winch cable replacement

[Sand Runner Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Sand Runner]

Hi all,

I'm looking to replace my old wire winch cable (that the previous owner has damaged)..........broken strands,squashed and rusted.........looking to go to synthetic rope of some sort.

My 2 questions being.........

1) Preferred / reputable brands...........potential can of worms.........sorry

2) Do I have to replace my fairleads / rollers with an alloy hawse?

Cheers.

Geoff

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Checkout Beadlock Australia, you can buy a variety of diameters and lengths to suit your needs. You will need to replace the roller fairlead with either a nylon or alloy hawse. I use a nylon reversible block and have not had any issues.

[Ryzz Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryzz]

Your local ARB Dealer has sell a synthetic rope for winching. It should be a pretty easy and straight swapout. Not sure of the price, but its a blue winch cable. At lot of the synthetic ropes have a high breaking point than steel cables, weigh near nothing comparatively and are MUCH easier to drag up hill to that only tree 100M away when your bogged to the hilt!!!

Dont resist, go and do it. Otherwise speak to a rigging place and get something like this
http://www.rigging.com.au/dynex_dux_overbraid.htm

I have this, its light, has a extra protective cover on it to stop it getting mud/grease/oils etc on the cable and affecting it.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

I'd stick with a roller fairlead just fit some new rollers and make sure they have no sharp egdes. If I did it again I wouldn't fit a hawse.

[Sand Runner Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Sand Runner]

I was thinking to stay with the fairleads for that reason.....no sharp edges........any "advantages" re the hawse?
We have the 4WD show in Adelaide in a month or so at Wayville Showgrounds,so might ask the question,and do some shopping then.
Cheers
Geoff

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Originally everyone went with the hawse for rope, however more recently people are moving back to roller fairleads. Roller fairleads offer less friction aka heat than a hawse style, nylon or ally, as the rope isn't running on a fixed spot. With an ARB bar a roller fairlead will also sit the rope out from the bar. With a hawse you have to be careful not to hit the sides or top of the bar on acute angle winches.

[Sand Runner Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Sand Runner]

Food for thought.

Thanks for the input all.

Cheers
Geoff

[kav Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close kav]

the problem with roller fairleads is the problem of the rope queezing into the corners and pinching . you won't get a problem with heat build up . you will also loose 12 - 15 kgs in weight swinging off the furthest forward part of your vehicle . no more spiked fingers , no need to wear gloves , no kinked wire , hell of a lot easier to pull off the winch up a steep hill or through a muddy bog when you tell the missus to get out and hook us up to that tree .

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

the problem with roller fairleads is the problem of the rope queezing into the corners and pinching . you won't get a problem with heat build up.

The rope won't pinch on rollers. Run your hand firmly over an ally hawse and work it out for yourself.

[D4Dforme Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4Dforme]

the problem with roller fairleads is the problem of the rope queezing into the corners and pinching . you won't get a problem with heat build up . you will also loose 12 - 15 kgs in weight swinging off the furthest forward part of your vehicle . no more spiked fingers , no need to wear gloves , no kinked wire , hell of a lot easier to pull off the winch up a steep hill or through a muddy bog when you tell the missus to get out and hook us up to that tree .

Mate i used to make the winch cables for warns etc..........generally 30mtrs of 6x25 rhl 2070gr is all you can fit on your average winch.................the is no way in hell it weighs 12-15kg.........sorry but just won't happen...........maybe 6kg but that's over estimating it,

Spectra,dyneema,supermax,plasma whatever you want to call it is all UHMWPE.......or...........ultra high molecular weight polyethylene .
8mm weighs roughly 4kg per 100mtrs it also has an MBL minimum break level of 6.7 tonnes per any given batch of quality rope.I used to make 4wd winch cables and rated and tested lifting slings with it for offshore companys.

We made slings with 96mm dia which has a minimum break level of around 580 metric tonnes so a WLL of 116 tonnes.

It is a good product but the amount of 4x4's that came back with worn/chaffed rope has turned me off of it as a winch rope IMO it is best used as a extra long winch extension as 50mtrs of it can be stored just about in your glovebox.

Anyway i know a bit more about it than your average bloke and thought i'd share my observasions on the matter.

Dan

[Jon Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Jon]

If I change the winch rope to synthetic, can I re-use the original hook?
Also, when I change from rollers to a hawse, do I need to pack the hawse out to stop the rope from rubbing on the Bullbar?

[D4Dforme Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4Dforme]

No problem in using your hook,usually a rated gr80 hook will be about $35 so not a huge expense anyway.

Dan

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

I'd stick with the roller fairlead. If the rollers have cuts/burrs replace them otherwise you're good to go.

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

I just have a big shackle on the end of the rope, don't need the hook. The shackle is bolted down to the right hand side recovery point. A cable tie secures the shackle pin and stops any vibration knocks.

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

40 metres of Dyneema may also be too much for the winch drum and will bind up and jam against the cross bars. Keep to 28-30 metres. Less turns on the drum = more pulling power. I carry a long extension strap with the recovery gear. I've never had any dramas with the nylon hawse. You should also use gloves with the rope as it will carry thorns, prickles, little sticks, etc.