Thread: Steel Cable vs Plasma Rope

No idea, I've only used a Tirfor.
The steel cable in the original post looks like Tirfor cable to me.

Originally Posted by VladTepes

unless your bar like the ARB is designed for it.

The OE Land Rover-ARB winch bars have the fairlead proud of the bumper bar, if you look at late model Patrol and Land Cruiser bull bars the fairlead is recessed into the bumper to conform to ADR's.

I was made aware of this situation when registering mine in NSW back in '02.

Given the old bars have the fairlead bracket proud of the bar I assume this kinda rules out synthetic rope as if the angle of the cable was uphill enough it would rub on this fairlead bracket (not used in a synthetic application) and cut it ?

Originally Posted by weeds

i always thought winch wire rope and tirfor wire rope were different construction

Tirfor rope has a core so the jaws don't crush it. I think that winch rope doesn't have a core.

Originally Posted by VladTepes

Given the old bars have the fairlead bracket proud of the bar I assume this kinda rules out synthetic rope as if the angle of the cable was uphill enough it would rub on this fairlead bracket (not used in a synthetic application) and cut it ?

Yep, that's my only concern. Fortunately my winch had the option of either, so if I get sick of the rope I'll just swap fairleads and cable.

Originally Posted by abaddonxi

Tirfor rope has a core so the jaws don't crush it. I think that winch rope doesn't have a core.

that would be it

The Land Rover winch bar doesn't have the reinforcing plate that the aftermarket ARB bar does, so an aluminium fairlead can be used easily.

Anyway, it wouldn't take much to hack off the bracket and grind with an angle grinder on the aftermarket one.

Tirfor ropes have an extra strand in the middle of the 6 outer strands as does any rope wound onto a drum (winch/crane/hoist) or run over a grooved pulley, this 7th strand resists flattening/squashing the wire rope cable, normal wire rope used in slings etc. have 6 outer strands with a rope core in the middle, this rope core is soaked in lubricant and lubricates the 6 outer strands. Rope core wire cable cannot be used in a Tirfor and should not be used on a winch drum or a snatch block, if it is the cable will be damaged and may fail.
Tirfor and winch cable are usually 7 strand/19/24 wires /strand (IWRC) and are not as flexible as wire cable 6 strand 19/24 wires/strand used for slings, Regards Frank.