Retired rope for kinetic recovery

Any thoughts on using an old 70 m rope for kinetic vehicle recovery? Join the ends with a fisherman's, double it (or more depending on how much length is needed) so at least 4 strands, figure 8's on the end so you could maybe untie them after a recovery. Seems like the strength would be sufficient but maybe too much stretch. I wouldn't keep this as my only recovery option but seems like an easy thing to keep in the truck, plus has the benefit of having a spare rope if needed for the inevitable miscommunication or stuck rope (obviously wouldn't climb on the rope if it was ever used for recovery).

ive pulled out several vehicles over the years with old climbing ropes, though i've always at least doubled up the rope between vehicles. you'll be fine.

One time we used an old retired rope to try to pull out a stump with a truck.  3 or 4 strands.  It did not come out.  The figure eights at the ends were absolutely permanent after that.

Fun fact: dynamic climbing rope won't meet the tensile strength required of slings and quickdraws.

Agreed that the knots will never come untied if you pull your vehicle out of a ditch. Recognize that the climbing rope will stretch on the order of 1000%. In part because that might be a lot of winching or twisting of strands by hand. And in part because if a long length snaps and you get whipped in the face it's going to hurt. 

If you tie two ropes together there's a good chance one will break at the knot, but yeah it worked fine once we were down to one rope. Don't ask me why the guy was so scared to get closer to the mud pit the first go. Ended up retiring two ropes that day. 

You can pull a Mazda 4x4 up a slight grade using nothing but climbing gear, enough to jump start it in reverse, it will take two full rope lengths. You can try just one but if that's not enough you get to do three. Buddy thought his battery could hold up to playing music for hours in camp, ended up not getting to climb at Hermits Spire first because I forgot my shoes then it took hours to rig the pulls and jump start the truck. 

I have an old climbing rope in the jeep for exactly this.

A C wrote:

Any thoughts on using an old 70 m rope for kinetic vehicle recovery? Join the ends with a fisherman's, double it (or more depending on how much length is needed) so at least 4 strands, figure 8's on the end so you could maybe untie them after a recovery. Seems like the strength would be sufficient but maybe too much stretch. I wouldn't keep this as my only recovery option but seems like an easy thing to keep in the truck, plus has the benefit of having a spare rope if needed for the inevitable miscommunication or stuck rope (obviously wouldn't climb on the rope if it was ever used for recovery).

It will work, but it's not as springy as an actual kinetic recovery rope. 

Just like with winching, make sure of your attachment points. It's a real drag to have a bumper crash through your windshield or rear window.

A nylon recovery strap will take up much less space than a climbing rope in your vehicle, and be better suited for the job. It stretches, but at much greater forces like one vehicle pulling another vehicle. It won't max out its stretch at the beginning. 

A Smittybilt 2" x 20' recovery strap is $34 on amazon and about the size of 2 or 3 nalgenes when folded up. You'll want a steel shackle or soft shackle too, and then you'll be set.

If using an old rope, I'd actually permanently combine three strands by braiding or twisting them together, and then sealing the ends with some 3mm accessory cord. That will triple the strength and reduce the spring rate to 1/3, making it better suited.