Two renowned Ze Rulem specialists, Aleksey Revin and Mikhail Kolodochkin, conducted a rigorous strength evaluation of twelve tow ropes, each officially rated to bear a load of seven tons. The full set of results is available to technicians and installers in automotive shops, with a price spectrum ranging between 400 and 1150 rubles. Consistent with their standard approach, the tests followed a clearly defined protocol designed to ensure consistency, repeatability, and practical relevance for real world use in vehicle recovery scenarios.
In this assessment, the cables were examined on an R-20 tensile testing machine equipped with specialized fixtures to simulate the stresses experienced by various rope designs under load. The central question was which structural component would fail first under extreme tension: would the hook yield, the noose deform, or the seam fail under the pressure? The experiments provided a comprehensive view of how each design handles peak forces, giving technicians a practical guide to selecting ropes with better safety margins in demanding tow operations.
One notable disclosure from the evaluation is that the test was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions to provide objective data for professionals making informed purchasing decisions. The following results highlight the performance of individual products, identifying the ones that did not meet the expected strength thresholds in this specific test setup.
- Arnezi A0904009. Withstood a load near 1,480 kilograms, but the hook showed bending that would compromise safety during critical recovery maneuvers, illustrating how a strong rope can still pose a risk if a connection point deforms prematurely.
- Autovirage AV-600036. The sling failed at approximately 620 kilograms, underscoring the importance of material integrity and construction quality for maintaining secure attachments during towing operations.
- Stels 54382. The seam deformation began around 520 kilograms, marking the worst outcome among the examined designs and highlighting weaknesses in seam durability under high tension.
Overall outcome
- Only one rope among the twelve tested demonstrated reliable performance suitable for routine use under the tested load conditions. The findings emphasize that for critical towing tasks, not all seven-ton rated ropes provide equivalent safety margins, and careful selection based on actual strength characteristics is essential for operator safety and equipment protection.
For professionals evaluating tow rope options, the study reinforces the value of laboratory testing as a staple in safety assurance. In practice, this means prioritizing products with verified, consistent performance across all potential failure points, and recognizing that ratings alone do not tell the full story of real-world behavior in harsh conditions.