Winch Rope - Synthetic or Steel?

[H20 Toie]

May cost more but rope all the way.
i have broke both over the years, but no one has ever been hurt when the rope breaks, can't say that when cable breaks ( even with weight on it )

 

[6.2Blazer]

I have ran the original steel cable on my K5 for 10 years and was always happy with it and had no problems. On my SxS the winch has steel cable and I hate it. Last month I was with a group in Windrock on SxS's and got stuck on a black diamond trail in heavy rain and that required a lot winching by everybody to get through, including rehooking the winches 2-3 times in a few places due to the length of the hills. The other 4 machines all had synthetic and it was so much nicer to handle and none of them had issues with it. My steel cable was harder to handle and you had to deal with sharp strands here and there.

Part of the difference is that the winch on my K5 (old Ramsey Pro 9000) has a lot of room around the spool, meaning even if the cable spools up on one side it still doesn't drag against the housing or supports. On my SxS the Superwinch Terra4500 will have the cable start rubbing on the support rods after just getting a little off center on spooling which starts tearing up the cable.

 

[mrk5]

I need one of those velcro sleeves as a secondary sleeve.

I think they only cost about $17.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/tgi-303436/overview/

 

[skunked]

I think they only cost about $17.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/tgi-303436/overview/

in my shopping cart, thank you

 

[bmxbryant9]

in my shopping cart, thank you

You don't have a winch

 

[mrk5]

Maybe there's a winch in the shopping cart too.

 

[skunked]

You don't have a winch

hey now, don't you need to run your fairlead into a ditch or something? pewpew

 

[bmxbryant9]

Ahahahahah

 

[skunked]

lol

 

[bmxbryant9]

Never trust a Toyota on 32's

 

[noJeepshere]

So those of you, have you ever run into trouble with the line degrading over time?

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

We talked about mine earlier this year, I think this might be year 10 for mine. Masterpull, I would never consider anything but rope for a winch that sees any half-regular use.

I kept steel cable on the pickup with the thought that it's more of an "emergency" winch on that truck, after having to use it again this summer, it very well may get rope with a cover to keep the sun out.

 

[Cruz89K5]

I have 3 trucks and a sxs with a winch. The sxs winch is rope and I will be changing the most used trucks to rope when its time to replace the cable. The ease of use is what has me sold. Light and easy to handle. When you need to drag cable on a wheeler it's usually not in nice open area. The rope cooperates, the cable fights.

 

[yellowK20]

So those of you, have you ever run into trouble with the line degrading over time?

I would say no, the top layer "could" be exposed to sun damage but that section is covered by the protective sheath . It's impervious to water unlike wire rope which is prone to rust .

 

[thearborbarber]

I want to switch to rope but can't find a 11 inch bolt pattern hawse. Anyone by chance stumble across one?

 

[yellowK20]

I want to switch to rope but can't find a 11 inch bolt pattern hawse. Anyone by chance stumble across one?

If you are handy with a router and drill press you can make your own out of HDPE plastic , that's what I did for my first one.

Edit: UHMW plastic is what I meant sorry