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Broken Slackline Ratchet

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J-Wile
Posts: 481 - Karma: 804
Finally got some free time and some Delicious weather here in Michigan, so decided to try out the slackline I bought in mid-April. I set it up in my backyard and kept falling off, then I had a great idea to move it over my tramp, so I could fall onto the tramp, and bounce of the line and flip onto the tramp. I also got a step ladder for the other side so I could hold onto that to help get started. I was having an epic weekend, and spent 3+ hours on it Friday and Saturday, and over 4 on Sunday. I can walk on it now, and balance on each foot for up to a minute with ease. Super fun time.

At the moment, I have the line so it only hangs over the edge of my circle trampoline, so that I have access to the ladder on the ground, and if I want to sesh the tramp, the line won't get in the way. There was a tree I might have been able to use that would set the anchor right dead center of my tramp, which was something I wanted to try. I went to release the tension via the crank thing, (This part always scares me because of the tension) and I closed my eyes and pulled on the lever slowly until it released. I heard a super loud crack almost like a gunshot, and as I threaded the line out, I discovered this.

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Most depressing moment I've had in a while. Was it my fault that it broke? Was it a faulty rachet? idk

Tl;Dr

Got good enough weather to try the slackline I just bought, ended up bein super fun. Went to move it and ratchet broke. Why the fuck did my ratchet break?

May 6 2013 10:08AM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
PM David Lesh. I hear he gots da ratchets.
May 6 2013 10:21AM
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ski_ENDUB
Posts: 2535 - Karma: 86
go to home depot and get a tie down/new rachet there. it's criminal how much gibbon charges for their setup anyways
May 6 2013 10:27AM
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theblackrod
Posts: 2162 - Karma: 575
i lost. hard.
May 6 2013 10:49AM
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Phil-X-
Posts: 7205 - Karma: 14,399
OPs struggle

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No im the the same way tho, that shit scares me
May 6 2013 10:55AM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
*ocean state/big lots/ etc.

Just get a very heavy duty extra beefy ratcheting tie down if you're going to replace it. Should be able to find a few in the 1200-1500lb range for <$20.
May 6 2013 11:01AM
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yuck
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 2,090
ratchet straps and slacklines seem to be made from competely different materials IME. ratchet straps are intentionally not supposed to be elastic, whereas slacklines are more stretchy. i would be afraid to walk on a ratchet strap because the since the strap wont elastically stretch as much, way more tension is exerted on the ratchet (which is intended for static loading anyhow)

i mean, you probably could do it, but i would be scared to.
May 6 2013 12:53PM
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~Gotama~
Posts: 821 - Karma: 3,160
use a couple of carabiners. look it up online for instructions how, its just as good as a store bought ratchet.
May 6 2013 12:59PM
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ski_ENDUB
Posts: 2535 - Karma: 86
i've done it, works fine
May 6 2013 1:54PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
They're the same thing.


May 6 2013 1:59PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
*the ratcheting part anyways. It's really inconsequential what the strap is made of.
May 6 2013 2:00PM
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MothaHucker
Posts: 4678 - Karma: 2,589
Looks you had it wayy too tight to me, but maybe I am wrong. You could contact gibbon or whoever you got it from, or just use the same line and get a new ratchet somewhere. Be sure you are setting it up right, it can be tricky if youre not sure what you are doing. Always keep the ratchet handle on the underside of the line
May 6 2013 2:04PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,270
if you set it up correctly it's very very unlikely that you were strong or heavy enough to break that metal piece. contact gibbon about a possible replacement if it was faulty, otherwise grab a new ratchet from a hardware store
May 6 2013 2:15PM
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terraclot
Posts: 438 - Karma: 665
http://www.nwslackline.org/96/howto-setting-up-a-basic-primitive-slackline
May 6 2013 2:44PM
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pomme-de-terre
Posts: 3915 - Karma: 703
i mean, i use ratchet straps all the time to pull 6000lb trucks out of mud and snow and shit. so, a 150lb person walking across the same strap between two trees probably wont cause it to snap and kill you.


probably.
May 6 2013 3:27PM
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pomme-de-terre
Posts: 3915 - Karma: 703
i just realized i didnt even help you out.


go to your local hardware store, bring that ratchet with you, and buy one of the exact same size and style. will probably cost around $5-$10
May 6 2013 3:34PM
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onLINE
Posts: 1013 - Karma: 423
ratchet thread.
May 6 2013 3:36PM
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Jakx~
Posts: 653 - Karma: 503
Get a hold of Gibbon right away. That's a faulty piece of metal. It shouldn't have broken like that. Those pieces should be able to hold easily over a ton of weight. Since this was really the first time you used it there isn't much you could've done to cause that piece to go bad. So talk to them and tell them the story, they should replace it for you free of charge. In reality their liable in a situation like that, cause if that had broken while you were on it and you got injured it'd be due to a faulty product.
May 6 2013 3:39PM
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Jakx~
Posts: 653 - Karma: 503
Get a hold of Gibbon right away. That's a faulty piece of metal. It shouldn't have broken like that. Those pieces should be able to hold easily over a ton of weight. Since this was really the first time you used it there isn't much you could've done to cause that piece to go bad. So talk to them and tell them the story, they should replace it for you free of charge. In reality their liable in a situation like that, cause if that had broken while you were on it and you got injured it'd be due to a faulty product.
May 6 2013 3:39PM
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J-Wile
Posts: 481 - Karma: 804
I just got an email back from gibbon. They make overpriced ratchets, but at least they back up their products. So stoked I don't have to get one from home depot.

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May 6 2013 6:20PM
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J-Wile
Posts: 481 - Karma: 804
Wow that picture is small. Sorry for dub post and shitty picture. They dude basically said he has never seen anything like it before, and that he would send me a new one free.
May 6 2013 6:21PM
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yuck
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 2,090
yes that is very true. okay so ratchet straps are probably safe to walk on, for sure. but idk, i still think that since they arent as stretchy, it wouldnt be as fun because it would like, bounce or swing o "surf" if you will.

who knows
May 7 2013 12:06AM
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