Hitch Shackle Recovery Point - Bad Idea?

[wellRed]

Thaks for asking, had this very same question.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jono.ful]

I use a Smittybilt Beaver Tail step (rated for 10,000lbs) with a BOLT Lock hitch pin lock (it uses your ignition key as the unlock key). I pulled out a Titan using the beaver tail. A 3/4 shackle hooks to it just fine. Here's a photo of both.

are these things actually street legal? around here you can get a ticket for driving around with a ball on if you're not actually engaged in pulling something. too many punctured rads and deployed airbags in simple rear end collisions I guess

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...

while not as strong as the smittybilt design (below) - which has a thicker mount, and pulls directly inline with the long axis - this should be fine for recovering a moderately stuck vehicle of similar weight or less, assuming of course that the hitch, strap, and clevis are all rated for the task.

these can be had for under $30, and is better than some mickey mouse thing cobbled together on the side of the road. I always carry mine, just in case

 

[Jetboy]

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...

I would have 2 potential concerns.

The first would be how well the hitch was welded where the square tube meets the bent piece of flat bar. That's just a matter of manufacturing quality.

The second would be a bending load on the hitch. I'm generally a fan of using the hitch as a tow point. The longer the lever arm you put in it, the more risk you have of damaging something from a sideways pull. That's the scenario where it could possibly damage your hitch framework. And that's probably why I'd be a bit leery of using a hitch like that. I would rather put the strip inside and just use the hitch pin. IMO it's a better tow point than any of the receiver/shackle combo units for a few reasons, but that's the primary one.

That said - I think it would be very unlikely to damage anything or break the hitch as you have it setup there. The tearout strength of the tab on the end of that may be higher or lower than a hitch mounted shackle like the factor55 or similar. It probably is stronger than any of the aluminum ones in tear out of the tab even if it's just mild steel. Assuming it's something like a 2.5 x .75 flat bar with the hole drilled 1 inch from the edge.

 

[mybabydaddy]

A TON of T4R owners use the hitch mount as a tow point... just use in line, and be smart.


2014 TEP w/ KDSS / Bilstein 5100s (front at 1.75) / Cornfed 1 inch rear spacers / 265/70 Nitto TG G2s / FN Cntrsteer Type X / RCI Front skid / Yakima Cross bars / NFab Steps

 

[FiReBReTHa]

I wanted to bump this thread and see if everyone is still preaching for smittybuilt or if anything else has come out that's superior to it.