winding winch line

[mogwildRW1]

Just ran across another picture I thought I'd share for anyone making there own or adapting a commercial system.

You can see this installation is actually synthetic rope (though he also has a roller fairleed which I've been told with synthetic is a no-no).

I figured this angle shows the idea pretty well.

 

[Eventhough]

<snip> (though he also has a roller fairleed which I've been told with synthetic is a no-no). <snip>

Not necessarily. An aluminum, machined hawse fairlead will typically be gentler on a synthetic line and is the preferred option. A brand new pair of steel rollers can be OK if the rollers overlap fully in the corners so the synthetic line cannot be pinched and the rollers are burr free. If a roller does get a burr on it it can abrade your synthetic line significantly.

 

[mogwildRW1]

I figured as much. A friend of mine CAD designed and another made me a custom winch trumpet for the conversion

 

[BIGdaddy]

Ok, so 4wheel parts sells these wire tensioners for the industrial line of winches.

The info says its only for "those winches" as can be seen in this link:
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-...4&t_pt=5768&t_pl=100435&t_pn=WAR31150#active2

Can anyone confirm this, that I couldn't take one of the 4 part numbers listed on the 4WP's website and install it on a Smittybilt XRC8 or a M8000 winch? Is it the drum width or the bar diameter that makes it different?

In any case, thanks for bringing up this winch accessory. Seems like a very good option for those who choose to run steel cable to help prevent kinks.

 

[86tuning]

I believe the main reason for re-spooling a winch rope neatly and under a LOT of tension is to allow you to pull out a bit of the winch rope to do a pull, without having the rope dive between the layers.

My line gets respooled neatly and under a lot of tension in preparation for any short pulls.

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

Yes that's the reason it's important to spool it properly. If you don't then it can get stuck so bad you have to dissasemble the winch around it.

For the guy that moved back over to pirate4x4 there was a thread on there about this exact situation a few years ago. There was also a guy who had cut off $500 worth of synthetic winch rope because he was doing exactly what you say you do all the time. So please if this ever happens to you, during one of your daring rescue missions, come back and share some pictures with everyone.

 

[upcountry]

Thread revival. After killing a cable a few weeks ago recovering a vehicle that was blocking the Icicle Creek Brige in Leavenworth, I need to pay more attention to re-winding my winch.

We were stopped waiting for a break in traffic to make a left turn before the bridge heading upstream, an older Toyota Tacoma came around the corner heading towards us, hit a patch of ice right before the bridge, and ping-ponged through the brigde almost roilling over, ended up lodged with the tow packag up on the concrete brige rail, broken rear axle, broken front ball joint.

If we had not been stopped and instead driving on he would have hit my passanger side. I had two young kids in the truck.

Sherriff showed up, towtruck was 2 hours away due to lots of accidents (cold snap after wet day). He looked at me and asked if I could pull it off the bridge to open the lanes. Dropped kids off, pulled the truck off the bridge in three medium pulls. Easy due to ice.

Cable was only half deployed. The first pull off the bridge rail did some damage to the cable and it got wedged in the spool badly.

If I had properly wound the cable with the right tension it would have been fine.

 

[upcountry]

Dont get me wrong, I know how to use the winch, this is more of a question about the best way to re-spool the cable when cleaning the vehicle prepping it for storage.


After reading the Warn guide to winching, from which I am quoting below, and after reading the thread above, there are different variations to theory.

1) Some have mentioned the need to respool with at least 500 pounds of tension. I beleive the 500 pounds of tension requirement cited by Warn was only related to "stretching" or prepping the cable for its first use. There is no need to wind the spool with 500 pounds of tension, although I have to wonder if this would have helped my situation?

2) Is it possible to cross wind a wire rope? Maybe this would help, but how would this be accomplished?

3) The Warn manual shows a guy holding the rope in a position that is above the winch, would this help keep it aligned?

4) I think my biggest issue is re-spooling it after use for storage. I need to keep it straight, and need to keep it tight. It is looking like the spooling tools are the best option, but my winch is buried in my bumper and mounting some sort of spooling tool would be impossible and impractical?


Some quotes from the Warn manual:

Make sure new wire rope is stretched
before it is first used. Unspool the full
length of the wire rope, leaving 5 wraps
on the drum. Apply at least 500 pounds
of tension.You can do this by setting up
an anchor point and pulling your vehicle
to it on a slightly inclined, flat surface
and letting the vehicle roll.

Step 11: CHECK WIRE ROPE. The wire
rope should be neatly wound around
the spooling drum. Improper winding
can cause damage to the wire rope.


Step 18: REWIND WIRE ROPE. The
person handling the wire rope should
walk the rope in and not let it slide
through the hand and control the
winch at all times.


Images from WarnPublication http://www.warn.com/corporate/images/90/TechGuide_PN62885-A2.pdf

 

[highdesertranger]

as far as synthedic goes if you are using your winch just for vehicle recovery it works good. but if you are pulling objects (cut trees, rocks, etc) with the vehicle stationary it's better to have wire rope the abrasion of the line going over rocks and the like will destroy syn. quickly. also when done respooling don't anchor the end to your vehicle and pull too tight the stress causes a weak spot in the wire rope were it makes a sharp turn. btw i have been using winches for 45 years mas or menos missing the end of a finger from being young and knowing it all. highdesertranger

 

[86tuning]

4) I think my biggest issue is re-spooling it after use for storage. I need to keep it straight, and need to keep it tight.

I pull my truck towards a post or tree when I respool. You can turn the steering slightly and the rope will stack up neatly while it winds in. Takes less than 10 minutes to set up and respool.

If no trees are handy I'd just hook up to another vehicle.

I've only used synthetic ropes though. My used winch came without a rope, and I decided to go straight to synth, since I was buying one anyways...

HTH.

 

[LR Max]

@upcountry, I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. You know what you are doing but you say to yourself, "its ok this one time" or "I'll take care of that later". That is when you get bit.

I will say, if you have steel cable, now would be a GREAT time to upgrade to synthetic. Mine has been massively forgiving and a lot easier to work with. I know its ~$300 you weren't planning on spending, but its worth it.

As for winding in the cable, I always did it in a parking lot, strapped to a big concrete pillar at one end (BTW, old decommissioned tow straps work GREAT for attaching to such an object). With the truck in neutral and off (you can have it on, whatever) and the winch cable all the way out, begin winding in. With my hand ~5 feet away from the fairlead, I guide the rope in. The tension of the truck tugging on the rope keeps everything nice and taught. If the rope starts crossing up or not all nice and pretty, I stop, back off, and do it again. Also as I'm doing this, I often turn the wheel a little bit as needed to correct and keep me fairly straight.

That would be my recommendations. Also FYI, I recommend continuing using gloves with synthetic rope. Rope burn is rough and sometimes surprises get stuck to the outside of the rope...think thorns! OUCH!

 

[upcountry]

@upcountry, I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. You know what you are doing but you say to yourself, "its ok this one time" or "I'll take care of that later". That is when you get bit.

I will say, if you have steel cable, now would be a GREAT time to upgrade to synthetic. Mine has been massively forgiving and a lot easier to work with. I know its ~$300 you weren't planning on spending, but its worth it.

As for winding in the cable, I always did it in a parking lot, strapped to a big concrete pillar at one end (BTW, old decommissioned tow straps work GREAT for attaching to such an object). With the truck in neutral and off (you can have it on, whatever) and the winch cable all the way out, begin winding in. With my hand ~5 feet away from the fairlead, I guide the rope in. The tension of the truck tugging on the rope keeps everything nice and taught. If the rope starts crossing up or not all nice and pretty, I stop, back off, and do it again. Also as I'm doing this, I often turn the wheel a little bit as needed to correct and keep me fairly straight.

That would be my recommendations. Also FYI, I recommend continuing using gloves with synthetic rope. Rope burn is rough and sometimes surprises get stuck to the outside of the rope...think thorns! OUCH!

Allright, I have a new mission, the perfect cable wrap.

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[Antichrist]

Also FYI, I recommend continuing using gloves with synthetic rope. Rope burn is rough and sometimes surprises get stuck to the outside of the rope...think thorns! OUCH!

Not only that, but a lot of people still use wire rope and if you're in the habit of not wearing gloves because you have synthetic, then you likely won't wear them next time you're helping someone who uses wire rope.

 

[Eventhough]

Not only that, but a lot of people still use wire rope and if you're in the habit of not wearing gloves because you have synthetic, then you likely won't wear them next time you're helping someone who uses wire rope.

Thorns, yes, been there - had that stuck in my hand from synthetic line. Not fun. Always wear gloves.

 

[verdesardog]

Well, talking wire rope, you only need the first two layers tight and neat because you will probably spool out enough line to reach that point anyway....