Quick release shackles/caribiners?

Thanks Duck, I'm in southern NSW and looking for a couple of 2000kg.

Stone & sons at Nowra NSW (these are Industrial lifting rated Not climbing ones) Illawarra wire ropes also sell them

This is taken from RACQ website on Towing


All States and Territories require the use of safety chains. Safety chains must be strong enough to hold the trailer should the trailer coupling accidentally disconnect, and comply with the appropriate Australian Standard. Trailers up to 2500 kg ATM are required to have one safety chain while trailers from 2,500kg to 3,500kg must be fitted with two safety chains. The D shackle used to connect the safety chain to the vehicles tow bar must have a load rating equivalent to that of the safety chain.

And this as well

ADR 62/01 & 62/02
(Also Ref: AS 2741.2002 Shackles)
Australian Standard 2741.2002 includes the following:
** Each shackle shall be marked with the Working Load Limit WWL for the shackle
** Each shackle shall be capable of supporting a test load of 6 times the working load limit of the shackle
** The shackle will be marked with the Quality Grade, such as M or 4, or S or 6.
** Shackle nominal size - The nominal diameter of the shackle body.

also

QLD TMR & VICROADS only quote VSB1.
NSW - 1 shackle only.
TAS - 1 shackle only.
ACT - 1 shackle only.
WA - More than 1 can be used but must be suitably rated to support 1.5 time the trailers ATM (Same as chain)
NT - More than 1 can be used but must be suitably rated to support 1.5 time the trailers ATM (Same as chain)
SA - More than one can be used but must be permantly marked with a rating at least 1.5 times the trailers ATM (Same as chain).

Some of the above is not neccesarily legislated in every State and maybe guidelines only, check your own state regulator. Also incorrect shackle use and I venture to say yours are incorrect Gaz, may well attract the ire of the local boys in blue, or others if interstate.

A carabiner clip is NOT an approved towing device, people hang from them off high things.

From "Light Trailer Requirements for VSB1":

***
Rated bolts, chain shackles or other suitable fittings (i.e. hammerlocks) may be used as devices for connection on safety chains providing the device is of sufficient load capacity to match the rating of the safety chain.
***

Looks to me like they don't especially care which connection device you want to use, the important thing is that it be appropriately rated.

It is also said you shouldnt use stainless shackles as they are not suitable for shock loads.

I would suggest snaplocks are the same.

What so wrong with just using whats recommended only takes a few seconds to do up a D shackle.

Was a thread on here a week or so ago espousing using just hooks which to me is about as sensible as using snaplocks

Doesn't take long to do up a rated shackle. Is life so short you can't spare 30 seconds?

The OP is asking about suitably rated caribiners or QR shackles not climbing gear.

Guys,

You have made me think - My vehicle is fitted with 3 tonne rated towbar from Hayman Reece - It came supplied with 2 x D shackles stamped "Hayman Reece" but no rating. I have assumed are rated to match the towbar.

Am I correct ?

I believe they are not legal if they do not have the ratings stamped on the shackle.

A shackle with 4177 stamped on them and manufacturers name


Go here www.tmr.qld.gov.au and look tor "Safe Towing guide"

There is a chart to tell you what you need I used ones with 13mm pins which are rated at over 2 tonne each.

Generally a 10mm pin is heavy enough.

A rated one is about a $ dearer than a useless one.

There is no regulation which says you MUST use rated shackles in any State but only an unwise person would use poor ones.

Another thing to be aware of is that the breakaway wire should be connected to the car at a location other than on any part of the towbar.
I had a ring bolted to the chassis and had it connected on that.

Not much good having it on towbar if it falls off...... and they have.

"There is no regulation which says you MUST use rated shackles in any State".

Is that so?
Then what does this mean?

http://www.transport.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/19646/vib13i-Light-Trailer-Safety-Chain-Shackles-Jan-2013.pdf

Just because the NT isn't a State doesn't mean that our requirements aren't valid.

Guys,

Herewith a response form Hayman Reece regarding the use of teh D shackles supplied with their tow bar

"Good morning Peter,

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the use of D shackles. Currently, there are not currently any laws regarding the use of rated shackles, so the 10mm D shackles we supply with our towbars are fit for purpose and comply with the minimum recommendations in regards to D shackles and trailers. They have been tested to a brake load of 5.8 tonne.

If you do want to use rated shackles then the 1tWLL (working load limit) shackle we sell, part number 06855, is suitable for use as it has a 10mm pin and had a has breaking strain well in excess of the towing rating of your Nissan Navara.

I hope this information has been useful to you and if I can assist you any further please feel free to contact me.

Regards,


Denise Weston
Customer Service Representative"

That statement from Denise at HR is clearly a contradiction to the link as I supplied above. By the NT's MVR Bulletin on chain shackles any vehicle presented to them that doesn't have rated shackles would fail rego requirements. Maybe Peter M17 could forward her that link to see what the response is. Regardless of the response I would always spend the minor amount extra to be sure and don't understand why it is an ongoing debate.

That document is basically the same as all states It does say "Policy" which is different to "Law" and at the end encourages officers to tell people to change whereas if it was "Law" they would fine them.

The other states "Recommend" the same but there is no ADR rule about Rated D shackles being compulsory.

This has been thrashed to death on forums recently and the above has been what the authorities have replied when asked for clarification.

It s states they must be adequate for purpose and gives the above chart for what "Is adequate"

TomH I quite disagree with you. Plenty of things are a requirement to gain Registration, or to pass an inspection, but that doesn't mean you get fined, they just don't Register/Re-register your vehicle until you comply with their Policy/requirements. Privately and with Company vehicles I've taken through the Govt MVR inspection shed's and had failed inspections that have to be remedied and taken back for another inspection before being passed there has never been a fine. There are plenty of things that are general maintenance that they are quite active on to fail an inspection for that aren't necessarily specified in an Act of Law but are part of their Policies etc.

As for your comment that officers are encouraged to tell people to change, the document specifically states what action is to be taken, which hardly makes it optional for the Inspector.
"Action
Where non-compliance of a safety chain connection device (i.e. shackle) has been detected, Transport Inspectors and Authorised Inspectors are to alert the driver of the towing vehicle on the requirement to have a suitably rated device".
Note the words "non-compliance" and "the requirement to have a suitably rated device". That to me on my experience up here says failed inspection so defected until it complies. I just can't see any other interpretation and means that Inspectors are directed to make that decision.

The lack of an ADR is meaningless as different regions have rules of their own on various matters but they are still legal requirements for their own State/Territory.