Recovery gear question

I have a few questions. First, is there any risk using the pin that holds the hitch in for recovery? As in remove the ball and stick the pin on the receiver holding the loop for the strap( instead of getting a shackle)?

Second, is there any functional difference between the shackles at lowes or Home Depot vs the ones from off road stores? I know I need them but unsure which I need. I assume as long as the load is high enough it's ok?

 

Use the hitch pin and stick it through the strap, do it all the time. Get a shackle (D-ring) with a rating of about 6 tons, about as big as your hand.

 

Using the pin only is not ok, it takes a lot less force to bend and break the pin then it does to shear it off in 2 places at the same time if you we're to spend $30-50 for a proper receiver shackle.
As for shackles any screw type 3/4" shackle should be fine.

 

Never bent mine in all the times I'v done it. Ever see it done, or just saying?

 

I've only been stuck once (still new to the whole game) and used it to pull out... doubt I was putting a LOT of force on it but had no problems. Would be interested to know if this is theory or has been proven that the pin is prone to fail...

 

use the pin in a pinch, but try to get an actual reciever shackle. I've seen pins bend (lickily never break). danger asside, it can be a very large pain to get a bent pin out of a trailer hitch.

reasoning:
when using a strap on a pin, you are pulling from the center of the pin, which creates the most bending force. when you make the same pull with a reciever shackle setup, the shackle holder is putting force on the pin near the two ends of the pin. this creats a shear force with very little bending ability.

 

well said, sir.

 

If you are needing to use an anchor point to recover yourself or someone else out of a stuck situation, do you want to take the risk of something breaking right then, or would you rather spend the $20 to have the piece of mind knowing there's no weak links in your system?
The way I look at recovery is this: If I'm having to bust out the recovery gear, I'm pretty well up shit creek already, and I want to make sure I don't go up that creek any more by having stuff break on me (most of my adventures are solo, in the way-backcountry where no one will find me for a week or more).

The stuff at Homey Despot is good for light-duty stuff, like what they sell there. Offroad stuff is built for much heavier demands. That 5,400# chain or shackle HD sells sounds like it'll cover your 4,500# truck......until you factor in the weight resistance of of whatever you're stuck in. You might well be pushing 10,000# of resistance in recovery. A 6T shackle gives you another 2,000# on top of that. And remember: You want the weak point to be something soft, like the strap, so that if it does break it doesn't become a lethal projectile.

As for answering your original question:
I recommend getting the receiver-mount shackle from Schlep Boys. The receiver portion is sold steel, and has a good three inches of solid steel behind the receiver pin (many only have an inch or so). And the shackle it comes with is a 7/8" pin, which is bigger than the common 3/4" shackles you'll find pretty much everywhere else. And it's only like $50 for the whole thing.
Whatever you do, do NOT use the ball as a shackle. You would be surprised how weak those things are, and just how much damage a 2" cannonball can do.

 

Crosby 3/4 screw pin shackles all day long. I have a 7/8 Crosby too but sometimes they just won't fit. I wouldn't worry about using a hitch pin in the least. You may bend it but I'd trust a hitch pin over any cheap chinese shackle mount.

I'd only trust a quality shackle. Crosby is made in the USA as well and is industry standard for rigging and over head lifting and MBL is 6x WLL.

Van Beest is dutch, but similar specs.

ARB probably re-brands theirs but I don't who makes them. There's a couple other decent brand shackles out there too. Forged, stamped with WLL and size. CM makes a nice 3/4" 6.5 ton WLL shackle.

 

If all else fails, I keep a 30 ton crane shakle in my bed box. that comes out when things get really bad.

 

I'd expect it's decent coming from Warn. You know they've rated the bracket at least the WLL limit of the shackled. 4 3/4 ton. They don't tell you what they're hitch pin is rated though and they don't give you the factory of safety they use.

I'm sure it'd be okay though. Amazon has it for a lot cheaper FWIW. Also, one Amazon review states their shackles are Chinese made vs CM and Crosby (USA). I'll send off an email to Warn.

 

http://www.balancecommunity.com/Slack-Science/all-about-shackles


I sent an email to Warn about

forged or cast
minimum breaking strength
maximum proof load
manufacturing and QC standards

 

Fastenal has a variety of CM shackles, which are excellent.

 

I had a gift card to Cabelas and ended up using it for a Warn shackle. It's a pretty sturdy piece, I have no complaints.

 

That's the nature of these things. You won't have any complaints until it deforms or breaks, and that could be catastrophic. I'm sure Warns standards are decent but it'd be nice to know what they are.

At least with Crosby and CM you know they're individually proof loaded to at least 19,000 lbs and the MBS is 57000 lbs, and that's with the weakest ones they make.

Not to say it's a bad buy but it'd be nice of warn to divulge a little more. If I hear back from them I'll post up.

 

Which is basically a chickenshit answer of, they'll be fine in a static pull of 9500 pounds or less.

 

They are purchased parts that meet/exceed our test criteria. Specifications to get there, is likely proprietary info and not necessary when used in the applications specified.

Can you tell me what you need this additional info for?


I was pretty polite in my asking... yikes!

 

Just get this for $40 and call it a day. Includes a properly rated 3/4" anchor shackle.



http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...&keyword=shackle&storeId=10051#specifications

 

is it just me or would putting much more than 6500 pounds against the so rated reciever on my pickup possibly result in some expensive damage???

dead serious question. i would much rather be the guy with a bent reciever pin than the guy with a mangled ass end structure

 

that 6500 lb number is based on brakes, suspension, and handling primarily. the truck's frame and hitch can hold far more. realatively large saftety factors are built into hitches.