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Deadman Instructions: Ground Anchor

How to Revive your Deadman

You dug once already... screw digging the anchor up again! Yank it out instead.

Full demonstration & review with Krazy Beaver Tools

Many thanks to Krazy Beaver Tools and Pitbull Motor Toyz for spending an afternoon with us to try out the Deadman.

Testing Maximum Capacity in Dune Sand

We set out to see how much capacity the Deadman would deliver in the shifting sand dunes of Pismo Beach, CA. We nearly ripped the bumper of of the truck (seriously) in the process, topping out at 8,050lb before giving up - the anchor never moved. Regardless, when we were finished, we pulled it out by a single corner with no more digging. FTW!

Split Screen: Deadman Sand recovery

In this video, the truck was stuck at the bottom of a soft sandy slope. We anchored to the hardpack at the top of the slope and used the winch to make the climb. The split screen is used here to demonstrate a single, contiguous recovery.

Dead-pull Test

Pulling out a 6,000lb Tacoma with the vehicle in Neutral. The truck was buried to the frame.

Destructive Testing

This video was taken of an early prototype during destructive testing and shows what you DON'T want to see from a strap. If the splice breaks (e.g. the thread), then you need to improve your assembly with a different design. We did exactly that and improved our design to achieved a minimum breaking strength of over 16,600lb -- much better than many of our competitors for the same 19,600lb sling.

What happens when the Deadman is overloaded 

Note that nothing catastrophic happens here. As the soil around the Deadman gives way, the load lightens and any stored energy (very low regardless, since the Deadman is manufactured from low-stretch polyester fibers) is slowly released.

Hardpack hillclimb using the Deadman

In this video, we climb a soft, steep sandy hill using the Deadman, buried to a mere 18" in hard soil.

Using the Deadman to recover from a bad dune crest

While it may be hard to bury the Deadman in shifting, blowing sand, this video demonstrates that it is possible to use the Deadman to recover from being hi-centered on a dune ridge. Similarly, it demonstrates the viability of using the Deadman at a high angle.

Using the Deadman as a Rock Hugger

Rocks can make excellent winch points, IF you're able to anchor to them securely. The Deadman not only makes it extremely simple, it makes a very safe anchor as well. (Note: in this example we're using a snatch block (e.g. pulley) "backwards" on purpose. We use the radios of the snatch block to create a safe bend radius in the winch line and further take advantage of this to create a self-balancing rigging.)    

How we prefer to fold the Deadman

Though we've got a carry bag in the works, it's still easy to manage the Deadman without it. Here's how we prefer to do it.