I want to keep my D Ring shackles on permanently, but they will rust. any ideas on keeping the rust away?

 

Good question! I'd like to know this too...also how do you keep people from stealing these things?

 

My shackles are powder coated so that helps, but hit them with some liquid wrench or something like that every now and then.

To keep them from getting stollen, I just tighten them up real tight with a 14in crescent wrench that I keep in the cargo area, just make sure the wrench stays in the Jeep at all times, so you have a means of removing your shackles when needed.

I've lived/worked in some shady places, it's not too often when you see fools cruising the ghetto with giant wrenches to steel shackles.

 

I know this sounds crazy but petroleum jelly light coat every 6 months or after cleaning Vic keeps them from rusting. Also for theft change the pin to a screw in with a hole at the end put a small key look through it.

 

Breakfree CLP will do a very good job preventing rust, probably better than just about anything else you can use short of painting them.

However, mine are zinc plated. I would figure most D-ring shackles are plated to prevent rust. I suppose the plating is worn off of yours? Mine have been on the Jeep for over a year with no rust but they have not been used much. Maybe one time to pull a Ford Focus out of the beach where spring breakers got it stuck.

 

Always blows my mind people steal these. Mine stay on permanently, and I have the quick connect ones so if someone wanted em, they just have to pull a pin rather than unscrew em. Guess I've just been lucky so far. I actually lost one or two of the screw on ones in the past, but cuz they came loose and fell off. I got tired of having em screwed on so tight when I needed to remove one on the trail it would be a struggle. Switched to quick connect ones and didn't look back. Mine are powder coated, but that's been eaten away with use over time. Zero rust issues, but that's probably cuz not really an issue here in north Texas I guess.

 

Mine have been on the Jeep ten years, used on occasion, and never did anything to prevent rust except dutifully clean Jeep off after being in salt areas (snow, sea water, etc). I have lost a couple--vibrated off on trails--so I use a screwdriver in the hole in the pin to tighten it up pretty hard.

 

You could spray them down with Fluid Film. However, I just purchase the ones they have at Harbor Freight. They're black powder coated. I've had them on for over a year with no rust. For $10, (or $8 with their 20% off coupon) you can't beat the price.
https://www.harborfreight.com/34-in-...suv-63743.html

 

I leave mine on all the time as well. If someone wants to steal my $8 HF shackles, I say more power to them. So far no problems but if it ever becomes a problem maybe I'll consider putting super glue on the threads. I essentially use my front shackles like I use my rear tow hooks. I feed a strap through them and then use another shackle to hold the strap loops together and then attach the winch hook to the other shackle. This makes it so the powder coat paint doesn't get scraped off on the shackles that remain attached. No metal to metal contact.

I don't have a pic of the front setup, but it's essentially the same as this rear connection setup, just substitute the front shackles in place of the rear tow hook. I can't really even think of a reason to have to even try to remove the shackle from the Jeep when hooking up this way. Maybe it's not a good practice to use a strap this way? I kind of figured I'm also almost doubling the strength of the strap connecting this way, therefore having a double benefit....no paint scrape and doubling strength of strap. Seems like a win/win.


Here's my front shackles. (Sorry no bright red like the cool kids with the hard rock package)

 

Mine are powder coated as well, but not the threads. That is where the oxidation/rusting occurs.