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Thread: Synthetic winch rope

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    Default Synthetic winch rope



    Long story short - I have a kink in my steel cable and need to replace it. I want to go with a synthetic but there are lots of options ranging anywhere from $50 - $350. Don't really want to pay premium price for a big name if I don't have to. Any recommendations?

    I'm looking at this but not decided yet.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ZZ5QTWJX&psc=1

    Thanks!
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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Looks good to me.

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Never heard of "dyneema." but hey, if it works. I think that's a little small in diameter. If I recall that's (3/8") what I run on my ATV in syn rope. I might be wrong though. If you do get it please let us know how it works out. Looking to replace the cable on both 4Runner's with rope.

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Wow! I think I may be replacing mine in the near future too, and that is a pretty good price. I'll have to pin that for the future!

    It will be so much easier to pull and put away.

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Read some reviews, one said first time use it broke. I guess all depends on how you are going to use it. Ask yourself, if your hanging off the side of a mountain and this is the only thing keeping you from going down it in a bad way, would you trust a no name brand?

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Exactly!! Not the place to be cheap.

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Point taken! did not look at that.

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    I believe Dyneema is the name of the chemical compound used to make the strands. Pretty sure it's the same thing most synthetic ropes are made of (Amsteel, Spydura, etc...).

    From Wikapedia;
    Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene




    Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene is a subset of the thermoplastic polyethylene. Also known as high-modulus polyethylene,, it has extremely long chains, with a molecular mass usually between 3.5 and 7.5 million amu. The longer chain serves to transfer load more effectively to the polymer backbone by strengthening intermolecular interactions. This results in a very tough material, with the highest impact strength of any thermoplastic presently made.


    Seems like any synthetic is at risk of failure if the spool is not properly pretensioned... maybe I should just stick with good old steel cable? Certainly would be less expensive.
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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Spieg previously posted:
    "Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene"

    Good stuff, that's eventually what I want to do my belly skid plate with.

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    3/8" syn is the cable on the Smitybilt 2HO 10K that I have on my rig. Don't know the brand of the cable though as it does not say.

    I think the question you have to ask yourself is would you trust your rig or someone elses rig with the above cable. The cost difference between the steel and the synth on the same 10K winch from Smitybilt is $150, so figure $250 in cost ($150 plus cost of steel cable). Maybe even a little more. If you look at WARN or some other winches and compare their steel and synth models you should get a fair idea of what the cost of name brand winch cable is costing. That said none of them really advertise what the cable is other than diameter and strength. So for all we know they are using the same stuff.

    There are some things I'll go with off brands on my rig, but when it comes to safety, I tend to error on the side of known quality and warranty.

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Spieg previously posted:
    "maybe I should just stick with good old steel cable? Certainly would be less expensive."

    IIRC, there was a synth vs. wire thread here a year or two ago. Several, myself included, are in the wire rope arena. Synth, is lighter weight / easier to haul for a recovery but it is sensitive to abrasion and UV exposure. Wire rope, nicely maintained (lubed, re-spooled under slight tension after a winch pull) can last a freaking long time. When I re-spool I park the jeep in the street (no driveways) and use the car to un-spool. I then set the parking break on the car to a slight tension and spool the cable in - spraying lube as I go (Slick 50 OneLube).

    Perhaps some day I'll switch to synth but for now wire rope is decent enough to keep.

    edit: Yes, synth is safer should a catastrophic break happen but 1) what are the odds and 2) practice safe winching and minimize to eliminate the risk.

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Agree that safety is the primary factor. Having said that, I don't believe that big brands/prices equate to increased reliability.

    Case in point - The reason my steel cable got damaged is because of a snatch block failure. I was using 2 snatch blocks at the time. One was a relatively expensive (and brand new) Warn unit and the other was my old beat-up cheap Driver brand. Guess which one broke and ate my cable? Now I'm sure Warn will replace it for free where as Driver probably would not... and that does count for something but not enough if someone gets hurt.
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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    check out olympus offroad. they sell a lower priced synthetic rope and i havn't heard anything bad about it so far. and they are a local shop.

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    Spieg (January 15th, 2018)

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Spieg previously posted:
    "I don't believe that big brands/prices equate to increased reliability."

    No argument there. The red 4Runner has had a Harbor Freight winch on it for 7 years with some pretty hard pulls on it and has never (knock on wood) let me down. But like anything Harbor freight (and other China brands), it's a crap shoot weather you will get a good tool or not.

    Not trying to debate cable vs. syn rope at all. It's your own preference. I prefer syn rope just because it's lighter and easy to pull but , with that said, I am confident with the steel cable on the runner because I know it won't fail.

    Get yourself some of that rope, put it on, go winch up a couple boulder areas where its safe and post up a write up

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    redneck23ms previously posted:
    "check out olympus offroad. they sell a lower priced synthetic rope and i havn't heard anything bad about it so far. and they are a local shop."

    I picked up one from them and it appears to be very good quality.

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    Spieg (January 15th, 2018)

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Rope needs be covered as well.
    The sun here will eat it up and make it weak.
    And just like cable they have there own care you need to pay attention to.
    Most folks don't protect it when it's out and being used.
    IE, rocks and trees will rub it and fray it.
    So you need think about when you will be using it.
    Most likely a side ways pull with trees or rocks in the way.

    Unless you are after weight savings I can't justify it for a sports man wheeler.
    ___________
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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Curious , did anyone ever get this rope?

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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    Still waiting... must be shipping via slow boat.
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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    One thing I didn't see mentioned in all of this is the fact that the synthetic rope can be spliced easily in the field if a break would happen. It was one thing that got my attention when buying a new winch. There are a couple of kits sold for doing so. Factor 55 addresses it in an article comparing the strength of splicing to knotting, a fairly interesting and quick read. http://factor55.com/uncategorized/br...e-or-knot-tie/
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    Default Re: Synthetic winch rope



    hmm will have to look into this splicing
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