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Posted by: damguy
I use the same thing to repair my cable when it breaks. Seems like at least once a Winter I have to fix it in the middle of a storm. I get 5/16" Cable Clamps from the local hardware store along with a Thimble. First I electrical tape the cable back to where it's still wound tight beyond the frayed end and cut off the frayed part right up flush with the tape with Dikes. Then loop the cable around a 5/16' Thimble and slip on two cable clamps as close as I can get them to the Thimble. The Thimble is like a horseshoe shaped piece of metal groved for the specific cable sixe. I find all this stuff in most all hardware stores and keep a supply on hand for breaks during storms. I also remove the hook for the Winter and use a Shackle since I had the hook come off the plow the first Winter. Next I'm going to try attaching a pulley onthe top rear center of the plow so the cable runs at less of an angle to see if it slows down the lift speed. Between the speed of retrieve and the sharp angle of the Roller Fairlead these seem to be the problem as I see it.
Posted by: Starky
You should have a roller fairlead, that will add years to your cable. Even without the roller fairlead your winch will probably burn out before your cable does.
The people that have the ropes swear they are the greatest thing and if my cable ever wears out I will probably replace it with the rope but I can't see spending the money to replace a good cable. I have the Swisher plow and bucket and use them all the time and I can't see any wear on the cable.
Posted by: tyler711
The past two years, I've used steel cable with my plow. I have a roller fairlead with the larger bottom roller, but the cable would snap about once a week at the end. I had some U-bolts, so I'd just cut off the frayed part and re-crimp a new loop in and keep using it. I have another steel cable that I swap on in the summer (when I'm not wearing gloves, I don't want a shredded sharp cable in the summer, as I use the winch in the winter to get unstuck constantly and it wears out quick).
I just bought an Amsteel synthetic rope kit on ebay a few weeks ago, 50' of synthetic line and an aluminum hawse fairlead. I've only used it with the plow once or twice, so no durability reports yet. Seems good so far, though, but not cheap.
Does anyone else use this? If they do, did you attach the abrasion guard to the end of the rope instead of letting it slide, because it gets bunched up while plowing, so I have to wind it under a few layers of bare rope, and I don't want to nick my rope.
Posted by: tyler711
Here is the u-bolt I used, I found it in my garage. I used two: linky. Just cut the frayed cable, loop it through the thimble, and tighten them down. Keep a small wrench in your pocket and you can do it right there (but you have to leave the frayed cable on temporarily, it is nearly impossible to cut without the right tools).
After I did that, I found a 5/16" cable repair kit at wally world and picked that up for future use. I can't find it online, but it is on the shelf with S-hooks, chain and whatnot. It is a little package with two of those U-bolts and a thimble (the teardrop metal loop that protects the cable).
They hold up just fine, after it broke twice I installed them, and a couple times my 3000# winch stalled, but they didn't slip at all. And the second one was not even necessary, I think, but I definetly had it there for safety. Only annoying thing is that they don't fit through the fairlead, so you have to clip the hook somewhere.
Tyler
Posted by: tyler711
Hey guys, we got a little more snow, and I used my plow a bit more.
The rope angle on the synthetic rope with the billet fairlead isn't that bad at all. Here is a picture: linky.
I got the kit off ebay, but the name milled on the fairlead is CSEOFFROAD.COM .
Posted by: tyler711
Quote
Originally posted by: fbc72
You will definitely shortin the life of your cable, even with a roller fairlead. Use a rope, you don't have to by one of the manufactures "plow winch ropes". Any good quality poly rope, of the appropriate size, you can get at Wal-Mart will do just fine. It's also easier on your mounts (plow & winch) when you raise the blade up all the way to where it "tops out", you won't overstress your mounts since the rope has give to it.
Just don't use a regular rope to try to winch yourself out.
Posted by: tencubed
I was having problems with the cable fraying and breaking using our Swisher plow to backfill behind a trencher while laying water line.
Solution to the problem was to mount a pully, came off an AC belt adjuster on an old Ford engine, on the plow. Mounted this as low as possible and moved the winch up on the quad. Ran the cable down around this pully and back up to the winch base. This cut the plow lift speed by 50% which made it easier to control while doing finish gradeing and also cut the effective load on the cable by 50%. Since this simple modification I have had zero cable problems even after many hours of use.
You will have to make a guide to keep the cable on the pully for the times the cable goes slack from running out too much or the blade being pushed up.
Hope this helps.
Posted by: tencubed
Quote
Originally posted by: PGRSV
damguy: Yep, you are exactly right. I was thinking of that just this week. Putting some kind of a pulley on so the angle isn't as sharp. Like you said, the cable breaking is about the only issue with the plow/winch set up. I just got done with my plowing (9 inches) and everything went well. Let me know if you come up with an idea for using a pulley. I'll do the same. Thanks for all the info guys, hope I can return the favor someday.
PGRSV
Go back up the thread about 7 posts to my last post. This system works really well. The pully has a bearing in it and is big enough to avoid kinking the cable. I would guess the system has over 80 hours of usage and their is no sign of damage on the cable as yet.
I had tried a smaller pully block system prior to this with poor results.
Posted by: weez440
ok if you wear out your winch cable it is gonna be 2 feet worth on the end and it will take years to do that. and your blade doesn't weigh that much so it is no strain on it and with a roller fairhead. just run it if it wears that 2 feet worth out cut that 2 feet off with a grinder and you winch cable will be 48 instead of 50 feet long
Posted by: montyh
i use regular old utility rope (whatever fits the hole in the drum) and four pulleys (hardware store pullys are fine. don't need expensive ones) to make a 5:1 reduction system. this makes it easier to lift the plow, spreads the wear over three or four feet of rope, and makes the plow move up and down much slower. (easier to stop at the top of the travel or get just the right amount of lift to skim gravel or grass). i'm on the third year with the same old 1/4" rope that was used before this.
monty
Posted by: Reb2
I have spent a fair amount of time and money testing various cables, ropes and straps. Following are my results but first you need to understand that my situation is different than yours. I have a device that applies down pressure to the snowplow which increases the pressure on what ever I am using to lift the blade. I also hit the upper limit often when plowing so that puts the full force of the winch pulling against what ever I am using and increases the stress and wear on the cable, rope or strap.
Cable, I had fairly good sucess with the cable once I mounted the winch out in front of the grill and pointing down so the cable had a straight pull from the winch to the blade. By running the cable over a roller fairlead it only lasted about 1 hour but I made a pulley that slipped onto the bottom roller which would double or triple that time. I also used shorter lengths of cable so I didn't have multi layers on the drum and didn't ruin as much cable at a time. The problem with doing this is the cable will rub grooves in the drum. I have two different winches that need new drums due to the chaffing of the cable on the drum.
Next I tried the synethic rope, not Warns but a different brand. I used it on a Warn 2.5 and had a straight pull, no fairlead. It lasted a whole 30 minutes, broke where the loop was woven in. This was a problem with how the loop was woven, not a problem with the rope but I determined the woven area would be the weakest link. I next bought a longer piece of rope with out woven ends on it. I hooked it up so I was in effect doubling the line. By the time I had about 4 or 5 hours of use on this setup it was showing a little fraying. I think on a 1500 lb. winch this would work fine but is marginal for a 2500 lb. winch. Last week I ordered some more rope of a different brand to try on the 2500 lb. winch. I have figured a way to attach it to the drum so I will end up with 4 lines to divide the stress onto.
Straps, the biggest problem with straps is attaching them to the winch drum. The layers of strap by itself will not hold the strap to the drum. I have used two sided tape also but that isn't realible enough so I also added clamps. With the tape and clamps I get a realible hold during cool weather but in the summer heat it isn't enough on a 2500 lb. winch so I am going back to the rope which for my purposes I think will work more reliably. As someone else mentioned you can always drill and tap the drum but I am trying to come up with a way to attach it without modifing the winch. Lets face it, not everyone has the tools and/or experience to be drilling and tapping.
I must caution everyone, my situation is different than what others will experience. Due to my down pressure device I am putting considerably more stress on the line than others will. My goal is to eventually market my device so I am trying to make sure the known problems are solved first. Currently there at 5 different machines setup with my device so it gets a good test as to what people are going to do with it.
Posted by: DavidLT250S
we used our cable for the plow since our quad was new (1993) and the plow never seemed to hurt it, its still the original cable that came with the bike but i guess its all depending on how your plow set up was made ours is custom made
Posted by: Primus
I see by the replies you guys have had better luck than me. I have an 04.5 Sportsman 500 H.O. with the 60 inch Glacier Razor plow. I didn't make it half way through the first winter before I snapped my steel winch cable. Maybe my use differs from most others. I live in a high snowfall area and have a 300 foot long driveway with a turn-around that I can swing my transport around in, so there is lots of heavy pushing and blade raising and lowering. I had a thread about it in the Polaris forum. According to my conversations with both Polaris (factory and dealer) and Warn they say it is caused by that same couple inches of wire rope rolling back and forth with that extreme downward angle over the roller fairlead, that causes the cable to crush, then start fraying until it breaks. I tried to get advice on weather the winch rope would hold up better, but for every good thing I heard about it, there was an equal number of negative comments. So for now I just bought a spare steel cable and keep it in my storage box in case the one in my winch ever breaks while pulling. None of my local dealers will bring in the synthetic rope because they say it costs too much and no one will buy it.
What do you guys think? I don't want to buy one of those short plowing ropes, I want to know how the synthetic rope will hold up as a year round solution. Thanks.
Posted by: PGRSV
Tyler, Don't have an answer for your question, but have a question for you. How do the u-bolt clamps hold up on your winch cable? I can see that I'll need to do that after awhile. I was going to buy some sleeves and a swaging tool to put the cable together after I make a loop, but the u-bolt clamps are the cheapest way to go. Thanks for the info.
Posted by: PGRSV
Thanks for the info! At least I know what to do when mine breaks. Looks like I'll be out soon. 8 inches of new snow here in PA. Thanks again, and be safe.
Posted by: PGRSV
damguy: Yep, you are exactly right. I was thinking of that just this week. Putting some kind of a pulley on so the angle isn't as sharp. Like you said, the cable breaking is about the only issue with the plow/winch set up. I just got done with my plowing (9 inches) and everything went well. Let me know if you come up with an idea for using a pulley. I'll do the same. Thanks for all the info guys, hope I can return the favor someday.
Posted by: Hogsniper
I'm either going to buy an 8' piece of the synthetic plow lift rope or maybe just replace entire 50' section. My problem is in order to lift plow over 5" - 6" off ground, I roll the clamp in wire cable that makes the loop for the hook. That sucker will not come back out over the fairlead at such a right angle. I may try just a 20' nylon tow strap. You can just wind it around winch drum. Don't want to drill any holes to screw it to drum. I think you could just wind it on itself 4 ot 5 loops. You only need 3' to raise lower plow. The rest would stay on drum.
HS
Posted by: kingluvr
i am new to plowing with an atv. i have a 3000# winch on my 05 king. will it really hurt the cable lifting the plow alot ? i saw these 8' ropes to replace the cable for plowing. is a good idea or a waste of money. my plow is a 60" eagle. thanks for replies.
Posted by: kingluvr
thanks Starky. yes, i have a roller fairlead. it has an oversized roller on the bottom just for abuse plowing puts on it.
Posted by: kingluvr
thanks! that sounds like a good idea. i just dont want to tear-up a perfectly good cable plowing and not have it when i need it ( you know: to pull out those inferior quads....lol) i will check into that.
Posted by: IdahoVinnie
I went down to a local supply store and purchased 12' of nylon webbing that is about 2" wide. This the cargo hold-down type, NOT like the stretchable type used as a tow strap.
I drilled 3 holes 1/2" deep horizontally on the winch drum (after removing the wire cable). I then used 3 self tapping panhead screws to secure the strap to the drum, and attached the original hook to the other end. Works great! On my old atv, I used it for 2 years with no problems at all. Last week I did the same thing to my new Vinson.
Posted by: IdahoVinnie
One of the reasons that I installed a strap, is that I now don't have to worry about the cable unwinding too far, causing the cable to "bury" into itself when raising the plow.
I also read of deterioration of the cable because of salt that was mixed with the snow.
Posted by: fbc72
You will definitely shortin the life of your cable, even with a roller fairlead. Use a rope, you don't have to by one of the manufactures "plow winch ropes". Any good quality poly rope, of the appropriate size, you can get at Wal-Mart will do just fine. It's also easier on your mounts (plow & winch) when you raise the blade up all the way to where it "tops out", you won't overstress your mounts since the rope has give to it.
Posted by: Kasuki400
ALL UTILITIES R BOXES!!!!!
