What's the advantage of synthetic winch line vs steel cable?
- Thread starter qslim
- Start date
Flib
TJ Enthusiast
this was quite entertaining 
each has benefits, I use cable because it is what came on it. I've owned the jeep for a year now and only had to winch twice so no plans to replace it, if I did it would probably be synthetic.
I think common sense has a bigger part in winch safety than steel vs. synthetic
each has benefits, I use cable because it is what came on it. I've owned the jeep for a year now and only had to winch twice so no plans to replace it, if I did it would probably be synthetic.
I think common sense has a bigger part in winch safety than steel vs. synthetic
And that right there folks is why most should be running synthetic. Folks buy a winch and it is bumper jewelry for years until the one or two times they really need it. That all of that knowledge, practice, and common sense rules of recovery they didn't do, bother to learn, and don't have, all work well to really get someone hurt or dead.I think common sense has a bigger part in winch safety than steel vs. synthetic
I just re-read this thread just in case there is something new that hasn't already been mentioned in the many steel vs. synthetic winch line threads that litter the offroading forums.
There isn't.
Here is my reasoning for preferring synthetic for my next winch line purchase: I'm old. Steel cable is heavy. Pulling steel cable is more work than throwing synthetic. The end.
There isn't.
Here is my reasoning for preferring synthetic for my next winch line purchase: I'm old. Steel cable is heavy. Pulling steel cable is more work than throwing synthetic. The end.
It may have been mentioned here earlier, but I always liked your example two guys choosing between equal lengths of steel cable or synthetic rope and beating each other with their selection.
OP
Summed up nicely and described my situation perfectly. The winch that was already installed on my Jeep has steel cable, but I put it on the list to change out. I've never been in a situation where I needed to use it, am not proficient by any means at recovery, so synthetic sounds like a more sound choice.
And now that you mention it the old boat dock back in Fl had several lengths of synthetic line in a perpetual state of use exposed to the sun and salt and actually held up quite well unless they caught a corner on the deck.
The use of synthetic for our winches came right out of the marine industry in the PNW. All the big heavy haul lines for the gigantic purse nets, tug boat winches, and large mooring lines are synthetic and in the sun, and in salt water, and and and.
Head Lice
TJ Addict
If string is superior to wire, why hasn't the logging industry embraced it ? We use multiple winches . . . guy lines, mainline, haul-back, strawlines, tag lines etc.
Your slamming of another member says a whole lot about you . . . .
Are we being asked to make a case for why the logging industry should use synthetic rope? Do you know that it isn't being embraced? A quick Google search suggests that there is quite a bit of research and interest as well as actual use of rope in the global timber industry for all the usual reasons.
When someone dismisses 20 years of research, development, 100's of thousands of dollars spent, and more time learning about something that should be legal as nothing more than "snake oil", there's a problem. Not sure what the problem is but at some point, that's bullshit and I don't tolerate that well. You can always ignore me if your feelings are tender.If string is superior to wire, why hasn't the logging industry embraced it ? We use multiple winches . . . guy lines, mainline, haul-back, strawlines, tag lines etc.
Your slamming of another member says a whole lot about you . . . .
What fucking difference does it make? We aren't in the logging industry, we aren't in the large scale fishing industry, we are NOT floating around in some harbor somewhere dragging container ships around, we aren't using hoists, we are using winches for recovery of our Jeeps. In that "industry" synthetic has many advantages over wire rope and since we are on a god damn Jeep board discussing Jeeps and the recovery thereof, what the rest of the world does or doesn't need or do should be of little consequence or affect the applicability in the least.
The first time I saw a synthetic winch line on a Jeep, I thought "how cute". But then I'm used to the marine uses of synthetic lines. A lot of that stuff is bigger around than my arm. Survives just fine in harsh enviroments...for years.
When you get to something that most closely resembles what we do with our winches in that environment, look at what the sail boats use for running rigging. It's all synthetic of various flavors. Specifically tailored to the usage. Right down to how much slip or grip the line has on the winch drum. Properly engineered synthetic is the way to go, in my humble opinion.
It's too bad the marine winch makers don't make Jeep winches. Something like a three speed Barlow on the front bumper would be to cool for school. Fast line speeds for when you want it and massive power when you need it.
When you get to something that most closely resembles what we do with our winches in that environment, look at what the sail boats use for running rigging. It's all synthetic of various flavors. Specifically tailored to the usage. Right down to how much slip or grip the line has on the winch drum. Properly engineered synthetic is the way to go, in my humble opinion.
It's too bad the marine winch makers don't make Jeep winches. Something like a three speed Barlow on the front bumper would be to cool for school. Fast line speeds for when you want it and massive power when you need it.
Head Lice
TJ Addict
You've made my point . . . . quite nicely in fact.
Actually, he said what I was thinking . . . quite nicely in fact.
The technology is there to make outstanding winches for us. The only problem to solve is an additional hydraulic pump and where to do that. If I were the winch master on some hill tasked with dragging rig after rig up a steep muddy hill, I'd certainly have a hydraulic version with a 2 stage pump and enough horsepower to make it work. High when you need it, lots of low end grunt when the load comes up.
It is unfortunate that the Jeep versions are so under designed and engineered. There does exist a need for them.