When I was a boy in England during the 1960’s, I used to go with my dad in his lorry (truck). In those days loads were roped and sheeted by the driver. The dollyknot was the first knot I could tie properly, as he used to rope his whole load (with a single rope usually) on both sides using Dolly knots on every hitching point.
all so true. back in 1950s/60s long before the Ratchet straps. if the rope`s got wet over night they got loose and we would have to tighten down before driving off, also when the hot sun dried rope out it would all go tight. sisal rope!
I am just getting into tree work and would love to learn to climb and eventually open my own biz. I have been scouring the internet for research/learning material. Your videos are, by FAR, the best instructional content I have found. I love it. Easy to follow and understand. KEEP IT UP!!!!!! 👏👏🔥🔥
Excellent video mate ... you know how to do the knot properly. So many folk advising to use the slip knot which is not a trucker's hitch. Heavy tension and certain ropes will bind and you'd spend ages getting the damn thing out. No self respecting trucker would use it. Kudos and well done for showing folks how it is done properly.
Thank you sir, I get so much value out of this hitch and it blows my mind that most people in my trade don't even know how much you can do with it, much less how to tie it properly. It's one of my favourites!
I think i know about 10 to 15 different ways of doing a truckers hitch, but i always use this one because 9 out of 10 times when it comes to undoing and recoiling the rope, its pissing down.
When I was taught to do it the old trucker told me when making it the loop at the top was the head then when you formed the bottom loop it was the body so I always figured that was the reason
I was taught the knot back in Yorkshire, northern England and we called it a wagoners hitch. Always been my go too knot for tying a load i can't stand those ratchet straps! Great video
This is correct, standard UK truckers knot, though if you're right handed you may find it a bit easier to do it the opposite hand. i.e. take the first 'big bite' as you call it in your left hand and not your right hand as once you've rested the first fold on top of the rope you can do the slightly trickier bit with your good hand. Works both ways just the same of course. The big bite doesn't need to be that big, less than half that size is just fine. You can do a third wrap for a bit extra grip.
I used to use this knot for roping and sheeting chemicals. I worked in the yard, and we had some chemicals which had to go in an open trailer for delivery, so we had to use sheets. We often used a double dolly, and tightened it by stepping in the loop to make it really tight. Great video, well explained.
This is the best trucker's hitch I know of - far superior to the all others and I use it daily. I have always known it to be called the 'Dolly Knot' because of its three parts - head body and legs. I delivered some timber to a farm in Wales the other week and the customer remarked that he hadn't seen a 'Harvest Knot' in years so it seemingly goes by a number of names which I guess depends upon your occupation.
I love learning different names for this knot - I just call it the English Trucker's because it was shown to me by an English tree surgeon living here in Canada. Thanks for watching!
Too much rope in his hand to begin with. Half that amount would be enough. And English trucker old school would use a lot less loop when sheeting a load . Too much would be flapping about
Hey mate greetings from Australia,just wanted to say a big thank you for all your very useful and informative easy to understand video's that you have posted, keep those great video's coming and keep up the great work
I am an English Trucker.....that the very same way I have done it from when I was 17.....I am now 70. I still remember when I was first shown it by a much old truck driver.....I was amazed. All the other examples I see on youtube are poor in comparison.....and over complicated.... Great Video.
I think it was 48 years ago I was taught this on marina as a teenager where I first learnt about knots, 35 years ago I was employed to lash and sheet flatbacks for the drivers, cutting and splicing all the frays at weekend and now I have been a trucker myself for 20 years. Although there is one I learnt that is not on internet in the whole as far as I know because it adapts in three different, normal roads, bad roads,off road. I may share it one day....taught it by a poacher who worked on farms when I was a kid....its what they used to teach in the army 21 lancers (Tank regiment)....my father taught him and he taught me years later.
I really like the Truckie Knot ... although I just started learning knots today (well there was that double granny knot known as the square knot and I can tie my shoes ...)
I love learning knots. Ropework and knots are one of the most timeless skills known to man, but these days it is a disappearing art. Good luck on your knot learning journey Sean!
Man I've been using an alpine butterfly for the loop, but this is clearly better because it unties so easily. Judging from the remarks below by truckers, this knot is evidently more robust than one would think. I wonder if it ever falls apart if the lines become loose as the load settles.
Is it because there are actually 3 lines going to the "load"? I want to know as well. On my block and tackles you count the number of lines going to the pulley attached to the load. Also by adding another truckers hitch like he did, is it 5:1?
I have seen about 30 videos, some very appealing, like the one by @CoalCrackerBushcraft, BUT, this is, indubitably The Best! Starting my practice, now! Doing it in the forest. Thanks a Gazzillion Tonnes from India! Update 2. The 550 paracord that I am using, tightens the loops and they don't hang like they do with this thick rope in the video.
THANKS PATRICK !! I USED THE TRUCKERS HITCH TODAY TO STRAIGHTEN UP A SMALL DIAMETER ASH WHICH LEANED PRETTY HARD TOWARD A BUILDING..WORKED OUT WELL.THANKS FOR MAKING THIS VID.
EducatedClimber.com been using it the same way for 30 years but to save time on the last dolly I use and automatic truckers hitch.. Saves tieing it for short runs
so instead of taking a bite through the loop and then all the back to the krab, I put a krab with a pinto onto the loop and then sent the rope through that. So no rope on rope friction. Doubled it up and it was a beast. Can anyone tell me a problem with that? all I can think of is not knowing the limits of the gear overdoing it. Im thinking of getting a couple of pinto rigs, a rig plate, and experimenting with back leaners
That certainly works, and lots of people do it that way. I actually prefer the rope on rope friction in many ways, it acts almost like a progess capture, helping to hold the tension for you. Lots of different options! If you are getting serious into playing with backleaners, I would look at getting a fiddle block setup for super-low friction 5:1 action plus built-in progress capture. - Patrick
Very cool. I made up something very similar. It takes slightly longer to set up and requires an extra biner, but has a little less friction. One other thing I add to help this is instead of tying up high in the tree, I'll add a natural crotch 2-1. The rope STARTS at the tree where you had your sling, then it goes up to a solid high crotch in the tree you're pulling over, then it comes back down to the tree you have your sling on and you set up your mechanical advantage. Now you almost double your pulling power right off the hop
One thing that I didn't mention in the video that I wish I had, is that in this application, the friction of rope-on-rope actually adds to the setup, acting almost like a progress capture. So you can put all of your pull into the line, and then hold that pull easily thanks to the friction. I remember one time during my apprenticeship, we used this trucker's hitch, piggy-backed on itself like in the video, to pull the 40HP stump grinder up a hill in the rain after it had slid down sideways. So many people are negative on the friction in this hitch, but you would be amazed at just how much of a pull you can get with it. Minimalism at its finest!
Very nice. I've been using a slip knot and really hated dealing with the mess it makes. Is there any problem using the Alpine Butterfly? This seems to use less rope. Thanks for the great knots!
Straight and to the point. Brilliant. I used to do these literally with my eyes shut as it was easier but I didn't need it for a while and and forgot how to do it. Many thanks Educated Climber.
Count the number of ropes at the anchor point should be 3 to make a 3 to 1. I may b confused but i thought he had a 3 to 1 system at the beginning of it before he added thy other loOP s.
Though some people call all these types of hitches 'Trucker's hitches', a lot of people differentiate and call this type a 'Truckie's hitch'. Of course this is based on a half-sheepshank, meaning half-hitch around a bight. Trucker's hitches have a knot tied in the line that forms the pull-loop. Various knots can be used. Don't know why this is called an 'english' hitch lol. I've seen a couple of Aussie vids that use this same two half-hitches around the bight with the second behind the first and it weren't no 'english' hitch. Just a Truckie's hitch. Btw, for the life of me I can't see why twisting the lower bight does anything. I used to twist it but then could see no possible reason for it. Plays no part in the tensioning. Nothing.
Bixby, I made up the name and I call it 'English' because an Englishman showed it to me, combined with the fact that in 10 years of tree work I have never seen anyone else in the world of arboriculture using this variation of the knot. My interpretation of the Truckie's vs Trucker's was that the Truckie's involves a fixed anchor point, like a post or rail, and a Trucker's can involve something midline attachable, like a 'biner. I'm probably way off with that but that's just how I think about it. As far as the extra twist, I used it for years without the extra twist and it totally works, but in the process of teaching it to other people, they seem to get better results with the extra twist. The knot will untie itself without sufficient tension and the twist seems to help keep this from happening. The extra twist is not necessary, that's just how I teach it to noobs.
It's the standard load lashing hitch used by truck drivers in the UK. It was taught to me by my father back in the 1950's. He'd used it all his working life and I used all of mine, both of us driving HGV's in the UK. Odd thing though, from what I've seen on the Internet Auzzie drivers tend to try to use the hitch on the nearside of the vehicle with short lengths of rope. We favoured using much longer ropes zigzagging the same rope all along the load.
Yes, I have seen it a couple times called the Lorry hitch. Shown to me by an Englishman by the name of Andy Lake. I just don't see it being tied this way on this side of the pond, so I teach it to new tree surgeons all the time. Still one of my favourites for minimalists!
@@TreeMuggs_PatrickM as a third generation English lorry driver I was taught to tie this hitch by my grandad, he called it a hay man's hitch or donkey's lug (lughole - ear); as he used a waggon and horses before he drove a lorry I'm happy continue calling it a hay man's hitch. By the way you don't need to put in the second wrap but always works better with the twist. Two's tight enough three'll break the rope. @donfink7063 Always zig-zag.
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![The Trucker's Hitch...But Better. [Auto-Locking]](/img/1.gif)
Perfect demonstration of a dolly knot. I learned this knot as a young lad as my father was a trucker in England.
When I was a boy in England during the 1960’s, I used to go with my dad in his lorry (truck). In those days loads were roped and sheeted by the driver. The dollyknot was the first knot I could tie properly, as he used to rope his whole load (with a single rope usually) on both sides using Dolly knots on every hitching point.
all so true. back in 1950s/60s long before the Ratchet straps. if the rope`s got wet over night they got loose and we would have to tighten down before driving off, also when the hot sun dried rope out it would all go tight. sisal rope!
I am just getting into tree work and would love to learn to climb and eventually open my own biz. I have been scouring the internet for research/learning material. Your videos are, by FAR, the best instructional content I have found. I love it. Easy to follow and understand. KEEP IT UP!!!!!! 👏👏🔥🔥
Yep it's a beauty... 30+ years never failed me... Rope snapped a few times... Hitch stayed put
Excellent video mate ... you know how to do the knot properly. So many folk advising to use the slip knot which is not a trucker's hitch. Heavy tension and certain ropes will bind and you'd spend ages getting the damn thing out. No self respecting trucker would use it. Kudos and well done for showing folks how it is done properly.
Thank you sir, I get so much value out of this hitch and it blows my mind that most people in my trade don't even know how much you can do with it, much less how to tie it properly. It's one of my favourites!
I agree. Trying to undo a tensed up slip knot is a bitch.
Hell, I’ve been using an alpine butterfly for my truckers hitches so that they’re easy to undo, but this one is better even still!
I think i know about 10 to 15 different ways of doing a truckers hitch, but i always use this one because 9 out of 10 times when it comes to undoing and recoiling the rope, its pissing down.
Also known in the U.K. as a dolly hitch, I learnt how to do them when I was about 8 or 9 yrs old helping on a farm.......👍🇮🇲👌
At last! That's the one Ive been looking for. My father used this to tie loads of hay but I could never get it quite right. Thanks for the video.
I use the standard truckers hitch all the time but I really like this English trucker hitch and the no binding of the knot.
Here in the UK we truckers call it a Dolly Knot its the main knot we would use, nice video showing how its tied BTW
Thank you, is there a reason it's called the Dolly knot or is that just tradition?
When I was taught to do it the old trucker told me when making it the loop at the top was the head then when you formed the bottom loop it was the body so I always figured that was the reason
I love it. The Dolly knot. Thank you for sharing that.
Muggs
I was taught the knot back in Yorkshire, northern England and we called it a wagoners hitch. Always been my go too knot for tying a load i can't stand those ratchet straps! Great video
Great videos. I was a big dropper loop fan... until you pulled them both out with pretty much one hand. LOL
This is correct, standard UK truckers knot, though if you're right handed you may find it a bit easier to do it the opposite hand. i.e. take the first 'big bite' as you call it in your left hand and not your right hand as once you've rested the first fold on top of the rope you can do the slightly trickier bit with your good hand. Works both ways just the same of course. The big bite doesn't need to be that big, less than half that size is just fine. You can do a third wrap for a bit extra grip.
I used to use this knot for roping and sheeting chemicals. I worked in the yard, and we had some chemicals which had to go in an open trailer for delivery, so we had to use sheets. We often used a double dolly, and tightened it by stepping in the loop to make it really tight. Great video, well explained.
Thanks brother :) - Patrick
This is the best trucker's hitch I know of - far superior to the all others and I use it daily. I have always known it to be called the 'Dolly Knot' because of its three parts - head body and legs. I delivered some timber to a farm in Wales the other week and the customer remarked that he hadn't seen a 'Harvest Knot' in years so it seemingly goes by a number of names which I guess depends upon your occupation.
I love learning different names for this knot - I just call it the English Trucker's because it was shown to me by an English tree surgeon living here in Canada. Thanks for watching!
you're canadian? where abouts
I used to call it a harvesters, great version this bloke does
@@TreeMuggs_PatrickM, why don't you add the alternate names so that this video becomes more search-result friendly?
Thanks so much for simplifying this knot, fantastic instruction, very easy to understand
Too much rope in his hand to begin with. Half that amount would be enough. And English trucker old school would use a lot less loop when sheeting a load . Too much would be flapping about
Amazing! Thanks for sharing this one! Ive seen a lot of arborist/tree rigging vids and have not seen this anywhere else!
WOW! That is beautiful and I’m going to learn and use that this week somewhere thank you👍🏿🌲
I've puller a car out of mud with this not and two people it's used fir roping and sheeting in my job best knot to learn by far
Finally...a clear concise video on the truckers hitch.
Thanks👍
Every knot is English....we invented the rope
Hey mate greetings from Australia,just wanted to say a big thank you for all your very useful and informative easy to understand video's that you have posted, keep those great video's coming and keep up the great work
thanks brother! - Patrick
I am an English Trucker.....that the very same way I have done it from when I was 17.....I am now 70.
I still remember when I was first shown it by a much old truck driver.....I was amazed.
All the other examples I see on youtube are poor in comparison.....and over complicated....
Great Video.
I think it was 48 years ago I was taught this on marina as a teenager where I first learnt about knots, 35 years ago I was employed to lash and sheet flatbacks for the drivers, cutting and splicing all the frays at weekend and now I have been a trucker myself for 20 years.
Although there is one I learnt that is not on internet in the whole as far as I know because it adapts in three different, normal roads, bad roads,off road.
I may share it one day....taught it by a poacher who worked on farms when I was a kid....its what they used to teach in the army 21 lancers (Tank regiment)....my father taught him and he taught me years later.
I really like the Truckie Knot ... although I just started learning knots today (well there was that double granny knot known as the square knot and I can tie my shoes ...)
I love learning knots. Ropework and knots are one of the most timeless skills known to man, but these days it is a disappearing art. Good luck on your knot learning journey Sean!
Best informative video on this subject 👍
Thank you! - Patrick
Awesome stuff, Thank you , God bless
Same to you brother!
Great demo. Love this video
Man I've been using an alpine butterfly for the loop, but this is clearly better because it unties so easily. Judging from the remarks below by truckers, this knot is evidently more robust than one would think. I wonder if it ever falls apart if the lines become loose as the load settles.
Once it's been under tension it holds its shape, but still shakes undone....if you are not confident, put a half hitch over the dolly's head.
Can anyone explain why this is 3:1 advantage I only calculate 2:1?!!
Is it because there are actually 3 lines going to the "load"? I want to know as well. On my block and tackles you count the number of lines going to the pulley attached to the load. Also by adding another truckers hitch like he did, is it 5:1?
@@timadams5046 2:1 then doubled = 4:1. Basic single pully without the pully
I have seen about 30 videos, some very appealing, like the one by @CoalCrackerBushcraft, BUT, this is, indubitably The Best!
Starting my practice, now!
Doing it in the forest. Thanks a Gazzillion Tonnes from India!
Update 2. The 550 paracord that I am using, tightens the loops and they don't hang like they do with this thick rope in the video.
AWSOME !
Very good.
Would that be a 4+1? Generally curious, about tying 2 "English truckers hitch "
Well Done! This medicine ( Trucker's Hitch) is exactly what I needed. Thanks tree Doc.
THANKS PATRICK !! I USED THE TRUCKERS HITCH TODAY TO STRAIGHTEN UP A SMALL DIAMETER ASH WHICH LEANED PRETTY HARD TOWARD A BUILDING..WORKED OUT WELL.THANKS FOR MAKING THIS VID.
Been using it for years but did not know the name of it......Thank's.
This is just a great set up for home owner or farmer who doesn't have a lot of rigging gear. I cant wait to try this
Well call that a double dolly
Yessir, double dolly, truckers, truckies, lorry hitch. No matter what you call it, she's a beauty!
Patrick
EducatedClimber.com been using it the same way for 30 years but to save time on the last dolly I use and automatic truckers hitch.. Saves tieing it for short runs
Slight difference is I put my loop under and wrap round not on top.
Loop under wrap round neck twice.. Put full twist in with one hand and pull other through... All one fluid movement... After many years practice
David, I want to see a video, that sounds awesome....
I watched this last year and fell in love with this hitch, I have been using it ever since and love it. Thanks for all your vids
You're ALL that,and then awesome!!!
Dolly knot and double dolly. Awesome.
That was awsome..
Great channel, looking forward to more vids!
Thanks for the encouragement Rob, stay tuned for more. Cheers.
The Double Dolly
Wonder if there is too much friction here to use this for SRT limb walks? Or can the knot even be trusted for life support?
Don’t trust it for life support, it can roll out
so instead of taking a bite through the loop and then all the back to the krab, I put a krab with a pinto onto the loop and then sent the rope through that. So no rope on rope friction. Doubled it up and it was a beast. Can anyone tell me a problem with that? all I can think of is not knowing the limits of the gear overdoing it. Im thinking of getting a couple of pinto rigs, a rig plate, and experimenting with back leaners
That certainly works, and lots of people do it that way. I actually prefer the rope on rope friction in many ways, it acts almost like a progess capture, helping to hold the tension for you. Lots of different options! If you are getting serious into playing with backleaners, I would look at getting a fiddle block setup for super-low friction 5:1 action plus built-in progress capture.
- Patrick
super cool!
Add a VT or a Distal hitch around the main line connected to the ‘biner and use it as an efficient progress capture
Yessir, and add a micropulley on there as well... - Patrick
Thank you
Very cool. I made up something very similar. It takes slightly longer to set up and requires an extra biner, but has a little less friction. One other thing I add to help this is instead of tying up high in the tree, I'll add a natural crotch 2-1. The rope STARTS at the tree where you had your sling, then it goes up to a solid high crotch in the tree you're pulling over, then it comes back down to the tree you have your sling on and you set up your mechanical advantage. Now you almost double your pulling power right off the hop
One thing that I didn't mention in the video that I wish I had, is that in this application, the friction of rope-on-rope actually adds to the setup, acting almost like a progress capture. So you can put all of your pull into the line, and then hold that pull easily thanks to the friction. I remember one time during my apprenticeship, we used this trucker's hitch, piggy-backed on itself like in the video, to pull the 40HP stump grinder up a hill in the rain after it had slid down sideways. So many people are negative on the friction in this hitch, but you would be amazed at just how much of a pull you can get with it. Minimalism at its finest!
EducatedClimber.com interesting, wouldn't have thought of it like that, good point
Very nice. I've been using a slip knot and really hated dealing with the mess it makes. Is there any problem using the Alpine Butterfly? This seems to use less rope. Thanks for the great knots!
Hey Sam, no problem with the butterfly, I just prefer this. Thanks for watching! - Patrick
Alpine butterfly is more stable but harder to undo. That’s the compromise with most knots
Straight and to the point. Brilliant. I used to do these literally with my eyes shut as it was easier but I didn't need it for a while and and forgot how to do it. Many thanks Educated Climber.
Well done
Count the number of ropes at the anchor point should be 3 to make a 3 to 1. I may b confused but i thought he had a 3 to 1 system at the beginning of it before he added thy other loOP s.
Though some people call all these types of hitches 'Trucker's hitches', a lot of people differentiate and call this type a 'Truckie's hitch'. Of course this is based on a half-sheepshank, meaning half-hitch around a bight. Trucker's hitches have a knot tied in the line that forms the pull-loop. Various knots can be used.
Don't know why this is called an 'english' hitch lol. I've seen a couple of Aussie vids that use this same two half-hitches around the bight with the second behind the first and it weren't no 'english' hitch. Just a Truckie's hitch.
Btw, for the life of me I can't see why twisting the lower bight does anything. I used to twist it but then could see no possible reason for it. Plays no part in the tensioning. Nothing.
Bixby, I made up the name and I call it 'English' because an Englishman showed it to me, combined with the fact that in 10 years of tree work I have never seen anyone else in the world of arboriculture using this variation of the knot. My interpretation of the Truckie's vs Trucker's was that the Truckie's involves a fixed anchor point, like a post or rail, and a Trucker's can involve something midline attachable, like a 'biner. I'm probably way off with that but that's just how I think about it.
As far as the extra twist, I used it for years without the extra twist and it totally works, but in the process of teaching it to other people, they seem to get better results with the extra twist. The knot will untie itself without sufficient tension and the twist seems to help keep this from happening. The extra twist is not necessary, that's just how I teach it to noobs.
It's the standard load lashing hitch used by truck drivers in the UK. It was taught to me by my father back in the 1950's. He'd used it all his working life and I used all of mine, both of us driving HGV's in the UK. Odd thing though, from what I've seen on the Internet Auzzie drivers tend to try to use the hitch on the nearside of the vehicle with short lengths of rope. We favoured using much longer ropes zigzagging the same rope all along the load.
Yes, I have seen it a couple times called the Lorry hitch. Shown to me by an Englishman by the name of Andy Lake. I just don't see it being tied this way on this side of the pond, so I teach it to new tree surgeons all the time. Still one of my favourites for minimalists!
@@TreeMuggs_PatrickM as a third generation English lorry driver I was taught to tie this hitch by my grandad, he called it a hay man's hitch or donkey's lug (lughole - ear); as he used a waggon and horses before he drove a lorry I'm happy continue calling it a hay man's hitch.
By the way you don't need to put in the second wrap but always works better with the twist.
Two's tight enough three'll break the rope.
@donfink7063 Always zig-zag.