darwindingo wrote:Be nice if people would take the D's off when not in use
Or just keep the pin captive, it's not rocket science to keep them on securely.
I have two 4.75t rated shackles on the front recovery points, another of the same in the recovery hitch, and a little 8mm one on the hitch receiver for a trailer. The usual ones for on most vehicles set up for recoveries.
All are on 24/7, they just have a thick zip tie through the hole in the pin and around 1 leg of the shackle.
(Got this photo off google, not my truck, ignore the 'r' and 'z')
- shackle-captive-pin.jpg (17.5 KiB) Viewed 3315 times
My pins are screwed in finger tight, then a last little squeak with a spanner just for good measure, but I'm sure it would work equally well without the last step of you don't carry tools.
I've never lost one like this on the tarmac or after rattling around for hours off road. Just keep a pack of spare ties onboard to replace one if the shackle is used for a recovery.
It sucks to get a broken window from the little shackle, but the 4.75t rated shackles are about the size of a fist and I guesstimate a bit more than a kilogram in weight. If someone meets on of them head-on at windscreen level coming down the highway at 100km/h it's going to be serious.
If you're going to leave them on, need to make sure they are
on!