Winching?

[Twizted1]

I have an old superwinch X2 on my Conquest. I've only needed twice and both times the wire went of the spool and jammed. So I tore it all apart this evening and found that the cable tensioner was on backwards so I flipped it around and put it all back together. But in doing so when I unspooled the wire rope the end was missing. So I need to put a new end on the rope.
And I was wondering what everyone uses on their winch. Do you use wire rope? Or do you use synthetic rope?

[Cougar]

I have synthetic rope on my winch and I love it . I will never go back to cable rope

[Twizted1]

Anything need to be changed other than the fair lead?

[ARGOJIM]

There wasn't an end on the winch side of the cable, if memory serves there was a set screw holding it in.

[philipatmaxfour]

winching

There wasn't an end on the winch side of the cable, if memory serves there was a set screw holding it in.

Jim, your memory is pretty much right on regarding the set screw. I had the cable off of my X2 winch a few months ago and it had a crimped on end with a hole for the set screw. A very Knowledgeable friend says that he just puts a ball of brazing on the end and puts that in the hole?

[Twizted1]

I have the cable off mine now. I don't see a set screw.

[fmints]

Jim, your memory is pretty much right on regarding the set screw. I had the cable off of my X2 winch a few months ago and it had a crimped on end with a hole for the set screw. A very Knowledgeable friend says that he just puts a ball of brazing on the end and puts that in the hole?

Last year, I purchased a 3500lb winch with a synthetic rope for my wife's MaxIV, and I absolutely love it. A month later, I replaced the cable on my 4500lb winch with a synthetic rope and it came with a ball of brazing or "large BB" between a loop at the end of the rope and pulled it thru. I haven't had any issue at all with the rope coming out. I think its a great idea to change out to synthetic rope, for safety reasons as well as others. Dan Edwards and I went riding a few months back and I was winching out of a very seriously deep and suction like hole of mud when my rope popped. If it had of been cable, someone could've easily been hurt by the cable, if I still had it installed on my winch. I have used that cable an awful lot and I feel that I got my moneys worth. I mean, I am here to talk about and no one got hurt. Great idea going with the synthetic rope, thou I would suggest going with a thicker diameter than the cable if you use the winch regularly!

[Twizted1]

I have only used it twice. And both times the wire rope spooled over the side of the drum. I found that the cable tensioner was on the winch wrong. That tensioner seems sharp. Did anyone remove the tensioner to avoid abrasions on the synthetic rope? Also did anyone change their roller fairlead?

[JohnF]

I changed my fairlead rollers to UHMW rollers.

[Noel Woods]

UHMW fairleads are out there and comparable to steel in price. I really like the synthetic cable too. Once it frays though it goes worthless quickly.

[Twizted1]

I thought about using a howse fairlead. But I'm torn. I see good and bad in both.

[The Swamp Donkey]

A note about the cable end: it's the last few wraps on the drum that actually hold the cable on, not the end. The only reason there is an end fitting, brazed ball, or set screw is to keep it in place when it's not under tension. But under load, you always want to leave around 5 wraps on the drum at the minimum and the physics of that tension and friction on the drum is what anchors the cable to your winch under high pulling force.

[Twizted1]

Good point. Thanks.