2009 Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup Owner Manual - Page 303

STARTING AND OPERATING 301 straps together using a 1 1⁄2 inch hard wood dowel. This will keep the straps from becoming knotted and is safer than using a clevis pin if the strap breaks. Next have the tow vehicle backup, leaving two to three feet worth of slack in the strap. Then the tow vehicle, using light throttle, should accelerate tightening the strap providing the pulling force needed to free the vehicle. The vehicle being recovered should assist in the recovery, at the time of the snap, by slowly spinning the tires in the same direction as the pulling vehicle. After the vehicle becomes free, the driver of the previously stuck vehicle should signal they are free and should hit their brakes stopping both vehicles. The driver of the pulling vehicle should let off the throttle without using the brakes, once signaled by the other driver. This sequence is important to avoid having the recovered vehicle hit the pulling vehicle. WARNING! Never use tow straps with end hooks or link two straps with a clevis pin. These heavy metal objects could become projectiles if a strap breaks, which could cause severe injury. Never leave more than two or three feet of slack in the strap. More slack than this greatly increases the risk of injury and vehicle damage. Always keep everyone at least 30 feet away from a strapping or winching situation. • Winching (Refer to "Winch Operation" for additional information) - Winching is most commonly used in the following situations: there is no support vehicle available, a high controlled force is required to recover the vehicle, there is a high risk of environmental or vehicle damage, or where nothing else seems to work. A winch can deliver a high pulling force with a great deal of control. It allows you to walk the vehicle 5