Soft Shackles - making some - anyone ever use them?

[TechMOGogy]

I am going to be making some soft shackles for the Hafi and Pinz.
Just ordering the Amsteel Blue synth line now but was wondering if anyone on this board had used them.
They get great reviews on other boards and like synth winch line they remove the broken steel shackle projectile issue (plus they float and weight 1/10 of a steel shackle).
I figure if I use 1/2" Amsteel I will have a shackle rated with a failure of about 30,000+lbs and a WLL of about 10,000+
So I will probably order 5/8th a few more tons of rating

7-8-2013 1-06-07 PM.jpg (65.22 KiB) Viewed 11456 times

[cascade.king]

I've seen the Lucky8 version.. they seem to work well.
They have an 18K rating.

http://lucky8llc.com/Products.aspx?ProductID=7209

[TechMOGogy]

Looks like they use 5/8"
I just think it would be good to make them so I know how to fix them, re-splice synth winch lines and it is a simple process.
Will go with much smaller line for the Hafi obviously

[undysworld]

they remove the broken steel shackle projectile issue

Any reduction in this danger is wonderful. But don't be overly confident and assume there's zero danger.

Remember that anything else involved needs to be similarly safe. That big red hook in your second photo could probably do some damage in the event your shackle and/or the vehicle itself failed. A fellow in Wisconsin died a couple years ago when something ripped off the truck he was towing and hit him.

I've been knocked a$$ over teakettle once by a flying chain, and it weren't no fun at all...

[compunerdy]

I could be wrong but if you had a synthetic rope on each side of that red shackle then it would not go flying far if at all since synthetic lines do not go flying like metal chain/cable can.

[cascade.king]

There is way less kenetic energy build up in a synthetic line over a static chain/shackle. The "explosive" force of a link releasing is bad, bad, bad.

That being said, a soft shackle failing where the "monkey fist" meets the spliced loop would still pack a ton of force, and should be treated like a lit M80 when under load.

[TechMOGogy]

I would try to get rid of all (most) steel - so the hook was just for showing how shackle works.
I agree with Cascade esp since that is exactly where the soft shackles fail (but at 20-35,000+++ lbs avg failure you are much safer vs a similar sized steel shackle and won't become a deadly projectile!)
Cheers - will post some photos of progress once I get started

[VinceAtReal4x4s]

Never had a (good) steel one break. They are so overbuilt that nothing a Pinz could do would ever break one, on top of whatever they are attached to failing well before the shackle would. Buy only US or Euro made ones. These are the best (Van Beest) and from the Netherlands.
http://www.masterpull.com/7-8-van-beest ... n-shackle/ Notice the rating... way past any of those. And the 3/4 is still 62K. The 1" is over 100k!

I run the rope but when it comes to a syn shackle, I personally feel uneasy about it. You also need a perfect point to attach these where the metal ones don't have to worry about a sharp edge, nearby exhaust pipe, being as easily lost in mud, etc. plus they are 100% locked up when screwed down or pinned closed. Oh and using a chain with a shackle is pretty common, esp. in a roll-over or on a non-anchor point car and you need steel for that.

[totaljoint]

There is a new mechanical engineering and design company from Boise Idaho, American made items to high spec. called Factor 55.
Makes recovery items like this replacement shackle for your winch.
(http://factor55.com/)


(I have no connection to them, but is popular on the Northwest Overland site)

[Stekay]

Reducing the radius (no thimble) is a huge determinant of ultimate line strength. With that said, I really like the idea as it will be fine for 90% of situations. Do not under estimate the "stored" energy in that synthetic line. Potential energy converted to kinetic energy will still kill you.

[CentAr712]

It seems to me that that fancy device does not actually do anything other than create a flat, rubber coated bumper for the bitter end of your winch-line to pull flush against the hawse. As far as actual rigging goes, you can just put the pin of your shackle right through the thimble. This is not to mention that in a professional rigging environment, anyone caught rigging with something made of aluminum would probably be fired immediately. It's just my opinion on that particular aluminum attachment, although I agree 100% about the shackle versus hook argument they make which I think is spot on.

[VinceAtReal4x4s]

I have one of those (Factor 55) pieces and it's built really well and tested like crazy. I feel weird with alum too but it's not typical. The main reason for it is the size of the opening. A typical winch cable thimble is no where near big enough for even a 3/4 pin.