Hitch Shackle Recovery Point - Bad Idea?

[Jetboy]

I should mention that I have seen first hand the receiver ripped out from a 90's F250. It was at a mud bog competition. And the pulling vehicle was a logging skidder. The f250 was on 44" boggers and buried in deep thick mud. We ended up bringing the large excavator over and lifting it out like a crane vertically. That was an aftermarket bolt in receiver. The bolts sheered or ripped through the frame rails. I can't remember which one. I don't think a bridle relying on 4 1/2" bolts would have survived either.

 

[raycie]

I bought the bolt lock for "Toyota". My 2016 TRDPro key worked just fine with it.

^^^This!

you need the one for toyota. BOLT makes a TON of types of these for all different manufacturers, i accidentally bought the wrong one off amazon first and had to return it and get the correct one.

The trick is to go to bolts website and fine the one specified for your truck. Since there is nothing special between keys and 5th gen years (unless you have the smart key).

I also got to try mine recently against another 4runner key (2013) from a member on here. I was curious if it would unlock for another 4runner key. it DIDNT! yay. pretty cool product to say the least.

Yeah here is the 5/8 lock
BOLT Receiver Locks 7023584 - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing
? BOLT Locks by Strattec

Thanks... yes... got one from amazon that didn't work so I was thinking I was out of luck. Found one locally and key worked fine.... perfect timing for my factor 55 coming in tomorrow and the president's fay camping trip...

 

[LandCruiser]

I've used mine to pull two vehicles out of ditches.

 

[NEExpo]

Pulling out a Titan with my Smittybilt Beaver Tail, (2) 3/4 shackles, and a smittybilt 30' 30,000lb strap https://youtu.be/3pY1UHexus0

 

[DesertCanyons]

Break Stuff

I've used mine to pull two vehicles out of ditches.

Yea, but you break stuff.

Never use the hitch ball to pull a vehicle out. They can snap with serious projectile motion consequences.:gun5:

I friend of mine uses a hitch pin through the loop of a snatch strap, without the Factor 55 style hitch receiver/shackle. The Factor55 aluminum hitch anchor looks good but most of the steel ones weigh over 6 pounds, plus the shackle.

My idea for a bridle using two recover points also provides the right equipment for pulling with the front two recovery points without the need for a front hitch receiver.:hatsoff:

 

[LandCruiser]

Yea, but you break stuff.

Never use the hitch ball to pull a vehicle out. They can snap with serious projectile motion consequences.:gun5:

I friend of mine uses a hitch pin through the loop of a snatch strap, without the Factor 55 style hitch receiver/shackle. The Factor55 aluminum hitch anchor looks good but most of the steel ones weigh over 6 pounds, plus the shackle.

My idea for a bridle using two recover points also provides the right equipment for pulling with the front two recovery points without the need for a front hitch receiver.:hatsoff:

As opposed to towing with the same setup that's rated for over 10k pounds?

The body mount hooks will break at that point.

I'm more worried with Al breaking over carbon steel.

 

[BLACK-FL4RUNNER]

Agreed. Never put a strap around the hitch ball, it can/has/will break.
Picture is of a ball embedded into a tailgate of my friend's ranger, after he tried it....

Any of the mentioned hitch receivers (smitty, f55, or similar) will work perfectly fine and safe. You will break the strap long before you rip the hitch off the truck, break a proper d-ring shackle, or shear a hitch pin.

 

[Jetboy]

The hitch is much stronger than most balls. I really don't know why you'd ever use anything but a loop through the hitch pin. Adding two more failure points with no benefit just doesn't make much sense. The only reason I could see for using one is if you're towing with a strap too large to fit into the receiver tube or you have a concern about the receiver being too sharp and cutting the strap.

If you feel like you need to spend some $ and carry around something that goes in your receiver - get one of these. It might actually be useful for trail repairs!

 

[LandCruiser]

The hitch is much stronger than most balls. I really don't know why you'd ever use anything but a loop through the hitch pin. Adding two more failure points with no benefit just doesn't make much sense. The only reason I could see for using one is if you're towing with a strap too large to fit into the receiver tube or you have a concern about the receiver being too sharp and cutting the strap.

This.

 

[DesertCanyons]

Recovery points vs hitch capacity

As opposed to towing with the same setup that's rated for over 10k pounds?

The body mount hooks will break at that point.

I'm more worried with Al breaking over carbon steel.

Not sure what you mean here? The tow rating is around 6500# as I recall, not 10,000#. And the tow rating is not about pulling all that weight with the hitch. Any trailer that weighs 6500# should have brakes on it and you can't pull it from a dead stop in order to apply that much force horizontally. You will always start out slowly and gain speed.

The body mounts in the rear are secured with two 3/4" or 7/8" bolts and a weld spot on each corner. With 2 points and 4 bolts the shear capacity is pretty high.

Does aluminum fail in tension easier than steel? And the cross sectional area is pretty large. "Too big to fail." The weak link is probably the hitch pin in double shear, followed by the hitch device at the shackle across the net cross sectional area on two sides of the shackle pin.

 

[LandCruiser]

Not sure what you mean here? The tow rating is around 6500# as I recall, not 10,000#. And the tow rating is not about pulling all that weight with the hitch. Any trailer that weighs 6500# should have brakes on it and you can't pull it from a dead stop in order to apply that much force horizontally. You will always start out slowly and gain speed.

The body mounts in the rear are secured with two 3/4" or 7/8" bolts and a weld spot on each corner. With 2 points and 4 bolts the shear capacity is pretty high.

Does aluminum fail in tension easier than steel? And the cross sectional area is pretty large. "Too big to fail." The weak link is probably the hitch pin in double shear, followed by the hitch device at the shackle across the net cross sectional area on two sides of the shackle pin.

The hitch, receiver, and shackle are all rated over 10k, even if the car can only tow 5-6k.

Some of the plow vehicles here have them, too.

I think they're GTG.

 

[DesertCanyons]

Do you need to equalize the load at each corner? Why? Have you ever seen a Toyota frame damaged from towing from the receiver?- as far as I know it has never in the history of Toyota been done. I'm open to convincing otherwise if you could find one example anywhere ever of this happening.

Regarding the Trail D-Vice above, that looks like a great work tool but it's too long to be used as a hitch pull device. There's too much potential for bending the hitch sideways with that long lever arm. :brick:

Just because we've never seen it posted here or on the trial doesn't mean no one has ever bent a hitch receiver using it as a recovery point.

And just because we're paranoid doesn't mean that someone isn't watching us. olice:

 

[DesertCanyons]

The hitch, receiver, and shackle are all rated over 10k, even if the car can only tow 5-6k.

Some of the plow vehicles here have them, too.

I think they're GTG.

You're right. So is Jetboy. Lots of people are using the hitch as a recovery point with no problems. They probably are good to go.

I just think two recovery points, a bridle and a snatch block are better and can also be used on the front just as easily.

 

[Jetboy]

N
Does aluminum fail in tension easier than steel? And the cross sectional area is pretty large. "Too big to fail." The weak link is probably the hitch pin in double shear, followed by the hitch device at the shackle across the net cross sectional area on two sides of the shackle pin.

Yes. 6061 T6 has about 50% lower tensile strength than a36 mild low carbon steel. Tempered steel like 4130 is about 3 times as strong.

I don't think either are likely to fail. They're both more than strong enough for this application. I would choose the lighter weight option all else equal.

 

[Dalko43]

The hitch, receiver, and shackle are all rated over 10k, even if the car can only tow 5-6k.

Some of the plow vehicles here have them, too.

I think they're GTG.

Where did you get the 10k rating from? Just curious.

 

[LandCruiser]

Where did you get the 10k rating from? Just curious.

MUCH thicker steel than my Sierra which is rated for 12,000.

 

[phillyd2]

Way to over think it. Anything that can have does have a shackle when not towing.

 

[DesertCanyons]

Way to over think it.

Hard to believe that red front loader/tractor needed an assist. It should have been able to dig itself out and/or push with the bucket. :zoom:

 

[phillyd2]

Hard to believe that red front loader/tractor needed an assist. It should have been able to dig itself out and/or push with the bucket. :zoom:

Never ever underestimate my talent for getting stuck. :thumb:

 

[MyanRagahis]

Hi, all. Is there any reason not to use this type of set up? This isn't mine (was researching and found this on a subaru forum) but I just bought that same receiver in the photo and was curious. Haven't found a straight answer if it is a norm or unsafe, etc...