winch cable (recommendation needed)
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DavdH
ArboristSite Operative
Amsteel
Amsteel Blue synthetic rope light and it dont cut you up or tangle as much.
If you're going to go synthetic, keep a 10' or so section of chain to use as a choker. The amsteel is tough, but it will take a toll on its longevity if it is constantly in contact with logs.
And mind where it drags on the ground and what it rubs against. General rule is when 25% of the strand volume is gone, its time to retire the line or reduce its rating.
And mind where it drags on the ground and what it rubs against. General rule is when 25% of the strand volume is gone, its time to retire the line or reduce its rating.
Isn't steel cable like 150 bucks?
Nothing wrong with steel cable if your trying to save a few bucks. But those are the widely available options, wire or synthetic.
You could go with a poly double braid, but the bulk alone to achieve any decent strength rating would eat up drum real estate.
You could go with a poly double braid, but the bulk alone to achieve any decent strength rating would eat up drum real estate.
Swamp Yankee
Addicted to ArboristSite
Google 3/8 x 100 galvanized aircraft cable.
This is what we and frankly all manufacturers of consumer winches used back when I was in the winch industry. The stuff is tough, strong, relatively abrasion resistant, and pretty flexible. Should be able to find one under $75 shipped, maybe cheaper. Check Amazon too. Look for 7X19 construction.
Stay away from swaged wire ropes. Though very high strength and flexible, they will still fray and break due to fatigue just like the aircraft cable at 3 to 4 times the price. These are primarily used in crane applications to achieve a higher hoist rating using a smaller drum due to the industry and OSHA safety regulations specifying minimum drum to wire rope diameter ratios.
Take Care
how does this look http://www.ebay.com/itm/221566727880
Most logging winch makers use a swaged cable , I just priced up 150' of 3/8" with a loop at the end with my hook from a local wire rope supplier for 92 cents a foot , I'd have to go up in unswaged size cable to get the same strength so I'd loose length on my drum .
I should have asked , what winch do you have ?
Ironworker
Addicted to ArboristSite
We use that aircraft cable at work for tieing off, apperantly good stuff. Too bad you weren't closer.
Ironworker
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That right there looks good, now start skidding.
It's refreshing to read wire rope correctly described.[emoji6]
I retired after thirty years working as a plant engineer for Wireco Worldgroup.
Always gets my dander up when wire rope is called cable. Cable is for electricity not lifting/moving things.
Rope size & construction depends on drum diameter. Just swapping 3/8" for 5/16" can give the larger rope permanent distortion.
Watching 'Ax Men' gives me the hebie jibeis they continue to use damaged rope.
I think that should work good I'll leave the end hook on. I actually ordered a pear link with two 5/16 grabbers if I need more than my three sliders. I'm pretty sure the winch cane with 3/8 i knows my last fransgard with 6600 lbs pull had 3/8 . Also this one is 5800 not 5000 like I said above. Is not much but plenty fir my 38 hp tractor.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221566727880, I absolutely dont like that kind of hook on a winch cable. If you hook the cable back into itself, you will kink the cable every time. We have used the sliding cable hooks, http://www.bairstow.com/3-4-Newco-Sliding-Choker-Hook-w-O-Latch-p/a350340.htm, for years. These hooks stay on the cable and are hooked into the eye at the end of the cable to choke tight what ever you are dragging. I would guess my current hook I have had for 30 or more years. We used 3/8 cable on logging winches and bigstick pulpwood loaders most of my life, winching way more than your 5000lb winch will pull and while we might eventually pull the eye out of the cable, we never had any problems with cable kinking because the hook was placed around the cable. I keep a 100ft piece of cable with the sliding choker on hand , as well as a couple of snatch blocks, for pulling logs to the road, or for pulling a leaning tree the direction I want it to fall. I can hook a snatch block to a tree above the road, run the cable thru it to my truck hitch and the other end to the log and pull a pretty big tree right into the road in just a couple of minutes, Beats blocking and toteing out a piece at a time.
Swamp Yankee
Addicted to ArboristSite
Will also reduce your line pull rating due to the larger radius. Not a huge difference bare drum depending on drum diameter, but when you get into the third and higher rope layers it makes a substantial difference.
Wire ropes don't fail instantaneously if properly specified. Rather it's a degradation over time due to damage from the ground, rocks, or most often hooking back on the rope instead of using a choker of some sort. For example in a 7X19 there are 7 clusters of 19 strands braided to work in unison. As the rope is damaged, the 19 become 12 or less meaning the other six must carry a higher load. As the 6 become damaged the load continues to increase on the remaining intact clusters with fewer stands until the load can no longer be supported by the damaged rope and it fails in tensile.
Other thought, never underestimate the effects placed by a shock load on a wire rope. Though the shock occurs for a fraction of a second, the rope sees that load and will be eventually damaged / fail if the shock load is severe enough. We used to test ropes with shock loading. While the needle on the dyno scale never moved, like nothing had happened, the load cell hooked to the computer would register huge spikes.
Take Care
I have no intention of hooking the wire rope back on itself I plan on keeping the large hook and using http://m.ebay.com/itm/G70-5-16-Grab...juster-Wrecker-Truck-/281707373754?nav=SEARCH to book on the end when I need. I have three sliders and only use 4 chokers when pulling small wood. My tractor is pretty maxed out hauling two butt logs. It will haul 2 16' logs but I would rather make two trips with 1 log and go easy the equipment.
D
Deleted member 135597
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zoro is good, I have ordered from them before
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