AT2020 - Chatter - Soft Shackles Reminder

[Greg]

Hi Team,

Please be reminded that we are requesting all cars bring soft shackles on Tour for 2020.

Soft Shackles will be the new minimum requirement. We will no longer be using bow shackles. 7 months out - that's plenty of notice.

This is a safety thing. Plus they are lighter, and float etc.

Anyway - plan ahead and check out the thread in General Business - the club is doing a group buy - so we can all get our recovery kits up to scratch at a discounted rate.

Cheers,
Greg

[nick73]

Has the soft shackle been tested on multiple recovery points? All my points are 6 or 8mm plate with a 25mm hole, ideal for a bow shackle...I believe an 8mm plate would act as a knive to a soft shackle. Does this mean all recovery point will need to be upgraded or in some instances downgraded to a conventional hook recovery point with radius edges.

Nick

[Slug]

Same goes for snatch blocks (Suitability)
Another question how good are the when attaching the snatch strap and driving with it over the bonnet in redness for a quick pull staying attached and being dragged through mud and water
Or is this something the V4WD association bringing in or just club level rule
Just that I’ve never seen a proper rated and fitted bow/d shackles come adrift from a rated point (plenty of broken straps though)
Seen plenty tow points ripped out/off fly through the air, with large sections of car attached
Just curious, I carry both but find the solid fitting of a steel one for some jobs will still be needed
Some of the feed back around the traps is for them to be used for joining straps together (still on the bench re that)

[neofitou]

At this stage it's just for Tour (and Probably Hard trip cars in general) but I would say everyone should be working towards making their recovery points suitable for use with soft shackles.

Thin "Recovery" points are usually actually factory tie downs and not suitable for use as recovery point.
If you've fabricated your own from 8mm plate its not hard to change them to spread the load. Just weld a 30mm collar on the side of it. done.

Here is my modified front tie down point


My rear recovery point is a 3 ton lifting strap around my chassis crossmember.
This is obviously nowhere near the rating of a soft shackle and not suitable for larger vehicles and I will be installing a stronger recovery point before tour.

[Beng]

Hope you don't mind me asking being that I am new to the club but what is AT2020? Sounds like a fairly big trip ... what is it? Where? What rating? Any other details? Ta, Beng

[Beng]

Also I came across a YouTube presentation on: "4x4 Soft Shackles vs Bow (Steel) Shackles" and if you are interested you can find it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW304fXuG1M

Happy viewing,
Beng

[neofitou]

Hope you don't mind me asking being that I am new to the club but what is AT2020? Sounds like a fairly big trip ... what is it? Where? What rating? Any other details? Ta, Beng

Hi Beng, Your car as I understand it, is not suitable for tour, Tour is our Annual Hard trip with 3 days of the hardest wheeling we can find.
Damage to vehicles is to be expected and you are expected to fix it yourself trackside.
Minimum requirements are 33" tyres and twinlocked on small cars or 35s and twinlocked on bigger cars.

Here is a typical example of past trips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yFQClDjmZ8

[Beng]

Oh wow! You are so right! My vehicle (and myself ... Ha Ha) are not capable for the AT2020. Thanks for the clarification.
Ta, Beng

[neofitou]

Also I came across a YouTube presentation on: "4x4 Soft Shackles vs Bow (Steel) Shackles" and if you are interested you can find it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW304fXuG1M

Happy viewing,
Beng

I think the key thing that we want to move to soft shackles is the fact that many cars have home made and not rated recovery points or rated recovery points bolted to the car in ways that may be more prone to failure. Some people are better than others at fabricating, and in stressful situations whatever can be done to reduce the chance of big chunks of steel flying through the air the better.

It's just one less thing to worry about flying about the car in a roll over too.

[BZOOK]

Hope you don't mind me asking being that I am new to the club but what is AT2020? Sounds like a fairly big trip ... what is it? Where? What rating? Any other details? Ta, Beng

Hi Beng, Your car as I understand it, is not suitable for tour, Tour is our Annual Hard trip with 3 days of the hardest wheeling we can find.
Damage to vehicles is to be expected and you are expected to fix it yourself trackside.
Minimum requirements are 33" tyres and twinlocked on small cars or 35s and twinlocked on bigger cars.

Here is a typical example of past trips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yFQClDjmZ8

Can we please get clarification on the minimum 33 inch tyre. It was 32 inch measured previously. Important information for those of us who would love to do AT. Thanks.