Isc rope grab help

[noidea]

Hi everyone, hope everyone had a good Christmas.

feel like a bit of an idiot for having to ask this one, awhile back I bought a new flip line kit ( 13mm steel core flip line and a isc rope grab 10.5mm -13mm) this grab was recommended for that line and I have used them before. I never got round to putting it all together as I got a new job and didn’t need it. Today I decided to put it together as I have a few of my own jobs coming up but as the video shows I must’ve put it together wrong as I can move the grab down just by holding the outside which is obviously no good.

 

Does anyone have an idea of what I’ve done wrong hopefully it’s just me being stupid! Any help would be great many thanks

[Steve Bullman]

I think it’s right, it’s just the fact that it’s not loaded correctly that it’s acting that way. Once on your harness it will behave completely different 

[noidea]

Thanks hopefully your right. I did try it under load ( don't have my harness with me so just held the two cabs and hung on it from pull up bar ) i was still able to move it, though not as easily.

Wish i had my old flipline as i was sure i couldn't move the grab down like that on it. Fingers crossed once its on the harness its all good

 

[john87]

It all looks ok to me.. I have two of the things, but changed them for friction hitches..

 

I would say though, that if you attach the rope to something and then hold the Karabiner, if you can pull it down at all, no matter how little, then there is something SERIOUSLY wrong..

 

Two points..

 

1, Are you SURE that the flip line is not thicker than 13MM ????

 

2, The other thing i would add, is that mine, on a 13mm rope, are at their absolute limit as far as rope diameter is concerned, and that is on a squashy climbing rope where the thing can "bite in" as it were. Perhaps a "non squashy" hard steel core flip line is just too thick for it..

 

Try it on a bit of 13mm rope.. I bet it works perfectly then..

 

ANY doubt at all, and i would not be using it...

 

john..

[noidea]

Thanks John,

don’t worry I won’t be using it any height if I’m not 100% sure about it. I’ve got a pull up bar that I might hang from with the harness. 
I did double check when I brought it that it was the right one for the line but think I might give them a call when they are back open. 
I like how with a rope grab you can just pull the tail of the line up to make it tighter which I can’t see you being able to with a friction hitch. 
thanks for the reply

[Treerover]

You’ll get the feel of it when you’re in your harness as you’ll not be on full weight against it using it as a flip line .
More importantly, if you’ve still got the pin /ball indent locking mechanism securing the through bolt then I’d REALLY recommend you swap that for a high tensile bolt and nylock .
It concerns me slightly that people sometimes use life support equipment that they don’t seem conversant with .
That said, at least in your circs you’ve asked a question ….

[Pete Mctree]

In the video, you did not “load” the grab, you simply moved it up and down with the body. If you pulled down on the maillon, which moves the cam against the rope, it will lock. Try it.

[john87]

30 minutes ago, Pete Mctree said:

In the video, you did not “load” the grab, you simply moved it up and down with the body. If you pulled down on the maillon, which moves the cam against the rope, it will lock. Try it.

I could not get the video to play...

 

john..

[john87]

51 minutes ago, Treerover said:

You’ll get the feel of it when you’re in your harness as you’ll not be on full weight against it using it as a flip line .
More importantly, if you’ve still got the pin /ball indent locking mechanism securing the through bolt then I’d REALLY recommend you swap that for a high tensile bolt and nylock .
It concerns me slightly that people sometimes use life support equipment that they don’t seem conversant with .
That said, at least in your circs you’ve asked a question ….

It concerns me that someone would use a device where they did not know for a 100% certainty that it would grab the rope especially when it is being shaken on and off all the time such as when you fit one to a flipline.. [No, I do not mean "noidea" the originator of this thread]

 

I admit it, i do not like the things.. If the little wire rope springy thing breaks you might find it does not grab at all, especially with thicker rope as the locking bit has a lot less mechanical advantage then..

 

I know a friction hitch is a right pain, but it is safer, for me at least..

 

john..

[Pete Mctree]

51 minutes ago, john87 said:

It concerns me that someone would use a device where they did not know for a 100% certainty that it would grab the rope especially when it is being shaken on and off all the time such as when you fit one to a flipline.. [No, I do not mean "noidea" the originator of this thread]

 

I admit it, i do not like the things.. If the little wire rope springy thing breaks you might find it does not grab at all, especially with thicker rope as the locking bit has a lot less mechanical advantage then..

 

I know a friction hitch is a right pain, but it is safer, for me at least..

 

john..

They are a safe and reliable device when used correctly.

 

They grab better with a thicker rope, as the cam has a bigger surface area to contact as does the body. As for the spring, well the item is defective without it, so why would you use it?