Finds: Lug-All Come Along
By Sean O'Hara
The “come along” is a ratcheting cable tool really meant for stretching fences and hoisting gear, but it’s a total lifesaver any time you’re stuck needed to apply large amounts of force; it can turn an impossible job into just a difficult one. For example, we used one to load a car the other day, and I’ve used them to drag large equipment around when I got stuck moving it by myself.
The Lug-All come along (pictured) is constructed with heavy duty hooks and cable plus a lightweight aluminum alloy frame with open construction for daily visual inspection of the mechanism – because if something’s hung up inside it you’re never getting it un-hung if you can’t get at it. The Lug-All brand come alongs are factory tested to 125% of the rated capacity of 1000 lbs. to 3 tons.
All a come along really does is transfer force to your load by using a ratcheting cable and lock system, but it can allow a 180 lbs. guy (me) to pull a 4700 lbs. vehicle up onto a trailer by himself. Note that I didn’t say it’s easy or fun, but it can be done.
Street pricing starts at $25.
Cable Ratchet Lever Hoists [Lug-All]
Street Pricing [Froogle]
December 18th, 2006 at 9:15 am
Hell, for $25 I should throw one in the car for winter, along with 50′ of extra cable and some chain.
I already have a nylon strap that’s perfect for wrapping around a tree without damaging the bark…
Every time I think that, I think 200′ of quality rope with a block and tackle would work just as well, more quickly if I don’t string all the pulleys, and have fewer parts to break. Hmm. What say ye, Toolmongers?
December 18th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
A comealong with chain/straps is a good way to get a car out of a ditch, I’ve seen it used that way many a time.
I’ve seen it used to coax a tree to fall in a particular direction when falling it. They are great for pulling fence as well.
They are great for getting stuff in or out of a tilt bed truck, when a forklift isn’t at hand, by controlling the sliding.
This week I spent a lot of time watching power crews hooking up lines (big windstorm!) and what they do is use a bloack and tackle to get the wire up and almost in position (guy on the ground pulling a large loop of rope through the block) and then a comealong to give enough slack to place (these really cool!) push/push cable splices.
Power crews have fiberglass handles on their comalongs it seems, for obvious reasons.
August 18th, 2008 at 5:53 am
[...] I got a soccer ball for a dollar, a Ross ten speed bike in good condition for $10, some home grown tomatoes, and a come-along for $10. The come-along was about half new price. While I usually look for stuff at about 25% of new or better, I need one for a job this week so it was still a bargain for me. [...]