If you are going to use a soft shackle, then why not connect the strap directly to the thimble? What is the purpose of the Flatlink?
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- Thread starter Locky
- Start date
If you are going to use a soft shackle, then why not connect the strap directly to the thimble? What is the purpose of the Flatlink?
Good point. Personally I use the F55 splicer. Did not know that the TRE safety thimble existed when I bought it but they seem to do the same job.
Splicer does the same job, but F55 managed to make there ripoff bigger and heavier than the real thing. Again, F55 does a good job at making things less safe. But they are an American company, so it's forgivable.
I've never compared them side by side but the TRE Thimble looks bigger than the F55 splicer. F55 lists the weight at 25 oz. Unfortunately TRE does not list weight on their website.
Having a Safety Thimble myself, I can tell just by looking at a picture of the Splicer that it is physically larger and uses far more material to fully enclose the rope. One could shed some weight by removing the rubber bumper thing. It serves no purpose.
It weighs exactly 11.9 ounces. The sad part about that is many moons ago when he popped up with his bullshit pin based attachment shit on JU, I explained the pitfalls and told him to at least copy the ST if he wanted to make good rigging. He basically said that the number of connections doesn't matter and splicing was for pussies and people to stupid to learn how to do it.
It what I believe would happen if AEV laid down and starting making TJ/LJ parts again. They have all these fans who shout, “bring them back!” If they did start stocking parts again, I speculate, AEV would not have the demand that they have now from fans. They would sell a few. But not near as much as you would think.
Please explain you comment ??
Well I would use a soft shackle, but that is a rare occasion that my winch rope is not long enough. For me I run into these types of pulls most times.
1) Me connecting my winch to a tree strap requiring a shackle
2) Me using my winch to free another by connecting my winch line to there recovery tow points requiring a shackle
3) Me using my winch to connect to another's jeep using there tow points requiring a shackle to pull myself free
In none of these could I use the hook that Warn installed on my winch w/o the use some type of shackle
Or these pulls not requiring a Flatlink at all.
4) Me using my strap to pull some else free using my tow points connecting my strap to there tow points requiring 2 shackles
5) Someone else using a strap on my jeep again connecting tow points and using shackles
6) Using a snatch block for off angle pulls again requiring a shackle.
So I know people love the TRE products and they do remove one connection point by splicing the rope back to itself where the Flatlink uses a pin the same way Warn attaches there hook. But I think that's a long way from saying
" endangering peoples lives "
And How does one attach the Safety Thimble to a strap ?
The exact same way you would if you removed the Flatlink and connected directly to the thimble on the winchline. Now start counting connections and also start adding up the weight between these scenarios.
The pin based stuff like the Flatlink serves no purpose and does not need to be there. It's all decorative winch jewelry that encourages bad rigging through misinformation.
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OMG I added one added connection, not really I just removed my hook and installed a Flatlink same amount of connections. You better not be in the area when I am using my winch you will most likely be injured because my Flatlink is rated with a ultimate failure rate 40,000 pound my Bubba Rope soft shackles have a rated breaking strength of 47,000 lbs. and my Spydura Synthetic rope has a 16,500 lb rating so my winch line is really my weak point.
Added weight your right again the Warn Hook I removed weighted 22.4 oz and the Flatlink weights 26 oz so I did add 3.6 ounces of added weight or 1/4 lb
You are correct again so I will remove it and just use a shackle to connect to the end of my winch rope since adding a Flatlink or hook surveys no purpose.
@Plumber1 winching is an inhererently dangerous activity. Especially in a trail scenario. The forces involved are enormous and can cause very bad injury and damage. @jjvw is trying to say that lower the number of connections is better. Yes, even 1 lower connection is more safe. This is not an opinion but a fact. Use whatever brands you prefer, but make sure you are using the lowest number of connection points possible. Think if that's possible with the flat link. That's all we are saying.
A guy from my hometown got a shackle through his windshield and ultimately his face, killed him dead. Winching is no joke.
Straight from their website. Seems like this connection could be simplified, and done with a bit fewer fun coupons.
I total understand and agree that winching can be very dangerous, he just seams to have a hard-on for Factor 55 and yes I could have gone with the TRE product and saved one connection. But he makes such a big deal that I have added so many connection point when really I didn't add any additional connections from stock.
Not much different than your top picture the way most companies show there products being used same amount of connections. Yes your lower picture in simpler and one less connection point
You are the one who asked me to explain further. And then your counter argument is that things could be worse.
This is one of those threads that sounded like a good idea on paper... until it wasn’t 