Steel vs. Synthetic Winch Line?

Might have to go synthetic next time.

Yes Chris, with steel the guys who use it daily, all day logging... they never consider abrasion.
Wrap the cable/choker/chain and pull.
 
When pulling trees with the winch, would steel be the better option since it's less likely to fray?

Of course I realize we aren't pulling trees with the winches on our Jeep (most of us at least).

You probably should be using a tree strap whether you are pulling trees or getting out of a stuck situation it will save the rope and cable as well, I've been using rope so long I cant remember when I started using it but one injury from a stray wire strand on conventional cable will make you switch and not look back.

Jason
 
When pulling trees with the winch, would steel be the better option since it's less likely to fray?

Of course I realize we aren't pulling trees with the winches on our Jeep (most of us at least).

That's actually one of the reasons why I bought my winch!
 
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You do a lot of logging?
Heck no, I live in Florida. But I built my Jeep primarily as a bug out vehicle. After hurricanes there are a lot of streets closed off by all kinds of debris, mostly downed trees.

Based on my local terrain most people never need a winch unless they go through very deep mud, which is by choice. I looked into switching to synthetic line, but it's just not cost effective for me.
 
When pulling trees with the winch, would steel be the better option since it's less likely to fray?

Of course I realize we aren't pulling trees with the winches on our Jeep (most of us at least).
Depends on how you're doing your rigging. Even steel cable is not impervious to abuse which means you never hook the cable back onto itself with the hook. That means you're attaching to the tree with a choker of some kind in which case a smattering of attention paid to the path through the brush will be all that is needed. Brush, trees and similar at not that bad to work through. The sharp edges of rocks and similar are far more troublesome for either.

If I were doing it, I'd get a big ole out of date lifting sling, quad layer, about 8 feet long, and use that for the tree choker. They are rugged, tough, cheap, and very stout. I carry one for a rock anchor in JV only longer.
 
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Heck no, I live in Florida. But I built my Jeep primarily as a bug out vehicle. After hurricanes there are a lot of streets closed off by all kinds of debris, mostly downed trees.

Based on my local terrain most people never need a winch unless they go through very deep mud, which is by choice. I looked into switching to synthetic line, but it's just not cost effective for me.

Gotcha, that makes perfect sense. In a way my Jeep was sort of built for the same thing. Well, that wasn't it's primary purpose as we like to go off-roading. However, I like to know that come rain, snow or whatever, I've got a vehicle that's capable to say the least!
 
You do a lot of logging?
yeah...
its called firewood.
DSC_0186.jpg
 
I'm steel. Hate the weight. Where I live there's a bunch of intense sun in the summer followed by a bunch of rain the rest of the year. Both are no bueno for synthetic unless I'm willing to replace regularly. I'm far too lazy and cheap for that.
 
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I'm steel. Hate the weight. Where I live there's a bunch of intense sun in the summer followed by a bunch of rain the rest of the year. Both are no bueno for synthetic unless I'm willing to replace regularly. I'm far too lazy and cheap for that.

It may not be the be-all, end-all of winch protection, but I ordered this a few weeks ago for the Warn winch on my TJ:

Waterproof Winch Cover

For the price this is one hell of an awesome winch cover. I might add that it isn't made of neoprene and it is actually waterproof (which I've tested first hand in this crazy Portland rain). It's very flexible with the elastic band and should pretty much fit just about any winch out there.
 
I'm steel. Hate the weight. Where I live there's a bunch of intense sun in the summer followed by a bunch of rain the rest of the year. Both are no bueno for synthetic unless I'm willing to replace regularly. I'm far too lazy and cheap for that.
Old wive's tales. Did you miss the comments above about the merchant marine and naval fleets of the world having been using synthetic rope for Years? As in far longer than we have been on our Jeeps? Water doesn't faze synthetic rope as it can wire rope once the galvanizing has worn down. Neither does intense sun, they live half their lives on docks and aboard ships where the sun can be intense... synthetic ropes have a protective UV coating. I had to replace my previous wire ropes three times from broken strands, flat spots, kinks, etc., I've yet to have to replace a synthetic rope.
 
Old wive's tales. Did you miss the comments above about the merchant marine and naval fleets of the world having been using synthetic rope for Years? As in far longer than we have been on our Jeeps? Water doesn't faze synthetic rope as it can wire rope once the galvanizing has worn down. Neither does intense sun, they live half their lives on docks and aboard ships where the sun can be intense... synthetic ropes have a protective UV coating. I had to replace my previous wire ropes three times from broken strands, flat spots, kinks, etc., I've yet to have to replace a synthetic rope.

I'm still lazy and cheap as I mentioned. no technology advances can fix that. Four Wheeler had an article last year and they were pretty harsh on synthetic. They went on about how syn doesn't disipate brake heat as well as steel, it breaks down above 150 degrees, along with the more common things you hear. They even took a dig defending steel concerning kinks. They actually said steel cable doesn't kink itself, it's user error. Can't believe they actually said that. Check it out, it was pretty biased.
 
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I'm still lazy and cheap as I mentioned. no technology advances can fix that. Four Wheeler had an article last year and they were pretty harsh on synthetic. They went on about how syn doesn't disipate brake heat as well as steel, it breaks down above 150 degrees, along with the more common things you hear. They even took a dig defending steel concerning kinks. They actually said steel cable doesn't kink itself, it's user error. Can't believe they actually said that. Check it out, it was pretty biased.

The issue with brake heat has to do with how well you understand rigging and winches. The first rule of any winch sold for self recovery is that it is not to be used as a hoist because you have to lower something against the brake which is self applying to hold your rig in place when you let off the in button. If you power out against the brake, you are using the winch as a hoist which is a big no no and you are heating up the winch which isn't good for it. In other words, if you are attentive to sound rigging and recovery practices, brake heat is a non issue and therefore not much of a consideration.

Ironically when we first started using synthetic, Warn issued a warning that it was not to be used on their winches because the steel line acted as a heat sink. My question which went unanswered to any reasonable certainty was how did it work as a heat sink if you had a 100 feet of cable and the anchor point was 95 feet away? A few years later with no changes to the internal brake system, Warn started selling winches with synthetic line. I'd guess they shot from the hip and missed with the first warning.

As an aside to their temp point, they lumped the aramid fibers in there when they used the word "synthetic" and several companies have made line offerings from them. Viking used to sell a Fireline and then later a 10 foot piece of it on the drum portion of their other lines and then later dispensing with it altogether. The X-line from ORO was aramid and some of the other companies tout a blend of the two fibers, aramid and UHMWPE to try and achieve the best of both.

The problem with aramid fibers is they don't like tight bends that are 90° to the long axis. They require very generous radii for the line to travel over under load or the fibers start breaking down due to their crystalline nature. So while they may be more heat resistant, they are less tolerant to the "abuse" we subject them to with a hawse fairlead. The break down temp of aramid is around 400°F. Incidentally, some of you may recognize aramids under their trade name of Kevlar. ;)
 
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Ironically when we first started using synthetic, Warn issued a warning that it was not to be used on their winches because the steel line acted as a heat sink. My question which went unanswered to any reasonable certainty was how did it work as a heat sink if you had a 100 feet of cable and the anchor point was 95 feet away? A few years later with no changes to the internal brake system, Warn started selling winches with synthetic line. I'd guess they shot from the hip and missed with the first warning.

Ironic indeed, considering they probably sell quite a few of winches now with synthetic line (I personally bought a Warn M8000-S).
 
I ruined the brake on my 9.5 TP Warn removing stumps on our property. Just over worked the hell out of that winch. Also over the course of last winter I ruined the wire rope-lots of frayed and broken strands. So last month I took my winch to the Warn Factory service center in Milwakee, OR for a refurbish. ( Excellent customer service BTW). When I picked it up I asked about synthetic vs wire rope. Cutting to the chase the tech referred me to West Coast Wire Rope and recommended 100' of 5/16, 6x37 wire. It has the best of both. But hey, each to their own.
I distrust those that speak in absolutes. As in my idea is the best and there is no other.
 
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