a bag. Retire any strap with cuts, burns, torn stitching or one that has taken a shock load near its limit. Bent shackles go in the bin.
What to include in your request
- Vehicle and its loaded mass
- Road towing or off-road recovery
- Strap type, length and rating
- Shackles or soft shackles needed
- Whether you want a full kit and bag
Tow Ropes and Recovery Straps for different clients
- Motorists and families: a static tow strap in the boot for a short pull to a safe spot
- Company fleets and rental firms: standard recovery kits in every fleet 4x4 that works off tar
- Truckers, buses and logistics: heavy static straps for pulling stuck vehicles in depots and yards
- Farmers and 4x4 owners: snatch straps and shackles for bakkies and tractors in wet lands
- Dealers, panel beaters and workshops: static straps for moving non-runners around a dealer or panel shop yard
- Construction, mining and plant hire: heavy recovery straps and shackles for site vehicles on muddy haul roads
- Caravan, boat and bike owners: a full kit for beach driving, sand dunes and overland trips
- Municipalities, estates and schools: recovery kits carried in parks, roads and emergency services vehicles on gravel
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a tow rope and a snatch strap?
What rating snatch strap should I buy?
Can I tow a car with a rope on the road?
How do I get quotes for recovery gear?
Tow Ropes and Recovery Straps by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg