Loose shackles

Just bought a Greenlane Offroad bumper along with a pair of Rhino shackles, and I was excited that they came with isolators and washers since no one likes the sound of clanking metal...needless to say I quickly realized that even with the washers there's still a heck ton of space on the pin.
Did some quick researching and it seems like 3/4" shackles are all made to the same spec where the jaw opening is 1.25", but yet a lot of the bumpers out there with shackle mounts have 3/4" thick mounts. Is that just the way the cookie crumbles or do you guys have some hacks for this crazy conundrum?

 

These work much better. Can also cut (sand) them to size...

Red Hound Auto D-Ring Shackle Isolator Compatible with Jeep Towing Off Road Kit 3/4"es Silencer Clevis 8pc Set

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J2BKYCG?ie=UTF8

 

Take the shackles off. Problem solved.

Install when you need a Jeep to pull you over the tire stop at the mall.

 

I would leave them off in storage under the seat until I actually needed them.

 

I cut my oversized isolators to fit. See here.

 

Leave them off. More likely to wiggle loose and beat the hell out of your under carriage then fly and hit someone behind you.
Mine come out when I need them and stay out of the weather when I don't.

 

Yeah, leave them off unless you dont mind them getting stolen or rusting up. If you need to have something to give you "offroad cred" then get some truck nuts.

 

That’s a very rational solution buuuuuutttt he won’t be doing that because he wants to show off the d- rings on the bumper.

 

Let’s see the full bumper.

 

In that case, I don’t think red shackles make as much noise.

 

She will get away with loose shackles. Better tighten them up, or use handcuffs...

 

OP,

im with other folks about leaving them off. They don’t really have a use until you get stuck. With that being said, even when I was stuck in a slippery situation I just hooked my winch hook to the welded loop on the bumper.



however, Home Depot does have nylon spaces to solve your issue if you want to keep them

 

That loop is a tie down for towing on a flatbed trailer. You should NEVER use that for any type of recovery. Uber dangerous, bro!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tow-hook-broke.592562/

 

A bit of bicycle tire inner tube does the trick for me.

 

How many more people can recommend removing the shackles?

OP, I recommend you remove the whole Greenlane bumper. It really makes no sense carrying around a full winch and bumper all of the time for a DD. Honestly, you should ditch all of that garbage and just buy a cheap come-along... Back in my grandpa's day, he could pull 3 wagons and 2 oxen with a simple come-along.

 

Leaving shackles on the outside of the truck 24x7 is akin to leaving the ball hitch on 24x7 or leaving your tools in the yard overnight. They get all rusty, make noise, beat up paint, bruise your shin, etc. There’s a reason they are removable.

I will admit I leave my shovel, hi-lift jack, and traction boards out in the elements when I am on a off-road trip, but putting them in the cab isn’t really an option. The hi-lift gets a dose of T9 to protect it.

 

I leave mine off until I need them.

Only people I see driving around with them mounted are the weirdos with jeeps.

 

That's just not true. My shackles have been on for over 3 years. They're not loose (they don't move unless moved by hand), they aren't rusting, they have had zero effect on the paint, and there's zero chance you're taking them off by hand (tightened them on with a screwdriver shaft)... and if the shackle hits your shin... you were going to hit the shackle mount regardless.

If OP wants them on their truck, let them be... Truly the TW hive mind has spoken

 

It’s the ball hitch that I hit my shin on.

I made the mistake of leaving a shackle in the cubby hole in the bed for 1 Minnesota winter. RIP, my dear shackle