Towball Recovery - YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS!!!

[grips]

We are quick to use the word "Rated". Rated lifting and tow equipment needs to come with its own test certificate. We are not allowed to use shackles
straps or slings on any of the mines without a test certificate. Then you need to take them in every six months to be load tested.

Wonder how many recovery points will be up to its rated spec when submitted to the required force.

[ThysleRoux]

GRIPS: Wonder how many recovery points will be up to its rated spec when submitted to the required force.

A point I have made a few times on THAT forum........

Many supposedly very strong homemade recovery points are attached to bumpers that are mounted using puny bolts, pathetic mounting brackets, etc.

I have much more trust in the factory fitted recovery point attached to my towbar (not the BALL) than in many homemade brackets where the mounting points are suspect or some aftermarket ones attached to bumpers by an unschooled labourer that has no idea what forces his welding has to withstand.

[Johannes]

Good point Grips. I know what you talking about ! We also had to have our lifting equipment tested and certified at Eskom

[Saxj]

Ag no man. The guy went out to prove a point. He did his best to break off a tow ball. He tried 8 times and the vehicle being snatched was tied down.
Then he made cuts in the tow ball to help it break off.

The towbar bending absorbed quite a lot of the force. If the "towed" vehicle had a solidly mounted towbar, the results would have been different.

[grips]

Good point Grips. I know what you talking about ! We also had to have our lifting equipment tested and certified at Eskom

You get lots of " rated " shackles for sale. Fact is without test certificate it is not rated no matter what fancy packing or color.

[XJ Junkie]

Has anybody ever seen a rated shackle fail? I haven’t.

It’s the mounted recovery points that bother me the most & that I treat with the most caution.

Rated Recovery hooks are fantastic

[grips]

As said all rated equipment is to be in company with a test certificate from SABS or any other bureau of standards certificate.

With out certificate it is not rated. I own two recovery kits with rated shackles. No certificate proofing their rating.

I will go out tomorrow buy a rated shackles and straps and will post their certificates here with them.

No test certificate no rate.

Please post pics of rated recovery point with certificates here confirming they are rated.

[Chris Stoffel]

These certified rated shackles, do they cost a lot more than the normal 'rated' ones?

[Chris Stoffel]

If we buy fishing line - 25lb line - is it rated? I would think so. But nor certified?
One can get two identical looking shackles, made from different metals. They are not the same strength. One is 1000kg and one is 2500kg 'rated'.
Is this not what we are after? The indication of strength? Good and safe enough for us?

You guys get get I am trying to say? Ja?

[grips]

:If you buy a shackle with 3t stamped on it is it rated? As said it can be a Chinese knock off that is only good for 1t.

All lifting and towing equipment manufactured needs to be tested and you do get a certificate with them that say it can take the 3t or what ever is stamped on them.

But wait I will post the pic`s here today of a real rated shackle.

[XJ Junkie]

Should be interesting. Do you also have a certificate for your rope & recovery points?

[grips]

Ok so I did this little exercise this morning. Bought two rated shackles one bow and one D with their certificates. Also a certified strap.

Also inspected my old recovery set of which is little left. Opened my new set that I carry along to impress my friends.

Must say I am surprised with my new set. All the straps, bridle and snatch rope had been clearly labeled. Labels contains a serial no. which usually point to be tested and certified. However the shackles had no serial no. This is worrisome because its origin cannot be traced. So I phoned the manufacturer. He will mail the certificates for the straps, bridle and rope. When I supply him with the serial no`s. Not sure about the shackles.

My old set might be some Chinese knock of as I cannot find any info on it other than its length. Time to get rid of it.

If the supplier of my recovery kit cannot supply me with certificates for the shackles I will replace them rated certified ones.

XJ no my recovery points are not rated. Maybe I should ask Onca, Stofpad and ARB how they rate their stuff. If they do rate it then some of my recovery points are rated. I think they should have test reports to certify their products. See Ironman advertise rated recovery points wonder if they comes with a certificate.

Attached pics of the equipment also the stuff with their certificates that I bought this morning.

Please only use certified or rated recovery gear.

[XJ Junkie]

Grips you are far too organized [emoji1787]

[XJ Junkie]

To my knowledge, there isn’t a single vehicle manufacturer that fit actual rated recovery points. Makes you think.

[Paul#25]

I was shown a towball like the ones used in the video that was removed from a friend's Corsa bakkie. The ball section and the flange were nicely plated and shiny still but the surface that was in contact with the towbar plate and the thread area were badly corroded. It looked like moisture and dirt had got trapped between the two and acted as an electrolyte between the dissimilar metals for the corrosion to take hold. This would have caused a stress raiser for a fault to occur. The other problem I noticed is that the machining of the pin / thread from the base of the ball didn't have a radius at all. There was a sharp corned at the start of the "pin" which will be a definite stress raiser and weak point where it will fail. I have a similar ball that was given to me at home in my scrap box. I'll pull it out and take some photos of the problem areas.