Winch Cable Damage

[wesintl]

What are the consequences of a broken steel cable?



A synth line, not so much.

Huh? A steel line only holds a little more energy in it. It doesn't whip around. The consequences are roughly the same, steel or syn, if the line breaks. Cable failing is different than mount points failing.

 

[powderpig]

Well that kink or flat spot could be hammered out under tension. Hook the one end on a tree or post or something heavy. Strech out the cable under tension, then with a 4x4 or bigger post that you can put under the cable so it supports it. Then hammer(not a sledge hammer) the cable until it rounds out again. I have done this a couple of time to the TT trucks winches. As for How much it can be damaged. If I remember right, if 20%(or more) of the cable is damaged then it is time to retire the rope. So if the cable is a 7 strand one, that would mean 1.4 big strands have to be busted to meet this requirement. If it is a 13 strand one(smaller strands), then 2.6 strands would need to be busted to meet this requirement. So I think if one full strand was busted on a 7 strand one I would retire it. What I saw in the picture is a single strand of one full strand(ok in my book).
As for the popping and such, this is the cable stretching or elongating or those areas where you have kinks working it self back in shape. I would not think it is stuff breaking unless it is real old cable. Which brings up a whole different subject. If I bought a used winch and did not know the history, I would trash the cable and just put a new one on for my own protection(maintaince).
As for a shorter rope on the drum, I would agree with this. It makes sense in most of the times I have used a winch a shorter rope would have been a better choice. With a syn winch ext to have to have more options when needed.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Huh? A steel line only holds a little more energy in it. It doesn't whip around. The consequences are roughly the same, steel or syn, if the line breaks. Cable failing is different than mount points failing.

Steel aircraft cable stores a tremendous amount of energy! Add to that it's weight and failure under stress can be deadly! Synth line stretches very little thus storing up very little energy plus it weighs very little so the worst you'll get is a whip lash.

 

[powderpig]

Wes, the damage from a steel line under tension is far more deadly. Syn line does not have the kentic engery build up that Steel does. I have seen a steel line break and come back and break a windshield. I have seen video of steel cable cut and whip back up and over the vechicle that was used, syn rope did nothing but snap and drop back about 10 ft.
Steel is far more dangerous, and that is it one of the reasons why syn is used in compentions, where steel is outlawed.

 

[wesintl]

when it fails from a mounting point I agree. When it snaps mid length due to a fray it drops to the ground. Not deadly IMHO. I've seen it more than once. Were not talking aircraft tension though.

 

[Uncle Ben]

when it fails from a mounting point I agree. When it snaps mid length due to a fray it drops to the ground. Not deadly IMHO. I've seen it more than once. Were not talking aircraft tension though.

Hmmmm....Good counterpoint....I don't know how factual. I can see your point if the cable breaks slowly as the energy would reduce as each strand broke vrs all at once under load. Personally I don't care! I have always been scared of steel winch cables and now there is a readily available alternative! I couldn't be happier....about that! :rolleyes

Another scary issue that is along the same fear factor as steel cable is "snatch straps" hooked onto tow balls! Nothing like a monstrous powered sling shot throwing a 5lb ball of steel!

 

[rover67]

yep, I have no idea the history of the cable.. so when things started to go kinda south it made the decision even easier.

 

[RockRunner]

Marco, remember one thing regarding the "rope" when spooled it is smaller than cable. In other words 100' of cable may have 8 layers on your drum, 100' of rope will only have about 6. Not exact numbers but you can check several sites as to the dimensions between the two. One nice thing is you can upgrade the strength of the rope and keep the same length as cable with not much size difference on your drum.

As for the dual sheet I agree whole totally, FJ Ben I think pulled me out of the Escalator last year and his rope only had one sheet, if he had two it would have helped in the beginning where there were two contact points on the rocks. I winched myself out when running Pritchett this year, again two contact points. It is cheap insurance and when one wears out you just move the second one up, order a new one and slip it on. The UV thing is an added bonus.

That is my three cents..............

 

[rover67]

yep. I got the line the other day.. in retrospect I probably soulda upgraded the diameter.. but everybody says it's a direct replacement.. if I were to do it again, I'd probably get the next bigger diameter... maybe.

So, how do I make sure the lug on the left hand side of the drum dosen't damage the new winch cable? With ethe old steel cable, the lug actually got snapped in two as the cable rode past it..

 

[corsair23]

So, how do I make sure the lug on the left hand side of the drum dosen't damage the new winch cable? With ethe old steel cable, the lug actually got snapped in two as the cable rode past it..

Well, I can tell you that just wrapping the rope on carefully isn't the answer as that is what I did and my rope shows some signs of chaffing from the lug . I wasn't real impressed with the connection point...Almost like it was an after thought on mine. And, on the snow run the rope actually ripped out of the lug . That lug, IMO, is nothing more than a electrical cable lug (like for the winch power cable or ground cable) smooshed to retain the rope. The hole is really too big for the winch bolt that holds the lug to the drum. I'm looking for a better alternative when I get around to fixing it....

 

[RockRunner]

Seems that all the winches/lines I have seen are about the same. A little lug for 2 gauge wire.

 

[Red_Chili]

It just places the end of the rope, doesn't hold anything.

You could try the Red Green method of securing the end.

 

[rover67]

I googled after your suggestion and couldn't find the red green method, but did find some people putting another eye on the rope and looping it around the drum choker style.. that lug with sharp edges just scares me sitting right next to all my new rope...

 

[Red_Chili]

http://www.redgreen.com/

http://www.3m.com/intl/CA/english/centres/home_leisure/duct_tape/

 

[rover67]

nice.... very nice...

 

[corsair23]

http://www.redgreen.com/

http://www.3m.com/intl/CA/english/centres/home_leisure/duct_tape/

That might have been my problem...Looks like on mine they only used electrical tape ....Duct tape is the way to go

 

[Red_Chili]

Seriously, since there is no strength in the bolted crimp terminal method, duct tape may indeed be perfect.

 

[rover67]

yeah, now that I think about it it may be worth trying.

duct tape a fw wraps to the drum and voiala.

 

[Red_Chili]

The adhesive may melt a bit in the heat of the winch in certain situations, but you shouldn't unspool that much anyway.