Interesting. I guess I have only ever seen roller fairleads with steel cable and Hawse/smooth fairleads with synthetic line and never considered this. Do you think this is purely a cost decision or is there a maintenance advantage with smooth fairleads for those of us who won't be winching often?The price online is no longer correct. The 4 roller runs $369.00 and the 2 roller is less but I'm unsure ($295?).
Roller fairleads are a better fairlead for synthetic line. Amsteel Blue (HMWPE) starts to melt @ 150 degrees, Cortland Rope (HMPE) starts to melt @ 185 degrees. A Hawse fairlead sitting out in the hot sun can easily have a surface temp of 100 degrees.
Stick your 6500 lbs overland GX in a hole, one tire buried, climbing out of a 4, 5, 6, degree climb and your stuck assessment weight can easily reach 9000 lbs +. Most vehicles our size run a 10k winch. Vehicle and equipment sympathy should be considered as you are close to maximum capacity.
I would rig up a double line pull to lower the over all load on the recovery equipment. lower amp draw, and longer duty cycle on the winch during operation.
The line speed of the recovery is reduced using a double line pull, pulling a heavy load over a Hawse fairlead will melt rope. It may not part the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd time but it will and more than likely at the worst moment.