School me on winch thimbles?

[Kevin B.]

I don't know that I completely understand the purpose of these, besides looking all cool and anodized on the front of your truck. What does a thimble like the Prolink do that I can't do by passing the bow shackle directly through the eye on my winch line? Are there physicsy engineery things going on here that I'm too dumb to pick up on?

 

[ricsrx]

Kevin, dont feel bad, i dont even know what your talking about.. in need a pic...

 

[Kevin B.]

Kevin, dont feel bad, i dont even know what your talking about.. in need a pic...

Factor55's Prolink is the one I keep seeing.

http://factor55.com/

 

[STAG]

I can share with you my reasoning, whether it's right or not who knows.

Obviously in the end of your cable/wire/rope you have to create a loop to make attaching a hook or D-ring shackle possible. With no way to regulate the radius of this loop (like just tying a knot in a loop) when you pull on the rope the radius will go as small as possible, essentially kinking the rope or cable, which makes a weak spot.

So wire cable uses these to make the radius constant and prevent kinks:

with a synthetic rope needing even more extra care than a wire cable, I assume the fancy thimble is the "best" way to create a loop in the end of the rope and a great attach point for shackles.

 

[Kevin B.]

I can share with you my reasoning, whether it's right or not who knows.

Obviously in the end of your cable/wire/rope you have to create a loop to make attaching a hook or D-ring shackle possible. With no way to regulate the radius of this loop (like just tying a knot in a loop) when you pull on the rope the radius will go as small as possible, essentially kinking the rope or cable, which makes a weak spot.

So wire cable uses these to make the radius constant and prevent kinks:

with a synthetic rope needing even more extra care than a wire cable, I assume the fancy thimble is the "best" way to create a loop in the end of the rope and a great attach point for shackles.

My synthetic line has a basic thimble in the end like that too.

I assume that with the Prolink, that loop on the winch cable end goes inside the Prolink and is held there with the Prolink pin. But if that metal reinforcement inside the winch rope eye is strong enough for the pin on my hook or inside a prolink, wouldn't it be even stronger against the larger diameter of my bow shackle?

And if so, what's the Prolink bring to the table to make it worth $150 or whatever they're going for now?

 

[MikeGyver]

And if so, what's the Prolink bring to the table to make it worth $150 or whatever they're going for now?

a titanium pin LOL
seems trendy and unnecessary, just like 90% of the accessories on the market nowadays.

 

[Kevin B.]

Kevin your wedding ring looks painful!

Ha! Just the angle, I'm not quite that pudgy.

Also, when hooking your winch cable to a strap, the thimble spreads to load out across the shackle pin more evenly than a hook would, therefore increasing the strength of what the shackle pin can take?

That makes sense. But the Prolink pin is smaller than the shackle pin, meaning more stress on the eye thimble, right?

Not trying to shoot you down, just spitballing.

 

[UFAB]

Bling, some would call it.

 

[STAG]

That makes sense. But the Prolink pin is smaller than the shackle pin, meaning more stress on the eye thimble, right?

Not trying to shoot you down, just spitballing.

No I agree, definitely the larger diameter the pin, would have less stress on the thimble. Its just a double-thimble setup, So other than the bling and the sucking into the fairlead it does seem pointless.

All I can really see strength wise is pulling straighter on the shackle.