Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Very nice! Totally beautiful and trick piece of kit.
Not trying to be a jerk, but I honestly want to know: why is this better/necessary when all you have to do is insert the soft shackle loop into the receiver and then insert a standard steel hitch pin? That’s what I’ve always done …
That question comes up a lot, no worries. Here is a list of ways this system is a better way to do it....
-Proper support for the 5/8 pin on the hitch side. If you pull hard enough on an unsupported 5/8" pin with a soft shackle ( or strap ), it will bend in the middle. The 5/8" pin is designed to be loaded near the walls of the hitch, not in the middle. Once the pin bends, it will get stuck in the hitch and need to be cut out. A shorter pin can also be pulled 'in' the hitch causing an ultimate system failure releasing the shackle. The increased 1" working diameter for the soft shackle in the hitch also improves the MBS of the soft shackle vs going around the smaller 5/8" pin diameter.
-No risk of stabbing one leg of the soft shackle with the hitch pin. The SSRA can be operated in the dark by feel alone. If the pin drops though, you are good.
-Safe input radius. The large 3/8" input radius ( in all directions ) provides a MUCH safer edge for the soft shackle when working offline. Vehicle recovery is rarely in a straight line in my experience. It is nice to be able to pull at full load up to 90 degrees in any direction without worrying about the sharp edge of the hitch cutting into the soft shackle during a critical moment. This drastically increases the life of soft rigging items.
I hope that helps.