Sometimes it's the Little Things

[WranglerX]

Was working an area yesterday and after shutting off tractor and was using a rake to finish cleanup of area, unearthed a shackle!... Looked over at tractor bucket, sure enough shackle is not on bucket..... Well I have shackle but no pin, its probably under 2-3 yards of dirt... Go into the house at dusk mumbling at my stupidity for not tightening pin after last use or not putting locking wire through hole in pin to keep it from unscrewing, you know the little piece of mechanics wire everybody hates........

Well this morning I went out to dirt pile/area I worked yesterday with metal detector (also found out it needs fresh batteries) and after about 15 minutes found lost pin.... Saves me having to buy new shackle because of lost pin or just putting bolt through shackle hole so its usable again....

While contemplating the future of shackle pin while standing at work bench, looked and saw on hook spare "hair pin" clip for truck receiver hitch pin..... Ding!...



May not work for everyone, but it works for me....

Dale

 

[snymat68]

Ssssoooooo, the clip hits the bucket and keeps the pin from unscrewing?

 

[WranglerX]

Ssssoooooo, the clip hits the bucket and keeps the pin from unscrewing?

Yup!.... Concept works in this situation but maybe not for all....

Dale

 

[snymat68]

It would be nice if they made the pin a little extra long on the threaded end and gave you a clip in that end. Would make things easier.

 

[Thomas]

Would snap ring work better...drill hole out for 3/16"+,bucket of brush etc. might have better chance pulling push pin out.

 

[WranglerX]

Would snap ring work better...drill hole out for 3/16"+,bucket of brush etc. might have better chance pulling push pin out.

Did you mean "linch pins"?

Dale

 

[jeff9366]

These shackles are designed and manufactured with strength and security as priorities.

3/8" SHACKLE, CLEVIS, SAFETY PIN PEERLESS 1 TON WWL CRANE WRECKER TOW TRUCK | eBay

 

[WranglerX]

These shackles are designed and manufactured with strength and security as priorities.

3/8" SHACKLE, CLEVIS, SAFETY PIN PEERLESS 1 TON WWL CRANE WRECKER TOW TRUCK | eBay

Kind of sort of thought of using grade 8 bolt and nut and drilling bolt for cotter pin if I did not find the missing pin.... Sort of like above...

Dale

 

[otlski]

Looks like you need a lanyard for the hair pin clip :laughing:

 

[WranglerX]

Looks like you need a lanyard for the hair pin clip :laughing:

That though has crossed my mind too...

Dale

 

[countrybumpkin]

Kind of sort of thought of using grade 8 bolt and nut and drilling bolt for cotter pin if I did not find the missing pin.... Sort of like above...

Dale

I have several I use this way, works good for me.

 

[Big Barn]

Depending on the shackle size usually a category 1 top link pin with lynch pin works well.

 

[WranglerX]

Thanks all for their input, but original intent was to make us aware of the little things we do unthinkingly (safety wire or wrench) and when we forget it is major cause of grief and puts a dent in our day....

Dale

 

[Zebrafive]

I have shackles that the pin threads into the shackle loop, no nut. The pin is drilled at the head end. I use a zip tie. I have to cut it off and use a new zip tie every time I remove the shackle, but it beats losing it.

 

[boomer1025]

I use a small adjustable wrench to tighten the pin on the shackle I keep on the loader bucket. When you tighten the pin it puts it under tension and won't come loose.

 

[Hayloft]

With the animals, I use a lot of the smaller size D-shackles with the threaded pin and, yep sometimes the pin loosens up and falls out. It's a pain to go buy replacement pins. When installing the shackle I always tighten the pin best I can, then I put a short length of high visibility marker tape tied thru the hole on the end of the pin. On the occasion when a pin does back out and falls and tries to hide in the dirt - it's pretty easy to spot with that high vis tape.

 

[mred2]

I paint a lot of pins, tools, etc. with bright orange paint. Easier to find till the paint wears off.

 

[Big Barn]

I use mostly hair pin clips on my clevis shackle pins.