Holloway Houston Blog

A crane on an industrial site, a winch line on a barge, and a sling in a fabrication shop may all use wire rope, but rarely the same variety.

Clevis fasteners and shackles look remarkably similar at first glance. Both feature a U-shaped body closed by a removable pin, and both are designed to connect components in mechanical or rigging assemblies.

Every rigging system ultimately transfers load through a hook. Whether installed on an overhead crane hoist or integrated into a chain sling assembly, the hook is the component that directly supports the load.

When an overhead lift involves high heat, abrasive environments, or loads sporting sharp steel edges that would instantly sever synthetic webbing, lifting chains remain the default rigging gear. Alloy steel chain slings resist thermal degradation

In heavy lifting and rigging applications, the connection point between the load and the gear is often the most critical variable.

The eye bolt is a prime example. You can find them in every tool crib, on the back of every service truck, and in the "junk drawer" of almost every shop. Because they are so common, they are frequently treated as "commodity" hardware grab one that fits the hole, screw it in, and lift.

In the rigging world, hooks and shackles are reliable because they are mechanical. You can see the pin, you can feel the latch, and you know exactly how the load is secured.

Below-the-hook (BTH) lifting devices are attachments used between a crane hook and the load being lifted.

Chain sling configuration codes often look confusing at first glance. Codes such as SOS, DOS, ADOS, TOS, and QOS may appear to be shorthand only experienced rigging professionals understand.

Shackles are a critical connection component in lifting and rigging systems. They link slings, chains, wire rope, and hardware to the load, and their selection directly affects load alignment, force distribution, and connection stability during a lift.