Bow Shackles

[Shortie]

Girl question

Why are 3.2 tonne bow shackles more expensive than 4.7 tonne ones? I would have thought it to be the other way.

And which ones would I get to go with a 9,000kg snatch strap?

Though my forum name is Shortie I've upgraded from the Puma 90 to a 300 Tdi 110

Thanks Ellen

[tonyci]

I use 4.7 for no other reason then, the stronger the better. I wonder if the price differential was unique to the outlet or brand you looked at ?.
Cheers
Tony

[Shortie]

No, that is why I'm confused, the 3.2 is more expensive whichever brand I pick and at a few different outlets

[tonyci]

Never noticed that before. Maybe they make fewer of the 3.2s. I am with you confused.
Cheers
Tony

[101RRS]

In my experience the 4.7 is more expensive - by way of example at Supercheap the 3.2t is $12.99 and the 4.7t is $15.99.

see page 2 of this link recovery shackle - Search Results - Supercheap Auto Australia

Must be a WA thing.

Garry

[Slunnie]

Not sure, but I like to the biggest that will have the pin fit through the recovery point eye.

[debruiser]

My guess would be that they sell LOTS more of the larger rating.... SO they would make more hence can afford to sell them cheaper. It happens with lots of things, including tyres, musical instruments..... lots of stuff.

[Tank]

If the shackles you looked at are actually rated by a Govt. dept. they will have thicker dia. pins than the body of the shackle, if the pins are thinner than the body of the shackle, don't buy them.
"Rated" shackles will have embossed on the body of the shackle either the WLL (Working Load Limit) or the SWL (Safe Working Load) in Tonnes.
Now the SWL/WLL (in tonnes) is used as a Safety Factor (SF), which means the shackle is loaded till destruction occurs, the tonnage at which destruction occurs is known as the Guaranteed Breaking Strain (GBS).
Rated shackles have a SF of around 5, depends on the work it is to be used for, for instance any rigging gear (shackles, cables, straps, etc.) that are used for lifting people (lift/hoist) will have a SF of 10, a guy wire supporting a tower/aerial would have a SF of 1 or 2.
A SF of 5 is for General Purpose work, so your "rated" 3.2T SWL/WLL shackle would have a GBS of 16 Tonnes, that is if the shackle is new, the SF allows for wear and tear, but gives you a bit of leeway, but if a shackle is used incorrectly and most 4WD recovery points with horizontal pin holes put dangerous stresses on shackles. Shackles are designed to be loaded in the straight ahead plane ONLY, no exceptions. so when a shackle is fitted to a horizontal pin hole recovery point and loaded off line then the body of the shackle gets distorted and the pin becomes hard to remove. Recovery points should have the pin hole vertical to allow the shackle to align itself with the line of the load. So if you have to undo your shackle with a bar/shifter, it is dangerous and should be scrapped (cut).
Now to really confuse things, items like Snatch Straps which are illegal in the Rigging industry and ARE NOT RATED, except for their destruction point or GBS are sold in Australia with no SWL/WLL printed/attached, so no SF built in. The problem with this bull**** method of marketing is the average 4WDer will gladly use the snatch strap up to and beyond it's GBS, this is dangerous and probably illegal.
Winch retailers do the same they advertise a winch with 10mm IWRC cable as capable of 12000lbs. cap. (5.5T) when the cable has a SWL/WLL of 1000/1200kg (depending on quality), so the average 4WDer reckons he's right to pull 5.5 Tonnes, which is around the GBS of the winch cable. No wonder there are so many breakages and damage/injuries around 4WD winching.
So to be on the safe side, make sure that the snatch strap is the weakest link when snatching, I would suggest that 4.7T "rated" shackles which have a GBS of 23.5 Tonnes should be the go with a snatch strap of 8000kgs GBS (17.6 tonnes), BUT ONLY if the shackle is used correctly and the recovery point is capable of handling the load. In all truth I would use every method I knew to recover a vehicle BEFORE using a snatch strap, as a last resort, Regards Frank.

[roverrescue]

truth I would use every method I knew to recover a vehicle BEFORE using a snatch strap, as a last resort, Regards Frank.


Frank this should be imbossed into the steering wheel of every 4wd made!

S

[Shortie]

Ok, so I don't need or want this stuff in my vehicle then.

Not that I ever get stuck ok sometimes I forget I'm so tall get stuck in branches with my roof rack