I had to do a rigging and dogging course for work and what you say about backing off the shackle is what is taught in the course. If you're really worried about a shackle coming loose you can always mouse it off (put something through the hole in the pin like some wire or a cable tie to prevent it from rotating.)
Glenn exactly thats what the hole is for in shank but most numtpies dont know that spot comment on mate, they wouldnt know what mousing is. Never tighten a shackle with a spanner or other tool finger tight back it off an mouse it.
Everyone I know in Germany seems to have those wrench pliers, or plumber's pliers as they are often called here. We have 3, one is only about 10 years old, the others were bought by the previous house owner (they left us all their tools, when we bought the house) back in the 60s or 70s. They really last for ever, worth every cent. We use Knipex pliers and wire cutters at work, I can highly recommend them.
Interesting video. I'm an industrial mechanic and we had a class on these by the company Cranby (I guess they make the shackles) they told us to snug them up and keep tools around to free them up when done. They're apparently designed to tighten up while in use. I guess thats why Americans use a hook with a clip on boats or our trailers.
Also a squirt of oil or light grease in the female thread when not in use can really help you out if someone has to prove their strength by overtightening them
Love the Knipex pliers wrench. I have the 125 in my laptop bag at all times (I work in I.T.), the 150 in my car at all times, the 180 and 250 in my fat cave. Use them daily. The Cobra pliers are also very useful and their long handle side cutters are fantastic. Well worth the spend, as long as you can stop them walking off....
damn awesome for when you need to tighten up a simple bolt / nut dont have to wast time finding the right size. even got me a pair of there adjustable pliers far better then any channel locks i have ever used.
I can attest to the mistake of over tightening a large shackle. My father and I were doing some work using some and pulled so hard it was if you had welded the threads in place on one. It took some doing but we managed to get the shackle and pin apart but everything was stripped out and ruined. My father being the smart man he is always buys the newer , better tools so he has several of these very useful adjustable spanners as you call them. He actually has a shed full of tools . These are absolutely amazing and are truly worth the price and having. Yup very familiar with safety chains on trailers both big and small. Been helping my father with his trailers since I was a kid. My father was a heavy equipment operator, logger, miner, and big rig operator of many different types of rigs doing any number of jobs. He has had several different styles of trailers he towed with his pickup over the years.
Yes! I haven't heard this discussed before. I used to deliver and recover heavy equipment (with heavy equipment) here in the US, and I can attest that the big shackles (anything over 5 tons) need to be a 1/2 turn loose, and secured in place with wire or a zip tie. I hadn't heard the term "moused off" before, so thanks for that one @Glenn B. 😉
I've heard sailors or yachties use the term " mousing off " a shackle , an anchor swivel or maybe a turnbuckle, just a bit of thin stainless wire twisted onto the thing you want to stay in place , highly recommended for stainless shackles , not that you'd be using stainless D or bow shackles for the trailer safety çhain .......
Crossing over the chains on your tow hitch, ball, tongue, whatever, can prevent the coupling on your trailer from nose diving into the tarmac if the coupling parts company with the ball for some reason. You need to make sure your chains aren't too loose, but not so tight that normal movement of the trailer would be a problem, and crossed over so they can catch an errant trailer. I think two chains should be mandatory on all trailers, it might add another $40 to the cost..
I don't understand the crossing over requirement? Ok, it's Friday morning and the ol' noggin hasn't quite kicked into gear yet... but what's the physics at play here re crossing vs non-crossing?
@@timblaxland294 If you cross the chains, because of the position the chains attach to the draw-bar they will tend to catch the socket/hitch when it falls off and because they are crossed the chains shorten much-faster in the event of a fall - they tangle. Also broadly-speaking you can use shorter chains when crossed , because if a chain goes from right-to-right [not-crossing] and then you turn Left: the chain will run out of length and bind - but a chain crossing roughly under the Ball/hitch [the centre of the circle] can be "as short as possible" but despite that it doesn't suffer much-less free-length when you turn. The corollary to that is that a non-crossing chain, say right-to-right can sag so much on a Right-turn that it hits the ground - while the left-left chain is running of of free-length.
Good video, John. Nice follow up to your other video on shackles where you talked about hard corners and how fully tightening a shackle can cause a catastrophic failure. I purchased a Knipex Cobra 250 almost a year ago and it is a great tool to have in my kit. Strong, relatively lightweight and superbly engineered. I learned long ago that when threaded components need to be separated for repair or adjustment you need quality tools, both to get the job done and minimise risk of injury.
Agree on the cobras. The same size pythons were good too. The next size up Cobras didnt seem to bite as good, as my workmate got them after i got the smaller ones.
Years ago my mechanical engineering lecturer mentioned gate valves for a similar reason. Never open them fully. People have been known to come along and think that the valve is shut and then go and find the biggest bar available to "open it".
So true. I used to drive forklifts with a gas tank and I always said the same thing. Hard to tell if it's open or shut and a numpty with a tool can cause serious problems.
Having just completed the NCCCO Rigger 1 and Rigger 2 credentials, their feeling (in lock step with OSHA, ASME & ANSI) is that the pin of the shackle is "fully engaged" which is defined as 'until it stops turning' with the admonishement that the pin is to be operated with a spud wrench, the hole is for the awl and the flats are for the jaws. The walk away is you do not need to reef the pin but loose leads to too loose.
Bullshit you were taught wrong period. You do not put a spud wrench in the hole of the pin and tighten it up more. The pin is to be brought to a stop and backed up at least a quarter turn
The small shackle is a D shackle (possibly you mispoke), they come in all sizes and capacities. The difference in use case for D shackles versus Bow shackles is D shackles are only ever intended for a 1 to 1 connection whereas the Bow shackle is designed for a 1 to many connection or can be used to join dissimilar sized but similar capacities. i.e synthetic rope of large diameter to steel wire rope. Also I would not suggest you use those knipex on your balls unless you want to sing castrato.
Just to add to your comment which is bloody brilliant, the bow shackles also come in handy for when there is not a straight pull or when an A-frame is involved. D-shackles should never be used for recovery
Another great product in a similar vein is the Stanley 10 in MaxGrip™ Locking Adjustable Wrench- an adjustable wrench / slide spanner with an integrated vice grip mechanism. I've been using one for twenty years commercially and at home for similar reasons- allows me to lock it onto a nut or bolt and it will stay in place freeing a hand for the other part of the job. Very affordable and good quality and deserves to be more widely known. Regarding the safety chain shackles, my father used to make a simple safety pin style clip from something like 1/16" ss wire which he would clip through the hole in the pin on the shackle and it had a half round section at right angles at the end which hugged around the inside of the shackle shank and provide the catch for the other end to latch into. It secured the pin to the shackle and prevented it rotating- nice slimline little trick. Myself, I've always found shackles on safety chains generally just a pitfa. Issues with the pin coming loose and losing it while in use, needing a tool to tighten / loosen the pin, not fitting the particular tow bar trying to attach the trailer to, etc. For the last forty years I've used a Trojan CHAIN MATE T336056 or similar on my vehicles. There are a few manufacturers and alternative designs but all eliminate that annoying shackle making it quick and easy to hook up and release the safety chain. Thank god for clever buggers who make stuff.
Steel ended screw drivers are as good as an impact driver in the right hands. If you have a stuck screw and a metal ended screw driver, place the screwdriver in the hole, place downward and anticlockwise pressure on the screwdriver, and hit it sharp and hard with a decent hammer and a lot of the time your screw will become loose. I had an impact driver and a few metal ended screw drivers in my toolbox when I was a machinist and I remember very few occasions when I reached for the impact driver, I just used the metal ended screwdrivers.
Great video again, John. Love those tools. When I was working in the motor trade in the 1970's as a forklift field service mechanic, the Pliers Wrench used to go by the monicker of MultiGrip Pliers and Knippex were the best of them. i had two of each size in my truck at all times because you always needed them. Only other tool that was equal to it was a set of ViceGrips.
It's really unfortunate that you did not talk about using rated shackles only for any towing, recovery, lifting, etc. You can buy a cheap non-rated shackle and you may as well be using a piece of string. Make sure they have a WLL (working load limit) stamped on them and an 'S' (safety), which means they are rated to at least 5x the WLL stamped on them. Also, the pin colours have nothing to do with rating.
"Mousing" a shackle pin by looping tie wire through the hole in the end of the pin (the purpose of the hole) and through/around the shackle - allows for light finger tightening avoiding pin overtightening or loosening under repeated/extended use. - dogmans/riggers handbook.
Haven't watched you for awhile. Thouroghly enjoy your vids. Very amiable presenter. Usually grab a coffee, sit back and relax and watch. You're like a long time friend.
Great Advice, my son Jeep, was stuck in Texas mud, my Tacoma, could not pull out. Had to dig it out, after rain stopped, used shackles, tightened with channel locks wrenches, had a real hard time loosening, that one, will use your advice next time, Thanks!
When I worked in construction (U.S.) tightening them hand tight and then backing it off a bit was the technique that was mostly taught as the right way in rigging loads. Sometimes a foreman would have some story and a reason to tighten them, but very seldom. Even the shackle companies in their training videos taught this backing off a bit method. Also, you never want to side load a shackle.
If one goes out to do a vehicle recovery it might pay you to invest in a Kinetic rope. Yankum makes them here in the USA. Casey Ladelle and Matts off road recovery both use them extensively in recovering vehicles here in the USA. Both have UA-cam channels. I carry a 10" crescent wrench and a pair of pliers next to the driver's seat in both my pickups & use them all the time.
In the US, a backed off shackle is an immediate osha violation. A backed off shackle can spread under load., and then it's junk. No rigging training I have ever had in the past 30 years, ever suggested to back off a shackle. The training specifies tightening them.
A truckie friend of mine suggested putting a rubber O ring on the bolt part and do up till that bites, it will not shake undone, but will not over tighten either. Maybe not a good ide on the trailer safety shackle.
I’m in the marine industry and we use almost everyday shackles. I have noticed myself in the years that if you tight too much the shackle will be stuck when you need to undo. Most of my coworkers disagree with me but I never had any problem. Just as you say back half turn is the right way to do. Instead some of my colleagues have to undo with pliers and screw-bar or even hammer…!?! Thanks for the video.
In the UK we take a fundamentally different view on what a trailer coupling backup should do. All trailers 1300kg or heavier must have a *breakaway cable*, that is designed to snap if the trailer becomes detached, but not before it pulls the handbrake on. Idea being that an out-of-control uncoupled trailer will likely takes itself and the tow vehicle into oncoming traffic, whereas a detached trailer with the brakes on may just stop before it does any damage.
knipex is my choice for all grips and plier tools. As an ag field mechanic I need to know that I can trust my tools and up to now knipex has been brilliant.
For the safety one I put iron string through the hole in the pin then go loop inside the shackle to prevent rotation. So if it loosen from vibration it’s not going to go more than a quarter of a turn…
"...the biggest mistake people make"? For me, not even close. The biggest mistake I ever made was not listening to my Dad when I was a teenager. What did he say? I don't know... I didn't listen.
NO WAY dude , the BS John serves up in his videos is what all the viewers come back time & time again to watch!! AND we love how all the KAREN-s come out in the comments section to demand to see the YT Manager 🤣
Safety Shackles (also called 4 piece shackles) are perfect for towing. Just put an “R” clip through the retainer hole. You’ll never lose one again regardless of how tight or loose you left it. Having worked beside some of our biggest highways I can tell you there are “D” shackle pins everywhere from lose “D” shackles of all sizes. On occasions we have reconstructed items from parts we have found on the side of the road. Good advice.
The pin should never be used on an active end (ropes, straps, slings). Spinning the pin tight will be the least of your worries, imagine the opposite 😢. The pin is always used on the inactive end ( anything stationary) . But, what do i know !
I call these Multi Grips. They are quite usefull in the field but are not a spanner, pipe wrench or eng plyers. I might suggest that some vice grips would do the same job but also clamp onto whatever you want held. In my motorcycle tool kit I like to carry one of those needle nose vice grips because the can often make a temporary brake lever or gear change. Keep up the good work.
I have the Knipex "multigrips", had them for over 40 years now. Unlike normal multigrips, these self tighten onto whatever is being gripped. The harder you turn, the tighter they grip. As soon as you stop turning, they release their grip as opposed to multigrips that try to loosen when you try to turn a fastener or a shaft. Their geometry is only slightly different to normal multigrips, barely visible, but it makes a huge difference.
Not a professional but I have used shackles many times, but my tools of choice are a pin bar or a crescent wrench to work with sometimes the handle of the crescent wrench can be used to hold the shackle body while the pin wrench is used to work the pin. Other wise use Quick links .
Interesting leaning how you need to couple trailers in Oz. In Europe you only need 1 chain (secondary coupling) on trailers without brakes (max mass 750 kg), you can also use them on braked trailers upto 1500 kg. They are meant to be set so the hitch wont touch the ground if it comes off the ball and strong enough to not break. For trailers with overrun brakes (max mass 3500 kg) you use a breakaway cable which connects the tow vehicle to the trailers parking brake leaver so is designed to apply the trailers parking brake before snapping if it became detached - the trailer would then roam free during deceleration. Electric or powered trailer brakes are very rare on trailers under 3500 kg. Above 3500 kg your into proper truck trailers which usually have air brakes and require roadworthiness inspections. The obvious problems with these systems is the chain is often too slack/low so the hitch would probably hit the floor and if the overrun trailer brakes aren't properly serviced/adjusted the breakaway may not actually do much. A really surprising thing is how many vehicles with genuine factory tow bars don't have a decent place to attach the chain/cable that is legally required to be used with them, especially the fancy removable ones. Your 2 crossed chains setup does seem a better idea though I guess on that setup its not so easy to automatically apply the (electric?) trailer brakes when decoupled so you need something pritty stocky to control a decoupled 3500 kg trailer and hopefully prevent the brake control from failing (is there a failsafe on them or is it loose electrics loose the brakes?).
Yeah, but I drive hgvs and pull trailers up to 3.5t and if you make sure the ball is on secure, and your hitch has locked on ( and is secure to the trailer) it will never come apart. I've seen cars hanging off bridges held up by the tow ball. Same with hgvs, tractor weight of 7 to 8 tons hanging on the pin. As you point out, them chains are going to need some serious strength to provide the link, now what the fuck are they fastened too? The arse of your car thats just give up an let the towbar lose because it was over weight? 😅
The brake fail-safe cable must have less slack than the two crossed chains to activate ie pull the pin out of the electric brake trigger. Shackles must be rated and stamped to deal with a given load.
For purposes of a permanent/long term use a safety pin shackle should be used (shackle pin that passes through both eyes of the shackle body and is fastened with a nut and fitted with a split pin)
Used these and larger ones on a vertical mine hoist sling loads going 1.25 miles first drop in shaft. Also used these D rings lots on small slusher drag lines in stopes and large outside drag lines. Bottom line is you tighten them up with a spud wrench in high use and drag line and highly dynamic operations. Something like a dragline or logging yarder timber cable claw buncher needs to be tight or it will loosen and you'll have a catastrophic failure.
I used to be a certified crane operator and rigger. It's common practice to back the shackle pin off a quarter turn on heavy lifts. The reg said full thread engagement for the shackle pin but everyone knows better than to tighten the pin all the way.
Biggest shackles I have seen was on a 2500 tonne Lamson crane, had to lift a 800 tonne Fractionator in place, 12 semi loads across the Nullabor from Melb to Perth to move the crane parts.
You are absolutely correct but the hole in the end is to wire the shackle pin to the shackle so it does not turn. When I was diving in the oil industry if you were caught using a shackle without a “mousing wire” you’d lose a days wage.
Like I wrote, if your videos kept to this format, I would be a fan. And I would subscribe. This is the first video Ive watched of yours all the way to the end. You tackle some very interesting subjects and obviously are very knowledgeable, but your delivery style isn’t my cup of tea.
Good Vid-I use alot of sahckles in marine uses. I would ADD that any shackle in exterior use should have a little grease (never seize is better) on the threads and run a keeper wire or a wire-tie through the hole in the pin to the body to keep it safe.
Balls, nuts and knipex pliers. This is how you know you’re in for another great episode. Super advice John, I certainly learned a couple of things. Thanks again.
I've picked up 3 big shackles in the Simmo. The pin was close by in each case. Cable ties or leave the shackle in the recovery kit - that'll stop the bloody rattling, too 🙂
I trick I've used right up until changed over to soft shackles, was it put an O-ring on the shackle pin, all you have to do tighten it up as hard as you like by HAND, it'll never come undone in use or tighten up too much too not be able to be undone by hand (you might have to Leann it, it the recovery was slightly abusive)
Some good advice there, so many crank them up tight and then have a hell of a time loosening them. I've spoken wth a few involved in 4wd training and they generally recommend tightening to finger tight like you mentioned and then backing them off 1/4 turn, maybe half a turn but I've never heard anyone say a full turn though.
Years ago my father gave me a great big screwdriver that had a square shank in cross section and a wooden handle. I used it for years in a variety of tasks usually acting as a crowbar. Finally it broke. I bought the biggest Stanley screwdriver and I lost it (doh), I replaced it for $36 and then the misplaced one turned up so now I have two big screwdrivers. One common use was to use a tap wrench onto a wheel nut and turn it with the screwdriver in the hole. It’s also good for use with the big hose clamps. All good for those impromptu crowbar jobs. Even on non car related jobs.
Try committing yourself to only using nut drivers on hose clamps, after you do you'll never use a flat head on them again, even if you have to walk across the property to get one
If you were using a shackle like this on a boat mooring (which we do) and left it half turn loose like this , then eventually - bye bye boat. We just leave it nipped up with stainless wire or split pin through the hole. Will never incrementally unwind open. Interestingly on the all the wild multi directional forces our boat sees over the year it never tightens up - always trys to unwind. Don't know why.
Rigging 101 In NA there is also the marine rules that I use for more than my boat… Mechanical wire lopped thru the hole and to the body of the shackle so it cannot turn itself undone by vibration etc And for those who like to tighten then give another half turn(knuckedraggers)wrap the wire under the shoulder of the pin, it won’t allow for the buggery tightening you allude to
With the little bow shackles used for the chains on the acoustically transparent mobile shitwah, (or the 7x4 trailer) I tighten them up using the little hole in the shackle pin by just popping the retaining clip end from the trailer hitch pin in the hole and give the shackle pin a quarter turn past finger tight and they do not work themselves loose. And remember to put the retaining clip back in the hitch pin 😉. And do the same at the other end of the trip to loosen the shackle pin off. Never have to look for a pair of pliers too.
Working at Sadlers wells the stage techs got a huge sack of brand new steel shakles . Which they promptly dropped onto a concrete floor. I told them they should chuck the lot out and buy again. I got the bird . The first use they got one failed and dumped about 3/4 of a ton of stage weights ( nearly on the guys i told ) Old ones you can chick aroud a bit but when new are very brittle. Be aware
All these big galvanized shackles are fine for 4x4 stuff and stuff at home , but at big companies like pulp mills , minning etc they have to use proper "rated" shackles a fair bit tougher size for size .
My old dowidat "shifter" adjustable wrench still has less slop than anything i have brought since the 80's, same as my Britool ratchet wrench. I think my Stanley 7 "S" tool is around somewhere.
These shackles have a rating. Make sure it’s right. I got a couple for helping in recovering my vehicle. they were small but have a 4t rating, the 4WD club gave me advise on them.
I got a large cheap slot-screwdriver, and used it as an impromptu chisel, and the plastic grip shattered. Moral of the story, never but cheap unless you are Ok with tossing it away. Even mutilated screwdrivers are good for the springs in drum brakes through. You can put a little notch in the blade, and it becomes a brilliant tool for brakes.
That's what I thought the video was going to be about, and even the riggers' claim the best technology today is still to mouse it with wire. And no mention of never using the tow ball for recovery?
Put an o ring on the pin and finger tighten it down. The ruber stops it vibrating out and if you use a thick enough one it will give you half a turn of slack. Plastic washers work too. You might still need a tool to undo it, but it will come apart when you want it to. Also, lube the threads. Personally I have a 12-inch adjustable spanner and always run them tight, never had a problem undoing them. That said the O Ring trick works wonders.
I've always thought that the cause of the shackle becoming tight in use was due to the force of the load working to bend the bow open slightly, thus making the bolt too tight. The other reason to not tighten the bolt is that if the load is working to pull the bow open, it is also working to stretch the bolt. I suppose that if one is working within the rating of the shackle, that doesn't matter. In fact, the only real reason not to tighten the bolt is convenience in not needing a tool to remove it.
Have to agree with MrMonkey. AS 2741 - 2002 Shackles are designed and specified for the pin to be "tight". Also the pin must be through the full depth of the shackle on the pin side to fully utilise the shackle strength. Safety factor of 6. Sometimes this means putting an awl through the hole/using pliers to give it a bit more turn. I have executed many hundreds of pulls with towing and winching and have never had a pin loosen or tighten. Also i have never had a pin bind. A rated shackle is proof tested to twice its rating and any deformations are a rejection of the batch. Personally i have pulled 3.7T shackles to 14T and seen no deformation or pin binding. If a pin binds it is a sure sign you have seriously overloaded a rated shackle
correction dude, only use steal shackles for car trailers and engineering work shops. I have seen a 20 ton shackle fail miserably out in the field. shot the pin clean threw a large tree and the rest of it was a missile that was never found buried in the earth. use soft shackles for safety when towing.
Disagree. You cannot generate sufficient force with 4WD recovery to break a 20T WLL shackle that's not already unserviceable. (It'd take about 150T to break one.)
John I was pulled up for log book check in a Heavy Vehicle and took the opportunity to ask NSW Highway Patrol re crossing chains to the towing unit from the trailer. It's not law. But suggested by popular opinion. As I never saw my father do it on any trip to the tip which being the oldest boy I got shotgun, no choice in the matter. Jeff Moore
I ride between Seymour and Melbourne most days, I see a squashed D shackle or a yellow bolt in the hard shoulder every other km or so. So many trailers/caravans being towed without safety chains, without drivers being aware 😞
wow... John this is amazing, I've seen you go wrong a few times but never doubly wrong and in an obvious way. Really except for the Knipex sales pitch, which are indeed great pliers, this video is a disaster. I work in rigging every day and have been trained by a lot of sharp people with formal training and decades of experience so without a doubt can say you'd have been fired from my job sites for that "tip". It is at best a safety nightmare. One: Don't tighten the shackles down, they're made for finger tight and work fine that way. Over wrenching them causes damage in the long run from compressing the shackle bell more than intended; but mainly just makes them harder to remove for no advantage at all. However if you are worried about them coming undone just tie them off. That's what the little hole is for! As you're not the first person with this issue. ;) Traditionally one uses a bit of bailing wire bent around the bell and through the pin hole, finished off with a twist like a bread closure. But even a plastic zip tie will do as it's not really taking any load. This is because the shackle pin is NOT A BOLT so you really gain nothing with a wrench on it. Many similar types of shackle don't even have threading and assume you'll hold it together with other hardware. In particular is the type with a safety pin clipped over a separate nut. This might be ideal in your situation as it'll be vibration proof on the open road. Everything is just about the right tool for the right job. But a bit of twisted wire is fine too, however wrenching that as you're showing remains wrong. Two: Hell no on leaving the pin rolling for convenience. That is just an open invitation for the whole pin to work itself out. Your advice is going to kill someone. Do not do this and if you're lifting something where that kind of free play is actually needed then you should get the appropriate hardware. Lifting points with sleeves and rollers do exist for just such a rare circumstance. You can even go as simple as an unthreaded shackle that is held together with a nut and/or cross pin for this very same rolling effect. But the type of shackle you're demonstrating is not EVER meant to be rolling while in use. That is a failure mode. So on both of your 'bright ideas' please stop. It's really shameful considering how many other videos you have deep diving into details on hardware right and wrongs. But with this topic you're going full hillbilly just because it hasn't failed for you personally yet.
If you mouse the shackle you won't have any issue with it overtightening or coming unscrewed. That's why the pin has a flange with a hole in it. I prefer to use D shackles that have a simple round pin that's secured with a cotter pin or bow shackles that use a nut and bolt with a cotter pin. Something that wasn't mentioned and really needs to be; always consider the direction the load is pulling on the shackle. D shackles are not designed to handle high shearing loads.
I had to do a rigging and dogging course for work and what you say about backing off the shackle is what is taught in the course. If you're really worried about a shackle coming loose you can always mouse it off (put something through the hole in the pin like some wire or a cable tie to prevent it from rotating.)
Glenn exactly thats what the hole is for in shank but most numtpies dont know that spot comment on mate, they wouldnt know what mousing is. Never tighten a shackle with a spanner or other tool finger tight back it off an mouse it.
@@rayjames433 yep. Always.
Zip ties work wonders
I did a bit of rigging too, the shackels that bind up, we just hit the sides of them with a podgy, and it will come loose as you tap it.
Yeah and they are actually designed and rated for lifting only
Great advice, Mr. Cadogan! I am a retired mechanical engineer and a professional rigger certified to 200 tons, and I heartily agree!
Everyone I know in Germany seems to have those wrench pliers, or plumber's pliers as they are often called here. We have 3, one is only about 10 years old, the others were bought by the previous house owner (they left us all their tools, when we bought the house) back in the 60s or 70s. They really last for ever, worth every cent.
We use Knipex pliers and wire cutters at work, I can highly recommend them.
Interesting video. I'm an industrial mechanic and we had a class on these by the company Cranby (I guess they make the shackles) they told us to snug them up and keep tools around to free them up when done. They're apparently designed to tighten up while in use. I guess thats why Americans use a hook with a clip on boats or our trailers.
1/4 turn back is the norm but can't really see an issue with a full turn back, nice vid John
Do not back a shackle off. It is not rated if it's not shouldered. Check me get ahold of Crosby.
As a plumber. When you turn your water meter back on, 1/4 turn or more to back off. Just general life rule really
Also a squirt of oil or light grease in the female thread when not in use can really help you out if someone has to prove their strength by overtightening them
Great points John , but if you are out in the boonies , recreating in a 4x4 fashion , with no tools , you deserve to be stuck .
Exactly!
A screwdriver, adjustable wrench or pliers would loosen a shackle. I have never even heard of someone being defeated by a tight shackle.
Pozi 3 makes a pretty useful tommy bar
The first time I’ve watched a clip of yours in it’s entirety.
So much better to watch without all the BS 👍
Love the Knipex pliers wrench. I have the 125 in my laptop bag at all times (I work in I.T.), the 150 in my car at all times, the 180 and 250 in my fat cave. Use them daily. The Cobra pliers are also very useful and their long handle side cutters are fantastic. Well worth the spend, as long as you can stop them walking off....
damn awesome for when you need to tighten up a simple bolt / nut dont have to wast time finding the right size. even got me a pair of there adjustable pliers far better then any channel locks i have ever used.
Walking off, I work in a factory with 30 other blokes. So I spray paint all my sh!t pink so they all know where to bring it back.
I can attest to the mistake of over tightening a large shackle. My father and I were doing some work using some and pulled so hard it was if you had welded the threads in place on one. It took some doing but we managed to get the shackle and pin apart but everything was stripped out and ruined.
My father being the smart man he is always buys the newer , better tools so he has several of these very useful adjustable spanners as you call them. He actually has a shed full of tools . These are absolutely amazing and are truly worth the price and having.
Yup very familiar with safety chains on trailers both big and small. Been helping my father with his trailers since I was a kid. My father was a heavy equipment operator, logger, miner, and big rig operator of many different types of rigs doing any number of jobs. He has had several different styles of trailers he towed with his pickup over the years.
Yes! I haven't heard this discussed before. I used to deliver and recover heavy equipment (with heavy equipment) here in the US, and I can attest that the big shackles (anything over 5 tons) need to be a 1/2 turn loose, and secured in place with wire or a zip tie. I hadn't heard the term "moused off" before, so thanks for that one @Glenn B. 😉
I've heard sailors or yachties use the term " mousing off " a shackle , an anchor swivel or maybe a turnbuckle, just a bit of thin stainless wire twisted onto the thing you want to stay in place , highly recommended for stainless shackles , not that you'd be using stainless D or bow shackles for the trailer safety çhain .......
Crossing over the chains on your tow hitch, ball, tongue, whatever, can prevent the coupling on your trailer from nose diving into the tarmac if the coupling parts company with the ball for some reason. You need to make sure your chains aren't too loose, but not so tight that normal movement of the trailer would be a problem, and crossed over so they can catch an errant trailer. I think two chains should be mandatory on all trailers, it might add another $40 to the cost..
Two chains on everything couldn't hurt...
We do it on all our work trailers - even the smallest units have 2 chains - cheap insurance. 👍
I don't understand the crossing over requirement? Ok, it's Friday morning and the ol' noggin hasn't quite kicked into gear yet... but what's the physics at play here re crossing vs non-crossing?
Every trailer I've ever owned (even the baby ones) had two chains. Never seen a trailer with a single chain/shackle.
@@timblaxland294 If you cross the chains, because of the position the chains attach to the draw-bar they will tend to catch the socket/hitch when it falls off and because they are crossed the chains shorten much-faster in the event of a fall - they tangle.
Also broadly-speaking you can use shorter chains when crossed , because if a chain goes from right-to-right [not-crossing] and then you turn Left: the chain will run out of length and bind - but a chain crossing roughly under the Ball/hitch [the centre of the circle] can be "as short as possible" but despite that it doesn't suffer much-less free-length when you turn.
The corollary to that is that a non-crossing chain, say right-to-right can sag so much on a Right-turn that it hits the ground - while the left-left chain is running of of free-length.
In America we generically refer to that style pliers/wrench as Channel-locks no matter who makes them.
Knipex tools are awesome. I’m a plumber and I love them.
Good video, John. Nice follow up to your other video on shackles where you talked about hard corners and how fully tightening a shackle can cause a catastrophic failure. I purchased a Knipex Cobra 250 almost a year ago and it is a great tool to have in my kit. Strong, relatively lightweight and superbly engineered. I learned long ago that when threaded components need to be separated for repair or adjustment you need quality tools, both to get the job done and minimise risk of injury.
Agree on the cobras. The same size pythons were good too. The next size up Cobras didnt seem to bite as good, as my workmate got them after i got the smaller ones.
Years ago my mechanical engineering lecturer mentioned gate valves for a similar reason. Never open them fully. People have been known to come along and think that the valve is shut and then go and find the biggest bar available to "open it".
A 'better idiot' will always come along, in due course...
So true.
I used to drive forklifts with a gas tank and I always said the same thing.
Hard to tell if it's open or shut and a numpty with a tool can cause serious problems.
I’m a plumber too, and I was just about to post the same thing. Always back off the final turn one full revolution; never leave it at the top.
Dammit John, I have to take time out of my day to watch every one of your videos when they come up. They are all so informative!
I'm all for it. Thanks for watching!
I love my Channellock wrenches. Design is just right, small enough to fit any situation and yet strong enough to do the job.
Thanks for this insightful tip.
I appreciate your low key delivery and preparation. Please keep up the good work.
Subscribed.
DOUG out
Having just completed the NCCCO Rigger 1 and Rigger 2 credentials, their feeling (in lock step with OSHA, ASME & ANSI) is that the pin of the shackle is "fully engaged" which is defined as 'until it stops turning' with the admonishement that the pin is to be operated with a spud wrench, the hole is for the awl and the flats are for the jaws. The walk away is you do not need to reef the pin but loose leads to too loose.
Bullshit you were taught wrong period. You do not put a spud wrench in the hole of the pin and tighten it up more. The pin is to be brought to a stop and backed up at least a quarter turn
The small shackle is a D shackle (possibly you mispoke), they come in all sizes and capacities.
The difference in use case for D shackles versus Bow shackles is D shackles are only ever intended for a 1 to 1 connection whereas the Bow shackle is designed for a 1 to many connection or can be used to join dissimilar sized but similar capacities. i.e synthetic rope of large diameter to steel wire rope.
Also I would not suggest you use those knipex on your balls unless you want to sing castrato.
I did mis-speak. Sorry. Probably talking about one thing and thinking about what's next.
Thanks mate , made my day reading comment from a person who works and knows what they're talking about .🎉
Just to add to your comment which is bloody brilliant, the bow shackles also come in handy for when there is not a straight pull or when an A-frame is involved. D-shackles should never be used for recovery
@@haydenlawrie7130 What if D-shackles are all that one has at hand?
Don't attempt a recovery?
@@MichaelKingsfordGray what if you make an effort to never begin a sentence with what if?
Another great product in a similar vein is the Stanley 10 in MaxGrip™ Locking Adjustable Wrench- an adjustable wrench / slide spanner with an integrated vice grip mechanism. I've been using one for twenty years commercially and at home for similar reasons- allows me to lock it onto a nut or bolt and it will stay in place freeing a hand for the other part of the job. Very affordable and good quality and deserves to be more widely known.
Regarding the safety chain shackles, my father used to make a simple safety pin style clip from something like 1/16" ss wire which he would clip through the hole in the pin on the shackle and it had a half round section at right angles at the end which hugged around the inside of the shackle shank and provide the catch for the other end to latch into. It secured the pin to the shackle and prevented it rotating- nice slimline little trick.
Myself, I've always found shackles on safety chains generally just a pitfa. Issues with the pin coming loose and losing it while in use, needing a tool to tighten / loosen the pin, not fitting the particular tow bar trying to attach the trailer to, etc. For the last forty years I've used a Trojan CHAIN MATE T336056 or similar on my vehicles. There are a few manufacturers and alternative designs but all eliminate that annoying shackle making it quick and easy to hook up and release the safety chain.
Thank god for clever buggers who make stuff.
Steel ended screw drivers are as good as an impact driver in the right hands. If you have a stuck screw and a metal ended screw driver, place the screwdriver in the hole, place downward and anticlockwise pressure on the screwdriver, and hit it sharp and hard with a decent hammer and a lot of the time your screw will become loose. I had an impact driver and a few metal ended screw drivers in my toolbox when I was a machinist and I remember very few occasions when I reached for the impact driver, I just used the metal ended screwdrivers.
Great video again, John. Love those tools. When I was working in the motor trade in the 1970's as a forklift field service mechanic, the Pliers Wrench used to go by the monicker of MultiGrip Pliers and Knippex were the best of them. i had two of each size in my truck at all times because you always needed them. Only other tool that was equal to it was a set of ViceGrips.
They're different things.
Knipex tools are excellent. They earned a spot in top drawer of my toolbox
They're the best pliers I have ever used.
It's really unfortunate that you did not talk about using rated shackles only for any towing, recovery, lifting, etc. You can buy a cheap non-rated shackle and you may as well be using a piece of string.
Make sure they have a WLL (working load limit) stamped on them and an 'S' (safety), which means they are rated to at least 5x the WLL stamped on them. Also, the pin colours have nothing to do with rating.
"Mousing" a shackle pin by looping tie wire through the hole in the end of the pin (the purpose of the hole) and through/around the shackle - allows for light finger tightening avoiding pin overtightening or loosening under repeated/extended use. - dogmans/riggers handbook.
Yes - agreed. I can't be arsed doing that, however, for simple lifting in the Fat Cave, or for 4WD recovery...
I always used a zip tie thru the hole in the pin, when I used them on an anchor chain on my boat.
Haven't watched you for awhile. Thouroghly enjoy your vids. Very amiable presenter. Usually grab a coffee, sit back and relax and watch. You're like a long time friend.
As a Dogman I was taught to turn it back 1/4 turn. You also demonstrated without comment the correct way to use the wrench, Top jaw taking the load.
Great Advice, my son Jeep, was stuck in Texas mud, my Tacoma, could not pull out. Had to dig it out, after rain stopped, used shackles, tightened with channel locks wrenches, had a real hard time loosening, that one, will use your advice next time, Thanks!
Snug them up hand tight and don't overthink it ! 👍
When I worked in construction (U.S.) tightening them hand tight and then backing it off a bit was the technique that was mostly taught as the right way in rigging loads. Sometimes a foreman would have some story and a reason to tighten them, but very seldom. Even the shackle companies in their training videos taught this backing off a bit method. Also, you never want to side load a shackle.
If one goes out to do a vehicle recovery it might pay you to invest in a Kinetic rope. Yankum makes them here in the USA. Casey Ladelle and Matts off road recovery both use them extensively in recovering vehicles here in the USA. Both have UA-cam channels. I carry a 10" crescent wrench and a pair of pliers next to the driver's seat in both my pickups & use them all the time.
In the US, a backed off shackle is an immediate osha violation. A backed off shackle can spread under load., and then it's junk. No rigging training I have ever had in the past 30 years, ever suggested to back off a shackle. The training specifies tightening them.
A truckie friend of mine suggested putting a rubber O ring on the bolt part and do up till that bites, it will not shake undone, but will not over tighten either.
Maybe not a good ide on the trailer safety shackle.
I’m in the marine industry and we use almost everyday shackles. I have noticed myself in the years that if you tight too much the shackle will be stuck when you need to undo. Most of my coworkers disagree with me but I never had any problem. Just as you say back half turn is the right way to do. Instead some of my colleagues have to undo with pliers and screw-bar or even hammer…!?! Thanks for the video.
Knipex plier wrenches are awesome!
Forget the initial purchase cost they will outlast any cheap "Chinesium" tool out there.
I can’t find ‘Chinesium’ on the periodic table of the elements. What’s the atomic weight?
@@62Cristoforo It depends on what is thrown into the pot..
In the UK we take a fundamentally different view on what a trailer coupling backup should do. All trailers 1300kg or heavier must have a *breakaway cable*, that is designed to snap if the trailer becomes detached, but not before it pulls the handbrake on. Idea being that an out-of-control uncoupled trailer will likely takes itself and the tow vehicle into oncoming traffic, whereas a detached trailer with the brakes on may just stop before it does any damage.
knipex is my choice for all grips and plier tools. As an ag field mechanic I need to know that I can trust my tools and up to now knipex has been brilliant.
"You don't have any tools around you - only your mates" - subtle!
For the safety one I put iron string through the hole in the pin then go loop inside the shackle to prevent rotation. So if it loosen from vibration it’s not going to go more than a quarter of a turn…
"...the biggest mistake people make"?
For me, not even close. The biggest mistake I ever made was not listening to my Dad when I was a teenager. What did he say? I don't know... I didn't listen.
Context is everything. Biggest mistake with shackles, genius. Correction: Sir Genius.
Great to have an informative and useful post without all the BS 👍
NO WAY dude , the BS John serves up in his videos is what all the viewers come back time & time again to watch!!
AND we love how all the KAREN-s come out in the comments section to demand to see the YT Manager 🤣
Safety Shackles (also called 4 piece shackles) are perfect for towing. Just put an “R” clip through the retainer hole. You’ll never lose one again regardless of how tight or loose you left it. Having worked beside some of our biggest highways I can tell you there are “D” shackle pins everywhere from lose “D” shackles of all sizes. On occasions we have reconstructed items from parts we have found on the side of the road. Good advice.
The pin should never be used on an active end (ropes, straps, slings). Spinning the pin tight will be the least of your worries, imagine the opposite 😢.
The pin is always used on the inactive end ( anything stationary) .
But, what do i know !
I call these Multi Grips. They are quite usefull in the field but are not a spanner, pipe wrench or eng plyers. I might suggest that some vice grips would do the same job but also clamp onto whatever you want held.
In my motorcycle tool kit I like to carry one of those needle nose vice grips because the can often make a temporary brake lever or gear change.
Keep up the good work.
You've never used these, then. They're not multigrips...
I have the Knipex "multigrips", had them for over 40 years now. Unlike normal multigrips, these self tighten onto whatever is being gripped. The harder you turn, the tighter they grip. As soon as you stop turning, they release their grip as opposed to multigrips that try to loosen when you try to turn a fastener or a shaft. Their geometry is only slightly different to normal multigrips, barely visible, but it makes a huge difference.
Not a professional but I have used shackles many times, but my tools of choice are a pin bar or a crescent wrench to work with sometimes the handle of the crescent wrench can be used to hold the shackle body while the pin wrench is used to work the pin. Other wise use Quick links .
Interesting leaning how you need to couple trailers in Oz.
In Europe you only need 1 chain (secondary coupling) on trailers without brakes (max mass 750 kg), you can also use them on braked trailers upto 1500 kg. They are meant to be set so the hitch wont touch the ground if it comes off the ball and strong enough to not break. For trailers with overrun brakes (max mass 3500 kg) you use a breakaway cable which connects the tow vehicle to the trailers parking brake leaver so is designed to apply the trailers parking brake before snapping if it became detached - the trailer would then roam free during deceleration. Electric or powered trailer brakes are very rare on trailers under 3500 kg. Above 3500 kg your into proper truck trailers which usually have air brakes and require roadworthiness inspections.
The obvious problems with these systems is the chain is often too slack/low so the hitch would probably hit the floor and if the overrun trailer brakes aren't properly serviced/adjusted the breakaway may not actually do much. A really surprising thing is how many vehicles with genuine factory tow bars don't have a decent place to attach the chain/cable that is legally required to be used with them, especially the fancy removable ones.
Your 2 crossed chains setup does seem a better idea though I guess on that setup its not so easy to automatically apply the (electric?) trailer brakes when decoupled so you need something pritty stocky to control a decoupled 3500 kg trailer and hopefully prevent the brake control from failing (is there a failsafe on them or is it loose electrics loose the brakes?).
Yeah, but I drive hgvs and pull trailers up to 3.5t and if you make sure the ball is on secure, and your hitch has locked on ( and is secure to the trailer) it will never come apart. I've seen cars hanging off bridges held up by the tow ball. Same with hgvs, tractor weight of 7 to 8 tons hanging on the pin. As you point out, them chains are going to need some serious strength to provide the link, now what the fuck are they fastened too? The arse of your car thats just give up an let the towbar lose because it was over weight? 😅
The brake fail-safe cable must have less slack than the two crossed chains to activate ie pull the pin out of the electric brake trigger.
Shackles must be rated and stamped to deal with a given load.
For purposes of a permanent/long term use a safety pin shackle should be used (shackle pin that passes through both eyes of the shackle body and is fastened with a nut and fitted with a split pin)
This ex rigger agrees with you!
Thanks to you bud , learned a bit, Been there, just as you described with limited tools handy to loosen the confounded puzzle.
Used these and larger ones on a vertical mine hoist sling loads going 1.25 miles first drop in shaft. Also used these D rings lots on small slusher drag lines in stopes and large outside drag lines.
Bottom line is you tighten them up with a spud wrench in high use and drag line and highly dynamic operations. Something like a dragline or logging yarder timber cable claw buncher needs to be tight or it will loosen and you'll have a catastrophic failure.
I used to be a certified crane operator and rigger. It's common practice to back the shackle pin off a quarter turn on heavy lifts. The reg said full thread engagement for the shackle pin but everyone knows better than to tighten the pin all the way.
Biggest shackles I have seen was on a 2500 tonne Lamson crane, had to lift a 800 tonne Fractionator in place, 12 semi loads across the Nullabor from Melb to Perth to move the crane parts.
The Knipex parallel flat jaw adjustable pliers are even better John.
Same size range. Basically they'll do anything. Clamping, spannering, levering, folding, bending. Hell they'll even squeeze aircraft rivets. (Just don't tell CASA)
That's what I was using in the video - Knipex calls them Pliers Wrench...
@@AutoExpertJC ha!
So it was!
I guess that's what happens when you watch videos on you three year old cracked screen mobile phone....
always called them parallel pliers. Best pliers...ever...
You are absolutely correct but the hole in the end is to wire the shackle pin to the shackle so it does not turn. When I was diving in the oil industry if you were caught using a shackle without a “mousing wire” you’d lose a days wage.
If your videos kept to this format I’d be a fan! And a subscriber. Great info!
Why subscribe if you're not a fan?
Like I wrote, if your videos kept to this format, I would be a fan. And I would subscribe. This is the first video Ive watched of yours all the way to the end. You tackle some very interesting subjects and obviously are very knowledgeable, but your delivery style isn’t my cup of tea.
I hope you get a kickback on the Knipex sales. It was cheaper to buy individually rather than a set. Thanks for the shackle reminder.
Good Vid-I use alot of sahckles in marine uses. I would ADD that any shackle in exterior use should have a little grease (never seize is better) on the threads and run a keeper wire or a wire-tie through the hole in the pin to the body to keep it safe.
A company in Renmark SA, DIX Engineering has developed the mawby hook. I have installed them on my camper and Ute. I think they’re very good
Thanks for the headsup
Balls, nuts and knipex pliers. This is how you know you’re in for another great episode.
Super advice John, I certainly learned a couple of things. Thanks again.
First shackle is called a d shackle ...
I've picked up 3 big shackles in the Simmo. The pin was close by in each case. Cable ties or leave the shackle in the recovery kit - that'll stop the bloody rattling, too 🙂
I trick I've used right up until changed over to soft shackles, was it put an O-ring on the shackle pin, all you have to do tighten it up as hard as you like by HAND, it'll never come undone in use or tighten up too much too not be able to be undone by hand (you might have to Leann it, it the recovery was slightly abusive)
Some good advice there, so many crank them up tight and then have a hell of a time loosening them. I've spoken wth a few involved in 4wd training and they generally recommend tightening to finger tight like you mentioned and then backing them off 1/4 turn, maybe half a turn but I've never heard anyone say a full turn though.
Years ago my father gave me a great big screwdriver that had a square shank in cross section and a wooden handle. I used it for years in a variety of tasks usually acting as a crowbar. Finally it broke. I bought the biggest Stanley screwdriver and I lost it (doh), I replaced it for $36 and then the misplaced one turned up so now I have two big screwdrivers. One common use was to use a tap wrench onto a wheel nut and turn it with the screwdriver in the hole.
It’s also good for use with the big hose clamps. All good for those impromptu crowbar jobs. Even on non car related jobs.
Try committing yourself to only using nut drivers on hose clamps, after you do you'll never use a flat head on them again, even if you have to walk across the property to get one
If you were using a shackle like this on a boat mooring (which we do) and left it half turn loose like this , then eventually - bye bye boat.
We just leave it nipped up with stainless wire or split pin through the hole. Will never incrementally unwind open. Interestingly on the all the wild multi directional forces our boat sees over the year it never tightens up - always trys to unwind. Don't know why.
Nothing worst than a bye-bye boat...
Rigging 101
In NA there is also the marine rules that I use for more than my boat…
Mechanical wire lopped thru the hole and to the body of the shackle so it cannot turn itself undone by vibration etc
And for those who like to tighten then give another half turn(knuckedraggers)wrap the wire under the shoulder of the pin, it won’t allow for the buggery tightening you allude to
Though as u suggest half to a turn back is perfect rigging, and used for lifting tens of tunes in real world rig practices
Knipex John - impressive, you're very tool savvy. Awesome advice.
Best pliers ever...
With the little bow shackles used for the chains on the acoustically transparent mobile shitwah, (or the 7x4 trailer) I tighten them up using the little hole in the shackle pin by just popping the retaining clip end from the trailer hitch pin in the hole and give the shackle pin a quarter turn past finger tight and they do not work themselves loose. And remember to put the retaining clip back in the hitch pin 😉.
And do the same at the other end of the trip to loosen the shackle pin off. Never have to look for a pair of pliers too.
Working at Sadlers wells the stage techs got a huge sack of brand new steel shakles . Which they promptly dropped onto a concrete floor.
I told them they should chuck the lot out and buy again. I got the bird .
The first use they got one failed and dumped about 3/4 of a ton of stage weights ( nearly on the guys i told )
Old ones you can chick aroud a bit but when new are very brittle. Be aware
All these big galvanized shackles are fine for 4x4 stuff and stuff at home , but at big companies like pulp mills , minning etc they have to use proper "rated" shackles a fair bit tougher size for size .
🎶 ‘the first thing you know I’ll do up a bow shackle again’ ….Ian Moss, Aussie music legend.
How did I miss this until now? Was at the pub selling meat tray raffle tickets for my rescue squad. Thanks for the funding NSW government...
My old dowidat "shifter" adjustable wrench still has less slop than anything i have brought since the 80's, same as my Britool ratchet wrench. I think my Stanley 7 "S" tool is around somewhere.
Dowidat, Britool, Stanley - Jeez, you've just named almost everybody ; But my Dad has some serious Bahco!
Great advice all round John . Thank you
No wukkas, David.
These shackles have a rating. Make sure it’s right. I got a couple for helping in recovering my vehicle. they were small but have a 4t rating, the 4WD club gave me advise on them.
I got a large cheap slot-screwdriver, and used it as an impromptu chisel, and the plastic grip shattered. Moral of the story, never but cheap unless you are Ok with tossing it away. Even mutilated screwdrivers are good for the springs in drum brakes through. You can put a little notch in the blade, and it becomes a brilliant tool for brakes.
Buy one where the shaft goes right through the handle.
4 part shackles are an industry standard in Oil n Gas offshore now you know why...
That's what I thought the video was going to be about, and even the riggers' claim the best technology today is still to mouse it with wire. And no mention of never using the tow ball for recovery?
I love how the Germans have to over engineer everything, including multi-grips.
Just like VW and their Diesel Emissions Scandal, or most German cars not making the top ten JP Powers reliability top 10 ?
Das German
Das Gut
They're a great tool
They aren't really multigrips. They have smooth jaws which is great for not marring up fasteners.
Thanks John.Very helpful. I appreciate your work.
I learned this about the second time I used shackles, never had a problem since,
Put an o ring on the pin and finger tighten it down. The ruber stops it vibrating out and if you use a thick enough one it will give you half a turn of slack. Plastic washers work too. You might still need a tool to undo it, but it will come apart when you want it to. Also, lube the threads.
Personally I have a 12-inch adjustable spanner and always run them tight, never had a problem undoing them. That said the O Ring trick works wonders.
Never thought about it…thanks. Put away for future reference.
"that's on you dude" LOL ....Great video sir!
I've always thought that the cause of the shackle becoming tight in use was due to the force of the load working to bend the bow open slightly, thus making the bolt too tight. The other reason to not tighten the bolt is that if the load is working to pull the bow open, it is also working to stretch the bolt. I suppose that if one is working within the rating of the shackle, that doesn't matter. In fact, the only real reason not to tighten the bolt is convenience in not needing a tool to remove it.
Have to agree with MrMonkey. AS 2741 - 2002 Shackles are designed and specified for the pin to be "tight". Also the pin must be through the full depth of the shackle on the pin side to fully utilise the shackle strength. Safety factor of 6. Sometimes this means putting an awl through the hole/using pliers to give it a bit more turn. I have executed many hundreds of pulls with towing and winching and have never had a pin loosen or tighten. Also i have never had a pin bind. A rated shackle is proof tested to twice its rating and any deformations are a rejection of the batch. Personally i have pulled 3.7T shackles to 14T and seen no deformation or pin binding. If a pin binds it is a sure sign you have seriously overloaded a rated shackle
correction dude, only use steal shackles for car trailers and engineering work shops. I have seen a 20 ton shackle fail miserably out in the field. shot the pin clean threw a large tree and the rest of it was a missile that was never found buried in the earth. use soft shackles for safety when towing.
Disagree. You cannot generate sufficient force with 4WD recovery to break a 20T WLL shackle that's not already unserviceable. (It'd take about 150T to break one.)
@@AutoExpertJC your half right, it was a 25 ton 6x6 all terrain dump truck using a 80 ton sling that did the damage.
In HVAC we use those to to rig up to the straps to lift units off the roof or compressors.
Cable tie works well to stop the pin from coming lose if you leave it on ur recovery points
The ONLY schackle you should use is with separate bolt and nut wich you can lock and it can rotate free......
John I was pulled up for log book check in a Heavy Vehicle and took the opportunity to ask NSW Highway Patrol re crossing chains to the towing unit from the trailer. It's not law. But suggested by popular opinion. As I never saw my father do it on any trip to the tip which being the oldest boy I got shotgun, no choice in the matter. Jeff Moore
I ride between Seymour and Melbourne most days, I see a squashed D shackle or a yellow bolt in the hard shoulder every other km or so. So many trailers/caravans being towed without safety chains, without drivers being aware 😞
wow... John this is amazing, I've seen you go wrong a few times but never doubly wrong and in an obvious way. Really except for the Knipex sales pitch, which are indeed great pliers, this video is a disaster. I work in rigging every day and have been trained by a lot of sharp people with formal training and decades of experience so without a doubt can say you'd have been fired from my job sites for that "tip". It is at best a safety nightmare.
One: Don't tighten the shackles down, they're made for finger tight and work fine that way. Over wrenching them causes damage in the long run from compressing the shackle bell more than intended; but mainly just makes them harder to remove for no advantage at all. However if you are worried about them coming undone just tie them off. That's what the little hole is for! As you're not the first person with this issue. ;) Traditionally one uses a bit of bailing wire bent around the bell and through the pin hole, finished off with a twist like a bread closure. But even a plastic zip tie will do as it's not really taking any load. This is because the shackle pin is NOT A BOLT so you really gain nothing with a wrench on it. Many similar types of shackle don't even have threading and assume you'll hold it together with other hardware. In particular is the type with a safety pin clipped over a separate nut. This might be ideal in your situation as it'll be vibration proof on the open road. Everything is just about the right tool for the right job. But a bit of twisted wire is fine too, however wrenching that as you're showing remains wrong.
Two: Hell no on leaving the pin rolling for convenience. That is just an open invitation for the whole pin to work itself out. Your advice is going to kill someone. Do not do this and if you're lifting something where that kind of free play is actually needed then you should get the appropriate hardware. Lifting points with sleeves and rollers do exist for just such a rare circumstance. You can even go as simple as an unthreaded shackle that is held together with a nut and/or cross pin for this very same rolling effect. But the type of shackle you're demonstrating is not EVER meant to be rolling while in use. That is a failure mode.
So on both of your 'bright ideas' please stop. It's really shameful considering how many other videos you have deep diving into details on hardware right and wrongs. But with this topic you're going full hillbilly just because it hasn't failed for you personally yet.
In the states its always two chains. But usually slip hooks or chain hooks. Done right I have never had them bounce off.
I need to get a set of these . It looks like they work the correct way and pretty good the wrong way.
If you mouse the shackle you won't have any issue with it overtightening or coming unscrewed. That's why the pin has a flange with a hole in it. I prefer to use D shackles that have a simple round pin that's secured with a cotter pin or bow shackles that use a nut and bolt with a cotter pin. Something that wasn't mentioned and really needs to be; always consider the direction the load is pulling on the shackle. D shackles are not designed to handle high shearing loads.
You can use a short piece of utility wire through the hole on that tang and around to stop it unwinding while towing.
Thank you. I really enjoy watching your tech advices
Great video! Thanks John. I only use the D shackle in the towing/safety chain environment. I wondered if it may undo in use.