To D-Ring or not to D-Ring. Thoughts?

[DukeCanBuildit]

Does anyone who has switched from the tow hooks to shackles, have a picture of the front of the truck with the actual shackles not in the brackets that hold them? I would like to see how it looks. I could end up not having the shackles on most of the time.

I like the look of the OEM tow hooks and with the soft shackles I have coming, they should be really functional without harming the finish of anything, therefore not really have a purpose for the shackles, but for some reason I feel drawn to the shackles.

Ultimately I might wait until I have larger, more rugged looking tires, as nothing I currently have really says off road, so the shackles might look out of place. Then again they may look unique and give the truck a more aggressive look.

Ahhh, first world problems.

Hey Gary,

Here’s the pic you wanted.

It makes it look like someone forgot to install something - like those long tow bars you see on farm trucks - unless that’s the look you’re going for. ?

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[Michel Jeanneau]

Phil,
I understand.
I also know that attempting to pull out someone that's stuck has it's risks, beyond shear worries.

Even if you have all the proper gear; shackles (some call them bow d-rings), soft shackles, bubba rope, or the like, etc) things can still go wrong!
And, it will happen so fast your reflexes won't even have time to kick in!

If you're not properly equipped, pulling someone that's stuck with your Ranger may not work out as you thought.
And even if you are, you must understand the danger.

So, I tried to suggest that the LAST THING you want to do is wrap something around your hitch ball shank and go for it!

That's all.

You wanna tell that to Matt's off road towing? the guy almost always either loops his tow ropes to a multi-ball hitch or sometimes single ball hitch (he uses Yankum ropes, worth checking him out on youtube)

 

[JoeC]

You wanna tell that to Matt's off road towing? the guy almost always either loops his tow ropes to a multi-ball hitch or sometimes single ball hitch (he uses Yankum ropes, worth checking him out on youtube)

Yea, I've seen his videos.

HE has the experience to know what he's doing in a situation.
Unlike many of us common folks that only do it once or twice a year.

And I have no problem if that's what folks want to do.
I just don't want to be around when they do it.
(I was young and foolish once, and figure I've used up my 'miracle we survived' quota).

And, after all, it's just my opinion.

 

[Swingpure]

Hey Gary,

Here’s the pic you wanted.

It makes it look like someone forgot to install something - like those long tow bars you see on farm trucks - unless that’s the look you’re going for. ?

Thanks, that helped a lot in making up my mind.

 

[Radioman]

You wanna tell that to Matt's off road towing? the guy almost always either loops his tow ropes to a multi-ball hitch or sometimes single ball hitch (he uses Yankum ropes, worth checking him out on youtube)

At least in the video link you supplied, he was using a pintle hook, not a ball hitch. BIG difference in capabilities. Again. please don't ever use a ball hitch to connect a recovery rope/cable.

 

[charwest]

At least in the video link you supplied, he was using a pintle hook, not a ball hitch. BIG difference in capabilities. Again. please don't ever use a ball hitch to connect a recovery rope/cable.

ive watched some of those videos. sort of like a catalog of "this is one way to get stuck" vignettes as a tutorial for us newbie offroaders.

anyways, matt does use a ball hitch at times.

but thats doesn't mean its a good idea. his equipment might be strong enough, but he also might have gotten lucky. we've all seen lots of people get lucky.

 

[Glocker]

Here's a good video that shows some issues with using the wrong recovery points:

 

[Swingpure]

So on the trailer mount D-ring/shackle/clevice, that I am getting, you can orient it two different ways as per the picture. Just curious when would you need it sideways?

edit: I did a lot of googling and turning it sideways is for angle pulls.

 

[Gsxrdoug]

You wanna tell that to Matt's off road towing? the guy almost always either loops his tow ropes to a multi-ball hitch or sometimes single ball hitch (he uses Yankum ropes, worth checking him out on youtube)

But Matt also says this "tow ball" is not a best practice but works if in a bind. I think on the Banana and the Morvair he is using pinnacle hooks, and he almost always uses soft shackles now.

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