Preferred winch hook, winch shackle, shackle mount.

Getting ready to put a bumper and winch on my truck and looking at all the options to replace the big steel hook that comes with the winch. I have a Warn VR Evo 10s going on a C4 Hybrid bumper. Love to hear what your favorite or least favorite shackle/hook is.

 

Why not keep the hook? Nothing wrong with it.

 

I’d like something that I can pull up tight to the fair lead and keep the synthetic line within the bumper. I don’t really want to have the hook attached to one of the front anchors or openings and the line exposed.

 

If you run the chafe protector in the synthetic line you won’t be able to pull it all the way in anyway. I would pull mine in until the chafe protector was covering all the exposed line and hook it to the front bumper.

 

In the short term, if you clip the hook back over the line, you can make the hook lay flat on the fairlead when you snug up the line.

I went with the Factor 55 Ultrahook(?), the big hook with the eyelet at the end. Since I've had that, I have yet to use the hook once and have used the shackle eyelet for everything, so if I did it again, I'd prob get the thimble style.

Went with the Factor55 fairlead as well cuz I could, but it's really nothing too special so if you can find one for cheaper, I'd do that unless you have money to spend.

 

I wanted basically the same thing so I went with a factor 55 flatlink e. The prolink stuck out to far for me and the ultrahook was too much hook for my needs.

I reel mine in all the way with the chafe protector on it... what's the harm in doing that?

 

Probably nothing, mine wouldn’t fit through the fairlead so I figured others would have that problem as well. Apparently I was wrong.

 

https://www.masterpull.com/winch-puck/ $25 does the job and the leash keeps your fingers from getting smashed between the Flatlink and fairlead.

 

How much money you want to spend? Lol?

No hooks, only synthetic line. Use with a soft shackle.
https://yankum.com/products/winch-hawse-groove-fairlead

 

Did that once, would not recommend

 

I just suck the hook into the fairling and call it a day. It hasn't proven to be a problem over the last 25 years, plus hooks make attachments quick and easy. My least favorite type of attachment is anything that isn't a hook.

 

I like this concept the most but unfortunately their fairlead does not fit most of the Tacoma bumpers that have recessed fairleads. My fairlead opening is only 12" and their fairlead requires 13".

 

I just reel mine all the way in. I have a smittbilt delta hook that will lay flat. I'm waiting to install it when it's time to change my winch rope. This hook came made onto the line. It's a smittybilt x20 10k winch.

 

this is what I do too.

 

Factor 55 Flatlink sits nice behind the flip up license plate holder.

 

I ran a D ring for almost 8yrs with no issues and switched to a hook when I re did the whole front end, also with no real issues. Keep your hands on the hook and away from the rope/cable and you will be fine.

Old d-ring setup

 

I actually just wrote up my opinion/experience with Agency6 in another part of the forums: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/agency6-crazy-customer-service.793563/#post-28422203

Crazy good warranty/customer service, and a good product.

 

Recommend gator-jaw or homemade replica for soft shackles plus Van Beest screw pin shackle with receiver hitch.