Muggs
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Canuckistan
There's a really good thread here on the buzz about grcs storage ideas
GRCS mounting mod
- Thread starter Muggs
- Start date
flushcut
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Delavan, WI
Big ratchet strap showed up yesterday. Hopefully I can get to the shop to fab up a hook attachment end thingy this weekend.
flushcut
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Delavan, WI
One thing I noticed about the ratchet is that the system is a bit longer than the winch setup. So what would you guys say is the minimum trunk diameter needed with this mod? I’m sure I’ll answer my own question once I make it up. I only ask because I’ve set the GRCS on some small trees, like 12”, when winching logs and stuff.
Bendroctanus
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- Springfield
Tree Assassin…
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
Would you ever consider adding 4x4 blocks to add 'diameter' under the strap?
Muggs
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Canuckistan
Muggs
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Canuckistan
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
There must be something in the GRCS, and other strap on friction devices, that addresses minimum trunk diameter.
I can't be the originator of using blocking to increase trunk diameter. I never owned a strap on bollard.
I can't be the originator of using blocking to increase trunk diameter. I never owned a strap on bollard.
flushcut
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Delavan, WI
I was more thinking about how long the tail of the ratchet is as compared to how short the winch set up is. I guess I’ll have to use the ratchet setup a few times first.
My intuition is that the wratchet strap for the mod looks less robust than the OG wratchet. I noticed the term used is working load limit. What exactly does that mean? SWL is usually a 5:1 minimum break strength for rigging. If the WLL is MBS, then the SWL is far less than the rest of the GRCS is rated for, right? I recall that 3500 lbs. factors in there somewhere, and that the weak point of the GRCS at failure is the bolts that affix the bollard to the aluminum plate - is that everyone else's recollection as well? Is 3500 lbs. the MBS or the SWL? If it's the SWL, then the wratchet strap would be underkitted. I am all about progress if the mod is fine and the OG wratchet was overkill, but I'd like to know a bit more about it.
flushcut
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Delavan, WI
MBS = Minimum Breaking Strength
WLL = Working Load Limit
SWL = Safe Working Limit
I can’t remember if SWL is load or limit.
My understanding is that WLL and SWL are basically the same thing.
The rating on the winch is WLL 5400 lbs, the ratchet is 5400 lbs WLL. And from what I’ve read that is a safety factor of 4:1 from the manufacturer.
My concern is, I don’t know if the ratchet will be as tight as the winch but with the visor on the GRCS I’m willing to give it a shot.
MBS of the ratchet Muggs posted is 16,200 lbs and is rated lower than the strap itself. I believe the 3500 lb figure is the rating Greg Good has imposed on the device.
WLL = Working Load Limit
SWL = Safe Working Limit
I can’t remember if SWL is load or limit.
My understanding is that WLL and SWL are basically the same thing.
The rating on the winch is WLL 5400 lbs, the ratchet is 5400 lbs WLL. And from what I’ve read that is a safety factor of 4:1 from the manufacturer.
My concern is, I don’t know if the ratchet will be as tight as the winch but with the visor on the GRCS I’m willing to give it a shot.
MBS of the ratchet Muggs posted is 16,200 lbs and is rated lower than the strap itself. I believe the 3500 lb figure is the rating Greg Good has imposed on the device.
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Muggs
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Canuckistan
I think anyone who has spent any time with the big Stein bollards can attest to the tightness of these big oversized ratchet straps. The OG trucking strap is deceiving because so much of your torque goes towards the entirety of the length that is wrapped on the spool, not just the portion in-play on the trunk. My guess is that when Greg designed his device, he looked at the already-existing Hobbs with its trucking strap, plus the fact that the trucking strap is just a generic off-the-shelf component that didn't require any extra engineering or design, and just put two and two together and strapped one onto his device and called it done. If the grcs came from the factory with a proprietary, purposely-designed mounting system, then I would be more wary about experimenting or changing it. This mod seems well within original specs as far as I see them. And all of this combined with the fact that I never go out of my way to push the limits of negative rigging anyway. I will rig big pieces nice and slow and controlled from overhead positions all day, but I'm conservative with negative rigging in general. Kevin Hamm says he is going to talk to Greg directly about this mod and get his thoughts on it...
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
evo
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- My Island, WA
Just because it’s all spooled up doesn’t mean you have to use it that way.
I can’t recall the minimum number of wraps to be legit, but there isn’t much wrong or different from pulling all the slack by hand from the slot and crank it tight.
I *THINK* 3 wraps is all you really need.
A total pain in the ass. And you have to deal with all the webbing tails. But you don’t need a mile all on the spool.
Also nothing wrong off with the mod as far as I can tell
Muggs
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Canuckistan
That's true, I hadn't thought about using it that way...
I wouldn't mind having a way of throwing a backup rope-sling onto the bottom of the Goods to be honest, like the RCW3001. I don't think it needs it, but I do like redundancy. Maybe I'll just girth hitch onto that lower hole in the frame...
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I was thinking of custom plates for the strap hooks. Big enough for two 3'' ratchet straps ..... I was in the lines of thinking redundancy also.
I thought more about it and decided not to post that idea until now. Reason being is from my earlier post. The 4'' ratchet strap will handle the majority of the work load. If I'm going to be pushing the goods to the limits, I'll just revert back to the trucker's strap.
I thought more about it and decided not to post that idea until now. Reason being is from my earlier post. The 4'' ratchet strap will handle the majority of the work load. If I'm going to be pushing the goods to the limits, I'll just revert back to the trucker's strap.
Muggs
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Canuckistan
To be clear, I'm using the factory strap that comes with the device, I'm just swapping out the hardware that binds the strap in place. The documentation for the hardware is not great, they always list the ratchet end along with the strap itself and quote the WLL of everything as a whole. It's not clear to me if the strap is the weak link, or the hardware.
flushcut
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Delavan, WI
3 wraps per DOT specs.
From what I read the ratchet is the weaker of the two but still many many thousands in breaking strength above the recommended working load of the device. I don’t think anybody will be dropping a Volvo on the ratchet strap anytime soon lol
From what I read the ratchet is the weaker of the two but still many many thousands in breaking strength above the recommended working load of the device. I don’t think anybody will be dropping a Volvo on the ratchet strap anytime soon lol
Yes, this was clear to me from the first post of the mod. I just figured it would be easier to swap back and forth when needed. The simple pin and cotter key being the only hassle when leaving the original strap on it's ''trucker'' tensioning drum..... or whatever the correct name for it is.
A 4'' nylon strap is a 4'' nylon strap. I completely agree with flushcut's post above.
The Mugg's mod really is the cat's ass for the goods. I'm interested to hear back on Greg's thoughts.
