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

[swamp-thing]

I guess it could have been some enviro-whacko -- I never really gave that kind of thing much thought.
Odd since I was parked and hiking for the afternoon.....not really tearing up trails or causing any harm of any kind other than poor mpg.
Either way, I just wanted everyone to be aware of this kind of nefarious BS -- haha ( or maybe everyone else already was aware... and I'm just joining the awareness party!! )

 

[ducktapeguy]

Probably just some bored kids who thought it looked cool. Kind of like how stealing car emblems was big a few decades ago because all the rappers were wearing them. Hopefully it won't become a pandemic.

If you see this guy sporting a winch hook around his neck in his next video, then I'd start worrying

One of the reasons I specifically wanted an 8074 winch (same as 8274 without the freespool knob) was because I was concerned about vandalism. I didn't want to come back to my 40 one day and see the winch cable strung out across a busy street.

 

[Dragos80]

Would getting the synthetic rope off the winch be an option? Keep it inside the car until you hit the trail?

 

[swamp-thing]

thinking more about some kind of winch booby trap that only I know how to deactivate.. mad max style! hahah

 

[onlyonedr]

Would getting the synthetic rope off the winch be an option? Keep it inside the car until you hit the trail?

Since most winches are fairly slow for no-load speed I would say that while this is possible, it would take quite a bit of time and be somewhat annoying. That and when you re-spool the line it has to be under some tension to have it wrap correctly and not bunch up later when under load. Not really an option.

 

[snobdds]

I've been going to steamboat for years. Like any town, it has a few bad characters, but overall great people. The good thing there is, it should be easy for you to relocate it if some dumb ass just put it on his truck. During mud season, it eliminates most seasonal people and you're looking at mostly locals.

Off topic I know, but last time I was there I saw a sweet baby blue 40 cruising around town. Do you anything about this rig or who owns it?

 

[JohnVee]

If it was vandalism instead of theft you might want to look around in the radius of a good throw. It might just have been cut and tossed.


...via IH8MUD app

 

[swamp-thing]

Yea never thought about looking around for it. If that's the case, glad they didn't throw it through my windshield!

 

[swamp-thing]

Pretty sure I know the owner of the baby blue. If its the same one it's a 1970 or 71 i think.

 

[DrivingMissRosey]

It could have been an environmental terrorist type, a bunch of bored dumb kids or a guy who is both shady and looking for some nice rigging. My bet is that it was the latter. It's a hundred dollar bill to him.

 

[ozcrusier]

I'm in the tow truck industry and there about to ban synthetic rope in Australia because its getting cut to easy.

 

[swamp-thing]

Banned...wow that's very interesting. Is it being cut by vandals or cut or breaking while under use?

 

[cruiserpilot]

OK, this is expensive, but I'm saving up. You can now get dash cams with 'Parking Mode'. Motion sensor high def
video recorder. So when anything walks past the front of your rig, video 'on'! Thay have 2 channel rigs, so you have
front and rear protection. Our trucks are expensive, so is insurance. But when I finally get one, and if I EVER catch someone
messing with my truck. It's gonna be sweet justice!

http://www.blackboxmycar.com/collec...vue-dr600gw-hd-wifi-16gb-32gb-english-version

 

[ThreeEyedBandit]

Why not keep some tension on the rope when its spooled? That'll keep them from free spooling it out and cutting it. Guess this would work as long as the rest of the winch and rope are hidden behind the bumper.

 

[onlyonedr]

Why not keep some tension on the rope when its spooled? That'll keep them from free spooling it out and cutting it. Guess this would work as long as the rest of the winch and rope are hidden behind the bumper.

Just reach in there and flip the free spool lever. On my 8274 all you need to do is pull the handle which is right out in the open. I wonder if this will open up a market for something like a braided steel protector sleeve with a thimble that shrouds the rope. Or, what I need, another excuse to switch to something like a Factor 55 thimble that hides the rope altogether when it is spooled in.

 

[ThreeEyedBandit]

Just reach in there and flip the free spool lever. On my 8274 all you need to do is pull the handle which is right out in the open. I wonder if this will open up a market for something like a braided steel protector sleeve with a thimble that shrouds the rope. Or, what I need, another excuse to switch to something like a Factor 55 thimble that hides the rope altogether when it is spooled in.

Have you tried this with tension on the rope? On my 8274's and M8000 they won't go into free spool with any sort of tension on the rope at all. I do like the idea to slow them down with a shiny thimble that keeps the rope concealed. I bet that would deter most if they thought it was wire.

 

[Mudder]

^same with my 8274 once I put tension on the line with the hook attacked to my attachment point good luck getting it off

 

[AZ4ME]

Although it sucks that it happened, should be pretty easy to fix and not cost too much, depending on what kind of thimble/hook you choose to put on there. You shouldn't even need to un-spool too much line off the winch to splice in a new thimble. Many videos on YouTube if you have not done it before. Pretty easy process and doesn't take too long.

 

[swamp-thing]

i'm sending it back to the manufacturer for fixin' -- so really, the biggest cost is in replacing the hardware.....not sure what method of securing I'm going to rig yet, but I will keep you all posted -- maybe if you all have some ideas about protecting this set up, it might lead to something thief-proof (ish ) that we can all use -- and, despite everything I said about colorado, steamboat and thieves, it's still a very incredible place and I hope I didn't give the wrong impression about coming here for a visit.

 

[Jetboy]

Sorry that happened. I've had eco-nuts take the lug nuts off one of the wheels on my truck. Dangerous and a PITA. It would be pretty easy to have the person doing the splice run a small length of 2mm stainless rope inside the synthetic. It would ruin your spliced end, but probably keep your thimble around. My 4runner setup is so incognito I don't think I'm in too much trouble on my daily driver. It's a hidden winch mount inside the factory bumper. You can just see the cable under the license plate. - On my FJ40 with an 8274 - I'm sticking with regular old steel cable. If you want to try to carry off 150 feet of steel cable - go for it.