Topic: Winch Cable or Winch Rope?

[alwayzbroken]

was the cable previously frayed or damaged at all?

I am pretty sure it was like brand new. I never even remember using it before that but I am pretty sure I used it someplace else for something.

[Gittinit]

I'd personally never use the rope... only because I hear it will tear easly when pulling against objects like rocks/tree's... or anything with a rough surface.

good ol' steel braided line does the job for me.

X2 wire rope is a time tested and proven way to winch. If you broke your cable then the rope won't hold to the abuse you are gonna put it through either. Besides the cable/ wire rope is cheaper.   You might conseder stepping up to a bigger size though.

[alwayzbroken [OP]]

X2 wire rope is a time tested and proven way to winch. If you broke your cable then the rope won't hold to the abuse you are gonna put it through either. Besides the cable/ wire rope is cheaper.  

My synthetic rope is rating for 14,500 lbs on my M8000 Way more than the steel cable. I sure it will stand up.

[Shoyrtt]

One more vote for rope for the reasons stated above.   Another thing to consider is some negligent off-roaders tend to use their winch cables on trees without a tree saver. The tree hugging community loves to use this against us.  Even with rope the tree saver should be used, but rope on a tree should cause less damage than cable.

[guywithuglyyota]

Im in a cold climate, and after winching in -20 below weather and having to man handle the wire back on to the drum for a clean roll-up, im definately switching to synthetic.  If you are in the recovery industry im certain wire is much more desireable since you have much more frequent use, but for us weekend warriors synthetic makes perfect sense. Just use a line protector and watch what you dragg your rope across.

Im gonna go the amsteal blue route, ORO X line looks sweet but its big $$.

[Duffil]

another vote for synthetic. I hate steel cable...

[Shamb]

That is really odd alwaysbroken, I have never heard nor have I ever seen a cable just break like that..

Only reason i'd see something like that happening is either the cable was previously damaged or weakened somehow OR the truck wasn't moving and the cable was getting continiously stretched from nothing moving on either end.

I dunno, if someone gave me the rope for free i'd probably use it.. but other then that.. i'll stick with steel cable... i've just been lucky I guess!

[robinhood4x4]

And what exactly is that for? 


For anybody else who's interested, here's some links to writeups on how to splice winch rope together and make an eye.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177344
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=177074
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=484039
http://www.samsonrope.com/index.cfm?page=28

[rude86]

i like the rope because no more cable splinters!

[Shoyrtt]

And what exactly is that for? 


For anybody else who's interested, here's some links to writeups on how to splice winch rope together and make an eye.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177344
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=177074
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=484039
http://www.samsonrope.com/index.cfm?page=28

Thanks for the link!

[Rockcrawlintoy]

Im in a cold climate, and after winching in -20 below weather and having to man handle the wire back on to the drum for a clean roll-up, im definately switching to synthetic.  If you are in the recovery industry im certain wire is much more desireable since you have much more frequent use, but for us weekend warriors synthetic makes perfect sense. Just use a line protector and watch what you dragg your rope across.

Im gonna go the amsteal blue route, ORO X line looks sweet but its big $$.

i live in a cold climate also and ill take steel. since i don't use the cable much i know that the steel is proven for long term use while i still have reservations on the long lasting durability of the rope. i can always do a nice roll up a ferws days later if needed.

Drew

[guywithuglyyota]

i live in a cold climate also and ill take steel. since i don't use the cable much i know that the steel is proven for long term use while i still have reservations on the long lasting durability of the rope. i can always do a nice roll up a ferws days later if needed.

Drew

I think the lamest aspect of the syn line is how sun exposure can damage it. But I suppose there is always a tradeoff. Most dudes I know dont even have the money for a winch let alone synthetic line... so I will try not to whine so much  haha

[Shamb]

And what exactly is that for? 

You honestly think you can't splice steel cable back together if it breaks?

.... hmm.....

[TurtleTappers91]

You honestly think you can't splice steel cable back together if it breaks?

.... hmm.....

I honestly think you cant. not safely.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

yeah u can.

Drew

[TurtleTappers91]

yeah u can.

Drew

I have never seen a spliced wire rope. how the hell is it done? J.B. weld? metal tape? u-bolt clamps? I think I need an explanation here?  not that I would even think of trying it....I always thought that a damaged /frayed/ stretched cable was a safety hazard and therefore to be disposed of.

[guywithuglyyota]

I have never seen a spliced wire rope. how the hell is it done? J.B. weld? metal tape? u-bolt clamps? I think I need an explanation here?  not that I would even think of trying it....I always thought that a damaged /frayed/ stretched cable was a safety hazard and therefore to be disposed of.

I dunno, from all the reading I have done regarding steel cable, it all depends on its core construction. Some are allowed a certain stretch factor, for other steel cable this value is much more narrow. There is lots of cable splicing in the construction/bridge building industry, but these cables are much more specific and engineered for static loads, dynamic loads blah blah blah.....and the splicing method can be very critical and time consuming (think gondola cable for a ski resort) I was getting a headache after a while. But I was hard pressed to find an actual winch cable splice.

Common sense tells me that it would be a really stupid idea especially if you are splicing a cable damaged from being overloaded. ANd how easy would the splice be to spool around the drum?? 

Someone chime in that knows more about this stuff!  Or better yet.... someone who has actually repaired a steel cable??

[robinhood4x4]

You honestly think you can't splice steel cable back together if it breaks?

.... hmm.....

That sounds safe and real smart. 

[Shamb]

That sounds safe and real smart

Im sure being stranded in the middle of no were is alot better huh?   

Im not saying patch the cable and run it forever, patch it... get off the trail and get it replaced.

[DTB]

Im sure being stranded in the middle of no were is alot better huh?   

Im not saying patch the cable and run it forever, patch it... get off the trail and get it replaced.

it CAN be done by a person properly trained with the right equipment (clamps and such) but never recommended

[TurtleTappers91]

Im sure being stranded in the middle of no were is alot better huh?  

Im not saying patch the cable and run it forever, patch it... get off the trail and get it replaced.

how would one perform this "patch" ? what is phsically done to the cable here? seems like it would be a frayed, tangled mess?  I pesonally would be screwed if I had to fix a wire cable. I just keep an extra synthetic rope in the toolbox. If I break two of them @20k lbs. plus, I'll be well and truly dipped in   and rolled in crumbs...

[robinhood4x4]

Im sure being stranded in the middle of no were is alot better huh?   

I think being stranded is better than killing somebody.  I'll just let my friends pull me out since I never go wheeling alone. 

Getting back on topic, splicing synthetic is much safer than splicing steel.  I'll take synthetic every time.

This is how you splice steel:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Recovery/index.html

[alwayzbroken [OP]]

I think being stranded is better than killing somebody. 

Nobody ever said that after splicing a winch cable it was mandatory that all your friends stand in the path of the cable in case it fails.

[Shamb]

some friends just aren't that smart............................   


 


Anyways, yea i've had to splice steel cable once, as shown in BillaVista's diagram you either shorten the cable (if its a close break to the hook) or loop both ends with clips (I used 5 on each end) 

Worked like a charm and winched my hydro'd truck out of Fordyce a good 5 miles.

[fullthrottle]

you can splice steel rope with out any clamps, i would explane it now but i jest got off work and its almost 3:30 al try to explain tomaro.

[fullthrottle]

first you start by unwinding the outer 6 cover strands about 5-6' on each side, then lay the to ends next to each other and unwind the core of the cable there should be 6 of them.  then cut them so that the 6 wires are different lengths try to make the spacing betwean each of the cuts the same like 8-12" make both of the ends you are trying to spice the same (so the longest one an the second longest one are the same length and so on).  then start to wrap them together maching the shortest on one side to the longest on the other and so on.  then wrap the outer wires back around the core and use the same method as above for each one of the 6 outer wires but instead of using the 8-12" spacing betwean cuts use like 5-8" this will make it a little easer you must keep all of the individual wires titer or it will not be strongenof.  the wire willnot be as strong as it was.

[BikerTrash]

Neat, never spliced a cable like that before. When I worked on the boats, if a cable broke in the middle we just replaced it, if it broke near the eye we just splice a new eye.

Good thing to know if you are in a big enough bind.