Off Roading anyone heard of this new cable replacement?

[TomGolden]

Hi all,



At the NorCal Diesel rally last weekend, they had a rock crawler demonstration day. Of course, Warn winch was one of their big sponsors. Someone from Warn was talking about some (new?) type of replacement for traditional cable (wire rope) for winches. He said this new poly-something? stuff had almost 50% greater tensile breaking strength than cable.



Can't remember what it was called, but was wondering if anyone here might know something about it.



Thanks,

Tom

 

[jerryrigg]

Here is what your looking for, I've used it before and it is nice but my 2cents say the pros and cons are in the wire's advantage.



http://www.masterpull.com/

 

[jcbrown]

Winch Rope...

Made from "Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fiber. " See Master-Pull website.

 

[pcorssmit]

Rockstomper has pretty good prices on both synthetic and wire rope, www.rockstomper.com. I've been seriously considering going the synthetic route myself when the time comes. Everyone I've talked to that runs it can't say enough good things about it, except that its more expensive.



Pete

 

[Whitmore]

one draw back to consider

polyethelyene fiber has bad luck in UV rays from the sun, not a big deal but keep a cover on the spool when not in use.

 

[rsullivan]

I was looking into this synthetic cable too... but the wire rope I have works fine for now I guess.



But I did find more information on Amsteel-Blue UHMWPE rope on the maker's website - including all the technical data - see http://www.samsonrope.com/products/mi_12strand.cfm#ae) and scroll down some. Looks like ~1% stretch at half of the working load limit. There's even a write up on how to eye-splice the stuff elsewhere on the site (handy to be able to do that).



Also found a direct source for it by the foot ($0. 99/foot for 5/16" diameter). Search for it by name at http://www.seamar.com. Looks like they sell it to commercial fishermen and for use on tugboats, etc.



Later,



Rob

 

[JFitzgerald]

I know some guys who use the poly rope and are impressed with it. These are hard core rockcrawlers who abuse it as much as anyone could. When it was time for a new cable for the Warn 8274 on my Jeep, I checked into it, and the cost was too high for my taste. Worked out good though, I bought a brand new cable that a guy had taken off his new 8274 winch to install the poly rope. The only downside I see with my cable is the burrs, which gloves can take care of. We 'wheel hard, and in some situations, my life (and maybe others') is hanging on the end of the cable, and I "feel better" with steel cable on the spool.

 

[rsullivan]

seems like it would be really nice to have an extra hundred feet of, say, 3/8" or 1/2" synthetic cable as winch extension with eyes spliced in on both ends. it would sure be lighter than chain, and probably cheaper than grade 7 or 8 'recovery chain' anyway.



anybody know how well this stuff tolerates knots? or which knots to use a) to bear the load, and b) that can be untied afterwards?



rob