Things Maybe Someone Can Help Me Understand

[antichrist]

Factor55 tells us, "That is why it is common to see winch cables extended and hooks attached to bumpers, tow hooks, undercarriage parts etc.. It is not recommended to leave the winch cable or synthetic rope pulling at a right angle to your fairlead simply to attach the hook to something convenient – this can permanently weaken the fibers right at the fairlead surface." Personally, I don't know if I agree with that, but I can't discredit them at this time.

It depends. If you hook it up and run your winch until it stalls then yeah, it's not good for the rope.
I stow mine like that, but I only keep a slight amount of tension on it, usually light enough to release the brake.

I don't see any need for the "safety thimbles". Some people claim they force you to use the "correct equipment" which I don't get, since self discipline will do that and it's free.
But it also doesn't bother me if they do use them.

The bigger question would be "why use a roller fairlead with only 2 side rollers".

If I understand you correctly, it doesn't. There are also top and bottom rollers.
All my roller fairleads have external snap rings.

 

[seventyfive]

1a I do this so I can lock the winch line. With pressure on the line you cannot put the winch into free spool. This protect aginst anyone coming along and stealing your line.

if you're worried about someone stealing your rope then you need to move. at the end of the day winches are for decoration only.
what we need is some whistle tips.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V5K7uh0iVDs" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe>

 

[jim-00-4.6]

Its on a Defender of course its the best, wait until you see the Prolink X-TREME.

I was digging those Autozone Hellas

I don't mind the hella-cool Hellas so much as I mind the shit wiring method.
If you're all extreme & winching and shit, dangly loose wires all up in your grille doesn't seem smart to me.

But I don't have a winch, so what do I know.

 

[jim-00-4.6]

Here's what I don't understand:

 

[Devildog01]

Here's what I don't understand:

Thats when Dan was auditioning for "Jersey Shore"

 

[seventyfive]

http://www.allthingsjeep.com/ort-501x.html

Justin,
I'm sure something must have happened to your thimble to warrant your appreciation for the protection of the factor thimble. You usually have a very good reasoning behind finding new shit. I'm interested to see pictures of your current thimble to see what has happened to it.

I used to only keep my rope on the winch if I was wheeling, but then the drum started to rot a bit. With a full rope on the drum soaked in water, mud, and shit all the time why worry about 3 inches or so of exposed winch line? When the rest of the $400 rope is marinating in mud, water, and shit 24/7?

I dig this thimble, like I said if I didn't have a Viking rope( I would buy a Viking rope with a thimble), but if I was on a budget and already had a rope with an eye, I would buy one of these factor thimbles.

 

[seventyfive]

daniel,
its a product that fills the void where someone already spent 3-400 bucks on a rope with an eye and marketing a product that was less expensive than a complete rope with thimble.
factor probably figured out a safety thimble is a great idea, then did their homework found all the patents and tm's regarding the safety thimble. made up a thimble that did not infringe on any copyrights etc. then they had to try to market the viability of the safety thimble, even if the 'uses' are elementary to people like us.

it is nothing less or more than a product that allows someone who already has an eye to convert to a thimble. remember, if someone has money they will spend it. this product is no different than pencil beam hids, shovel mount roof rack clamps, numerous different hi-lift mounts, sand ladders, etc....you and i think they are goofy but someone else may think they have to have them or they will never make it thru a trail.

someone already pointed out limb risers. if you want to laugh at something, limb risers are it. the single most silly shit you can put on your truck, unless you are wheeling the south american rain forests, but people still buy or make those stupid fuckin things.

 

[Devildog01]

I'll be laughin real hard when a branch breaks your windscreen at "MAR at the cove" this year.

 

[Ballah06]

Whether the original item(s) is/are pointless or not; what is the point of arguing this? There are a ton of different products for different applications that are nowhere close to living up to claimed functionality or purpose. Hence, is it worth discussing every single product, or for that matter picking one out of the bunch that you feel like you need to rant about? :banghead:

After all, those of us who think a certain product is unnecessary, dangerous, etc. will not buy it, while others may spend their cash because they deem it one of the coolest things ever. Ultimately the company that makes such product will either keep making it or discontinue production, all based on the level of demand.

 

[crown14]

I don't think I can get excited about a new winch accessory for my over accessorized winch.

I can't begin to explain how happy it would make me if I could buy a cover for my winch. Nothing flashy, just a canvas type thing to keep the UV rays, rain and wandering eyes off it. I spent $1000 on a winch, $50 on a fairlead and $300 on the line, I wouldn't think twice about dropping $75-100 on a nice cover. Anyone else?

 

[garrett]

Blah, blah, blah. We've got safety thimbles on Viking lines and hooks on MasterPull lines we've had on trucks for many, many years. Now each year on one of our training trucks equals many more on the average recreational consumers vehicle or some version of that. Have either of them "failed"? Nope. Neither one is better than the other. It's just another way to produce the same product. You can run all the numbers and back up what you think is best, but it comes down to what you like.

It's like saying hawse fairleads are better than roller fairleads.

I mean how many times do you guys really use your winch in a month? Most of you have shit on your truck that is pointless anyhow. You really need those MTs? Doubtful. How about that winch that gets used once a year? Or that useless roof rack up on your truck that is used to mount some sweet Hellas? Oh maybe that 4" lift and 33" tires with no lockers - that's really logical. Everyone has crap on their truck that they don't need, but can rationalize all day long.

 

[crown14]

I use my winch probably ten times a month on average. It is mounted on my trailer.

 

[Devildog01]

I can see your point until the winch part.If you get stuck in a mudhole with water up to the middle of your doors and the water is trickiling in its worth your while to pay the extra cash for a decent winch.Especially when your trans ECU is under the drivers seat.

 

[seventyfive]

I don't think I can get excited about a new winch accessory for my over accessorized winch.

I can't begin to explain how happy it would make me if I could buy a cover for my winch. Nothing flashy, just a canvas type thing to keep the UV rays, rain and wandering eyes off it. I spent $1000 on a winch, $50 on a fairlead and $300 on the line, I wouldn't think twice about dropping $75-100 on a nice cover. Anyone else?

See post 46

 

[FIVESPDDISCO]

But since you bring it up, again, I'll ask you, again, to provide me some examples of a thimble, or shackle, causing damage to an aluminum fairlead. [/CENTER]

I am sorry I do not have A damaged fairlead. I always had the thimble.

My question to you is if you keep the shackle on the truck at all times it is part of the line so why not have something that will not come loose like the pin in the shackle?

After reading all of this it looks like the shackle and the thimble does the same thing. If we can agree on that it comes down to cosmetics. I don't like the shackle jammed up against the fairlead and prefer the thimble look.

If your going to have a thimble I prefer the factor 55 one because it protects the rope.

Here is a pic of my thimble after 2 years. Now that I have the link this is no longer a concern.

<a href="http://s542.photobucket.com/albums/gg418/Lucky8Rental/L8%20shop/?action=view&current=photo-1-4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg418/Lucky8Rental/L8%20shop/photo-1-4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[Devildog01]

The nick's in that thimble would most definetly cause imminent death for several thousand people.Good thing you caught it in time and saved all those lives. Just another reason why Lucky8LLC is your only source for off road accesories that will save lives.

 

[robertf]

I don't get clear turn signals.

 

[DennyDoler]

I've never understood this either...

www.thepuckeredlips.com

Widener, I think I saw you in one of these pictures maybe you can shed some light on this mystery.

 

[JAKD-UP]

It's how they get the tip wet these days..I had to do some in the field research!

 

[D Chapman]

I am sorry I do not have A damaged fairlead. I always had the thimble.

My question to you is if you keep the shackle on the truck at all times it is part of the line so why not have something that will not come loose like the pin in the shackle?

After reading all of this it looks like the shackle and the thimble does the same thing. If we can agree on that it comes down to cosmetics. I don't like the shackle jammed up against the fairlead and prefer the thimble look.

If your going to have a thimble I prefer the factor 55 one because it protects the rope.

Here is a pic of my thimble after 2 years. Now that I have the link this is no longer a concern.

<a href="http://s542.photobucket.com/albums/gg418/Lucky8Rental/L8%20shop/?action=view&current=photo-1-4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg418/Lucky8Rental/L8%20shop/photo-1-4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The pin in the shackle would never come loose in my type set-up. There is too much tension on it. Even if someone wanted to steal my shackle I doubt they could get it loose with pliers.

Looks to me like the Safety Thimble did its job - the rope looks fine.