Is "Hitch Shackle" a good idea? Also, recommendation for a tow strap.

...:hug:
Read this:

I did but then I'm all like this :noidea:

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/65921206" width="500" height="307" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/65921206">SNL-No-Math</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user18242804">Dez</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
 
if the pin can get tighter during a pull, why cant it also get looser?

I just don't see how that's even happening.

if there is a loop on the pin, how is it turning?

Absolutely could loosen...I make it a habit to not have any wire rope or synthetic sling on the pin, especially in a choker application. Just asking for the pin to rotate.
Not sure what you mean by loop in the pin. There is screw pins that have a hole in the "head", you can use tie wire to secure to prevent pin from backing out...then there are bolt type that use a nut secured with a cotter pin.
 
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[MENTION=106843]tslycord[/MENTION] I think he is referring to locking the pin from the pinhole with a wire or zip tie to the bow. Just a guess though.

I like the nut/cotter pins if you never plan on removing it. You think you would see more people use them on the bumper mounts.

About the horizontal/vertical shackle, vertically totally makes more sense for a left or right side pull, horizontal makes more sense for a above or below pull IMHO (not sure if anyone said that already). I hadn't seen those before and may have bought one if I had, still might :)
 
[MENTION=106843]tslycord[/MENTION]

About the horizontal/vertical shackle, vertically totally makes more sense for a left or right side pull, horizontal makes more sense for a above or below pull IMHO (not sure if anyone said that already). I hadn't seen those before and may have bought one if I had, still might :)

I assume you are talking about the safety swivel hoist ring I posted about yesterday? Yeah those would be idea! Although I haven't seen them in the 4x4 application before..I have have to patent that!
 
About the horizontal/vertical shackle, vertically totally makes more sense for a left or right side pull, horizontal makes more sense for a above or below pull IMHO (not sure if anyone said that already). I hadn't seen those before and may have bought one if I had, still might :)
I've honestly never seen the need to put the shackle in vertically. If you need to pull at that much of a side angle (say greater than 45 degrees off centre) you need to reassess the recovery. You're likely to pull the stuck vehicle's back tires off the bead at a sharp angle, especially if he's aired down a lot. Might be time to think about using a winch with a pulley so you're pulling the stuck vehicle straight back instead of on an angle.
 
I assume you are talking about the safety swivel hoist ring I posted about yesterday? Yeah those would be idea! Although I haven't seen them in the 4x4 application before..I have have to patent that!

No I missed that, it is interesting idea though.

I've honestly never seen the need to put the shackle in vertically. If you need to pull at that much of a side angle (say greater than 45 degrees off centre) you need to reassess the recovery. You're likely to pull the stuck vehicle's back tires off the bead at a sharp angle, especially if he's aired down a lot. Might be time to think about using a winch with a pulley so you're pulling the stuck vehicle straight back instead of on an angle.

Totally not ideal, I know. I also know that you have done a ton of practical recoveries and totally trust your opinion. There are times when it is what it is and you have to do what you have to do. Even if you are pulling off ~45 degrees you won't suffer the 30% reduction in the WLL if it where in the vertical position, not that it matters that much on a 4.5 ton 3/4" shackle but it still is a ~1.5 ton wll reduction.
 
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No I missed that, it is interesting idea though.



Totally not ideal, I know. I also know that you have done a ton of practical recoveries and totally trust your opinion. There are times when it is what it is and you have to do what you have to do. Even if you are pulling off ~45 degrees you won't suffer the 30% reduction in the WLL if it where in the vertical position, not that it matters that much on a 4.5 ton 3/4" shackle but it still is a ~1.5 ton wll reduction.

1.5 ton reduction?
 
1.5 ton reduction?

Working load limit is reduced by 30% at 45 degree pull. Well other than my arithmetic lol would be 1.35. Reducing the Working load limit of the shackle to 3.15 tons. Is something wrong in my thinking? It is how I understand it. You would be the one to let me know :)
 
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Working load limit is reduced by 30% at 45 degree pull. Well other than my arithmetic lol would be 1.35. Reducing the Working load limit of the shackle to 3.15 tons. Is something wrong in my thinking? It is how I understand it. You would be the one to let me know :)

If you want a true answer I will be glad to give it. It will take me awhile just like it did to make the post I quoted above. So if you want it I will do it. I hate seeing wrong information posted because someone will believe it and when recovering a vehicle you need all the information you can have or else it will be an expensive lesson.
 
Also have a couple of the very same and they are GTG. Just don't forget one shorter one to wrap around a tree.

I will get that when I am getting the winch. Don't have a winch right now, so, I won't be doing any anchoring to a tree as of yet.

Just getting my feet wet, don't want to buy a bunch of junk to only know that there are better out there, so checking with you guys first.

Picking up a few starting item to put in the car to go out to Anza Borrego, but not going to go too far in unless I get some more experience members to go with. Probably just going on some well travel'ed dirt road only.

Still need to get some better tires!
 
This is the type of situation I've regularly seen the need for a side pull. The yellow land cruiser is my trail rig. Obviously this is a front pull, but it could end up doing the same with a rear pull. Side front pulls tend to be hard on front axles. The last two front axle shafts I've snapped were done with the winch pulling almost straight sideways and a tire bound up. I the second pic the truck is one of my other trail rigs. Same kind of issue. On that same trail I've tipped that truck on it's side breaking trail in the snow. The higher mountain logging roads tend to build up at an angle and it can be very difficult to stay on the road.

In both situations a strap would have been very hard to use to extract the stuck vehicle. I don't foresee many situations where a strap will see a 90* side pull. But I have that situation pretty regularly with a winch pull.
 

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Absolutely could loosen...I make it a habit to not have any wire rope or synthetic sling on the pin, especially in a choker application. Just asking for the pin to rotate.
Not sure what you mean by loop in the pin. There is screw pins that have a hole in the "head", you can use tie wire to secure to prevent pin from backing out...then there are bolt type that use a nut secured with a cotter pin.
if the loop of the strap is around the pin, how is the pin getting turned?

I could see it if someone was using the shackle in place a snatch block...
but if the pin is being pulled at the end of the loop, there wouldn't be any turning...

[MENTION=106843]tslycord[/MENTION] I think he is referring to locking the pin from the pinhole with a wire or zip tie to the bow. Just a guess though.

I like the nut/cotter pins if you never plan on removing it. You think you would see more people use them on the bumper mounts.

About the horizontal/vertical shackle, vertically totally makes more sense for a left or right side pull, horizontal makes more sense for a above or below pull IMHO (not sure if anyone said that already). I hadn't seen those before and may have bought one if I had, still might :)
see above.

This is the type of situation I've regularly seen the need for a side pull. The yellow land cruiser is my trail rig. Obviously this is a front pull, but it could end up doing the same with a rear pull. Side front pulls tend to be hard on front axles. The last two front axle shafts I've snapped were done with the winch pulling almost straight sideways and a tire bound up. I the second pic the truck is one of my other trail rigs. Same kind of issue. On that same trail I've tipped that truck on it's side breaking trail in the snow. The higher mountain logging roads tend to build up at an angle and it can be very difficult to stay on the road.

In both situations a strap would have been very hard to use to extract the stuck vehicle. I don't foresee many situations where a strap will see a 90* side pull. But I have that situation pretty regularly with a winch pull.

yes, I have experienced side pulls like that MANY times. I have still yet to see the need to flip my shackle around.
 
If you want a true answer I will be glad to give it. It will take me awhile just like it did to make the post I quoted above. So if you want it I will do it. I hate seeing wrong information posted because someone will believe it and when recovering a vehicle you need all the information you can have or else it will be an expensive lesson.

Yes, I would appreciate you explaining it in more layman's terms. I am not making shit up. Maybe I just don't understand what is being said. Correct me and I will be more that happy to edit my other posts (I would edit/delete it anyway if you think that it is that confusing). A single leg (vertical) side load of 45 degrees reduces the WLL of the shackle to 70%. Is that not a 30% reduction in WLL for the shackle? Granted I am no engineer, I did do some rigging for a number of years in my 20's. I have gotten the information from reputable resources. From Crosby, see Table 1:
 

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yes, I have experienced side pulls like that MANY times. I have still yet to see the need to flip my shackle around.

You don't *need* to flip it. But I think we both agree it would be safer with the shackle oriented vertically. And we'd probably both agree that it's free for the manufacturer to orient in a safer way. So the choice to orient horizontally is an indication that the manufacturer hasn't put much thought into it - or doesn't intend it to be used much.

I have a winch on my trail rig and my daily driver, so I rarely use a strap and when do I use a hitch pin so for me it doesn't much matter. I will concede that this thread has gotten me thinking about buying or building a hitch shackle for convenience. I've just always been a bit confused by some of the common choices in mounting shackles. It's just not very hard to do it the right way, yet almost nobody does.
 
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[MENTION=84120]nevada[/MENTION]

It's not the sling that is rotating... from my understanding (On the job experience as well as master rigger class) it's the forces on the sling (loading and unloading, shocking, again and again) as well as any side loading on the shackle itself would cause stresses in both the pin and shackle body. Those forces could cause the pin to be torqued down or bound up.
 
Bought the Wrap-It recently, not sure what I will do with it, but looked like a good idea. It's in my off-road bag now. The free shackle helped my decision.
 

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