How to install winch safety thimble?

LJRubiconGuy

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I Googled the crap out of this with no results. How in the heck do you install a safety thimble on a synthetic winch line?

My synthetic Warn rope came with the standard loop/hook but I would like to replace it with a safety thimble.
 
I now Ricky Garza (@Garza) just became a member of this forum. He's in charge of TRE and 4LowParts.com as I understand it.

Maybe he could be of some insight?
 
I have a factor on mine and it has a small locking ring you remove to take the pin out. you put the loop of your winch line in, slide the pin back in and replace the lock snap ring
 
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Okay, so I looked into this and it appears there is two different installation methods here depending on which safety thimble you have.

The Factor 55 safety thimble has a backend that accepts the factory eyelet / ring on the end of most winch ropes. Therefore you the install is easy just like show above in the video @Serbonze posted.

ff6957fe8170d8b82f9b8b8e53219ca5.jpg


However, if you have a TRE safety thimble (and correct me if I am wrong @Garza) you aren't so fortunate when it comes to a simple install (okay, maybe it's not that hard, but if you're like me and don't know much about tying knots then it would suck). It looks like the TRE safety thimble won't accept the factory eyelet / ring on most winch ropes so you have to remove it similar to these instructions in the attached PDF.

Again, someone correct me if I am wrong but this appears to be what I've uncovered.
 

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  • Winch_Safety_Thimble_Inst.pdf
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Actually installing the Safety Thimble is quite easy and an invaluable skill should you ever need to make a repair splice of your rope on the trail. I include fids with every Safety Thimble or rope/thimble order to help the install. The method is simply called a buried tail eye splice.

The original Safety Thimble 2 we manufacturer has been in use for over 10 years. We consider it to be the strongest and safest method. We are opposed to introducing failure points along your rigging like a shear pin while also not ignoring the 1st and foremost rule of vehicle recovery/rigging which is minimal attachment points create the strongest and safest connection!

Ricky
 
Ahhh, so we can use the TRE safety thimble with our existing winch line. Good to know since I myself was debating between the Factor 55 and the TRE. The TRE price is much better =]
 
I apologize for not answering the direct question....absolutely you can use it on your existing rope! The method used to attach most of the standard eye thimbles is called a Brummel eye splice. I install many of our Safety Thimble's in place of these for our customers and simply undo or cut out the Brummel splice. I should mention one Huge mistake I see commonly made when using a hook or other "bolt-on" thimble with a standard eye thimble. People don't pay attention to what that steel eye thimble is doing to the fairlead surface when it travels in and out of the fairlead. This damages the smooth surface of your fairlead where your expensive synthetic rope travels. Essentially damaging the rope or abrading it enough to cause possible failure. For those that always store the rope end accessory on a d-ring or hook away from the fairlead...this isn't as big an issue but something to consider. You will never have this problem with the Safety Thimble 2!
 
I apologize for not answering the direct question....absolutely you can use it on your existing rope! The method used to attach most of the standard eye thimbles is called a Brummel eye splice. I install many of our Safety Thimble's in place of these for our customers and simply undo or cut out the Brummel splice. I should mention one Huge mistake I see commonly made when using a hook or other "bolt-on" thimble with a standard eye thimble. People don't pay attention to what that steel eye thimble is doing to the fairlead surface when it travels in and out of the fairlead. This damages the smooth surface of your fairlead where your expensive synthetic rope travels. Essentially damaging the rope or abrading it enough to cause possible failure. For those that always store the rope end accessory on a d-ring or hook away from the fairlead...this isn't as big an issue but something to consider. You will never have this problem with the Safety Thimble 2!

Thanks for answering this Ricky. I was confused about the difference between the TRE Safety Thimble II and the Factor 55 Prolink. Knowing what I know now I'm definitely going to order the TRE Safety Thimble II for my rig. That not only seems like the better option, but it's also more affordable as well.

UPDATE: Just placed my order on the 4lowparts website! Can't wait to get it and install it.
 
Great info, thanks! For some reason the 4lowparts site is blocked at work, and I can't seem to find a price on the mobile site for the TRE winch rope package that includes the synthetic rope, fairlead, and thimble.

Can anyone help me out?
 
Shoot him an email ([email protected]) if he doesn't reply here about when they will have more in stock. I emailed them on a Saturday night and had a response by lunch at monday. Very honest email and answered all my questions. They said they would have more orange rope in stock within the next few days and sure enough, within a day or two, I had some synthetic line coming my way. In fact, it's getting delivered today.
 
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Okay, so I looked into this and it appears there is two different installation methods here depending on which safety thimble you have.

The Factor 55 safety thimble has a backend that accepts the factory eyelet / ring on the end of most winch ropes. Therefore you the install is easy just like show above in the video @Serbonze posted.

View attachment 471

However, if you have a TRE safety thimble (and correct me if I am wrong @Garza) you aren't so fortunate when it comes to a simple install (okay, maybe it's not that hard, but if you're like me and don't know much about tying knots then it would suck). It looks like the TRE safety thimble won't accept the factory eyelet / ring on most winch ropes so you have to remove it similar to these instructions in the attached PDF.

Again, someone correct me if I am wrong but this appears to be what I've uncovered.

There is only one Safety Thimble and it is the one that I invented and developed that Ricky at TRE sells and has sole license to. The rest of them are knock-offs, work arounds, blatant copies without being copies, etc.

The problem with most stuff nowadays is folks want to jump into the market when they see something selling but they only have enough knowledge to make something look good and not enough understanding of the issues to make it work good.

Any company that tries to take your money by violating the number one rule of rigging by adding more links in the recovery chain really needs to be viewed with a very critical eye as to how much they care about you, your rig, and your safety.
 
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There is only one Safety Thimble and it is the one that I invented and developed that Ricky at TRE sells and has sole license to. The rest of them are knock-offs, work arounds, blatant copies without being copies, etc.

The problem with most stuff nowadays is folks want to jump into the market when they see something selling but they only have enough knowledge to make something look good and not enough understanding of the issues to make it work good.

Any company that tries to take your money by violating the number one rule of rigging by adding more links in the recovery chain really needs to be viewed with a very critical eye as to how much they care about you, your rig, and your safety.

I didn't know you invented the Safety Thimble, how cool!

I'm glad this all came to light because before I knew about the TRE safety thimble I was planning on purchasing one of those Factor 55 ones, very glad I didn't now.

The TRE fairlead and Safety Thimble II arrive today. I'm going to install them, take some pictures, and write a review as well.
 
I didn't know you invented the Safety Thimble, how cool!

I'm glad this all came to light because before I knew about the TRE safety thimble I was planning on purchasing one of those Factor 55 ones, very glad I didn't now.

The TRE fairlead and Safety Thimble II arrive today. I'm going to install them, take some pictures, and write a review as well.

My mantra is knowledge does not equal understanding. This is very evident when it comes to rigging with synthetic lines because the same rules do apply, just a lot more stringently.

It is critical to protect the line under load from sharp edges, corners, and anything than can induce abrasion. It also stands to reason if you are using synthetic, you are interested in performance, safety, and weight reduction so you'll like combine your new winch line with a pretty hawse aluminum fairlead. Aluminum is a great product but resistance to gouging, scratches, and denting it ain't. That means you have to protect the opening for the line with everything you have in order to keep it smooth to prevent damage to your line under load.

So, the last thing you want is a steel tube thimble being able to enter that opening under any circumstances. If you try to run one and forget to let off the button in time, it will get sucked into the opening and can damage it or raise a razor sharp burr. Pull your line in under load over one of those places you've damaged and you're doing the same thing as taking a hatchet to it.

I invented the Safety Thimble after watching a video taken during a competition in the PNW where the spotter got his hand sucked through the roller fairlead while holding onto the hook. That needed to stop and a way was needed that was safer, positive, and elegant simplicity in doing so while being as light as possible to slow down the amount of potential damage should it ever become a projectile due to a parted line.

The ST does all of that perfectly, reasonably priced, without fail and due to any downstream rigging essentially going through the eye of the rope, it does it all without adding an additional point of failure.

Protect your rigging and it will protect you.