Synthetic Winch Rope Issues

[XJlimitedx99]

This thread is very timely for me. I've been looking to replace my steel cable and have been obsessively looking at different synthetic offerings. While I would love some of the name-brand stuff with fancy features, $300+ dollars for a winch rope is hard to justify. Especially considering most of them require splicing in a safety thimble separately. It can be hard to wade through the noise to determine what are good products and what is good marketing.

I was very happy to come across WRG. I've run Black Magic brakes on multiple vehicles and have always been impressed with the knowledge and professionalism. I have a carrot colored rope headed my way now.

@mrblaine, is there any info you can share about the rope you source? I was pretty set on buying Amsteel Blue or Plasma, and was specifically interested in the claims made by adding urethane coatings like Samthane. I'd love to learn a bit about what your rope is, where it comes from, how it compares to name brand ropes, is it coated and how it compares, and also if you have a figure for MBS? I was pretty set on only buying a rope that has a tagged MBS/MTS, but I trust your reputation enough that I can forego that feature.

Also, don't mind me, an XJ guy over here on a TJ forum. Just passing through lol

 

[tnjeepguy]

an XJ guy over here on a TJ forum. Just passing through lol

glad to have you, anytime D

 

[mrblaine]

This thread is very timely for me. I've been looking to replace my steel cable and have been obsessively looking at different synthetic offerings. While I would love some of the name-brand stuff with fancy features, $300+ dollars for a winch rope is hard to justify. Especially considering most of them require splicing in a safety thimble separately. It can be hard to wade through the noise to determine what are good products and what is good marketing.

I was very happy to come across WRG. I've run Black Magic brakes on multiple vehicles and have always been impressed with the knowledge and professionalism. I have a carrot colored rope headed my way now.

@mrblaine, is there any info you can share about the rope you source? I was pretty set on buying Amsteel Blue or Plasma, and was specifically interested in the claims made by adding urethane coatings like Samthane. I'd love to learn a bit about what your rope is, where it comes from, how it compares to name brand ropes, is it coated and how it compares, and also if you have a figure for MBS? I was pretty set on only buying a rope that has a tagged MBS/MTS, but I trust your reputation enough that I can forego that feature.

Also, don't mind me, an XJ guy over here on a TJ forum. Just passing through lol

I try not to do MBS and prefer average breaking strength instead. This stuff is around 20,000 and since I know how winches work, how folks actually use them, I'm not going to chase numbers and split the hair between one of the batch that breaks at 20,458 and the next that breaks at 19,875. We generally aren't actually capable of deriving a recovery where we can use the winch at its rated capacity and typically wind up at roughly half of what they are able to pull and that half diminishes significantly with every layer on the drum.

I know they are Dyneema, I can look up the specific fiber if needed but I don't care that much since you aren't going to get 20K in 3/8" without it being the high strength version. I care more about the hand than I do much else. These have a nice hand, and they are pretty durable. If you tear it up doing something that isn't the fault of me or the rope, get in touch and I'll get you taken care of. If you tear it up and it isn't the mine or the rope's fault, I'll sell you just the rope to put the the thimble back onto. Again, I don't make much on this stuff so you won't be afraid to use it, wear it out, and buy another one.

 

[XJlimitedx99]

I try not to do MBS and prefer average breaking strength instead. This stuff is around 20,000 and since I know how winches work, how folks actually use them, I'm not going to chase numbers and split the hair between one of the batch that breaks at 20,458 and the next that breaks at 19,875. We generally aren't actually capable of deriving a recovery where we can use the winch at its rated capacity and typically wind up at roughly half of what they are able to pull and that half diminishes significantly with ever layer on the drum.

I know they are Dyneema, I can look up the specific fiber if needed but I don't care that much since you aren't going to get 20K in 3/8" without it being the high strength version. I care more about the hand than I do much else. These have a nice hand, and they are pretty durable. If you tear it up doing something that isn't the fault of me or the rope, get in touch and I'll get you taken care of. If you tear it up and it isn't the mine or the rope's fault, I'll sell you just the rope to put the the thimble back onto. Again, I don't make much on this stuff so you won't be afraid to use it, wear it out, and buy another one.

All good info and fair points. If they are Dyneema I'm sure they are SK75 or SK78, which by specs are pretty much identical for our purposes. Thank you very much for the very quick and thoughtful reply. Pretty wild that even the worst 3/8" HMPE rope is still nearly double the breaking strength of my 5/16" steel cable, and I've trusted that for all this time.

and I gotta say, I'm stoked to be in the carrot cable club. What a great color.

 

[mrblaine]

I'm stoked to be in the carrot cable club. What a great color.

Mistakes can be fun sometimes. "Hey, send me 50 orange ropes". They get here, that's not orange, WTF? Okay, carrot it is, now send me 50 that are orange and not that goofy carrot color crap.

 

[tnjeepguy]

orange and not that goofy carrot color crap

Tennessee orange ??


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPacja3hGdA

 

[SargeJosh]

Check the breaking strength. 3/8" should be around 20,000 or so. The reason anyone offers 7/16 is due to a lower strength fiber creating a lesser strength line so they increase diameter to bring the strength up. Be careful stuffing 100 feet of 3/8" line on there. That likely tops it all the way up and leaves it overfull. If they add any "abrasion guards" or drum insulator, that also adds bulk so the line will need to be shortened and reterminated.

edit to clarify why some lines increase diameter.

Thanks Mr Blaine! Appreciate the prompt feedback

 

[SargeJosh]

Another one for mrblaine's Wizard Recovery gear. I have a run of the carrot color on my Shittybuilt Gen2. Works great at a very fair price from a man who stand behinds what he sells - what more can you ask for.

Hell Yeah!!