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Post by dasnoboarder on Sept 2, 2006 18:15:25 GMT 11
I'm going to Muriwai beach tomorrow with some mates. First proper beach 4wd trip. Thought it best to finally get some shackles & a tow strop before we go. Do these two points look like good places to attatch shackles? It doesn't look like there is many places, and my rear tow hook was taken off when I got my towbar installed.  On towbar tounge  At base of nudge bar bracket |
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Post by geeves on Sept 2, 2006 18:58:44 GMT 11
For snatching No
For winching No
Shakles are not recomended for snatching They can become deadly missiles.Tow balls are even worse
For towing back along the tar sealed road if you break somthing Maybe
For the rear you might be able to attach a proper hook to the towbar but this comes with several dislaimers. IE how is the towbar attached and is there sufficiant metal in the tongue to attach it.
Without seeing at least a far better picture of the towbar I would say get profesional advise but as a rule of thumb if the towbar is a heavy duty type and it is attached by at least 2 12mm grade 8.8 bolts on each side through the chassis not the 2 little boxes on the chassis it might be ok.
The front is the hard one. Your factory hook if its still there is a strong hook but will fail for 2 reasons. 1 Its attached by 10mm bolts. These can be redrilled to 12mm and the captive nuts replaced This has been done by several people succsefully but Im not a fan of this method.
2 This hook is a cast hook that will break if overloaded. One of the clubs I belong to tested several hooks and a drilled isizu hook snaped at 11 ton This isnt a big safety margin. Its better to use a proper rated recovery hook (not from supercheap as theres snapped as well) as these straighten leaveing only the strap to release. The problem though is there is nothing to attach to without an amount of engineering to the front chassis.
Remember that snatch recovery is very dangerous as you are playing with very large forces and all the gear is rated as breaking strain not safe working strain like lifting gear. Your 8000kg strop would only be allowed to lift 1300kg if certified for lifting. Mulover posted a pic of his bull bar with a huge dent after a hook on the other vehicle let go His bull bar was 4mm steel. There was a picture just over a year ago in 4x4 action of a Range rover that was hit by just a strap that broke. The windscreen was broken and the top of the frame pushed back nearly a foot.
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Post by dasnoboarder on Sept 2, 2006 21:09:06 GMT 11
Thanks for all the info. So ... if I get stuck in the sand tomorrow, I'll get everyone out to push me first  . I think the best option for tomorrow is to buy a strop & shackles just in case. Is taking out the towball and attatching a shackle through that position the best idea in an emergency? If we need to pull from the front, we'll see wat we come up with when it happens... I'll make sure to install come proper recovery hooks asap. |
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Post by geeves on Sept 3, 2006 8:09:28 GMT 11
I should of mentioned the shakle through the hole where the tow ball was. This is used by a lot of people and fairly safe providing the towbar is adequatly attached and you use at least a 4 ton shakle. It will get you out of trouble for now
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InVinceble
Isuzu Junior
....still says ISUZU on the motor!
Posts: 77
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Post by InVinceble on Sept 9, 2006 19:57:39 GMT 11
So what is the best option for the front of a Bighorn?
I was planning on drilling out the factory hook to 12mm, but now Geeves has me wondering about this. There doesn't seem to be too many other places to mount a "proper rated" hook.
Is everyone else still running the factory set-up?
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Post by geeves on Sept 9, 2006 21:04:08 GMT 11
Are you in a 4wd club down there? If so talk to the club safety officer who should be able to advise.
The easist way would be make a plate with 2 captive nuts and put this inside the chassis after removeing the existing captive nuts. The trick is getting inside the chassis. The other way would be drill 2 12mm holes through the chassis then expand one side to 16mm Place some 12mm inner 16mm outer pipe through the hole and wel in place (the 12mm hole doesnt need to be welded but the tube does have to be tight against this hole Bolt through the tubes Placeing a 5mm plate each side will make this very strong but be carefull where you drill.
Mine was done by the first method which took 8 years of abuse but didnt handle a pull at 30 degrees to the car with the bumper hard against a bank. Its still attached but with a definate lean.Also haveing the hook under the car can be a pain Ive spent 15 minuites once digging for my hook. New hooks are being fitted as part of a winch project.
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InVinceble
Isuzu Junior
....still says ISUZU on the motor!
Posts: 77
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Post by InVinceble on Sept 11, 2006 21:01:44 GMT 11
The tube solution sounds good to me, I'm having to lift the front bumper (aftermarket alloy) since the lift so will check out possible mounting positions then. I too have had to dig to find the hook! ..as for being in a club, I'm a member of a very exclusive private club... me & my neighbour We're sounding out the locals before committing ourselves!!! |
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InVinceble
Isuzu Junior
....still says ISUZU on the motor!
Posts: 77
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Post by InVinceble on Sept 12, 2006 21:10:20 GMT 11
Hmmm  nowhere obvious to put a hook on the front of a Bighorn, other than the factory position. The chassis rails have those box arrangements tagged on in all the good places for a hook!  I'm going to have to come up a design plan fo a winch housing that has hooks on the side. |
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Post by geeves on Sept 13, 2006 12:38:25 GMT 11
Ill do some stage by stage pics of mine as it comes along. Its a 89 but I think they are much the same apart from the plastic bumper.(much easier to cut than mine. This could still be a few weeks away
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nowhere obvious to put a hook on the front of a Bighorn, other than the factory position. The chassis rails have those box arrangements tagged on in all the good places for a hook! 
I'm going to have to come up a design plan fo a winch housing that has hooks on the side.