ATV Connection Magazine

Wire Rope for winches, discussion

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Posted by: tencubed

Years ago a fellow at Northwest Wire Rope tried to explain to me the difference between winch cable and cable used in a number of other applications. The only thing I really remember is to be sure to ask a true expert prior to buying cable for various applications. Aircraft cable may be perfect for a winch but I suspect there are several types out there. Same way with stainless or galvanized. Be very carefull because, as I'm sure you know, cables can do nasty things when they break.

Posted by: Dirtydude

I want to replace the wire rope for my winch warn 2500

I don't want synthetic, why? I dunno just don't...


What I want is to spool on like 100' of line, why can't we use other wire rope besides galvanized 3/16?

I can get some stainless aircraft cable that is half of the diameter with plenty of work load. Wouldn't that let me spool on twice as much cable?

I found some 1/8 inch cable with a 2000 pound breaking strength, a 2500 pound winch only pulls like 1250 MAX if only one row of cable is spooled right?

I don't see why we can't use a much higher quality cable than the cheap stuff that ATV winches come with and drop the diameter to spool on twice the amount of cable.

Posted by: Dirtydude

Your right

Guess I had better stick with regular sized winch cable!

I thought you needed to hook the cable thru a snatch then back to the winch in order to acheive the rated pull (in my case 2500 pounds for a warn 2500)


But I did some looking after your reply on how winches are rated and amazingly they are rated at the spool...Doesn't seem right though when you hook up to something.

Posted by: Dirtydude

Cause I didn't want cable and chains wrapped around my front bumper like other peeps do around here.

Guess I'll just use a normal 50' cable and keep some chain in a hard box. Right now my cable is about 15 foot shorter from this winters snowplowing. I'll rig up something better suited for plowing next fall like a heavy strap.

I'm just gearing up for this next years riding. Some of the hills around here are pretty dang steep and timbered so a 100' cable would be damm nice for dragging up a deer from a creek bottom instead of dragging it 50 foot then redoing the extention and dragging another 50'


but I suppose a full 100' drag would heat things up huh, perhaps the rest does the winch good

Posted by: oper2nyst

Quote

Originally posted by: Dirtydude
I want to replace the wire rope for my winch warn 2500



?

?
, " a 2500 pound winch only pulls like 1250 MAX if only one row of cable is spooled right?"
....... no ,the first layer of cable on a winch drum is usually right at rated capacity, it decreases as each succesive layer spools on as you are functionally increasing the lever arm against the drum as the winding diameter increases.....

Posted by: oper2nyst

i think your referring to a snatch block setup and that does increase capacity[but you lose effective cable length by doing so[ try going to warns site, i just got a pair of 2.5's. i think somewhere on the site it shows effective pulls by layer and the decrease[in pulling capacity] that occurs


Posted by: oper2nyst

how big were the stumps you were removing? id be careful with the yanking technique, atv tubing[frame components] is not typically of a heavy wall configuration and you could damage something.....

Posted by: DDDonkey

Why do you need such a long cable? Can't you just get a 50' or 100' extention?

Posted by: 97KQ300

Funny you bring up this topic. Just today I was pulling out some stumps and began by trying my winch. I really didn't feel comfortable hearing all the warning about cables snapping and such. I solved my doubts by simply using a logging chain. Problem solved. 2nd gear and a running start and the 'ol king yanked out the stumps and roots all in one shot.

I personally think winches are sometime overrated by some people, (not saying you guys are), but I hear people saying how they pull down barns, yank out 4x's stuck in 3' of mud, this and that. Sounds like some people mixed up their somokes for something else if you know what I mean.

Don't get me wrong, I have a 'el cheap-o whinch myself, but really only use it for my plow. I just can't seem to ever fail with my clevis and chain. That's my discussion (and opinion).

Posted by: 97KQ300

Quote

Originally posted by: oper2nyst
how big were the stumps you were removing? id be careful with the yanking technique, atv tubing[frame components] is not typically of a heavy wall configuration and you could damage something.....


I think around 3 1/2" +-. They were some evergreen bushes I cut down over the winter. I don't normally tug things out like that, but my pick and shovel were on strike that day. hehehe



Posted by: SEVENKMAN

i've got the new syntech ropes, and they seem to pull like a mother, they don't spring like a cable does when they break,(hope they never do). i'm a big fan of tow straps, i've got two 15 footers in a winch bag, I think thats the way to go. Ryan.

Posted by: SEVENKMAN

I had my doubts about the new synthetic ropes to, but they seem to be amazing, i've pulled some pretty big trees up hills, and out of the woods into the clearing. they tug you right out of the mud too, no prob. Ryan.