The 7 Deadly Sins of Recovery Chains

A commonly misunderstood product, with fatal consequences. Tow chains are essential for serving the purpose they were designed for, which is towing, this includes transporting a disabled vehicle (on a flat surface) from point A to point B. Recovery on the other hand, should be left to products designed to withstand yanking, pulling, and tugging – recovery straps and kinetic ropes best serve this purpose.

For some unknown reason, many different brands and stores like to market their tow chains as “recovery chains”. This is a misrepresentation of the products use and can have dire consequences. Many unfortunate people will read that label and think to themselves that this product is the perfect tool for recovering a stuck vehicle. When in reality, it is the worst tool for recovering a stuck vehicle.

The reasons for this vary, and we have listed them for you below. We recommend you share this article with any friends or family members that insist on using a tow chain for recovery purposes.

7 Reasons Recovery Chains are Dangerous

Although they look secure, chain hooks can slip, slide, and detach from your anchor point. If you are attempting to recover a stuck vehicle, and that chain hook detaches from its anchor point, you can and should expect that tension buildup to send the chain hook flying. This will put yourself, and bystanders in immediate danger.

Most chain hooks have a limited working load limit compared to recovery straps and kinetic ropes. A working load limit, put simply, is the maximum amount of weight the product can handle before failing. Tow chains are meant for a slow and steady pull (on a flat surface), this does not require as much brute force as vehicle recovery.

Because of this, many chains will fail and break when attempting a vehicle recovery.

A crucial factor when recovering is the stretch % of your recovery strap. This stretch allows you to tug and yank a stuck vehicle out of its position safely, without having to worry that the strap will snap on you in the process. A tow chain, offers 0% stretch, and will break quickly when yanked by a vehicle. A recovery strap, will allow a small % of stretch, making it the much safer alternative for this purpose.

Looks can be deceiving, and we don’t blame you. Tow chains look heavy-duty, beefy, and all around secure. For the purpose they serve this is accurate, but for vehicle recovery – it’s far from. Many stores and brands will market these for recovery, but do not let that fool you. Proper vehicle recovery requires many different factors and products, such as a recovery strap, d-ring shackles, and a shackle hitch receiver.

Speaking of d-rings and shackle hitch receivers – the best anchor points for vehicle recovery – a tow chain cannot safely connect to this equipment safely and securely. Again, this is because tow chain hooks are not designed for recovering and are instead designed solely for towing. Therefore tow chain hooks can slide and slip, becoming detached and dangerous for everyone involved.

This may be the sole reason that tow chains are marketing as “recovery chains”. Simply put, the material used to manufacture a chain is metal, and metal comes with a higher price tag. Typically, a high-rated tow chain will cost more than a high-rated recovery strap, and this is simply because of the material used, not because one is better than the other. This kind of confusion may lead some to believe that because they’re paying a higher price, they’re essentially receiving better equipment for the task.

Last, but most importantly – Tow Chains can kill. I’m not one for fearmongering, and I’d hate to stray you away from ever using a tow chain again, that’s not what I’m here for. However, it is absolutely imperative that you use a Tow Chain for its intended purpose, and never for vehicle recovery.

If you’re looking for a good strap to safely and effectively recover a stuck vehicle, check out TowStraps.com Best Recovery Straps of 2021 guide for a detailed review of different brands.