I shackled up with a Hitch Hiker

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

I like the Hitch Hiker and the brilliant way that it works so I could not leave it well enough alone.

Hitch Hiker with Heavy Duty Shackle in Place of Carabiner

Hitch Hiker climbing system used with shackles in place of the lower carabiner

Hitch Hiker configurations with use of a shackle for V-rig M-rig SRT and DdRT and other configurations for mechanical advantage and positioning

Hitch Hiker, study of the friction applied by the device and the friction hitch, dog bone and carabiner/shackle.

 

[moss]

Man, just love the shackle! Great thinking! Now I'm thinking of a custom designed/machined shackle with an aluminum alloy U and a steel pin. That would take away that pesky weight issue. If designed properly an alloy U could be made quite strong enough. The pin could be something like a slic pin so no steel to aluminum threads involved.
-AJ

 

[Tom Dunlap]

AJ...pesky weight?!

thanks for the chuckle!

Lots to digest there.

 

[theXman]

or how about all aluminum with Hard Coat Anodizing?

 

[Lemonjello]

slick idea! I know this is a remote chance, but!....orientation of the shackle pin, have you experienced "roll out" of the shackle pin?

I have had shackle pins in rigging creep, maybe one turn, it is alarming when you find it!
maybe not a big deal but I think the possibility would be greater on ascent because of the lack of load might allow pin to roll.

Yes, I realize rope is smoothish and the steel shackle pin is too.
It is something that caught my eye, thats all.
Great idea!

 

[theXman]

wow, I didn't view any of his pictures or video before my first post, but now I skipped around on one video and did see a shackle with a screw type pin I think.

very bad idea unless it has something to keep the pin from ever unscrewing.

good he posted this and we are talking about it.

maybe he cranked it down with a wrench, but still, you shouldn't trust that and you don't want others reading about using a shackle and then having it unscrew and have them die.

A slick pin or a pin with another pin to hold it in place would be better.

Of course, the manufacturer knows what works good and he is not liable at all if you deviate from how he intended it to be used.

alter at your own risk!

 

[surveyor]

Very Nice idea with the pulley fairlead on the shackle. The shackle pin could be made secure by a wire lock on the eye of the shackle pin. Another idea may be a large roller chain link instead of the shackle. A size 100 link is rated at 24,000 lbs.

 

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

Tom, I got a good laugh out of that "pesky weight" issue too. Ya gotta love that guy moss. (in a manly way of course).

I see some good thoughts on this and I think I share with others the "not quite right" feeling with that steel biner.

Few additional points:
I studied the HH very well before I implemented my changes. I understand how the inclined plans of the slots apply a constant variable of friction to the climb line. The compactness of this device and interaction between the hitch, dog bone and biner/pin/shackle provide amazing flexibility to work from.

The width of the HH with a flat head allen screw in place is a little over .90 inches. So the shackle or link that you use works well if it is about 1" in width. When using a pinto pulley, a chain link of sufficient width is good but the HC pulley or biners don't want to stay oriented like with the U shape of the shackle.

The inside diameter of the pinto pulley and HC pulleys is about 5/8", so what ever shackle you use, the eye cannot be wider than this if you want to install a pulley.
To have proper friction and interaction with the climbing line, the pin should be no smaller than about 5/16 or larger than 1/2 inch. I measured the friction applied using different width shackles and biners.

Making sure that the shackle pin is secure is important. I made a point of this on one of the videos and the direction you install the shackle can help this. Many of you probably have this exact same large shackle on your harness.

Without implementing a pulley, I found the large wide D oval shackle works well, it is rated and overly strong, but does have that pesky weight issue.
I found the Wide D 5/16 Sea Dog shackle works well and has a breaking strength of 6,000 pounds but I'm not sure if some of you will be comfortable with it. The hole I drilled in HH for another attachment point is 5/16 so this shackle also works here.

IMO the perfect dream would be as Moss stated, in all of the right dimensions, with a sufficient load rating.

 

[pctree]

Wow Yoyo, I feel like you should be on my payroll!!

Very interesting video about what takes the load on the setup. I was surprised that the dogbone saw 40% and the biner 60. I would have guessed at 20/80 or maybe 30/70.

The pesky weight thing kills me too, we should all climb on super light weight zigzags......


I too have been playing around with shackles, for different reasons , but have found that the convenience of the biner is hard to beat. Also to some degree it is better to stay somewhat to what people are more familiar with, it is just accepted more readily. I prime example of this is the dog bone. People still complain that they want to use spliced eyes?? IMO the dog bone is the perfect solution for that particular problem (thanks DMC). I do however love how the shackles always keep aligned, that is a very desirable traight.


Keep up the ideas man

 

[oceans]

What about using 2 dogbones... one in the top (as normal), and one in the lower slot? Tie in a short loop of hitch cord on the bottom and connect the 'biner to that. Might look like a knotted mess.

 

[bonner1040]

You have a payroll??!?

 

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

[ QUOTE ]
Wow Yoyo, I feel like you should be on my payroll!!

Very interesting video about what takes the load on the setup. I was surprised that the dogbone saw 40% and the biner 60. I would have guessed at 20/80 or maybe 30/70.

The pesky weight thing kills me too, we should all climb on super light weight zigzags......


I too have been playing around with shackles, for different reasons , but have found that the convenience of the biner is hard to beat. Also to some degree it is better to stay somewhat to what people are more familiar with, it is just accepted more readily. I prime example of this is the dog bone. People still complain that they want to use spliced eyes?? IMO the dog bone is the perfect solution for that particular problem (thanks DMC). I do however love how the shackles always keep aligned, that is a very desirable traight.


Keep up the ideas man

[/ QUOTE ]
Well that's easy since I pretty much work for free
Yes, enjoyed figuring out how the hitch, dogbone and lower slot all work together and in different proportions to share the load. Did you see the one where I installed it upside down to see what it would do? Also interesting.
I understand what you say about the shackle. The swivel gave me the perfect combo so that I could easily clip in and out. I understand the familiarity thing too, it is the security blanket and has kept the climber alive in a dangerous environment. People don't like to let go of safety and security in a dangerous place.
I really like the dog bone as it makes replacement of the prussic very inexpensive and since I'm working for free that is important. But if they want the spiced eyes it is easy to replace that dogbone with a shaft that has washers to keep the spliced eyes in place and a pin on each side to keep it all together and make it attachable / detachable. I've tired it, it works.
Oceans, you let my next cat out of the bag. I have a prototype at the machine shop being duplicated (I've had the guy working on my Unicender too so he is double slow) and I think you guys might find it very interesting.
Paul, your device is brilliant!!!! It is simple, durable, compact, few moving parts and extremely versatile and IMO, customizable.