Can we talk about that time I tried a new rigging method...

Last Tuesday I swapped out my usual basket hitch for a choker hitch on a steel beam job downtown. Thought it would speed things up but the load shifted weird on me halfway through the lift. I had to set it down slow and redo everything... took an extra 40 minutes. Has anyone else had a simple change go sideways like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

laura1891mo ago

Wait, you thought a choker hitch would be faster than a basket hitch on a steel beam? Usually a choker is slower and more careful because it grips tighter. Did you maybe confuse it with a two-leg bridle or something? Because a choker hitch can actually make loads spin if you don't set it exactly right, especially on round beams. Sounds like you just had a bad angle or the choke point wasn't seated properly. I've had that happen before too, but it's more about setup than the hitch itself being faster.

milesj701mo ago

Aw man, I gotta push back a little here. I've used chokers on steel beams plenty of times and honestly, if the beam's straight and the eye's set right, it can be just as fast as a basket - you just gotta get the bite right the first time. Spinning's usually on me for not seating the choke square, not the hitch itself being to blame.

ryanh561mo agoMost Upvoted

Saw a rigging video that said choker hitches can twist loads if the eyes aren't dead centered.