Ever seen what happens when a shackle takes a side load it wasn’t built for? We tested a 3/4” Oceanside bolt pin shackle—rated at 9,500 lbs working load with a 6:1 design factor—and cranked it sideways until failure at just 48,700 lbs, way below its expected straight-pull strength. The body warps, the pin bends, and it all gives way in a tense, metal-twisting spectacle. This is the hidden risk in rigging: Side loading slashes capacity and turns solid gear into hazards. In the field, alignment is