Pull a Car Van or Jeep Uphill by Yourself?

[smyrna5]

Anyone ever tried this?

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-pull-a-van-uphill-with-only-a-rope---upda/

[txfireguy2003]

Never done that one but I've created many haul systems with ropes to lift people. The problem with his method is you have rope rubbing against itself, not to mention that simple "loop" he tied in the rope might not ever come untied now. The rope on rope friction causes lots of extra resistance that only serves to make the job harder, plus it causes excessive wear on the rope and if you pull it very far, that "loop" could break, dumping him on his rear, and sending the van rolling backwards. The best way to do that would be with block and tackle, or at a minimum, carabiners acting as pulleys. You can make a 3:1 haul system or "Z rig" very easily that triples your strenght and you can lift a grown man straight up using one hand. You can do a 4:1 or 5:1 with not much more effort which multiply your strength by a factor of 4 and 5 respectively...3000 pound vehicle/5=600 pounds of force to lift the vehicle straight up, much less needed if you are pulling it up a gradual incline. His method, at BEST doubles his strength, but with the anchor (tree in this case) off to the side, his strength multiplication factor is reduced. The closer the angle of the rope is to 90 degrees, the less multiplication he has, and he won't get it past that tree, at least not far past it. Once the van is past the tree, he is actually REDUCING his strength! Sorry for the novel, I tend to get on a roll and go on and on forever until I think my point is well made.

[Rocky D]

Very good critique, TX...firefighters are my hero's, especially now! :eek:

[Hotfoot]

...PLUS....That there ain't much of a hill!! I think it would be better referred to as a "slight incline".:p

[TxFire]

I think it is an interesting idea. I would not have thought to create a make shift haul system in that manner. It is functional in a pinch.

[Lodogg2221]

Just get a Hi-Lift jack and a chain tensioner attachment, you can pull anything till your arms wear out from pumping the jack handle!

[Burnit]

That was a neat trick, not much of a hill. A marine could've pulled it with a straight rope with a marlboro hangin outta his mouth