bit of advice fitting swivel recovery eyes to my bumper

[Ruuman]

Hi all,

I've currently got a fairly standard winch bumper which is 5mm steel through out, only problem it doesn't have any recovery points and I have a front plow fitted so don't have anywhere to fit jate rings.

so I purchased these from winch solutions, very pretty they are too.

my questions is where the best place to fit them, I'm assuming on the flat in-line with the chassis rails. But looking at the bumper construction the diagonals on the corners of the fair lead holder look more solid. Just looking for some thoughts, I'll try and put better pics up later, but it's cold now

cheers

Ruu

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

Those worry me, pretty as they may look I wonder what the metal is and how they will take to side forces and abuse, I have a huge uncomfortableness around these things I have seen seriously bent ones on a 1st use, and bumper where similar ones have almost destrorted them enough to come through and say "Hi, mame you Sir ?"

I would seriously only use them if both connected as if one lets go the other may save the day, or , better still fit something heavier Duty, a 5mm bumper plate isn;t that thick, the bigger the area or the closer to an edge you go the more flex / distortion you'll get. can't tell from the pics, are those shackles stamped with a T rating ie a rated shackle ? If they are not BIN THEM

Prob not exactly what your wnating to hear, and others may disagree with me, but thems me views for what they are worth, where HD Recovery and the forces that come with it are involved safety and safety margins are IMVHO key

Nige

[Ruuman]

Hi Nige,

I was of exactly the same opinion as you with these things, I'll only be using them connected together with a strop in case something tries to fly somewhere bad. it's not a permanent solution.

I don't think the pic's do them justice though, they look well made to me, the ad states 304 grade stainless what ever that means? but the thinnest part of construction is 1cm.

The lip of the swivel is about 8mm-10mm, so I hope to have a bit of warning before that pulled through a 5mm thick steel hole! maybe I'm wrong. shackles have 3-1/4t cast into them.

Cheers

Ruu

[ciderman]

Looking at them I personaly wouldnt use them , But if push came to shove I would like them to be mounted behind at least 8mm steel plate within the vicininty of the chassis legs .

[Bowie69]

mounted behind at least 8mm steel plate

I suppose this is limited by the circlip groove position -and no, I don't like them too much either....

I'd be tempted by a method that a couple of other forumers have used (Bish and... I think it was Adrian?), like the ones added to the Southdown bumper fitted here:

[DefcoL]

are those shackles stamped with a T rating ie a rated shackle ? If they are not BIN THEM.......

....where HD Recovery and the forces that come with it are involved safety and safety margins are IMVHO keyNige

good advise above.

Search around there is plenty of evidence of where recovery has gone tits up due to poor equipment and or not being used correctly.

Remember its not just your safety that's at stake... flying shackles make a horrible mess on glass metal and can kill live stock. JMHO

[Ruuman]

8mm would be better in all respects as it would lower the leverage available on a side pull and be less reliant on a cir-clip holding it all true. But bowie you are quite correct, it's limited by the cir-clip groove, there is enough material to cut another groove and still have enough clearance for the shackle. I'll have to speak to my mates dad nicely to see if he could cut another in his lathe, I don't quite fancy trying that with the hacksaw or grinder

The bent bar solution is the best in my opinion, but at the moment I don't have the time to get bit's made and this weather means working outside is difficult, hence why I needed a quick fix. I'll probably end up removing the plow at the front and going jate. I know most people on here have a problem with steering guards, but I'd like to make up my own mind as my old rangie had one and it didn't hinder things to much.

Defcol it is good advise, in-fact I was looking for an article nige wrote in the AWDC mag about this very subject, I know it made me think and manage to get some friend to not weld on towballs to rear cross members too!

[carl hurst]

They will be fine as long as they are made form good quality steel, Thew will be made in china and so will shackles so materials may not be that good, I use this type on my bumpers an have had them tested (unofficially) to destruction, I found that using 6mm steel with a maximum unsupported area of 100mm was plenty, your winch line will snap long before you need to worry, 5mm will start to deflect if you do a snatch recovery 6mm will withstand it a lot beter, as mentiond 8mm is very strong, you can sandwitch it between plates, one behind bumper with captive nuts,bumper, then a spacer, my swivels where 9.5mm so i used a 10mm spacer cut hole about 55mm so it is just bigger than swivel base then a 8mm face 50B is best grade to use with a 36mm hole, you wont need circlip as they cant fall out, approx size is 100mm W x 125 L, i have used this system for years and todate non have failed,

Carl.