Recovery Swivel Eyes

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paul_c

New Member
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1,316
These things:

{E46513F7-CB9B-4E76-9F77-4FE0C100A0FD}.jpg


I recently bought a heavy duty bumper but rather stingily, it doesn't come with any recovery points on it. So I have to buy the above. However, I came across this, which suggests they're not safe:

bit of advice fitting swivel recovery eyes to my bumper - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

Any opinions?

And if they're to be avoided, any better suggestions? I did think about fitting 2x tow balls (or more accurately, tow ball/pin combination so the rope doesn't fall off), one either side, using a spreader plate behind the bumper front plate. With the high cost of the swivel eyes, its about the same cost.

For info, the bumper is 5mm plate steel, which seems a fairly standard thickness.
 
I just bought some very heavy duty 'lifting eyes' as used on the top of very big machinery to lift it with a crane. Cost me £5 for 3 (two at the front, one on the back somewhere... not quite sure why)

They seem big and solid and would easily take a shackle
 
MikeDowson said:
I just bought some very heavy duty 'lifting eyes' as used on the top of very big machinery to lift it with a crane. Cost me £5 for 3 (two at the front, one on the back somewhere... not quite sure why)

They seem big and solid and would easily take a shackle
Click to expand...

Do they fit into the 36mm hole provided in the bumper, and if so where did you get them from? I searched around and lifting eyes are a slightly different design and not that price either!!!
 
They have a M22 x 2.5 thread on them... There were bigger ones and smaller ones, but, they look reasonable enough to meet my requirements.

Got them from the LRO Peterborough show though... so guess your not going to find them on line easily.
 
I found these which are the equivalent, ie allow swivel in 2 directions, and rejected them:

Double Swivel Shackle with centering

due to the price (£189.72 each).

These: Lifting Eye Bolts male are a bit more realistic in the price, but I'd be concerned that because they don't swivel, will transmit the sideways or vertical forces to try twist the bumper, if not aligned exactly (which is what's going to happen in real-world recovery situations). Your £5 for 3 is a bargain!
 
ITs all getting a bit over analised here...

do you have a steering guard? fit one with recovery eyes (£70)

or, get a good welder to weld 2 massive rings to the bumper with a strengthening plate on the rear, much like those supplied by D44 and what the comp guys have welded to their roll cages. You dont need to have certified lifting rings, they cost so much because they are individually tested and are ultimately not designed for what you want them to do.

the above are better, more reasonable solutions.

G
 
the pic below shows my disco with those exact recovery eyes fitted to the bumper...
the bumper didnt have the holes either, so I had to drill it...

10843_323527825612_727855612_9694415_1771828_n.jpg


On one of the outings on the plains, I think it was boomerV8 who got stuck by draggin the front diff....
we put a tow from his bumper to my towball and buckshot was pulling my disco on those 2 recovery eyes (with a small strap rope and then a long one to his)
He pulled it so hard and so many times that the rear cross member on his 90 bent slightly... my recovery eyes were intact!
 
paul_c said:
These things:

{E46513F7-CB9B-4E76-9F77-4FE0C100A0FD}.jpg


I recently bought a heavy duty bumper but rather stingily, it doesn't come with any recovery points on it. So I have to buy the above. However, I came across this, which suggests they're not safe:

bit of advice fitting swivel recovery eyes to my bumper - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

Any opinions?

And if they're to be avoided, any better suggestions? I did think about fitting 2x tow balls (or more accurately, tow ball/pin combination so the rope doesn't fall off), one either side, using a spreader plate behind the bumper front plate. With the high cost of the swivel eyes, its about the same cost.

For info, the bumper is 5mm plate steel, which seems a fairly standard thickness.
Click to expand...


David Bowyer (Goodwinch) sells these as an option, fitted to his own winch bumpers. I do not think that he would be selling them and risking his reputation if there was any concern about their safety. I also have them and have never had a problem with them.
 
paul_c said:
I found these which are the equivalent, ie allow swivel in 2 directions, and rejected them:

Double Swivel Shackle with centering

due to the price (£189.72 each).

These: Lifting Eye Bolts male are a bit more realistic in the price, but I'd be concerned that because they don't swivel, will transmit the sideways or vertical forces to try twist the bumper, if not aligned exactly (which is what's going to happen in real-world recovery situations). Your £5 for 3 is a bargain!
Click to expand...


the first ones with the centring, try these RUD

a lot better and a lot cheaper.

the second lot you put up are a comercial pattern collar eyebolt and can only be used at <15 deg off centre pulling ( assuming they are to standard). the thread is undercut at the top of the stud and they fail there if side loaded.
the rud links are a lot better for recovery purposes:D
 
paul_c said:
These are a bit more realistic in the price, but I'd be concerned that because they don't swivel, will transmit the sideways or vertical forces to try twist the bumper, if not aligned exactly (which is what's going to happen in real-world recovery situations). Your £5 for 3 is a bargain!
Click to expand...

Yeh... I thought so :)

If you've seen my front bumper you'll realise the risk of twisting it or bending it is not a concern i have - its twisted / bent / generally a bit f**ked as it is.

Got given another one which is also a bit twisted, so, if i do trash this one i'll just put that one on.

Guess it depends what you want, i just want an easy solution to connect to when i need to tow someone out (ok be towed out)
 
Thanks for the help, I just wanted reassurance that the guy posting on the other forum was being a bit over-cautious. I've had a good search around, including other options of lifting hardware etc and happy enough with the prices I've seen (they all seem much the same). So I've ordered some.

Can't quite see where you'd put Jate rings???
 
Yeah, fancy them a bit higher and more easily accessible if/when the front end's dug into a bog or something like that. I thought you had some novel way of fitting them to the bumper itself, which I couldn't work out.
 
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