Reserve slink to attach bridle (#5 Grommet)

[Martini 0]

Wow! Thanks for the stories, they're valuable info. I wonder what size the grommets were in these instances. If I'm reading you right both failures were using main slinks, I'm using those also but as I mentioned I don't believe they will pull through a 9/16" grommet.

I found a 5/8" grommet on my old Racer d-bag, when I have time I'll test it with main slinks and post the result.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[kingbunky 3]

yes, they were both on main slinks. i wasn't a rigger at the time and didn't know the difference. mine must have had the smaller grommet so it stayed longer, the other rig had a larger one and fell out right away.

the manufacturer will probably tell you to use a reserve slink for a couple of reasons. one, it's bigger and less chance of pulling through. the other is that since a main slink is shorter, once it is installed correctly (two laps around), it is so tight that the kill line will wear out the bridle pretty quick.

if you ordered the pilot chute from chuting star, they will probably include one of each type of slink. reserve for the dbag connection, main for the canopy connection.

"Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart."
MB4252 TDS699
killing threads since 2001

[Martini 0]

Hmmm, another piece of interesting info, the snug bridle causing kill line and presumably bridle wear.
My use of slinks is based on bridle wear from a speed link and knowing several people who have gone to slinks, I assumed that they were using main slinks but I'll ask around. Interestingly I generally use a speed link at the canopy because I find it much easier to change canopies which I do frequently. Thanks for the great input.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[audiobahn18s 0]

Okay, I hooked up my new Cazer using the main and the reserve Slink and here are the pics. I left the slink tab out of the bridle loop when doing the test pull usinf the Main Slink, to simulate what could happen using the least amount of fabric bulk from the slink. Althoug I couldnt pull the main slink through the grommet, I could see where repeated jumps could potentially "funnel" the fabric through the grommet.

I did the reserve slink two ways, one with the tab out of the bridle loop( for the same reason stated above) and also with the tab tucked into the bridle loop to have maximum bulk. Regardless, I could not get even a deformity of the fabirc in either case using the reserve slink. I will have my rigger inspect the installation and let you know what he says.

The directions that came with the Cazer specifically stated to use a #5 grommet and a smaller one will work but will cause premature wear.

This post is to provide pictures only and I am in NO way stating this setup will work (although i followed the Cazer directions so it should work fine) CONSULT YOUR RIGGER BEFORE JUMPING ANY CHANGES YOU MAKE TO YOUR RIG

[riggerrob 643]

"

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... Using a speed link caused enough damage to one of my bridles that I retired the bridle and pc. ...

"

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No wonder!
I was under the impression that U.S. Navy Speed Links disappeared from skydiving gear decades ago!

[Martini 0]

Yes, technically a "Rapide" link. Commonly called a speed link because the French "rapide" translates in english to "speed". Since the true military speed links have gone by the wayside only Canadians still call Rapides by their formal name.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[riggerrob 643]

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Yes, technically a "Rapide" link. Commonly called a speed link because the French "rapide" translates in english to "speed". Since the true military speed links have gone by the wayside only Canadians still call Rapides by their formal name.

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I call Maillon Rapide links "Maillon Rapide Links" because I am not bright enough to remember a dozen different nicknames.

[Beatnik 2]

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Yes, technically a "Rapide" link. Commonly called a speed link because the French "rapide" translates in english to "speed". Since the true military speed links have gone by the wayside only Canadians still call Rapides by their formal name.

I call them Rapide Links because I still see and use speed links occasionally. It has nothing to do with my nationality.

I was given a C9 with speed links on it about three weeks ago. I still prefer L-Bars (a side note: there is actually a right and wrong way to install L-Bars).

[MrHixxx 0]

A cheaper replacement to the rapide link is to just use a key ring. A key ring achieves the same thing as a slink by removing the hot spot created by the barrel of a rapide link and they are a hell of a lot cheaper.

-Hixxx

death,as men call him, ends what they call men
-but beauty is more now than dying’s when

[Martini 0]

Nice creative solution, what diameter ring are you using?

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[mjosparky 4]

I am sure there are people reading this that are sure what these guys are talking about.
This is an “L Bar”. Used by the Air Force and Army to attack canopies to the risers.


http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp55/mjosparky/Skydiving/LBar.jpg

This is a “Navy” speed link. As the name suggests it is used by the Navy to attach canopies to the riser.

http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp55/mjosparky/Skydiving/SpeedLink.jpg

And this is a Rapide Link or sometimes referred to a French link. They came into use when square canopies with their fewer and smaller lines became popular. A real Rapide link will be stamed with the name.

Sparky


http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp55/mjosparky/Skydiving/RapideLink1.jpg

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[MrHixxx 0]

1", just enough to be wider than the #5....

death,as men call him, ends what they call men
-but beauty is more now than dying’s when

[BrianM 1]

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Yes, technically a "Rapide" link. Commonly called a speed link because the French "rapide" translates in english to "speed". Since the true military speed links have gone by the wayside only Canadians still call Rapides by their formal name.

"Rapide" does not translate to "speed". It translates to "rapid", "fast", or "quick".

Strangely enough , I never hear them called speed links, but do often hear them called quick links.

"Speed" would be "vitesse".

[BrianM 1]

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(a side note: there is actually a right and wrong way to install L-Bars).

I don't see anything in Poynter other than how much to tighten the screws.

What are the right and wrong ways?

"It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

[Martini 0]

Depends on which translator you look at, semantics anyway. Quick links is often heard. Didn't mean to get into such a discussion here but totally OK with being specific, I recently had to have a discussion with an engineer regarding the difference betwen anal and detail oriented. Technically I am wrong, possibly because I'm not a rigger and don't take things as seriously as I really should. Since the link we are referring to is by far the most common device it is called by several colloquial names.

Also since I happen to like and regard Rob highly I occasionally enjoy giving him a little shit. And I have once again been drinking a little extra. Cheers.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[BrianM 1]

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Depends on which translator you look at

No, not in this case. It's a straightforward translation. Oh, and I didn't use a translator; I'm bilingual, and did all of my schooling in French. So there!

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I recently had to have a discussion with an engineer regarding the difference betwen anal and detail oriented.

Whispering to self: please don't let him look at the occupation listed in my profile, please don't let him look at the occupation listed in my profile...

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Also since I happen to like and regard Rob highly I occasionally enjoy giving him a little shit.

Now that I can agree with! (I know Rob in person; in fact, he taught on my rigger course, back when he was working on getting his rigger instructor rating).

"It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

[Martini 0]

Shit, now I'm gonna have to take this up with my big sister who, in a former life, was a French/English interpreter.

Yup, I looked at your profile after I posted and got a self-satisfied chuckle over that. The engineer happened to be my boss.

Haven't seen Rob in years, he's definitely a rigger I'd want to train with.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[Martini 0]

So here's the results I got experimenting, maybe more info than we need but also some new discovery.

Testing a 5/8" grommet with two wraps of main slink I was able to pull the bridle through EASILY, like two seconds of wiggling using about 20 lbs force. I don't have a reserve slink so can't comment about that but a main slink on a 5/8" grommet = failure.

Checking out the 9/16" grommet with two wraps of main slink confirmed my original test, no way is that bridle going to pull through. If gradual softening causes serious deformation failure could occur but right now that appears unlikely.

Two things to add here. If my 9/16" grommet had a reserve slink in the bridle the bridle opening could be so tight that wear from the kill line might be an issue, with the main slink the opening isn't very tight but keeping an eye out for unusual wear will be a good plan. Also I found that tucking the slink tab into a bridle loop caused the two loops to be asymmetrical, that put the bridle end out of square with the grommet and definitely showed uneven wear marks on the bridle loops. I simply turned the slink so thet the tab is exposed, hopefully that won't create some other issue like a snag point.

In checking out MrHixxx's idea using a 1" key ring it seemed to work well, even though there is no guarantee that the two bridle loops will remain opposed to one another I didn't see a problem if they slid together. The ring does hold the loops apart nicely and may minimize kill line wear. If you use the key ring be sure that the ends aren't squared off and sharp, good quality rings have well rounded ends and the ring is kinked so the ends are flush.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[monkycndo 0]

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In checking out MrHixxx's idea using a 1" key ring it seemed to work well, even though there is no guarantee that the two bridle loops will remain opposed to one another I didn't see a problem if they slid together. The ring does hold the loops apart nicely and may minimize kill line wear. If you use the key ring be sure that the ends aren't squared off and sharp, good quality rings have well rounded ends and the ring is kinked so the ends are flush.

I use a ring in one of my rigs. The bridle did offset to one side of the ring. I was afraid the exposed ring might snag something. A couple small stitches holding the two sides of the bridle loops keeps them opposed to one another. Works pretty nice and stopped the wear caused by the barrel of the metal link. I found a heavy duty ring with smooth ends at the local hardware store. Cost under a buck.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[riggerrob 643]

It is not just bilingual Canadians that call them "Maillon Rapide."
Why just today, I wandered into Mountain Equipment Coop - in Vancouver, where french is something like the seventh most popular language, after english and mandarin and cantonese and punjabi and hindi, fijian, tagali, newfunese, caper, acadian, etc.
I was discussing carbiners with a sales clerk, when he suggested using a "Maillon."

[Martini 0]

See, that's what I'm talking about. Around here if you say "Maillon" that means "yes I would like mayonnaise on my sandwich".

Sometimes you eat the bear..............