Using Synthetic Winch Cable with Your 12V Winch
–One thing that you can do to make your 12V winch safer is to replace your steel winch cable with synthetic winch rope. There are a few reasons for this, but the main reason is that if the winch cable does break, a synthetic rope will not recoil and snap in the faces of anyone that is around, while a steel cable will. Unfortunately synthetic ropes are weak in a few different areas and make not be suitable for every person, especially aggressive ATV enthusiasts. However, if you use your synthetic cable right, it will stay strong and usable for years to come.
Synthetic winch rope is actually stronger than steel cable and can pull greater loads while keeping a smaller diameter. Using synthetic rope, you can put more cable on the line, allowing you to do longer pulls. However, while the rope is stronger on straight pulls, it can’t withstand abrasion as well as steel cable can. Thus, if you are going to be using a winch cable in areas with lots of sharp rocks or other surfaces, you might be better off using a steel cable. If you only plan on running your cable around rough surfaces once in a while though, you can take some precautions to make sure that your synthetic cable stays in good working order.
First, as with when you are using a steel cable, always check the synthetic cable for any weak points when you are unwinding it and always use a tree saver strap. This will save your cable and the tree as well. If you see that the cable is going to have to pull over rocks or other rough surfaces, make sure that you put down a heavy blanket or some other form of padding between the rock and the rope so that the rope doesn’t rub against the rock.
When you’re done off-roading and head home for the day, never leave your synthetic cable on the winch. It it’s gotten muddy or wet during the day, leaving it on the winch could cause it to rot. Instead, spool it out, rinse it with a hose, and let it dry in the sun. While you’re doing this, make sure that the fairlead on your winch isn’t sharp. If it is, it will dramatically shorten the lifespan of our synthetic winch cable, so try to replace it if you can.
Synthetic Winch Cable
Using synthetic rope can make your 12V winch safer, by removing the recoil hazard, and can also allow you to put more cable on your drum if you need to pull over a longer distance. However, they are extremely susceptible to damage from abrasion and rotting. Avoid this by taking preventative measures and taking good care of your rope and your cable will stay in good working order for several years.
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Tags: 12V winches, synthetic winch cable, synthetic winch rope, winch accessories, Winch Safety