Originally Posted by gringeltaube

For do-it-yourselfers or the ones who can't buy them so cheap or aren't so close by....
I just did some comparative testing with my own creation of a "shear-pin cracker" (pat.pend. ) which actually worked better than expected.......

The OEM pins (including the broken core of my very 1st winch miss-hap...) snapped at about 160 ft-lb. More or less the same torque was needed for a home made one made of brass which I had used for years of "normal winching action" but later replaced when I found it with already some deformation.

Also I have a few larger ones of unknown application...(the M35 uses 0.279" x 2.125" measured inside cotter pin holes, these are 0.329" x 2.25") so I turned one down and it also took 160+ to shear it.

For comparison another "homemade" pin of unknown alloy but at least showing some temper... only resisted 100 foot-pound!

Next step will be trying to find 2024 or 2017 alloy locally and compare different levels of temper.
At least I know now what the goal is....

G.