Recommended D-rings?

[mrblaine]

OK, on the topic of soft shackles, you would still need to connect it to a hard shackle on someone's bumper, for instance, if you were winching them out. I guess it comes down to if you have a thimble or a hook. A hook would just clip on their hard shackle and a thimble would need the soft shackle to connect.
Which brings up an interesting point. I know there is a thread on this forum that poo poos thimbles because (like in the case above) there is an extra connection (extra possible break point) that needs to occur.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words or perhaps, 4 connections.

 

[mrblaine]

Chain is a no go in all the off-road clubs here.

A length of quality 3/8" graded chain as stated with a grab hook on one end and a slip hook on the other can be invaluable for many things. Someone on trail should have one in the group. At about 60" long, you can do lots of stupid stuff that will not be accomplished any other way. I used it before when a YJ broke a rear axle. We winched the rig over to compress the suspension on the broken side. Used the chain to keep that side compressed. Ratchet strapped the tire and axle in. Two guys rode on the opposite front corner to keep the weight off the broken side and we towed it 5 miles back to camp that way with no further damage.

 

[DWR]

Ive never given this really any thought... I recently bought my first Jeep (a 97 wrangler sport on 33” tires and what I think is a 3.5” quadratec lift with arb air lockers front and rear, and SYE.) I honestly always liked the look of shackles on the bumper and I bought mine that way... They never made noise BUT one is tight enough at this very moment to not be able to get off without pliers/screwdriver, the other fell off on the trail. I think at least... someone may have stolen it at the gas station as Ive never heard them make a sound/ they don’t knock around,

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I carry a 60" chain from a Warn kit, it has even been used to secure the front track bar to the frame when it was ripped out of its welds. It's not light but at times it's all that will work.

Those pics above showing the Factor 55 design and the Safety Thimble in the same post are great examples of the very worst and best designs. The last product I'd have in my TJ is the Factor 55 shackle-thingy. That original design caught so much crap from the more knowledgeable wheelers that they finally changed its design to wrap the rope around the load... copying the original Safety Thimble design. Safety Thimble designer mrblaine neglected to patent his Safety Thimble design so it was ripped off/stolen by Factor 55 for their second-generation design.

Personally I learned years ago from Blaine on what to carry tucked in between my seat and the door... a soft shackle, winch controller, shackle, and gloves. Ready for me to grab hopping out of my Jeep or to hand to someone else when I'm too scared to try to climb out because the ground is 6' below my door.

 

[JDS123]

If anyone is wondering, this is how I’m modifying my bumper for a soft shackle. I’m about ten minutes in, but it could run it this way no problems if I wanted to. A few more minutes with the dremel to smooth the outer edges and the top parts and I should be good to go on this one.

The bevel-ish drill bits I bought don’t work all that great and leave the pattern you see at the top right. Nothing that can’t be fixed with a dremel and some patience luckily.

 

[xxdabroxx]

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words or perhaps, 4 connections.

View attachment 106573

5.

 

[Gollywomper]

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words or perhaps, 4 connections.

View attachment 106573

 

[pcoplin]

I have the TRE Safety thimble on my winch rope. I keep a rock strap coiled up with a soft shackle cinched up around it. That's all I have to throw out to winch.

I only go through Ricky at TRE for all our recovery stuff. It's on both of our Jeeps and both the race cars.

 

[jjvw]

I have the TRE Safety thimble on my winch rope. I keep a rock strap coiled up with a soft shackle cinched up around it. That's all I have to throw out to winch.

...

That's how I've been doing it. I have soft shackles attached to each rolled strap and ready to go.