Thread: how i selected my a synthetic rope

Originally Posted by twr7cx

From briefly reading this, it seemed that a fair few of you have converted your steel cable winch setup to rope? Firstly, why? Secondly, I thought there was a difference in the drum setup between a steel cable winch and a rope unit, which prevented swapping over like this?

Not that I have fitted mine yet........

Firstly......my steel cable has a couple of kinks in it........I also spent a day out with the boys from dirty weekends and had to set my winch up in three or four positions, it was muddy, slippery and I feel it would have been slightly easier with a soft rope....

Secondly......I have a PTO so no heat build up form the brake to worry about. I believe with electric you are alright if it's got an external brake.....if you have an internal brake than it's only an issue when if you are lowering/winching out under load

Originally Posted by weeds

Not that I have fitted mine yet........

Me neither although only because there's no power to the winch yet but at least its mounted.

I changed to synthetic rope because it weighs much less, its safer if it breaks, its easier to handle and it floats. I know I'll have to be very mindful of heat buildup if winding out under load.

Mmmmmmm - If only this great thread was posted / spotted a little earlier - I have broken the rule of thumb regarding "9000lbs winch = 9000kgs rope", 10mm vrs 12mm advice, and may others....

I purchased the "Dyneema SK75 Synthetic Winch Rope, Cable 10mm x 30m, 12000lbs, Replacement" of ebay from Aussie supplier alaka_shadesail Arrived real quick, fits winch nicely but after reading this thread I am worried I may have stuffed up. Now trying to find out from him exactly what the 12000lbs rating represents .

Just some info and another alterative to Dyneema

Plasma Vs Dyneema - PlasmaRope.com.au - Fibre winch ropes and extension kits

Baz.

Originally Posted by weeds

....if you have an internal brake than it's only an issue when if you are lowering/winching out under load

That statement is very misleading.

The fact is that with a brake inside the winch drum, winding out creates the same damaging heat whether under load or no load whatsoever. This is because the brake is applied by the drum rotating in the direction that spools the rope out.

The brake doesn't know, or care, whether the tension in the rope is 1 Newton or 100 kiloNewton, it is just a dumb mechanical device. When powering out, the motor has to supply enough torque to overcome the friction torque from the brake and that is where the heat comes from.

Because the mass of the drum has capacity to absorb some heat before the temperature rises enough to cause an issue with synthetic rope, a small number of drum rotations can be tolerated.

With winches that have an internal brake you should always engage free spool and pull the rope out manually, if you use synthetic rope. Edit: this excludes them from use when it is necessary to lower under load.

Originally Posted by Bush65

That statement is very misleading.

The fact is that with a brake inside the winch drum, winding out creates the same damaging heat whether under load or no load whatsoever. This is because the brake is applied by the drum rotating in the direction that spools the rope out.

The brake doesn't know, or care, whether the tension in the rope is 1 Newton or 100 kiloNewton, it is just a dumb mechanical device. When powering out, the motor has to supply enough torque to overcome the friction torque from the brake and that is where the heat comes from.

Because the mass of the drum has capacity to absorb some heat before the temperature rises enough to cause an issue with synthetic rope, a small number of drum rotations can be tolerated.

With winches that have an internal brake you should always engage free spool and pull the rope out manually, if you use synthetic rope. Edit: this excludes them from use when it is necessary to lower under load.

There you go.....a much better explanation

hey guys i just bought some 12mm-25m dyneema from a rigging store $300 they made an eyelet on one end and crimped a electrical eye to connect the other end to the drum. I ask them if i needed to put an metal eyelet on the loop they made for the hook but said there is no need ??? what you think

Originally Posted by urumax82

hey guys i just bought some 12mm-25m dyneema from a rigging store $300 they made an eyelet on one end and crimped a electrical eye to connect the other end to the drum. I ask them if i needed to put an metal eyelet on the loop they made for the hook but said there is no need ??? what you think

I think your rigging store is a lot slack, easiest thing in the world to fit a thimble (metal eyelet), read my post #7 this thread, Regards Frank.