Correct way to create loop on end of synthetic winch rope?

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

I have a length of synthetic winch rope I want to use as a winch extension. Looking for advice/links on how to correctly create a loop at the end of this winch rope. I know how to do so with steel cable but obviously this is different. Thanks in advance!

 

[gnob]

start at 11:00

 

[cartercd]

I recommend going to the Samsung Rope website Samson Rope | Synthetic, Nylon, Polyester, & HMPE Rope Supplier - https://www.samsonrope.com/ . They have great resources on how to splice ropes of different materials and strand-count. They are a manufacturer of synthetic rope for the marine and arborist industries - they know what they are talking about.

 

[WesCadwall]

Josie, check out factor 55 they make a braided rope (Fid). Its not too expensive and will braid loops in any normal winch lines. They also have a short video showing how to use it. Works great and you never need to worry about breaking a winch line again. I carry mine always. P.S. it takes about 5 min to braid in a loop with some practice.

 

[bladedog]

Or, if in Canada Home - Freedom Recovery Gear - https://freedomrecoverygear.com/
They've also got Fids and rope to build your own.

 

[discoverydave]

The buried splice (also called a tuck splice or lock stitch) is what you want for synthetic winch rope. It's what the factor 55 Fid makes easier, but you can absolutely do it by hand with just a fid needle or a length of stiff wire — takes some patience the first time. The key is to bury the tail at least 12-15 times the rope diameter for a working load splice, so on 3/8 Amsteel you're burying about 4-5 inches minimum. I've had students pull tested at 95%+ of line strength with a good bury. The other thing people skip is whipping or heat-shrinking the throat of the loop so it doesn't fray where it bends over a shackle. Do that right and the splice will outlast the rest of the rope.

 

[gnob]

bury on 3/8" should be 20" minimum.
abrasion protection is good but also being aware of minimum diameter of the rope.

 

[discoverydave]

Buried splice is the way to go — everything else said here about the Fid is spot on. A few things I'd add from doing a bunch of these: The bury length matters more than most guides let on. I go 20x rope diameter minimum on load-bearing loops, especially for winch extensions that'll see shock loads. On 3/8" Amsteel that's around 7-8 inches of bury, not the 4-5 that some suggest. Taper the buried tail if you can — just pull back the outer strands a couple inches and trim some of the inner core fibers at an angle. Makes the splice end way less likely to walk back under cyclic loading. Also worth doing a first-load break-in pull on any new splice. After the splice is done, put it under moderate tension a few times before trusting it in the field. The strands seat in and the splice gets measurably tighter. Heat shrink over the splice helps protect it but don't let it substitute for proper bury length — I've seen people cut corners on the bury thinking the heat shrink would compensate. It won't.

 

[discoverydave]

The 20x diameter bury is the right call for extensions, especially if you're running it through a snatch block or over a recovery point where there's side load on the loop. I'd add one more thing that doesn't come up enough: once you've done the bury splice, pre-tension it before trusting it. Run it through a couple of light pulls — 2-3k lbs or so — before you're counting on it in a real recovery situation. The splice seats and locks up properly under load. I've seen brand new hand-spliced loops slip on the first hard pull because nobody broke them in.

Also worth wrapping the throat of the loop with a few passes of self-amalgamating tape before you put a thimble in, if you're using one. Keeps the strands from spreading against the thimble edges during repeated use. The abrasion sleeve people are recommending is good but the tape trick at the throat specifically has saved a few of my extensions.

 

[ChaseTruck]

For 3/8” rope, I tuck in 24” or so. Since my first pull on an extension with tucked splices resulted in some rope movement on both ends (and those hadn’t been preloaded, so…), I now use a Brummel splice at the loops before the tuck. That has worked well for me.

 

[Ditcherman]

I’ll add this link, I’ve found super helpful.

Long Bury Splice

Long Bury Splice.

www.animatedknots.com

I’ve made a lot of hammock hangers, and I would recommend the Brummell lock or there’s also a thread and needle way to lock stuff too. I’ve had a few come apart, but not with tension. Never thought about heat shrink but that sounds interesting!

I bought a 50’ length of 5/8 off eBay, was the inside wrap off a ships winch, and successfully made loops with brummel locks on the ends for a recovery rope. Supposedly good for 50,000 lbs or something.