1/2 Turnbuckle (1/2 in. Thread)

A 1/2 turnbuckle, meaning one with 1/2 in. threads, gives you fine tension adjustment in a steel cable or guying system. Turning the body draws the two ends together or lets them out, so slack can be taken up after the system is installed.

Where turnbuckles fit

Turnbuckles are used where a system needs to be adjusted after it is in place, such as guying a newly planted or leaning tree to a ground anchor. They are less common in modern static cabling between leaders, where cable is usually tensioned with a grip and come-along before termination.

Pick the end fittings (eye, hook or jaw) to suit the hardware they connect to. Hooks can open under shock load, so many installers prefer eye or jaw ends for anything structural.

Use galvanized hardware so the turnbuckle matches the rest of the system and resists rust outdoors. Check the turnbuckle's rated working load against the system design, and never use a turnbuckle as part of a life-support system or rigging setup.

Install and inspect

Thread both ends in evenly so the turnbuckle has room to take up or let out. Lock the body with wire or a lock nut so it cannot back off with movement. Tension only enough to take out slack. Check the system on a regular schedule and adjust or remove guying when it is no longer needed. Cabling and bracing is structural work on a living tree. It should be specified and installed by a trained arborist following ANSI A300 Part 3, ANSI Z133 and the hardware maker's instructions, and inspected on a regular schedule after install. See more hardware in our cabling hardware section.