Winch shackle, why?

eburrows

Well-known member
Ok, this might seem like a dumb question, but...

Why put a hook or ring on the end of our winch cable at all? For those of us still using wire, it's got a crimped loop which you could put a shackle on when connecting to a tree strap, etc.

Other than some UV protection for the synthetic ropes, why bother with something like those fancy Factor 55 or Smittybuilt shackles? I'm thinking a simple line stopper and the existing loop, plus my bag of bow-shackles is enough, no?
 

coop74

Well-known member
Dec 10, 2015
287
7
Alcoa TN
or just put a tree saver strap on the tree and hook a proper gated hook so you would not have any loose metal items... The hook is probably more versatile then shackle. Something like the factor 55 hook is likely the best.
 

Howski

Well-known member
Oct 19, 2009
1,483
209
Alabama
A few standard and soft shackles, recovery strap, Bubba rope and snatch block is what I carry and think it’s pretty well rounded. Never understood the ridiculous Factor 55 stuff. Guess the midlife crisis crowd was an untapped market for recovery gear
 
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jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
35
Los Angeles, Ca
I'm not sure with a cable, but my experience has been that the thimble will collapse slightly on the shackle screw which makes it difficult to remove. If you have a gusseted tube thimble this is a nonissue.
 

fishEH

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2009
6,927
201
Lake Villa, IL
I used to run just a shackle on the end of my winch line. Then I had to winch, reposition, winch about 6 times up a muddy washout. I bought a good quality hook after that.
 

ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,899
450
Darien Gap
An 18,000lb forged clevis hook with safety latch costs less than your daily Starbucks habit. If you're worried about marring your pretty mall cruiser, get one of those rubber baby bumpers that fit around the rope.
 

eburrows

Well-known member
Ha, I love this place (some times). A dumb technical question/observation, and 24 hrs later 10 responses ranging from technical analysis to societal judgments.

Pretty sure I'm just going to cut off the crappy non-latched hook that came with my crappy winch, and not replace it with anything. 😁

It's been two years since I bought/installed it, and I've only ever used the thing to pull itself up/down the driveway while doing engine work, and the damn hook fell off the sling.
 

CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
No saltlife, no yeti but I do have a factor 55 flatlink, which I got for way less than half off on craigslist. I have never liked hooks, this is not rigging, this is towing and yanking, different forces are involved, hooks can break or slip under load and the spring clips always get mangled. The f55 is stronger all around the connection point. I also never liked having the cable secured to a recovery point and then take up the slack, it almost always rattles and the angles are wrong for the line. The f55 allows me to cinch it tight and not rattle or get my fingers or gloves caught. I care a little about marring the fairlead, only because I run synthetic and a scratch will damage the line of it is bad enough.

Freedom of speech and opinion lives on DWeb
 

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
15,617
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La Jolla, CA
www.3rj.org
I guess there's a split in needs between synthetic and steel winch cable.
For steel cable through a roller fairlead, factor 55 flatlink is a classic Yeti cooler material.
For synthetic through hawse, maybe not.
 

Blue

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2004
10,043
856
AZ
No "built not bought" jeep is complete without a couple hundred dollar fancy thimble.

I have a big ass hook with safety latch on my rope, rated at something like 35,000 lbs. Only gripe is that I want some kind of sunlight UV protection for the bit of rope that sticks out past the hawse fairlead....may have to put some of that electrical line shrink wrap on it. Sadly, my new rope has never been used since I installed it late last year. I need to get into some mud so I can get stuck.
 
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CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
Some of their money goes to writers...
Replace conventional winch hooks with the new safer, stronger, and smarter Factor 55 ProLink shackle mount. Factor 55 introduces the new ProLink shackle mount for winch cables and synthetic ropes. Engineered and machined in the USA from lightweight billet 6061 aluminum, the ProLink provides a safe means to easily attach a standard 3/4″ screw pin shackle to existing winch cable and rope eyes The cable or rope eye is captured into the body of the ProLink by a removable oversized 5/8″ double shear pin. The front of the ProLink provides the precision shackle mounting hole and massive 1.2″ thick mounting tab. The ProLink is compatible with both Hawse and Roller fairleads and snugs neatly against both versions.
 

ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,899
450
Darien Gap
Powder coated hooks look good, but inevitably get torn up and rust through. Of the self-locking type I prefer the TJM or similar version which is nickel plated.