Thread: Synthetic winch rope winding

I can never figure out why people go on about this so much.
When you use a winch , you have to lead it out preferably to just a couple of winds on the drum to get the maximum leverage ratio. My understanding and procedure is that you lay it right out and find an anchor point far enough away to do so, and alter the length if too short by adding a suitable extension strap.
It then lays on the drum as it pleases as you winch depending on the angle , and how much you are willing to risk your fingers trying to guide it etc etc.
It is important to relay it afterwards if its all bunched at one end, but I fail to see how you need to respool under load etc, if you are going to undo it before winching again anyway. I recognise that you cannot always find an anchor at the optimum distance, but if you are winching with several layers on the drum you have lost much of your winch power.
My understanding is that textile rope will not kink and jam as much as wire so the spooling under stress is less important.
Regards Philip A.

Originally Posted by wovenrovings

I have a question for those of you that have used sythetic winch rope. I have read conflicting storys on what you are supposed to do when winding sythetic winch rope onto the drum. Do you need to lay the base layer nice and neat and from there on a diagonal criss crossing each layer so that the rope can't pull down through the layers?
Have heard that if you just wind it on like normal wire rope it can pull down throught the layers, in the extreme damaging the winch drum. This could be complete rubbish. Have seen pictures where it is just wound on like normal.

Whats the story?

WR.

I have read that as well. It does make sense but I have never done it and have never had troubles so far.

I used to respool my cable under load but with the rope I just respool it at the end of a trip under hand tension.

I have never worried with mine. It spools how it likes. I do try not have it all on one end.

Spool it straight. If you criss cross it you wont get it on all on the drum.
Make sure 1st layer is good as stated.
After you have finished winching for the day, take out the rope and spool it on under load. This makes sure that it wont pull through the layers. (which isnt much of a drama anyway, your winch will just reverse itself ie in=out, so wind the rope tight around a recovery point and operate backwards it winch in and it will separate.)

Make sure you clean it well to.

We have never had a stress with rope in all the comps we have done due to this. Only fatigue/old rope.

Rope is fantastic.

Dave.

Thanks, that has straightened that story out.
WR

although its done with.....

Get a friend to help you with this and spool out ALL the cable... winch it un under hand tension untill you have at least 3 preferabley 4 full turns on the drum, mark this with electrical tape, spray paint or texta marker right up close to the fairleads. then have your friend walk with the calble level and mark the point where the rope becomes viable from your blind spot.

other than than everything I was going to suggest is covered.

IMHO, 3 or 4 turns remaining on the drum may be adequate with wire rope, but with the lower friction of synthetic rope and a less secure end anchorage, I wouldn't like less than 6 turns.

Taken into account... By the time you start winching and get load on the line typically you will have turned the drum at least 2 turns (at least with wire rope IVe only ever used the synth stuff once and that was only a part unwind) But then again, once youve started to take up slack, just before you get to the winching part (under tension but not full load) you should have one last visual of all critical parts of the job the wind in of the winch being one of them, Ive seen a $5000 FSSWR winch rope (ships crane) stuffed becuase as it was being wound on loose for the first time the dogger wasnt watching, the first 2 turns crossed over and jumped the guide flange, the rope then proceded to wind into the gearbox... due to the special end connectors used the whole rope was written off and a new one ordered...