Closed System Winching

[RamRod]

I told a few of you that Factor 55 recently sent me some of their products to test out and review on my blog, thought I would post up a link to the gear review introduction if you guys want to take a read.

There will be a more in depth review to come and I will post up the links as they are available, but for now check it out and let me know what you think and if there is something specific you would like to know about their product for the next review.
LINK

 

[Bigunit]

I really like the Flat link thimble. I have been wanting one for a while.

 

[poncho1965]

Agreed Luis!

 

[Scarsman]

I plan to get the Flat link pro next time I have some extra change.

 

[ABNTROOP]

I've been running their low profile fair lead and thimble for over a year. May be expensive, but you get what you pay for! Great equipment!

 

[RamRod]

Perhaps we could organize a group buy if there is enough interest??

 

[Bigunit]

Perhaps we could organize a group buy if there is enough interest??

Count me in and add me to the list. I'll take a Flat link thimble, 3" short strap and black 3/4" shackle.

 

[poncho1965]

Does the Prolink require splicing?

 

[ABNTROOP]

Nope, it's got a titanium pin with a retaining C clip
[video=youtube_share;3XHUEaFCLms]http://youtu.be/3XHUEaFCLms[/video]

 

[poncho1965]

I like the flat link but it appears to leave the winch rope exposed to the sunlight. Don't think that's good for my winch rope. If a group buy is arranged I'd be in for the Pro Link. Thanks ABNTROOP for the info

 

[ABNTROOP]

No worries bud!
I know some folks see the price tag and think these are overkill, but the safety, convenience, and engineering behind them are worth it IMHO.

 

[RamRod]

No worries bud!
I know some folks see the price tag and think these are overkill, but the safety, convenience, and engineering behind them are worth it IMHO.

Thats exactly it! Winching is the second most dangerous thing we do while wheelin' (after using a Hi-Lift) if it costs a few bucks to make it more safe and it can look good while doing it, PERFECT!

I will talk to the guys at Factor 55 to see what kind on numbers we are needing to get a group buy together.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

"beefy, solid billet aluminum" .... ummm, here in America all aluminum comes in a billet

I know, I'm being pedantic, however, I'm curious as to what aluminum they make it out of.... 1021? 5056? 7071? (I'm kidding, I hope, about the 1021)...

 

[RamRod]

"beefy, solid billet aluminum" .... ummm, here in America all aluminum comes in a billet

I know, I'm being pedantic, however, I'm curious as to what aluminum they make it out of.... 1021? 5056? 7071? (I'm kidding, I hope, about the 1021)...

What about extruded & cast aluminum?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

What about extruded & cast aluminum?

comes from melting down billets of aluminum and pushing it through a mold (extruded), and cast is melting billet then pouring into a mold.

a billet of aluminum is the big chunk of aluminum that results from the aluminum smelting process - since it's the first heating, it's more dense; but its composition (how plastic the material is) is described in the type of aluminum.... another pet peeve is "aircraft aluminum".... there's all sorts of aluminum in airplanes, from the cast seat frames, to the forged stringers.... the lower the number, the more plastic the material - thus 1012 is really soft, to the point that if you hit it with your fist, it'd make an impression in the aluminum, to 7071 that is so hard that, if frozen, can be made to shatter (absolute zero, not 32F) and is nearly impossible to weld. 5056 is easy to weld and machine, but it gives up some of the hardness of the 70xx series, and can be bent in a press.

 

[RamRod]

Semantics, I don't make or sell the things, nor am I a materials enginer, but I know I sure like machined billet products over cast products.

But I digress, these thimbles are so strong the titanium pin is actually the first think to fail once pressures get high enough (around 50,000lbs of pulling force).
They have a slow motion video of this that they will be posting soon which will be awesome!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Samantics, I don't make or sell the things, nor am I a materials enginer, but I know I sure like machined billet products over cast products.

But I digress, these thimbles are so strong the titanium pin is actually the first think to fail once pressures get high enough (around 50,000lbs of pulling force).
They have a slow motion video of this that they will be posting soon which will be awesome!

while that's a fantastic aside, it doesn't answer the question... what is the alloying composition of the thimbles?

I didn't like Mona Lisa, to me it was just a cracked painting with a weird smile.

 

[RamRod]

while that's a fantastic aside, it doesn't answer the question... what is the alloying composition of the thimbles?

I didn't like Mona Lisa, to me it was just a cracked painting with a weird smile.

Really weird smile, it only got famous because it was stolen by an Italian that thought it should be returned to Italy.

Its made of 6061

 

[ABNTROOP]

Thats exactly it! Winching is the second most dangerous thing we do while wheelin' (after using a Hi-Lift) if it costs a few bucks to make it more safe and it can look good while doing it, PERFECT!

I will talk to the guys at Factor 55 to see what kind on numbers we are needing to get a group buy together.

not to hijack this thread, but that's a good point. For those of you carrying a high lift jack there are some great add-on's to aid the safety and stability factor when using one.
http://www.skygeek.com/bogert-51m-s...aign=froogle&gclid=CIyu8MqP9MQCFQJufgod_yAAug

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Really weird smile, it only got famous because it was stolen by an Italian that thought it should be returned to Italy.

Its made of 6061

nice... now get back to work on getting us all a discount :shifty: