One of my SUV RVing fears is getting my vehicle hopelessly stuck in sand, mud, or snow when I’m out in the middle of nowhere. I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a winch for my SUV but haven’t pulled the trigger because frankly, there are other things I’d rather spend that money on. But I recently found a YouTube video titled Poor Man’s Winch – Using ratchet straps for winch duties (it’s also embedded below if you’re reading this on the blog). The guy in the video talks about using ratchet straps as winches and demonstrates several possible uses that include getting a vehicle unstuck, removing a downed tree limb, and moving a large boulder.
He recommends the Quickloader brand of ratcheting strap. The selection on Amazon is OK but a bit confusing (browse them here), but it looks like HomeDepot.com has all of Quickloader’s straps for sale. The yellow one used in the video will hold 10,000 pounds, has a 27-foot strap, and costs $50. The red ones range in price from $20 to $30, depending on the one you get. One of these seems like a great thing to always have in your car for emergency purposes, both for yourself and for any other people you may encounter as you travel.
Here’s the video:
What do you think? Is this a good winch substitute for those of us on a budget?
Very cool. As a mature (in age only) woman I could really use this. I like to go off the beaten track (just bought a set of really good tires for my RAV4) and this type of winch system could help if I find myself stuck. Thanks for the post.
That’d work. Heres my idea…
Be sure to get a long one with hooks on the ends (like the 29665T48).
Also get a 10 ft. nylon sling with eyes on both ends to wrap around a tree or rock to hook the ratchet strap hook to.
Example:
https://www.mcmaster.com/ratchet-straps/buckle-type~ratchet/hook-style~wire/capacity-weight-~range~~-2740054957988/color~yellow/fixed-end-length~16/