The Ford Super Duty has power to spare – enough, in theory, to yank a stuck Bobcat out of the mud. But a towing setup is only as strong as its weakest link, and in this case, that was a ratchet strap holding on for dear life. Spoiler: it didn’t end well, although it could have been much, much worse.
The video of the incident was recorded at a construction site. The Bobcat managed to get stuck in soft soil off the end of the driveway, necessitating a tow from the Ford Super Duty. The owners hook it up with a single ratchet strap, while the driver of the Super Duty gives it a little bit of throttle to try and coax the Bobcat out onto solid ground.
The ratchet strap is being stressed to its absolute limit, solid as can be with all the tension. The Bobcat starts to budge, just barely, but just when it looks like progress is being made, the strap lets go. It sounds like a gunshot as the nylon recoils, sending the hook flying through the air (thankfully, not close to the cameraman), with enough force to shear through the Super Duty’s tailgate.
The hook gets stuck in the tailgate. The incision is clean, all things considered, but it chewed through sheet metal like it was nothing – imagine what it could have done to a person. Thankfully, neither party in the video was injured, but they very well could have been if things had gone differently.
A different Ford Super Duty had a very different outcome when it was able to rescue a stuck semi-truck in wintry driving conditions. The difference? The Super Duty shown in the other viral video clearly had competent drivers who knew what they were doing when it came to hauling. The Super Duty and the Bobcat, meanwhile, should have done a little more research before attempting this stunt.
Comments
Can’t fix STUPID!
So much for an aluminum body.
Yeah, because a strap breaking under that much tension wouldn’t also damage a steel tailgate. Sure there is a hole now, but a steel gate would also have SIGNIFICANT damage. And with as thin as the steel was on the previous gen Super Duty trucks, it likely would have punctured that as well. Just like how people love to comment when an aluminum truck catches fire and the body melts away, like a similar fire in a steel truck wouldn’t completely destroy that as well. Either way, with heavy fire damage it’s a total loss. What difference does it make how much burnt truck is left?
Your a dope. Yea a metal gate would have been dented but there would be nowhere near as much damage as the aluminum lift gate.
I’ll trade the chance of a one in a million aluminum puncture (this one obviously preventable) for the fuel savings and never-ever-do-wheel-arches-rot afforded by aluminum. I love my aluminum F150 and it looks fantastic after 120,000 miles and 6 Midwestern winters.
When four wheeling or towing always use heavy weight in the middle of the rope so this never happens again! Duh-moments!
Slice N Dice N!!!
Always put some heavy weight attachment on the rope from half way and little closer to the pulled vehicle to prevent throw backs when this becomes a violent snapback to the puller’s vehicle! I have done four wheeling and this becomes my rule to prevent stupidity!
This is why “headache racks” are a thing.
Had a buddy blow the tow hook off my truck because he didn’t grasp slow and gentle.
Straps do fail.
But we’re all adults and this guy should get a “kinetic ropes” if he’s around machine with a potential to get stuck. It’s Called being a professional.
Lucky it didn’t hit him in the head.
May as well used a puppy dog chain ! That strap was not rated for that pull ,,, and the wheels were not turning on the skidsteer so he’s pulling up dead weight at what 7000 lb ,, really the truck driver should have expected this to happen , just glad the hook didn’t go through the back windows and hit him in the head ! Stupid just stupid
Exactly how is this an epic failure of the super duty? Never did see the wheels break traction. This was an epic failure of 2 things. The completely insufficient tow strap, and more importantly an epic failure of the digbat who thought the tow strap was adequate.
That’s because that tailgate is made from aluminum not sheet metal. Many new does have aluminum beds