TRE thimble install

[Rob5589]

OK, so I received the thimble from TRE today. Beefy piece of kit.

The install went far too easy. I was able to pull the line from inside itself, no cutting, and it was already tapered and ready for install. I used the fid that came with and fed the line back into itself like the videos show. The rec for 3/8" line was 3 and I ended up with close to 4 fid. The tape is the end of the line.

So, did I do it correctly?? It seemed far to easy. I get that it tightens onto itself but nothing else needs to be done? It literally took 5 mins to install. When something goes that easy, I get nervous. I guess I will pull something and find out

 

[Rob5589]

Damn! Almost forgot the most important piece...

 

[Chris]

Looks great! I have the same setup and did a somewhat similar write-up here:

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-install-a-safety-thimble-on-your-winch.299/

 

[StG58]

If you have enough bury, and it looks like you do, it is really that easy. Good show! ...and that thimble is a good looking piece of kit!

 

[bobthetj03]

Love me some KBC!

 

[UpperMI]

Love me some KBC!

KBC means Keweenaw Brewing company to me

 

[bobthetj03]

View attachment 13951 View attachment 13952

KBC means Keweenaw Brewing company to me

That stuff looks like you need a spoon to drink it brah!

 

[UpperMI]

That stuff looks like you need a spoon to drink it brah!

It's smoother than it looks. Actually all their beers are pretty good

 

[bobthetj03]

I like smooth. I'm not an IPA fan.

 

[UpperMI]

I like smooth. I'm not an IPA fan.

Then you and I are very much alike. I'm not an Ipa fan either. Never got the whole tripple IPA brewed beers. Waaaaay to hoppy for my taste.

A good beer made local to us is called "electric owl" by Drakes. Brewed in San Leandro. I had it on draft from a restaurant in Petaluma of all places. It's a brown ale with a little bit of coffee flavoring in it. Good stuff.

 

[Rob5589]

I enjoy most beers, just at different times. Some I like with food, others just to drink. If I am working on the TJ or outdoors, a cold PBR is just right

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I'm not an IPA beer guy either but if you find a Green Flash IPA, it's really good. Friends of mine who don't like IPAs do like the Green Flash IPA. I'm actually not a big beer drinker but I do like that one.

 

[glwood]

If I am working on the TJ or outdoors, a cold PBR is just right

Agreed. Put one in the freezer, and just before it freezes, perfect! In a glass out of the freezer, of course...

What is a 'fid'?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

What is a 'fid'?

It's a small tool used for splicing rope. Google is your friend for such questions... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fid

 

[mrblaine]

Agreed. Put one in the freezer, and just before it freezes, perfect! In a glass out of the freezer, of course...

What is a 'fid'?

At the most basic level, a unit of measure.

 

[mrblaine]

OK, so I received the thimble from TRE today. Beefy piece of kit.
View attachment 13889
The install went far too easy. I was able to pull the line from inside itself, no cutting, and it was already tapered and ready for install. I used the fid that came with and fed the line back into itself like the videos show. The rec for 3/8" line was 3 and I ended up with close to 4 fid. The tape is the end of the line.
View attachment 13890
So, did I do it correctly?? It seemed far to easy. I get that it tightens onto itself but nothing else needs to be done? It literally took 5 mins to install. When something goes that easy, I get nervous. I guess I will pull something and find out
View attachment 13891

You did it correctly. You have what appears to be too much bury but that won't hurt anything. What I would like to see is the transition smoothed out at the end of the buried tail with a much longer taper. The change is a bit more abrupt than I like to see. The sharper transition loads the fibers unevenly in that area and can lead to them breaking and causing a weak point in the line.

I like to see about 6" of taper from 2 strands to the full number.

 

[Rob5589]

Thanks Blaine. I will work on smoothing out the taper. Good part is, it comes back apart with little effort.

 

[mrblaine]

Thanks Blaine. I will work on smoothing out the taper. Good part is, it comes back apart with little effort.

A lot of knot snobs have argued that the reason for the lock stitch is to get the splice up to full strength and in reality, it's simply a vandalism resistant stitch. Once you load the thimble, the line locks in, takes a set, and is much harder to get apart after that. It isn't a struggle but you'll be able to tell it isn't going any where.

 

[Kyle_W]

I don't understand the point of such a device. Is it safer than a hook because a hook can possibly bend completely open?


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[mrblaine]

I don't understand the point of such a device. Is it safer than a hook because a hook can possibly bend completely open?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A hook will go through a roller fairlead. If you are holding onto the hook, the hook will go through the fairlead and take your fingers and hand with it. The collar that integral to the bottom of the Safety Thimble is something I came up with after watching a video of a competitor getting his hand sucked through the fairlead when the winch solenoids stuck powering in.

That and a shackle is the safest method for attaching to stuff, steel or soft. The connection is positive and intentional. Before the advent of safety hooks with latches, we used to take electrical tape across the opening of the hook to keep them attached to stuff in an intentional and positive manner. Most of the folks who understood safe recovery were just using a tube thimble with a shackle but that still didn't stop the thimble from going through the fairlead. I fixed that with the Safety Thimble.