Winch steel cable vs winch rope

I use Amsteel Blue which was developed for the offshore fishing industry - there is no problem re: UV stabilisation.

It is ludicrous the prices you pay for the stuff in Aus.

I bought mine and an aluminium hawse from oklahoma offroad in the US.

Check out their website at www.okoffroad.com

They were excellent to deal with and ship regularly to Australia.

BTW, before anyone mentions it - not sure whether it would melt powering out re: the heat generated by the drum brake - will never find out as, in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, I will never power the line out for extended periods - I will freespool it. No heat is generated in the drum powering in.

I reckon the Amsteel Blue is good stuff. It also comes standard with a 10 foot sheath to protect the rop from rocks, which neatly winds onto the drum with the rope.

I actually bought the Amsteel Blue and sold my wire rope for more than what I paid for the Amsteel :)

sorry...5/16 x 100ft is USD150, which is about AUD190. This is the equivalent of 8mm rope by 40 meters as sold here. It comes with the sheath, a thimble for attaching to the drum, and is spliced with a metal guard on the loop.

It's good stuff :) especially at that price.

"I will never power the line out for extended periods - I will freespool it. No heat is generated in the drum powering in."

You are tempting Mr Murphy with that one. You are bound to get stuck somewhere now and need to lower yourself down a slope with the winch. : ((

Maybe, but I'd rather tempt Mr Murphy on the remote chance I will need to winch backwards rather than tempt Mr Murphy every time I use the winch re: a recoiling broken wire rope. Not trying to be smart, that is just the way I see it. Anyway, tests in the US have shown that powering out for 15 to 20 foot of Amsteel does not effect it - I wouldn't do it, but apparantly you can safely - even though the stuff isn't heat rated.

To be honest, I and my Pathy do not go rock crawling - I am more likely to use my winch if I get hung up or bogged in mud when travelling by myself, which is usually on tracks so I should be able to winch through it forward.

I still stand by the comment that no electric winches with in the drum brakes are designed to be used to power out, especially nder load. It is the equivalent of driving with the handbrake on. Powering out should only be used to release tension on the line after winching to unhook. That's just what I have read and also been taught.

MR Moggs

In a popular 4 x 4 magazine it was alleged that powering out on a winch under load was acceptable??

Glenn

Maybe so...but if the magazine was referring to brake in drum electric winches, then they didn't do their research properly or read the instruction manual. Doesn't surprise me really, incorrect info and bias advertorials were thereasons I stopped buying the mags.

I am no winch expert, but it is clearly stated by the Warn (and I assume the others) that 4wd recovery winches are under no circumstances to be used as hoists ie. powering out.

It really is a bit of common logic as well. The in-drum brake is there to hold the vehicle when you stop winching. If you power out you will wear the brake out, and over time it will become damaged or not perfor it's intended job ie. holding the vehicle.

For those interested, check out this article:

http://www.bb4wa.com/articles/amsteel2.htm

It has some info on Amsteel Blue Rope and also some commentary on powering out a planetary winch.

....and this one just on Amsteel Blue

http://www.bb4wa.com/articles/amsteel.htm

Interesting comment Brian ... and certainly quite pertinent.
I fully comprehend the scenario in winch challenge events, but the whole thing is ... THE WINCH SHALL NOT BE USED TO SUSPEND PPLS.

Having said that I know it's a diffferent situation, but it's interesting nevertheless that in these events .. all the rules of the book get left behind.

Merely the musings of one who has escaped a chackleathon ... read herself had one of those interminable girlie thingees. Me .. went to the pub with the cobbers.

Cheers

i got 45 meters on my warn XD9000 would never go back to wire
at least if my rope breaks tie a not in it and start again
also a advantage of being able to have more meters as well as lighter and safer
the only downfall is cost