If you use a synthetic winch line please read (1 Viewer)

[swamp-thing]

So, I live in Steamboat Springs, a small Colorado town with access to lots of outdoor fun and adventure. Yesterday while visiting a state park, Stagecoach Reservoir, I returned to my parked 80 after a long hike only to find that the winching hook on the end of my Viking synthetic winchline had been maliciously sliced off at the end. Rendering my synthetic line useless, not to mention, relieving me of my winch hook.

This didn't happen in some bad neighborhood....This happened in a beautiful location, with wild Colorado mountains all around, right at the tailwaters of the yampa river....pretty much the last place I would expect it.

Anyway, I'm not sure if this has been covered before by other unlucky mudders, but if you have the synthetic line with hook, thimble or whatever else recovery attached to the end, be aware, apparently there's no end to which people will go to rob others. Mine was yellow... and in being yellow, maybe looked "fancy" or "expensive" I'm not sure what the attraction was??

With one slice of another's knife, my repair bill with new parts and shipping is going to be around $100 and lead time of about a month for backordered parts ( good thing I have no moab plans next week ) The money is really inconsequential compared to the way I'm left feeling about my fellow man right now.

Anyway -- it's a safe bet that you've all been the victim of this kind of thing before.
I guess I just didn't really expect it from another nature lover like myself, in a nice part of the state. So, word to the wise, be vigilant I guess, and maybe paint your winch hooks or thimbles or whatever you have, some hideous color that would-be thieves will not find attractive.

Cheers!

swamp-thing

( pass this thread on to anyone with a synthetic line )

 

[jwilliams]

Is it bad that my mind jumped to an "environmentalist" hiker that doesn't want to see OHV in and around their hiking trails? Cutting your winch line/hook would be their way of preventing you from enjoying the outdoors the way you want to.
Sorry for the vandalism, I have the same hook/line combo.

 

[swamp-thing]

It's possible...my rig certainly has it's share of key marks on all sides from the same types of folks.

 

[izzyandsue]

That sucks. I just got a syn Engo10000, it never occurred to me that someone would do that, I would say its akin to slicing brake lines. But you got me thinking, back in the manufacturing plant the guys that opened a lot of boxes would wear these kevlar wrist-elbow elastic covers on their forearms. They will screw up a knife, will see if I can get my hands on one of those...

 

[NLXTACY]

Sounds like a market for 1/2" stainless mesh sleeving that's about 1ft long to prevent knife access to the rope.

Not the first time I've heard of this unfortunately.

 

[NLXTACY]

That sucks. I just got a syn Engo10000, it never occurred to me that someone would do that, I would say its akin to slicing brake lines. But you got me thinking, back in the manufacturing plant the guys that opened a lot of boxes would wear these kevlar wrist-elbow elastic covers on their forearms. They will screw up a knife, will see if I can get my hands on one of those...

Haha, beat me to it.

 

[swamp-thing]

I'd like to wrap my whole truck in that kevlar stuff! haha

 

[wearsabrowncoat]

Sorry man. I'm pissed off for you.

 

[swamp-thing]

Sorry man. I'm pissed off for you.

thnx - this kind of thing never really crossed my mind -- so hopefully it serves as an eye opener for others, or a refresher for those who already heard about this before. I never had this concern with braided steel - weird LOL.

 

[bmac1996acc]

That sucks. At least you only lost the hook. Send it to Steve at Southeast Overland and he can splice a new one on it for you. I'm always worried someone will take the whole thing. All someone has to do is move one lever to freespool the winch. Undo one bolt/screw and they have your line, thimble and hook. This would also be the case for steel cable.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

That sucks. I got my winch stolen years ago while at the movie theater.

 

[beachboyy]

I hate thieves. Like you said, hurts more than just the $$. Wish you were closer I would spice that up for you.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

I have heard of tree huggers doing this, it sucks that people like that think it's their responsibility to try and discourage others from enjoying nature with dishonest and dangerous tactics. I have also heard of people cutting just enough line so the rope fails under load. Around my neck of the woods we got activist types that put big logs on blind corners and string cable between trees on atv trails.

 

[ranma21]

Sorry to hear that Ash!! Those -;&@$$(;!! I still have the old school steel line, make sure install stainless sleeve on your replacement!

 

[swamp-thing]

Thanks Ian -- I will look into beefing that up for sure!

 

[doug720]

Sorry about the loss.

My neighbor had his complete synthetic winch line stolen while eating breakfast on the way to Oregon. Stopped on Highway 5 near Kettleman City, came out 30 minutes later and it was gone, hook and all.

I don't know how you stop it, if a thief wants it, they put the winch in free and off it comes. On my steel cable, I keep tension on the cable. Maybe the keep it under some tension and scare them? Or slide some braided hose over the cable up to the hook before you spool it?

 

[LFD2037]

Tree hugger.

 

[maxamillion2345]

I insatantly thought envirowacko.

 

[onlyonedr]

Air Operated Free Spool Clutch? Then at least they cannot take the line. Expensive insurance though. I am glad my truck is not out in the general public very much.

 

[canman]

I insatantly thought envirowacko.

Reminds me of a story from a couple years back. A few of us were on this ATV/4x4 trail out in the middle of nowhere. The three of us had stopped to check the trail out ahead. Out of nowhere, a group of three women show up. They were "hiking" along the ATV trail. As they pass our trucks, which happened to still be running, one of them runs off her mouth. She starts yammering on about us damaging the environment with our large trucks and creating green house gases unnecessarily by keeping the trucks running. The two other trucks happened to be diesel, and one of them was running WVO. My buddy, the owner of truck running the WVO, shouts back to keep her mouth shut, mentioning that he was running WVO, which is not a green house producing gas. It was classic.