soft shackle users?

   / soft shackle users? #11  
Ignore 5030, like usual no idea what the hell he is talking about.

They are used heavily in the off-road recovery world, they are significantly safer when using kinetic ropes, and lighter.

the only downside is abrasion if they get rubbed while being used, obviously they will wear quicker then a metal shackle.
I see you are another one that operates your toy tractor with the ROPS folded. let us all know when it rolls over and flattens you....
 
   / soft shackle users? #12  
Outside of the 4x4 off road community, I'm not sure that many people have even heard of soft shackles, recovery rings and synthetic rope.

ArlyA didn't state his use case, but I suspect it has to do with dragging small logs out of the way on trails with his 6x6. I could see using a section of log chain under the log for abrasion resistance coupled with a synthetic pull rope system including recovery rings if the goal is to redirect the pull so the 6x6 can pull logs back into the forest instead of pulling them along the trail.

Although traditional pulleys would be more efficient in transmitting pulling power, recovery rings do seem less expensive and potentially easier to rig in this application of moving small nuisance logs, not harvesting large timber for milling.
 
   / soft shackle users? #13  
They are pretty cool, but watch for sharp corners on your attachment point - this can wear and cause breakage
 
   / soft shackle users? #15  
They work great with these recovery rings instead of a snatch block too.
That ad mentions "little damage to the soft shackle compared with snatch block." Looking at my own snatch blocks, I'd say their edges are too sharp for soft shackles.

It's important to think through what you are going to connect together and how you are going to make the connections so you don't create a failure point.
 
   / soft shackle users?
  • Thread Starter
#16  
They are pretty cool, but watch for sharp corners on your attachment point - this can wear and cause breakage
Yes, but tearing one up is less costly than your machine or tow rope for that matter. Seems people consider them sacrificial.
 
   / soft shackle users? #18  
I don't worry about the 'paint' being scratched on my tractor drawbar as it has little to no paint on it anyway and as far as a shackle breaking, no worry either as the ones I use are rated for well in the excess of anything I require. I use 'made in USA' Crosby threaded pin shackles.

Maybe a fabric snatch rope, but a fabric shackle, no way.
Nobody uses a soft shackle for static pulls from a dedicated sheer point, like a drawbar. It would stretch out the shackle webbing, making them uselsess.

These are totally different and are used more for recovery with shock loads. It's good to not have metal in shock loading.

You're going to learn today 5030...
 
   / soft shackle users? #19  
the only downside is abrasion if they get rubbed while being used, obviously they will wear quicker then a metal shackle.
That, and UV resistance. Not much an issue for tractor owners who keep their hardware in a toolbox until needed. I used to race sailboats, and dyneema, vectran, and other high-tech lines were daily life. Yes, it is much stronger than wire rope, infinitely stronger than chain, but you do need to take care with abrasion, UV, and aging.

If your application is low-abrasion, and you don't need to store it out in the daily sun, it's going to be hard to beat the strength of any soft shackle built with vectran or dyneema. It's roughly 15x stronger than wire rope (aka "steel cable") of the same cross-section.

Abrasion and UV resistance can both be overcome by buying double-braid options, dyneema or vectran core with polyester covering.
 
   / soft shackle users? #20  
Least I don't own a tractor designed and produced in India.... :rolleyes:

No 'wannabe' toy tractors here either....

I know what I'm commenting about, why I use only Crosby shackles when I need them. Something about that stamped 'Made in USA' that I like.

His tractor is a Mitsubishi, and it's made in Japan.
 
 
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