new winch line

i did a search on winch lines and am still torn between getting another wire or synthetic rope... apparently there isn't that much of a weight difference, but what are the differences as far as maintenance?

does synthetic wire weather quicker or harder to maintain? which is stronger?

brandon

shimmy said:

i did a search on winch lines and am still torn between getting another wire or synthetic rope... apparently there isn't that much of a weight difference, but what are the differences as far as maintenance?

does synthetic wire weather quicker or harder to maintain? which is stronger?

brandon

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SAFER!! No cuts from hooks on the wire, no recoil if it breaks.
Lighter - Toss the hook to your stuck buddy, let him get muddy.
Clean? Simply...unroll, toss in a soap bucket, rinse, rewind.

Downsides-
Only 1 for me. The synth line does not unreel well.


Rev

Just bought an M8000 and I will stick with the steel line until either it fails (even frays), or I save the coin to get synthetic (hopefully this will happen soon!). The less-than-great freespooling is essentially a convenience to me, while the benefits of the synth are mostly safety-related. when it's time to replace, I will go synthetic.

-Rich

Rev Den said:

SAFER!! No cuts from hooks on the wire, no recoil if it breaks.
Lighter - Toss the hook to your stuck buddy, let him get muddy.
Clean? Simply...unroll, toss in a soap bucket, rinse, rewind.

Downsides-
Only 1 for me. The synth line does not unreel well.


Rev

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Thanks for the pros vs cons list Rev. I've been thinking about the rope to on my Warn 8000i, the line is starting to fray.
Troy

Synthetic lines are more subject to wear. They also cost WAAAAY more money. On the other hand, they're safer than steel cable since they won't snap back if they break and they are a little bit lighter.

Personally, I replaced the cable on my winch last year (after 20 years of use) and decided that the synthetic wasn't worth the extra cost.

dmillion said:

Synthetic lines are more subject to wear. They also cost WAAAAY more money.

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That's very subjective. Get an abrasion guard to protect from sharp objects. Otherwise, if you pinch or kink the wire rope, it's toast, the synth will not be damaged at all.

Price is reasonable too.

5/16" x 100', 13,700lb winch rope, $139

http://www.rockstomper.com/catalog/recovery/ropes.htm

dennisuello said:

That's very subjective. Get an abrasion guard to protect from sharp objects. Otherwise, if you pinch or kink the wire rope, it's toast, the synth will not be damaged at all.

Price is reasonable too.

5/16" x 100', 13,700lb winch rope, $139

http://www.rockstomper.com/catalog/recovery/ropes.htm

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Thats who I got mine from, I opted for the 2 5' lengths of the protector. So far it has worked out great, I've used to to pull a buddys rig outta a really bad stuck in mud, dragging small/med size fallen trees outta the woods, flipped over a rolled rig, and the list goes on.

I never liked the wire rope, plus I've seen some photos from my fathers cruise ships of when a steel cable did break. That convinced me.

Basicly I whole heartedly agree with what Rev Den said, although I have not had any issue with unspooling the rope. I cannot emphasize how EASY this stuff is to work with. And cleaning is super easy, I just take a 5 gal bucket with warm soapy water, let it soak and swish the rope around a little, pull it out to drip dry a little and respool it. Piece of cake!

I personally made the switch and dont plan on going back, but thats my experience. I also like the slightly improved clearance the aluminum hawse offers.

"Price is reasonable too. 5/16" x 100', 13,700lb winch rope, $139"

Well, I guess "reasonable" is pretty subjective, too. I can buy a comparable steel cable for less than 1/3rd that price.

if you ever have worked with the syn rope you would not ask is it better. so much easier to use and safer too.

dmillion said:

"Price is reasonable too. 5/16" x 100', 13,700lb winch rope, $139"

Well, I guess "reasonable" is pretty subjective, too. I can buy a comparable steel cable for less than 1/3rd that price.

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I may be wrong...but....if you go steel to get that weight rating you are gonna need 3/8ths. Where can you get 3/8ths winch cable for under $46??

Rev