Extra info: 1. videos referenced: The thermal test: th-cam.com/video/J_ynoqS0gaQ/w-d-xo.html Efficiency test: th-cam.com/video/syGZjWfWgts/w-d-xo.html Pulley efficiency: th-cam.com/video/rdlRRAbzCzA/w-d-xo.html The FRA (Feline Rigging Assistant) can be seen in outtakes here th-cam.com/video/VtDNnyjZVsM/w-d-xo.html 2. there is no 'best', just what's best for you. 3. Wondering about a bearing ring? My review of the Red Winches RR30 is here. Yes, they are more efficient, but is that enough for you to worry about? th-cam.com/video/bCMJvk9L1rE/w-d-xo.html Additional info here: l2sfbc.com/yankum-offset-ring-review/
Matt from Florida Off Road Recovery also tested the Yankum snatch ring. He previously operated large towing vehicles and is very knowledgeable about multi line recoveries with snatch blocks, shackles etc., with all the very high stresses and loads placed on the various components. He has some interesting observations as well on the Yankum products. I enjoy watching both your channels for the wealth of practical and technical knowledge. Great video! As usual. 👍
Thank you so much for all your testing and time involved in this testing. Because of your results and my own thoughts I’m now going to order myself a Factor 55 pulley. Keep up your great work.
@@L2SFBC because of the rope retention System they use. I mostly drive solo and need to be able to recover myself easily and yes I understand about tensioning up the winch before the full pull.
@@L2SFBC Thanks, I have a number of Yankum equipment for recovery. I was also interested in one of the new Bearing Pulleys to cut down on friction, but despite being made from aluminium, I’m after light set up for my vehicle. I don’t know if you’ve seen the new Bearing Pulley they look similar to the Sable/Red Pulley but with a ball bearing in between inner and outer components of the pulley
- And who wouldn't agree - of course, add mud and grime, there are losses and wear items are introduced (nothing has an infinite life in harsh environments)... A properly sized snatch block, produces enough friction on the rope (4-6 rope diameters in "bend radius" - 8-12x diameter - 25 -37 rope diameters in "contact length length) "average" over the 180 degree of "rope contact area" to double the load (x1 load in "frictional tension") for a 2:1 pull on the strand (otherwise the load factor using mechanical advantage -pulleys and the "moving line theory" - could not increase beyond what a single line can handle (MBS) ), the "Sliding ring" has to produce this friction, unless it is durably Teflon coated - OR the "melting" UHMWPE is self lubricating without significant loss in strength (sacrificial rope / sling sheath)...
I already own a Yankum offset ring. Don't love it, but I like having the option. After watching all your video on the subject, I bought a Safe Xtract snatch block. I really like it.
@@L2SFBC I don't love it because it is heavier than other rings and I think the rope turning on soft shackle is better. The rope coating sticking to it has been worrisome. My perception is the Yankum puts more stress on the winch line. I bought the Safe X-tract because of the lower friction loss if I set up multiple pulleys and it seems a very high quality piece of kit. But as you say in your previous video, they will all do the job. I don't see any as a bad choice.
Thanks Robert. I have a love/dislike relationship with your channel. As an Army ECN 226, very senior and experienced, Recovery Mechanic, I can offer few few things. A ring is a pulley but not a snatch block. A snatch block is not used for 'snatching' on a snatch strap. Snatch block and pully can be used interchangeably as long as the context is provided. The only issue of synthetic ropes touching or twisting, is losing sight of which rope is doing what. The ADF uses only Hercules Alloy chain and steel wire rope. SWR can cross and touch Herc Alloy chains. We try not to touch or cross SWR together. I'm building a picture, bear with me. 3:1 and 4:1 are best used on small anchors (think, a small tree or embedded rock) or where the vehicle needs to be moved slowly on a different pull (vector) to the main 1:1 or 1:2 pull. Domestic recoveries are so rare, that a turning ring, or not, is of little consequence. Commercial recoveries require SWR for particularly difficult recoveries. Sorry to produce a narrative violation, but I am subscribed and like all of your videos. Stu
Thanks Stu. In response: 1. The reason I focused on not touching is because it's a Yankum claim. I don't like ropes to touch as it's needless friction which increases effort and wears rope. I agree that's not super critical, but it was a claim to test. 2. My focus is on recreational 4x4. I try to take input from all sorts of other applications and industry, including military, aborists, sailors to name but three. I advocate rope not wire for recreational. I know there are reasons to use wire, but they don't apply to recreational. 3. I don't think there's much need for 3:1 or 4:1 pulls recreationally. 4. What's a domestic recovery? Why do commercial recoveries required SWR? I don't know what a narrative violation is, but thanks for your comment always appreciated!
One thing Casey Ladelle pointed out when using his offset rings is that if the ring is rotating against a soft shackle the heat and wear is building up on one concentrated area of the shackle making it more prone to failure v.s. the whole winch line rubbing against it for a fraction of a second before being out into thin air to cool down... Would be similar to winching at an angle and rubbing the fairlead imho. Food for thought! As for rigging the 4:1 as long as you set it up so both rings will sit in the same plane under tension it shouldnt take too much trial and error to not "cross the streams"... Perhaps something that would become second nature with more use?
I have not seen any evidence to support Casey's point, and I did ask Yankum specifically about that and all the other claims. The thermal camera I used shows that heat buildup isn't a problem for the Yankums in any configuration, nor any other ring. The heat you need to manage is on the drum and your winch motor, and your battery drain. That's for recreational winching.
Very good assessment, Robert. When the Yankum ring was released, I was impressed by the innovation of having a single ring effectively operate as 2 rings. However, it's also larger, heavier, and costs more than 2 of the standard rings I've been using, so added value seems questionable to me. Nonetheless, I wish them luck and hope for continued innovation.
Great video Robert, thank you for doing all the heavy lifting in testing the claims of manufacturers. By-the-way, my cat was snuggling up to me as I was watching your cat bunting you.
Great video. I have a couple of the red rings and was contemplating buying an offset ring until I saw your comments about having the wear taking place on the soft shackle instead of the rope which makes perfect sense to me. I’ll just stick to the rings I have. Thanks again for the great, in-depth video.
My view is it's better to put wear on the shackle. Others may choose the winch rope. Either way, something is going to rub unless you choose a unit with a bearing.
Just a question/though: wouldn’t the wear rate be significantly lower even tho it would be on the winch line? Like per recovery, the normal snatch ring would rotate 100x around the soft shackle. But any given section of winch rope would only pass the 6cm of yankum ring radius once per recovery. So we are spreading the wear over entire winch rope… which per recovery might not be significant? If it even shortens the winch rope life significantly? I imagine that would be the correct apples to apples question?
Yes, the soft shackle concentrates wear. However consider the cost of the soft shackle which is maybe 1/4 of winch rope, and the fact dirt can be carried by the winch rope around the sheave. The winch rope wear would not be even across the rope either; no wear for the first and last say 5m as that wouldn't go around the sheave. I don't think it's a huge factor either way, but I prefer the greater efficiency and less rope wear of the symmetric.
Always enjoy your videos. My opinion is that a standard recovery ring makes for cheaper and easier use for your average off-roader. The Yankum offset ring is pricey.
I love this video! I’ve watched Casey and the Matt from Florida argue about this ring and your thorough and pragmatic analysis clears things up for me. Thank you!!!
Saw the offset ring came out just after a purchased 3 of the factor 55 RRP's and began to wonder if I should have gone with the offset pully. Glad I didn't. I also think for those times I'm alone the RRP's will make rigging easier for me. Thanks again Robert!
I am super stoked to see someone in the industry testing this gear. Outstanding. I know in a different video you had mentioned how fast a snatch ring warmed up from friction, would having a ring with a larger mass help prevent it heating up? The Overland Vehicle Systems snatch rings come to mind. Also, perhaps you’d make a video on how to use an extension winch line the best way? How to attach them, rigging options?
Yes it would but I don't think pulley heat is a problem. The heat problem is your lowmount winch and also drain on battery. Now for comp or pro winching that may change, but someone pulling a car out of a bog recreationally won't have a heat problem on any pulley.
Just a quick tip - a better way to tie the cow hitch for recovery is to use the same method that you would use to join two recovery straps - pass the end of the winch rope through the eye of the winch extension rope, then pass the other end of the winch extension rope through the eye on the end of the winch rope. When you pull this tight the two eyes will nest like a square knot. You will not need to twist the eye forming the cow hitch to lay flat as is shown in the Yankum video or Casey's video. Otherwise, thanks for a great video and for sharing your thoughts on this. You do provide some great insights on this innovative product. I have a pair of these offset snatch rings myself and will be keeping your concerns in mind when using them. One point you did not cover that I would like to hear your take on is using a snatch ring for a redirect of less than 90 degrees causing the rope to roll off the ring due to leverage under load (a different issue to the one of the rope falling off when you get slack in the system). My take is this may still be a problem with the offset ring when running the winch line around the outside, but leverage may be reduced due to the smaller distance between the load bearing point of winch line and the load bearing point of the soft shackle securing the ring. Alternatively, the winch line can be run through the middle of the offset ring eliminating the risk of the rope being pulled off the ring.
A good question and a good point. Yes that becomes a bit of a risk for the reasons you describe. However, running the rope through any ring can be problematic because it takes time and it has to fit through the hole.
I am not completely sold on the yankum offset ring, but I do appreciate their commitment to a safer winching setup by using their groove fairlead and a loop on the winch rope to be combined with a soft shackle. Their specialty fairlead allows the rope to sit behind the face and remain protected from rocks while allowing the winch to fully spool in.
I just loop a soft shackle through my winch rope end loop, and winch all the soft shackle but the button knot through the regular fairlead. All winchwire is safely on the drum, and all wear i might get if unlucky is on a replaceable soft shackle. Of which i always bring plenty. The yankum grooved fairlead works, but i can get a lot of soft shackles for the amount of money it costs.
So you're claiming that a locked up pulley, which is what this is essentially, doesn't do any more damage than a spinning pulley? Really? The whole idea of using pulleys is to limit friction. A soft shackle pulley that doesn't spin is a ridiculous idea.
@@L2SFBC I'm not the one testing products and recommending locked up pulleys. Perhaps you should give back their donations and remove your stamp of approval.
Good review. For me, the newer modern recovery rings, not just the Yankum version, give me more options that don't weigh anything. They might not be as efficient, but we are now getting within spitting distance of a traditional block with a large spinning ring like mine from #BeeSafeRecoveryGear. I've been using rings longer than most, and I have found heat and rope damage 'issues' to be a non-issue in practical application. I would rate the risk as less than pinching synthetic rope inbetween the cheek and sheeve on a traditional block. I very much enjoy having to carry less gear and less weight that gives me more rigging options ( even though those options might be slightly less efficient than the traditional ones ). Traditional blocks can't ( yet, though I am sure someone will try it soon ) do things like knot passing and double rigging.
Only a viewer of Casey LaDelle and the Yankum products but I thought from those that the claim #2 about not falling out only applied to the ‘through the hole’ method which was why their ring was fatter/thicker than others such that the bend/curve radius on rope would be equal to it being around the ring. I don’t think they ever claimed it wouldn’t fall out when used conventionally. And I believe Casey stated that this would be useful when he had to release the rope and adjust the setup, and would be able to restart the tow without having to go back to the ring to verify that it was properly seated
True, that's why I demonstrated with the Through. I also thought the Around would be an interesting comparison as you cannot always rig a Through, or want to take the time. The release-check thing is exactly my point. If there is enough slack to adjust or re-rig then everything should be re-checked, so it's not really any extra effort. That said, I would prefer there to be zero risk of the rope falling out.
@@L2SFBC but in some of Casey’s videos, the ring is in a location where rechecking isn’t convenient or practical so by having the equivalent of a snatch block that can’t come undone, it’s quicker for the operator. And the fatter ring was such that a ‘through’ usage wouldn’t make a very tight radius bend on rope like other rings which is not preferable as I understand it, just being a viewer, not a user. They kinda merged two rings at 90 degree angles.
Yes, the bend radius is too small, I didn't cover that as it wasn't a claim. Agree with it being quicker and better, but I'm not willing suffer the disadvantages I see.
@@L2SFBC maybe you didn’t see it that way but from the videos I saw, having that larger bend radius sideways is what allows it to be used through the hole, even if it wasn’t offset hole, since a narrow ring is too tight radius, so I view that as a claim that makes theirs unique. So it’s a dual benefit that rope can’t thus fall out either. I thought it was something to do with friction or such that prevents thin rings from being used through the hole. My only reason for getting involved here is that you appeared to be testing’ a claim that Yankum didn’t make, which is not falling out when used conventionally around the ring, and not covering the one they apparently do, which is thick ring allows through the hole use safely.
I did show the Through not falling out and yes they have the only ring that is 100% proof of not falling out. The Though requires a thick ring to get the bend radius somewhere close to acceptable...which is around 7:1. The Offset doesn't achieve that, and to be fair, neither do some symmetrical rings. I think the reason no symmetrical rings offer this is because of bend radius, and the need to pass the whole rope though, and it's also not necessary in my experience. I would prefer to have the greater bend radius with the ring rotating and tension-check as I do anyway. Others may choose differently.
12:00 - 13:00 If there is any added rope "winch extension" in your rigging and you end up at the anchor point, then ALL the rope has to be winched in - your green arrows aren't correct UNLESS you have spare drum capacity and suck in ALL the line, extension included. Otherwise all three riggings will have vehicle stop ~ 1/2 way, you'll then need to tether, pull out all the winch line, then start over for the second 1/2 of the pull to the anchor.
Your videos are very informative. On this one, I think you missed some of the technique that I saw in videos promoting the Yankum concept. I see Yankum of having a different approach or system where they just have a loop on the end of the winch line, no hook or other hardware and they use winch line extensions and two of their rings to facilitate a multiple "pulley" setup to allow a winch to do more. Unless I needed to change out my winch line I don't know that it would make sense to change to their system. For someone starting out fresh, it might be a closer question.
13:15 in both one rope and long pull, you can't get the distance shown as your winch drum will be full and the distance you'll get is starting minus used extension divided by 2.
Depends. I run 20m of rope on my drum even though I could fit 30m so I could go further than half my winch rope, and it depends where you've rigged the pulleys. The reason I run such a short rope is so I can run high fleet angles, and my winch operates at high efficiency. Should I need more than 20m I just use one of my three extension ropes.
Covering something like this it is impossible to think of everything...as I write this, over 4000 people have watched the video, many with a lot of experience, and they have thought of clarifications and improvements I didn't. So, I shall write a blog post to cover these extra points. Thank you for your contribution, appreciated.
A great analysis but one question can you use a "D" shackle through the ring instead of a soft shackle ? So any wear is on the pin of the "D" shackle possibly with less friction -- just a thought as I like the winch block myself
@10:00 you can undo just the car to closest ring connection and then rotate. If that doesn't work you have set up with twisted lines (don't). The two legs aren't twisted with each other so rotating the far ring WILL make them worse - rub
So the Yankum doesn't harm the winch line? I love their double length shackles ❤ all accept their cost, its what's kept me from buying buying a dozen or so. Like having sleeves on my SS, they take the abuse & dont wear my rope or SS itself. Allen is a really nice guy & I do love his products.
With regards to the one rope concept, unless your winch drum has the capacity to hold both your winch rope and your winch extension, you will be rerigging just as often.
think id just go for the standard ring. my shackles have a protective sleeve on them so it would have to wear through that before it could get to the shackle itself and as you said, shackles are cheap and easy to replace.
I'm new to winching so I got to ask...why not just stick to a snatch block which seems to avoid wear on bothe the winch line and soft shackle and also seems to be more efficient? Is it just for weight and room?
Thanks Rob. The wife and I leave the Riverina for 10wks through WA via the Central Road and others in two weeks. I have been waiting for you to run a comparison. In the mean time I just got a snatch block. Some of the trails you just test on I would not be allowed to choose (get my shoulder punched by the Co-Pilot). I think our 2024 Everest, beefed up and the Off Road camper will do fine. Have you ever reviewed alternate anchor options? Land Anchor, Deadman Anchor etc. Cheers
I have no video on anchors but have used a few sand anchors and found them all useless unless the ground is perfect for them. In sand, anchors just pull through. In earth, they don't go into the ground. I wouldn't own one. In sand, use 4x traction ramp, shovel and tyre pressures. That'll fix anything. Elsewhere the same plus winch and jack. I have winched my way out of trouble by using a 30m winch ext strap spread around numerous small shrubs, none of which invidually would be strong enough.
Great video and I agree mostly with you except for the part about wear. With a Yankum ring there is the tiniest amount (1/2 the circumference of the ring) of wear spread along the entire length of the winch line but if the ring spins 100% of the wear is concentrated on one spot on the soft shackle. For an average offroader you shouldnt ever notice the winch line wear with a Yankum but you would wear out a soft shackle with a rotating ring. That said the Yankum ring is way too expensive so until they bring the price down the others are a better option. Thanks for your hard work.
That's true, good point. But to counter. Note that the winch rope will carry dirt onto the ring, the shackle won't. And, shackles are easier and cheaper to replace. Also, for recreational winching I don't think you'd wear a shackle too much anyway. I'm yet to wear out any soft shackle, although I do use whichever one is to hand so I've not concentrated my winching on just one.
Thx for intressting test ! I think 2 small things.. 1. The Fab 55 feel very small, is the rope turning on a small curve or is the camera how make it look like that? 2. If i winsch uphill in a rocky trail the car can loosen the force on the line or very muddy trail and need to help with the car. Then you dont want or can go out and check the lines. It feels much safer to have it trought then.
1 The F55 has a small internal diameter and therefore bend radius, not ideal. No camera tricks. 2 yes, if you winch incorrectly that can happen. You should always keep tension on the line.
I agree that putting the wear and tear on a soft shackle makes a lot more sense than putting it on your winch line. For the size, weight, cost and versatility I think your money would be better spent on 4 small rings. Of course you’d then need at least 4 soft shackles, but I also kinda feel like that’s an appropriate number to have… and a pair of bow shackles. I like what Yankum is doing, but your clip of the winch line residue left on the ring pinpoints what I see as a fatal flaw in the offset design in that it puts all of the friction/heat into the thinnest part of the ring and uses the winch line as a bearing/heatsink.
Do you ever come to the conclusion that you can’t beat the snatch block and bow shackle for strength, durability, simplicity, reliability, environmentally friendly, lower embodied energy and probably 5 other reasons I haven’t mentioned?
You joined the two ropes wrong in no.5.The loop of the grey should have gone over the red.Then put the tag end of the grey through the red loop and pull it all through.Your way may become difficult to seperate.That type of join is common for a flyfisherman.
@L2SFBC - 86th! Awesome "real world review" comparison of products! In seeing many different people use & review the Yankum Offset Rings, there is high probability they designed it around their own unique creation/design of synthetic rope & soft shackles. Would be nice if Yankum shared which of their own products they were able to achieve the claims they report on their Offset Rings designs! Yea! 🍀🙀🌟 😇
Yes it would be. The claims are mostly not measurable though. #1 and #3 would be but to be honest the improvement or negatives would be too small to worry about.
It looks as though there is not much difference to usual methods exept for one senario. If space and weight is a premium for example a small Short wheel base 4X4 then the Yankum maybe a handy option. However the Spanish Burton wins over anyway.
@@L2SFBC There is one test not showen where as 2 connected ropes can pass throu continuously. But as you showed in another video about the efficiency, but there is something to be said about the width being larger, Maybe if someone makes a larger ring then maybe it would work well too. Now weigh the price... like you said the standard rings work just fine.
Long time climber here. A few comments - 1) Rubbing of dyneema in the way pictured is likely to be a non-issue. Tensioned ropes running parallel to each other put almost no pressure on each other and thus no friction. 2) More concerning is the Yankum "one rope" idea using a cow aka GIRTH hitch to join the 2 eye loops. That assuredly DECREASES strength of the system - probably in the range of 50% or more based on climbers testing of similar scenarios (girth hitching two loop slings together). The dyneema CUTS itself as it is loaded. Dyneema DOES NOT LIKE tight radius bends (hence the constant discussion of pulley sheave diameter ). See here: th-cam.com/video/JYd14LuitX8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=yKnFZc0ACyk6vVpG&t=250 I WOULD NOT use the one rope method AT ALL
Funny. I had thought these things had ball bearings in them so an inner ring would rotate. Obviously, I have never seen one in real life. I am just watching TH-cam videos trying to learn about what I might need to get. Is there a reason that nobody makes one of these snatch rings with ball bearings? Why the heck are they relying on ropes or soft-shackles to just slide on metal?
Well we have had the wheel, then tyres, spokes, different metals...so still a wheel but different. Yankum have tried something different and I applaud them for that.
Hi Robert, I watched this (your video) a while back now. but today I came across the following , I thought you might find it interesting: "Yankum Offset Winch Ring, DO NOT USE THEM", th-cam.com/video/6rWZqTcHqNM/w-d-xo.html posted a year ago.
Extra info:
1. videos referenced:
The thermal test: th-cam.com/video/J_ynoqS0gaQ/w-d-xo.html
Efficiency test: th-cam.com/video/syGZjWfWgts/w-d-xo.html
Pulley efficiency: th-cam.com/video/rdlRRAbzCzA/w-d-xo.html
The FRA (Feline Rigging Assistant) can be seen in outtakes here th-cam.com/video/VtDNnyjZVsM/w-d-xo.html
2. there is no 'best', just what's best for you.
3. Wondering about a bearing ring? My review of the Red Winches RR30 is here. Yes, they are more efficient, but is that enough for you to worry about? th-cam.com/video/bCMJvk9L1rE/w-d-xo.html
Additional info here:
l2sfbc.com/yankum-offset-ring-review/
Matt from Florida Off Road Recovery also tested the Yankum snatch ring. He previously operated large towing vehicles and is very knowledgeable about multi line recoveries with snatch blocks, shackles etc., with all the very high stresses and loads placed on the various components. He has some interesting observations as well on the Yankum products. I enjoy watching both your channels for the wealth of practical and technical knowledge. Great video! As usual. 👍
Thanks yes Matt has commented here too. He is a master of rigging and his recovery videos are worth watching.
Thank you so much for all your testing and time involved in this testing.
Because of your results and my own thoughts I’m now going to order myself a Factor 55 pulley.
Keep up your great work.
What made you choose the F55 over the others?
@@L2SFBC because of the rope retention System they use.
I mostly drive solo and need to be able to recover myself easily and yes I understand about tensioning up the winch before the full pull.
Good example of picking what meets your needs! However if you want a 100% guarantee on rope retention then it's Yankum or w block.
@@L2SFBC Thanks, I have a number of Yankum equipment for recovery.
I was also interested in one of the new Bearing Pulleys to cut down on friction, but despite being made from aluminium, I’m after light set up for my vehicle.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the new Bearing Pulley they look similar to the Sable/Red Pulley but with a ball bearing in between inner and outer components of the pulley
Very nice analysis. I really appreciate the unbiased methodology you used.
The good old snatch block is the winner!!
- And who wouldn't agree - of course, add mud and grime, there are losses and wear items are introduced (nothing has an infinite life in harsh environments)...
A properly sized snatch block, produces enough friction on the rope (4-6 rope diameters in "bend radius" - 8-12x diameter - 25 -37 rope diameters in "contact length length) "average" over the 180 degree of "rope contact area" to double the load (x1 load in "frictional tension") for a 2:1 pull on the strand (otherwise the load factor using mechanical advantage -pulleys and the "moving line theory" - could not increase beyond what a single line can handle (MBS) ), the "Sliding ring" has to produce this friction, unless it is durably Teflon coated - OR the "melting" UHMWPE is self lubricating without significant loss in strength (sacrificial rope / sling sheath)...
I wouldn’t buy anything else
I already own a Yankum offset ring. Don't love it, but I like having the option. After watching all your video on the subject, I bought a Safe Xtract snatch block. I really like it.
Interested to know why you bought it, why you don't love it, and why you added a Safe X-tract?
@@L2SFBC I don't love it because it is heavier than other rings and I think the rope turning on soft shackle is better. The rope coating sticking to it has been worrisome. My perception is the Yankum puts more stress on the winch line. I bought the Safe X-tract because of the lower friction loss if I set up multiple pulleys and it seems a very high quality piece of kit. But as you say in your previous video, they will all do the job. I don't see any as a bad choice.
Thanks Robert. I have a love/dislike relationship with your channel. As an Army ECN 226, very senior and experienced, Recovery Mechanic, I can offer few few things.
A ring is a pulley but not a snatch block.
A snatch block is not used for 'snatching' on a snatch strap.
Snatch block and pully can be used interchangeably as long as the context is provided.
The only issue of synthetic ropes touching or twisting, is losing sight of which rope is doing what.
The ADF uses only Hercules Alloy chain and steel wire rope. SWR can cross and touch Herc Alloy chains. We try not to touch or cross SWR together.
I'm building a picture, bear with me.
3:1 and 4:1 are best used on small anchors (think, a small tree or embedded rock) or where the vehicle needs to be moved slowly on a different pull (vector) to the main 1:1 or 1:2 pull.
Domestic recoveries are so rare, that a turning ring, or not, is of little consequence. Commercial recoveries require SWR for particularly difficult recoveries.
Sorry to produce a narrative violation, but I am subscribed and like all of your videos.
Stu
Thanks Stu. In response:
1. The reason I focused on not touching is because it's a Yankum claim. I don't like ropes to touch as it's needless friction which increases effort and wears rope. I agree that's not super critical, but it was a claim to test.
2. My focus is on recreational 4x4. I try to take input from all sorts of other applications and industry, including military, aborists, sailors to name but three. I advocate rope not wire for recreational. I know there are reasons to use wire, but they don't apply to recreational.
3. I don't think there's much need for 3:1 or 4:1 pulls recreationally.
4. What's a domestic recovery? Why do commercial recoveries required SWR?
I don't know what a narrative violation is, but thanks for your comment always appreciated!
Arte Et Marte cobber
One thing Casey Ladelle pointed out when using his offset rings is that if the ring is rotating against a soft shackle the heat and wear is building up on one concentrated area of the shackle making it more prone to failure v.s. the whole winch line rubbing against it for a fraction of a second before being out into thin air to cool down... Would be similar to winching at an angle and rubbing the fairlead imho.
Food for thought!
As for rigging the 4:1 as long as you set it up so both rings will sit in the same plane under tension it shouldnt take too much trial and error to not "cross the streams"... Perhaps something that would become second nature with more use?
I have not seen any evidence to support Casey's point, and I did ask Yankum specifically about that and all the other claims. The thermal camera I used shows that heat buildup isn't a problem for the Yankums in any configuration, nor any other ring. The heat you need to manage is on the drum and your winch motor, and your battery drain. That's for recreational winching.
Thank you Robert. When gainfully employed again I look forward to updating my recovery gear based on your videos.
Thanks Robert, this video was really interesting.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice, you just confirmed all my points about the Yankum rings and their flaws. A well made symmetrical ring is best and way more affordable.
Very good assessment, Robert. When the Yankum ring was released, I was impressed by the innovation of having a single ring effectively operate as 2 rings. However, it's also larger, heavier, and costs more than 2 of the standard rings I've been using, so added value seems questionable to me. Nonetheless, I wish them luck and hope for continued innovation.
That is a beautiful comment thank you and is close to my view too.
I’ve been waiting for this one!!!
See you when it goes live then!
Great video Robert, thank you for doing all the heavy lifting in testing the claims of manufacturers. By-the-way, my cat was snuggling up to me as I was watching your cat bunting you.
Thanks!
Great video. I have a couple of the red rings and was contemplating buying an offset ring until I saw your comments about having the wear taking place on the soft shackle instead of the rope which makes perfect sense to me. I’ll just stick to the rings I have. Thanks again for the great, in-depth video.
My view is it's better to put wear on the shackle. Others may choose the winch rope. Either way, something is going to rub unless you choose a unit with a bearing.
Just a question/though: wouldn’t the wear rate be significantly lower even tho it would be on the winch line? Like per recovery, the normal snatch ring would rotate 100x around the soft shackle. But any given section of winch rope would only pass the 6cm of yankum ring radius once per recovery. So we are spreading the wear over entire winch rope… which per recovery might not be significant? If it even shortens the winch rope life significantly? I imagine that would be the correct apples to apples question?
Yes, the soft shackle concentrates wear. However consider the cost of the soft shackle which is maybe 1/4 of winch rope, and the fact dirt can be carried by the winch rope around the sheave. The winch rope wear would not be even across the rope either; no wear for the first and last say 5m as that wouldn't go around the sheave. I don't think it's a huge factor either way, but I prefer the greater efficiency and less rope wear of the symmetric.
Re 12:27 "one rope" doesn't that "distance before re-rig" assume you can fit all your winch ext rope onto your drum? Pretty sure I couldn't.
Yes it does assume that, but even if you can't, then it's still somewhat useful. Good point thank you.
Always enjoy your videos. My opinion is that a standard recovery ring makes for cheaper and easier use for your average off-roader. The Yankum offset ring is pricey.
I love this video! I’ve watched Casey and the Matt from Florida argue about this ring and your thorough and pragmatic analysis clears things up for me. Thank you!!!
I appreciate that!
Saw the offset ring came out just after a purchased 3 of the factor 55 RRP's and began to wonder if I should have gone with the offset pully. Glad I didn't. I also think for those times I'm alone the RRP's will make rigging easier for me. Thanks again Robert!
- and any ring (pair) can do a 4:1 (minus increased bearing friction) pull so-long as it can fit rope + soft shackle through the centre...
Another informative video! Thanks Bob!
Thank you for the analysis! And I love the cat lol
The cat is now known as FRA, Feline Rigging Assistant :-) th-cam.com/video/VtDNnyjZVsM/w-d-xo.html
I am super stoked to see someone in the industry testing this gear. Outstanding. I know in a different video you had mentioned how fast a snatch ring warmed up from friction, would having a ring with a larger mass help prevent it heating up? The Overland Vehicle Systems snatch rings come to mind. Also, perhaps you’d make a video on how to use an extension winch line the best way? How to attach them, rigging options?
Yes it would but I don't think pulley heat is a problem. The heat problem is your lowmount winch and also drain on battery. Now for comp or pro winching that may change, but someone pulling a car out of a bog recreationally won't have a heat problem on any pulley.
Danke!
Thanks so much Sassan, I'll have to add you to my credits in a forthcoming video as you've given so many Super Thanks!
Appreciate the informed analysis.
Excellent video Robert, I always look forward to the non biased analysis from you.
For Point No.1: Its much easier to inspect a soft shackle for wear than go the the entire length of the winch rope too.
true, but you should be inspecting your winch rope anyway regardless of the type of pulley you use.
Just a quick tip - a better way to tie the cow hitch for recovery is to use the same method that you would use to join two recovery straps - pass the end of the winch rope through the eye of the winch extension rope, then pass the other end of the winch extension rope through the eye on the end of the winch rope. When you pull this tight the two eyes will nest like a square knot. You will not need to twist the eye forming the cow hitch to lay flat as is shown in the Yankum video or Casey's video.
Otherwise, thanks for a great video and for sharing your thoughts on this. You do provide some great insights on this innovative product. I have a pair of these offset snatch rings myself and will be keeping your concerns in mind when using them.
One point you did not cover that I would like to hear your take on is using a snatch ring for a redirect of less than 90 degrees causing the rope to roll off the ring due to leverage under load (a different issue to the one of the rope falling off when you get slack in the system). My take is this may still be a problem with the offset ring when running the winch line around the outside, but leverage may be reduced due to the smaller distance between the load bearing point of winch line and the load bearing point of the soft shackle securing the ring. Alternatively, the winch line can be run through the middle of the offset ring eliminating the risk of the rope being pulled off the ring.
A good question and a good point. Yes that becomes a bit of a risk for the reasons you describe. However, running the rope through any ring can be problematic because it takes time and it has to fit through the hole.
I am not completely sold on the yankum offset ring, but I do appreciate their commitment to a safer winching setup by using their groove fairlead and a loop on the winch rope to be combined with a soft shackle. Their specialty fairlead allows the rope to sit behind the face and remain protected from rocks while allowing the winch to fully spool in.
I have one, and have tried it on 4 different vehicles, none of which it fits. This is due to Australian standards.
I just loop a soft shackle through my winch rope end loop, and winch all the soft shackle but the button knot through the regular fairlead. All winchwire is safely on the drum, and all wear i might get if unlucky is on a replaceable soft shackle. Of which i always bring plenty. The yankum grooved fairlead works, but i can get a lot of soft shackles for the amount of money it costs.
So you're claiming that a locked up pulley, which is what this is essentially, doesn't do any more damage than a spinning pulley? Really? The whole idea of using pulleys is to limit friction. A soft shackle pulley that doesn't spin is a ridiculous idea.
Tell that to Yankum!
@@L2SFBC I'm not the one testing products and recommending locked up pulleys. Perhaps you should give back their donations and remove your stamp of approval.
Good review. For me, the newer modern recovery rings, not just the Yankum version, give me more options that don't weigh anything. They might not be as efficient, but we are now getting within spitting distance of a traditional block with a large spinning ring like mine from #BeeSafeRecoveryGear. I've been using rings longer than most, and I have found heat and rope damage 'issues' to be a non-issue in practical application. I would rate the risk as less than pinching synthetic rope inbetween the cheek and sheeve on a traditional block. I very much enjoy having to carry less gear and less weight that gives me more rigging options ( even though those options might be slightly less efficient than the traditional ones ). Traditional blocks can't ( yet, though I am sure someone will try it soon ) do things like knot passing and double rigging.
Only a viewer of Casey LaDelle and the Yankum products but I thought from those that the claim #2 about not falling out only applied to the ‘through the hole’ method which was why their ring was fatter/thicker than others such that the bend/curve radius on rope would be equal to it being around the ring. I don’t think they ever claimed it wouldn’t fall out when used conventionally.
And I believe Casey stated that this would be useful when he had to release the rope and adjust the setup, and would be able to restart the tow without having to go back to the ring to verify that it was properly seated
True, that's why I demonstrated with the Through. I also thought the Around would be an interesting comparison as you cannot always rig a Through, or want to take the time.
The release-check thing is exactly my point. If there is enough slack to adjust or re-rig then everything should be re-checked, so it's not really any extra effort. That said, I would prefer there to be zero risk of the rope falling out.
@@L2SFBC but in some of Casey’s videos, the ring is in a location where rechecking isn’t convenient or practical so by having the equivalent of a snatch block that can’t come undone, it’s quicker for the operator.
And the fatter ring was such that a ‘through’ usage wouldn’t make a very tight radius bend on rope like other rings which is not preferable as I understand it, just being a viewer, not a user. They kinda merged two rings at 90 degree angles.
Yes, the bend radius is too small, I didn't cover that as it wasn't a claim. Agree with it being quicker and better, but I'm not willing suffer the disadvantages I see.
@@L2SFBC maybe you didn’t see it that way but from the videos I saw, having that larger bend radius sideways is what allows it to be used through the hole, even if it wasn’t offset hole, since a narrow ring is too tight radius, so I view that as a claim that makes theirs unique. So it’s a dual benefit that rope can’t thus fall out either.
I thought it was something to do with friction or such that prevents thin rings from being used through the hole.
My only reason for getting involved here is that you appeared to be testing’ a claim that Yankum didn’t make, which is not falling out when used conventionally around the ring, and not covering the one they apparently do, which is thick ring allows through the hole use safely.
I did show the Through not falling out and yes they have the only ring that is 100% proof of not falling out. The Though requires a thick ring to get the bend radius somewhere close to acceptable...which is around 7:1. The Offset doesn't achieve that, and to be fair, neither do some symmetrical rings. I think the reason no symmetrical rings offer this is because of bend radius, and the need to pass the whole rope though, and it's also not necessary in my experience. I would prefer to have the greater bend radius with the ring rotating and tension-check as I do anyway. Others may choose differently.
12:00 - 13:00 If there is any added rope "winch extension" in your rigging and you end up at the anchor point, then ALL the rope has to be winched in - your green arrows aren't correct UNLESS you have spare drum capacity and suck in ALL the line, extension included. Otherwise all three riggings will have vehicle stop ~ 1/2 way, you'll then need to tether, pull out all the winch line, then start over for the second 1/2 of the pull to the anchor.
See pinned post I cover that
Your videos are very informative. On this one, I think you missed some of the technique that I saw in videos promoting the Yankum concept. I see Yankum of having a different approach or system where they just have a loop on the end of the winch line, no hook or other hardware and they use winch line extensions and two of their rings to facilitate a multiple "pulley" setup to allow a winch to do more. Unless I needed to change out my winch line I don't know that it would make sense to change to their system. For someone starting out fresh, it might be a closer question.
Answer here
th-cam.com/video/zZgBIXAraVg/w-d-xo.html
13:15 in both one rope and long pull, you can't get the distance shown as your winch drum will be full and the distance you'll get is starting minus used extension divided by 2.
Depends. I run 20m of rope on my drum even though I could fit 30m so I could go further than half my winch rope, and it depends where you've rigged the pulleys. The reason I run such a short rope is so I can run high fleet angles, and my winch operates at high efficiency. Should I need more than 20m I just use one of my three extension ropes.
@@L2SFBC fair enough, but non standard, rare, and not stated.
Covering something like this it is impossible to think of everything...as I write this, over 4000 people have watched the video, many with a lot of experience, and they have thought of clarifications and improvements I didn't. So, I shall write a blog post to cover these extra points. Thank you for your contribution, appreciated.
A great analysis but one question can you use a "D" shackle through the ring instead of a soft shackle ? So any wear is on the pin of the "D" shackle possibly with less friction -- just a thought as I like the winch block myself
No you must use a soft shackle.
@10:00 you can undo just the car to closest ring connection and then rotate. If that doesn't work you have set up with twisted lines (don't).
The two legs aren't twisted with each other so rotating the far ring WILL make them worse - rub
Maybe...but then what if the car's wheel drops into a ditch and re-rotates? Either way, it's a still a re-rig which is a time-consuming pain.
Always enjoy your videos! What’s the device called that you use to shorten the winch line? Thank you
It is an X-Lock
So the Yankum doesn't harm the winch line? I love their double length shackles ❤ all accept their cost, its what's kept me from buying buying a dozen or so. Like having sleeves on my SS, they take the abuse & dont wear my rope or SS itself. Allen is a really nice guy & I do love his products.
With regards to the one rope concept, unless your winch drum has the capacity to hold both your winch rope and your winch extension, you will be rerigging just as often.
Could be but even so it would still be useful albeit not essential in my view.
think id just go for the standard ring. my shackles have a protective sleeve on them so it would have to wear through that before it could get to the shackle itself and as you said, shackles are cheap and easy to replace.
Great Work.
Greets from Germany.
Thank you very much!
I'm new to winching so I got to ask...why not just stick to a snatch block which seems to avoid wear on bothe the winch line and soft shackle and also seems to be more efficient? Is it just for weight and room?
Yes
Thanks Rob. The wife and I leave the Riverina for 10wks through WA via the Central Road and others in two weeks. I have been waiting for you to run a comparison. In the mean time I just got a snatch block. Some of the trails you just test on I would not be allowed to choose (get my shoulder punched by the Co-Pilot). I think our 2024 Everest, beefed up and the Off Road camper will do fine. Have you ever reviewed alternate anchor options? Land Anchor, Deadman Anchor etc. Cheers
I have no video on anchors but have used a few sand anchors and found them all useless unless the ground is perfect for them. In sand, anchors just pull through. In earth, they don't go into the ground. I wouldn't own one. In sand, use 4x traction ramp, shovel and tyre pressures. That'll fix anything. Elsewhere the same plus winch and jack. I have winched my way out of trouble by using a 30m winch ext strap spread around numerous small shrubs, none of which invidually would be strong enough.
Great video and I agree mostly with you except for the part about wear. With a Yankum ring there is the tiniest amount (1/2 the circumference of the ring) of wear spread along the entire length of the winch line but if the ring spins 100% of the wear is concentrated on one spot on the soft shackle.
For an average offroader you shouldnt ever notice the winch line wear with a Yankum but you would wear out a soft shackle with a rotating ring.
That said the Yankum ring is way too expensive so until they bring the price down the others are a better option.
Thanks for your hard work.
That's true, good point. But to counter. Note that the winch rope will carry dirt onto the ring, the shackle won't. And, shackles are easier and cheaper to replace. Also, for recreational winching I don't think you'd wear a shackle too much anyway. I'm yet to wear out any soft shackle, although I do use whichever one is to hand so I've not concentrated my winching on just one.
Thx for intressting test !
I think 2 small things..
1. The Fab 55 feel very small, is the rope turning on a small curve or is the camera how make it look like that?
2. If i winsch uphill in a rocky trail the car can loosen the force on the line or very muddy trail and need to help with the car. Then you dont want or can go out and check the lines. It feels much safer to have it trought then.
1 The F55 has a small internal diameter and therefore bend radius, not ideal. No camera tricks.
2 yes, if you winch incorrectly that can happen. You should always keep tension on the line.
I agree that putting the wear and tear on a soft shackle makes a lot more sense than putting it on your winch line. For the size, weight, cost and versatility I think your money would be better spent on 4 small rings. Of course you’d then need at least 4 soft shackles, but I also kinda feel like that’s an appropriate number to have… and a pair of bow shackles.
I like what Yankum is doing, but your clip of the winch line residue left on the ring pinpoints what I see as a fatal flaw in the offset design in that it puts all of the friction/heat into the thinnest part of the ring and uses the winch line as a bearing/heatsink.
Do you ever come to the conclusion that you can’t beat the snatch block and bow shackle for strength, durability, simplicity, reliability, environmentally friendly, lower embodied energy and probably 5 other reasons I haven’t mentioned?
No, I don't, as there are pros and cons of snatch blocks vs rings, so depending on the criteria you set, the snatch block can certainly be beaten.
Great info, Robert. I like your feline rigging assistant.
It has a new name!
You joined the two ropes wrong in no.5.The loop of the grey should have gone over the red.Then put the tag end of the grey through the red loop and pull it all through.Your way may become difficult to seperate.That type of join is common for a flyfisherman.
Ooops, I did a few takes of that as well thanks to the cat getting in the way :-(
@@L2SFBCyes, as Casey LaDelle explained, it’s essentially like a square knot when done properly.
@L2SFBC - 86th! Awesome "real world review" comparison of products! In seeing many different people use & review the Yankum Offset Rings, there is high probability they designed it around their own unique creation/design of synthetic rope & soft shackles. Would be nice if Yankum shared which of their own products they were able to achieve the claims they report on their Offset Rings designs! Yea! 🍀🙀🌟 😇
Yes it would be. The claims are mostly not measurable though. #1 and #3 would be but to be honest the improvement or negatives would be too small to worry about.
13:25 long pull only pull the same distance as the first one…
14:51 girth hitch should be dressed to look like a square knot or reef not.
It looks as though there is not much difference to usual methods exept for one senario.
If space and weight is a premium for example a small Short wheel base 4X4 then the Yankum maybe a handy option.
However the Spanish Burton wins over anyway.
Yes, no 'best', choose what suits your needs best.
@@L2SFBC There is one test not showen where as 2 connected ropes can pass throu continuously.
But as you showed in another video about the efficiency, but there is something to be said about the width being larger, Maybe if someone makes a larger ring then maybe it would work well too.
Now weigh the price...
like you said the standard rings work just fine.
Long time climber here. A few comments - 1) Rubbing of dyneema in the way pictured is likely to be a non-issue. Tensioned ropes running parallel to each other put almost no pressure on each other and thus no friction. 2) More concerning is the Yankum "one rope" idea using a cow aka GIRTH hitch to join the 2 eye loops. That assuredly DECREASES strength of the system - probably in the range of 50% or more based on climbers testing of similar scenarios (girth hitching two loop slings together). The dyneema CUTS itself as it is loaded. Dyneema DOES NOT LIKE tight radius bends (hence the constant discussion of pulley sheave diameter ). See here: th-cam.com/video/JYd14LuitX8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=yKnFZc0ACyk6vVpG&t=250 I WOULD NOT use the one rope method AT ALL
Thanks. Agree with rubbing, I went into it as it was a specific Yankum claim. Was not given cow hitch stats either and have heard similar.
Funny. I had thought these things had ball bearings in them so an inner ring would rotate. Obviously, I have never seen one in real life. I am just watching TH-cam videos trying to learn about what I might need to get.
Is there a reason that nobody makes one of these snatch rings with ball bearings? Why the heck are they relying on ropes or soft-shackles to just slide on metal?
Look at my Red Winches RR30 review.
Yes they are made. Check my RR30 Red Winches video.
Thank You
You're welcome
Yankum keeps trying to reinvent the wheel but that has always been a fruitless endeavor
Well we have had the wheel, then tyres, spokes, different metals...so still a wheel but different. Yankum have tried something different and I applaud them for that.
Kitty is the true star.
Has been named "Feline Rigging Assistant"
Your cow hitch was incorrect, weak, and bulky. Oops.
Sounds like a setup for a "your mom" joke.
Hi Robert, I watched this (your video) a while back now. but today I came across the following , I thought you might find it interesting: "Yankum Offset Winch Ring, DO NOT USE THEM", th-cam.com/video/6rWZqTcHqNM/w-d-xo.html
posted a year ago.
This testing is mostly anecdotal rather than definitive/scientific. However, buy what you're happy with.
Casey LaDelle in the comments? 😂
The real solution is a Shimano BioPace winch ring. 😆
well looky there, snake oil rings...