Factor 55 flat link expert- check your shackles!

zimm

Caught the Bug
I avoided disaster by checking my 4 shackles with the factor 55 flat link "E" that I've had for a couple of years. Guess what, they're too big to fit through. It turns out the made in the USA Crosby shackles fit through because they are thinner. I'm assuming they're made from better steel.

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wjtstudios

Hooked
LOL - Apparently! Everyone and their mother seems to have one but just about every time I've seen one on the trail, it's useless. Watch at 6:35 :crazyeyes:


Yeah, years ago I saw that and it stuck. When I ordered mine, because they do look cool and I bent my warm hook having it attached to the d ring mount on the front, that was the first thing I did was sort them out for the ones that fit and the 7/8s that would clearly not.


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zimm

Caught the Bug
I still don't get what the whole point of the Factor 55 is.

It's not more useful, that's for sure. I had a huge yellow "rescue hook" on the XD9000 of my 'ol CJ7 that was great. It didn't "store" very well and even hooked to a shackle would bang the hell out of the bumper. The flat link snugs up tight against the fairlead with no rattle. It's supposed to work with d-rings and also be hooked over tow hooks. Who knows. Looks cool. But it sucks to find out that 99% of the shackles out there won't fit through it rendering it useless (I made up that statistic) unless you buy the $32 a pop Crosby's.
 

zimm

Caught the Bug
I read through that. Pretty much my thoughts. Would I buy another one? Nope. Will I throw it in the bin? Nope. I'm just glad I checked my shackles before I needed it. I'm passing that knowledge on so someone else doesn't get burned.
 

Ddays

Hooked
I used to run one of these. Mostly because I hated having to attach the hook to a D-ring on the bumper. The D-ring rubs the finish off and it starts to rust & look like shit. After I tried to fit one of my shackles to the damn thing and it wouldn't fit, I went back to a hook. They will in fact fold flat against the fairlead and I have it tight enough that it doesn't flop, but it isn't overly tight either.

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RSQCON

Member
I still don't get what the whole point of the Factor 55 is.
Their system allows you to replace a hook with a closed system which makes plenty of sense. You don't support a doorway with studs on 1 side, you have 2 studs supporting it. Same concept seems pretty simple! Now their setup isn't as quick as a simple hook but no doubt it is safer. There are other advantages as well. For example I run the Flatlink multi mount which allows me more options at the end of my winch line and yes I've used it in a manner than cannot be accomplished with a traditional hook.

For those of you using Smitybilt or Warn shackles they are junk. Spend the money and go get some Made in the USA Crosby shackles. I've also started using soft shackles and they work great.
 

WJCO

Meme King
Their system allows you to replace a hook with a closed system which makes plenty of sense. You don't support a doorway with studs on 1 side, you have 2 studs supporting it. Same concept seems pretty simple! Now their setup isn't as quick as a simple hook but no doubt it is safer. There are other advantages as well. For example I run the Flatlink multi mount which allows me more options at the end of my winch line and yes I've used it in a manner than cannot be accomplished with a traditional hook.

For those of you using Smitybilt or Warn shackles they are junk. Spend the money and go get some Made in the USA Crosby shackles. I've also started using soft shackles and they work great.

I don't see how the factor 55 hook is safer, but whatever. As far as Warn hooks being junk, I've never heard of one failing and have used mine countless times with no issues. But I must be doing something wrong since I haven't had the need for a factor 55 multi mount.

I just looked it up. It has two extra holes and costs 200 dollars. Sounds like a dinner date with my ex-girlfriend. Maybe it is worth spending the money for those extra holes :idontknow:
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Their system allows you to replace a hook with a closed system which makes plenty of sense. You don't support a doorway with studs on 1 side, you have 2 studs supporting it. Same concept seems pretty simple! Now their setup isn't as quick as a simple hook but no doubt it is safer. There are other advantages as well. For example I run the Flatlink multi mount which allows me more options at the end of my winch line and yes I've used it in a manner than cannot be accomplished with a traditional hook.

For those of you using Smitybilt or Warn shackles they are junk. Spend the money and go get some Made in the USA Crosby shackles. I've also started using soft shackles and they work great.

LOL!! Guess I hit some kind of nerve or something. Look, if you're happy with your $200 shiny thing, more power to you. Not as if I was questioning anyone's manhood over buying something so silly. All I was saying is that I personally don't get it. This is not to say that I haven't given it some thought or that I was asking someone like you to explain how a door has 2 studs but not a header supporting it. Granted, I'm new to all this Jeep stuff and have never used a winch before let alone in a recovery so I will default to you as being the expert here. Clearly, everyone was getting killed by their winch hooks prior to this shiny thing coming out and for that, I should be grateful. :yup:
 

zimm

Caught the Bug
He never said warn hooks were junk (I think). He said the warn/shittybuilt/cheap shackles were. I didn’t say those shackles are junk, never saw or heard of one failing. But they’re fatter than the Crosby ones and don’t work with the flat link.
 

jdofmemi

Active Member
As far as the cheap shackles being junk, they are still plenty good for anything you can do with a winch in an off road situation.

If I'm rigging for a crane, lifting where there is a real problem if things go wrong, I will buy Crosby rigging so I have no worries.

Fo recovery gear on a Jeep or any other 4X4 even the cheap ones will lift many times the vehicle weight without problems.

Another thing most either don't know, or ignore is the difference in rating between recovery gear and lifting gear.
Lifting gear is rated with a 5x safety factor, while recovery gear has only a 2x safety factor.

Shackles are all rated for lifting, so a 4 3/4 ton shackle has a mbs, or Minimum Breaking Strength of 47,500#
In testing, these usually go over 55,000#. A side pull on the shacle will cut the rating and the breaking point, but it is still nearly 40,000#

Also, the size, 3/4", is based on the bow, while the pin in the 3/4 is actually .88, or 7/8".
This explains why they don't fit the Factor 55

The synthetic rope many of us use is NOT rated for lifting. Most of it is rated for 10,000#, and the mbs is a little bit over 20,000#. They are using the recovery rating. This is another reason why you don't usually see it on cranes.

Whether you use a hook, shackle, soft shackle, chain, or a piece of rope, the safety of what you are doing comes from a good understanding of the proper use of each piece, and using each within the limits it has.

Below is a chart showing the info from Crosby for their shackles.

This choosing to use a Factor 55 might want to use a 5/8 shackle, since the pin is 3/4 and will fit the hole. That is still a breaking strength of 32,500# and for recovery would be rated at 16,000#

Here is a link to more useful information for those with time to kill
http://www.pacificmarine.net/marine-deck/winches-and-hoists/how-to-size-a-winch.htm
 

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zimm

Caught the Bug
Good info and thanks for sharing.

However- the fitment issue isn't the pin diameter. On the flat link expert, the eye of the shackle needs to pass through the hole in the link. The eye on the cheap shackles is too fat, while the crosby ones fit though.
 

RSQCON

Member
The synthetic rope many of us use is NOT rated for lifting. Most of it is rated for 10,000#, and the mbs is a little bit over 20,000#. They are using the recovery rating. This is another reason why you don't usually see it on cranes.

Whether you use a hook, shackle, soft shackle, chain, or a piece of rope, the safety of what you are doing comes from a good understanding of the proper use of each piece, and using each within the limits it has
Which is why I purchase my recovery equipment, including my synthetic winch line, from a crane rigger who also specialized in off-road equipment. Many people do not have an understanding of how to properly recover vehicles and even those that think they do make simple mistakes like going outside the vector angle or now placing the hook on from underneath.
 
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