D shackle

Olley46 · Guru

D shackle

Baz421 · Guru

A good idea Olley UNTIL the O ring breaks (when you least expect it) due to age/exposure to sunlight.

Then you could have trouble, seen plenty on boats come undone over the years.

I ALWAYS tighten mine with pliers when connected.

I have a table top on the ute drop side and on this trip I had to glue in about 6 tech screws that hold the table top to the steel side. THEY KEPT WORKING LOOSE but the other 6 didn't,,, go figure eh!

Olley46 · Guru

Reply to your screw loose. I had the same problem with the window screws on a little Jayco Freedom I had,solved the problem ,by putting salastic on all screws end of problem,reguards to o ring Pershing I keep my eye on them and don't let them get to that stage, mind you it is quite awkward driving with one eye.

Lance C

-- Edited by Olley46 on Tuesday 2nd of February 2016 09:32:22 PM

Trevor law · Senior Member

When i tighten up my shackles it is only finger tight and then I put a piece of tie wire through the hole in the pin and then Around the shackle and then twist together.This as worked for us for a long time and I don't have to carry a pair of pliers in an emergency the shackle can be undone easily.I carry some short pieces of tie wire tied to the d handle of the tow hitch .Hope this makes sense .

Safe travels

03_Troopy · Guru

I use a couple of these, with an 'R' clip instead of the split pin.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

I try to have things that have more than one use.

I use one of these .....

...... for this primary purpose .................

........ and I also use that clip to tighten, and loosen, the bolt in the D-Shackle.

Cheers - John

Bill B · Guru

Just do them up finger tight.

Never had one come undone in 30 years of travel.

Olley46 · Guru

Yes Rocky

I use a similar idea for the coupling ,a tractor lynch pin.

Lance C

rockylizard · Guru

Bill B wrote:
Just do them up finger tight.

Never had one come undone in 30 years of travel.

Gday...

I, too, over the previous decades, had never had a D-shackle bolt come loose ........ then cry in the space of two weeks I had the bolt come loose, and fall out, on two D-shackles whilst traversing some unsealed, slightly corrugated, roads in WA.

Thankfully I carry spares so it was ultimately not a big deal.

Since then, I always give them a little "nip up" just to be sure.

cheers - John

03_Troopy · Guru

That's what I like about the bow shackle with the nut and R clip. Put the nut on, just finger tight or not even that much, and slip the R clip in. Never falls off and always easy to undo without tools.

Santa · Guru

Trevor law wrote:
When i tighten up my shackles it is only finger tight and then I put a piece of tie wire through the hole in the pin and then Around the shackle and then twist together.This as worked for us for a long time and I don't have to carry a pair of pliers in an emergency the shackle can be undone easily.I carry some short pieces of tie wire tied to the d handle of the tow hitch .Hope this makes sense .
Safe travels

Certainly makes sense to me Trevor.

Yours is the correct technique, referred to as mousing by riggers, the hole in the clevis pin is there for that very reason.

More info here as well as an illustration. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_wire

dogbox · Guru

rockylizard wrote:
Gday...
I try to have things that have more than one use.
I use one of these .....

...... for this primary purpose .................
........ and I also use that clip to tighten, and loosen, the bolt in the D-Shackle.

Cheers - John

work for me simple

Bruce and Bev · Guru

Hey Troopy - Ive never seen D or bow shackles like you have with a nut and bolt on them.....I haunt camping and RV shops in various States and they are either a D - like the one with the yellow shaft shown on other posters pics, or bow shackles which have the same colour and bolt with screw in end

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Mr Google provides this info ... apparently made in China.

http://thinkwell.en.made-in-china.com/product-group/OqZEUVyoktrd/Shackle-catalog-1.html

Also from the same supplier -

http://chinathinkwell.en.ecplaza.net/g2150-us-type-drop-forged--428464-3638421.html

Cheers - John

03_Troopy · Guru

Yes, I got mine from where I worked a little while back and they were extras, fitted to the top of cranes for trucks, used to lift the crane into position when fitting. They were "discarded" as not needed once the crane was fitted. They are a bit of overkill for my little van, with a WLL of 2ton and a 16mm pin, but they were free and suited my purpose nicely

They may possibly be available from lifting and rigging equipment supplies shops, at a more appropriate size.

-- Edited by 03_Troopy on Saturday 13th of February 2016 01:48:51 PM

hako · Guru

I'm probably wrong but I seem to remember reading somewhere that a caravan must be able to be disconnected "by hand" ....that is without the aid of spanners, pliers or R clips. Something to do with insurance if the van catches fire etc. Otherwise people would simply use a padlock....it will not come undone and in a panic situation if the van was onfire or overturned/whatever nobody would be able to disconnect the van.

Good Luck.

03_Troopy · Guru

hako wrote:
I'm probably wrong but I seem to remember reading somewhere that a caravan must be able to be disconnected "by hand" ....that is without the aid of spanners, pliers or R clips. Something to do with insurance if the van catches fire etc. Otherwise people would simply use a padlock....it will not come undone and in a panic situation if the van was onfire or overturned/whatever nobody would be able to disconnect the van.

Good Luck.

That's correct hako, which is why I like my shackles. Pull out the pin and the nuts can be removed by hand. The nut can be left backed off a thread or two, and will never fall off.

erad · Guru

Interesting about the ratings of shackles. I bought the towbars for both my vehicles froman aftermarket manufacturer - excellent service, excellent price. However, with both vehicles they supplied two skinny little shackles - way under the size of the safety chains on my caravan. They may be OK for my box trailer, but nothing else. As I understand it, you have to have rated shackles for a trailer or caravan, but I have no idea as to what the rating should be.

03_Troopy · Guru

Popcorn time again... lol

KevinC · Senior Member

hako wrote:
I'm probably wrong but I seem to remember reading somewhere that a caravan must be able to be disconnected "by hand" ....that is without the aid of spanners, pliers or R clips. Something to do with insurance if the van catches fire etc. Otherwise people would simply use a padlock....it will not come undone and in a panic situation if the van was on fire or overturned/whatever nobody would be able to disconnect the van.

Good Luck.

This is interesting. I've never heard it before, and it may have implications for insurance claims. It's not just the shackles that may be difficult to undo, the coupling itself could be a real task particularly after an accident. And on the other hand, If one leaves a car and caravan unattended, and some lowlife pinches the caravan because the coupling isn't locked, what would the insurance company say about that? Hmmm. Lots of scenarios, lots of questions, lots of speculation.

I like the OP suggestion to make shackles easy to undo, and thank him for the idea. The idea of a small spanner attached to the coupling to undo tight shackles would work too. But how much is a good idea, how much is necessary, and how much is a legal requirement?

Still wondering. Popcorn for me too.

03_Troopy · Guru

Just reading the VSB, it says the coupling must be able to be disengaged without the use of tools. But there wouldn't be much point if you couldn't also disconnect the safety chain without tools.

16.4 Couplings

Trailers that do not exceed 3.5 tonnes ATM must have a quick release coupling which is designed to be engaged and disengaged without the use of tools. It must be of a positive locking type with provision for a second independent device. The locking must be readily verifiable by visual inspection.

From this link.

macka17 · Guru

Hi.
EX Dragline/crape operator.
Used more shackles and pins than most of you will have even seen.
And spliced more bloody wire ropes/slings too.

It's always been take it up and back off a flat.
Never had one let go on me yet. (unwind) in over 50 yrs.

Those nut and split pin shackles may be "made" in China. but they we use them as/for mooring links for chains.
Rated. Mine are 4.5ton.and about 3\4 round rod.
"Bow" shackles.
I used them for my moorings in river for 8 1\2 ton yacht. 10 ton ones for 43 fter.
Anchoring tug slings to Railway wheels in mud and float to top end.

Those 4in/5in slings lasted longer than any steel rods or chains.
and held my 17 ton yacht in some decent breezes.

Don't ever use anything but "rated" shackles or ins can negate claim.
Weight is cast on side of shackle.

and towing shackles normally have larger dia pin than body dia.
To allow for snatching loads.