Viking Off-Road Recovery Hitch photos

[Life_in_4Lo]

LOLZ
so a overpriced receiver hole is on par with a Bugatti Veyron...

If you need one, get a quality Warn for $48 Amazon.com
save the chi-chi for actual cool stuff.

 

[Redline]

Yep, my dad taught me that things are worth what someone is willing to pay.

Not sure if/when I will buy one of these, but I do have a very expensive shovel mounted to my rear swing away that cost many times more than the typical shovel most carry on their rigs. Was the shovel a waste of money, maybe. It may also be a lifetime (or lifeline) investment.
:smiley_drive:

 

[BIGdaddy]

its started, dave.

see, i told ya....

 

[spencyg]

There is a fair amount of CNC run time in this unit....most shops get at least $100/hr so just in machining time alone you can see where the cost comes from. They probably aren't making a ton of these, and from the looks of it, everything is done right. I wouldn't personally spend money on it, but I think the price is very fair considering what it is and the labor which has gone into it. These are not forged units made by the thousands...one at a time means its going to cost ya. It also means you'll probably be the only one in a 250 mile radius who has one, if that counts for anything Compairning the Viking unit to a Warn unit is like comparing a Volvo S80R to my 940 Wagon...they both get ya there but only one doesn't reduce your sperm count.
Spence

 

[Scott Brady]

its started, dave.

see, i told ya....

So, make a valid argument to the contrary. We are big kids, and nothing wrong with a healthy discussion.

The world is full of expensive items.

 

[BIGdaddy]

So, make a valid argument to the contrary. We are big kids, and nothing wrong with a healthy discussion.

The world is full of expensive items.

ok, here goes.

Warn Receiver Shackle - $42.95
Superwinch Receiver Shackle - $47.99

The above listed items have worked for a long time, at half the price, without much drama.

While I appreciate the ability to mount the shackle pin vertical or horizontal
to increase versatility, I've recovered enough vehicles to know that with a normal horizontal pin orientation; with the shackle able to move up and down, that the tow rope/strap will slip side to side enough to mitigate any problems with side loads.

-even with the load at a 90 degree angle I have a hard time thinking the rope would have any contact with possible sharp edges. I've never seen or heard of a tow rope failing due to wear at the loop end due to chafing. (most good ropes/straps have leather at this spot anyways, to keep this from happening)

-my shackle mount was 40.00 at 4wheelparts, is smooth, and doesn't rattle at
the pin or at the shackle.

- How I think of it in more everyman terms is like those who want to improve upon time tested bullet calibers...sure the new short magnums are flatter-shooting and groovy, but a 30-06 will stop a deer dead in its tracks every time if the hunter does his/her job out to around 200-300 yards, and has done so for a 100 or so years.

Does it mean the new calibers are a bad thing? Nope.

But, does it really improve on anything? Nope.

That said, I still think both the new short magnums and this shackle mount are pretty cool and at the same time pretty unnecessary.

One gun writer once wrote, "Its the job of the gun industry to convince you
that your .45acp, 30-06, and 12 gauge aren't meeting your needs. They then
sell you the solution."

Something like that.

thanks for the encouragement to express myself like a grownup, Scott...:elkgrin:

 

[SAR_Squid79]

My most used motto for building my truck has always been "Buy the best parts, and you only have to cry once". Meaning that if you cut corners and buy a cheaper part, chances are you're going to have to replace that part again one day. Whereas if you spend the extra money, and buy the best part for the job in the beginning, it's probably going to last. The initial price might sting a bit, but you'll probably never have to buy another one of . . . whatever.

Take my Supercharger for example. Could I just bolt it on and go? TRD / Toyota says yes. Lots of people have done just that. I spent about $2,000 on upgrades to ensure that my supercharged engine is as bullet-proof as possible. I understand the way a supercharger works, and I see a distinct advantage to running the fuel system upgrades, and end-user tunability.

I have a Warn receiver shackle that I bought in 2005 for $36.00 + shipping. As far as I know - the Warn Receiver Shackle was the only such unit available when I bought mine. I have used it maybe 5 or 6 times since I've had it. It has always served its purpose as a totally adequate recovery point. I've never had a moments doubt about it's quality or reliability. Nor have I had any reservations about my safety while using it. I don't really need it any more for my rig, but it stays in my recovery kit in case I need it to recover someone who wasn't prepared to get stuck.

The only distinct difference I see in this new Viking Receiver Shackle is the ability to have the shackle in a vertical orientation (allowing the shackle to swing on a horizontal plane).
My Warn unit does not rattle in the hitch receiver.
My Warn unit does not allow for any rattle in the Shackle.
My Warn unit has no rust.

Can someone who knows more about recovery that I, explain the distinct advantage of being able to mount the shackle vertically, and why - if I needed to do that - couldn't I add a 2nd shackle oriented vertically, looped through the 1st horizontally mounted shackle? Why would the horizontal swing of the shackle be neccessary, if that type of motion is neccessary in a recovery situation, why would the horizontal slip movement of a recovery strap be insufficient?



Don't get me wrong - if I were a wealthier man, and I didn't already have a receiver shackle that had served me well for many years, I would buy one of these Viking units. As someone who has owned and used this type of device, I do not understand how there is enough of an advantage to warrant a 306% increase in price (My Warn unit cost $36.00 compared to $110.00).

 

[Momrocks]

its started, dave.

see, i told ya....

Ha, ha, ha :coffeedrink:
You called it alright...you have a keen sense of the obvious. I'll have to see some accurate forecasting of lotto numbers before I call you a soothsayer though.

 

[Life_in_4Lo]

explain the distinct advantage of being able to mount the shackle vertically, and why - if I needed to do that - couldn't I add a 2nd shackle oriented vertically, looped through the 1st horizontally mounted shackle? Why would the horizontal swing of the shackle be neccessary, if that type of motion is neccessary in a recovery situation, why would the horizontal slip movement of a recovery strap be insufficient?

None.
Your method is fine too.

Spend more for a quality product. I can understand a nice shovel or flashlight or whatever but this is a chunk of metal with a couple holes in it!
It's a little adapter for a hitch. You pay for the pull rating. This will not outlast, outperform or give more features than anything else.

Even the Warn is a bit expensive paying for the Warn name but this is just chi-chi. That's fine, people like pretty things (even though most of it is hidden inside the hitch) and willing to pay for it but there is no advantage to the Viking.

 

[SAR_Squid79]

Does it mean the new calibers are a bad thing? Nope.

But, does it really improve on anything? Nope.

Actually - I think you have found the perfect analogy. Guns.

A $200 Mossberg shotgun is perfectly fine for shooting trap. Yet I've seen people show up to the range with $18,000 Perazzis, and shoot just as bad as me!

 

[Scott Brady]

It is unique, has a high-quality finish, is super strong and has a few more features.

Again, why is that a bad thing? There are items like that in ANY market space. Sure, a $15 coffee maker from Walmart will make coffee, for a while, but there are people who want the very best coffee, and are willing to spend 100x that amount for something made in Italy, out of stainless steel.

If you would not buy it, or cannot afford it, or don't care to justify the expense, why care so much? Why spend the energy to disparage the product on the forum? In reality, the motivation is obvious. . .

It would be different if it sucked, or if the design was obviously flawed, or if it was worse than the others and only more expensive. Clearly, it is better, if even in minor ways.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Actually - I think you have found the perfect analogy. Guns.

A $200 Mossberg shotgun is perfectly fine for shooting trap. Yet I've seen people show up to the range with $18,000 Perazzis, and shoot just as bad as me!

right, and to say the $18,000 gun is bad would be wrong, cuz it isn't bad, its just unnecessary to get the job done. Sure if you collect guns and thats ur purpose, by all means, buy that gun and be happy. But you surely wouldn't advise a friend getting into the gun business to build that type of gun ( the market would be a tiny, niche market), nor would you advise a friend who simply wants to shoot trap, and have one gun to do so, to buy it(the job can be very effectively done with a tool 1/bizzionth the price.)

I'm simply giving honest responses about a product that a very good company (Viking) might choose to produce on a larger scale. I'm the target market. I'm a fourwheeler who has spend thousands and thousands of dollars in this market. I've been doing it for a long time.

Thats why I choose to comment.

Dave (adventureDuo) just posted up about a new product in his own thread, and I have to say that I like it. I don't see anything like it on the market, its built with durability in mind and its pricing while not cheap is not exorbanant(haha...sp?) either for a product with no competition and built to be bought once, as compared to this shackle which is twice, if not three times as expensive as its competitors who have a proven track record.

 

[Willman]

:lurk:


I'd buy it! I would pay the $$$$ for it!

Besides....It's from Viking Offroad! Supporting a great recovery vendor with a very cool new product.

You only cry once......I buy A LOT of Filson clothes....many people say the same thing about them.....but when rains come....It sure feels good to stay dry with a lifetime guarantee!

 

[SAR_Squid79]

It's easy to say "I don't care what people think" or "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" or "if you can't afford it - don't worry about it"

But the truth is - the reason we post things on these forums, is because WE DO want to know what people think. I'm just giving my opinion.

As I've said a few times already - I think this product is beautiful, and top quality. Viking Off Road is actually the name I trust the most in recovery gear. I have given them a lot of my money in the past and I will continue to buy from them in the future.

As a consumer who spends most of my recreational budget on Off Road parts and accessories, I'm not implying that there is ANYTHING bad or wrong with this product, I'm simply saying that I think $110 is a little unreasonable. If I owned a CNC machine I would totally rip this thing off, and make an exact duplicate for my very own. I would definitely pay $65 for this. I MIGHT be willing to pay $75. But even I won the lottery, I couldn't justify paying over $100. That's just my 2 cents. I hope these things sell like hot cakes for Viking. ...Maybe I'll win one in a raffle.

 

[I Leak Oil]

So far what I've absorbed from this is it's nice but expensive. There is an argument to be made for the difference in price between the Viking and the Warn/Superwinch/ no name brand as far as being effective in a recovery situation. Some want nothing but the best and I have no problem with what someone else spends their money on. I like to be selective as to what I want the best of. This isn't one of those things, but if I did I wouldn't lose sleep over who doesn't like what I spend my money on.
As far as the noise issue, if the Viking unit does eliminate the noise associated with other, ill fitting units then think about what the alternative, rattle free, recovery points would cost to mount to a custom bumper. If all you have is a 2" receiver hitch the money spent on the Viking unit is cheap in comparison to a custom bumper and custom recovery points.
Most of us spend quite a bit of money on parts we don't really "need" to see the places we want to see. Look at the trailer section here on ExPo. How many have spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on a trailer they use to "camp" in a few times a year? What matters is they are happy with what they've bought or made.
So, again, the Viking unit is nice but expensive. So what.....:beer:have a beer and relax!