I'm new this this and have heard a Little about cable winch maintenance being so hard and rope winch getting damaged by Sun and grit. Which winch is the best value and should it be hydraulic or electric?
Very good advice.kinetic energy is great if the vehicle is moving. With a solid anchor tho like a winch to a tree that stretch and stored kinetic energy is down right dangerous. You want NO stretch in the cable. If you wind on 1" of cable you want the object to move 1". You do not want an elastic band effect and see the vehicle suddenly roll ahead 2'...
only problem I have with synthetic rope is the 25% up charge. I'll definitely stick with steel until synthetic saves me money.
The transformation begins. Just purchased the smittybilt xrc 9,500 lb wire rope winch and a smittybilt arc gen2 front bumper to mount it on. Maybe Santa can work on the lift and tires. ;-)
@billiebob is correct.
Steel is tried and proven and will last probably longer than you own the vehicle. However, synthetic rope (which is what I run) has it's advantages as well.
Synthetic rope is a great product for many vehicle recovery situations. If you winch a lot and are concerned about weight, synthetic can be a great option since it is lightweight and easy to handle. It doesn't develop sharp burrs like steel rope, and doesn't store as much potential energy when under load. On the flip side, synthetic rope is more prone to abrasion, and should be regularly inspected for frays or other damage caused by UV, chemicals, and overall use. And when using synthetic, you always want to lay down the abrasion sleeve when needed to guard against rope damage.
Steel rope is extremely durable, and is good for both vehicle recovery and utility work, such as moving trees, rocks, etc., since it resists abrasion very well. Ultra-violet wear is also not a factor with steel rope, and it may be a better choice for you if you don't frequently use your winch. Steel rope is heavier than synthetic, can develop rust, and can also develop sharp burrs. This is one reason why we always recommend users always wear heavy gloves to protect their hands while handling the rope.
Some people immediately think synthetic rope is safer than steel rope. Although steel rope will store more potential energy, since it's made out of steel, it is less prone to abrasion (and possible fraying). The bottom line is that no matter which line you choose, you need to follow safe winching techniques and take all necessary safety precautions.
Hopefully this answers your question @skooter84.
Bottom line: You can't go wrong with either!
I hear ya, the synthetic rope is quite a bit more. Hopefully they get cheaper over time!
Agreed, wire rope needs maintenance too.
Winches are pretty common around here. Every logger has one on his pickup and alto many of them won't get used for 10 years... when they do need to winch that steel cable is ready to go. Not sure I would put the same blind trust in a synthetic rope which had been running around on the front bumper for 10 years.
There are a few guys with first generation Dodge diesels... they put the 8274 on the truck 25 years ago and they still run the original wire rope. I use my winch more to pull logs out of the bush than to get unstuck.
But I definitely agree with the advantages mrblaine notes.
Exactly, which is why I replaced my first winch's wire rope twice before finally switching to synthetic. Inspections of my wire ropes over not that many years uncovered kinks, flat spots, and broken wire strands. That damage likely occurred during the occasional multiple winching jobs in one day where I wasn't able to respool it perfectly after each use. That meant the wire would get damaged from being pulled down through layers that weren't as tight as they would have been after a proper respooling. That wouldn't have happened with synthetic. My winch had 3 wire ropes on it from damage thru lots of use but I stopped needing replacements once the switch was made to synthetic.As for the maintenance of steel cable, it is most assuredly not maintenance free. If you do a bit of research, you'll discover that it needs to be cleaned, oiled, inspected for kinks, flat spots, bird's nesting, broken wires, and replaced if any evidence of those exist. The main reason folks think it is maintenance free is because they don't do any, not because it isn't required.
What tends to get overlooked is synthetic line was first used on marine vessels for commercial fishing and towing. That is one of the harshest environments that equipment can endure and none of them have gone back to steel for many reasons but being impervious to rust, chemicals, acids, and similar is near the top. With today's advances in UV resistant dyes and coatings, that is very much not an issue.
Having owned multiples of both, my experience is exactly the opposite of that. It doesn't sound like you have any significant personal experience with or have ever owned a synthetic rope.I think.. again my perception... is that even the best synthetic cables require more maintenance than the best steel cables.