HitchHiker is sticking. Do they wear out?

[southsoundtree]

My original HitchHiker, from the original release, has developed a stickiness to it.

Sorry, I don't have it with me.

The dogbone wants to rotate when I initiate decent, loading up the hitch harder than normal, rather than allowing the rope to slide past the dog bone. When I manually rotate the dog bone back to a neutral position, the hitch can free up, sliding/ stopping normally.

I've worn through the anodizing in the spine, but not recently.

I will check the dogbone where it meets the body for corrosion. It's possible the dog bone is not sliding as freely as it should be.

I haven't knowingly flipped the dog bone, and rarely untie it.

It rides on one rope all the time (I have a HH2 and Akimbo on dedicated ropes, too).

 

[Jehinten]

I don't know the answer to your question, but you should be able to see any wear in the dogbone or groove that it rides in.

Mark the orientation before disassembly and put it in the other way at reassembly. See if it's still an issue. Could also be a sap build up on the dogbone.

From the description of how it acts, I could see it being sap or wear in the rope path on the dogbone.

 

[Bart_]

The design of wedging the dogbone and biner on the other end relies on them sliding up the surface of the angled slots, albeit a tiny movement. It wouldn't take much of a divot to throw the effect out of whack which I interpret as wearing out. The only solution I could imagine would be inspecting and reconditioning the contact/wear points. That may prove to be a challenge. An old guitar string anti-friction trick is pencil lead in the nut where the string experiences similar tiny movement under pressure. After inspect/recondition (smooth) literally just write with the pencil on the contact surfaces. If that turns out to fail, no harm just clean it off. Good luck.

edit - too be clear pencil where metal hits metal only

 

[flushcut]

Is the rope pitched up? Old rope? New rope?

 

[DSMc]

"Do they wear out?"

Is this a trick question? So your pre-climb inspection is what, yup, it's still there? Does it or your rope ever get wet? Yes, that is a rhetorical question. The HH and dogbone are not made out of stainless steel.

Taking it off and examining it closely should happen at short and regular intervals. I remove mine after every job, sometimes even in-between trees, look at it, get to know what normal looks like. It is a good habit and takes only seconds.

 

[southsoundtree]

I know everything wears out.


I believe the channel is cut at 7⁰ off perpendicular, or something similar. That would wear faster than other parts, I would think.

I've never heard anyone mention wearing one out/ losing function.

I did flip the bone recently. I haven't climbed much on it since.

It's possible that it will wear back into an even state.

When I looked at it, nothing was amiss.

225# hanging on it and up/down (yes, deceleration spikes the load level) seems unlikely to change much, quickly.

I have a very busy day today and probably won't climb on it, or even get it out at work. If I do, I'll take pics.

 

[Mowerr]

I gave up on the hh for this reason, Inconsistency.
I used to flip and rotate the bone everything I other time I took it off rope bc I thought you should always spread up the wear evening. Never thought of leaving it in the the same way every time. Maybe that's why mines Inconsistent.

 

[southsoundtree]

I get the hitch right and slide it to where I need it, if it's not where it's needed, inspecting the rope as I go.

I only have noticed wear on the anodizing of the spine.

 

[Bart_]

Take a small straight edge and check the ramp surfaces for dips where the dogbone and biner contact. Look for light passing under the gap if there's a dip. check for grooves in the dogbone and biner at the contact points.