Looking for some options that fit 1/2" rope. My snatch blocks didn't work too well with that size rope. Who makes something big enough to fit that with a strong enough WLL for a 17,000 lb winch with 30,000+ lb rope. And are there any other options for winch hooks besides factor 55 xxl versions? There don't seem to be many choices that are rated for more than 12,000 lbs.
1/2" Synthetic Rope - which winch hooks, snatch blocks and shackles?
- Thread starter Srpat
- Start date
Hello Srpat:
We run our front winch (Warn 16.5) with just a spliced eye (couple layers of tubular webbing as chafe protection) while our rear winch (also Warn 16.5) has a Factor 55 XXL Flat Link. This setup is a quasi-experiment for us to see which we like best. So far the spliced eye is the overwhelming favorite. Very easy to handle and we're alway connecting to a soft or alloy shackle so a hook was wasted anyway. We do protect the spliced eye from abrasion with a Factor 55 Loop Guard. Both winches have 1/2" line.
An added benefit for us is that we can get our front mounted bike rack 2" closer to the bumper, increasing our approach angle by about 5 degrees, because the Loop Guard fits within the central mount of the rack.
We carry an ARB 20000 snatch block for light duty and a MasterPull SB75000 for serious stuff. We carry several soft shackles made from Amsteel Blue 1/2" and a couple made from Plasma 5/8". Both of those lines can take a lot of abrasion and abuse yet still yield plenty of safety margin for a 16,500 lb winch. Note that when using a snatch block the shackle anchoring the block can see 2x the winch's rated pull. For alloy shackles we carry several sizes of Skookums. Skookums are the strongest for a given size of all the shackles I could find, so if you want to maximum capacity for minimum weight they might be worth the money. You'll likely hear that other shackles are stronger for the a given size, but do some research on working load limits and draw your own conclusions.
Howard Snell
We run our front winch (Warn 16.5) with just a spliced eye (couple layers of tubular webbing as chafe protection) while our rear winch (also Warn 16.5) has a Factor 55 XXL Flat Link. This setup is a quasi-experiment for us to see which we like best. So far the spliced eye is the overwhelming favorite. Very easy to handle and we're alway connecting to a soft or alloy shackle so a hook was wasted anyway. We do protect the spliced eye from abrasion with a Factor 55 Loop Guard. Both winches have 1/2" line.
An added benefit for us is that we can get our front mounted bike rack 2" closer to the bumper, increasing our approach angle by about 5 degrees, because the Loop Guard fits within the central mount of the rack.
We carry an ARB 20000 snatch block for light duty and a MasterPull SB75000 for serious stuff. We carry several soft shackles made from Amsteel Blue 1/2" and a couple made from Plasma 5/8". Both of those lines can take a lot of abrasion and abuse yet still yield plenty of safety margin for a 16,500 lb winch. Note that when using a snatch block the shackle anchoring the block can see 2x the winch's rated pull. For alloy shackles we carry several sizes of Skookums. Skookums are the strongest for a given size of all the shackles I could find, so if you want to maximum capacity for minimum weight they might be worth the money. You'll likely hear that other shackles are stronger for the a given size, but do some research on working load limits and draw your own conclusions.
Howard Snell
greengreer
Adventurer
I just spliced a gusseted, enclosed thimble on 7/16" hmpe for use on a warn m15. They are inexpensive and sturdy. I prefer a shackle to a hook, fwiw.
www.mapleleafropes.com
you'll need to size up the thimble a bit as class II ropes are a bit larger than their measured diameter. I used a 5/8" thimble and it should work for your 1/2" line as well.
On other winches I just use a naked eye. Easy to inspect and redo if needed. I have a 10k lb hydraulic winch on a brush chipper that sees dozens of long pulls a day sometimes(lots of dirt and abrasion too) . Just an eye girth hitched to a steel snap hook. I switch ends about once a year for peace of mind.
Heavy Duty Enclosed Rope Thimbles - Lowest prices & free shipping | Maple Leaf Ropes
you'll need to size up the thimble a bit as class II ropes are a bit larger than their measured diameter. I used a 5/8" thimble and it should work for your 1/2" line as well.
On other winches I just use a naked eye. Easy to inspect and redo if needed. I have a 10k lb hydraulic winch on a brush chipper that sees dozens of long pulls a day sometimes(lots of dirt and abrasion too) . Just an eye girth hitched to a steel snap hook. I switch ends about once a year for peace of mind.