Hooknswoop 19 #1 January 8, 2005 I just found a link that at first I thought was just installed wrong, with the barrel nut to the outside, but then I checked the lines and the entire line group was 180-out. This is on a reserve that was assembled and packed and then re-packed by another rigger. There also wasn't a torque mark on the links or lock tite on the threads. The link really stood out because all the other links were installed correctly. It's not like the link would have failed, just very sloppy work. Riggers; be careful, take your time, and don't cut corners. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nitrochute 2 #2 January 8, 2005 AND COUNT YOUR TOOLS!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cvfd1399 0 #3 January 9, 2005 When we installed my main links we faced them the same way. It seems like every jump they somehow spun around and are facing eachother the oposite ways. I just spin one around to match the other. Does it really matter what way it faces as long as it is not side loaded and the barrel is tight? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #4 January 9, 2005 Links should be installed with the barrel nuts to the inside, long end on the riser. If your links are spinning, you must not have slider bumpers, which means your slider grommets are getting damage, which then damages your lines. Do you have slider bumpers? The link in this case was backwards, which isn't nearly as big as the line group being out of order because they lines were on the link when the link was put on wrong. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cvfd1399 0 #5 January 9, 2005 No I need some tho. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #6 January 9, 2005 Are your main slider grommets brass or steel? Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cvfd1399 0 #7 January 9, 2005 steel. I watch them close tho. When they look warped I reset them with a rubber dead blow tool no burrs. I have just been forgetting to get it done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #8 January 9, 2005 Another, better option is Slinks. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cvfd1399 0 #9 January 9, 2005 I am getting them on my new wings. Should be here in 6-7 weeks I used to be real heavy out the door so I did not have much trust in the slinks. What are the rated at anyways Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #10 January 9, 2005 They are stronger than Rapide Links. PD's website has some info on them. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cvfd1399 0 #11 January 9, 2005 hmm I bet they are stronger while they are fully intact, but I think they would fail faster than metal would when exposed to equal amounts of damage. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #12 January 9, 2005 Do the research. See how many failed Slinks and how many failed Rapide links you can find. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #13 January 9, 2005 Come on... slinks are newer. If you have failure rate information that would be meaningful. Number of failures is not an equal comparison. Even failure rates are probably very skewed since I'm guessing no slinks have ever failed. Doesn't mean they never will. Not saying you're wrong that slinks are better though. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #14 January 9, 2005 Quote Come on... slinks are newer. Yes, they are newer. So take only the failures since Slinks have been around, say the last 3 years. How many Slinks have failed in the last 3 years and how many Rapide links have failed int he last 3 years? Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #15 January 9, 2005 What's gonna happen when there are a whole lot of people using 5-10 year old slinks? Do properly inspected rapide links ever fail? Can a slink be damaged by being stepped on? What other questions does nobody even know to ask yet about them? Did anyone realize that a manufacturing defect in a grommet could cause an entaglement before it happened? Rapide links are not as strong as slinks, but they are well proven and well understood. They are prone to failure when not properly cared for/inspected, right? What'd the downside of slinks going to turn out to be? Maybe nothing... but how sure are you? Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #16 January 9, 2005 They are Slinks being jumped out there witha lot of jumps on them. They take being ignored and re-used better than Rapide links. I think 3+ years is enough to have any long term issues show up. FOrcomparison, look at the Vigil. I wonder what is the most jumps put on a set of Slinks? Besides, you should replace Slinks when you replace your line set, just like Rapide links, cheap insurance and to prevent any long term use issued with either type of link. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyblu3 0 #17 January 20, 2005 I had a reserve which was installed incorrectly. Two lines were overlapping the other lines. They were put onto the link in the wrong order. This rig went through a rerve repack 3 times until it was finally noticed after I switched riggers. Did about 100 jumps with my gear like this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #18 January 20, 2005 QuoteWhat's gonna happen when there are a whole lot of people using 5-10 year old slinks? Ask the Europeans. Various forms of soft links have been in use in various countires over there for quite some time. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
