Which way round does a wire rope clip go?

U-bolt on the dead (short) end, saddle on the live end, all clips the same way. Fitting the U on the live end crushes the working part of the rope.

Can bulldog grips be used on a crane wire or mooring wire?

No. The Code of Safe Working Practices says not to use them on lifting or mooring wires; use a splice or a swaged fitting.

Wire Clips / Thimbles / Sockets

Wire Clips Standard

Wire Clips Standard is a group of 28 IMPA-coded items (codes 230801–230829) under Wire Clips / Thimbles / Sockets in the Rigging Equipment & General Deck Items section (IMPA 23). All of them are priced per piece. The names most often specify galvanised (14 of 28). The list runs through 14 metric sizes from 4.5 mm to 50 mm.

Buying guide

Wire rope clips, called bulldog grips on board, clamp a turned-back wire end to form an eye. This group lists standard cast-iron clips in black or galvanised finish, sized to the rope diameter in millimetres.

They are bought by the bosun for temporary eyes, lashings and non-lifting rigging. The Code of Safe Working Practices asks for them to be avoided where possible: eyes in wire should be spliced or swaged, and grips must not be used on lifting or mooring wires.^[1]

How to specify it

State the rope diameter the clip is for, the type (standard cast-iron, forged, or stainless), finish and quantity. Match the clip size to the rope size, and order enough for the number of clips the maker’s table gives for that rope, plus one extra where the rope turns around a sheave instead of a thimble.^[2]

Order thimbles of the same rope size with them. Do not order clips for plastic-coated wire rope: both Crosby and the Code of Safe Working Practices say not to use them on it.^[2]^[1]

Rules and certificates

Code of Safe Working Practices: do not use bulldog grips on lifting or mooring wires, where the rope is subject to strong vibration, or on plastic-coated wire. Fit all grips the same way with the U on the dead end, about six rope diameters apart; retighten after several hours in service and check periodically. Correctly fitted grips should hold at least 80% of the rope’s minimum breaking load.^[1]

Crosby’s instructions put the U-bolt over the dead end with the live end in the saddle, tighten the nuts evenly to the tabulated torque, apply a first load at least equal to the working load, then retighten. Its stated termination efficiency (80% for 1/8 in to 7/8 in clips, 90% for 1 in and over) applies to its own clips fitted per its table.^[2]

Questions buyers ask

Which way round does a wire rope clip go?: U-bolt on the dead (short) end, saddle on the live end, all clips the same way. Fitting the U on the live end crushes the working part of the rope.
Can bulldog grips be used on a crane wire or mooring wire?: No. The Code of Safe Working Practices says not to use them on lifting or mooring wires; use a splice or a swaged fitting.

Sources

Published by Sherif Awad, founder of GeoMarineHub — in ship supply since 1990, a family business since 1981 (45 years). Last checked 2026-10-10.

At a glance

Part of Rigging Equipment & General Deck Items (IMPA section 23): Shackles, turnbuckles, blocks, wire clips, thimbles, hooks, hatch-cover parts, ladders and deck gear.

It is one of 11 groups under Wire Clips / Thimbles / Sockets; the others include Chains Sling, Sockets Wire Rope, Thimbles Manila Rope, Thimbles Manila Rope Round, Thimbles Wire Rope and 5 more.

Post the ones you need as a requirement and verified suppliers activated at your port bid on them — sealed, so nobody sees another bid.

Items: 28
IMPA codes: 230801–230829
Priced: per piece
Materials: galvanised
Sizes: 4.5 mm – 50 mm

Items

IMPA	Item	Unit
230801	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 4.5MM	PCS
230802	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 6MM	PCS
230803	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 8MM	PCS
230804	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 9MM	PCS
230805	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 12MM	PCS
230806	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 16MM	PCS
230807	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 19MM	PCS
230808	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 22MM	PCS
230809	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 25MM	PCS
230810	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 28MM	PCS
230811	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 32MM	PCS
230812	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 38MM	PCS
230813	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 44MM	PCS
230814	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, BLACK 50MM	PCS
230816	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 4.5MM	PCS
230817	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 6MM	PCS
230818	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 8MM	PCS
230819	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 9MM	PCS
230820	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 12MM	PCS
230821	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 16MM	PCS
230822	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 19MM	PCS
230823	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 22MM	PCS
230824	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 25MM	PCS
230825	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 28MM	PCS
230826	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 32MM	PCS
230827	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 38MM	PCS
230828	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 44MM	PCS
230829	WIRE CLIP CAST-IRON STANDARD, GALV 50MM	PCS

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