Camper Van
Freedom.

Vehicle Equipment & Service · Build notes & Amazon options

Recovery Tow Straps in My Vehicle Equipment

A tow strap with shackles was one of my vehicle-equipment purchases.

By Steven Smith · Camper Van Freedom

Read my build notes ↓
Recovery Tow Straps in My Vehicle Equipment

My purchase and Amazon option

A tow strap with shackles was one of my vehicle-equipment purchases.

The featured Amazon option is Rhino USA Twenty-Foot Tow Strap.

Where it fits my build

While fitting the heater below the passenger seat, I worked underneath the van on the intake, exhaust, fuel filter and pump mounts. The black substance visible on the undercarriage was Fluid Film Black, which I had applied across the underbody while leaving the exhaust parts uncoated.

Much of that session was spent lying on my back. I recorded how cramped the space was and how tiring it became to hold my head up and work with both hands around the mounting points.

The underside of my van during the heater pipe and mounting work.
The underside of my van during the heater pipe and mounting work.
A later view of the fuel-line and wiring route beneath the van.
A later view of the fuel-line and wiring route beneath the van.

My build notes

The diary separates the coating already present beneath the van from the heater work happening that day. The photos are useful for seeing the available working space and the location of the lines and attachments.

The available space under the van affected the pace of each mounting task.

Alternative products

Two alternatives to compare

The Rhino and green loop-end options are individual straps. GearAmerica packages a strap with shackles, making the included hardware a useful point of comparison.

Loop-End Twenty-Foot Tow Strap

Loop-End Twenty-Foot Tow Strap

This polyester tow strap uses reinforced loops at both ends. Its twenty-foot length and bright green webbing distinguish this option in a recovery kit.

View on Amazon
GearAmerica Tow-Strap and Shackle Kit

GearAmerica Tow-Strap and Shackle Kit

This recovery kit combines a tow strap with D-ring shackles. The grouped components provide a packaged alternative to buying a strap separately.

View on Amazon

Questions from my build

What is the black material under the van?

My diary identifies it as Fluid Film Black undercoating.

What was I working on in these photos?

The heater intake, exhaust, fuel-system components and their mounting arrangements.

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